New album info (as it rolls out...)

[Paulos]

So, someday when the new album gets reissued a few years down the road, would it be possible to have someone like Mark Linett produce a version without any Autotune-type effects? I so badly want to hear these guys singing in their natural voices, without special effects.

Wouldn't help, we would then complain that the vocals were flat and/or out of tune!

[doinnothin]

Honestly, I'm all for The Beach Boys using auto-tune/pitch-correction if they want it. Hate it or love it, it's a studio tool now, and one of the things I've always loved about Brian was his ability to use all the tools in the studio. I don't begrudge him using echo chambers, double tracking, or synths, so, for me, it seems like a weird thing to draw a line on.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

So, someday when the new album gets reissued a few years down the road, would it be possible to have someone like Mark Linett produce a version without any Autotune-type effects? I so badly want to hear these guys singing in their natural voices, without special effects.

Wouldn't help, we would then complain that the vocals were flat and/or out of tune!

There's a middle ground, as some have been saying all along.

And this isn't directed at you Paulos, I just don't want to start another post, but it may help people who are having trouble accepting any criticism of this album to know this:

I feel incredibly sad I don't like it. I really, really wanted to. To me this was a lot more exciting than TSS. I'm not going to pretend to like it though, just to fit in. And I'm not going to keep quiet either. And believe it or not, I'm getting secondary enjoyment from seeing how much others like it.

Do people really want a message board where everyone thinks the same?  

It would be nice to have a slightly more tolerant board though. [

[southbay]

I think Shelter could have been a great song with Carl's voice singing the chorus.  Without Carl, it is what it is.  That is the one spot on these previews where his missing voice really stuck out to me.

[Ron]

So, someday when the new album gets reissued a few years down the road, would it be possible to have someone like Mark Linett produce a version without any Autotune-type effects? I so badly want to hear these guys singing in their natural voices, without special effects.

Wouldn't help, we would then complain that the vocals were flat and/or out of tune!

There's a middle ground, as some have been saying all along.

And this isn't directed at you Paulos, I just don't want to start another post, but it may help people who are having trouble accepting any criticism of this album to know this:

I feel incredibly sad I don't like it. I really, really wanted to. To me this was a lot more exciting than TSS. I'm not going to pretend to like it though, just to fit in. And I'm not going to keep quiet either. And believe it or not, I'm getting secondary enjoyment from seeing how much others like it.

Do people really want a message board where everyone thinks the same?  

It would be nice to have a slightly more tolerant board though. [

I know! Since i think this is going to be their best album evur, It's heartening to know I will get no criticism for that belief. 

Shelter, is going to be better than Heroes & Villians I think. 

[Paulos]

So, someday when the new album gets reissued a few years down the road, would it be possible to have someone like Mark Linett produce a version without any Autotune-type effects? I so badly want to hear these guys singing in their natural voices, without special effects.

Wouldn't help, we would then complain that the vocals were flat and/or out of tune!

There's a middle ground, as some have been saying all along.

And this isn't directed at you Paulos, I just don't want to start another post, but it may help people who are having trouble accepting any criticism of this album to know this:

I feel incredibly sad I don't like it. I really, really wanted to. To me this was a lot more exciting than TSS. I'm not going to pretend to like it though, just to fit in. And I'm not going to keep quiet either. And believe it or not, I'm getting secondary enjoyment from seeing how much others like it.

Do people really want a message board where everyone thinks the same?  

It would be nice to have a slightly more tolerant board though. [

That's cool IHA, in the post I made before the one referenced I'm agreeing with you on the same principle.

[Wirestone]

It would be nice to have a slightly more tolerant board though.

Sure. But you have to know that saying, and I quote: "I find the clips physically painful to listen to" and "I will not be spending money on an album I will never play" is going to elicit a strong counter-reaction.

[b00ts]

I find the album to be a mixed bag from the clips I have listened to, but "Isn't It Time" may be my favorite so far. It is a new-sounding Beach Boys track with a great melody that trades off between singers. It picks up right where they left off in the 1970s. This is probably my favorite Mike moment that I've heard so far, and I love the way Al sounds on it.

