"The early pastoral notions of the Beach Boys have now been drowned out by reality.  The innocent, uncomplicated life of the surfer has been overtaken by the technology of modern civilization.  You can't go on surfing forever.  Henceforth, the group will strike out in new directions, as their pastoral visions turn inward, and are replanted in more fertile pastures.  The complications of the late 1960s remian unravelled, and the Beach Boys, not surprisingly, reflect the social currents prevalent in that complicated and contradictory era.  The middle-class outlook remains, however.  Earlier in the decade, their pastoral music popularized the California dream, associating it with the images of beach, sea, surf, sand, girls, cars, and all the rest.  California was the promised land of America's westward trek.  Now, however, other factors were surfacing which threatened to warp that dream into a caricature of itself.  Occultism, ecology, fads, drugs, hallucinogens, and cults of all kinds swept middle-class youth, creating the hippie and peace movements, and engineering the mass alienation of an entire generation.  The surfer of the early sixties became the flower child of the late sixties.  These new concerns of the adolescent world surface in the group's next record, "Good Vibrations."  [pg 32].

Arguably the first book to take an wholly intellectual approach to the music of the Beach Boys, this reads more like a college dissertation than something aimed at leisure reading.  Published during the Beach Boys' explosive resurgence in America after the releases of "Endless Summer" and "Spirit of America," and written at a period when pop music was beginning to be considered a serious sociological subject, Bruce Golden examines how the Beach Boys' music evolved with the times.  Beginning with the band's "pastoral" (a word which shows up a LOT in the text) period, when their songs mirrored the prevalent attitudes toward youth, culture and nature (surfing and girls); the band's music becomes progressively industrialized, showing the conflict between nature and machines (cars); and then evolves into deeper, more introspective ruminations on relationships and adulthood (Pet Sounds); and finishing with the wildly experimental forays into psychedelia and explorations into personal identity ("Smile" through "Holland).  The bulk of the text actually goes into track-by-track analysis of many of the Beach Boys early albums, while the rest attempts to establish the author's sociological premise.  In that respect, this book is like a super-condensed version of Timothy White's much more expansive "The Nearest Faraway Place," but Bruce Golden got there first, and at fifty-nine pages, (only thirty-nine of which are actual text, the rest being indexes), it can be read in the space of an hour.  Very rare and hard to find.

"Surf's Up The Beach Boys On Record 1961-1981 is an attempt, . . to compile a complete guide to the recorded works of The Beach Boys, considered by many to be the major American rock group of all time. . . . The Beach Boys are the only American group with an impact approaching that of The Beatles.  The Beach Boys were - and are - the foremost exponents of vocal harmony in rock music.  It is impossible to listen to a current Top 40 hit or a radio or television jingle and not hear their influence.  After waiting for several books on the group to appear, and finding none included the detailed guide to recordings I envisioned, I took it upon myself to compile such a guide. Surf's Up! is the result of my endeavors." [from the introduction, xiii] 

An astounding, landmark achievement in research and knowledge, Brad Elliott has created THE reference work on the Beach Boys.  That nothing comparable yet exists makes "Surf's Up!" all the more valuable.   Divided into logical sections, the thoroughness of the information is staggering:  a complete chronological discography, The Beach Boys as writers, producers, and contributions to other artists records; unreleased recordings, unrecorded songs, DJ and promotional records, records that were recorded by friends and acquaintences of the Beach Boys, sections on books and major articles, and major bootlegs all are included.  The fact that nothing of the last 17 years has been included in an updated version is bothersome, but in no way depreciates the milestone value of "Surf's Up!

 

"These days, it's hard to believe that this was the band who not only survived the so-called British Invasion of the USA but fought back to such effect that for a period of some months (late 1966-early 1967), The Beach Boys, and in particular Brian Wilson, were considered at least the musical equals of the Fab Four; . . . To see the surviving members still going through the motions on stage for the umpteenth time is like watching a bad print of a classic silent movie - the original glory dimmed by time, often only hinted at . . . but it's still good to have them around at all." [pg. vii]

I really enjoyed this book.  Simply put, "The Complete Guide" is a second set of liner notes for all of The Beach Boys albums (and in the case of the 70's Caribou albums, a first set!), with album reviews and song by song analysis, which I can either agree with or not.  Most of the time I find myself in aggreement with Mr. Doe and Tobler, whose writing and opinions are mostly spot on, and often quite funny; but I also pick up some interesting facts in the meantime.  The book is a handy read-along while listening to the music, and it contains numerous black-and-white and color photographs, chart information, catalog numbers and of course loads of commentary. One of those books that I wish I'd thought of first.  After being out of print for several years, it has been newly updated and reissued in 2004 by Omnibus Press, and includes sections covering the Beach Boys solo works up to 2003.



