Carl Wilson - 1st soloalbum-rerelease news!

[Cool Cool Water]

Update from Billy Hinsche's Facebook page: Carl Wilson CD new artwork.

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

I have never heard Carl's solo albums, so I will definitely be very grateful for this release.

[bgas]

I have never heard Carl's solo albums, so I will definitely be very grateful for this release.

Must be for lack of interest. a visit to Youtube would remedy the situation

[Lonely Summer]

I’m the first to admit being jaded and pointing out that adding any sort of bonus tracks would have probably made this CD purchase much easier for hardcore fans. They would have undoubtedly sold more copies that way; but the cost of licensing additional tracks, mastering them, etc. may have not been worth it.

But really, I don’t think a potential consumer’s motives for purchasing this CD could possibly be at all ambiguous. What will someone do if they purchase this CD? I dunno, listen to it?

There are undoubtedly some fans that haven’t either tracked down the old Japanese CD or found the myriad of rips/burns/boots, and aren’t interested in tracking an old vinyl copy. Having Carl’s albums in print on CD (and I would presume digital download) is not a bad thing.

To their credit, Iconoclassic paid a good engineer (Vic Anesini) to remaster Carl’s "Youngblood" album from the original tapes; they did not simply rip the tracks from the old Japan CD (which is probably taken from second or third generation tapes). I would hope/assume the same will be true of the S/T album as well.

Carl would perhaps be best served by trying to see if there’s any way to get all the needed labels on board for a “Best of Carl” CD with the best tracks from his admittedly uneven solo albums, and mixing them in with his strongest BB tracks (and maybe a few unreleased tracks). I’m not big on doing more compilation CDs, but getting people into “Feel Flows” and “Long Promised Road” and then slipping in his best solo stuff, and pulling people in with a few of key hit lead vocals, would probably do more to get Carl “out there” than either a reissue of his solo albums or this upcoming “biography” on him.

That was done once - but only as a limited edition cd for the Carl Wilson Foundation. Would be nice if such a comp had wider release.

[bonnevillemariner]

I have never heard Carl's solo albums, so I will definitely be very grateful for this release.

I'm still in discovery mode on some of the rarer Beach Boys material and much of the solo stuff from everybody but Brian.  I'm cautiously excited about listening to the Carl album for the first time.  If it's anything like the Like a Brother album, it'll be really anti-climactic for me.  I do plan to Youtube it, as soon as I'm finished tempering my expectations...

[bonnevillemariner]

From the 'corrected' liners:

On his two solo albums – Carl Wilson in 1981 and Youngblood in 1983 – Carl returned to his R&B roots. “I didn’t want to compromise and make my solo stuff sound like the Beach Boys,” he commented at the time...

Unfortunate.  Beach Boys Carl is a delight-- every track, every note.  Non-Beach Boys Carl sounds like he's aping Peter Cetera.  Listening to Carl avoid sounding like The Beach Boys is like watching Michael Jordan play baseball.  Underwhelming at best.

[drbeachboy]

From the 'corrected' liners:

On his two solo albums – Carl Wilson in 1981 and Youngblood in 1983 – Carl returned to his R&B roots. “I didn’t want to compromise and make my solo stuff sound like the Beach Boys,” he commented at the time...

Unfortunate.  Beach Boys Carl is a delight-- every track, every note.  Non-Beach Boys Carl sounds like he's aping Peter Cetera.  Listening to Carl avoid sounding Beach Boys is like watching Michael Jordan play baseball.

Still, there are a few tunes on each solo album that sound Beach Boy-ish.

[Lonely Summer]

From the 'corrected' liners:

On his two solo albums – Carl Wilson in 1981 and Youngblood in 1983 – Carl returned to his R&B roots. “I didn’t want to compromise and make my solo stuff sound like the Beach Boys,” he commented at the time...

Unfortunate.  Beach Boys Carl is a delight-- every track, every note.  Non-Beach Boys Carl sounds like he's aping Peter Cetera.  Listening to Carl avoid sounding like The Beach Boys is like watching Michael Jordan play baseball.  Underwhelming at best.

Carl's albums were the first solo BB's records I heard, and I still love them.

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

I have never heard Carl's solo albums, so I will definitely be very grateful for this release.

