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

[Aegir]

Someone updated the wikipedia article with all the session musicians that Generation42 mentioned:

Additional musicians

Looking at those credits, and "Daybreak" excluded, are we to believe that Jeff is the *only* other non-BBs voice in the entire album's harmonies? 'Cause that's not what I'm hearing at times. Unless Jeff can "throw" his voice six different ways...lol.

Or...are there additional vocal credits somewhere?

Hard to say, although I can't say I've heard any identifiable voices on these songs sans Mike, Brian, Bruce, Al, and Jeff. Still not familiar with how David sounds or if he's anywhere on these songs. Still, I guess I haven't really been listening for voices other than those five folks, nor have I given it a good headphones listen (mainly because we've only gotten meh quality clips and streaming copies).

if David sang on the album, they wouldn't say that he didn't in the liner notes.

[DonnyL]

Someone updated the wikipedia article with all the session musicians that Generation42 mentioned:

Additional musicians

    Adrian Baker - Vocals on "Daybreak Over the Ocean"
    Alisha Bauer - Cello
    Jeff Baxter - Guitar
    Eddie Bayers - Drums
    Scott Bennett - Vibes, organ, clavinet
    Jessica Bish - Snaps
    Curt Bisquera - Drums
    Chris Bleth - Oboe
    Nelson Bragg - Timpani, percussion
    Tom Bukovac - Guitar
    John Cowsill - Drums, snaps
    Chad Cromwell - Drums
    Joel Deroulin - Violin
    Jeff Foskett - Vocals, acoustic guitar, snaps
    Vanessa Freebarin-Smith - Cello
    Probyn Gregory - French horn, banjo, acoustic guitar, trombone
    Gary Griffin - Accordion
    John Hobbs - Piano, tack piano
    Cliff Hugo - Bass
    Sharon Jackson - Violin
    Peter Kent - Violin
    Songa Lee - Violin
    Christian Love - Vocals on "Daybreak Over the Ocean"
    Hayleigh Love - Vocals on "Daybreak Over the Ocean"
    Skip Masters - Radio voiceover on "The Private Life of Bill and Sue"
    Paul Mertens - Saxophone, string arrangements, flute
    Larry Millas - Bass
    Jim Peterik - Ukulele, percussion
    Michael Rhodes - Bass
    Jim Riley - Guitar
    Julie Rogers - Violin
    Nick Rowe - Guitar
    Darian Sahanaja - Vibes
    Brett Simons - Bass
    David Stone - Acoustic double bass
    Joe Thomas - Piano, snaps, harpsichord, organ, tack piano
    Scott Totten - Guitar
    Nick Walusko - Guitar
    John Wittenberg - Violin

I think Wikipedia is wrong on the lead vocals for "Isn't it Time" -- the chorus is Bruce (joined by Brian), then Al's part.

[DonnyL]

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.

It seems you're assuming I'm not of these long-term fans.

I bought Summer in Paradise on the day it was released (age 13).  I was a die-hard already at that point.  Ditto Imagination. (I don't think I could stomach Stars & Stripes).

Cried when my mom came into my room and told be Carl had died.  "I feel like he was part of the family somehow," she said.

The last Beach Boys concert I attended was 1996. After Carl died, I vowed never to attend another.

Until now. I'll be in Berkeley tomorrow night for what's likely to be an emotional experience for me.

I take the Beach Boys very seriously.  I am musically obsessed with them.

I had all the records and all the unreleased stuff on cassette by age 14. I've been involved in Beach Boys fandom long before the internet, writing letters back & forth with Dometic Priore, etc., various other pen pals. It was through the kindness of my fellow fans and the communities that I was able to obtain a lot of material over the years.  I was a member of Friends of Dennis Wilson all through high school.  I put up with a lot of teasing as a Beach Boys fan in the dark Full House years.

I've seen countless bad decisions and missed opportunities over the years.  That's why this record hurts me as much as it makes me excited.

I'm not creating the bad vibes here, I'm pointing them out.  Sorry, I'm not getting on the 'we should be grateful to have anything at all' bandwagon because I expect more from the greatest band the world has ever known.