Or Purchase From Amazon.co.uk: Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys: The Complete Guide to their Music

"Pet Sounds was always intended to be a thought provoking experience, from the nature of its lyrics, its ground breaking instrumental blends and its radical place within the Beach Boys canon.  Brian Wilson purposefully set out to achieve such a new experience, and he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.  However, whilst it would remain a body of work which would deeply affect future generations of musicians and fans, its initial receptions would be substantially different to what Brian might have imagined." ~ pg. 88

Kingsley Abbott is the man behind the wunderbar collection Back To The Beach, and so when I heard he had written a book chronicling Pet Sounds, I was fostering high hopes.  My hopes were thankfully realized.  Mr. Abbott has written a clear-eyed, literate love-letter to what is considered by many the greatest album ever, and which particularly received acclaim in Great Britain.  Starting off with an introduction by composer Jimmy Webb, and culling interviews from almost everyone involved, including Brian Wilson, Tony Asher, Carol Kaye, Timothy White, Andy Paley and many others, Abbott traces the evolution of Brian's unique sound from "The Lonely Sea" through the celebrated symphonic Pet Sounds tour of 2000.  The author manages to trace sociological, psychological, and musical influences in Brian's music in clear, concise writing, without sounding preachy or biased (despite the grandiose title) towards any one member or faction.  Equally valuable are the multiple indexes which list recording sessions, cover versions, influences, chart history, and much more.  A fine overview of a great album. 

". . . in compiling a book of this nature, many people, knowing and unknowing became contributors, and to them I say thank you . . . to those other Beach Boys authors whose efforts I perhaps have unmercifully denigrated, I can only confess that it was done not out of malice, but out of a resolve to correct the mistakes once and for all.  And, to those who simply did not put in the effort to check facts, and to provide more essential information, thanks at least for contributing something, even if you could have done more.  Also, to those individuals who scoffed at my questions, and derided my efforts to unravel many of the mysteries and enigmas surrounding certain aspects of The Beach Boys' early days, all I can say, is that if you had done your job more thoroughly - and after all, it is YOUR music as Americans - then I would not have had to ask you in the first place." ~ pg. 7

Well allrighty then!  One of the many reasons that this book is such an enjoyable read is that Mr. McParland really wears his heart on his sleeve, and that quality saves this book from being just another "just-the-facts, ma'am" recitation of history.  The author of several authoritative books on The Beach Boys and Gary Usher, this updated reference book serves a couple of different purposes: first, the author devotes several pages to the murky beginnings of the Beach Boys, from their first dealing with Hite Morgan, to who really named the "The Beach Boys," to why Al Jardine left, and later rejoined the group.  It's fascinating reading, and the author manages to make several points clear about these, and many other, subjects. 
But the bulk of the reading is in examining The Beach Boys' recording sessions, and the author's attempt to unscramble various myths and desprepancies that have appeared in various biographies.  He ties together snippets of interviews, previously published writings, new sources, and actual recording contracts in an unparalled examination of what really happened; the author also unearths rare recording contracts for sessions that have never seen the light of day ("Whitch Stand," "Hot Harp"), and delves deeply into the "Smile" sessions.  Also included are several indexes which detail the musicians who contributed to Beach Boys' records, the instruments they used, a complete track rundown of the "Sea Of Tunes Unsurpassed Masters" bootlegs, and a forum where readers have written him with additional corrections/information.  For authoritative wealth of information (and a little chutzpah) this work rivals anything else published on The Beach Boys.  Unfortunately, this book, like most of his others, is only available via mail order from Australia (visit CMusic's website for ordering information), or by accessing the Helter Skelter bookshop online.

