The Smiley Smile Message Board

You can see a bunch of POB reviews here:

http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/wilsondennis/pacificoceanblue

I've been surprised that Pitchfork hasn't reviewed it yet. They usually do all the Beach Boys stuff, including reissue packages. (They did the singles box set, for example, and the 40th Anniversary Pet Sounds disc.) Whatever a person's thoughts are about Pitchfork, it would have been very good exposure to an audience that doesn't necessarily know who Dennis Wilson is, and might be convinced to check it out.

Equal highest ranked album for reviews for the month with "What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective"
by Steinski and just a tad ahead of the Fleet Foxes and Nick Cave. Not bad.

What do people here think of the Fleet Foxes? I've had so many let-downs in the last few years of new young bands which 'sound like Brian Wilson' that so far I've passed.

I'm really impressed with the LP. I wouldn't say it sounded much like the Beach Boys though; I too have had bad experiences with contemporary bands that allegedly sound "Wilson-esque". The sleeve notes mention listening to Surf's Up & Harry Nilsson, but I can't see the link, beyond the genuinely wonderful vocal harmonies. It's all a good deal more folky than most BB work, but maybe shares the same feeling of spirituality.

Anyway, it's a pretty remarkable sound they make, probably the best new band I've heard all year. Take a listen to White Winter Hymnal at their myspace site:
http://www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes

Agree with HarveyW; I really like the album but the production is a long way dfrom the classic Wilson-era stuff that keeps getting evoked. Maybe "You're Welcome" comes to mind once or twice but not a lot else.

I once bought some High Llamas on the strength that a reviewer claimed they were emulating SMiLE, but eh only resemblance I could find was that their album sounded unfinished!  (Sorry Sean!)

I love to champion new music but always think it's a mistake to push it as "the new [whoever]" or "very [classic band]-esque." It's just asking for problems. What's classic will last through time, what's pleasant will be good enough for now and what's awful will fade quickly. No reason to bring up every little inspiration or similarity, because time will tell regardless. I don't listen to the Beach Boys because they could've been the next Four Freshmen, or the Beatles because of their Buddy Holly-inspired sounds. As for Fleet Foxes, I think they're fine. Not all that different than a lot of other bands who are around, either, just getting some good press. (Beachwood Sparks, defunct since the early 00s, were a better band in a similar country/folk/harmony-vocal vein, I thought.)

Could not agree more on this.  The need for branding drives everything new. Before I take a bite, what does it taste like?  Before I listen, what does it sound like that I've already heard? You'll love this new movie- it's like "Faster, Pussycat! Kill!  Kill!" meets "Goodbye, Mr. Chips", only with puppettoons.   

The art of selling a movie now is the craft of connecting it to something they think you've already seen and liked.

Remember when the Knack were the new Beatles?  Granted, that was more connected to some Capitol sales statistic than anything else, but still- somebody should do a compilation disc of the best of the former new Beatles.  Track one: "Saturday Night", by the Bay City Rollers (the new Beatles).

Having said all that, I do get drawn into checking out bands who are extensively compared to the Beach Boys, in hopes that the musical values - or the level of imagination- will be the same ones that I like in the BBs' work. Usually it simply means backing harmonies are used or there's an occasional high voice doing a woo-woo part.