NOTE:The story of the Beach Boys is the story of an
extremely enthusiastic, likeable cadre of brothers, a
cousin, and a school chum who made it very big.
The raw nature of their early albums quickly gives way
to increasingly complex compositions, while lyrically
digging deeper into the emotional psyche. Brian Wilson
was the hardworking songwriter/producer/singer, Mike
Love the rock-steady front man, Carl Wilson and Al
Jardine provided the core lush harmonies, and Dennis
Wilson was styled as the sex symbol and heart and soul
of the band. The Beach Boys: The Great American
Band. These reviews are solely my own
opinions.
The Beach Boys Lost and Found:
1961-1962 DCC DZS-054 [CD];
Released February 1991 (out
of five)
REVIEW:
This interesting collection by DCC was like
finding lost treasure for thousands of Beach Boys
fans. The band had recorded these selections as
part of their first auditions for the small "Candix"
label, but after the band broke with Candix, and were
signed to Capitol, these original recordings were
stuffed in a shoebox and later were assumed lost. After
many years, the original master tapes were hunted down
and found stashed in a closet and were soon remastered
in sterling sound. This album is historically
vital, since it contains evidence of the Beach Boys
fully-developed harmonic talents, and of the roles the
band members were to play (Brian already taking the
reigns as authoritive producer, Mike stepping up as lead
voice/frontman, the rest of the band taking background
positions, and occasionally piping in with a
suggestion). However, it is not essential
listening, due to rather primitive songcraft, and the
studio chatter and repeated takes can become tiresome
after a couple of listens. But listen to a Four
Freshman-like homage on "Lavender," a tender, tentative
"Surfer Girl" or the final, charged master take of
"Surfin'" and you'll hear the group's potential already
beginning to bloom. "Lost and Found: 1961-62" is
the first step in a long, distinguished career, and
therefore is worth checking out, but should be bought
only after hearing the rest of their
albums.
The Beach Boys:
Surfin' Varese
Sarabande 302 066 085 2 [CD Only] Released May,
2000
1. Surfin'
2. Surfin'
Safari
3. Luau
4. Barbie
5. Beach Boy
Stomp (AKA Karate) (Instrumental)
6. Surfer
Girl
7. Judy
8. What Is A Young Girl Made
Of?
9. Surfin' Safari (Alternate
Version)
10. Lavender (Demo)
11. Surfin'
(Demo)
12. Come And Get It
13. Like
Chop
14. R.P.M.
15. My Sting
Ray
REVIEW: I'm not really sure
why Varese Sarabande decided to put this CD out, these
tracks have been available, well, everywhere,
(see above). But if you've been looking for a
"best-of" the Hite Morgan sessions, then this is the
disc for you, since it's got fine liner notes by Brad
Elliott, great sound (even better than the DCC version)
and none of the unfinished takes or chatter which can
become annoying after repeated listenings. It also
has cool retro graphics which I love. The disc
includes finished takes of Surfin', Surfin' Safarai,
Luau, Barbie, Beach Boy Stomp (aka Karate), Surfer Girl,
Judy, What is a Young Girl Made Of?, the alternate
single version of "Surfin' Safari" that was released on
the Ariola label, and demo versions of the lush
"Lavender" and the very first take of
"Surfin'."
What really
baffles me about this release is the tacked on inclusion
of four extremely rare Gary Usher songs, The fierce
instrumental "Come and Get It" and the oddly-named "Like
Chop" by the Tri-Five, and the dull "R.P.M" and "My
Sting Ray" (reportedly written by Usher for Dennis
Wilson) by The Four Speeds. Although Beach Boys
Carl and Dennis Wilson contribute studio help on the
instrumental tracks, the songs themselves are rare for
good reason: they're entirely forgettable. In my
mind, they would have been better placed on a Gary Usher
compilation than here, but what the hey, eh?
What would have been interesting is two other
unreleased Gary Usher productions: "The Beginning of the
End" and "Visions", that were reportedly supposed to
have included, but were pulled at the last minute. They
both featured Brian Wilson lead vocals, and for that
reason, would have been very welcome (to me at
least).
REVIEW: This first effort
from the Beach Boys is full of youthful charm, and
contains a couple of surf-genre classics in the form of
the boppin' "Surfin'," the revved-up racing sounds of
"409" and the pure camp of "Surfin' Safari". Other
favorites of mine include "Little Girl (You're My Miss
America)" (featuring an already soulful vocal by Denny),
the sound-effects laden "County Fair," and the simple,
yet catchy "Heads You Win, Tails I Lose". The corn
is plenty as well, with novelty numbers (Chug-A-Lug, Ten
Little Indians, Cuckoo Clock) and a middling surf
instrumental (Moon Dawg) pulling things down.