Must be for lack of interest. a visit to Youtube would remedy the situation

It must be, because listening to albums on YouTube is such a sonic pleasure 

[bonnevillemariner]

It must be, because listening to albums on YouTube is such a sonic pleasure  

 

I listened to both albums on YouTube last night.  Definitely not the best medium for any first listen.  And I'm sorry, but aside from a nice measure here and there, I thought both sucked.  It pains me to say that, being that Carl's is my favorite BB voice, but on his solo stuff he sounds like a cheap Peter Cetera imitation.  Not sure a Hi Fi listen will change that opinion.

[Smilin Ed H]

I think 'suck' may be a bit too strong, but they're disappointing, to put it mildly. His voice aside, there's nothing special about them. I quite like the punchier songs on the first one. The ballads are a bit of drag on both and the second is too much overproduced MOR AOR for my taste.  I think you could make one decent album from tracks from both and the Beckley-Lamm-Wilson album (but I'd still be tempted to include Nilsson's Without Her instead of an original).

[kwebb]

They're good for what they are.

[bonnevillemariner]

I think 'suck' may be a bit too strong...

Depends on how you define not sucking, I guess.  Compare Good Vibrations and Surf's Up to say,  What You Gonna Do Bout Me and The Grammy.  Tough for me not to use the word 'sucks' in that context.  Totally agree with the rest of your comments, though.

[bonnevillemariner]

They're good for what they are.

Frisbees?

[drbeachboy]

I think 'suck' may be a bit too strong...

Depends on how you define not sucking, I guess.  Compare Good Vibrations and Surf's Up to say,  What You Gonna Do Bout Me and The Grammy.  Tough for me not to use the word 'sucks' in that context.  Totally agree with the rest of your comments, though.

I think songs like "Heaven" and "Of The Times" are as good as anything that he did with The Beach Boys.

[Lonely Summer]

I think 'suck' may be a bit too strong...

Depends on how you define not sucking, I guess.  Compare Good Vibrations and Surf's Up to say,  What You Gonna Do Bout Me and The Grammy.  Tough for me not to use the word 'sucks' in that context.  Totally agree with the rest of your comments, though.

I think songs like "Heaven" and "Of The Times" are as good as anything that he did with The Beach Boys.

Exactly. And it surprises me to see people describe the albums as MOR. Youngblood in particular has some hard rocking tunes - What More Can I Say, She's Mine, Too Early to Tell, Rockin' All Over the World, Time. Not hard rocking in an AOR stadium way, nor in a new wave punk way, that would have not been natural for Carl. it always surprised people when I put that album on for friends and told them who it was.

[HeyJude]

I think the production of Carl's albums is one of the reasons people kind of find them a bit flaccid. Even the "rock" songs sound rather bland and blunted in terms of production. The drums sound kind of flat and muted. *Very* 80's MOR/AOR. None of the rock songs on his albums ever struck me as anything approaching balls-to-the-wall rock and roll. It always sounded still slick and very "produced", too smooth.


The live 1981 gig at "My Father's Place" that circulates breathes WAY more life into the songs.

[drbeachboy]

I think the production of Carl's albums is one of the reasons people kind of find them a bit flaccid. Even the "rock" songs sound rather bland and blunted in terms of production. The drums sound kind of flat and muted. *Very* 80's MOR/AOR. None of the rock songs on his albums ever struck me as anything approaching balls-to-the-wall rock and roll. It always sounded still slick and very "produced", too smooth.




The live 1981 gig at "My Father's Place" that circulates breathes WAY more life into the songs.

Agree, too slick is exactly the right term for them. Though, on a few tracks that style works, but as you said, on the harder tracks, it makes sound bland and zaps them of their strength. Neither are unlistenable by no means, but better production could have made them so much better.

[Smilin Ed H]

I think 'suck' may be a bit too strong...

Depends on how you define not sucking, I guess.  Compare Good Vibrations and Surf's Up to say,  What You Gonna Do Bout Me and The Grammy.  Tough for me not to use the word 'sucks' in that context.  Totally agree with the rest of your comments, though.

Yes, compared to Good Vibes etc. I think The Grammy is just plain awful compared to most things, even The Right Lane - and that's saying something!

