The Smiley Smile Message Board

Discuss, review and rate Hawthorne, CA, released May 2001.

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Great Smile demo stuff, cool unreleased tracks and proof that Wild Honey could be remastered and released to sound great (as opposed to flat, as it does to me as it is). Good album.

A fine compilation. Better for developing a bigger appreciation of the band. A Time To Live In Dreams is enough proof that this album deserves a 4 or higher (it got a 4 from me).

5.

a real treat when it arrived...great to have in the home archive......some of it doesn't hold up to repeated listening.... there are enough solid gems in there to edit it down to a good single disc for repeated listening...

I'd go right out and buy Hawthorne 2 if it were released

I will admit it -- this one let me down.  With all of the stuff in the vaults from the 70's languishing, I did not need the Surfin USA backing track.  Some essential stuff mixed with some fluff IMO.  The last few tracks from the 70's left me wanting more of that.

Awesome set. I've read reviews from people complaining about how Capitol continues to churn out CD's with the engineers playing with faders which constitute a release. I say: keep it coming!! If that's what it takes to release a few oddities with the engineer's whimseies... let it be done!! Couldn't live without Time To Live In Dreams, Lonely Days, extended Vegetables, et al. Where's my clean take of the BB's River Song? I want to hear this in fine fidelity!

It may not be possible.  Brad Elliott once reported that the BB version we have was taken from a cassette dub of the in-progress master as it was in 1974.  This was edited/changed for the final release, so parts on that dub were wiped. 

That's when you put one of those disclaimers on the CD back cover like the ones you see on archival Elvis releases.

"Every effort has been made for superior sound quality. However, priority has been given to historic content."

Except he said "fine fidelity" which to me implies from a master tape source.  Which doesn't exist.  Clean up the cassette if you wish, it still ain't fine fidelity.

But if it's better quality than what's on California Feeling, I'll take it! I love Denny's little vocal snippet at the intro... "I was born into the city life..." Awesome!

Hawthorne seems to have had a history; when it was suposed to come out with the Best of the Brother years (BB great hits vol 3), it was to come with an additional disc with interview items and songs that were featured in BB An American Family (not on the greatest hits comps), and Hawthorne supplied that; but like the movie, Hawthorne stops in the early 70s, why?

Don't care about the remix stuff but love the alt takes and new songs. Great if edited.

I tend to agree ... Most (though not all) of the remixes simply don't work, for me anyway. "Heroes and Villains" on this set is one glaring example ... I give the set a 4 overall.

fantastic album! breakaway is amazing

I really love this collection. I just listened to it today on a surround sound system and it is fantastic. I disagree with some people, I really love the stereo remixes. I dont like them better (except Let The Wind Blow) but they give the song a new lease of life and I really enjoy them. I agree though that this set doesnt go into the 70's enough. Would've been real nice to see some of that material uncovered. I love the alternate versions of Break Away & Time To Get Alone. The previously unreleased songs are also great (A Time To Live In Dreams & Lonely Days). I also like the backing track for Good To My Baby with my favourite being Be With Me. Man what an incredible yet spooky song. That string arrangement is incredible. The highlight for me however is the a capella mixes. They are breathtaking. Kiss Me Baby is gorgeous, Can't Wait Too Long simply beautiful, the others are nice too but Forever is my favourite. I think I like this better than the actual version. It is incredible. How these guys blended their voices that beautifully is beyond me. There is some things which I wish were different (such as I wish the Sail On, Sailor backing track went the whole way through without the vocal ending) but all-in-all a fantastic collection of rarities, remixes etc..

Definite 5 from me. For "A Time To Live In Dreams" alone its worth a 5.

Besides I often find myself listening to the vocals only "Kiss Me Baby" over and over and over again, Brian-style.   :hat

I give this album a 10

Is this album out of print? Was just ordering CDs and I noticed the only one available in my neck of the woods was a Japanese import(with two extra songs.) It wasnt TOO pricey, but twice as much as Lucky Old Sun(which is running about 34 bucks in these parts.).

I gave it a 4. It brings back fond memories of 2001 when I first purchased this thing. Highlights for me: "A Time To Live In Dreams" and stereo mixes of "Let The Wind Blow", "Vegetables" and "Heroes And Villains". Interesting that a lot of it had been booted on Deep Sea Treasures and Harmony Friends.

I finally found a  copy of this on e-bay--had to import it from Hong Kong!

There must be a word for the pleasure hearing new Beach Boys mixes etc. gives.

EMI has deleted Hawthorne along with several other BB's titles due to poor sales and the overall demise of the CD........... get em while you can

That's a drag. "Hawthorne" was one of the first BB CD's I ever had. In fact, it was "Hawthorne" that made me a dreaded Brian Wilson die hard.
What other titles have gone out of print?

You can still get them on itunes, yes?

I agree. I myself would have preferred more unreleased material. I don't care much for remixes or backing tracks. The Sail On Sailor backing track, for example. I would have wanted to hear an alternate take of the song instead.  It would have been nice if they would have deleted a song or two and ended the set with something like We Got Love, or Carry Me Home.

What ones?

I'm guessing Endless Harmony, Ultimate Christmas, GH Volume 3... ah, probably not Pet Sounds.

Hopefully in time there will be more releases that contain those and many more... Hawthorne part 2- The Bellagio Years

IIRC, there was a tentative plan to put out a 'sequel'  to Hawthorne titled "Mt. Vernon & Fairway & Beyond" but I don't think it ever got past the planning stage.

I think it's silly to delete a collection just because it isn't selling like hotcakes.

How can they expect it to sell if they delete it? ;D

We Got Love? Really? I mean, I kinda like it, but it wasn't good enough to start Holland, how could it be good enough to end a Beach Boy rarity comp?   ;)

Because it's, like... rare ?

What I love about the booklet is at the end, where it shows the members of the band, Blondie and Ricky get a credit!!!

As opposed to the new Wal-mart Zine cd/booklet.

perhaps slightly unnecessary compilation, but even the "oddities but goodies" stuff from The Beach Boys are more relevant than many more a record released during 2000s
I HAVE LOST MY BOOKLET  :( >:(

Not a bad album, but too similar to Endless Harmony.
3 out of 5

3/5 a welcome addition to the BB legacy.. I even like the cover..!! Bruce is quoted as saying this scrapes the bottom of the barrel.. Well I can see why he thinks that but with all the live tapes and concert videos and goodies from the 70"s still unreleased they got a ways to go.. But I do feel this is a little light on real treasures.. And now MIC comes out so we are in good shape..