Northern Light: Sweet Sunny Day
Glacier Records [CD]; 
Released 1998

Independent label Glacier Records( www.glacierdisc.com) is the home of Northern Light, (consisting of three bass players, three guitarists, two percussionists, one keyboardist, one horn player and six vocalists) who capture a sweet slice of Beach Boys harmonies and songwriting sensibilities on this, their debut album.  Although most of the songs are original compositions, the band has a real knack for what made Brian Wilson & Co. tick, with nods to their California progenitors on every track, from the "Don't Worry Baby" vibe found on the opening track "Number 30" (which is about a boy's infatuation with a girl basketball player); to their cover of "Hushabye" which is interpolated with "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star" in a nice 1950s pastiche.  The title track, "Sweet Sunny Day", is excellent, with a driving hook on the chorus that reeled me right in, and a gentle Carl Wilson-vibe permeates "(I Like To) Drive In My Car", and the albums' other cover, "The Mountain's High" has a rocking Everly Brothers groove to it.  "Sunshine Days" is pure Beach Boys, and could easily have been lifted from one of their latter-day albums, with excellent chiming guitar breaks and some very sweet falsetto singing distinguishing it.  The next track, "Rumbles II" is the kind of chunky, four-chord instrumental which the Beach Boys themselves might have tackled on their early albums, but with some effective tempo changes thrown in to keep it interesting.  "Van Gogh" has smooth, expressive harmonies reminiscent of the 5th Dimension; "My Heroines" is a somewhat clumsy tribute to women pilots of World War II, which is redeemed by the excellent melody and prominent vocals by Karen Paurus, and the final track, "Sumemrtime Honey Retreat" borrows some chorus licks from the Beach Boys' "Wild Honey" and is a fabulous closing track.  The entire album is excellently produced, and quite frankly sounds like the Beach Boys would've if Brian, Carl, and Dennis had been born in Minneapolis instead of Hawthorne.  Good stuff - hotfoot it over to glacierdisc.com to pick it up.

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Alan Boyd: Channel Surfing
Boyd Production Group 20041 [CD];
Released 2004

1. Down South (In San Diego) 2. Channel Surfing 3. Be Her Friend 4. Everybody's Waiting 5. Miss America 1926 6. Don't Be Afraid Of the Dark 7. Beach Boys Britain 8. I Can't Wait To Fall Asleep Tonight 9. Meanwhile 10. For A Summer Night 11. The Earthquake 12. Busy Doin' Something 13. Medley: Too Damn Cold/Hawaiian Rhapsody 14. Hollywood the Unusual 15. You're The Beautiful 16. Down South (California) 17. Bonus track

REVIEW:  Alan Boyd, best known to Beach Boys fans as the director of the fine documentary Endless Harmony, is also a hugely talented musician and, with his all-encompassing love of The Beach Boys' music, has released this fun album which is filled with canny pastiches of the early Beach Boys sound, from the sing-along choruses of "Down South" (found here in two incarnations) to the Pet Sounds-like "Be Her Friend" to the interestingly stitched-together creation "Everybody's Waiting" (which incorporates sound clips from Dennis Wilson doing a spoken introduction of the Beach Boys to quoting his own songs.)  Alan has a remarkable flexibility in his voice, occasionally sounding like Carl, or Mike, or Brian; and his ability to recreate harmonic and instrumental clones of the Hawthorne Five.  But there's some interesting original diversions as well, with the instrumental archaeology of "Miss America 1926" and the dreamy "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark."  Alan also doesn't shy away from literal name-dropping in his songs, which tends to be distracting, as on the opening track, where he names several of the Beach Boys in the lyrics, or even more obviously in "Beach Boys Britain" which appears to have been composed for a EU fan convention.  Cute song, but it's a strange choice to include on an album, considering it's specific purpose.  Still, this is one of the best-produced, Beach Boys-centric albums I've ever heard, with several of the songs sounding like they could've been pulled from the Beach Boys own vaults, especially the dynamic "I Can't Wait To Fall Asleep Tonight" which sounds like 1971-era BBs.  "Meanwhile" has the same confessional vibe of Brian Wilson's "In My Room" or "Busy Doin' Nothing" (which receives a positive-spin homage here on Alan's "Busy Doin' Somthing.") and there's an intruiguing Tiki vibe on "Hawaiian Rhapsody."  I also loved the silent-movie piano riff found on the instrumental "Hollywood the Unusual" and the eerie Carl Wilson voicings on "You're The Beautiful."   The album closes with a lighter arrangement of "Down South (California)" and a hidden bonus track which is a goofy little surprise.  You can find this album online at CDBaby or by visiting Alan's home page.

