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

[CenturyDeprived]

What's up with those vocals? Is Joe Thomas producing Mike now?

Mike's Beard: You have to admit that it's beyond preposterous for Mike to have made that Autotune snarky comment months back, in the wake of this new/old tune just hitting the streets.

I honestly wonder how many takes Mike did, and if it was just some producer trying to "fix" the best they had to work with. There are moments where he sounds good and then an Autotune blip comes in and shows its ugly face. It's insulting to the listener's intelligence to think that it's not obvious. Egregious, obvious Autotune, like bad CG in films, must die. There are Autotune moments on this song that are not entirely dissimilar to the bad James Bond CG in Die Another Day. There *must* be a better way. Spend days on the vocals. Record it word by word and craftfully splice it together if needed. It can be better than this, but I think that nobody cares enough to make that effort. Brian cared enough when he recorded the Gershwin album.

Other than that, the tune is surprisingly not too bad. If you remove the Autotune and have the song sung in pitch, naturally, it's better than a good deal of other modern era BB-related tunes.

I hate Autotune unless it's used tastefully and transparently, regardless if on Mike product, Brian product, BB product, or any artist's product.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

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…

So let me get this straight. Posting an OPINION, that's right, an opinion is forbidden if someone happens to not care very much for something someone released because if they're alive, we should immediately embrace it whether it stinks or not. Show me where it says that in the rules. Don't look now, but this entire board is totally entrenched in opinion. Without it, there would be no board. You worry about your own time, not other's time. Maybe this will help you to not waste your precious time-I graciously invite you not to read posts that you feel will be, in your OPINION, a waste of time.

[pixletwin]

Unremarkable. I got it after about 30 seconds much more than that and it felt over-long and repetitive.

[RangeRoverA1]

What's up with those vocals? Is Joe Thomas producing Mike now?

There you go again. "Michael Lloyd to produce and helm the new arrangement".

Enjoyable if remove BMB drum. I give original more care only because it has slight jazz sound. But it's interesting circumstance how it was decided to be recorded. Oh, & I like 'doomsday' Mike voice in "Alone" bits. quite hilarious, smb. would make a good sample outta it.

[Mike's Beard]

What's up with those vocals? Is Joe Thomas producing Mike now?

Mike's Beard: You have to admit that it's beyond preposterous for Mike to have made that Autotune snarky comment months back, in the wake of this new/old tune just hitting the streets.

The irony was certainly not lost on me.

[KDS]

A little too early for Christmas music, but that was pretty pleasant.  OK, the autotune is a bit much, but I think the song itself is good. 

[Mike's Beard]

A little too early for Christmas music, but that was pretty pleasant.  OK, the autotune is a bit much, but I think the song itself is good. 

In the UK, the build up to Christmas starts the second Guy Fawkes night is over.

[tpesky]

Nice, pleasant tune, vocals ok. Sounds like Mike is out of breath or hoarse at points. The last verse with meditation etc doesn't really fit the Christmas vibe.  Certainly better than many other XMAS songs heard on the radio. 

[Douchepool]

Something about the Love You/MIU-esque production on the original version of this tune gave it a certain charm. This version is nothing great, but it's not a bad song. The Be My Baby drum intro just doesn't fit, though. Michael's voice isn't so shot that he needs all of the autotune; his performance here would sound better without it. Foskett's voice has become quite annoying. The background vocals are pretty good. Assuming it's John Cowsill on drums...not bad. The production is well done. I assume Scott Totten produced it?

I'd give it a 2.75 out of 5. It's neither unlistenable nor particularly memorable, but then again, so was the original. It's another Beach Boys-related Christmas song that'll pass by nearly unnoticed on a mix CD while trimming the tree. At least it's neither as banal as Santa's Goin' to Kokomo nor as jaw-droppingly awful as Al's Big Sur Christmas (yikes!).

[Mike's Beard]

I'd give it a 2.75 out of 5. It's neither unlistenable nor particularly memorable, but then again, so was the original. It's another Beach Boys-related Christmas song that'll pass by nearly unnoticed on a mix CD while trimming the tree. At least it's neither as banal as Santa's Goin' to Kokomo nor as jaw-droppingly awful as Al's Big Sur Christmas (yikes!).

Throw in Brian's All I Really Want for Christmas on the 'bad solo BBs Christmas songs' list.

[Wirestone]

I'd give it a 2.75 out of 5. It's neither unlistenable nor particularly memorable, but then again, so was the original. It's another Beach Boys-related Christmas song that'll pass by nearly unnoticed on a mix CD while trimming the tree. At least it's neither as banal as Santa's Goin' to Kokomo nor as jaw-droppingly awful as Al's Big Sur Christmas (yikes!).

Throw in Brian's All I Really Want for Christmas on the 'bad solo BBs Christmas songs' list.

Please don't. It's lovely.

[RubberSoul13]

Not bad at all! It'll fit nicely in the live show and serve a purpose there. But it certainly won't be remembered and/or celebrated by generations to come or anything spectacular.

