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Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Topic: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals (Read 3446 times)
CenturyDeprived
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Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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on:
September 20, 2010, 01:03:56 PM »
I’m sure others have noticed this... but it’s really been in my head lately how much Carl’s vocals got better and better with age, most particularly in the late 70s/80s and into the 90s, right about the time that the quality of recorded material being recorded got much worse. His vocals just got so overwhelmingly amazing, like a fine wine getting better and better with age, that practically passing each year in the above mentioned time frame, the decline of the material is almost an exact opposite curve to the increasing awesomeness and shear emotional strength of his vocals.
A really unique and bizarre phenomenon that, to me, gives so much more listenability and enjoyablilty to latter day Beach Boys product (some of which would otherwise be nearly complete dreck), but Carl somehow saves the song, or makes it at least parts of the song, very very enjoyable.
Biggest examples of this:
Lahaina Aloha
Make it Big
Somewhere Near Japan
entire Beach Boys 1985 album
Even train wrecks such as Problem Child and Happy Endings have moments of Carl bliss which make them listenable to me.
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Mike's Beard
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #1 on:
September 20, 2010, 01:45:07 PM »
Carl reached his zenith on BB85, a record I can't stand from a production/songwriting perspective. His range did drop a little after that, simply beacuse he found himself on the wrong side of 30.
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I'd rather be forced to sleep with Caitlyn Jenner then ever have to listen to NPP again.
tpesky
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #2 on:
September 20, 2010, 01:53:33 PM »
I'd add Kokomo to the list and take off SNJ. I don't think that one needed saving. That song features excellent vocals from Mike and Carl, but Al on that tag MAKES the song.
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CenturyDeprived
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #3 on:
September 20, 2010, 02:00:54 PM »
I'm in total agreement actually, that SNJ is not a song that needed "saving" per se... I totally dig it...but it does fall in the category of songs that Carl's voice takes from good/great to stellar (or at least stellar at times).
And gotta give props to Al as well on these later songs too. Al makes Strange Things happen actually really quite listenable for me. I hadn't come near Summer in Paradise for many years, despite being a huge BB fan, largely due to people saying it is utter garbage. And while parts of it surely are, Carl and Al's contributions, however minimal, make a HUGE difference, and make it at least a third or half an album's worth of ok listening, to BB nuts like myself.
When I finally broke down and bought a copy of SIP off eBay, it was better than I expected. I guess having the lowest of possible expectations can make something much better if it has some decent parts to it. Just gotta make sure to use that SKIP button on the CD player/ipod as needed!
«
Last Edit: September 20, 2010, 02:02:57 PM by moderntimemachines
»
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Jon Stebbins
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #4 on:
September 20, 2010, 02:03:09 PM »
IMO his voice peaked in the period '69 - '74...but was still great into the '80's, just not as great.
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Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #5 on:
September 20, 2010, 03:23:05 PM »
Agreed.
I think it was, in part, the material from 74 onward. Not much of it seemed to either require or inspire the best out of Carl.
Full Sail and Baby Blue are wonderful exceptions though.
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Magic Transistor Radio
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #6 on:
September 20, 2010, 05:24:45 PM »
The song 'Where I Belong' is very underrated. One of Carl's best songs imo.
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"Over the years, I've been accused of not supporting our new music from this era (67-73) and just wanting to play our hits. That's complete b.s......I was also, as the front man, the one promoting these songs onstage and have the scars to show for it."
Mike Love autobiography (pg 242-243)
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #7 on:
September 20, 2010, 05:47:28 PM »
In the minority here, but I cannot stand his late 70s vocals, especially on "The Night was So Young". His lead actually kills the song for me.
Now pretty much everything before and after was ace.
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MBE
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #8 on:
September 20, 2010, 06:07:16 PM »
Quote from: Jon Stebbins on September 20, 2010, 02:03:09 PM
IMO his voice peaked in the period '69 - '74...but was still great into the '80's, just not as great.
I agree but I do like his young voice from 64-68 too.
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Jay
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #9 on:
September 20, 2010, 06:23:06 PM »
Funnily enough, I was just thinking the other day how Carl's voice matured and got a lot better in the 1970's. If you listen to live versions of Wild Honey from 1967, Carl really pushes his voice to the limit. The same with Darlin'. But his vocal on the Knebworth 1980 version of Darlin' is mind blowing. I don't actually really like his voice starting from around 1985 and continuing into the 1990's. To me his voice became increasingly hoarse. I don't really like his vocals from 1976 to around 1979. But I would chalk it up to illicit substances getting in the way. On "Talk To Me", he sounds about one beer away from passing out.
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adamghost
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #10 on:
September 20, 2010, 07:16:27 PM »
He did get throatier, but he still had great pipes, and I also prefer his later voice...slightly. His mid '90s "Sail On Sailor" was definitive. AMAZING vocal performance. I don't think it would have been that great in '73 -- in fact his one weak period was the late '70s (probably the drinking/drugs). It's just a question of which tone you prefer. He changed a bit, but he was great all the way through.
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Emdeeh
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #11 on:
September 20, 2010, 08:13:18 PM »
Carl could (and did) put chills down my spine singing scales for vocal warmups. What a VOICE!
He and Alan both added a deep warmth and richness to the BB's vocal blend.
«
Last Edit: September 20, 2010, 08:18:21 PM by Emdeeh
»
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Shane
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #12 on:
September 20, 2010, 10:35:24 PM »
I really like Carl's part (the chorus) of "It's A Beautiful Day". The verses and lyrics would lead one to believe this is an awful song, but the chorus just saves it.
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Autotune
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #13 on:
September 21, 2010, 10:20:21 AM »
he kept on delivering great vocals until the end. His sound grew raspier, but that's what 180 dates a year do to you
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"His lyrical ability has never been touched by anyone, except for Mike Love."
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ukulelejesus
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #14 on:
September 21, 2010, 10:44:21 AM »
His vocals on Life is for the Living are just breathtaking.
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Runaways
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Re: Carl's increasingly amazing vocals
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Reply #15 on:
September 21, 2010, 12:48:59 PM »
yeah i'll take late 60's carl voice. Particularly when brian was there to produce his vocals. and i say that in i like how brian had him sing with the softer voice.
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