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

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Wow. So the albums's out in a few stores. Wonder how long til a leak pops up.

Finally, someone says it

I'd give it till noon Tomorow.

[Lowbacca]

Wow. So the albums's out in a few stores. Wonder how long til a leak pops up.

Finally, someone says it

I'd give it till noon Tomorow.

Technically speaking it wouldn't be a leak at this point, since it's been (somewhat) officially released. Rips/copies of a CD somebody legally bought in a store ain't really a leak. 

[seltaeb1012002]

Very true.

I'm getting antsy now. Heard the full versions of Shelter & Isn't It Time.

Shelter is great. Feels like a record. Definitely no Imagination to be found. Nice, chunky drums.

Still holding out on "From There To Back Again" and everything else, but these little youtube clips / samplers they keep dropping is making it hard to avoid 'em.

[18thofMay]

The last 4 songs are magical Summers Gone is breathtaking,haunting and beautiful.
Brian Wilson well done.

[brother john]

Quite frankly, it seems fairly obvious to me that Joe Thomas' sonic signature is all over these tracks.  This is not some cryptic 'feeling' I have; there is audible evidence.  I find it surprising that others do not notice it.

The music itself sounds as though he was more involved than Brian Wilson or the Beach Boys in my opinion.

DonnyL, I admire the degree to which you are determined to stick to your guns, maintaining your theory that in essence Joe Thomas is the organ grinder and Brian Wilson is the monkey.

But I would ask you to think about the following: This is the first Beach Boys album with all the band members involved for a very long time. It's a great shame that Carl and Dennis are not involved, but there it is. It may also be the last. This is very exciting and meaningful to a lot of long-term fans who may have been following BW & Co since their childhoods (like me). It is a cause for celebration that we will be getting Brian, Mike, Bruce and Al singing together, Brian involved to a meaningful degree in composition and arrangement, and an opportunity for those who want to to attend a Beach Boys concert. This is great news!

I don't see the point really in injecting cynicism and 'bad vibes' into a discussion that should be joyful and celebratory. The new album is what it is. I'd rather have an album with ageing, imperfect voices, with an old, tired, slightly befuddled Brian Wilson involved, than no beach Boys album at all. I consider it highly probable that many of the chord progressions, melodies and the majority of vocal arrangements are written by Brian Wilson. Surely that's a good thing!

I believe that, in your 'Brian is barely involved/Joe Thomas is too involved' comments, what you are standing up for is your right to be disappointed that the old Brian Wilson no longer exists, and that what remains cannot live up to our desire to be embraced by the beauty of his music in the way that we have been so often in the past. And I feel it too, but I will take comfort in the thought that something positive has happened in a life that has contained much tragedy (Brian's not mine...  ), and that Brian Wilson and his fans may take comfort in it too. 

Let's just enjoy what we have.

[desmondo]

Having to the five tracks on the guardian website I have to admit I was wrong about this reunion

It ain't Pet Sounds or Smile but damn its pretty good in a great number of places - they should be proud

[matt-zeus]

If it is the last Beach Boys album, then far better that this album should be it than either 'Stars'n'stripes', 'Summer in Paradise', 'Still Cruisin' or 'BB85' (or even KTSA) depending on your definition of what was the last 'proper' Beach Boys album.

[AndrewHickey]

I believe that, in your 'Brian is barely involved/Joe Thomas is too involved' comments, what you are standing up for is your right to be disappointed that the old Brian Wilson no longer exists, and that what remains cannot live up to our desire to be embraced by the beauty of his music in the way that we have been so often in the past. And I feel it too, but I will take comfort in the thought that something positive has happened in a life that has contained much tragedy (Brian's not mine...  ), and that Brian Wilson and his fans may take comfort in it too. 

Let's just enjoy what we have.

Or maybe he's just saying that it sounds more like a Joe Thomas record than a Brian Wilson one?

Liking something uncritically is much more of an insult to any serious attempt at art than disliking it critically. Personally, I think that Brian has earned enough of our respect that any new work from him should be treated as proper art, worthy of discussion and proper critical engagement, not just a mindless "Yay! Go team Brian!"

Certainly in my case I'm not 'disappointed that the old Brian Wilson no longer exists' -- I think That Lucky Old Sun is one of the best things he's ever done, and I see no evidence that he's deteriorated markedly since 2008. I am, however, disappointed by what I've heard of the new album, simply because it's not very good (though I reserve my right to change my mind on hearing the whole thing).

But whether it turns out to be another Pet Sounds or another Looking Back With Love, I'll show it the respect it's due by actually *engaging* with the work. *Thinking* about it, not just giving it a free pass. And I would hope others would too. Surely Brian and the rest of the band have earned enough respect that we don't have to say "Just enjoy what we have"?

