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

[b00ts]

Also, the musician credits are definitely not correct. There's a distinct bari sax line on the title track, but no credit for Mertens. Possibly a late overdub?

There is also clearly piano on "Isn't it Time."

[Ron]

I would like to cautiously, bravely float the idea that "Spring Vacation" could have been the best song on the album.... if it had better lyrics.  

Discuss.


Also, I would like to make the observation that ultimately, the blame for that lies with Brian.  Sure Mike wrote the shittiest lyrics that have ever shitted, but when you tell Mike Love "Hey, Write something about Spring Vacation" and then accept, sing, and PUBLISH what he hands you 5 minutes later.... I don't think it's really the Lovester that's the problem.  

That would be like telling your 5 year old to write something about spring vacation, and then complaining when it's not very good.  Brian (or whoever's in charge) should have rejected the lyrics and told him to write something better.  

[Ron]

I love the album. But I loved Disney so did the kids, I also loved Gershwin so did my Dad, I also love TLOS so did my kids and wife.

I'm with you man.  Disney was great, Gershwin was great, TLOS was great, and this album, at first listen, has great spots and not so great spots, but I'm going to choose to enjoy it instead of pick it apart.  Those beautiful voices! 

[Ron]

People like to point out how "Brian's production style" has to have all these certain things that have to be there for it to be an official Brian production. However, there's people like Quincy Jones, George Martin, Paul McCartney, Dr. Dre, etc. And guess what? A Quincy Jones production from the '80s sounds way different from one in the '90s. McCartney productions from the early '70s sound much different from '80s, which sound different from the '90s. Even say, Dr. Dre, who is from the hip-hop side of the things, he had an album in 1992 which sounded a lot different from the album he released in 1999. People change and so do their styles.

I agree wholeheartedly.  Note too, that in the case of Dr. Dre, he's often been accused of having people do all the work and they just lie about it and say he did it.

Kind of like people are saying Brian does. 

[Ron]

1- every time a new BW album has appeared fans had a great time arguing about just how much of it was produced by BW. This BB album is no exception.

2- unfamiliar and trendy production techniques are being used as exhibit A for proving that BW was overruled by Thomas.

3- lack of enough trademark BW production touches are exhibit B.

4- however, when BW's production touches appeared on previous albums, many of us stressed that actually it was the band members coming up with BW pastiche to cover up for him.

Bottomline: we know sh*t.

You sir win the 'voice of reason' prize for the evening.  Please return tommorow night. 

[Sheriff John Stone]

I would like to cautiously, bravely float the idea that "Spring Vacation" could have been the best song on the album.... if it had better lyrics.  

Discuss.


Also, I would like to make the observation that ultimately, the blame for that lies with Brian.  Sure Mike wrote the sh*ttiest lyrics that have ever sh*tted, but when you tell Mike Love "Hey, Write something about Spring Vacation" and then accept, sing, and PUBLISH what he hands you 5 minutes later.... I don't think it's really the Lovester that's the problem.  

That would be like telling your 5 year old to write something about spring vacation, and then complaining when it's not very good.  Brian (or whoever's in charge) should have rejected the lyrics and told him to write something better.  

I agree with you, Ron. I think "Summer's Gone" is the best song, but upon the first few listens, I can't find a song that I enjoy more than "Spring Vacation".

Some of Mike's retro Beach Boys' lyrics are cringe-worthy, such as "fun fun fun" on "Beaches In Mind". But, for some reason, they don't bother me on "Spring vacation" They seem to work in the context of this song, not that Mike couldn't have written a hundred other words to put in that song. Also, we diehards have had to endure Mike doing this forever. Maybe the new or casual fan who hears these lyrics won't be as put off by them.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Okay, well "Shelter" Is my current favorite (not listening to the last 4 songs yet)
And JUST TRY to tell me that isn't BW.
It is CLASSIC Brian.

[Wirestone]

Also, the musician credits are definitely not correct. There's a distinct bari sax line on the title track, but no credit for Mertens. Possibly a late overdub?

There is also clearly piano on "Isn't it Time."

I thought so too, but on recurrent listens I couldn't tell. The handclaps and uke kind of blend together, so maybe that's the sound?

I kind of expected this from a production involving Joe -- the Imagination musician credits are pretty bad, too. One of the tunes doesn't even list a rhythm section!

[runnersdialzero]

"Why don't you run away and spend some time _________"

halp me ;(

[Ziggy Stardust]

Okay, well "Shelter" Is my current favorite (not listening to the last 4 songs yet)
And JUST TRY to tell me that isn't BW.
It is CLASSIC Brian.