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Rip Chords: Shut 'Em Down ...Again
Collectables 6742 [CD]; 
Released 2005

1. Hey Little Cobra 2. Walk Away Renee 3. Cobra Beach 4. Three Window Coupe 5. Solitary Man 6. Hot Rod Days 7. Hey Little Cobra [live] 8. 409 [live] 9. Mustang Sally [live] 10. Little Girl [live] 11. Warm California Sun [live] 12. Three Window Coupe [live] 13. Rock N Roll Star [live] 14. Santa's Got a Cobra [*]

REVIEW:  OK, sit up, are you paying attention?  In the early 1960s, The Rip Chords consisted of Phil Stewart and Ernie Bringas, whose sound was filled out in the studio by Terry Melcher and Bruce Johnston.  But when they began to have hit singles, Bringas, who was in divinity school, didn't want to leave his studies to go on tour, so Arnie Marcus and Rich Rotkin were hired as a separate "touring" Rip Chords.  So essentially you had two Rip Chords - the studio and the tour groups.  Flash forward to 2005, and whoa, here's a brand-new Rip Chords recording, only upon closer inspection, it fronted by the "touring" Rip Chords, Rich Rotkin and Arnie Marcus, with nary a Phil or Ernie in sight!  So the "touring" Rip Chords have become the "studio" Rip Chords!  Sort of. Released by cheapie-label Collectables, I wouldn't call Shut 'em Down ...Again a notable re-entry for the Rip Chords - they look and sound exactly like any competent cover band, with 50-something men in flowered shirts plugging through covers of their previous hits "Hey Little Cobra," "Three Window Coupe," throw in a cover of "Walk Away Renee" (probably because it's an audience favorite" a surf instrumental, "Cobra Beach" and an embarassing nostalgic original: "Hot Rod Days".  Even more painful is the harmonies on "Three Window Coupe" which veer all over the place, completely lacking the cool polish of the original.  After six studio tracks, the CD switches over to live recordings, including another take on "Hey Little Cobra" and a slew of pale covers and lame originals.  The live sections were apparently taped from a PBS Special (including plugs for viewers to call in pledges) and although the songs are performed with enthusiasm, the performances can only be charitably called "mediocre." Fans of The Rip Chords will probably feel a cheated at this living-dead incarnation of what was once one of the most distinctive 60s bands, and a little sad at how much of a sell-out this album is.

Northern Light: 49th Parallel
Glacier Records GCDX02 [CD]; 
Released 2005

1 Beauty (Is in the Eyes) 2 Lakeshore Ballroom 3 American Fantasy 4 Think Snow 5 Lake Harriet Chorale 6 Neighborhoods 7 49th Parallel 8 Minnesota 9 Runnin' 10 Foosball Man 11 Mystical Reunion 12 Snow Prayer