Wouldn't It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of Pet Sounds by Charles A. Granta, Tony Asher, September 2003; Chicago Review Press, 256 p. "Pet Sounds reflected a major change in American pop music, and brought an unpretentious elegance to rock 'n' roll music... a host of other free-form writers poised on the brink of the folk-rock movement... but, at the time, they were drawing on social and political events for inspiration.  Many of their songs posited dissenting, rebellious views that ultimately fostered change. ...While it was daring to voice one's protest in song, it was riskier still to bare your soul to the world, which is why Brian had little competition.  In Pet Sounds he created and filled his own niche, opening the door for innumerable singer-songwriter-producers working in the exploding pop market." [pg. 14] An outstanding book.  Charles Granata has graced Beach Boys fans with what is, in my opinion, the finest research on Pet Sounds yet in print.  Surpassing even Kingsley Abbot's highly recommended book above, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" manages to engage and surprise readers with his fluent prose, completeness of research and perfect clarity in his writing.  Drawing on countless personal recollections such as lyricist Tony Asher (who also writes a touching foreword), Chuck Britz, Hal Blaine, Mark Linett, Bob Irwin, David Leaf, Carol Kaye, and many others, Granata stitches together a comprehensive tapestry of how Pet Sounds was written and recorded, and how it was able to transcend its perceived failure in initial release, and become one of the most critically acclaimed and imitated albums in the history of rock 'n' roll.  The author delves into each song, discussing lyrics, composition, production, post-production, subsequent releases up to and including the stereo remix and box set.  Bruce Johnston calls this book "Intelligently researched and beautifully written" and to that I can wholeheartedly attest.  Unreservedly recommended.

The Beach Boys on CD (illustrated guide) by Joe Thomas, 2004; RisingTide, 300 p.

"So why write a book about and catalogue the CD releases of the Beach Boys?  Well, there are many reasons, but the most compelling was that no book of this nature currently exists.  I thought that by writing such a book, Beach Boys fans could navigate and purchase/collect the available CD releases with the assistance of a point of reference. . . . The intention is that the book should serve many purposes: to act as an aid for anyone interested in the Beach Boys, and for veterans who might wish to recall some facts.  It may also help collectors and act as a buyers guide in certain circumstances.  Overall, the book is designed to assist, inform, and to augment the collective history of The Beach Boys."  [from the introduction]

A perfect companion to the book below, The Beach Boys on CD is a marvellous resource and guide for Beach Boys fans who are interested in collecting the Beach Boys on CD.  Beginning with the first Beach Boys CDs to appear in 1985 up to the present day, this book is a thoroughly-researched, impeccably-written tribute to the vast catalog of the Beach Boys worldwide.  Chock-full of full-color digital photographs and salient information about each release, the book begins with brief, informative overviews of the Beach Boys as a group, and as individuals - including the overlooked Ricky Fataar and Blondie Chaplin (nice touch) - and then devoting pages to the Beach Boys recording history, a complete list studio albums, an overview of the Beach Boys output on CD, and a user guide.  Then we come to the meat of the book: thickly-researched information on every single Beach Boys album released on CD.  Although the author admits that it's not comprehensive, it certainly contains the lion's share of titles, labels and variants that most fans will ever need.  The detailed sections include: Studio Albums, Twofers, Pet Sounds, Smile, Compilations & Collections, Japanese releases, Bootlegs, Solo recordings on CD, and multiple appendixes with notes on Beach Boys associates, composers and co-lyricists, RIAA Gold & Platinum certifications, and much more.  Each CD is shown in full-color, both front and back, with full tracklistings, release dates, reference numbers, and even personal notes by the author on availability and occasional trivia.  In content, information, value and completeness, it completely eclipses both this site and any other comparable source that I've seen.  The author, who has spent over four years collecting and compiling this book, should be given a statuette of some kind, since this is an awesome achievement - the sheer wealth of information makes it a one-of-a-kind purchase.

This Whole World: The Complete Beach Boys Single And EP Cover Collection by Manfred Schmidt & Christian Haschke, February 2004; FOSSIL-Verlag, 300 p.

"This book may serve as a guide for collectors of Beach Boys singles and EPs with their partly beautiful, partly odd pictures sleeves, but may also be of interest to record collectors in general.  Collecting 45s has become quite an expensive thing over the years but that should not discourage newcomers.  Attending record fairs seems an easy and cheap way to start off your collection.  Contacts with fellow collectors or fanclubs and trading records has been made easier with the internet, expecially for people abroad.  Keeping in touch with Beach Boys fans around the globe has always been a great pleasure to me, many of these >>contacts<< have turned into close friendships."  [pg. 5]