Only thing that really bothers me is the translation between the pre-chorus and chorus.. the way the drums comes in after the first chorus, with the roll, really kinda kills the vibe, out of place imo.

[Ron]

I would like to cautiously, bravely float the idea that "Spring Vacation" could have been the best song on the album.... if it had better lyrics.  

Discuss.


Also, I would like to make the observation that ultimately, the blame for that lies with Brian.  Sure Mike wrote the sh*ttiest lyrics that have ever sh*tted, but when you tell Mike Love "Hey, Write something about Spring Vacation" and then accept, sing, and PUBLISH what he hands you 5 minutes later.... I don't think it's really the Lovester that's the problem.  

That would be like telling your 5 year old to write something about spring vacation, and then complaining when it's not very good.  Brian (or whoever's in charge) should have rejected the lyrics and told him to write something better.  

I agree with you, Ron. I think "Summer's Gone" is the best song, but upon the first few listens, I can't find a song that I enjoy more than "Spring Vacation".

Some of Mike's retro Beach Boys' lyrics are cringe-worthy, such as "fun fun fun" on "Beaches In Mind". But, for some reason, they don't bother me on "Spring vacation" They seem to work in the context of this song, not that Mike couldn't have written a hundred other words to put in that song. Also, we diehards have had to endure Mike doing this forever. Maybe the new or casual fan who hears these lyrics won't be as put off by them.

Yeah I'm thinking it may resound with a casual fan, I don't know.

Just to clarify, I don't think I would have made the song about Spring Vacation AT ALL, maybe you could clean the lyrics up and save the subject matter, I don't know.  

What I DO know, though, is that the structure of the song, the chorus, the melody, the background harmonies, the bridge... the song is really, really good.  Very catchy, very original... even some of the little melody things they do while they're singing the verses are really clever and catchy in a Weezer/Bare Naked Ladies sort of way, if you know what I mean.  

That people are willing to look by lyrics that awful and STILL enjoy the song I think proves the point.  It could have been so great.  

[runnersdialzero]

Some of Mike's retro Beach Boys' lyrics are cringe-worthy, such as "fun fun fun" on "Beaches In Mind". But, for some reason, they don't bother me on "Spring vacation" They seem to work in the context of this song, not that Mike couldn't have written a hundred other words to put in that song. Also, we diehards have had to endure Mike doing this forever. Maybe the new or casual fan who hears these lyrics won't be as put off by them.

If Mike had written "Do It Again" in 2012 exactly as is, people would probably be calling him out on a few lines. "Let's get back together and surf again"? "With warmed up weather, let's get back together"? Slash the guy's wrists and he'd bleed cheese - almost always has and always will. I wouldn't have 'im any other way, for better or worse.

These are certainly far from the best lyrics he's written, a few lines are a bit goofy (as is the namechecking of older songs), but they serve the mood of the song well. I'd call them pretty tolerable and, again, they serve the song well overall.

I'll also point out that stuff like "The clouds are breaking, it's a beautiful day/For a wonderful Pacific Coast getaway," aren't really any better, to me. An extreme example, I realize, but I think it's relevant that the cheese flows on these songs with or without teh lovester's involvement. And again, the line looks iffy on its own, but in context works just fine.

[Zach95]

Mike looks...so serious in some of those youtube videos writing lyrics! What goes through the guy's head? "Oh, they'll love this. 'We'll find a place in the sun, where we can  have'...hmmm...oh! Perfect! 'Fun, fun, fun'! Yeah! That works. Here Brian!"

[seltaeb1012002]

Has the reason for Mike Love's executive producer credit been established?

Is it because he brought the positivity to the table?

[Sheriff John Stone]

Has the reason for Mike Love's executive producer credit been established?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Craig Feldspar]

Alright, So i've heard the album and I like it, great job to everyone involved, its clearly their best album in a long long time. Anyways, as a David Marks fan, I was wondering if anyone can point out places where hes clearly audible. (guitar riffs etc). I am having trouble identifying his sound and where he is on the album...anyone know where our man DM is? (at least we know not on vocals )

[Shady]

Mike looks...so serious in some of those youtube videos writing lyrics! What goes through the guy's head? "Oh, they'll love this. 'We'll find a place in the sun, where we can  have'...hmmm...oh! Perfect! 'Fun, fun, fun'! Yeah! That works. Here Brian!"

