The Smiley Smile Message Board

Spotted over on aljardine.com/music/…

(https://i.imgur.com/cOAXS1t.jpg)

Also, just two days ago, A Postcard from California was made available again on streaming/download services in a 13-track rendition (the 12 original tracks + “California Dreamin’‘”): http://amazon.com/dp/B07L92SGCN. Amazon says the label is Friday Music, who also put out last year’s vinyl reissue of Postcard, so I’d have to imagine it’s likely they’ll be behind the CD too.

I skimmed the tracks for this new digital version on Spotify and happened to notice “Drivin’” is the Texaco version which really just makes me laugh. I think this was previously only on the ESQ CD, right? How many mix variations need to exist for this album? :lol

Yay! I was just saying the other day how silly the prices are for this CD in England, and how I'd like a reissue please.

Thanks for the info!

This album needs more recognition...it's really well-made, fun album...and I wonder if "deluxe edition" would have unreleased tracks. I'm pretty sure it will include Japan-only bonus tracks, namely Eternal Ballad and alt. ver. of Waves of Love.

From what I understand there's a pretty good amount of material Al has yet to release. Hopefully we'll see some/most of it on this deluxe version.

Hopefully, if he does a "deluxe" CD reissue almost ten years after it first came out, he'll go all-out and add plenty of bonus tracks. He mentioned several other songs around the time the album came out, and while it's unlikely, I'd love to see him add some of the "early" versions of the songs sampled on his website back several years prior to 2010. There was a less cluttered version of "Don't Fight the Sea", a version of "A Postcard from California" with Al singing the lines later given to Glen Campbell, and also with better stacked Jardine backing vocals (as opposed to the larger group who added backing vocals to the eventual released version).

We also know that Brian added vocals to one if not several additional songs not included previously on the album. There's a behind the scenes video of Brian singing lead lines for "A Postcard from California" for instance.

"Waves of Love" wouldn't be surprising, but I'm not sure they'd put "Eternal Ballad" on a wide release CD reissue. It's not really A-list material. Matt Jardine commented on the song on this board in response to some criticisms of the song, defending the song but also acknowledging its limitations:

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,10591.msg196142.html#msg196142

What makes it the Texaco version?  I have every version of this album and all 3 versions of Drivin’ I have say Texaco at the end.  Just wondering.

My version says “BP your killing me man”

On the copies I have (Amazon CD-R, Japanese CD) Al says “BP” instead of “Texaco.” Unless I’m getting all mixed up...

Ok, I guess I don't have the original 2010 version, I thought I did.  My 2012 reissue and Japan cd both say Texaco.  Ah man, I'm missing something, that drives me nuts.  Probably can't find that version now.  Besides the 3 Waves of Love versions, is there anything else different about the 3 releases?

On my Amazon CD-R , and Itunes Album (I burned to CD-R), Al says "BP instead of Texaco.
On my Japanese (Yamaha) CD and Robo Records CD Al says Texaco instead of BP

Yeah, I think I was wrong about the Japanese CD. Whoops...

This is no longer mentioned on Al’s website. Hope it’s still coming despite this…

Well, not to be insensitive to recent developments, but hopefully Al should have more time available in his schedule to work on this and potentially other projects.

I mean, I'd have to assume the planned "Deluxe" version woudln't have like a *ton* of extra tracks, so I would hope it wouldn't be too much of a problem to just take the now nearly decade-old album, add the extra tracks, and get this thing released. Digitally at least.

I'd like to think Al has switched over to planning a full-on new album, but I'm certainly not going to count on that.

It's nuts, I have to imagine he has dozens and dozens of unreleased tracks just in his own vault, not even getting into the BB vaults.

An update at long last! Billy Hinsche had Al as a guest on his latest webcast (https://www.facebook.com/billy.hinsche/videos/5355969761095940) and at about 24:27, Al starts discussing the latest plans for the “Postcard” reissue. Al says a tenth anniversary edition is being “freshly minted by UMG” (!), potentially for a release around the holidays. Best yet, sounds like more iterations of “Waves Of Love” are in the cards ;D

Someone really needs to invest in both a clock and calendar for Jardine.   Dude can't meet a deadline to save his life lol. 