[Sea Devil]

Surely Brian and the rest of the band have earned enough respect that we don't have to say "Just enjoy what we have"?

but i think some of us really are enjoying it 

I hated the single TWGMTR, but have really warmed to it upon repeated listenings.
I think being an apologist  for some of the short-comings of what the 'Boys do is part and parcel of being a fan.. like if some of my musician friends heard me listening to TLOS out of context they might think from the production style that i was listening to something vapid like 'Hairspray'. For me it's all about context, we know for many reasons that this album wont be Pet Sounds, but I will ignore what I don't like and enjoy what I do, because i really am happy to pour over, analyse, and ultimately enjoy any offering that Brian and the Boys present! I'm not saying I don't respect your ability to dislike the album though, I just happen to think it's good 

[elnombre]

The album is out now on iTunes New Zealand. Sadly no iTunes LP (The Smile Sessions had a nice one) and not even a digital booklet.

[Runaways]

The album is out now on iTunes New Zealand. Sadly no iTunes LP (The Smile Sessions had a nice one) and not even a digital booklet.

anyone can go on their itunes store to the main music page, scroll down and click on the circle flag in the bottom right corner.  You can then change your country and buy the album.

MIND YOU...it's 17.99.  

edit: nvm doens't work!!

[pixletwin]

I'll wait for it to popup on the torrents while I wait for my copy from Amazon.com to arrive. 

[bossaroo]

Not as impressive as a photo of the smile box, but ah well...

Whoa, looks like you just took that right after purchasing it from the store. Am I correct?

Correction - my dad took it right after purchasing it from the store

where was it purchased? what store/what city
thanks!

[Yorick]

It says I can only buy stuff in Holland with my Apple ID...

[Beach Boy]

Picked up a copy today, can't wait 'til my brother comes home, then I am going to tease him.     Strange feeling to buy a new and regular Beach Boys album at the store. And don't forget, the greatest pleasure lies in the anticipation.

[seltaeb1012002]

The album is out now on iTunes New Zealand. Sadly no iTunes LP (The Smile Sessions had a nice one) and not even a digital booklet.

anyone can go on their itunes store to the main music page, scroll down and click on the circle flag in the bottom right corner.  You can then change your country and buy the album.

MIND YOU...it's 17.99. 

I tried and it switched me back to the US. 

[Runaways]

awe. well i guess im wrong, my bad, i'll edit

[seltaeb1012002]

All good, I was gonna try anyway. 

And the waiting game continues. No mom and pop stores around here as far as I know..

[elnombre]

It says I can only buy stuff in Holland with my Apple ID...

It'll be on the Dutch store at 1am.

[Generation42]

Well, I’ve listened through the album twice now, and thought I might pass along some impressions.

Hi, thanks for the review. Obviously you've got a promo. Now, I've asked this before on this thread, but no answer, so here goes again: is the promo different from the regular album? The two songs played on the Dutch Schiffer.fm show (TWGMTR and SV) sounded a lot different, a lot more enjoyable, with the lead not so prominent etc...

/B

You're welcome for the review, but as I said in an earlier post, it's not a promo copy (no, I would have made sure to note that).  I work at an indie record store and we just get things in early (usually not this early), so when they came in yesterday, I picked one up.  I made sure to point that out so that anyone so inclined could search out their mom-n-pop's beginning yesterday.

[elnombre]

The album is out now on iTunes New Zealand. Sadly no iTunes LP (The Smile Sessions had a nice one) and not even a digital booklet.

anyone can go on their itunes store to the main music page, scroll down and click on the circle flag in the bottom right corner.  You can then change your country and buy the album.

MIND YOU...it's 17.99.  

edit: nvm doens't work!!

You can only purchase from the corresponding store for the country that your iTunes account is registered to.

The $17.99 price tag is because it's in New Zealand dollars, not US dollars. I believe it's going to be $11.99 on US iTunes.

It will be available on iTunes (local times):

Now: New Zealand
In a few hours if not already: Australia
Friday between 00:01am-01:00am: Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland (definitely), Scandinavia (I think)
Monday, 00:01am: UK
Tuesday, 00:01am: US, Canada, everywhere

[Shady]

And now we wait..

[buddhahat]

Oops keep forgetting about this thread. Couldn't work out why there were no other mention of the Guardian tracks, then I find people in here posting photos of the actual album.

I have to say I am knocked out by From There To Back Again, and am now desperate to here the other two ending songs in full. Just had Isn't It Time in the car too which I am enjoying a lot.

So who's gonna leak this mutha ?.... (bearing in mind that we will all purchase it of course)

[LostArt]

My local indie shop sold me the two-disc TSS on the Saturday before release day.  I'm stopping there every day, starting today, just to check.  

[Lowbacca]

I forgot that it's going to be released in Germany tomorrow, so... I guess I'll just buy it anywhere tomorrow.