REVIEW:  Northern Light's second CD, released seven years after their first, is even better than their debut, with stronger songwriting, more organic production, and gorgeous vocals which still hew closely to their obvious Beach Boys-by-way-of Minnesota roots.  The opening track, "Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder" is a knockout, with cascading piano lines, harmonica, and killer hooks on the chorus immediately pulling me in.  This is great stuff.  It's followed by the fun, driving "Lakeshore Ballroom" punctuated with handclaps and another killer hook that's thick with Beach Boys harmonies, and to hear it devolve into a cacophonic mess at the end seems perfect, with a sweet, child-like instrumental tag closing it out.  Next is the acapella harmony opening of "American Fantasy" which leads into a love letter to their home state, Minnesota - exactly the kind of song Brian Wilson might have written for his beloved California.  The next song, "Think Snow" is a gentle paean to wintertime, with sweet, juicy harmonies backing up the lovely lead vocal.  I have to acknowledge songwriter David Sandler, who is the author of most of the songs here (he shares credit on three songs with Spence Peterson), and who I now unabashedly worship.  A spoken word "Lake Harriet Chorale" leads into "Neighborhoods" - a rosy look at one's childhood neighborhood, which is again thick with complex harmonies and a lead vocal which can sound uncannily like Brian Wilson, with a Mike Love soundalike providing the bass line.  "49th Parallel" is another great song which promotes life "on the 49th parallel" and has a startlingly rich orchestral arrangment to accompany the memorable melody; it finishes with an interesting tag which darkens in a tangle of swirling violins.  The song segues into fan favorite "Minnesota", which is a fantastic, hook-filled pop song which melds John Denver-style sentimentality with powerful choral backing vocals.  The next song, "Runnin'" leads off with a surprising riff on The Beach Boys "Honkin' Down The Highway" with ticking percussion and vocal graduating into a piano driven mid-tempo rocker.  The next song "Foosball Man" is a hilarious tribute to Foosball addiction, with another great Beach Boys-inspired chorus breaking into ecstatic acapella harmony chants.  "Mystical Reunion" has a lovely oboe(?) line and an epic, Phil Spector-like production, all sweetened by a melody I can easily imagine Carl Wilson sinking his teeth into.  This remarkable album closes with the gorgeous, swirling hymn-like "Snow Prayer", a wordless pocket symphony that puts the perfect finishing touch on this album. 

Carnie Wilson: A Mother's Gift - Lullabies From The Heart
Big3 Records 367872 [CD]; Released May 2, 2006

1. Over the Rainbow [Arlen, Harburg]  2:51 2. Love Me Tender  [Matson, Presley]  3:01 3. Lola Sofia [Daniels, Edwards]  2:35 4. When You Dream [Bonfiglio, Wilson]  2:28 5. You Are So Beautiful [Fisher, Preston]  2:38 6. Heaven [Smith, Sun, Wilson]  3:45 7. A Mother's Prayer [Jones, Kugell, Pennock]  4:13 8. With the Sun [Knutson, Wilson]  3:17 9. Wings of Dreams [Kasset, Nagourney]  4:00 10. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star [Traditional]  0:28 11. Forever [Jacobson, Wilson]  3:35 12. What a Wonderful World [Thiele, Weiss]  3:02

REVIEW:  I've never been a big fan of Carnie Wilson's continual love affair with the spotlight - her tabloid-grabbing lifestyle and career choices have simply made me avoid her music, and after the twin bombs of The Wilsons (with sister Wendy) and her own stillborn solo debut For The First Time (which was sidelined by The Wilson Phillips reunion and as of this writing has not been released), I was wary of this disc, but I was very pleasantly surprised.  A Mother's Gift is a heartfelt, lovely paean to motherhood, and with exquisite taste and sweetness, delivers just the right tone of gentleness and love that many fans should find appealing. It's most closely akin to Kenny Loggins' multi-platinum Return To Pooh Corner with its beguiling mix of re-imagined pop classics ("Love Me Tender," "What A Wonderful World"), classic lullabies ("Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" "Over The Rainbow") a sprinkling of originals ("With The Sun", "When You Dream") and even a couple of nods to her late uncle, Dennis Wilson ("Forever", "You Are So Beautiful").  And for Beach Boys fans, there's also the incredibly moving duet with her father Brian Wilson, on the aforementioned "You Are So Beautiful" which is one of the most sympathetic duets Brian has ever recorded, and the sentiment between he and Carnie is perfect.  Although Carnie's voice has never been a really remarkable instrument - it lacks both range and depth, but for the simple sentiments contained on A Mother's Gift, it feels just right, transformed into a soft purr which is perfect for setting a soft, sleepy mood for the little ones.