Maybe he was waiting for a bus.

There were interesting early mixes of some "Postcards" tracks put up online a few years before the album came out (a better "Postcard from California" title track with Al singing all the lead parts, and all-Jardine backing vocals, a better less cluttered mix of "Don't Fight the Sea"), and also some video showing Brian singing lead parts that didn't end up on the album, as well as a bunch of full-on songs that Al just left off.

Why do I have the feeling if or when he does reissue this album again, it's not going to include any of those tracks but instead a 9th remix of "Waves of Love?"

Needs a producer to kick his ass  ;D could have had 2 more albums out since Postcard already....but seriously we really don't need a 10 year anniversary of postcards. It was a nice album but hardly hugely acclaimed to merit anniversary editions. Give us some unheard stuff Al!

Al probably has five albums of half and nearly-finished solo stuff. I've wished for years that some outside producer would just go through his vaults, pick 12-14 of the best, and either mix and release them as-is, or have Al finish them off.

I love Al, but it's insane that he's had his own studio literally a few feet from his front door for the last 40+ years and has only mustered one solo album.

As recently as yesterday, one could buy the old version of Postcard on Al’s eBay store but that listing (https://www.ebay.com/itm/353259281781) has now been canceled.

(https://i.imgur.com/erJuM7s.png)

And aljardine.com/music, which used to link to the eBay listing, now says “Info coming soon on where to purchase” Postcards. Hoping this means the new reissue will be announced soon ;D

(https://i.imgur.com/ohOV6Pd.png)

Al's team is really moving fast on that reissue then.  I suppose we should expect it at least 12 years from now.   :lol

The new reissue was listed on Amazon UK with a release date of uh.... last Friday. They have however now said they don't actually have any stock of it....

There’s somewhat of an announcement up on aljardine.com/news. Doesn’t mention what the street date will be, but it does confirm that the new version of Postcard will essentially be a straight reissue of the original album with nothing much by way of extras except for “a new west coast remastered mix” of “Waves of Love.” (A “brand new east coast mix” will follow later in the year. :-D)

(https://i.imgur.com/nvdiUrC.png)

Be nice to get a vinyl copy at least. The RSD one never seemed to make it outside the US.

Good God, all this time and they couldn't muster some new bonus tracks? They literally did what I guessed, which was a straight reissue with a *37th* mix of "Waves of Love."

Al has a hundred unreleased songs; he couldn't add something to this?

I already own three copies of this album, and I'd actually buy a fourth if he did a truly "Deluxe" version. I have an idea for like ten appropriate bonus tracks *without* having any access to what he might have in his vaults.

This is literally a "Here's Why You Don't Need to Buy This" press release. I appreciate the heads-up I guess.

Don't get me wrong; I'm all for keeping this in print. But I'm *stunned* UMe didn't *demand* some new tracks to goose sales.

It is encouraging that UMe picked this up - perhaps that is why nothing really new was added to this: Al mentioned that he'd have new music out "next year" (hopefully this quote was from last year). Perhaps UMe is also interested in releasing another Al solo record after this one? Then again, knowing how Al spills the beans on projects, if there was another solo album to be released by UMe I am sure he would've leaked the track listing at this point ;D

Anything is possible. But they are adding one new mix; so they aren't opposed to new content. Why not at least include some alternates of some of the other tracks? There are Brian vocals in existence for the title track, as well as an all-Al version. There are alternate mixes/versions/takes on a bunch of those songs.

If they were just doing a quick relaunch of the thing to get it on digital streaming platforms, that would be one thing. But UMe is going to be pressing physical copies, etc. I would imagine fans that already own it outnumber the number of potential first-time purchasers, so I don't know why UMe wouldn't want like five *new* bonus tracks at least. It wouldn't require some huge budget; it would be old pre-existing stuff, and if they *are* interested in a truly "new" album from Al later on, they could just put alternates on the "Postcards" reissue to save any "new" stuff.