Overall, the album serves as an excellent
reference point of how far and how fast the Beach Boys
advanced in writing, production and performance
techniques in a few short years. In fact, the
reason the album is enjoyable is that the playing
(handled by the Beach Boys) and singing are so ragged,
and the songs so naive, compared to the super-slick
production of recent debuts, that it adds to the wonder
of watching them progress on subsequent albums. And hey,
I'll take the Beach Boys' fresh California sincerity
over the pre-fab of "The New Kids on the Block" any
day. Clambake, anyone?
Surfin' USA Capitol ST-L890 [LP],
CDP 7 93691 2 [CD]; Released March,
1963
REVIEW:
Our boys are catapulted into the national
spotlight with the title track, a re-working of Chuck
Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen". Released only
five months after their first album, Brian
scrambled to find material to capitalize on the success
of "Surfin' Safari," with predictable results. The title
track is a rock and roll classic, setting the nation of
fire to see and experience the mythical "California
Dream," but the true gem on this album is the haunting,
melancholy "Lonely Sea," with it's slow, rolling
accompianment, and Brian's incredible solo vocal
delivery giving fans the first glimpse of a budding
auteur. The remainder of the album is hot and
cold, the only other high points being a wonderfully
cocky "Shut Down" (continuing Brian's signature style of
beginning the song with a catchy, full-group harmony
tag, before launching into the verse), and the
(eventual) Fleetwood Mac concert staple "Farmer's
Daughter". Five songs on the album are surf
instrumentals, most of which are pale imitations of
finer surf bands. Overall, another stepping stone
on the way to much better things, but worth hearing for
"The Lonely Sea."
1
Surfer Girl (Wilson)
2 Catch a Wave (Wilson)
3 The Surfer Moon (Wilson)
4 South Bay
Surfer (Foster, Jardine, Wilson)
5 The Rocking
Surfer (Traditional, Wilson)
6 Little Deuce
Coupe (Christian, Wilson)
7 In My Room (Usher,
Wilson)
8 Hawaii (Wilson)
9 Surfer's Rule
(Love, Wilson)
10 Our Car Club (Love, Wilson)
11 Your Summer Dream (Norberg, Wilson)
12
Boogie Woodie (Rimsky-Korsakov,
Wilson)
REVIEW:
With "Surfer Girl," the Beach Boys' second
album of 1963, the band seemed to suddenly and
effortlessly come of age. This album is the first
indispensible product in their catalog, containing
several classic songs, and a giant leap forward in
songwriting and producing skills by Brian Wilson, who
was already beginning to stretch and break from the
typical rock formula. Besides the lovely title
track (inspired by the Disney song "When You Wish Upon A
Star"), there are the propulsive twins "Catch A Wave,"
and "Hawaii," the cocky swagger of "Little Deuce Coupe,"
and the shy, introspective "In My Room" ("In My Room" is
an astoundingly personal composition, very unusual for
rock albums at that time). Even the lesser tracks
are commendable, from the soaring "The Surfer Moon," and
Brian soloing on a wistful "Your Summer Dream," to the
testosterone retoric of "Our Car Club" (which has a
difficult, sophisticated track, but is hampered by
clumsy lyrics), and the bay-at-the-moon mentality of
"Surfer's Rule." The only real clunker is a shabby
rewrite of "Swanee River" into the embarrassing "South
Bay Surfer" which is sung with great, sloppy gusto, to
little result.
Little Deuce Coupe Capitol
ST-1988 [LP], CDP 7 93693 2 [CD]; Released October,
1963
1. Little Deuce Coupe
[Christian, Wilson]
2. Ballad of Ole' Betsy
[Christian, Wilson] 2:14
3. Be True to Your
School [Love, Wilson] 2:06
4. Car Crazy Cutie
[Christian, Wilson] 2:47
5. Cherry, Cherry
Coupe [Christian, Wilson] 1:47
6. 409 Love,
[Usher, Wilson] 1:57
7. Shut Down [Christian,
Wilson] 1:49
8. Spirit of America [Christian,
Wilson] 2:22
9. Our Car Club [Love, Wilson]
2:20
10. No-Go Showboat [Christian, Wilson]
1:53
11. A Young Man Is Gone [Troup] 2:10
12. Custom Machine [Love, Wilson]
1:38
REVIEW: Arguably the first
concept album in Rock 'N Roll, Little Deuce Coupe was
Brian's attempt to tackle a new subject after three
albums (!) mostly devoted to surfing (wait a minute...
wouldn't that make them concept albums?).