Matt Tyson: Keep An Eye On The Malibus
Mai Tai Sun Records ST1002 [CD-R];
Released September 11, 2007

1. KEEP AN EYE ON GINA 2. IT DON'T MEAN MUCH NOW 3. MY CAR, MY BOARD AND YOU 4. THE UNEXPECTED 5. SURF'S UP 6. STILL I WONDER 7. WISH I WAS THE SUNSHINE 8. RIDE WITH ME 9. THE CALM SONG 10. HOLLY 11. TELL THE TEACHER I'M SURFIN' 12. MOMENT THAT WE FELL 13. SUMMERTIME 14. MY BABY NOW 15. SOMETIMES I NEED TO BE ALONE 16. LUCKY IN LOVE 17. MAMA ALWAYS SAID... DON'T 18. CHRISTMAS IS MY FAVORITE TIME 19. LEN AMSTERDAM RADIO SPOT

REVIEW:  I was clued into Matt Tyson by fellow fan Ron Anderson, and finally have gotten around to purchasing their first two albums, both of which have a strong affinity with the vocal stylings of the early Beach Boys sound, circa 1964.  The Malibus is actually the work of one man, who wrote and sang most of the tracks on Keep An Eye On The Malibus, his debut album.  The songs are all originals, but hew closely to the Four Freshman/Chuck Berry template that informed The Beach Boys unique American sound.  There are Brian Wilson touchstones scattered throughout the album that reminds me of specific Beach Boys songs, such as "Moment That Well Fell"'s strong affinity with "Keep An Eye On Summer", or "Keep An Eye On Gina"'s mixing of "Fun Fun Fun" and "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena", or the Pet Sounds vibe found on "Somethimes I Need To Be Alone."  I would describe Matt's sound as "The Beach Boys on Amphetamines" - everything sounds a bit busy - from the melodies which jump in and out of falsetto with little reason other than to showcase Tyson's impressive vocal acrobatics, to the songs themselves, which try very hard to ape Brian Wilson's sense of time and place, but missing the real emotional bedrock that Brian Wilson and Mike Love brought to their songs.  Also, the production sounds a little thick, I felt like a lot of details, especially vocals, were being buried in the mix, but with so much going on, the denseness helps tracks like the Spector-ish "Lucky In Love".  There are several beautiful and impressive moments here: stunning, harmony breaks, propulsive songwriting, and enough deja-vu moments for Beach Boys fans to get a real kick out of.  Released on CD-R media, and definitely worth checking out.  Also available in high-quality mp3: Keep An Eye On the Malibus (mp3 album)

The Rip Chords: ...Now!
Collectables 8160 [CD];
Released April 28, 2008

1. Summer U.S.A. 2. Ocean Breeze 3. Surf City Ain't No City (It's The Whole South Bay) 4. Go Go Red And White Vette 5. Bruce And Terry Told Me 6. Big Wednesday 7. Lookin' At Tomorrow 8. Fuzzy Dice 9. Mustang Love 10. My Summer Baby

The Explorers Club: Freedom Wind
Dead Oceans [CD];
Released May 20, 2008

1. Forever 2:32 2. Honey, I Don't Know Why 2:59 3. Don't Forget The Sun 3:11 4. Lost My Head 2:07 5. Do You Love Me? 2:47 6. Summer Air 2:23 7. If You Go 3:22 8. In The Country 3:45 9. Safe Distance 2:06 10. Hold Me Tight 3:17 11. Last Kiss 2:35 12. Freedom Wind 3:57

