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

[b00ts]

05. "The Private Life Of Bill And Sue"

Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce - Vocals, David - Guitar, Foskett - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Snaps, John Cowsill - Drums, Snaps, Brett Simons - Bass, John Hobbs - Piano, Nelson Bragg - Timpani, Percussion, Probyn Gregory - Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, Scott Bennett, Darian Sahanaja - Vibes, Tom Bukovich - Acoustic Guitar, Paul Mertens - Bari Saxophone, Skip Masters - Radio Voiceover, Jessica Bish, Joe Thomas - Snaps

06. "Shelter"

Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce - Vocals, David - Guitar, Foskett - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Probyn Gregory - Trombone, French Horn, John Hobbs - Tack Piano, Joe Thomas - Harpsichord, Tom Bukovich - Electric Guitar, Nelson Bragg - Percussion

Interesting that there are apparently no backing vocals from David Marks on any of these tracks. I had thought that he contributed backing vocals to "That's Why God Made The Radio," but perhaps not.

[Runaways]

Seems like brian stuck behind the mic and console

[DonnyL]

I have no problem with everyone enjoying the album and believing it is a BW production. I just don't think it is, that's all.

Because, of course, your beliefs trump repeated and regularly stated facts to the contrary.

As I've stated before, the production on the album sounds little like Imagination (which did have a Joe Thomas co-production and co-arranging credit) and much like TLOS or the Gershwin and Disney albums (which do not). Joe does say he oversaw the recording aspects of the new respect, which certainly explains some of the vocal processing or mixing decisions.

I don't really want to get into this, but these 'facts' are merely anecdotes. I don't think BW produced this any more than he produced MIU Album.

This record sounds a lot like Imagination to me -- that's an opinion. And that's mine, just as the 'fact' that it doesn't sound like it is yours. Sorry, I'm not going to subscribe to the groupthink or buy the media PR.  Time will likely provide more details and perspective.

If anyone is attempting to present opinion as fact, it is you.  I've never implied my opinion is any more valid than anyone else's.

Good day, sir !

[Generation42]

09. "Strange World"

Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce, Foskett - Vocals, Chad Cromwell - Drums, John Hobbs - Tack Piano, Michael Rhodes - Bass, Nelson Bragg - Percussion, Gary Griffin - Accordian
Strings Arranged by Paul Mertens

10. "From There To Back Again"

Brian, Mike, Bruce, Foskett - Vocals, Al - Vocals, Whistle, Michael Rhodes - Bass, John Hobbs - Tack Piano, Tom Bukovich - Guitar, Paul Mertens - Flute, Peter Kent, Joel Deroulin, Sharon Jackson, Julie Rogers, John Wittenburg, Songa Lee - Violins, Vanessa Freebarin-Smith, Alisha Bauer - Cello
Strings Arranged by Paul Mertens

[Wirestone]

I don't really want to get into this, but these 'facts' are merely anecdotes. I don't think BW produced this any more than he produced MIU Album.

Your feelings and your emotions apparently trump anecdotes from people who were there during the recording process.

Okay, then.

Also, Brian is not credited with producing the MIU album.

[Generation42]

11. "Pacific Coast Highway"

Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce, Foskett - Vocals, Joe Thomas - Piano, Paul Mertens - Flute, Probyn Gregory - French Horn, Nelson Bragg - Percussion, Peter Kent, Joel Deroulin, Sharon Jackson, Julie Rogers, John Wittenburg, Songa Lee - Violins, Vanessa Freebarin-Smith, Alisha Bauer - Cello
Strings Arranged by Paul Mertens

12. "Summer's Gone"

Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, Jeffrey Foskett - Vocals, David Marks, Nick Walusko - Guitar, Eddie Bayers - Drums, Michael Rhodes, Brett Simons - Bass, Probyn Gregory - French Horn, Scott Bennett - Vibes, Tom Bukovich - Acoustic Guitar, Chris Bleth - Oboe, David ' Stoney' Stone - Acoustic Double Bass, Paul Mertens - Flute, Nelson Bragg - Percussion, Joe Thomas - Piano, Tack Piano
Strings Arranged by Paul Mertens

[ontor pertawst]

Your feelings and your emotions apparently trump anecdotes from people who were there during the recording process.

Okay, then.

Oh, c'mon. No need to be so so dismissive. It's Brian Wilson we're talking about here, not like there isn't decades upon decades worth of backstory, gossip, slanderous lies, blurry lines of collaboration with dozens of people, sadness, crazy productive spurts, abandonment and disinterest, etc. Fans going on about their grains of salt are par for the course! Surely you can understand why people would express these kinds of feelings and emotions!