I swear I thought that "east coast mix" comment was a joke. Then I read the actual press release. What a guy; at least Al's consistent, I guess :lol

So, is this "west coast mix" a new mix? It says it's remastered so it's perhaps not new? And what on earth could be the east coast mix? Perhaps what are referred to as "mixes" might be different versions. One version would be the version with the saxophone up front and the other would be the more organ-led version?

I don't know.

Gosh, I love Al.

(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5be72a378f5130c1456e2ef8/1612505463461-I1QN7T8O4FMHXOAW5TKM/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kEf3PvVQkWZsI0LQLrLqe_lZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZUJFbgE-7XRK3dMEBRBhUpz7rVHeeY-51SvAE3NxG6iez47LWO1KVJlu_nBdrPM9lu_5adEahjrh2QaFvRhRT4w/Waves+of+Love+2.0.jpg?format=1000w)

Al Jardine has a new single coming out on Friday February 12th just in time for Valentine’s Day!  “Waves of Love 2.0,” originally released as a bonus track on A Postcard from California, has been re-recorded by Al’s longtime producer and songwriting collaborator Larry Dvoskin from New York.  The new East Coast mix features classic Beach Boys-sounding vocal dit-dits and was also one of Al’s last vocal collaborations with Carl Wilson.  Says Al, “It’s exciting to share this great East Coast version of ‘Waves of Love’ with my fans.  Larry Dvoskin’s impeccable dit-dits do me proud and there will also be a new West Coast version on my soon to be re-released solo album A Postcard from California!” Look for a limited-edition autographed CD single, which will also include a bonus track, “Jenny Clover,” about a beautiful little milk cow cared for by The Jardines and written by Al, his wife Mary Ann and Larry Dvoskin, who also produced the song.  Details on how to pre-order coming soon!

These are probably two of the songs Larry Dvoskin had on his SoundCloud page a while back. 

Hilariously,  neither of these tracks will be on the Postcards reissue.  Sounds like "Jenny Clover" will only be on this physical CD single? 

If it hasn't already happened, Al should record some of his storyteller shows as soon as it is possible to hold them again, and release an album of these. Or maybe record them as an in studio radio performance. If no major label is interested, maybe he can release it through his website. Those shows, from what I've seen and heard on youtube, deserve to be released. Especially those bare arrangements of the songs actually present something new. I don't know if the songs have ever been presented that way. Maybe Hawaii '67.

The single is available for pre-order on download/streaming services (see https://www.amazon.com/Al-Jardine-Waves-Love-2-0/dp/B08VJ5KKSG/) and it looks like “Jenny Clover” will be included there too. Interestingly, this single appears to fall outside of Al’s deal with UMe—Amazon says that the label putting out the single is “Do What You Love Media” (Larry Dvoskin’s company).

Just realized the press release blurb kind of makes it sounds like "Waves of Love" was re-recorded by Larry Dvoskin, as if Dvoskin is performing it. I'm sure this is still the same Al recording, just remixed of course, perhaps with some new overdubs.

It'll be interesting to see if either of these are any different from the versions that were up on Dvoskin's SoundCloud that a number of folks were able to grab.

I don't understand why Al and Dvoskin keep trying to push this song. It's a good song. But we're now at three going on *five* mixes of the song. It's a song from the 90s that was already released in 2012. It has had it's day.

Surely Al has recorded other songs at this studio in the last 40+ years that he could push instead?

I won't keep ranting about this. I'm like the biggest Al fan, and I *know* he's got stuff in his vaults (and we're talking clear *solo* stuff outside of any old BB stuff) that he could be putting out.

I'm waiting for the announcement that b-sides for the single will include "Loop De Loop", "Susie Cincinnati", and "PT Cruiser."

Send a good producer to Red Barn, give em all the tapes.....and make sure to lock Al out  :lol

Al has turned into SMiLE era Brian Wilson in terms of indecisiveness of choosing and settling on a final mix, and the impossibility of finally being done with a released song.