I'm sorry that I am experiencing a little heartbreak with the new album, but I feel I'm entitled to it.  Just as you are entitled to love it.

And for the record, I think Brian Wilson is still fully capable of producing brilliant music -- if I didn't feel this way, then I wouldn't have a problem with the new album at all.

[ontor pertawst]

I think basically it boils down to Crow T. Robot's immortal cry, "Hey you keep Christmas in your way, and let me keep it in mine, ok?"

[elnombre]

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 wonder if there'll be a specific forum section for discussion of the new album soon (like there is for Smile Sessions)?

[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 wonder if there'll be a specific forum section for discussion of the new album soon (like there is for Smile Sessions)?

I dunno - I think the Smile Sessions was a one off as it was generating about 12 different threads every day months before it was released. But who's to say - I guess this is pretty big news too.

[Lowbacca]

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 wonder if there'll be a specific forum section for discussion of the new album soon (like there is for Smile Sessions)?

I dunno - I think the Smile Sessions was a one off as it was generating about 12 different threads every day months before it was released. But who's to say - I guess this is pretty big news too.

Nah it's just another BBs album, who cares... it's their 29th or something... if you've heard one of 'em you've heard 'em all. 

[Heysaboda]

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

chhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

DROOL................................. SLOBBER.............................

[the professor]

The professor detects a battle between two armies:

On one side is: the cynical, "I know a lot about music I I find fault with this production for these various arcane reasons"
or "I know a lot about the inner circle and the historical circumstances that led to this disappointing album" (plus the various Myrmidons wielding varieties of these doctrines).

On the other side is" the new BB album."

Guess who wins?

 

[Lowbacca]

The professor detect a battle between two armies:

On one side is: the cynical, "I know a lot about music I I find fault with this production for these various arcane reasons"
or "I know a lot about the inner circle and the historical circumstances that led to this disappointing album" (plus the various Myrmidons wielding varieties of these doctrines).

On the other side is" the new BB album."

Guess who wins?

 

[Heysaboda]

the worst part is my dad takes Wednesdays off - and they had it in yesterday!

Mr. M, you have to tell us now, is your Dad an original Beach Boys fan?  Two gens of fandom in the family is cool!

[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 wonder if there'll be a specific forum section for discussion of the new album soon (like there is for Smile Sessions)?

I dunno - I think the Smile Sessions was a one off as it was generating about 12 different threads every day months before it was released. But who's to say - I guess this is pretty big news too.

Nah it's just another BBs album, who cares... it's their 29th or something... if you've heard one of 'em you've heard 'em all.  

I think  you misunderstood me - I wasn't saying this isn't a big deal. Just that the sheer amount of traffic on this board during the run up to TSS release kind of necessitated a sub forum. I don't know how this compares though. Guess there's quite a few threads. Let the Mods decide!

[Runaways]

I think a thread designated to reviews would suffice

[Andrew G. Doe]

I had all the records and all the unreleased stuff on cassette by age 14.

Don't think you did. Actually, know you didn't.

[ontor pertawst]

Oh, you know what he meant. The "commonly traded unreleased stuff" not the "super sekrit decoder ring, passed only between extra special super important people" material.

[DonnyL]

The professor detects a battle between two armies:

On one side is: the cynical, "I know a lot about music I I find fault with this production for these various arcane reasons"
or "I know a lot about the inner circle and the historical circumstances that led to this disappointing album" (plus the various Myrmidons wielding varieties of these doctrines).

On the other side is" the new BB album."

Guess who wins?

 

More like:

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!"

[the professor]

The professor detects a battle between two armies:

On one side is: the cynical, "I know a lot about music I I find fault with this production for these various arcane reasons"
or "I know a lot about the inner circle and the historical circumstances that led to this disappointing album" (plus the various Myrmidons wielding varieties of these doctrines).

On the other side is" the new BB album."

Guess who wins?

 

More like:

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!"

asserting the victory of art over criticism is not an uncritical act.

[DonnyL]

I had all the records and all the unreleased stuff on cassette by age 14.

Don't think you did. Actually, know you didn't.

alright man, you got me. you're right and I'm terribly wrong. let's change that to 'a lot of most of the common unreleased stuff that was available on boots at the time'.

perhaps you missed my basic point -- I was a pretty dedicated fan by age 14.