Released only thirty days (!!) after their last album,
it contained two songs from their just released "Surfer
Girl," ("Little Deuce Coupe" and the
lyrically-challenged, but musically impressive "Our Car
Club") plus one track each from their first two
albums. ("409" and "Shut Down," respectively)
Despite this obvious padding, the album stands pretty
well together, helped a great deal by the overriding
theme, not to mention sumptuous full-group harmony
vocals on "Ballad of Ole' Betsy, and "A Young Man is
Gone," plus the newly written 'rah-rah' classic, "Be
True To Your School." There is also the very funny
"No Go Showboat" about a gutless wonder, a
song-documentary "Spirit of America" (detailing the new
land speed record), and finishing up with one of my
personal favorites, the album closes with the gutsy
"Custom Machine." Not a first choice, but a good early
Beach Boys album.
Shut Down Volume 2 Capitol
ST- 2027 [LP], CDP 7 93692 2 [CD]; Released March,
1964
1. Fun, Fun, Fun [Love, Wilson]
2.
Don't Worry Baby [Christian, Wilson]
3. In the
Parkin' Lot [Christian, Wilson]
4. "Cassius"
Love Vs. "Sonny" Wilson [Love, Wilson]
5. The
Warmth of the Sun [Love, Wilson]
6. This Car
of Mine [Love, Wilson]
7. Why Do Fools Fall in
Love? [Levy, Lymon]
8. Pom Pom Play Girl
[Usher, Wilson]
9. Keep an Eye on Summer
[Norman, Wilson]
10. Shut Down, Pt. 2 [Wilson]
11. Louie, Louie [Berry]
12. Denny's Drums
[Wilson]
REVIEW: Upset at Capitol
Records filching two of their songs to push a shoddy
compilation album (entitled "Shut Down," it had 'stars'
like Robert Mitchum singing...(shudder)), The Beach Boys
turned around and released Shut Down Vol. 2, which
contained some of the best rock 'n roll ever
written. "Fun, Fun, Fun," with it's great lyric
and supercharged delivery, is the Beach Boys at their
care-free best. Add to this a knockout drag-racing
classic "Don't Worry Baby," and the heavenly sentiment
of "Warmth of the Sun" (written shortly after JFK had
been asassinated), and you have an album that is sure to
be potent. Other 'good' tracks include a fine
cover of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love," and a gorgeous
vocal workout on "Keep an Eye on Summer."
Unfortunately, the rushed pace at which Brian was
cranking out product made the lesser numbers pale in
comparison. "In the Parking Lot" is forgettable,
"Louie Louie" is white-bread (but you can
understand all of the words!), a lurching "This Car of
Mine" goes absolutely nowhere, and "Pom Pom Playgirl" is
just juvenile. As far as the instrumental title
track is concerned... I never listened to the Beach Boys
for their instrumentals. (Well, not until Pet
Sounds.)
All Summer Long Capitol
ST- 2110 [LP], CDP 7 93693 2 [CD]; Released July,
1964
1. I Get Around [Love, Wilson]
2. All
Summer Long [Love, Wilson]
3. Hushabye [Pomus,
Shuman]
4. Little Honda [Love, Wilson]
5.
We'll Run Away [Usher, Wilson]
6. Carl's Big
Chance [Wilson, Wilson]
7. Wendy [Wilson]
8. Do You Remember? [Love, Wilson]
9.
Girls on the Beach [Love, Wilson]
10. Drive-In
[Love, Wilson]
11. Don't Back Down
[Wilson]
REVIEW: Oh, this is a great
album. When casual fans think of the Beach Boys,
these are the songs they hear in their minds. "All
Summer Long" is a timeless soundtrack for
summer. Count the hits: a punchy "I Get Around"
(the band's first #1 single), the bouncing-xylophone
introduction of "All Summer Long," (featured in the
closing credits of "American Grafitti" years down the
road), a superlative cover of "Hushabye," the
insistant "faster, faster" thrum of "Little Honda," an
aching lyric on "Wendy," also "Girls on the Beach" (with
another inspired, soaring melody), the juvenile
delinquent mentality of "Drive In," and the super-cool
peer pressure of "Don't Back Down." What sparked
such fine songcraft is the sudden wake-up call of The
Beatles, who were taking America by storm. Brian
Wilson felt an immediate and lasting rivalry between the
Beach Boys and the lads from Liverpool, and in typical
'Brian' fashion, he rose to the challenge, with stunning
results. Even the filler was good, with a wistful
"We'll Run Away" and the nostalgic (?) rock and roll
homage "Do You Remember?" easy on the ear. The
only tracks I tend to skip over are the instrumental (of
course) "Carl's Big Chance," and the blooper reel "Our
Favorite Recording Sessions."
