Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Album Discussion Thread

[Aegir]

I think Fun, Fun, Fun sounds incredible! Absolutely incredible. The quality is incredible. I can't wait to hear what something like Wouldn't It Be Nice sounds like. (probably incredible!)

[Zesterz]

How come David Marks doesnt get to give a quote ?

[feelintheflows]

How come David Marks doesnt get to give a quote ?

I mean it would be weird considering he’s not on the cover. That horrible horrible cover.

[coco1997]

Interesting song selection. Nice to see some deeper cuts on there including a few off Pet Sounds. But I'm unimpressed by "Fun, Fun, Fun."

[Rocker]

Going solely on the preview posted of Fun Fun Fun, I thought these tracks were going to be the *vocal tracks* isolated from the original tapes which would have new orchestral backings and arrangements created around the vocals. On Fun Fun Fun, they just added orchestration on top of the original record!

I really did not expect to hear strings and whatnot added to what amounts to a needle-drop rip of the original track, including the instrumental track from '63.

When I did work as an arranger, they used to call that "sweetening"...adding various decorations like strings atop the cake which had already been baked and iced in the form of an existing instrumental and vocal mix.

That's what most of these "classic-meets-rock" projects are and always have been. They don't write interesting new arrangements but just do the original parts with strings/horns/etc.
The Beach Boys already had a project with the RPO in '98 (Symphonic Sounds). It actually had some interesting performances (Darlin', God only knows) and two of the big medleys showed potential when they got to songs like "Surfer girl" - the lonesome violin on that last one is absolutely beautiful. The other stuff is forgettable as it doesn't add anything or show new sides of the songs (many songs duplicate with this new release):

https://www.allmusic.com/album/symphonic-sounds-the-music-of-beach-boys-mw0000432935

But: Rock'n'Roll songs with strings just don't work. Unfortunately that's something these projects don't understand.

[Emdeeh]

OK, the press "take" on this release (generated by the PR release's hype, no doubt) is starting to take a strange turn. At least one writer seems to think the BBs themselves originated this project, rather than Don Reedman and Nick Patrick:

https://inews.co.uk/news/the-beach-boys-re-record-classic-brian-wilson-songs-with-orchestra-and-theyre-better/

And this one thinks Brian and Mike are still touring together (nevermind the hologram foolishness):

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/mike-love-says-he-is-not-against-hologram-beach-boys-tour-36893998.html

[HeyJude]

The Orbison album was even somewhat more palatable if for no other reason than he's been dead for 30 years and we haven't seen a ton of new archival product in that 30 years.

Regarding instrumentation, again, take a look at the Orbison album. It appears the BB album may be similar in that some songs retain some (or most) of the original instrumentation. On the Orbison album for instance, it sounds like they retained some of the guitars/backing vocals on the Lynne-helmed stuff like "You Got It", "A Love So Beautiful", and "I Drove All Night", but re-recorded lighter drums and also some other elements.

Some of it might be down to what they can extract from multitracks on the old recordings. If they have multiple instruments on one track, it's either all or none (or some extractions).

Weirdly, this BB album hasn't exactly been given an imaginative (or easily searchable) title like Orbison's was with "A Love So Beautiful." It appears the BB album title is literally just "The Beach Boys with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra."

Patrick and Reedman don't seem to have a ton of finesse or inventiveness in their arrangements. This awkward take on "Fun Fun Fun" reminds me of their job on "Oh, Pretty Woman."

It really *is* a bit 60s "Hollyridge Strings"-ish.

A "Beatles - Love" style mashup with remixes would have preferable if they were intent on simply repackaging old BB tracks in some new way.

[HeyJude]

It *could* be worse, as the Orbison album actually integrated a "duet" with someone who wasn't even alive when Orbison died (and has expectedly been slathered in autotune):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecxXZ-dlvdQ

To be fair, I was pleasantly surprised that the final album includes both the an "all Orbison" version and the duet version.