With any luck, this means that "Pisces Brothers" will finally get outta there...

[Ron]

It's alright, but it's a bit too straight forward for me.  Should have had somebody cook it up a little more, make it a little more interesting.


What's always surprised me about Mike is that nobody like one of these cool-ass hipster music legends has worked with him and made him actually as good as he's always had the potential to be.  Neil Young.  Jeff Lynne.  Don Was.  One of those type of mo'fos who are super talented and like working with everybody.... get one of those guys to lock themselves in a room with Mike (lol) and record an artsy fartsy album with him.  It would probably be the greatest sh*t ever recorded.  Push him towards stuff like Big Sur or All I wanna do, etc.

I'm sure some have offered over the years but he must just be completely against it.  You'd think eventually he would have realized that since Brian was so good at all that stuff, after Brian was unavailable... oh, I don't know, how about get somebody outside to write with you and produce with you?  We've really missed out on a huge opportunity with Mike, because in my opinion the guy has a lot of talent but he needs an editor or a co writer to save him from himself.  

Just my opinion.  

[Ron]

For the record, What I Really Want for Christmas is probably the best Christmas album I've ever heard. 

[Douchepool]

Throw in Brian's All I Really Want for Christmas on the 'bad solo BBs Christmas songs' list.

I like that one a lot, actually. Brian's version of White Christmas with Styx is far worse.

[phirnis]

Just heard the original version for the first time. Utterly underproduced in comparison and very charming at that!

[The Shift]

A little too early for Christmas music, but that was pretty pleasant.  OK, the autotune is a bit much, but I think the song itself is good. 

In the UK, the build up to Christmas starts the second Guy Fawkes night is over.

You mean you still haven't bought my present?

[Sheriff John Stone]

Something about the Love You/MIU-esque production on the original version of this tune gave it a certain charm.

Yeah, and a question about that. I thought "Alone On Christmas Day" originally came from the M.I.U. sessions in 1977, but the Rolling Stone article says it's a track from 1979?

EDIT: Maybe somebody could combine the two threads. I have a feeling there's at least a couple of more days and several pages to go...

[Autotune]

Very nice song. Prefer this over the -notoriously unfinished- old track. Nice vocals, and cool bass singing in the end-- there had to be one more great Mike Love killer bass vocal, and he delivered.

Two questions:

1) backing vocals? My guess is Foskett+Totten+Love. But I wonder if Bruce and Brian Ike are in there also-- if the former were there he'd be easy to pick out I think. The harmony blend is warm and nice.

2) songwriting credits?

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

What a bore.

If only he could have sung "...never be..." another 25 times. 

[SMiLE Brian]

Exactly, a ML nasal bleatfest if their ever was one.

[the professor]

why would BJ not be on this?  Would that have made it look too much like a BB attempt? Better for ML to go it alone in terms of actual BB members?  Weird.

[wantsomecorn]

why would BJ not be on this?  Would that have made it look too much like a BB attempt? Better for ML to go it alone in terms of actual BB members?  Weird.

I don't think Bruce was on any of Mike's other solo releases that have trickled out lately, but I could be wrong.

[Doo Dah]

Not a bad track, not at all! Actually enjoyed listening to it. But then again, I also enjoy PT Cruiser. Guess I'm just a sentimental sap...

To echo Ron's remark, coupling Mike with a co-producer/writer who's legitimately 'his own man' would be an interesting experiment. Throw some friction into that studio. Of course, I'm 'fraid that ship has sailed... Mike prefers the road.

Mike's tunes sound fine and all, but they always seem to lack that little surprise, that little unexpected. They always seem so pleasantly by-the-numbers. Daybreak Over the Ocean - pleasant, but a little hum dee dum to me.

[Kurosawa]

It's alright, but it's a bit too straight forward for me.  Should have had somebody cook it up a little more, make it a little more interesting.


What's always surprised me about Mike is that nobody like one of these cool-ass hipster music legends has worked with him and made him actually as good as he's always had the potential to be.  Neil Young.  Jeff Lynne.  Don Was.  One of those type of mo'fos who are super talented and like working with everybody.... get one of those guys to lock themselves in a room with Mike (lol) and record an artsy fartsy album with him.  It would probably be the greatest sh*t ever recorded.  Push him towards stuff like Big Sur or All I wanna do, etc.

I'm sure some have offered over the years but he must just be completely against it.  You'd think eventually he would have realized that since Brian was so good at all that stuff, after Brian was unavailable... oh, I don't know, how about get somebody outside to write with you and produce with you?  We've really missed out on a huge opportunity with Mike, because in my opinion the guy has a lot of talent but he needs an editor or a co writer to save him from himself.  

Just my opinion.  

I think they all buy into the idea that Mike is an arrogant jerk with little talent and would not sink to the level of working with him. I don't believe that myself-no person who writes a song as great as Big Sur is untalented-but that's the narrative and constant repetition has made it true for a lot of people.