Holland

[jazzfascist]

Probably the second best of their records in the seventies and as others have noted the most coherent, both soundwise and conceptually, also the one with the most constant quality of songs from that era. 
They head out with “Sail On Sailor“. I love this song, it has the shape of a blues, but the different chordchanges seem to be reflecting the movements of the wind and the sea, just as the pounding piano sounds like the motor of a boat, so it’s like a musical picture of a boat on the sea, one of those songs where the music and lyrics are one.
“Steamboat” not as good as SOS, but still a solid track with lots of ambience. Next up is “California Saga/Beaks of Eagles” which seems to be Mike and Al’s little element suite,  going from the mountains to the ocean, they even mimick the panoramic style of Brians piano intro from “Child”and “Look”, it’s a little bourgeois hippie and pretentious but it’s catchy and works as a suite.
 “Trader” is Carls masterpiece IMO, great song and the shift in tempo makes it very creative. “Leaving This Town” also a great song, that’s a little chordy, but without getting lost in the chords and with a beautiful outro. “Only With You” a good classically bent ballad with a funky chorus. “Funky Pretty” which is a nice funky pop song, that to some degree doesn’t sound fully realised, but still good. Ending with of course “Mount Vernon And Fairway” that creates it’s own little cosmos with some interesting music.
But all in all a solid coherent album with a stone classic, don’t know why they seemingly ran out of steam at that point.

Søren

[Jason Byzewski]

Among their top three best 70s albums behind Sunflower and Love You, The Beach Boy's American gothic trip, could've been really great if it included We Got Love and Carry Me Home.  Highlights are Sail On Sailor, Big Sur, California and The Trader.

[Luther]

American gothic trip...

Did you steal that phrase from VDP? I think you did.

[Jason Byzewski]

American gothic trip...

Did you steal that phrase from VDP?

Subconscious plagerism?  Didn't Van Dyke use that term to describe Cabinessense?

[Luther]

Yep. The American Band dvd.

[Jason Byzewski]

Sorry Van Dyke...Rock On!

[Luther]

I think he forgives you as he does one of those full-on bow/curtsies, just like in the Beautiful Dreamer DVD...

[Jason Byzewski]

I like Van Dyke besides being a talented wordsmith he's a gentleman.

[Luther]

I love him and his work. Or his work, anyway (I don't know him, so what can I say?). But I can still play around.

[Jason Byzewski]

Hmmm, this discussion is taking an unusual turn but I agree a lot of his solo work is quite good, Orange Crate Art and Discover America among others.

[Luther]

Song Cycle, for me, but that's off topic of Holland, isn't it?

[Jason Byzewski]

Song Cycle is his first album from 68 isn't it?

[Luther]

yep.

[Jason Byzewski]

It's a good one.

[jazzfascist]

BTW here's a picture of Robinson Jeffers who wrote "Beaks Of Eagles".




I wonder where Mike and Al got to know that poem. I don't know if he is a widely known american poet or if he was just hip at that point in time

Søren

[Luther]

I just Googled and read a few biographies, and it seems his popularity in America was in the midst of an all-time low in the two decades after his death in 1962! (On the other hand, Eastern Europeans were apparently into him at the time.)

However, here might be the answer as to why he was popular with the Beach Boys, or Al anyway:

"Robinson Jeffers is frequently described as the quintessential California poet. Living for many years just south of Carmel, he set many of his long narratives at specific locations along the coast-Point Sur, Point Lobos and Pico Blanco."

- Janice Albert

[jazzfascist]

I just Googled and read a few cadelaies, and it seems his popularity in America was in the midst of an all-time low in the two decades after his death in 1962! (On the other hand, Eastern Europeans were apparently into him at the time.)

However, here might be the answer as to why he was popular with the Beach Boys, or Al anyway:

"Robinson Jeffers is frequently described as the quintessential California poet. Living for many years just south of Carmel, he set many of his long narratives at specific locations along the coast-Point Sur, Point Lobos and Pico Blanco."

- Janice Albert

Robinson Jeffers also subscribed to a kind of animistic philosophy called “inhumanism”, something that sounds like it was a forerunner to ecologism, which might also have attracted Al and Mike. Here’s some of Jeffers thoughts:

”The first part of The Double Axe was written during the war and finished a year before the war ended, and it bears the scars; but the poem is not primarily concerned with that grim folly. Its burden, as of some previous work of mine, is to present a certain philosophical attitude, which might be called Inhumanism, a shifting of emphasis and significance from man to not-man; the rejection of human solipsism and recognition of the transhuman magnificence. It seems time that our race began to think as an adult does, rather than like an egocentric baby or insane person. This manner of thought and feeling is neither misanthropic nor pessimist, though two or three people have said so and may again. It involves no falsehoods, and is a means of maintaining sanity in slippery times; it has objective truth and human value. It offers a reasonable detachment as rule of conduct, instead of love, hate and envy. It neutralizes fanaticism and wild hopes; but it provides magnificence for the religious instinct, and satisfies our need to admire greatness and rejoice in beauty.”

Another Big Sur writer was Henry Miller but he probably didn’t supply any appropriate nature poems.

Søren

[Luther]

Another Big Sur writer was Henry Miller but he probably didn’t supply any appropriate nature poems.

Søren

All depends on your definition of appropriate, I suppose...

[jazzfascist]

Another Big Sur writer was Henry Miller but he probably didn’t supply any appropriate nature poems.

Søren

All depends on your definition of appropriate, I suppose...

Yeah, and nature.

Søren

[punkinhead]

i always defended brian on being so involved with this and i just thought about, and he only sang like one vocal for the album, which was the begining of California, forgive me/correct me if i'm wrong...though Funky Pretty/Sail On sailor are great songs...now aside from holland, the Mt. Vernon ep is steller....

i always hear people say this album is too serious, can somebody tell me why?