[elnombre]

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

There's a lot of supposition in that statement, mainly the idea that any of us know what a 69 year old Brian Wilson producing David Marks, Al Jardine, Mike Love and Bruce Johnston in a modern studio in 2012 is 'supposed' to sound like.

I think a thread designated to reviews would suffice

I was thinking individual song discussion threads, but fair enough.

[AndrewHickey]

asserting the victory of art over criticism is not an uncritical act.

No, but *uncritically* asserting the victory of art over criticism is. Which was my point. Saying "Just enjoy it, don't worry about the production, the lyrics, who did what on the record or anything else", sometimes without even having heard it first, is as uncritical as it's possible to be.

[b00ts]

The professor detects a battle between two armies:

On one side is: the cynical, "I know a lot about music I I find fault with this production for these various arcane reasons"
or "I know a lot about the inner circle and the historical circumstances that led to this disappointing album" (plus the various Myrmidons wielding varieties of these doctrines).

On the other side is" the new BB album."

Guess who wins?

 

Nobody wins when everyone argues. We all have different opinions, and there is nothing wrong with viewing the new record critically. There is really no need for groupthink here. We can have 3000 different opinions, not just the two that you listed.

I happen to love the new record, and I can't wait to get my hands on my own copy. The only song I haven't heard in full is "Strange World," and the only one I dislike is "Beaches in Mind," so I have a good idea that I will dig the sh*t out of this record.

Still, there is no reason to try to invalidate the opinions of others who don't like the album or find fault with it. Their dislike of, or disdain for the album does not need to affect our enjoyment of it. I too have plenty of criticisms I can level about the production, but that's life. Let's all discuss the record, and if some people don't like it, I for one find it interesting to read their critiques.

[buddhahat]

The professor detects a battle between two armies:

On one side is: the cynical, "I know a lot about music I I find fault with this production for these various arcane reasons"
or "I know a lot about the inner circle and the historical circumstances that led to this disappointing album" (plus the various Myrmidons wielding varieties of these doctrines).

On the other side is" the new BB album."

Guess who wins?

 

Nobody wins when everyone argues. We all have different opinions, and there is nothing wrong with viewing the new record critically. There is really no need for groupthink here. We can have 3000 different opinions, not just the two that you listed.

I happen to love the new record, and I can't wait to get my hands on my own copy. The only song I haven't heard in full is "Strange World," and the only one I dislike is "Beaches in Mind," so I have a good idea that I will dig the sh*t out of this record.

Still, there is no reason to try to invalidate the opinions of others who don't like the album or find fault with it. Their dislike of, or disdain for the album does not need to affect our enjoyment of it. I too have plenty of criticisms I can level about the production, but that's life. Let's all discuss the record, and if some people don't like it, I for one find it interesting to read their critiques.

Right on, Boots!

[DonnyL]

There's a lot of supposition in that statement, mainly the idea that any of us know what a 69 year old Brian Wilson producing David Marks, Al Jardine, Mike Love and Bruce Johnston in a modern studio in 2012 is 'supposed' to sound like.

Eh, there's only a lot of supposition in the statement if you want to over-complicate a simple opinion.

I think we know pretty well what a Joe Thomas record sounds like.

[Sheriff John Stone]

The professor detects a battle between two armies:

On one side is: the cynical, "I know a lot about music I I find fault with this production for these various arcane reasons"
or "I know a lot about the inner circle and the historical circumstances that led to this disappointing album" (plus the various Myrmidons wielding varieties of these doctrines).

On the other side is" the new BB album."

Guess who wins?

 

It doesn't have to be and shouldn't be that ^ way. There are no "sides", and it's not about winning and losing.

It's about people - individuals - having an opinion and taking advantage of a message board to express it. What causes the hard feelings are people not respecting opinions they don't agree with, and trying to prove an opinion as being wrong.

[phirnis]

Copy's going to arrive Friday or Saturday.

Still heavily into both "The Private Life of Bill and Sue" and "Shelter".

To these ears "From There to Back Again" sounds a bit like "Pet Sounds the Musical". Maybe it'll grow on me.