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

[Jaspy]

Maybe they'll finish Can't Wait Too Long [Been Way Too Long] for the record!

That would be a great thing for the BB to do.
Brian spent so much time in 1966/67/68 creating excellent backing tracks and then, what a shame, they just didnt' finish the vocals!
Would love, love, love the hear this song completed.

[AndrewHickey]

Look they don;t need half a million sales to be vindicated commercially or artistically. This is their year, just so long
as Brian delivers a good album.  Brians band many be technically better, but that Beach Boys blend with Wilsons
vocal arrangements has the chemistry, and wisely they are using some of Wilson's guys and Mike's guys aren't bad
either, that Cowsill drummer seems to have a good feel, hard to tell from just the remake, but if he is a Cowsill he
probably well understands the chemistry of a vocal group and family group..

The band line-up is actually what's convinced me that everything's being done right - because Cowsill and Totten are the two people from Mike and Bruce's band that I'd have chosen to join Brian's band. John Cowsill will *amaze* you - he's easily the best drummer any Beach Boys related act has had, as well as being a phenomenal vocalist. Watch the video of the Grammys if you can find it anywhere online now, and just look at his interplay with Nelson Bragg, and remember that while he knows the song, that's the first time he'd played in public with that band.

As good as Cowsill is....the distinction of the best drummer any Beach Boys related act easily goes to Todd Sucherman

I've never seen Sucherman play live, only heard him on recordings with BW's band, but based on those I'd say he might be a more technically precise drummer but he doesn't have Cowsill's feel for the music.

[Aegir]

Well the thing about that, his name is Cowsill, so I presume, based on his apparent age, and appearance, he is
one of the "Cowsill" family.

He is. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s6Pq4xcwHo

This is the best John Cowsill vocal performance! singing Folsom Prison Blues as a fresh-faced kid who probably never even jaywalked.

[donald]

I've seen John Cowsill play with Mike's band a couple of times.  Reminds me of DW.  That makes him perfect for the reunion.  There are any number of highly talented drummers out there.  Believe me, this guy "fits".

[KokoNO]

The album is likely going to be a bit rushed, let's be honest. It will be too hard for them to finish it during the tour and they'd also like the fans to either hear it before the shows or buy the album because they attended the tour. That means that they kind of have an enforced deadline which means we might get some weaker songs or parts of songs that probably would have been thrown our or changed with just a few more months in the studio.

On the other hand, we know that the preparation and songwriting has been going on for awhile and that there's at least a half dozen songs they're happy enough to have already committed to/finished. That's a great sign.

[Wylson]

I've seen John Cowsill play with Mike's band a couple of times.  Reminds me of DW.  That makes him perfect for the reunion.  There are any number of highly talented drummers out there.  Believe me, this guy "fits".

Absolutely agree. Best man for the job. Great drummer, great singer, great musical heritage, great presence, great hair.

[Wirestone]

The album is likely going to be a bit rushed, let's be honest. It will be too hard for them to finish it during the tour and they'd also like the fans to either hear it before the shows or buy the album because they attended the tour. That means that they kind of have an enforced deadline which means we might get some weaker songs or parts of songs that probably would have been thrown our or changed with just a few more months in the studio.

On the other hand, we know that the preparation and songwriting has been going on for awhile and that there's at least a half dozen songs they're happy enough to have already committed to/finished. That's a great sign.

It won't be rushed at all. Or rather, Brian does not spend that long recording albums anymore, and hasn't since Imagination.

Brian and his band recorded the tracks to That Lucky Old Sun in two days. Most of BWPS was recorded in three days. Even a project like BWRG was mainly recorded in a week or two, with work on vocals taking a month or two more.

We know that Brian was recording backing tracks at various points last year (with Joe Thomas and Jeff). The Beach Boys started recording vocals in May (the DiA session) and IIRC reconvened in the studio in November-December. They were recording last month and this month, and plan more work in March.

That means that, overall, Brian will have spent the better part of a year assembling tracks and the group will have had some five months to put down vocals.

I can see things getting tight if they want the album out in April, but I doubt that will happen. My guess is it comes out in May or June, which gives the production folks a couple of months to mix and promote the project.

[drbeachboy]

If you check Andrew's site you will see how fast they got Carl and the Passions "So Tough" finished and released. April 18th was the last session for Make It Good and the album was released on May 15th. Less than a month. An April release date for the new album with sessions ending in March isn't too far fetched.

[hypehat]

And if you want to play it that way, Pet Sounds was recorded in a few months. Certainly nothing longer than what's going on here. And the combination of BW's multi-instrumentalist band and modern recording tech means overdubs for a more layered production can happen even quicker than they might have done in days gone by.

[vintagemusic]

And if you want to play it that way, Pet Sounds was recorded in a few months. Certainly nothing longer than what's going on here. And the combination of BW's multi-instrumentalist band and modern recording tech means overdubs for a more layered production can happen even quicker than they might have done in days gone by.