[Wirestone]

The album will stand or fall on its merits, hopefully. And not on ultimately unknowable arguments BW participation.

Interesting to read the full credits, too. Lots of BW band folks, but also a Thomas crew in there too. Less Cowsill or Totten than I would have liked.

[Generation42]

Thanks for all of these.

David sure isn't doing much singing on the album, is he?

Well, you're welcome.  I'm glad to be able to give back a bit to the site and the fans of the Boys who hang out here.  I put off diving in and listening in order to write up the list, so it's a bit weird, I suppose, in that other than rock records by acts with known, basic instrumentation, this is the first time I've gone in ahead of time with an idea of what to look for instrumentally.  Along those lines, "Summer's Gone" sure boasts some inspired choices, huh?

No David on vox at all, I guess. I'm a little surprised at this, but I guess someone felt the tunes were just better without.  The nice thing, though, is the number of numbers David is playing guitar on.

So now that the list is complete, any other surprises jump out at you guys?  Although I can't say I'm all that surprised, I am still a bit disappointed not to see any Beach Boy other than David play on the tracks (save for Al's 'whistle' on FHTBA - but I haven't heard it yet so they may not mean an actual whistle is being used, but rather Al is whistling).

[Wirestone]

Thanks for all of these.

David sure isn't doing much singing on the album, is he?

Well, you're welcome.  I'm glad to be able to give back a bit to the site and the fans of the Boys who hang out here.  I put off diving in and listening in order to write up the list, so it's a bit weird, I suppose, in that other than rock records by acts with known, basic instrumentation, this is the first time I've gone in ahead of time with an idea of what to look for instrumentally.  Along those lines, "Summer's Gone" sure boasts some inspired choices, huh?

No David on vox at all, I guess. I'm a little surprised at this, but I guess someone felt the tunes were just better without.  The nice thing, though, is the number of numbers David is playing guitar on.

So now that the list is complete, any other surprises jump out at you guys?  Although I can't say I'm all that surprised, I am still a bit disappointed not to see any Beach Boy other than David play on the tracks (save for Al's 'whistle' on FHTBA - but I haven't heard it yet so they may not mean an actual whistle is being used, but rather Al is whistling).

It sounds like a weirdly processed person whistling. A little strange.

I had hoped Brian might play on some things, but he didn't appear on the Gershwin or Disney albums either, so it's not the biggest surprise.

I'm surprised at how many guitarists are on a couple of songs early in the album. Three or four. I'm also curious to see those credits on Isn't It Time -- it sure seems like Peterik and Millas basically created the backing track on their own, and then Brian, Mike and Joe wrote the song on top of the riff. An interesting way to write a song for the BBs!

[onkster]

Was David brought in rather late in the game? If vox were already laid down, maybe it wasn't reckoned to be a good thing wiping someone's else's finished vocal to get his on. Or rearranging the vocal charts to fit him in.

Best argument for this is to see what happens on the next BB album!

[joshferrell]

I was wondering which song "Spring Vacation" reminds me and it hit me,it KIND OF reminds me of this song in certain parts (not the whole thing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKksHmgqFi0

[Wirestone]

Was David brought in rather late in the game? If vox were already laid down, maybe it wasn't reckoned to be a good thing wiping someone's else's finished vocal to get his on. Or rearranging the vocal charts to fit him in.

Best argument for this is to see what happens on the next BB album!

God, I really hope there is one. And let Joe stay home so we don't have to bicker about him anymore. Hell, let Brian record remakes of '50s rock and roll songs if he likes. And Shortnin' Bread, of course.

[Aegir]

This is the linkedin profile Jessica Bish, one of the people who "snaps" on Private Life of Bill and Sue. http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jessica-bish/25/6a5/1b

Not a trained musician but works for Thomas.

[startBBtoday]

A little bit disappointed in the lack of actual Beach Boys playing on the record, but it's pretty obvious there was a rush to get this record finished. Makes sense to let the professionals bang it out than to plan around different schedules and do a million takes with 70 year old musicians.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

I was wondering which song "Spring Vacation" reminds me

It reminds me of "He Came Down".

[Wirestone]

A little bit disappointed in the lack of actual Beach Boys playing on the record, but it's pretty obvious there was a rush to get this record finished. Makes sense to let the professionals bang it out than to plan around different schedules and do a million takes with 70 year old musicians.

