Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Album Discussion Thread

[bonnevillemariner]

I love how "Disney Girls" is on here, even though nobody gives a sh*t about it, and I doubt many would put it on a list of 17 Beach Boys songs to be done with orchestra. So Bruce gets a song on here, but not Al. 

Disney Girls is a live staple and remains pretty popular.

And I've never understood why. I've never found anything about it musically or lyrically that appealing. Just because it's one of like two "big" songs Bruce wrote doesn't earn it a place in the pantheon of Beach Boys hits. When I took my sons to see the band in 2014, that was our bathroom break song.

[The Heartical Don]

I think I'll stick with this:

[guitarfool2002]

Still letting this sink in and going solely on the only preview track posted so far. I don't get what the hype is about if there is hype beyond the usual PR done to promote it.

I hope the other tracks offer something in the way of creativity or a different interpretation of the existing tracks.

I'll say this in all honesty and hope the remaining tracks disprove this: Anyone with a basic DAW recording setup and a keyboard with somewhat respectable string or orchestral samples to work with could cook up a similar track on their laptop. Take a quality version of any BB classic, dump it into the DAW, and with either good ears and musical instinct or arranging/orchestration knowledge add the orchestral trimmings on top.

Years ago when I was studying all that stuff, we were given a project to "sweeten" a classic track in the same way as Fun Fun Fun seems to have been done. We didn't have access to a Philharmonic orchestra or the use of Abbey Road studio 2, but we had if I remember Opcode's "Vision" program, an Ensoniq keyboard, a Soundcraft mixer, and a Yamaha SPX 90 for adding effects like hall reverb and the like. I did "I Feel The Earth Move" by Carole King. Had to write out a score to hand in, and record and mix the results on that old-school rig. I added horn stabs to punctuate Carole's vocals like this: "I feel the earth (horn hit)...move...(horn hit)...under my feet...(horn response)" and added the typical lush string section sustained chordal backing when she goes to the major 7th chords and sings "oohh baby, when I see your face...".

It was sweetening an existing final mix, and blending in the results so it didn't sound obtrusive. A fun exercise, I think it still exists on a DAT somewhere lol.

But I guess the point is, anyone who has recorded at home and posted their results here and on YouTube and other online outlets could produce a similar effect by simply plugging in a classic BB track and sweetening it. It's not Abbey Road or a world-class orchestra, but the sound would not be too far off from what I heard in Fun Fun Fun.

If the producers did get access to the raw vocal tracks, I hope the other tracks on the project have more creativity and perhaps some different interpretations...otherwise it will be like that orchestra from Germany or wherever that was when Mike and Bruce played in front of an orchestra and the arrangements didn't add anything except the visual and the gimmick of "Hey, wow, it's a full orchestra on stage with Mike and Bruce!".

At least the 50+ year old Hollyridge Strings projects had some creative sounds and uses of a full orchestra to interpret the BB's music a little differently.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Yeah I think guitar fool hits it on the head. The problem with these kind of releases is that they have to justify their existence by adding as much as humanly possible to the tracks with the orchestra. Look at fun fun fun, I think if they had Tastefully added a little bit of strings with some swells during the chorus tags and maybe some chugging cellos and stuff like that during the verses this could be pretty decent. But as it stands, it seems like they're really trying to justify this project by killing the feel of the songs with way too much production and way too much Orchestra

[HeyJude]

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?

That's not a new thing. As early as his first full year of touring post-reunion, he continued to use Dennis and Carl videos/vocal tracks to play along to. You could go to a "Beach Boys" show in 2013 (and subsequent years in some cases) and see and hear Carl and Dennis Wilson, but not Brian Wilson or Al Jardine.

It's easier to talk about Brian or whomever else, or sign off on letting others mix the catalog, or sign off on holograms, than it is to actually *work* with the guys on stage or in the studio apparently.

[feelintheflows]

I love how "Disney Girls" is on here, even though nobody gives a sh*t about it, and I doubt many would put it on a list of 17 Beach Boys songs to be done with orchestra. So Bruce gets a song on here, but not Al.  

Disney Girls is a live staple and remains pretty popular.

And I've never understood why. I've never found anything about it musically or lyrically that appealing. Just because it's one of like two "big" songs Bruce wrote doesn't earn it a place in the pantheon of Beach Boys hits. When I took my sons to see the band in 2014, that was our bathroom break song.

For me Tears In The Morning and Deirdre top Disney Girls. It doesn’t fit on Surfs Up. Its just one of those songs that’s just meh.

[Aomdiddlywalla]

"California Suite"?

I would presume/assume some sort of medley/overture. I'm wondering if it might be a bit like the Van Dyke Parks bit from the "Pet Sounds" orchestral shows, albeit of course much shorter.

I really want a copy of the VDP overture....! Anyone?

[The Heartical Don]

"California Suite"?

I would presume/assume some sort of medley/overture. I'm wondering if it might be a bit like the Van Dyke Parks bit from the "Pet Sounds" orchestral shows, albeit of course much shorter.

I really want a copy of the VDP overture....! Anyone?