Some sort of vague deadline, is perhaps even helpful. Focus to get it done. Not the ridiculous pressure of the sixties, turn it in by Wednesday
to get it on the radio Thursday, and the stores the following Monday.

From the description of sessions and schedules explained  here, it seems they have had plenty of time. Furthermore as an older man Wilson
can't do the 17 hour day everyday focus that helped lead to his breakdown years and years ago.


Rushed would be making them do the whole album in a month. Many of the great albums of all time were done in 1-5 months.

[Awesoman]

If you check Andrew's site you will see how fast they got Carl and the Passions "So Tough" finished and released. April 18th was the last session for Make It Good and the album was released on May 15th. Less than a month. An April release date for the new album with sessions ending in March isn't too far fetched.

Hmmmm...maybe that's why it was only 8 tracks long...

[Dunderhead]

If you check Andrew's site you will see how fast they got Carl and the Passions "So Tough" finished and released. April 18th was the last session for Make It Good and the album was released on May 15th. Less than a month. An April release date for the new album with sessions ending in March isn't too far fetched.

Hmmmm...maybe that's why it was only 8 tracks long...

Or maybe they just wanted to save 10 Years of Harmony for a special occasion.

[Andrew G. Doe]

The album is likely going to be a bit rushed, let's be honest.

Why ?  Has anyone been touring recently ? Nope. Do we know if they've been in the studio or not ? Yes. Was Brian recording tracks back last summer ? Yes.

You any kin to Phil Cohen ?

[Dunderhead]

The album is likely going to be a bit rushed, let's be honest.

Why ?  Has anyone been touring recently ? Nope. Do we know if they've been in the studio or not ? Yes. Was Brian recording tracks back last summer ? Yes.

You any kin to Phil Cohen ?

I think Phil's last night might actually be Thornhill

[drbeachboy]

If you check Andrew's site you will see how fast they got Carl and the Passions "So Tough" finished and released. April 18th was the last session for Make It Good and the album was released on May 15th. Less than a month. An April release date for the new album with sessions ending in March isn't too far fetched.

Hmmmm...maybe that's why it was only 8 tracks long...

8 tracks is not the point. They could have taken a year or one month to record all of the tracks (they had sessions for more than 8 tracks), but It is the fact that it only took less than a month to release it since the final session.

[vintagemusic]

The album is likely going to be a bit rushed, let's be honest.

Why ?  Has anyone been touring recently ? Nope. Do we know if they've been in the studio or not ? Yes. Was Brian recording tracks back last summer ? Yes.

You any kin to Phil Cohen ?

I think Phil's last night might actually be Thornhill

I don't know what Thornhill is, is that a venue or TV show?

I guess even Mr Contrarian Phil Cohen doesn't dispute this new album is real, thank God.

I find that time passes very slowly while this new album is pending, a day without fresh news from the studio feels
like two weeks! I find myself muttering while I patter around the living room and kitchen, "well we should get news on the lead
single any day now"

It's funny how myopic people like me can be. First against million to one odds in Vegas, we get both a deluxe SmiLe sessions and
a new album, tour and DVD, future archival releases, rumors that the new album is top notch, and the only thing I can say is, God
I wish they would hurry up and release another video.

I don't have any feel for what the album sounds like based on the DIA remake, I tend to believe hearing one of the new tracks
will give us a much clearer idea what the actual album sounds like.

[Aegir]

who's saying the album is good besides the people working on it? no one. don't get your hopes up. It's not like Mike would say in an interview, "yeah, there's a few good moments on here but nothing essential. we just don't have it the way we used to. track 5 is absolutely horrible."

[Wirestone]

who's saying the album is good besides the people working on it?

Well, who else would know at this point?

[Puggal]

I really hope "Do it Again" is not included; I think remaking old hits is one of the most shamelessly lazy things a music group can do.

[Wilson Love]

I wouldn't mind hearing a little snippet at least of a new song, just to affirm that it's going to sound good, hopefully.

[Aegir]

who's saying the album is good besides the people working on it?

Well, who else would know at this point?

but again, it would be pretty dumb of them to say anything but good things about it.

[runnersdialzero]

who's saying the album is good besides the people working on it? no one. don't get your hopes up.

Who *ever* says an album is good besides the people working on it? Ben Clayton from Montana hasn't heard the fuckin' thing, thus I don't expect to hear his opinion on it any time soon and if I did, I wouldn't put too much stock in it.

It's not even half-finished at this point, so I doubt anyone from the press has heard anything. So... what, then?

[Wirestone]

It's not even half-finished at this point, so I doubt anyone from the press has heard anything. So... what, then?

Your source on that would be?

[Pretty Funky]

I really hope "Do it Again" is not included; I think remaking old hits is one of the most shamelessly lazy things a music group can do.

Just a thought on DIA. It has been made to market the band for promoters.

It serves the purpose of showing the band at work and what this NEW line-up can sound like.

It is a commercial.

[runnersdialzero]

It's not even half-finished at this point, so I doubt anyone from the press has heard anything. So... what, then?

Your source on that would be?

Isn't that basically what Mike said a week or two ago?