The Beach Boys' Christmas
Album Capitol ST- 2164
[LP], CDP 7 91008 2 [CD]; Released October,
1964
1
Little Saint Nick [Wilson]
2 The Man With All
the Toys [Wilson]
3 Santa's Beard [Love,
Wilson]
4 Merry Christmas, Baby [Love, Wilson]
5 Christmas Day [Wilson]
6 Frosty the
Snowman [Nelson, Rollins]
7 We Three Kings of
Orient Are [Hopkins]
8 Blue Christmas [Hayes,
Johnson]
9 Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
[Coots, Gillespie]
10 White Christmas [Berlin]
11 I'll Be Home for Christmas [Gannon, Kent,
Ram]
12 Auld Lang Syne [Burns, Traditional]
13 Little Saint Nick [Wilson]
14 The Lord's Prayer
[Malotte]
15
Little Saint Nick [alternate take/*] [Wilson]
16 Auld Lang Syne [alternate
take/*]
REVIEW: The Beach Boys were
on a very tight schedule to put out product by this
time, and the success of their Christmas single, "Little
Saint Nick" meant that a full-blown album was needed to
be ready for the holidays. Not surprisingly (to
this fan at least), the band was able to pull it off
with eggnog to spare, creating a timeless holiday
classic. Blending new rock originals (most of
which reflect the rushed nature of their creation), with
lush, orchestrated arrangements of familiar classics,
"Christmas Album" manages to have something to please
everyone. My personal favorites are the classic
"Little Saint Nick" (and the alternate version sung to
the tune of "Drive In"), The lush and slightly off-key
"We Three Kings of Orient Are," an atypical religious
number; "The Lord's Prayer," a truly lovely "I'll Be
Home For Christmas," and the traditional "Auld Lang
Syne" (in both the original version, which has Dennis
stuttering through a spoken holiday greeting, and on a
CD bonus track, without Dennis.) Now, rock purists
may balk at the use of a 40-piece orchestra to back up
the boys on the ballads, but I've always thought the
Beach Boys' shimmering vocal blend and the dense
orchestrations compliment each other well. The
Beach Boys also perform my favorite version of the
bouncy "Frosty the Snowman."
The Beach Boys' Concert Capitol
STAO 2198 [LP], CDP 7 935695 2 [CD]; Released October,
1964
1. Fun, Fun, Fun Love, [Wilson] 2:26
2.
The Little Old Lady from Pasadena [Altfeld,
Christian] 3:01
3. Little Deuce Coupe
[Christian, Wilson] 2:27
4. Long, Tall Texan
[Strzelecki] 2:31
5. In My Room [Usher,
Wilson] 2:25
6. Monster Mash [Capizzi,
Pickett] 2:27
7. Let's Go Trippin' [Dale] 2:34
8. Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow [Frazier, Harris, White,
Wilson] 2:18
9. The Wanderer [Maresca] 1:59
10. Hawaii [Wilson] 1:51
11. Graduation
Day [Sherman, Sherman] 3:28
12. I Get Around
[Love, Wilson] 2:42
13. Johnny B. Goode
[Berry] 1:54
REVIEW: Ok, ok, I know this
was the first Beach Boys album to go to number one, but
that doesn't mean it's the first album you should rush
out and buy, or even their first concert album you
should listen to. Six of the tracks are cover
versions of other hit songs of the day, and I honestly
don't like any of them. "Long Tall Texan?"
"Monster Mash?" "The Wanderer?" "Little Old
Lady From Pasadena?" Ugh. I could've handled
much more material from their recently released "All
Summer Long" album, rather than listening to Mike Love
cheese his way through the introduction to "Little Deuce
Coupe." This album, despite it's popular success,
was an artistic leap backwards for the Beach Boys, whose
studio albums were beginning to take long strides
forward in sophistication and songcraft. A similar
slide would occur two years later, when the caveman-like
grunting of "Barbara-Ann" would commercially out-shine
the brilliance of "Pet
Sounds."
(out
of five)