PM me.

[Aomdiddlywalla]

"California Suite"?

I would presume/assume some sort of medley/overture. I'm wondering if it might be a bit like the Van Dyke Parks bit from the "Pet Sounds" orchestral shows, albeit of course much shorter.

I really want a copy of the VDP overture....! Anyone?

PM me.

Done Sir.

[SamMcK]

What irks me most about this project is that The Beach Boys (for all intents and purposes) are still around, as Brian, Mike, and Al represent the band in the present day, even in their different groups. At least Elvis and Roy had the excuse of being dead for many years before they released those orchestrated versions.

I feel uncomfortable with the idea of classic Beach Boys tracks being tampered with in this fashion, ESPECIALLY considering Brian Wilson is still very much alive and present. He already perfected those tracks 50+ years ago, and now some tabloids are trying to say they're an improvement on the original versions? What absolute horseh*t.
.

[RangeRoverA1]

I love how "Disney Girls" is on here, even though nobody gives a sh*t about it, and I doubt many would put it on a list of 17 Beach Boys songs to be done with orchestra. So Bruce gets a song on here, but not Al. 

Very well said. PS poster monolithic/ Nicko1234 brought some time back hilarious point during "Disney Girls" discussion that it's covered by famous singers, therefore somehow it's big proof it's got merit. Everybody knows the artists cover the other artists' songs, even forgettable & lesser songs in the catalog. He should've just said he's big Bruce fan & likes "Disney Girls" & be done instead of writing things like that.

Face it, Bruce is just replacement, it's not fair Al isn't represented by any song he's written.

[feelintheflows]

What irks me most about this project is that The Beach Boys (for all intents and purposes) are still around, as Brian, Mike, and Al represent the band in the present day, even in their different groups. At least Elvis and Roy had the excuse of being dead for many years before they released those orchestrated versions.

I feel uncomfortable with the idea of classic Beach Boys tracks being tampered with in this fashion, ESPECIALLY considering Brian Wilson is still very much alive and present. He already perfected those tracks 50+ years ago, and now some tabloids are trying to say they're an improvement on the original versions? What absolute horseh*t.
.

It’s one of two things. Either the people who put this crap out have no clue what their doing... or.. they don’t give a sh*t. Well it’s probably both. There’s no way in hell anybody in The Beach Boys camp or at Capital/EMI think there’s a market for this sort of release. Last years Sunshine Tomorrow reached #145 on the charts with very good reviews. So instead of following that up with the next proper archival release which would be FRIENDS, they lose that momentum and release whatever the F*** this is.

We all know there have been concerts that have been recorded. Made in California hello! How bout releasing them in the entire show, and not just 1 song!

[Emdeeh]

We all know there have been concerts that have been recorded. Made in California hello! How bout releasing them in the entire show, and not just 1 song!

Now that's what I'd like to see more of -- release those concerts!

As for the symphonic remakes, Aretha Franklin has also been subjected to the RSO treatment. She could tour with them in person, but given her famous aversion to flying, I wouldn't expect it.

[BeachBoysCovers]

It’s one of two things. Either the people who put this crap out have no clue what their doing... or.. they don’t give a sh*t. Well it’s probably both. There’s no way in hell anybody in The Beach Boys camp or at Capital/EMI think there’s a market for this sort of release. Last years Sunshine Tomorrow reached #145 on the charts with very good reviews. So instead of following that up with the next proper archival release which would be FRIENDS, they lose that momentum and release whatever the F*** this is.

They probably do think there is a market for it - in the UK at least. It's the same market that got the Roy Orbison one to #2 in the UK and one of the Elvis ones to #1. If it's pushed like those ones were there will be adverts, it will be for sale in all the supermarkets and it is being released just before Father's Day.

[Awesoman]

Something strangely familiar about this album...

[HeyJude]

Bruce's 1998 project was all new recordings. This 2018 BB album is all vintage BB recordings with overdubs. Very different.

Bruce's 1998 project was both better and worse. It was more respectable as a new recorded work and wasn't futzing with classic old recordings. But it also wasn't very good. It certainly didn't help that he released it during one of the most acrimonious, politically charged moments in the history of the band. Then again, they also released the "Endless Harmony" doc and CD in that same year, and those were good.

[HeyJude]

What irks me most about this project is that The Beach Boys (for all intents and purposes) are still around, as Brian, Mike, and Al represent the band in the present day, even in their different groups. At least Elvis and Roy had the excuse of being dead for many years before they released those orchestrated versions.

I feel uncomfortable with the idea of classic Beach Boys tracks being tampered with in this fashion, ESPECIALLY considering Brian Wilson is still very much alive and present. He already perfected those tracks 50+ years ago, and now some tabloids are trying to say they're an improvement on the original versions? What absolute horseh*t.
.

It's strange. I don't see a need for this project. But I'm probably *slightly* more interested in it because it uses the old vintage recordings. The guy s(either individually or together) doing *new* recordings of these old songs sounds even less interesting. At least with the remixes on the old stuff there might be some new bits to pick out that sound interesting (as was the case with the Orbison CD).