A truly beautiful book of full color pictures of every known Beach Boys single and EP cover from all over the world, This Whole World is both fun for casual fans' perusal, and invaluable for hard-core collectors who are eager to see what is still needed for their own collections.  Published in Germany, the book's text is bi-ligual, but easy to navigate, with the covers listed in order by country, covering all major marketplaces, from Argentina to Yugoslavia, and each chapter has a written introduction which prefaces the different approach that each country took to "sell" the Beach Boys.  Some countries produced unique and beautiful covers, such as Italy and France, while others printed full lyrics on each release (Japan.)  Besides the singles and EP's, the book provides full-color reproductions of all the different labels which the Beach Boys were featured on in each country, chronologically mapping out the changes in styles through the years.  The notations for each cover include with label is matched with the cover, the price range buyers can expect to pay due to rarity, the catalog number of each release, and various notes for interesting or unusual covers.  Also included are solo releases for the Beach Boys, including releases by The Honeys, American Spring, Celebration, Wilson Philips, and more.  A couple of nits, however: there are several typos throughout, due to either translation errors, or poor editing, as well as chart information for only the U.S., England, and Germany - it would have been nice to have chart information for each country - but those are very minor qualms.  This book is a godsend, a true labor of love - and it's worth seeking out for all Beach Boys fans.  Unfortunately, it's also mightily expensive due to European exchange rates, but if you're interested go to http://www.vinylcover.net and check it out!

Brian Wilson Solo: The Complete Guide To The Solo Works of Brian Wilson by Joe Thomas and Kie Miskelly, 2004; RisingTide Publications, 90 p.

"With the exception of the Sweet Insanity, The Wilson Project and Wilson Paley Session bootlegs, most of Brian's solo bootlegs are of live concerts.  These bootlegs have emerged in abundance since 1998 and the quality ranges from excellent to pretty bad.  The packaging of some of these releases (escapees) is of a very high standard and those emanating out of Japan also provide superior sound quality.  A number of studio rehearsal and concert rehearsal bootlegs have also appeared on the market, most are pretty good offer the avid listener a great insight into the behind the scenes action. . . . It is important that bootleg production is illegal and ultimately hits the pocket of the artist, musicians and the record companies, but they do provide sustenance to hungry fans..."  [pg. 62]

Again, I have to take my hat off to Mssrs. Thomas and Miskelly for a remarkable publication.  This companion book to the above Beach Boys on CD guide continues the impeccable research, wealth of information, and cogent reviews of their previous book, creating an attractive, invaluable guide to collectors of all things Brian.  Miskelly, who is the current editor of the Scotland-published Metro has joined with Joe Thomas for this follow-up, and it is in every way as staggering as its predecessor.  Brianistas should drool over the sheer depth of information gathered in this slim tome: overviews and in-depth information on each studio album (including the most recent Gettin' In Over My Head), each of Brian's live albums, (with an emphasis on European, U.S. and Japanese releases) a blow-by-blow account of the triumphant Smile concerts, with minute discussion of each section, near-comprehensive listings of bootlegs, tour schedules, side projects, interview CDs, production and writing credits (including a vast listing of all known Brian Wilson compositions), all accompanied by full-color photographs of each item discussed, with front and back shots, as well as labels.  It even has capsule articles on Brian's collaborators, noting the importance of Van Dyke Parks, Gary Usher, The Wondermints, and others to Brian's continued presence on the popular music scene.  This is quality material here folks, and I simply can't recommend it highly enough.

The Japanese CD Releases of The Beach Boys & Brian Wilson by Joe Thomas, July 2004; Rising Tide Publications, 64 p.

"The Beach Boys CDs have been available in Japan since 1986.  Today Toshiba-EMI continues to release high quality (sound and packaging) CDs of both the Beach Boys' and Brian Wilson's music.  Other Japanese companies have also released interesting compilations of  The Beach Boys music over the past 15 years and a few CDs are simply non-Japanese imports with the addition of an OBI strip and distributed by a  Japanese record company.  In this book I have detailed all of the known Japanese CD releases - official and unofficial."  [pg. 2]