Seriously, I wonder if watching Brian go through that had some profound psychological effect on Al, or if maybe it has something more to do with just a never-ending question wanting to make the mix "perfect" perhaps due to feelings of inadequacy compared to the Wilsons. I don't mean any disrespect to Al - I can completely understand the concept of feeling like he had better make something sound GOOD when having been surrounded for decades by the towering genius of the Wilsons, but yeah this whole "Ver 2.0" thing is all a bit over-the-top and comical at this point. Along with Santa Goes to Kokomo, it's the sequel nobody ever asked for  :lol

I've never thought of Al's penchant for taking a million years to complete things (and then re-re-re-re-doing them even after they're released) as being an outgrowth of anything to do with Brian. I mean, anything is possible.

I think Al is just super-super-duper indecisive, and once he wasn't working within the framework of a BB project where *some other* person or persons were pushing the thing forward and telling him (and others) "okay, that's a wrap, you're finished!", he was left to his own devices twiddling away at projects for years and decades.

Even projects with a seeming relative sense of urgency have taken forever. Al getting his "Live in Las Vegas" late 1999 live album out before the end of 2001 was like lighting speed for him.

He talked of his solo album for a decade-plus after being squeezed out of the touring BBs in 1998, and it wasn't until 2010 that his album seemingly just kind of meandered out with little fanfare, eventually getting a stronger push in 2012.

I think when Al has someone bankrolling and running a project, he's more likely to get something done.

Considering he wasn't touring full time after 1997, and had his own lavish studio to record, he should have released like *ten* solo projects by now at least. A couple sets of his demos, some more live stuff, and at least three or four "proper" albums.

The only thing I don't know is how much he's had someone working with him trying to push him. I know he has some associates (Stevie Heger, Larry Dvoskin), but I don't know if those types of folks are really trying to pitch Al to fully produce Al for an album, to "crack the whip" a bit and get something done. Larry Dvoskin seems like a really nice guy, but he'd be doing both Al and fans a favor by not trying to *still* push "Waves of Love" after 37 years after we've all already heard it.

Remember a few years ago in an interview where Al revealed he was considering a new recording of....wait for it.... "Runaway"?!?

I guess perhaps Al quitting the band in early 1962 might be considered as evidence of indecisiveness in his personality. Although it's easy to say that in hindsight, at the time it might not have seemed like a bad idea to get out if he didn't think the band was really going to go anywhere.

Certainly I'm sure the fact that I'll has non-linear editing at his disposal makes indecision an even easier thing to happen. If he were dealing solely with tape, he might have had to make decisions without endless tweaking.

I think that being in the shadow of the Wilsons perhaps is some unconscious motivator in him trying to make things as perfect as they can be, as opposed to just letting things be.

Pre-order for the “Waves of Love 2.0” CD single is up and is located here: https://do-what-you-love-inc.myshopify.com/products/al-jardine-waves-of-love-autographed-cd-single

Here’s a 3D rendering Al shared on social media of what the CD is going to look like: https://www.discmakers.com/MyAccount/FlashViewer/?p=Y4PVH4ZjI8R0r9nwq8dUTcW0EtqhS%2FVDX0gBXNfC%2F2k%3D&fbclid=IwAR0kMdSlvu0F9iwIT3HL7dV-RpIrbSjqm_2kWEYZNA2mpyHLwk0-OCG376E#.YCF0ay9h125

wasn't there a cd of Al with his two sons that was supposed to be out 15 years ago? Seem to remember talk about that long before Postcards...

Now streaming!

Waves of Love 2.0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktfK-lb0cgs
Jenny Clover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwK_GXG03-M

“Waves of Love 2.0” appears to be an entirely new mix. It’s not the same version that was on Dvoskin’s Soundcloud page back in the day.

I really like Jenny Clover. Similar to if not the exact mix that was on the SoundCloud station a couple of years ago. With regards to Waves of Love I actually like the Carl Wilson prominent version better than this one. This one seems to drag a little bit maybe cuz it lacks Carl on it but I think his version sounds best. Either way glad we have somewhat new music by Al.