The original recordings will always be there and easily available. This new CD will *not* supplant the original classic recordings in any way. I would imagine within a few years (likely sooner) this 2018 CD will be forgotten.

I don't think anybody short-term or long-term whose opinion matters at all will argue this new CD is "better" than the original recordings. It's all just hype mode right now.

[HeyJude]

It’s one of two things. Either the people who put this crap out have no clue what their doing... or.. they don’t give a sh*t. Well it’s probably both. There’s no way in hell anybody in The Beach Boys camp or at Capital/EMI think there’s a market for this sort of release. Last years Sunshine Tomorrow reached #145 on the charts with very good reviews. So instead of following that up with the next proper archival release which would be FRIENDS, they lose that momentum and release whatever the F*** this is.

We all know there have been concerts that have been recorded. Made in California hello! How bout releasing them in the entire show, and not just 1 song!

There clearly IS someone at Capitol/UMe who think there's a market for this CD; they're putting it out!

I'm sure it's due to the success (much more so in the UK than the US) of the Orbison CD, which hit #2 on the UK charts, as well as the success of other assembly line Patrick/Reedman projects that has made Capitol and BRI interested enough to sign off on this.

And remember, they're just signing off on this stuff. It's an easy extra paycheck. I would imagine, considering it's mostly EMI-owned masters (a couple of post-1969 tracks on there), BRI probably didn't even have to pony up any money to do the project. It was all Capitol/EMI/UMe.

Someone probably showed the BBs the other recent albums of this ilk, and they thought "sure, let's jump on the bandwagon", and had to do *zero* work on this other than listen to it (maybe) and sign off on it. To them, it's probably akin to another "Sounds of Summer" style repackaging.

Which gets us to why comparing such a set to "Sunshine Tomorrow" probably isn't a worthy comparison. This new 2018 orchestral CD will no doubt be marketed much more like another "Greatest Hits" set, and will probably (unfortunately) outpace "Sunshine Tomorrow" in sales and chart position (at least in the UK anyway).

I'm not saying this set is what *I* wanted, but the reason it's happening is not surprising at all. I don't think this CD will crack the Top 10 or 20 (or maybe even 50) in the US. It will probably chart in the US if given enough promotion, and will chart higher (though probably not #2) in the UK.

My only hope is that BRI is still also looking deeply into archival releases. Starting with 1968 copyright extension material, but also stuff *well beyond* that. An FTD/Dick's Picks sort of thing for the archives would be easy to do and would enhance their legacy among rock journalists that matter even more than orchestra overdubs onto "Fun Fun Fun."

[Rick5150]

https://youtu.be/Gy6WJ-w1WhY

Look at the last three letters in the YouTube link for Fun, Fun, Fun. Even YouTube wants to know "WhY".  Places that should be quiet so various aspects of the music are accentuated, now sound too busy and unnecessary. Isolated vocals may have some cool interpretations. But just because you can add more instruments does not mean you should. And they shouldn't have.

[Pitter Patter]

I've said this elsewhere, but I'm quite curious to hear what they've done to Sloop John B and Don't Worry Baby. Other than that, I'm not too fussed about this release, and like the most of us, are more eager for something Friends related. It's the usual stuff you'd expect from your average BB comp with a bit of glitter sprinkled on top. I imagine by 2030, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will have made an album for everyone in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. One question does remain though:

 WHY THE [insert profanity here] DOES KOKOMO NEED AN ORCHESTRAL BACKING!?

[HeyJude]

I've said this elsewhere, but I'm quite curious to hear what they've done to Sloop John B and Don't Worry Baby. Other than that, I'm not too fussed about this release, and like the most of us, are more eager for something Friends related. It's the usual stuff you'd expect from your average BB comp with a bit of glitter sprinkled on top. I imagine by 2030, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will have made an album for everyone in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. One question does remain though:

 WHY THE [insert profanity here] DOES KOKOMO NEED AN ORCHESTRAL BACKING!?

Unfortunately (and kind of inexplicably), this tracklisting looks much more like they picked hit/recognizable song titles, and *then* tried to shoehorn an orchestral arrangement into the picture.

There's really no other reason to take up-tempo relative "rock" songs like "Fun Fun Fun" or "Oh, Pretty Woman" and add a full orchestra.

Even Jeff Lynne with ELO eventually stopped putting strings on *all* of his songs (and he didn't always use a full philharmonic orchestra when he *did* use strings).

[Shady]

A good thread would be songs that should have been on this album.

For example, imagine "still i dream of it" or "cabin essance" backed by the royal Philharmonic    

I'm most excited to hear H&V

[“Big Daddy”]

Email from The Beach Boys’ website says “Good Vibrations” will be the next single from this album and will be available for downloading/streaming tomorrow.

[HeyJude]

Email from The Beach Boys’ website says “Good Vibrations” will be the next single from this album and will be available for downloading/streaming tomorrow.

Probably not coincidentally a tie-in to the "Good Vibrations" SiriusXM channel.

[Shady]

Good Vibrations doesn't really work