REVIEW:  It's been a long, dry spell since I've heard any artist who consistently and competently manages to capture the magic of The Beach Boys in modern-day music. But now, like rain descending on a scorched desert, here comes The Explorer's Club, and their album Freedom Wind, which is everything I could've wished for in a Beach Boys album, tribute or otherwise. The band, which consists of Jason Brewer, Jimmy Faust, Dave Ellis, Wally Reddington, Stefan Rogenmoser, and Neil Thomas, tap into the zeitgeist of Brian Wilson and Co. so completely, so coolly, that with just a little tweak of the imagination, it's not hard to imagine the second coming of The Beach Boys while listening. It's not just that the band strives so hard to capture the sound of the sixties in their production touches, it's how successfully they grasp the feeling of the times - the innocence and decadence - startlingly shown in the juxtapositions of "Honey, I Don't Know Why" with its turbulent growl nicely offsetting the sweet, Wilson-esque "Don't Forget The Sun" which is so sweet and easy that you'd swear it's a lost track off The Beach Boys' *Friends*. Or the very cool, stripped down harmonic acrobatics of "Lost My Head," which sounds as if it came from the trippy Smiley Smile sessions. In fact, half of the fun, and the joy of listening to Freedom Wind is pinpointing exactly which album The Explorer's Club is emulating, and they do it so well - "Do You Love Me" has the dry, synthesized whine found on Love You before morphing into something sweeter and hookier on the chorus; or the Pet Sounds instrumental "Summer Air" which glides by so serenely and perfectly that it's become one of my favorite tracks on the album. This is a band who "gets" Brian Wilson in the same way the Wondermints do - triple threats who can write, sing and play original music just like The Beach Boys would've in their prime; and that's saying a whole bunch. I've just fallen in love with these guys - a superb, near-perfect album.  Also available as part of their first digital download single is a bonus track, "Carry On", which sounds like something Dennis Wilson might have penned for his Pacific Ocean Blue.

The Sunny Boys: Beach Sounds
Katali SB9001 [CD];
Released August 1, 2008

Also available from CDBaby

1. Destination Paradise 2. The Prettiest Girl In School 3. Mahalo 4. Full Throttle 5. She's My Summer Dream 6. Helen 7. It Wasn't So Good 8. Caroline 9. Freerider 10. School Is Over

REVIEW:  If I lived over in Italy, I have no doubts whatsoever that I would be a Sunny Boys groupie, ...you know, hanging out at concerts, waiting to get their autograph, trying to imitate some of their guitar licks...  Best known for being a highly skilled Beach Boys cover band, Gianluca Leone (who wrote all of the songs here) and Company have produced their first full album of original music, and although they're obviously informed by the sound of Brian Wilson and Mike Love's music, these guys are no Beach Boys clones.  The songs have an undeniable "Italian" flavor to them, which, when married to these sunny California harmonies, creates something truly unique.  The music is remarkable, each track having its own flavor and style; the hooks are huge, the harmonies impeccable, the playing powerful, and the songs are slices of sheer California-by-way-of-Rome fun.  The Sunny Boys have attracted their fair share of Beach Boys fans too, with everyone from Andrew Doe to Jeff Foskett jumping on their bandwagon, and neither of them are musical slouches.  I really can't pick a favorite track, although I adore "Caroline, " "She's My Summer Dream" "Full Throttle" "Freerider" and frankly, pretty much everything else as well.  If I can think of a single nit-picky thing (and I'm really splitting hairs here) it's that I wish the production was dirtier, a bit more Wall-of-Sound; the recording is very clean and defined, lacking only that unique sonic power that Brian Wilson was able to create with his primitive equipment; but it's all so gorgeous and perfect, you'd swear at times that you're listening to a lost platter from The Beach Boys, circa 1964.  They're that good.  And not only are they remarkable musicians, they are genuinely nice guys as well.  You can purchase this album directly from their website, and I unreservedly recommend it.

Matt Tyson: Now!
Mai Tai Sun Records ST1004 [CD-R];
Released September 25, 2008

1. Lullaby 2. Marianne (makes everything different) 3. Fun When The Weekend Comes 4. What's a Guy Supposed To Do 5. You Know What I Mean 6. I Don't Mind 7. My Big Mouth 8. Go Little Malibu 9. Can't Make Up My Mind 10. Til Summer Comes Again 11. New Girl In The Neighborhood 12. MCMLXV 13. After All This Time 14. A Little More Love