[Lonely Summer]

I think the production of Carl's albums is one of the reasons people kind of find them a bit flaccid. Even the "rock" songs sound rather bland and blunted in terms of production. The drums sound kind of flat and muted. *Very* 80's MOR/AOR. None of the rock songs on his albums ever struck me as anything approaching balls-to-the-wall rock and roll. It always sounded still slick and very "produced", too smooth.




The live 1981 gig at "My Father's Place" that circulates breathes WAY more life into the songs.

Agree, too slick is exactly the right term for them. Though, on a few tracks that style works, but as you said, on the harder tracks, it makes sound bland and zaps them of their strength. Neither are unlistenable by no means, but better production could have made them so much better.

I just don't get it; I mean, neither album has the synth heavy sound of Beach Boys 85.

[drbeachboy]

I think the production of Carl's albums is one of the reasons people kind of find them a bit flaccid. Even the "rock" songs sound rather bland and blunted in terms of production. The drums sound kind of flat and muted. *Very* 80's MOR/AOR. None of the rock songs on his albums ever struck me as anything approaching balls-to-the-wall rock and roll. It always sounded still slick and very "produced", too smooth.




The live 1981 gig at "My Father's Place" that circulates breathes WAY more life into the songs.

Agree, too slick is exactly the right term for them. Though, on a few tracks that style works, but as you said, on the harder tracks, it makes sound bland and zaps them of their strength. Neither are unlistenable by no means, but better production could have made them so much better.

I just don't get it; I mean, neither album has the synth heavy sound of Beach Boys 85.

Who said anything about synths? I don't like Jeff Baxter's production style on Youngblood, especially on the faster tracks. I don't hate it and I play it often, but it could have been better with an edgier feel.

[MikestheGreatest!!]

Carl's albums were definitely disappointments.  Bland, MOR snoozefests.  I was also perplexed by his lack of involvement in actually playing on the albums.  I remember reading a critique article on the BBs in an old Crawdaddy which stated he never did really develop into the guitarist he could have become.  I would have to agree with that assessment, especially as he could not be bothered to play on his own albums.  Be kinda like buying a Dave Davies album with none of his playing on it.

His white soul act had also worn out its welcome by then.

[Lonely Summer]

Carl's albums were definitely disappointments.  Bland, MOR snoozefests.  I was also perplexed by his lack of involvement in actually playing on the albums.  I remember reading a critique article on the BBs in an old Crawdaddy which stated he never did really develop into the guitarist he could have become.  I would have to agree with that assessment, especially as he could not be bothered to play on his own albums.  Be kinda like buying a Dave Davies album with none of his playing on it.

His white soul act had also worn out its welcome by then.

To be fair, Dave played in a band where guitar solos were much more prominent. And yes, I do have all of Dave's solo stuff as well. But I never expected Carl to make the nearly heavy metal sounds that Davies did on his solo records. I love Jeff Baxter's production on Youngblood, wish the group had hired him for the 85 album instead of Steve Levine. That synthy production took all the balls out of a song like It's Gettin' Late.

[branaa09]

Carl's albums were definitely disappointments.  Bland, MOR snoozefests.  I was also perplexed by his lack of involvement in actually playing on the albums.  I remember reading a critique article on the BBs in an old Crawdaddy which stated he never did really develop into the guitarist he could have become.  I would have to agree with that assessment, especially as he could not be bothered to play on his own albums.  Be kinda like buying a Dave Davies album with none of his playing on it.

His white soul act had also worn out its welcome by then.

Uh, he does play on his albums, you sound just like Mike Love, what is it not Surfy enough for ya? Oh and by the way Mike Love no just no.

[Lonely Summer]

Carl's albums were definitely disappointments.  Bland, MOR snoozefests.  I was also perplexed by his lack of involvement in actually playing on the albums.  I remember reading a critique article on the BBs in an old Crawdaddy which stated he never did really develop into the guitarist he could have become.  I would have to agree with that assessment, especially as he could not be bothered to play on his own albums.  Be kinda like buying a Dave Davies album with none of his playing on it.

His white soul act had also worn out its welcome by then.

Uh, he does play on his albums, you sound just like Mike Love, what is it not Surfy enough for ya? Oh and by the way Mike Love no just no.

All of the guitar work on several songs on the first album are Carl; and his rhythm playing is all over Youngblood.