Mike Love - Unleash the Love - Due November 17 - w/ 2nd Disc of BB Remakes

[HeyJude]

http://www.iconvsicon.com/2017/10/04/beach-boys-mike-love-announces-new-double-album-unleash-the-love/

Looks like mostly a revamped version of the 2004 circulating "Unleash the Love" album, coupled with a borderline misleading second disc of "BEACH BOYS!!!!!!" re-recordings.

The thing even has a sticker on the cover with the BEACH BOYS logo!

The guy couldn't even bring himself to put out a solo album without attaching it to the Beach Boys. Disappointing. I'd respect a single disc solo album A LOT more.

Note the press release says there are 14 BB remakes, but I only count 12. (There's also at least one or two other typos in the press release). Also note on the link above (I didn't include below the stuff tacked on about Mike's tour) that Mike's going to give discounts for purchase of his album to ticket buyers.

And did we really need "Daybreak over the Ocean" again?

Can BRI at least tell Mike to take the BEACH BOYS name *and* logo off the sticker on the cover? This is far more blatant than the *free* CD Mike sued Brian over in 2004 or whenever that was.

Press Release:

Legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, Grammy® Winner, New York Times Best-Selling Author, co-founder and chief lyricist of The Beach Boys, Mike Love, is set to release a special double album on November 17 through BMG. Entitled Unleash the Love the album will feature 13 brand new songs and 14 re-recordings of Beach Boys classics. The album is produced by Grammy®-winning producer, Michael Lloyd.

For more than fifty years, Mike Love has been the lead singer and front man of The Beach Boys taking the sounds of America’s band to every corner of the globe— playing for crowds of up to 750,000 fans. Mike has co-authored more than a dozen hit singles, cementing The Beach Boys as one of the only artists to have produced twelve Top 10 Singles within 5 years. With iconic and timeless tracks like “Good Vibrations,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “I Get Around,” and “Surfin’ Safari,” The Beach Boys have created some of the most performed songs in pop music history.

Unleash The Love is a testament and continuation of Mike Love’s remarkable career. The new tracks range from rock, gospel, R&B and pop and celebrate Love’s connection to the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and his journey to find personal love and peace. Love’s history with Transcendental meditation anchors a number of songs including “Ram Raj” a song celebrating the divine; “Pisces Brothers,” a tribute to the late George Harrison and the spiritual awakening the two artists shared on their respective birthdays and “Cool Head, Warm Heart” a breezy pop song, which borrows its title from a famous saying by Maharishi Mahesh. The album also includes a prayer for the planet “Only One Earth.” As with all of the new tracks, a sense of urgency is infused in every song: to change what you can, to transcend, connect to the planet and the people around you and give into the power of love.

“I’ve been working on these new songs on and off for many years now and I’m excited to share them with fans,” says Mike Love. “As a writer, I kept gravitating to this idea of love, in all forms. Romantic love, unrequited love, lasting love, spiritual love, love for the planet, and what the absence of love can do to us as a people. This album is my way of communicating what the world needs now is love sweet love. And the hope is if we all can unleash whatever love inside of us, we can collectively make this world better."

In addition to the collection of Mike Love original songs, the special double album features new versions of classic hits such as “California Girls,” “Help Me Rhonda,” and “Good Vibrations,” recorded members by The Beach Boys touring band.

Mike Love Unleash The Love Official Tracklist

Mike Love Originals:

Side A

All the Love in Paris featuring Dave Koz on Saxophone
Getcha Back featuring John Stamos on Drums
Daybreak Over the Ocean
I Don't Wanna Know
Too Cruel
Crescent Moon

Side B

Cool Head, Warm Heart
Pisces Brothers
Unleash The Love
Ram Raj
10,000 Years Ago featuring John Stamos on Drums
Only One Earth
Make Love Not War

Mike Love/Beach Boys Re-Records:

Side A

California Girls
Do It Again featuring Mark McGrath and John Stamos
Help Me Rhonda
I Get Around
Warmth of the Sun featuring Ambha Love
Brian's Back

Side B
Kiss Me Baby
Darlin' featuring AJR
Wild Honey featuring John Cowsill
Wouldn't It Be Nice
Good Vibrations
Fun Fun Fun

[Jim V.]

I'll first say, I'm glad Mike is releasing something, just as I'd be glad if Al did. Of course, Brian takes precedence over both, but I'm glad Mike's got something new coming. However I will say first off, where is "Big Sur"? I thought it was left off of Made In California cuz it was being "saved" for Mike's solo album? Meh. Also, why is "Getcha Back" on the first disc while "Brian's Back" is on the second one? Kinda seems random. Shouldn't both be on the second disc? And what's "Daybreak Over The Ocean" doin' on here? I assume it's the same basic recording as The Beach Boys version without Brian and Al at the least.

Regardless though, I'll be buying it. I've given Mike sh*t for a long time for not having the balls to release something, so good on him.

[HeyJude]

I'll first say, I'm glad Mike is releasing something, just as I'd be glad if Al did. Of course, Brian takes precedence over both, but I'm glad Mike's got something new coming. However I will say first off, where is "Big Sur"? I thought it was left off of Made In California cuz it was being "saved" for Mike's solo album? Meh. Also, why is "Getcha Back" on the first disc while "Brian's Back" is on the second one? Kinda seems random. Shouldn't both be on the second disc? And what's "Daybreak Over The Ocean" doin' on here? I assume it's the same basic recording as The Beach Boys version without Brian and Al at the least.

Regardless though, I'll be buying it. I've given Mike sh*t for a long time for not having the balls to release something, so good on him.

I just wish he had had the balls to do it without trying as hard as he can to make it a BEACH BOYS product without technically making it so.