REVIEW:  Released almost exactly a year after their debut album, Matt Tyson's second album, Now! veers somewhat from their Beach Boys-on-speed formula that defined their debut, and it's all to the good.  Still hewing closely to their Beach Boys harmony-surf templet, it's easy to hear parallels to Beach Boys songs, with "Fun When The Weekend Comes" steering closely to "Fun, Fun, Fun" territory, and "What's A Guy Supposed To Do" a close cousin to both "Good To My Baby" and "She Knows Me Too Well", but charting it's own course.  I still feel like the vocals get buried in the production, with percussion taking precedence over the singing in the rocking "You Know What I Mean" and the equally thunderous "I Don't Mind" which is a far harder-rocking sound than anything The Beach Boys recorded, sounding like something The Dave Clark Five might have done in their heyday.   But overall, this is an impressive collection of original songs, and the vocal harmony arrangements and wealth of songwriting riches here are,  if anything, more clean and distinct than their debut.  Favorites include the frenetic cousin  "My Little Malibu", "Can't Make My Mind", "Marianne (Makes Everything Different)" "After All This Time", the ELO-flavored "A Little More Love" and "MCMLXV" (1965).  The second half of the album is fantastic, and I'm looking forward to their next album, California Myth, which is due in August, 2009.  Highly recommended.  Also available as a HQ MP3 download: Matt Tyson Now!

Matt Tyson: California Myth
Mai Tai Sun Records ST1006 [CD-R];
Released July 13, 2009

1. My Turn To Ride  0:33 2. Just Can't Reach The Beach 2:33 3. Say You Love Me Again 3:44 4. California Myth 3:47 5. I Wanna 3:43 6. Fellicity 3:26 7. Land Lovin' Beauty 2:28 8. Every Minute, Every Second 3:44 9. Top Down 3:08 10. Maui Breeze 4:12 11. The Big Kahuna 3:11 12. Judy Knows Malibu 2:36 13. My Kind Of Girl 3:15 14. Tidal Wave (Water Suite) 9:19

REVIEW:  Matt Tyson has to be considered one of the few modern artists who can accurately capture not just the sound, but the feeling of 1960s surf & drag music.  Not only is Matt a canny songwriter, but he's able to sing all the harmonies himself, very much like Brian Wilson was able to at times during The Beach Boys career.  On this, his second (or third, or fourth, depending on if you count the free "covers" CDs he also offers with purchases of his albums) release, he serves up another thick slice of the California Myth on this, his latest in a prolific release schedule.  The CD begins with a short invocation to surfing, "My Turn To Ride" and continues with a land-locked love letter "I Just Can't Reach The Beach".  "Say You Love Me Again" is one of his few ballads, a sweet, Spector-ish production, followed by the title track, a reverent hymn to California, that contains a nod to "Caroline, No" in its heart-rendingly impassioned lyric, which name-drops several other artist's songs as it recounts the golden age of West Coast cultism.  "I Wanna" is next, another lovely mid-tempo ballad, followed by a fascinating foray into 80s pop experimentalism: "Felicity" which smartly changes up the formula, taking the music into a different direction.  "Land Lovin' Beauty" takes a cue from the doo-wop of "Car Crazy Cutie" while "Every Minute, Every Second" is another Spectorish cut, with a little nod to "Surfer Girl" in it's melody.  "Top Down" sounds like a little brother to "Shut Down" with a little bit of The Shangri-Las "Leader of the Pack" in its bloodline.  "Maui Breeze" is a sweet, misty paean to tropical beaches, while "The Big Kahuna" pays tribute to the monster waves of the Pacific islands.  "Judy Knows Malibu" is a frenetic up-change in tempo, and sounds like the kind of song Matt Tyson can throw off in his sleep.  He take a creative leap with the nine-minute-long "Tidal Wave (Water Suite)" which closes out the album - it's an ambitious suite filled with short instrumental/vocal "feels" stitched together exactly like Brian Wilson can create.  My only hang up about this album is its a little sterile - a purely studio creation of one man - these songs would gain a new dimension if they could be played and sung live by a band (like, say, The Beach Boys!)  That said, however, California Myth is yet another easily-recommendable album that Beach Boys fans should seek out.  