Well, the deal for the record was made in summer of 2010. So I wouldn't call it a rush, exactly. More that Brian and Joe preferred to work with studio guys and get some of those basic tracks ready before vocal recording began.

[DonnyL]

I don't really want to get into this, but these 'facts' are merely anecdotes. I don't think BW produced this any more than he produced MIU Album.

Also, Brian is not credited with producing the MIU album.

I know. He 'executive produced' it; i.e. did some basic tracks, arranging, approved the master, etc.

[DonnyL]

I don't really want to get into this, but these 'facts' are merely anecdotes. I don't think BW produced this any more than he produced MIU Album.

Your feelings and your emotions apparently trump anecdotes from people who were there during the recording process.

Let's talk about Carol Kaye.

[Rocker]

A little bit disappointed in the lack of actual Beach Boys playing on the record, but it's pretty obvious there was a rush to get this record finished. Makes sense to let the professionals bang it out than to plan around different schedules and do a million takes with 70 year old musicians.

Or maybe it's because none of the Beach Boys can play the needed instruments ? David's guitar is all over there, you don't need Al because other players can probably even do better than him. And although Bruce is a fantastic piano player that job was also done by someone who at least made it sound as good as Bruce would. So why in the world would one want the Beach Boys (except David) to play the instruments on that record ?

[startBBtoday]

A little bit disappointed in the lack of actual Beach Boys playing on the record, but it's pretty obvious there was a rush to get this record finished. Makes sense to let the professionals bang it out than to plan around different schedules and do a million takes with 70 year old musicians.

Or maybe it's because none of the Beach Boys can play the needed instruments ? David's guitar is all over there, you don't need Al because other players can probably even do better than him. And although Bruce is a fantastic piano player that job was also done by someone who at least made it sound as good as Bruce would. So why in the world would one want the Beach Boys (except David) to play the instruments on that record ?

...because it's a Beach Boys record? If Bruce can play the piano parts and Al can play the rhythm guitar why in the world would you not want them to play on the record?

[startBBtoday]

A little bit disappointed in the lack of actual Beach Boys playing on the record, but it's pretty obvious there was a rush to get this record finished. Makes sense to let the professionals bang it out than to plan around different schedules and do a million takes with 70 year old musicians.

Well, the deal for the record was made in summer of 2010. So I wouldn't call it a rush, exactly. More that Brian and Joe preferred to work with studio guys and get some of those basic tracks ready before vocal recording began.

The deal for the record was made in summer of 2010, but when did they actually start recording the thing? They needed it out by this summer, and I'm sure if they had planned this perfectly, it would have been out by the time the tour started rather than halfway through.

[drbeachboy]

I have no problem with everyone enjoying the album and believing it is a BW production. I just don't think it is, that's all.

Because, of course, your beliefs trump repeated and regularly stated facts to the contrary.

As I've stated before, the production on the album sounds little like Imagination (which did have a Joe Thomas co-production and co-arranging credit) and much like TLOS or the Gershwin and Disney albums (which do not). Joe does say he oversaw the recording aspects of the new respect, which certainly explains some of the vocal processing or mixing decisions.

I don't really want to get into this, but these 'facts' are merely anecdotes. I don't think BW produced this any more than he produced MIU Album.

This record sounds a lot like Imagination to me -- that's an opinion. And that's mine, just as the 'fact' that it doesn't sound like it is yours. Sorry, I'm not going to subscribe to the groupthink or buy the media PR.  Time will likely provide more details and perspective.

If anyone is attempting to present opinion as fact, it is you.  I've never implied my opinion is any more valid than anyone else's.

Good day, sir !

The album says "Produced by Brian Wilson". So, are you calling Brian a dirty, rotten liar? (just to be sure, this is written with tongue planted firmly in cheek).

[stack-o-tracks]

Pet Sounds didn't have Beach Boys playing on it, and nobody's looking back saying "DAMN, AL SHOULD HAVE PLAYED ON THAT." I personally think this album is better than anything we could have ever expected and that like their earlier records, the VOICES are the most important contribution.  

[Sheriff John Stone]

In a way, I'm glad they DIDN'T list the Beach Boys as contributing musicians, if they really didn't contribute anything and just to make it APPEAR like they did. Some of those later (post-Love You) Beach Boys' albums had all of the Beach Boys listed first as the musicians, then all of the other musicians listed below, but you had a feeling that the complete opposite was really true.

As a board who questions a lot of things - and I'm one of the chief offenders - this is actually refreshing, and, maybe....honest.