Especially hypocritical given the "Mail on Sunday" lawsuit from the previous decade.

[B.E.]

So, 5 of the 13 "brand new songs" have been previously released and 2 of which are actually BBs songs? I'm not a Mike Love solo career expert, but wasn't I Don't Wanna Know on a Celebration album, Cool Head Warm Heart on a BBs comp, and Pisces Brothers on a recent comp.

I'm not crazy about the BBs logo being featured either. It's perfectly fine to note that he is "Mike Love of the Beach Boys," but to use the logo within that statement seems questionable to me. Whatever, though, I'll certainly check it out and I'd rather these guys release material than not.

Edit: Potentially 6 of the 13 songs on disc 1 have been previously released; if Crescent Moon is 'Love Like In Fairytales'.

[wild neon sins]

me reacting to the cover 'This is a spoof, right?'
otherwise reads like an offical press release, except for the typos.
Are we sure this is legit?, there seems to be nothing on his offical site or facebook
why would a random popculture blog get it first?

[HeyJude]

It's legit. I don't know if this website jumped the gun putting it up, but the project is legit.

[Rocky Raccoon]

Weird that Mike doesn't see any irony at all in re-recording "Brian's Back"... again.

[southbay]

Some random thoughts...Is that cover picture serious?  Also, who is the "AJR" featured on Darlin'? Is Mike singing the lead on WIBN, GV and Help Me, Rhonda?  This whole thing could be comedic genius

[Chocolate Shake Man]

It's always nice when you can still go out and toss the ol' dove around.

[wild neon sins]

It's legit. I don't know if this website jumped the gun putting it up, but the project is legit.

I just literally pulled this face
(tilting your head like that hurts)

[kwebb]

The bootleg cover for is better than the actual cover here.

[CenturyDeprived]

Weird that Mike doesn't see any irony at all in re-recording "Brian's Back"... again.

Brian's back, except with regards to being back in The Beach Boys. That the man who would re-re-release this song at this point in time is indicative that he's cuckoo for cocoa puffs.  Massive swaths of fans are mad as hell that he squeezed Brian out of the band, yet he has the unmitigated chutzpah to again release this song now? Why???

I can't believe that's the real cover art. That's like an SNL spoof.

I want some interviewer to ask Mike why it's ok for him to use the BBs logo, after suing Brian in 2005.  Can this happen?  

Good for Mike for actually releasing something, but aside from that in and of itself being a good thing to do (the idea of actually releasing content), mostly everything else about this is a major eyeroll.

[Zargo]

Some interesting apparently new songs listed there. I wonder if any of them is a variation of "Anything for you," a catchy little number which is a surprise omission.

[Theydon Bois]

Also, who is the "AJR" featured on Darlin'?

Al Jardine's Replacement

[Mr. Wilson]

I dont have the boot handy right now so how many of the songs on the boot have been taken off  this legit release??  Seems like a couple at least because there are a couple of songs i dont recognize. And recording GV ? That better be a GREAT track because isnt that song their most artistic statement.. OH MY.. Well at least he didnt re record Barbara Ann LOL.. Why doesnt he release a live DVD and call it Mike and Bruce and friends..??  If your gonna re record your hits a live DVD would be much better.. Especially with the band he has now.. Ill buy this new cd  tho.

[GoogaMooga]

I am not too fussed about the dove, is it really that much of a visual cliché? Nor can I get too worked up over the BB logo in the corner, for all I know, it could just be a sticker, looks like it.

The BB re-recordings are of course redundant, and they weren't even all his own leads, as has been pointed out. That disc will get played once by me, that's it.

No, my main concern, and what I am rather excited about, is of course the 13 Love originals on disc one. CHWH was the best of the three new songs tacked onto the Hallmark album, and I even got to see Mike sing it at a concert around the time of that release. It made the Hallmark album a keeper, along with Brian's TSORAR. If any of the other 12 are anywhere near as good, we are in for a treat. This project has been kicking about for years, and I am happy for Mike that he found a major label.

[SMiLE Brian]

To the battlements with OSD!

[SMiLE Brian]

But seriously, what a joke from BW’s biggest solo career critic...

[18thofMay]

Surely this is a piss take!

[Jim V.]

After some more time and looks at the track list, I also have to now wonder who is doing the leads on "I Don't Wanna Know" and "Too Cruel" as Mike's son Christian did the lead on the leaked versions from years ago. And now that I think of it, are these newly recorded versions of these tunes from the 2005ish leak or are they maybe just subtly remixed and changed? Especially songs like "Cool Head, Warm Heart" and "Pisces Brothers" as they've already been released.

[Matt H]

Are any of these remakes songs that he has not remade before?

[mtaber]

Just wanted to say, Mike Love makes me sick...

[Mayoman]

My guess is that AJR is Mike's daugher Ambha, who has sung that song live with the BB before.

[RubberSoul13]

What a joke. I don't have any further grievances than those that have been listed but this is just ridiculous.

Someone in the inner circle should be making a stink about the Beach Boys name on the cover, since normally Mike would be the one to do that...and I'm not saying he wasn't justified in the past, but this is a prime example of what he has constantly bitched about with the other guys...and don't get me started on Brian's Back. All the hundreds of songs he could've recorded, and that makes the cut? He has to know what he's doing.

What store is actually going to carry this? I don't see physical copies of this existing anywhere beyond his website and Amazon.

[tpesky]

My guess is that AJR is Mike's daugher Ambha, who has sung that song live with the BB before.

They list her as Ambha Love in WOTS though, so why AJR there?  Weird that Getcha Back and Daybread is on the new Mike Love song disc, as that's both of those are BB remakes and  Brian's Back is on the remake disc when it was a Mike solo only released on Endless Harmony