Mount Vernon and Fairytale Music

[slothrop]

Why is it that the "Fairytale Music" mix from the Good Vibrations box set has extra parts--that high pitched melody line in the very beginning? And yet it is lacking, for instance, that ascending synth line (00:23-27) in the background on the regular CD version. What is with the vastly different mixes released? Any one know? Some vocals (what sounds like Brian backing on Radio King Dom) come out better on the box set mix, too.

Overall though, this is a real fascinating period in Brian's work. Who would've thought that the guy who made Surfer Girl would be creating these synth drenched soundscapes only 10 years later. It's unfortunate we have so little of this sound, it's way ahead of it's time. "Sweet Mountain," "Funky Pretty" and "Mount Vernon" are all unlike anything else I've heard from pop music during that time.

[Mike's Beard]

Add "'Till I Die" and "Day In The Life of a Tree" to that list. I realy liked the etheral direction his music was taking just before his workrate dropped off.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Me too MB. Honestly, my favorite works of his were all created around that time.

[buddhahat]

Why is it that the "Fairytale Music" mix from the Good Vibrations box set has extra parts--that high pitched melody line in the very beginning? And yet it is lacking, for instance, that ascending synth line (00:23-27) in the background on the regular CD version. What is with the vastly different mixes released? Any one know? Some vocals (what sounds like Brian backing on Radio King Dom) come out better on the box set mix, too.

Overall though, this is a real fascinating period in Brian's work. Who would've thought that the guy who made Surfer Girl would be creating these synth drenched soundscapes only 10 years later. It's unfortunate we have so little of this sound, it's way ahead of it's time. "Sweet Mountain," "Funky Pretty" and "Mount Vernon" are all unlike anything else I've heard from pop music during that time.

Yeah this has inspired me to do a synth based Brian playlist - Switched on Wilson!

Great avatar - is that the one from the spring sessions, where he's playing a synth?

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I think that Love You was sort of where he left off with Funky Pretty. Although, lyrically it was a lot more elementary.

[slothrop]

Yeah this has inspired me to do a synth based Brian playlist - Switched on Wilson!

Great avatar - is that the one from the spring sessions, where he's playing a synth?

I did the same thing, but it came out kind of short! I didn't want to include "Love You" material, only work from before, since "Love You" seems more like the "commercial" and logical outcome of the arcane music he was making in 71-72.

And yeah, it is him playing an ARP Odyssey. http://www.analogsuicide.com/latest/2009/12/20/arp-odyssey-love-brian-wilsonplus-sample-hold-from-retrosoun.html

[gsmile]

A few years later, Gary Wright would go on to mine similar synth territory with his "Dream Weaver" album, especially in regards to using synths in place of a traditional bass line:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_fffjHnYxI

Of course, it doesn't have that same "mystical" Wilson quality to it.  The best thing about Brian's "synth productions" is that he approaches them the same way he would a Pet Sounds era production, instead of orchestration we have layers and layers of synth lines.  MTRadio is correct in stating that this approach carried on into Love You.  You can hear it a bit on 15 Big Ones as well, especially on "Just Once In My Life".