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

[Stegibo]

Well then they have one buyer less. 

[stack-o-tracks]

And thousands of illegal downloads less.

[Jim V.]

Still waiting to hear back from the editor for ESQ, but anyways, does anybody how much it costs for just this one issue? And if I send it via paypal? Or if you have to subscribe? Cuz I'd like to buy just the one and I've messaged him, but alas, nothing!

[Stegibo]

And thousands of illegal downloads less.

I would BUY it.

[stack-o-tracks]

And thousands of illegal downloads less.

I would BUY it.

I'm not saying YOU would pirate it, but a lot of people in this age of internet use who prefer instant gratification are also quite partial to not paying for digital media.

[Ron]

So lets see, if we look at the last few years and try to extrapolate what this album will sound like... imagine an album with


1. a few covers (I hope not, but have we heard for sure none of them are covers?)

2. a couple songs like Al does on Postcards from California... I would be completely fine with that

3. a couple songs like Brian did on TLOS, or ballads like sung on Disney/Gerswin... I would love that

I think the "wild card" here is Mike Love.  We know what Al's capable of, and we know what Brian's likely to show up with, but what kind of catalyst is Mike going to be?  Other than "Cool Head Warm Heart" which I enjoyed, He hasn't done anything in forever and could either be horrible or great. 

Will the band have the balls to let David write?  Will Bruce have the balls to attempt to write again?  Two more wild cards.

[Wirestone]

Good questions!

So lets see, if we look at the last few years and try to extrapolate what this album will sound like... imagine an album with

1. a few covers (I hope not, but have we heard for sure none of them are covers?)

Not for sure, but I would be surprised. Of course, anything is possible.

2. a couple songs like Al does on Postcards from California... I would be completely fine with that

I'm sure we'll get Al leads. But I doubt it will sound like Postcards. Whatever your take on that album (and I've gone both directions) -- it's one of the best-sounding, most organic of the BB-related productions to come out since -- well, the 70s at least. I suspect this will be a slicker affair. Which is too bad.

3. a couple songs like Brian did on TLOS, or ballads like sung on Disney/Gerswin... I would love that

I think this is a lock. Good call.

I think the "wild card" here is Mike Love.  We know what Al's capable of, and we know what Brian's likely to show up with, but what kind of catalyst is Mike going to be?  Other than "Cool Head Warm Heart" which I enjoyed, He hasn't done anything in forever and could either be horrible or great. 

Have you heard "Mike Love Not War"? Or whatever his mid-2000s album is? It's surprisingly not wretched. (Cool Head comes from there.)  He really dials back the cheese, and it works.

Will the band have the balls to let David write?  Will Bruce have the balls to attempt to write again?  Two more wild cards.

I think Mike was going to work with David on a song. Haven't heard anything more about it, though. It would be nice. Bruce seems to be a lock -- Probyn G. said that he seemed to have a tune in the mix.

[Ron]

Well then I'm officially excited about a Bruce Johnston song.  I think the guy's very talented and still has the potential for greatness in him.  I've always liked Bruce, I hope he gets an opportunity to shine again.  Maybe even *gasp* a lead from him? 

I haven't heard any of Mike's solo albums... personally I don't mind even the cheeze but it's hard for anybody to take that seriously.  I'm not quite a big enough asshole either to say his 'peaceful meditation' philosophy is b.s. or hypocritical, the man has proclaimed that for 40 years, it's not my place to say he's not sincere when he writes those songs... so I'd love to hear "Mike Love, Not War" ... I'll have to download it. 

[hypehat]

Well then I'm officially excited about a Bruce Johnston song.  I think the guy's very talented and still has the potential for greatness in him.  I've always liked Bruce, I hope he gets an opportunity to shine again.  Maybe even *gasp* a lead from him? 

Seriously. Bruce is severely wasted in the history of the group. He's no genius like Brian, sure, but he knows exactly what's up with the way Brian writes his songs and can imitate that effortlessly. What's a shame is that he has barely done that in his career, because he loves the cheese... But I have no reason to doubt that he could knock something out of the park on this record given the right prompting.

[Jim V.]

Well then I'm officially excited about a Bruce Johnston song.  I think the guy's very talented and still has the potential for greatness in him.  I've always liked Bruce, I hope he gets an opportunity to shine again.  Maybe even *gasp* a lead from him? 

Seriously. Bruce is severely wasted in the history of the group. He's no genius like Brian, sure, but he knows exactly what's up with the way Brian writes his songs and can imitate that effortlessly. What's a shame is that he has barely done that in his career, because he loves the cheese... But I have no reason to doubt that he could knock something out of the park on this record given the right prompting.