I agree about "Shelter." Carl is sorely missed. I like Jeff in the blend, but when he stands out like this, he sounds like a dessicated clone of the traditional Beach Boys falsetto sound. Darian's falsetto is excellent, I wonder why they didn't use him? Perhaps his conflicts with JT... Then again, Jeff is Switzerland. Everybody in the band has a history with him, and I assume they all like him.

P.S. Does anyone know who is doing the falsetto in "Isn't It Time?" I love that part. Maybe it's Jeff; if so, good on him. I really enjoy that vocal tag.

[Wirestone]

I'm really enjoying "Strange World," which isn't one of the tracks people are seizing on. But there's something about it that really gets me.

I will also say, I'm generally happy with how BW-composed the album sounds ... with a couple of exceptions. Spring Vacation, for all its tacky charms, also doesn't sound especially Wilsonian, except for the bridge. Ditto for what we've heard of Beaches in Mind so far (although the vocoder effect is neat). That is the one thing that irritated me about Imagination, and it sounds like it will irritate me on these tracks -- there were a couple of songs that simply didn't sound, compositionally, like something Brian would write.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

It would be nice to have a slightly more tolerant board though.

Sure. But you have to know that saying, and I quote: "I find the clips physically painful to listen to" and "I will not be spending money on an album I will never play" is going to elicit a strong counter-reaction.

Both true. So I'm supposed to keep quiet for fear of provoking anyone? I'm all for people disagreeing with me, but not dismissing me and telling me my opinion is worthless. That makes me dig my heels in.

I really want to let this go now, and I keep trying to. By saying "I find the clips physically painful to listen to", I'm trying to get across to people why I don't like it, so the attacks stop. I can't win

I tell you what. You've won. I'm too tired to carry on. The group has beaten the hater down. How dare he think otherwise to them. And knowing as you do why I'm probably feeling so down and defensive at the moment, your comment has finished me off.

So excuse the melodrama, I'm sure you'll all have a good laugh.

Goodbye to all those I consider friends on here.

Take care

Stephen

Come on Wirestone. I really want to let this go. You either accept I have a

[Wirestone]

IHA, you can't have it both ways. You really can't. If you say something strong in one direction -- and I support your right to say it, and think that it's absolutely fine that you say whatever you like -- you can't then deny others the ability to disagree with you. You're disagreeing with them!

No one is trying to silence you, and I've found your posts interesting and engaging. But freedom of speech does not mean freedom from criticism. Indeed, the two things go together. There are many other people who don't like the clips either, and that's giving the board some life and excitement. The back and forth is what it's all about.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Who gives a flying oatmeal f*** if someone disagrees with someone? We're Beach Boys fans...disagreeing is what we do! All I'm asking is that people RESPECT EACH OTHERS OPINIONS . Is that too much to ask?!

[Wirestone]

Who gives a flying oatmeal f*ck if someone disagrees with someone? We're Beach Boys fans...disagreeing is what we do!

Exactly.

Is that too much to ask?!

I'd hope not.

...

Also, did I mention how much I liked "Strange World"? And the bicycle bell? Awesome!

Also, part two: The lyrics in the bridge of Spring Vacation are still weirdly muffled on the iTunes clop. What's up with that?

[Mendota Heights]

Who gives a flying oatmeal f*ck if someone disagrees with someone? We're Beach Boys fans...disagreeing is what we do! All I'm asking is that people RESPECT EACH OTHERS OPINIONS . Is that too much to ask?!

I can not be a part of a forum where there is a lack of respect. And I don't respect you other guys.

[Paulos]

Who gives a flying oatmeal f*ck if someone disagrees with someone? We're Beach Boys fans...disagreeing is what we do! All I'm asking is that people RESPECT EACH OTHERS OPINIONS . Is that too much to ask?!

I can not be a part of a forum where there is a lack of respect. And I don't respect you other guys.

