Mike Love Christmas Song... Exclusive premiere in Rolling Stone...

[SurfRiderHawaii]

"Why the sadness/When there should be gladness" - sez Mr. Positivity. What poetry!

Seriously, though, it's a bit too heavy on the vocal processing. Other than that, very pleasant!

Mike's auto tuned vocals are just awful.  I do really like the "why the sadness/gotta move on" hook/chorus! Really grabbed me. BVS sound akin to Papa Do Run Run, nothing like real Beach Boy harmonies.

Good for Mike that he made something new! (Even though the song is old).

[DonnyL]

Not a fan of this recording (love the original), but it sounds like it might be a chorus effect or ADT on the vocals as opposed to autotune.

[drbeachboy]

Not a fan of this recording (love the original), but it sounds like it might be a chorus effect or ADT on the vocals as opposed to autotune.

Whatever it is, it sounds awful. Musically, the song is terrific, it's just the lead vocal that kills it for me.

[seltaeb1012002]

I'm sure it's Melodyne (more sophisticated autotune software) and Vocalign (which syncs vocals to each other). Notice how air tight Mike's bass vocals are towards the end. His timing ain't that good.

[HeyJude]

Kind of weird to hear the wall of Fosketts on a Mike solo recording. Like some of Brian's retro-sounding productions, way too "Be My Baby"-ish to my ears, and way too much reverb. I understand, they have to change it from the late 70's production sound of the original.

And yeah, I don't know why we're afraid to say autotune, or pitch correction, or heavy vocal processing. One if not all of those are slathered all over this thing. Sounds like a robot. As bad if not worse than any autotune on TWGMTR, whether it's literally the Antares Autotune software being used or not.

And yes, considering Mike's passive aggressive swipe and Al and Brian regarding autotune in the Beard "interview", that takes some balls.

[adamghost]

I can personally vouchsafe there's no pitch correction on David Marks' new track, anyway:

https://soundcloud.com/davidleemarks/kustom-kar-show

I don't use it, but as others have pointed out, it's really an issue of when a processing effect -- any effect -- takes you out of the moment that the record is trying to create.  Everyone's mileage may vary on this question, of course.

[Half Moon Bay]

I like it. Was very surprised how good it sounded. Okay, lots of processing but it does smooth away some of the "old man voice" vocal. I might even buy it !

[doc smiley]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARkj12Y6Uh4
Raspberries "Overnight sensation"

listen to the drum fills and the 60's radio link near the end... sounds like they used this song as a inspiration when they spiced up the original recording of "Alone on Christmas Day"

[Alan Smith]

Pretty cool! Nice one, Mike 

[The_Beach]

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Thank goodness he fell asleep now we won't have to hear his "boring and mundane" comments  

He only creason he comments like that is to hid his true love for Mike Love. No one eles goes out searching on youtube to listen to Mike Love vidoes just to bash them! Its his cover up pretty clear and easy to see.

But on topic! I love this single  better then his last version! Keep it up Mike!!! Thank you for such a wonderful Christmas song to listen to for many years to come!

[the professor]

Was Bruce not involved? ?

[ontor pertawst]

It's kind of sad that Mike Love would rather have some guy try to make it sound like a Brian Wilson production with the sleigh bells, the Hal Blaine Be My Baby drumbeat, instead of... working with Brian Wilson.

[adamghost]

It's kind of sad that Mike Love would rather have some guy try to make it sound like a Brian Wilson production with the sleigh bells, the Hal Blaine Be My Baby drumbeat, instead of... working with Brian Wilson.

OK, but Mike's recording with the old Brian sound isn't really what Brian's current recordings sound like, though, so I'm not sure this really follows.  If he wants to get that sound, he's not necessarily going to get it working with Brian.

[ontor pertawst]

Dunno, Adam. We all have different opinions on that. Then again, lots of detractors here would call BW's recent recordings dated retro style productions with overly processed vocals and a wall of Fosketts, so... shrug.

But I see your point. Mike Love wants an idealized version of the 60s BW and not the actual living BW, his "Cousin Brian." So send in the Dirty Dancin' guy, I guess.

[alf wiedersehen]

I am pleasantly surprised by this song.

[HeyJude]

I say this objectively, one of the only things cut by any of the BB's (save David Marks, from whom I haven't listened to that many of his more recent recordings) individually or collectively in the last 20-30 years that retains any significant amount of analog warm and fuzzies with instruments and vocals that actually breathe are some of the tracks on Al's "Postcards" album. I'm talking sonically. I always use the example of his take on "California Feeling." It sounds pure and warm sonically.

Even the most "non-electronic" of Brian's solo productions are so heavy on the echo and reverb, and other processing, even they lack that warmth and purity.

I think a few moments on "No Pier Pressure" get close. His vocal on "This Beautiful Day" for instance has some of this. Like some of the Al solo stuff, that Brian vocal sounds like a guy around 70 singing, for better and worse.

[SMiLE Brian]

This single is an example of Mike doing half-assed versions of more talented guys like Brian Wilson and Phil Spector.

[GhostyTMRS]

As with David's cut which also debuted today, this is a very good track. Anytime any of the Beach Boys are in the studio is a good day for me. 

[The_Beach]

This single is an example of Mike doing half-assed versions of more talented guys like Brian Wilson and Phil Spector.

Don't be so absurd and enjoy any new Beach Boys releated song that comes out! This dont happen often anymore and one day we wont get any new music from the guys!

[Rocky Raccoon]

I like it.  I'm really looking forward to hearing Phoenix's version.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

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Thank goodness he fell asleep now we won't have to hear his "boring and mundane" comments  

He only creason he comments like that is to hid his true love for Mike Love. No one eles goes out searching on youtube to listen to Mike Love vidoes just to bash them! Its his cover up pretty clear and easy to see.

But on topic! I love this single  better then his last version! Keep it up Mike!!! Thank you for such a wonderful Christmas song to listen to for many years to come!

"...He only creason he comments like that is to hid..." Better not to post when you're boozin'. No wonder myKe's stupid Xmas single sounds good to you. 

[“Big Daddy”]

I enjoy the song. Not huge on the “Be My Baby” reference though. Did Phoenix ever say they were recording this?

[The Shift]

This single is an example of Mike doing half-assed versions of more talented guys like Brian Wilson and Phil Spector.

Don't be so absurd and enjoy any new Beach Boys releated song that comes out! This dont happen often anymore and one day we wont get any new music from the guys!

Well said. How many of the cranky comment folks who post here will still be cutting it into their mid-70s? We're fortunate that Mike and David and Brian and Al are still with us and making decent tunes… why be negative about something like that purely for the sake of being negative? If you know you're not going to like something, don't waste time looking it up online and listening before wasting our time by coming here and posting about it? Odd behaviour, to my mind…

[Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard]

Response:

Never, ever EVER post that picture anywhere again

[CenturyDeprived]

Response:

Never, ever EVER post that picture anywhere again

You do realize that you posted it again yourself, right?