"That's Why God Made The Radio" Single!

[AndrewHickey]

Harmonies are nice, but there’s a *LOT* of Foskett in there and very little of anyone else. In fact, from this I can’t pick out a single Beach Boy on vocals other than Brian, just a Wall O’ Fosketts.

Wow.  I mean, now I've heard everything.  Not only is Jeff too high in the mix, he's singing EVERY PART. 
Unbelieveable.

I'm not one of those who've been arguing Jeff is too high in the mix -- unlike half the board I have absolutely no problem with him. It wasn't even a complaint when I said I couldn't pick out anyone else, just an observation. Listening to the video we have, as far as I can tell:
Two lines sung by Brian and Jeff in unison
Three  lines sung by Brian and Jeff in harmony, followed by a massed harmony where I can't make out who's singing because people are talking
A chorus with at least three Jeffs on it, plus Brian. I *think* listening through this time I can also hear Bruce, but I wouldn't stake my life on it, as the quality's not high enough to be sure. There are other voices there, but they're just block background harmonies, and I can't make out any individuals.
A second verse. There are backing vocals here, but I can't tell who because it's being spoken over.
Second chorus, sounds like it's similar to the first.
Solo, multitracked Jeff singing "that's why God made, that's why God made..."
Final chorus, with extra vocal lines. I count at least four Jeffs here.

In all of what we can hear, there's not one place where I can pick out Mike or Al's voices in the mix, and I wouldn't bet a large amount of money on the bit where I can hear Bruce (I don't know David's voice well enough to tell, but I don't think I can hear him). I hear a lot of Fosketts, and some Brian, and that's it.

Not a criticism of the song. Doesn't mean they're not on it. As I've said before, I *like* Foskett's voice. I'm sure when we hear the actual thing we'll be able to make out more details of the harmonies and pick everyone out. But right now, I just hear a lot of Jeff Fosketts. That's not me being anti-Jeff, it's just me saying what I'm actually hearing.

[Paulos]

I also think the people saying the middle eight is missing are correct, if you listen at about 2:09 it fades out and another section comes in.

[LostArt]

Has anyone heard the whole song or just the sections they play during the promotional video?

Define "whole song".

Entire song from beginning to end.



There is what sounds to be an edit at about 2:09 of the video.  One part fades out, and another fades in.

Oops, Paulos beat me to it.

[BJL]

The first line is pretty much note for note the first line of "Your Summer Dream" -  but I don't mind in the least, it sounds like a beautiful song and i'm suitably excited!

[Aegir]

I can hear Mike towards the end, after the interview segments stop, left channel.

Strange how some folk on here are concerned with it not sounding 'cool' or it being derivative - you would almost think the Beach Boys have always been cool and have never been derivitive.

I don't care if it's cool, I'm just saying there's no way this can be a hit. I don't care if it's a hit, I've long gotten over needing sales, or other people, to validate my taste in music. And I don't mean derivative like "not inventive", I mean, it sounds pretty similar to songs that have already been written by Brian. and yes, this happens fairly frequently in the Beach Boys catalog. Girls on the Beach extremely derivative of Surfer Girl, but you know what? I don't really like Girls on the Beach for that reason.

[Wirestone]

I doubt very much there is a secret overdubbed army of Jeffs here.

What you're hearing is the harmony stack of the original guys, all processed and tuned, with Jeff as an extra member. I can hear Bruce, what seems to be Mike singing in a tenor range (!) in the stack, Brian and Jeff at the fade. Surprised Jardine isn't more prominent, but they are talking over most of it.

Anyway.

-- No clear JT influence on the track -- sounds like a BW / BW band created backing. Which is a good thing. JT's influence (he seems to be in the control room in the video, btw) seems to be in the vocal fine-tuning, which was definitely his forte on Imagination.

-- Yes, it's derivative. But that's not only no surprise, it's fine. My doubts (as expressed yesterday) aside, of course this was going to be a heavily nostalgic trip. The issue isn't whether it's derivative. The issue is whether it's tasteful and good. And it most certainly is.

-- A Brian lead on the reunion single! That definitely says something about the balance of power in the reunion politics, doesn't it?

-- A Brian writing credit should be no problem -- given the, ahem, clear YSD rip in the verses.

-- I'm feeling mildly positive about the entire enterprise again.

[Justin]

I almost don't want my first introduction to this "epic" song to be some crappy I-phone recorded version on YouTube.  It'll be tough to ignore it until the single comes out though....

Yeah, it's tough.  Something about actually buying the CD though and playing it old-school without hearing the leaked versions. 

Yeah, I REALLY want to wait and pop the cd in.  Don't think I'll have the will power

Sorry guys...does hearing the song for the first time during an interview promo count as the real thing??  Guilty.  