Within the short space of a year, Joe Thomas has emerged to become the reigning king of Beach Boys reference material, with his indispensible cataloging of Beach Boys and Brian Wilson releases on CD.  This latest work, which is a supplemental addition to the two books above, is similarly comprehensive in both information and presentation.  (I'm just going to say YOW! right now and get that out of the way).  Japan has long been a source of quality Beach Boys releases, not only of traditional catalog titles, but for rare solo and bootleg titles, ranking among the world's most prolific publishing countries for Beach Boys collectors.  The book's sixty-four pages are chock-full of information on these generally rare and hard-to-find discs ranging from Japanese series releases (such as "Pastmasters" "Twofers" and "Mini LPs") to promotional releases, compilations, bootlegs, CD singles, and solo releases from Dennis and Carl.  Each CD is represented in full-color spreads, featuring snaps of the covers, OBI strips (the little cardboard addendum that contains the disc's information in Japanese) and discs, with extensive notes covering reference numbers, release dates, liner notes, and personal musings by Mr. Thomas.  Different mixes, variations between similar releases (valuable for collecting the many different releases that albums like Pet Sounds has received), and notes on the rarity of certain CDs all greatly enhance the value of this book.  The sheer depth of information included is breath-taking, and for collectors and hard-core fans of the Beach Boys, this series by Mr. Thomas is the real deal.

"While researching a new article for Record Collector in June 2001 I emailed Joel Melver, a friend and colleague at the magazine, asking if he could check out a Beach Boys concert date.   This long-running monthly music magazine regularly receives all the latest music books for review and has naturally built up an impressive library.  So I was certain that a definitive day-by-day book on America's greatest band would reside on their shelves.
Fifteen minutes after my original request, Joel replied saying he couldn't find the information, nor a book in which my question could be answered. . . . I was aghast.  Tomes dissecting the activities of the other great artists from the 1960s and 1970s . . . have been appearing with varying degrees of success for many years but, strangely, not one exists that definitively documents America's Beach Boys.  So, as the saying goes, if you can't find a book that you're after, then you should do it yourself." [from the introduction]

To label anything "definitive" is just asking for trouble, and this book has already accumulated its share, which is a shame, since it's otherwise a great read.  A massive undertaking (and an impressively weighty tome), Mr. Badman has taken on the unenviable task of trying to document all known studio and stage appearances of the Beach Boys from their inception right up to the present day.  While the information fizzles out over the last two decades (I guess he didn't want to chart every stop on the Mike & Bruce tour), and is riddled with small errors, this book is nevertheless great fun, and a worthy addition to any fan's library.  Chock-full of information, the author has attempted to lay it all out - from the band's first rehearsals and early recording sessions, to mapping out their early tours, including dates, locations, and even earned revenue!  It's mindboggling the amount of data included here - as month by month, day by day, the Beach Boys activities are chronicled in sometimes minute detail.  Where were the Beach Boys on July 4, 1965?  (at the Cow Palace in San Francisco).  What day did the Beach Boys single "Friends" hit the U.S. charts?  (Saturday, April 20th, 1968).  Who did the Beach Boys appear with on September 2, 1975? (The Doobie Brothers, during which concert a mob of 500 tried to gate crash the event, but were turned back by police).  This book is a trivia wonderland for fans who want to know the where and when of America's Band.  Good black and white photographs are sprinkled liberally throughout the book, interspersed with loads of quotations, reviews, musings and much more.  Audacious in its scope, this book is easily recommended in what is turning into a banner year for Beach Boys reference books.  Unfortunately, rumor has it that legal action may be pending against the author and publisher, due to the fact that all of the Beach Boys, (as well as many studio musicians) Social Security numbers are printed in the book's pages (oops!)  So grab it quick, while it's still available.
 

Purchase this item from Amazon.co.uk: The "Beach Boys"

Smile: The Story Of Brian's Wilson's Lost Masterpiece By Domenic Priore; March 7, 2005, Sanctuary Publishing, 256 p.

Purchase from Amazon.co.uk: Smile

"The interesting thing about David Leaf's book was its very unauthorised status.  Because The Beach Boys had, since 1967, taken a dictatorial attitude toward Brian Wilson, Leaf was the first person to come around and say, 'No, The Beach Boys are a problem for Brian Wilson.'  The public knew only that Brian was part of the band, and that he harboured emotional problems that had turned him into a recluse.  What no one was willing to understand, or admit, was that it was The Beach Boys who had created this situation for Brian.  Leaf made it very clear how that had happened, and those who did not choose to ignore the reality of the situation perked up and began to pay attention.  [pg. 149-150]