I like it, but the cliche "dit dit dit"'s on "Waves of Love" are too much for me, although in the beginning they have some very nice harmonies. I'm usually no fan of Beach Boys-soundalikes, because they mostly don't sound like the BBs.
"Jenny Glover" is really good. Although the background voices again are too much for my liking. But a very nice song and it would've been interesting to hear a Beach Boys recording of this.


Glad to see Al putting out a new song! I'm always looking forward to new material of his. "California Energy Blues" is still one of my favs.

 :-D :-D :-D :-D
Much, Much, better version of "Waves of Love".  stripped back from the heavy-handed, over-cooked, previous version, it now sounds like a light, poppy, love song and is not drowning in 500 redubs of odd background noise.  That's a keeper now. Miss the Carl, but it is not needed.

This is going back a bit, but does anyone remember Al doing a song that starts off with or is titled "Down South In San Diego" or something close to that?? Whatever it was or is, it doesn't appear in any form on YT. From what I remember, it was an incredibly good song with an amazing hook.

That "Where do we go from here" part reminds me of something  :-\

It's a nice song but any song that loses a Carl Wilson vocal probably becomes about 50% as good.

Jenny Clover is really lovely. More please Al.....sometime soon I hope..

Sounds like "Waves of Love 2.0" is literally a hybrid of the two main "versions" released back in 2012.

It sounds like it uses as the basis the "incorrect" more soundcheck-ish sounding version included on physical CD copies in 2012, as it's in the same key and seems to retain Al's lead from that version, as well as some other elements.

It has then had some of the dry, punchy production/mixing touches that we heard the "Download" version from 2012.

It also sounds like Carl has been mixed out, though it's worth noting he wasn't very audible on that soundcheck/physical CD version back in 2012 (they later isolated him much for the later "download mix").

This new "2.0" version is not the same mix as the one that was up on SoundCloud for awhile. That SoundCloud mix sounded pretty close to the the incorrect/soundcheck/physical CD mix.

I can't really say this 2.0 version sounds better or worse than the others. It's really more like "Waves of Love 4.5" or "Waves of Love 5.0".

"Jenny Clover" is fine; it's cut from the same cloth as something like "And I Always Will"; I don't think syrupy ballads like this are where Al most excels. But he sings them just fine. This mix does sounds, based only on my memory, as pretty similar and possibly identical to the mix that was up on SoundCloud for awhile.

That's an Alan Boyd (not Jardine) song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1PBw2xjCfs

Thanks, Wirestone!!. Great to hear it again. Could have been a great BB album track had they expanded and finished it. Didn't realize Boyd had such a great voice.

Can someone briefly lay out the various versions of Waves Of Love?

I've got two, a 3:48 version (starting with sleighbells and organ) and a 3:35 version (starting with sax, which has been labelled 'Demo Version' which may or may not be accurate, I don't know).

Aside from this 2.0 version, what am I missing?

I have all 3 of these too...sort of like the sliegh bells/ organ version probably because of the addition pn Carl's part.

New online Al interview where he talks about the reissue and new material:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8FS85ZTHnkI

"Jenny Clover 2.0?" Good lord Al. Let someone go through your archives and put together an album of NEW stuff.

It's difficult to label each version, but here goes:

Version 1
Included on *physical CD* copies of the 2012 "Postcards" album. This is the version starting with sax, which sounds more like a "live soundcheck" recording. On this version, the song is in a lower key, and Carl's vocals are mixed/buried within other voices. This version was apparently *accidentally* included on the physical CD. It was supposed to include the next version instead...

Version 2
Included on digital download versions of the 2012 "Postcards" release (and also on the Japanese SHM CD from 2012). This starts with bells and organ, is in a higher key, with mostly everything re-recorded from the other version. It's much dryer and punchier. On this version, Carl's lead vocal has been isolated more.

Version 3
Exclusive to the Japanese SHM CD of "Postcards" from 2012. This is essentially a slightly alternate mix of "Version 2", with just different mixing choices, and I think some of the lead vocal lines are missing as well. This definitely sounds like a "rough mix" on the way to arriving at "Version 2."

Version 4
Unreleased, found for a brief time a year or two ago on Larry Dvoskin's SoundCloud page. This version sounded closer to "Version 1" than it does to other versions, but again with some differences.

