Surfin Safari Album

[Micha]

The Safari album is not very good IMO. Most of what Brian wrote with Usher is just garbage, Dennis can't keep proper time and the vocals are not recorded that well. The leap in quality from Safari to USA is staggering.

Interesting you feel that way - Safari and USA sound the same to me. The quality leap in sonics to me is from Surfin' USA to Surfer Girl.

[Bean Bag]

I know what you mean Micha.  USA and Safari sound like cousins.  It's Surfer Girl where you really get the quantum leap, and have to start using words like genius, Gershwin and Bach.

But, there's certainly a leap from Safari to USA.  It's more in the production.  And they're really focusing on what works.  They've tossed the goofy stuff.  Surfin' USA is where they really get serious and throw down.  Even though it retains much of Safari's frailness and simpleness, and sense of searching -- trying to find themselves.  Like an early episode of Star Trek -- maybe not Star Trek -- but some show where the characters aren't yet fully baked.

The strangest things about these first two albums is this -- the difference between the songs.  The hits sound brilliant.  And the ones that don't are strange.  That's where the Beatles (I hate to say it) seemed to excel past the Boys:  The Filler.  The Beatles made filler, sure, but it's hard to tell.  The Beach Boys filler was.... f i l l e r.

Of course... for me (just me talking)... I love the Beach Boys filler.  It's nuts.

[Watch a Cave]

I enjoy the Surfin Safari album, but to my ears Surfin'USA is vastly superior.  The original songs on USA are much better plus we get to hear the classic Brian falsetto for the first time.  The harmonies sound WAY better as well.

[Mike's Beard]

I enjoy the Surfin Safari album, but to my ears Surfin'USA is vastly superior.  The original sings on USA are much better plus we get to hear the classic Brian falsetto for the first time.  The harmonies sound WAY better as well.

The harmonies on the two albums are like night and day. Mike's voice is much deeper, as mentioned Brian has started singing falsetto which really helps the stack - there are songs on Safari where I can't hear him at all - and most importantly they've double tracked everything. Another thing on Safari was the lack of piano, on USA Brian's piano playing drives many of the songs.

[Bean Bag]

Vocally, the leap from Safari to USA, is quite profound.  The falsetto.  Farmer's Daughter.   Brian realized that the studio can be used.  It was his friend.  Everything starts to sparkle a bit.  Brian was probably thinking "ok, I can do this."




The vocals -- coupled with his production improvements -- makes Surfin' Safari look silly and amateur.  But it's still not quite there.




The leap Brian made on the next album is breath taking.  With Surfer Girl, everything lands in place.

Aces.

 

[Andrew G. Doe]

Two words: "double tracking".