I can't quite put into words how disappointed I am with this book.  Domenic Priore, who gave us the fascinating Look! Listen! Vibrate! Smile! years ago apparently rushed this book to press, having only minimal interviews and facts at his command to contribute.  The result is a mess of generalizations, stale cliches, and a writing style that would earn him a "C-minus" in any college english class.  With dual forewords by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks, you'd think that this book would be an official examination of SMiLE from its inception to it's lauded completion in 2004; but no, it's a by-the-numbers recounting of well-known events; interviews and articles pulled from numerous other sources, and his own theories about how SMiLE should have sounded, almost all of which have been debunked by other, more knowledgable archivists.  The book is laid out chronologically, and gives brief capsule moments of The Beach Boys early history, quickly moving into the creation of "Good Vibrations."  The author then spends the most time discussing the original SMiLE, cribbing quotes from period magazines NME, MOJO, Cheetah, as well as taking dates from Keith Badman's book above, and even quoting himself  from two of his previously-released books.  Rehashing his assertions of how his sequencing of SMiLE is more correct that what Brian eventually put together in 2004, the book reads like the height of conceit.  The book then takes up several chapters recounting the fall-out of SMiLE for the Beach Boys, and the numerous rumors of it's eventual appearance.  The final part of the book, recounting the resurrection of SMiLE, is given the short shrift with a single chapter discussing the rebirth of Brian Wilson's most famous album.  There is no in-depth reporting, just fragments of interviews which appeared in other fan magazines and online interviews.  What's left appears to be a quickly-written rehash to make a quick buck.  What's most perplexing is Priore's writing - it's terrible - filled with huge swaths of generalizations which aren't documented, tired phrases which reek of overuse, and flat, lifeless prose.  He gushes enthusiatically over Brian's SMiLE concerts like the most rabid fan, ignoring the fact that he has spent the last several chapters tearing down the sequencing and order of the new album.  This book may give beginners a shallow understanding of what led up to the release of SMiLE, but for long-time fans, this is a sad and disappointing book.

Inside the Music of Brian Wilson: The Songs, Sounds, and Influences of the Beach Boys' Founding Genius
Philip Lambert; Continuum International Publishing Group, 416 p.
Released March 25, 2007
 

Also available in Hardcover Or Purchase from Amazon.co.uk: Inside The Music

"My book is more completely, and more intensely, focused on the music of Brian Wilson, on the musical essence of his songs and the aesthetic value of his artistic achievements.  It acknowledges the familiar biographical contexts of his songs, but it tells completely new stories about the birth and evolution of his musical ideas, identifying important musical trends in his work, heretofore undisclosed intersong connections within his music, or between his music and that of others, and the nature and extent of his artistry.  It aims not just to identify great songs, but to explain exactly what makes them so.  It aspires to contruct a firmer foundation for Brian Wilson's place in rock history." - from the Prologue, xiii.

REVIEW:   I approached this book with some trepidation, since I've read and reviewed several academic treatises on the works of Frank Sinatra, and found many of them torturously overwrought in their attempts to intellectualize and quantify art.  Dr. Philip Lambert, a professor of music at Baruch College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York has taken on the challenge of writing an in-depth musicological study of the songs of Brian Wilson, and thankfully, with glowing results.  In his enthusiastic prologue, he uses the often-heard story of how The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds changed his life, and how it has been a touchstone for him his entire adult life, and then discusses the reason for this book - the opportunity to delve deeply into each song which Brian Wilson wrote, including each song's influences, structure, impact, and meanings.  He begins by digging into Brian's musical education - the songs he listened to, how he dissected and digested the Four Freshman's harmonies, the R&B songs that he loved as a youth, and then rewrote into a unique American hybrid.  The author rips songs apart, analyzing chord changes, melody lines, lyric contructions, musicological roots, and more, tying together various tides of influence from Chuck Berry, The Four Freshmen (with sometimes detailed asides into their albums), George Gershwin, and many others, while also incorporating then-current trends and events which were directly influencing Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys.  The author writes with such a clear, methodic, reasoned voice that even I, who struggle mightily with basic music theory, found it easy to follow the author's arguments.  And while I might question the necessity of analyzing such minor songs as "The Revo-Lution", it's done in interesting, comparitive ways that I found intriguing.  Mr. Lambert is extraordinarily thorough in his decontructive work, incorporating historical, biographical and musical tentpoles into each chapter, and his many indexes, including a complete song chronology, and enlightening lists of influential songs for Brian Wilson (pre-1961), all prove informative and unique.  This book is something new for Beach Boys fans, which many of them, especially those who love to dissect each song to discover it's 'magic', will find invaluable, and worth their time.