The Smiley Smile Message Board

I was thinking a bout this the other day, if its a nice warm sunny afternoon, I always reach for this album over any of the other BB solo albums. Though obviously Dennis' album is good it doesn't always suit my mood, and Brians albums are a bit uneven - though I enjoy Sweet Insanity and Imagination for afternoon listening.
Anyway, I know Brians vocals have come in for criticism on this album but I enjoy them very much, he's very expressive in his singing and his versatility as a singer is showcased (though obviously years past his best), he's a bit squawky in places but I think it suits him, he sounds enthusiastic (though Van Dyke drilled him) and he gives us some of the last great instnces of his falsetto too.
Song wise I like the album too, I don't have much of Van Dykes other stuff, but I generally prefer Brians voice to my ears, and this album seems less all over the place unlike some of his other stuff. The songs are nice and melodic, no great shakes and not as quirky as Brians, but consistent and therefore very enjoyable!
Anyone else enjoy this album as much as me? :)

YES! I too really enjoy this album. Despite what others say I think Brians vocals are superb on this. Much better than hes done since. Of course you cant compare it to say his vocals on the early Beach Boys stuff but compared to his singing on albums like 15 Big Ones, I think Id rather take his singing on this album any day over that. I too really like the songs aswell. I think this album is generally underrated. Id have to say Brians self-titled album is my favourite by Brian but this would definately be second and the album is certainly very easy to listen to whatever my mood. I would say my top 3 Beach Boy solo albums would be 1) POB 2) BW 88 and 3) OCA... but as you say you have to be in a certain mood to listen to POB. I think more people should give this album a chance. A great album!

I consider the album to be a real delight. I've said this before, but I stand by it: "San Francisco" is on par with anything off "SMiLE".

Yeah, San Francisco is a great song, I really like My Hobo Heart too, it sounds like a Steely Dan sort of thing.

From the very listen back when it first came out, I fell in love with this album.  It was by far the best album of 1995, and it is also my favorite solo album.  I feel that it is very underrated and deserves a lot more credit than people give it.  There's something very special about the sound...a lot like how "Friends" is special (that is my favorite BB album).

For me, every Beach Boys' solo album had a degree of disappointment except for one - Pacific Ocean Blue.

To be your favorite Beach Boy solo album, doesn't the album have to be a Beach Boy solo album? It's hard to call this anything but a collaboration.

Good point. But I still just refer to it as a Beach Boys solo album anyway. I mean Brian does do like 90% of the vocals, so most of the time Im hearing Brian anyway. I know the music isnt by him at all but still if Van Dyke was singing the album would be nowhere near as good. And I mean a lot of Beach Boys albums (eg: SMiLE, Pet Sounds in fact pretty much all of their albums) had collaborative efforts on them, obviously not to the degree as this but still.

I do happen to agree with Sheriff John Stone, POB is the only Beach Boy solo album that is perfect.

BWPS is easily my favorite solo album...then probably a pretty big drop-off to POB. I enjoy parts of OCA, but actually prefer VDP's "Moonlighting" version of the title song.

Ive never heard VDP's "Moonlighting". But if I included BWPS I would say that it is probably my third BB solo album and therefore it would push OCA to fourth, but I dont usually include BWPS as a BB solo album.

The VDP album is called "Moonlighting at the Ash Grove," and I strongly recommend it. It's a top-notch band with VDP on piano and vocals going through songs from throughout his career. Excellent album.

I'm a bit confused how you can call OCA a solo album and not BWPS, but hey--you can call anything whatever you want to. It's a free country.*



*I am assuming you live in a free country. I guess I shouldn't assume, as one never knows. If you're posting from Iran, North Korea, China, etc., you have my apologies.**

**This was an attempt at a joke.***

***This was an unnecessary footnote.

It depends what you define as a "free country" :)

Anyway, I have two VDP Lp's, is this "Monlighting.." album on CD or vinyl or what?

Well I call OCA a solo album because its in general new material and like I said Brian sings most of the vocals. I dont know its just a personal thing. And I should reiterate, I DO consider BWPS a Brian Wilson solo album but I just dont include it when comparing it to other Beach Boys solo albums because thats a bit unfair (none of it is new material or at the most very little)

Moonlighting at the Ash Grove is available on CD (possibly exclusively--it was released within the past 10 years). Here is a link to a review of it. Note there is a tab you can click for info on buying it, if it sounds appealing. (They provide links to various sites selling albums--including price and availability at that first page--when you click that link, not some single source.)

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gzfqxqwjldke

Thanks Luther. I will check this out. By the way, what was that song that was by VDP that The Beach Boys were thinking of recording and putting on one of there albums?

Hmm, no idea. I didn't realize there was a VDP song ever in contention for a Beach Boys album other than those that had made Beach Boys albums: the Smile / Smiley Smile stuff, plus whatever his contribution to Sail On, Sailor was.

Oh ok. I wonder how VDP came to contribute to Sail On Sailor. I remember seeing the credits for that song on Nashville Sounds and VDP wasnt even included in the credits! Obviously thats not the case usually but I thought that was really strange. Aswell as it saying that Brian Wilson wrote Sloop John B.

I was reading in "Back To The Beach" (unfortunately cant remember where) that they were going to put a VDP song on one of there albums (and it wasnt Sail On Sailor). I cant remember the name of the song unfortuantely but I think it was maby going to be included on one of there early to mid 70's albums. As I said I cant really remember much. I sort of was skimming through parts of the book so Ive forgotten most of the details. Ill try and find it again.

Come to the sunshine was recorded in 1975 then stolen!

Yeh thats the one. So was there ever a Beach Boys version recorded and finished? And if so has anyone heard it (ie: besides the band, engineers at the time etc. and excluding the person who stole it)