I'm not sure if you are trying to be ironic or not here, either way I respect your right to express yourself.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Who gives a flying oatmeal f*ck if someone disagrees with someone? We're Beach Boys fans...disagreeing is what we do! All I'm asking is that people RESPECT EACH OTHERS OPINIONS . Is that too much to ask?!

I can not be a part of a forum where there is a lack of respect. And I don't respect you other guys.

Seriously?! In that case, feel free to leave.

edit

I think that was a joke. Whoops

[southbay]

Who gives a flying oatmeal f*ck if someone disagrees with someone? We're Beach Boys fans...disagreeing is what we do!

Exactly.

Is that too much to ask?!

I'd hope not.

...

Also, did I mention how much I liked "Strange World"? And the bicycle bell? Awesome!

Also, part two: The lyrics in the bridge of Spring Vacation are still weirdly muffled on the iTunes clop. What's up with that?

Love Strange World as well. Regarding the Isn't it Time clip, is that just Brian, Al and Mike we are hearing on the lead? Is that someone else (Jeff or AL?) mixing in WITH Brian on that?

[drbeachboy]

It would be nice to have a slightly more tolerant board though.

Sure. But you have to know that saying, and I quote: "I find the clips physically painful to listen to" and "I will not be spending money on an album I will never play" is going to elicit a strong counter-reaction.

Both true. So I'm supposed to keep quiet for fear of provoking anyone? I'm all for people disagreeing with me, but not dismissing me and telling me my opinion is worthless. That makes me dig my heels in.

I really want to let this go now, and I keep trying to. By saying "I find the clips physically painful to listen to", I'm trying to get across to people why I don't like it, so the attacks stop. I can't win

I tell you what. You've won. I'm too tired to carry on. The group has beaten the hater down. How dare he think otherwise to them. And knowing as you do why I'm probably feeling so down and defensive at the moment, your comment has finished me off.

So excuse the melodrama, I'm sure you'll all have a good laugh.

Goodbye to all those I consider friends on here.

Take care

Stephen

Come on Wirestone. I really want to let this go. You either accept I have a

Stephen, even though I don't agree with your assessment, neither do I have your ears. So, what do I know? Come back, I enjoy your posts, as well.

[Craig Boyd]

Who gives a flying oatmeal f*ck if someone disagrees with someone? We're Beach Boys fans...disagreeing is what we do!

Exactly.

Is that too much to ask?!

I'd hope not.

...

Also, did I mention how much I liked "Strange World"? And the bicycle bell? Awesome!

Also, part two: The lyrics in the bridge of Spring Vacation are still weirdly muffled on the iTunes clop. What's up with that?

Love Strange World as well. Regarding the Isn't it Time clip, is that just Brian, Al and Mike we are hearing on the lead? Is that someone else (Jeff or AL?) mixing in WITH Brian on that?

I'm actually thinking there's a fair amount of Bruce on the high parts in Isn't It Time, possibly with Jeff propping him up. It's amazing how high Bruce can still sing, he's doing a lot of the high parts (that aren't Jeff) in Think About The Days and he's been doing the falsetto part at the end of Fun Fun Fun on this tour.

[Mendota Heights]

It became clear to me tonight. After a bottle of wine. And after listeing to Shelter. It dawned on me. I feel one thing when listening to the new album in all its imperfection - pure love. I've never loved The Beach Boys this much, it feels they are doing is this album for us, not for themselves. They wanted us to have one last gift, one final lingering memory of things that were. After aeons of hardships they got together and put their differences aside to give us something to make us happier than we were before.

It is not a perfect album, but then again we are not perfect. No-one is perfect. Life is not perfect. This album evokes thoughts of things that could have been, but never came to pass.

I will be forever thankful for that.

[onkster]

Dang, Mr. Frog...that would mean Brian's not gonna do another new one with them after that.

This album will be a nice place to leave off, if it comes to that. But hey: summer may be gone, but it always comes back next year. (Maybe with all real instruments, noisemakers, and purer vocals!) I wouldn't diss that, for sure.

That said, it seems to me that this album will likely hold a few new classics--if we indeed can allow ourselves the notion that anything that comes from "the present" can also be "classic".