Version 5
Released physically and digitally as "Waves of Love 2.0" in 2021.

Much obliged!

For any of the creatively-minded members of Smiley Smile: Al is launching a music video contest for “Waves of Love 2.0.”

(https://i.imgur.com/Y7L9Fwt.png)

(Via https://www.aljardine.com/news)

So version 5 = West Coast mix?

Which one is East Coast Mix?

My head hurts.

He’s gotten more mileage out of that song than Loop De Loop and PT Cruiser !

Rereading this advert I notice that Don't Fight The Sea b/w Friends is on offer.

That 'a cappella' version of Friends is still unique to vinyl, even after the 1968 copyright extension releases.

The new reissue is now available on download/streaming services. The “West Coast” version of “Waves of Love” sounds very similar to one of the previously released mixes, perhaps with some new vocals? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXp2MC8IZ9I

(https://i.imgur.com/aXEIOME.png)

How many times is he going to tamper with that "Waves of Love" song?

No mention of CD?

I suppose that Al refered to Waves of Love 2.0 as the West Coast version.

Wow. So yet another tweaked version of “Waves of Love.” This is getting insane. How many versions have now been officially released? Five?

I know Al previous teased a "west coast mix", but it's definitely different from the "2.0" mix. (I dunno; is the 2.0 version an "East Coast Mix"?). So he has released two new vastly different (from each other) remixes of the song this year.

It's only going to get more confusing, because at least on YouTube and Spotify where I checked, this new "West Coast Mix" is not labeled. It's just the latest version of "Waves of Love" uploaded a week or two ago.

Five, or six if you include the mix that was up on Dvoskin's Soundcloud. A update/recap:

Version 1
Included on *physical CD* copies of the 2012 "Postcards" album. This is the version starting with sax, which sounds more like a "live soundcheck" recording. On this version, the song is in a lower key, and Carl's vocals are mixed/buried within other voices. This version was apparently *accidentally* included on the physical CD. It was supposed to include the next version instead...

Version 2
Included on digital download versions of the 2012 "Postcards" release (and also on the Japanese SHM CD from 2012). This starts with bells and organ, is in a higher key, with mostly everything re-recorded from the other version. It's much dryer and punchier. On this version, Carl's lead vocal has been isolated more.

Version 3
Exclusive to the Japanese SHM CD of "Postcards" from 2012. This is essentially a slightly alternate mix of "Version 2", with just different mixing choices, and I think some of the lead vocal lines are missing as well. This definitely sounds like a "rough mix" on the way to arriving at "Version 2."

Version 4
Unreleased, found for a brief time a year or two ago on Larry Dvoskin's SoundCloud page. This version sounded closer to "Version 1" than it does to other versions, but again with some differences.

Version 5
Released physically and digitally as part of the "Waves of Love 2.0" single in 2021. Sounds like a hybrid of previous versions; with Carl seemingly completely mixed out.

Version 6
Released digitally in July 2021 as part of a digital re-release of "Postcards"; while not labeled on some platforms, this is the "West Coast Mix", which sounds relatively like Version 2 and/or Version 3, with Carl mixed to the fore.

Okay, I think I managed to find a link on YouTube to every version of the song apart from the unreleased mix from SoundCloud (Version 4). Here are the (hopefully correct) links for each:


Version 1
Included on *physical CD* copies of the 2012 "Postcards" album. This is the version starting with sax, which sounds more like a "live soundcheck" recording. On this version, the song is in a lower key, and Carl's vocals are mixed/buried within other voices. This version was apparently *accidentally* included on the physical CD. It was supposed to include the next version instead...
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7KfaQQr9PY

Version 2
Included on digital download versions of the 2012 "Postcards" release (and also on the Japanese SHM CD from 2012). This starts with bells and organ, is in a higher key, with mostly everything re-recorded from the other version. It's much dryer and punchier. On this version, Carl's lead vocal has been isolated more.
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUy9TqulQoU

Version 3
Exclusive to the Japanese SHM CD of "Postcards" from 2012. This is essentially a slightly alternate mix of "Version 2", with just different mixing choices, and I think some of the lead vocal lines are missing as well. This definitely sounds like a "rough mix" on the way to arriving at "Version 2."
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H_09SjnMNA

Version 4
Unreleased, found for a brief time a year or two ago on Larry Dvoskin's SoundCloud page. This version sounded closer to "Version 1" than it does to other versions, but again with some differences.