[HeyJude]

The BBs also could have gone a bit of the "classical" route without the overblown giant orchestra overdub format by doing something like McCartney's "Working Classical", which includes some quarter chamber music arrangements of his "pop" songs (and a couple originals as well).

Or, you know, they could open up the BRI vaults and do a "Live" boxed set, a 70s rarities boxed set, and so on.

But, as an *ancillary* product, as much as I find the quality of the product mixed at best, this new BB album isn't a huge deal. If it opens some doors to other projects, then it's a good thing. Problem is, we've been hearing for decades now that the hits compilations and whatnot help fund/justify archival releases, and I'm understandably skeptical that that's actually the case.

But I would imagine we'll still get something along the lines of "Sunshine Tomorrow" in a 1968 format by the end of the year, at least as a digital-only release.

[feelintheflows]

Little strange the picture they used for the cover is the same picture used on the friends album cover...

[GhostyTMRS]

Ugh. A symphony orchestra playing along to the record of "Fun, Fun, Fun". I'll pass.

I can understand the enthusiasm on the part of all the guys (except David who wasn't asked, I guess) considering how well the Elvis and Orbison sets sold in Britain, but I'd be shocked if it even charted on these shores. The last one, the "Aretha Franklin sings along to the RPO" CD, sank without a trace here.  

[debonbon]

WHY?!?!

[rab2591]

After a hiatus from posting here I wanted to quickly comment on this new track.

Consider me someone who really likes what I’m hearing with ‘Fun Fun Fun’ - and I was one of the haters when this project was first announced. I couldn’t believe they were recording new percussion for these tracks - any percussion on the original tracks is already perfect. And with that said, all the original tracks are perfect anyways so why even bother?

But the orchestra adds an element to these tracks, I can’t really define what it adds - it doesn’t make the tracks better, it doesn’t make them more spiritual, it doesn’t add anything that was missing from the originals. But it adds something that interests me and keeps me listening to the track over and over again. It’s probably that I enjoy listening to a new take on these songs.

Anyways, I’m not here to debate the merits of this new release. Its coming out and that’s that - some will hate it, some will love it, some will think its meh...and more power to everyone for their opinions. For me, this sounds like it will be an album I’ll listen to and enjoy.

I hope everyone is doing well here!

[18thofMay]

I actually like it, shocked to say that!

[joshferrell]

And this one thinks Brian and Mike are still touring together (nevermind the hologram foolishness):

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/mike-love-says-he-is-not-against-hologram-beach-boys-tour-36893998.html

Unless they are reuniting and they haven't announced it yet.. 

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Welcome back, Rab! 

[joshferrell]

I find it interesting that he's OK with a hologram tour but won't (as far as we know) reunite with the actual REAL Beach Boys?

[Zesterz]

Maybe a hologram costs less than paying your former colleagues

[harrisonjon]

Seventeen ballads might have worked but not this Greatest Hits pillage. Kokomo, ffs.

The selections do not indicate that much thought went into picking them.

[JK]

I hope everyone is doing well here!

Hi rab. Good to see you around. Hope you're doing OK yourself. :=)

[The Heartical Don]

It’s going to be one of those awful orchestral backup albums. They’ve done Elvis, Roy O. and Aretha thus far.

I'll go see if there's a James Last Plays The Beach Boys LP somewhere.

Cheaper, and way, way better.

[Rocky Raccoon]

I don’t think it’s a bad idea but that version of “Fun, Fun, Fun” does not sell me on it at all.

[KDS]

I don’t think it’s a bad idea but that version of “Fun, Fun, Fun” does not sell me on it at all.

Probably better idea than execution.   

[Cabinessenceking]

God. Awful.

Let's set up a new poll. what's more redundant?

"Fun, Fun Fun" studio version with minimal and bland orchestral overdub.

versus

Mike Love's 5th re-recording of Do It Again feat. loud idiot on backing shouting.

[Shady]

I love it