Regarding the song, it's very clear that the song is heavy on harmonies.  The outro sounds like a cascading waterfall of harmonies and voices...quite beautiful stuff.  Aside from pointing out the dense vocal work on this, I am afraid that the song is taking a while for it to warm up to me.  I can't agree that the chorus is really that catchy (melodically or lyrically).  My opinion might change once I can hear the track without any voices speaking on top of it but my first impression is:  great effort for the first song sung together in 20 years...will it save the world?  I don't think so.  

Regarding Jeff Foskett being "everywhere"...well, I'm not sure what people thought was going to happen.  He's the only one who can do the falsetto and high parts.  If Brian were still able to do those parts...then it'd be him everywhere on the harmonies.  No one would complain then, obviously.  But since Brian can't and Jeff has always been there to cover Brian...it's no surprise Jeff will be "everywhere" on the vocals.  

[Andrew G. Doe]

Has anyone heard the whole song or just the sections they play during the promotional video?

Define "whole song".

Entire song from beginning to end.

Ah, right. Just checking. I'd bet the farm, the college fund, several vital organs and (should I still possess it) my mortal soul on there being a middle eight excised from said video.

[Les P]

-- I'm feeling mildly positive about the entire enterprise again.

Yep.  While I suspect Brian had minimal to no involvement in the composition of their big comeback single and have some disappointment about that, the excitement is hitting me:  we are getting a new (and decent-sounding) Beach Boys single in 2012!!  How cool is that??!!  

[Rocker]

After quite a rainy day over here, we now have a beautiful sunset. And TWGMTR sounds exactly like that. That kind of nice, melancholy sound. Red, purple and orange. Very good.

Anyway, do you think that they made an error in the video's beginning with using "Wouldn't it be nice" instead of "Help me Rhonda" ? That way they had all the no.1's.

JT's influence (he seems to be in the control room in the video, btw) seems to be in the vocal fine-tuning, which was definitely his forte on Imagination.

I made a screenshot but I don't think it's Joe Thomas there. Two guys I don't know, Bruce and Brian if my eyes aren't lying.



Edit
and a second one:

[AndrewHickey]

I doubt very much there is a secret overdubbed army of Jeffs here.

I'm certainly not arguing there is a *secret* overdubbed army of Jeffs, but unless there's some new studio gadget called a Foskettiser, which can turn the voices of Mike Love and Al Jardine into the voice of Jeff Foskett, he's certainly singing multiple, prominent parts on the track.

Not, again, that I am saying this as a complaint. I think the harmony sound on the track is far and away the best thing about it from what we can hear.

[Stegibo]

Is that Bruce singing "We're falling in love" at the end of the song?

[Rocker]

I had to make a third screenshot. The guy that I thought was Bruce in the first shot (see above) could be Joe Thomas. But I'm not sure

Is that Bruce singing "We're falling in love" at the end of the song?

It sounds like him imo

[Runaways]

Is that Bruce singing "We're falling in love" at the end of the song?

has to be right?  the only reason i stutter is because it sounds like bruce from 1965.  his voice is amazingly young sounding still

[seltaeb1012002]

Is that Bruce singing "We're falling in love" at the end of the song?

Sounds like it. I'm also pretty sure he's doing the lead on the last "That's Why God Made The Radio". Great to hear him on record again.

[AndrewHickey]

Is that Bruce singing "We're falling in love" at the end of the song?

It sounds like him for a second, but then it gets much, much higher and less husky than I've heard him sing in decades...

[southbay]

Is that Bruce singing "We're falling in love" at the end of the song?

Sounds like it. I'm also pretty sure he's doing the lead on the last "That's Why God Made The Radio". Great to hear him on record again.

closing screen.  album avaliable june 5.  why does it say the "hit single TWGMTR available now"

[Rocker]

why does it say the "hit single TWGMTR available now"

The mob will make sure..... 

[DonnyL]

Nice to see Karen Lamm in there ...

[seltaeb1012002]

I'm trying to figure out who's singing that "ohhh radio" right before Foskett's "God"

Bruce? Al perhaps?

[Les P]

 why does it say the "hit single TWGMTR available now"

Presumably because the promo video leaked early.

[southbay]

why does it say the "hit single TWGMTR available now"

The mob will make sure.....  

I was talkin' about the available now part...

[send me a picture and i'll tell you]

I clearly hear Mike singing the low part in the playout.

[SBonilla]

 why does it say the "hit single TWGMTR available now"

Presumably because the promo video leaked early.

It is standard practice to put, "featuring the hit..." on album and CD stickers and  in general on ads for albums.

[Runaways]

i think this is definitely a JT song initially.  The chord structure just seems like something Brian left behind a long time ago.  But i don't doubt that brian did some work on it once it came to him.