Version 5
Released physically and digitally as part of the "Waves of Love 2.0" single in 2021. Sounds like a hybrid of previous versions; with Carl seemingly completely mixed out.
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktfK-lb0cgs

Version 6
Released digitally in July 2021 as part of a digital re-release of "Postcards"; while not labeled on some platforms, this is the "West Coast Mix", which sounds relatively like Version 2 and/or Version 3, with Carl mixed to the fore.
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXp2MC8IZ9I

You are totally correct. The 2.0 mix is mentioned as the East Coast mix on Al's web site. And the version of the re-released digital Postcard is difinitely a NEW mix! I think it's the West Coast Mix.
Al can make his second solo album named "Waves of Love" with 3 or 4 more versions! ;D

It almost seems like Al absorbed some of the indecisiveness that Brian notoriously (to his own detriment) had regarding finalizing the song Heroes & Villains from 55 years ago, and it is manifesting all these decades later.

I know deciding on final mixes can be hard, but this is a bit ridiculous! (All due respect to Al).

Maybe Al feels a need to make things as good as he can possibly make them, with a mind towards perfectionism, perhaps to compete or at least have material be in what he views as even remotely in the same league as the high standards set by the Wilson brothers. Being in a band with arguably the biggest musical genius of the 20th century might have affected Al and created a compulsion to get things as right as he can.

That's the only real explanation I can see for this. And maybe also because it's one of Carl's last vocals, Al may feel like it's an extra precious thing to get right. Unless he thinks he's finally gonna have a radio hit once version 12 comes out?  :lol

It's not all that unusual for musicians to make a great many mixes before deciding on one, but it's another thing entirely to keep releasing version after version after version (even if it seems at least 2 versions were released or leaked inadvertently).

This is like Al's version of Brian's Shortenin' Bread tick.

I miss Carl, but 2.0 might be the best of these.

Yeah, 2.0 is pretty great. Though I like the "original saxophone version" as well, that came out on the CD released in 2012. Not to be confused with the CD-R that was released through Amazon in 2010. Hah.

Anyways, I gotta say it's almost kinda cute and endearing in the way that Al (and his buddy Larry Dvoskin) have continually tinkered with this song and it's various permutations. I remember Larry at one point calling "Waves of Love" his and Al's "Pet Sounds" or something like that in an interview. And you just can't help but kinda smile at that kinda thing.

Now what I will say would be amusing is if The Beach Boys did actually happen to release a new album next year, and Mr. Alan Jardine finally got his wish to get it on said album, with yet another new recording and mix.

I hear version 7 will be based around an ol Kingston Trio song  :lol

While Al can surely be indecisive and finicky, and slow to finish stuff, and while I'm sure that was the initial deal behind "Waves of Love", I don't think that's what's driving the 500 versions of the song at this point.

I think we can firmly call this milking the same thing over and over (no "Jenny Clover" pun intended) to generate "content" at this point. Remember, he has also (I'm not kidding) discussed doing a "Jenny Clover 2.0" mix as well.

I don't know why Al has an aversion to working on *something* else, *anything* else. I promise you, he *does* have other tracks in his vaults (to say nothing of BRI vaults) that nobody has heard that he could work on.

Yeah, exactly.  It's not even that remarkable of a song.  Al infamously tried to get Brian to include it on TWGMTR and Brian instead ran out of the studio to avoid confrontation with him.  🤣

It's just a drag that Al has an amazing studio at his disposal, but doesn't seem to take much advantage of it. It would seem the desire is there to put out new content, maybe Al just hasn't found a creative spark to get him to hole up in his studio and write/record a bunch of new material to be released. Maybe that'll change.