Mike is shamelessly nostalgic..

In any given interview he drops 6 or 7 Beach Boys song titles and he's not even joking, when he rhymes 'sun' with 'fun' he sees nothing wrong with it, lucky for him it somehow works

[coco1997]

"From There to Back Again" makes "Winds of Change" its bitch.

[seltaeb1012002]

"From There to Back Again" makes "Winds of Change" its bitch.

LOL. So true tho.

Has the reason for Mike Love's executive producer credit been established?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

How so? As in, Mike funded studio time, etc? I would've thought Capitol Records would do that, but I guess that's what that credit usually means. 

[Ron]

Mike looks...so serious in some of those youtube videos writing lyrics! What goes through the guy's head? "Oh, they'll love this. 'We'll find a place in the sun, where we can  have'...hmmm...oh! Perfect! 'Fun, fun, fun'! Yeah! That works. Here Brian!"

Mike is shamelessly nostalgic..

In any given interview he drops 6 or 7 Beach Boys song titles and he's not even joking, when he rhymes 'sun' with 'fun' he sees nothing wrong with it, lucky for him it somehow works

Mike has an infinite amount more money than I, so really... who knows what about writing songs.  None of my songs are being ridiculed on message boards right now.  

BTW, somebody please post up the songs from the album that Mike has a song writing credit on.  We're slamming him, lets see if there's some praise to pass around too.  

[Wirestone]

Alright, So i've heard the album and I like it, great job to everyone involved, its clearly their best album in a long long time. Anyways, as a David Marks fan, I was wondering if anyone can point out places where hes clearly audible. (guitar riffs etc). I am having trouble identifying his sound and where he is on the album...anyone know where our man DM is? (at least we know not on vocals )

I don't doubt he played at the sessions, but I don't hear anything distinctive.

[Wirestone]

Mike looks...so serious in some of those youtube videos writing lyrics! What goes through the guy's head? "Oh, they'll love this. 'We'll find a place in the sun, where we can  have'...hmmm...oh! Perfect! 'Fun, fun, fun'! Yeah! That works. Here Brian!"

Mike is shamelessly nostalgic..

In any given interview he drops 6 or 7 Beach Boys song titles and he's not even joking, when he rhymes 'sun' with 'fun' he sees nothing wrong with it, lucky for him it somehow works

Mike has an infinite amount more money than I, so really... who knows what about writing songs.  None of my songs are being ridiculed on message boards right now.  

BTW, somebody please post up the songs from the album that Mike has a song writing credit on.  We're slamming him, lets see if there's some praise to pass around too.  

Mike wrote the words to Isn't It Time, Spring Vacation and Beaches in Mind. And Daybreak, of course.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Has the reason for Mike Love's executive producer credit been established?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

How so? As in, Mike funded studio time, etc? I would've thought Capitol Records would do that, but I guess that's what that credit usually means. 

I think the title can vary from project to project, but in this case, I believe Mike's input as Executive Producer was not so much hands on (that was Brian and Joe), but maybe to oversee the project. I think he definitely had input into the direction of the album, the theme of the album, you know, what type of album this was going to be (as we know, every Beach Boys' album was a different type). I put the $$$$$$$$$$ in my post because Executive Producer is a credit, one which means more responsibility, which, of course, means more compensation!

[the professor]

In a word, what some are calling cheese is only the necessary element of innocence that makes the experience sublime, to put it into Blakian terms.

Little lamb, who made thee? sounds like cheese too, but it exists in dynamic juxtaposition to the Tiger and the Chimney Sweep. 

I have the album on amazon order and hope to see it on my Rhapsody tuesday morning. Don't want to chase u-ground bootleg sites. . .just feels wrong.

[ontor pertawst]

That sorta cheese sounds innocent out of the lips of a 20something, but when pinky rings are involved it tends to be more of a dairy product.

Love the suite fragments, quite like "The Private Life of Bill and Sue" except for the cliche opening. The chorus is catchy despite part of my brain resisting for obscure reasons.

How often are people going to quote Brian's cry of "I'm better off alone ... I'm better on my own" in big thinkpieces, I wonder. What a moment! Didn't like "Summer's Gone" as much as I thought I would but it probably needs two dozen more listens.

I kinda wish the album opened with Brian Wilson piano chord structure tho, it doesn't sound like his type of piano work at all. Lovely vocal arrangement of course!

Hmm. Typing this  makes me realize I should just listen to it again. CLICK.