The Rip Chords: Cobra Beach
Home Room Productions/RFM Music HRRFM2009 [CD];
Released July 16, 2009

1. Red Hot Roadster (2009) 2. Body Glove World 3. All Out! 4. Here I Stand (2009) 5. Hot Rod Holiday 6. Hot Rod Days Revisited 7. Beast of the East 8. Red Light Girl 9. Hello to Summer 10. Cobra Beach-Live 11. Lights Out (Bonus Track)

REVIEW:  It's strange to think that the modern-day incarnation of The Rip Chords has outstripped the original band in its output.  With their third album Cobra Beach, the current lineup (anchored by original touring band members Richie Rotkin and Arnie Marcus) has outlasted the Bruce & Terry led Rip Chords by several years, and one album.  To be fair, the sixties Rip Chords had more original songs under their belt, and the quality of the former Rips is undeniably higher than the latter-day version.  But on this album, The Rip Chords really polish their sound, and approach the quality of songwriting and production values that Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher were able to bring to their albums.  In fact, it's so far ahead of their previous two albums in quality and appeal that I have no problems with recommending it in full - from the retro-drag vibe of "Red Hot Roadster" to the catchy commercial shilling of "Body Glove World" to the head-banging "All Out!" with it's impossibly catchy riff, the CD starts out full-bore, and what's even more surprising, The Rip Chords try hard to match the original sound of the '64 studio band - listen to the shimmery sound on their remakes of "Red Hot Roadster" and "Here I Stand" - it has that same odd compressed sound that the old Rip Chords managed.  The excellent "Hot Rod Holiday" brings some familiar sleigh bells to the mix and a hot guitar lick to boot.  A wonderful acoustic guitar kicks off the nostalgic "Hot Rod Days Revisited" and features lots harmonies and a catchy lead vocal.  "Beast of the East" is reminiscent of the twisted Rat Fink records of Mr. Gasser & The Weirdos, and "Red Light Girl" is a jittery paean to prostitutes which is far more fun than it has any right to be.  "Hello To Summer" closes out the album proper, with the album ending with a hot live version of the instrumental title track, and a rare 1959 be-bop acetate of "Lights Out" which Rich and Arnie recorded in their pre-Rip days.  An all-around excellent album, well worth purchasing for genre fans.

The Smiles: Hermosa [EP]
Independent release [MP3][CD];
Released May 25, 2010

1. Cala Cola 3:03 2. Sun 3:09 3. Swimming 2:33 4. I Could Love You More 3:05 5. Girl I Love 2:47 6. California Girls 2:56 To read an exclusive BeachBoys.com interview with John McGrath of The Smiles click here!

REVIEW:  The Smiles are what is becoming more and more common in the era of digital downloads: a college band that has raised money, and promoted themselves via the internet.  I discovered The Smiles via YouTube, through two sources: singer/songwriter Will Sturgeon's virtuoustic originals, as well as equally talented John McGrath, (see him with Will performing the unreleased "The Rabbit") who's previous group The Emilia Band released a 60s-flavored album that I found familiarly compelling.  These two met at USC, and The Smiles were born. Taking their name from The Beach Boys' lost album, and their California good vibes from their love of feel-good music, Hermosa is a brief, powerful punch of jittery Jamaican guitar work, California topicality, and the dual indie pop sensibilites of Sturgeon and Gudenzi.  The songs: "Cala Cola" (previously titled the trademark-infringing "Coca Cola") races through it's patter lyric and chiming chords with breathless alacrity; "Sun" shows off Will and John's interesting use of dueling vocals, with competing vocal lines, like two simultaneous trains of thought, coming together in Everly Brothers-like harmony on the chorus.  "Swimming" sound like it could be a cut off the Beach Boys first album, with a urgent thrust and yelping chorus that reminded me strongly of Dennis Wilson's young vocals.  The most Jamaican-sounding cut on the album, "I Could Love You More" is full of sunny, laid back feeling, while "Girl I Love" has a "409" feel to it, bathed in glittering guitar work and stunning drum runs (courtesy of band members Mark Edwards and Brendan Kirlin, respectively).  The EP concludes with "California Girls" (not the Beach Boys song) a captivating paean to the lovely ladies of the Golden State.  Although only 17 minutes long, Hermosa is brimming full with good vibrations of the best kind, and one listen is certain to make you smile.  The album is available for HQ download here.  Also check out an otherwise unreleased track on YouTube: "Crack"