I understand what you are saying, but why would you want Bruce to imitate Brian's style? I'd rather hear Bruce being Bruce, even if that means "She Believes in Love Again" or "Tears in the Morning" (aka schlocky schlock). However, a Brian/Bruce composition might be quite interesting.

The only thing that scares me is Bruce's current affinity for shitty modern day country music. I personally have no problem with country music, but most of the modern stuff in that genre is just bad overproduced '90/'00s chart pop with the occasional steel guitar added. But yeah, I doubt his new song would be country, and I'm kinda interested which direction he would go in. Cuz I couldn't imagine his usual quiet overwrought "Bruce and electric piano" type thing being on this album. So it'll be interesting. Probably a faux doo-wop little thing, as he along with Mike doesn't seem to care about much other than maintaining The Beach Boys image as sock-hop, hamburger stand, "Duke of Earl" singing '50s relics, despite the fact that they started in the '60s.

[hypehat]

Bruce has always said he writes like Brian - The Nearest Faraway Place being his stab at a Pet Sounds-esque instrumental, and he mentioned something along the lines of 'we needed songs like Brian Wilson wrote songs, but Brian wasn't writing them' in reference to Disney Girls (I think in Endless Harmony, although I'm probably wrong).

Bruce writes schlock, but musically speaking it's very advanced shlock - Tears In The Morning certainly could have been written by Brian, say (if you ignore the lyrics)

[HeyJude]

Apologies if this was already posted. A recent interview with Al Jardine:

http://www.insiteatlanta.com/beachboys.asp

He says "Waves of Love" will be on the album in a "different version."

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

"I hope we do some a capella on this tour. I’d like to try to sing one nice a capella song. I think we’re talking about this thing called “Our Prayer,” a real beautiful thing off of Smile but that‘s a pretty monstrous song, I don‘t know. That’s a lot of harmony."





I've gotta go change my fu*king pants.

[Ron]

THEY NEED TO BALLS UP.

OF COURSE they can sing "Our Prayer" !  It may not be as smooth as Brian's band sings it, but god dammit they're the beach boys, EXACTLY WHEN DID THEY NEUTER THEMSELVES ?

To hear Al Jardine act like he can't sing just breaks my heart. 

[HeyJude]

Yeah, I knew there was another bit in the interview that I wanted to highlight but forgot. Al seems keen on doing on “Our Prayer” on the tour. Brian’s band did it every night for several tours, so I’m pretty sure they could do it on this tour and just add in the actual BB voices as well.

[Wilson Love]

So Bruce can 'write like Brian"? That's news to me..

[Dave in KC]

What bothers me more is Al calling the song a "thing", twice, and then saying it was from SMiLE. I think he should have said it was from 20/20 out of respect for the decades that passed between releases.

[Runaways]

What bothers me more is Al calling the song a "thing", twice, and then saying it was from SMiLE. I think he should have said it was from 20/20 out of respect for the decades that passed between releases.

It's a smile song imo

[SBonilla]

What bothers me more is Al calling the song a "thing", twice, and then saying it was from SMiLE. I think he should have said it was from 20/20 out of respect for the decades that passed between releases.

It's a smile song imo

Yes, and he knows to promote the band's recent release, not a catalog item.

[hypehat]

So Bruce can 'write like Brian"? That's news to me..

Sarcasm is the lowest form of humour.... 

[Runaways]

So Bruce can 'write like Brian"? That's news to me..

Sarcasm is the lowest form of humour.... 

I would say puns are

[Puggal]

Apologies if this was already posted. A recent interview with Al Jardine:

http://www.insiteatlanta.com/beachboys.asp

He says "Waves of Love" will be on the album in a "different version."

Why can't they just write new songs, it's not like "Waves of Love" is a particularly good song anyway (though Carl sings on it, I guess)?

[Stegibo]

I really like the alternative version, Al sounds so great.

[Awesoman]

What bothers me more is Al calling the song a "thing", twice, and then saying it was from SMiLE. I think he should have said it was from 20/20 out of respect for the decades that passed between releases.

...have we run out of things to talk about?  Don't see what the problem is here.  Al is a 70-year-old guy; who cares how he addresses the music he worked on?

[Chris Brown]

Bruce has always said he writes like Brian - The Nearest Faraway Place being his stab at a Pet Sounds-esque instrumental, and he mentioned something along the lines of 'we needed songs like Brian Wilson wrote songs, but Brian wasn't writing them' in reference to Disney Girls (I think in Endless Harmony, although I'm probably wrong).

Bruce writes schlock, but musically speaking it's very advanced shlock - Tears In The Morning certainly could have been written by Brian, say (if you ignore the lyrics)

That's something that has always frustrated me about Bruce - he's got the musical ability in spades, but has essentially wasted it on cheesy schlock (albeit a few of them are gems).  I would kill to hear a Bruce/Brian collaboration, I think that could sound really great.