[monicker]

I want to say one last thing about Autotune, or rather the perception of it. I think i’ve realized why i personally don’t like it as an effect, why i’m bothered by it, and why it may seem that i draw the line there. I was thinking about this and trying to pinpoint my disdain for it, and my first thought, of course, was how unnatural it sounds. But then that’s appeal to nature. And i like synths, electronic music, and other things that would likely be considered “unnatural.” So it can’t be that. Then it hit me: i think it all comes down to association. That distinct sound is immediately associated with certain types of music, certain songs and artists, all of which i do not enjoy. The effect is so inextricably tied to certain music that when i hear this effect i instantly think of Cher, Lil Wayne, R. Kelly, and a slew of contemporary R&B and Hip Hop artists who i really don’t care for. But even when i hear it outside of this arena, i’m just reminded of all that music anyway. And it creates a knee jerk reaction, kind of like hearing a soprano sax solo or an over the top guitar shredding solo, two sonic trademarks that are associated with certain types of music and artists. It’s also not unlike the vocoder, which is such a distinct and homogenized sound that was overused and became a cliche. In a song like From There To Back Again, the Autotune effect sounds so superfluous, so out of place, so uncalled for. At that point i just can’t help feel that it’s being abused. When i heard it on Spring Vacation i thought for sure it would be the only spot on the record where it’s used as a gimmick. Why start using it on other tracks and homogenize the sound? To (futilely) attempt to make the Beach Boys seem current?

A much simpler way to put it is that i think it’s a really ugly sounding effect. Which i guess begs the question: do i think it’s ugly because i associate it with things that i don’t like? But when Cher’s Believe first came out i thought it was really ugly sounding, and that was my first ever exposure to it. Maybe it’s just that it was unappealing from the start, and for over a decade now we’ve been bombarded with it, which is only going to make the experience even more unappealing. 

There’s a Ween (who i like a lot) recording that purposely abuses it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L947gWoM9M and, sure, when i hear it i laugh, it’s funny to me, but i also can’t get into the song, and i prefer that it didn’t have it at all. They’ve spent over 20 years making much better use of exaggerated vocal effects anyway. 

[Wirestone]

Excellent post, Monicker. I think that's a real contributor to why so many folks have problems with autotune, when you get down to it. As you say, it's not so much that it's a technical effect -- there have been lots of those on BW/BB albums for years. It's the association with what's considered disposable music of the moment. And we've all devoted a lot of time and effort to a band that we believe transcends popular trends, so it's discouraging to see such trends worm their way into a BB record. (That's likely one reason why so many people hated the disco track on the LA album, too, for instance.)

[Runaways]

i would hope that people don't like it just because of the association.  I'm not a huge fan, at it's mostly because i find it be sort of "cold", whereas i think of the best beach boy vocals as warm.

[Music Machine]

My thoughts on the iTunes samples:

Think About the Days - It reminds me of the Friends album and Friends era outtakes.

That's Why God Made the Radio - The best early Beach Boys pastiche since It's Ok and sounds like a cross between Sail on Sailor and Goin' On.

Isn't it Time and Spring Vacation - What stuff from BB '85 or SIP would sound like with better slightly better production.

The Private Life of Bill and Sue - Has an 00's Brian Wilson solo album feel to it.

Shelter - Early 70's Beach Boys pastiche.

Daybreak Over the Ocean - I would have preferred a group version of Cool Head Warm Heart but this'll do, nice harmonies. You can sing Getcha Back and Sumahama along to this.

Beaches in Mind - Reminds me of the title track from Keepin' the Summer Alive.

Strange World - Sounds like a rewrite of You're Still a Mystery. I like the little Smile reference near the end of the sample.

From There to Back Again - A sublime ballad like the ones on Carl and the Passions, I love it. Also it's got the exact same guitar part and tone as The Night Was So Young.

Pacific Coast Highway - Sounds like the better solo Brian stuff.

Summer's Gone - Very reminiscent of Caroline No.

All in all it sounds like a solid 4 out 5 album to me and will get a lot of replay over the summer but it's kind of like the Beach Boys became their own Rutles.