new essay about PACIFIC OCEAN BLUE

[theduke]

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/features/article/48236/sea-of-heartbreak/

I was lucky back around 1996 to find a used cd copy of the album for $3. It is one of my most played. I love the music Dennis created.

[Eric Aniversario]

That is a VERY VERY rare find, especially for being five years out of print by that point.  I found my copy around 1994 or so...still sealed in the longbox for $10.99 at some record store that went out of business the next year.  Never saw another copy, new or used, again.  They also had the 1991 issues of KTSA, Sunflower, Carl & The Passions, MIU, Ten Years Of Harmony, and I believe Surf's Up (I already had it by that time) all in longboxes, too, for $9.99 each ($13.99 for TYOH).  By far the best find I ever had in my years of music shopping.

[Eric Aniversario]

I just read the article, and I am surprised by Bruce's comments regarding POB.  I know it's a matter of opinion, but it's hard for me to understand someone could feel that way about it.  And to think that Carl's albums were more interesting?  That's definitely something I wouldn't have thought I'd hear him say.  There are some nice tracks off of both of Carl's albums, but to these ears and to this heart, nothing even remotely close to POB.  I guess it's kind of like Bruce hating Breakaway or Mike never listening to BWPS...something I'll never understand.

[the captain]

I don't know, I don't think Bruce said much that's so bad. I don't like Carl's solo material at all, so I can't relate to that. But I''m somewhat neutral on POB, too. I like about half of it, and could take or leave the rest. So for him to say he's neutral about it isn't as shocking to me (other than from the standpoint that most bands, one would think, promote one another in public...but hey, this is the Beach Boys) as it might be to others. I honestly don't consider POB some kind of lost classic. I consider it a good album that ought to be reissued, sure. But there's no way I'd put it in my top 100 albums.

The other things he says aren't so crazy either. He says Dennis could have made it more commercial, "farther reaching," I think is his term. I'm sure that's true. I don't think it would have improved the album, but certainly, it could've been more commercial.

And he says Dennis was talented, and fun to hang out with. I doubt anyone would argue those points!

[Charles LePage @ ComicList]

As for publishing the album and other DW works: is there still confusion over who has rights?  Is the "legal mess" untangled or not?  Why doesn't BRI buy the rights from the various parties and release a DW box set?

[the captain]

Why doesn't BRI buy the rights from the various parties and release a DW box set?

Well, according to some quotes in the essay, not necessarily enough BRI voting members want it out.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I think some of the info in that article may be mildly inaccurate - my understanding is that the rights were sorted out well over a year ago.

[MBE]

I'd like to see Bruce do better. He really is a bad judge of material in my opinion. When Girls Get Together proves that to many.

[mikeyj]

I'd like to see Bruce do better. He really is a bad judge of material in my opinion. When Girls Get Together proves that to many.

Yeh that is true. I mean look at Going Public, that sucks, I'm sure Bruce would even admit that.

[Eric Aniversario]

I'd like to see Bruce do better. He really is a bad judge of material in my opinion. When Girls Get Together proves that to many.

Yeh that is true. I mean look at Going Public, that sucks, I'm sure Bruce would even admit that.

Yeah, he's said several times he doesn't like Going Public either.  He's also been known to say that he doesn't like Love You.  Maybe he was going through some bad stuff in 1977, and any BB music from that era reminds him of it???  That's 3 for 3 that he didn't like from 77.  I wonder what he thinks of Blondie Chaplin's album from that year?

[mikeyj]

I'd like to see Bruce do better. He really is a bad judge of material in my opinion. When Girls Get Together proves that to many.

Yeh that is true. I mean look at Going Public, that sucks, I'm sure Bruce would even admit that.

Yeah, he's said several times he doesn't like Going Public either.  He's also been known to say that he doesn't like Love You.  Maybe he was going through some bad stuff in 1977, and any BB music from that era reminds him of it???  That's 3 for 3 that he didn't like from 77.  I wonder what he thinks of Blondie Chaplin's album from that year?

He's probably never heard it. I never knew he didn't like Love You aswell.. Maby you are right, maby he was having a hard time at that stage of his life?

[Beach Boy]

Why? He had a huge hit.

[MBE]

Comment I left
Good article but I wanted to comment on some things that raised my eyebrows. Bruce made a fool of himself here. Anyone hear his solo LP Going Public? It’s pathetic. Leaf also seems to be giving Dennis some backhanded compliments. He is a Brian guy and not really elequent when it comes to the other Beach Boys. I think all the composers he compared Dennis to are inferior by merely their pretentions.

Two factual points need to be corrected. Dennis voice was great during the “Holland” era, he just hated being there and wouldn’t hang around long enough to finish those leads. Second Dennis did show his playfull side on his earlier compositions such as “Sound Of Free”, “All I Want To Do”, an “Got To Know The Woman”. Even his Bamboo outake “Wild Situation” has some of his sly humor.

[Aegir]

Bruce has a very commercial mindset and his music tends to be very schmaltzy. It makes sense why he wouldn't like POB but like Carl's solo albums.

[grillo]

Bruce...poor Bruce. He seems like a talented guy with absolutely no standards or taste when it comes to music. Every song he's been behind the boards for is bound to be the most maudlin MOR pap. Shifting units is the way he thinks of music. Maybe he was proud to be thought of as one of the surfing Doris Days...

[c-man]

As far as "Love You" goes, Bruce has said the main thing he doesn't like about it is the "steam-powered synths" taking over where there used to be a room full of musicians.  That and Brian's course vocal delivery, and I'm sure the childlike lyrics bother him too...think of it from the prospective of someone who idolized Brian at the peak of his career, but now watched from the sidelines as his idol, now a broken man, cranked out THIS record...some of us would probably feel similarly sad.  I think that's Bruce's main opinion of "Love You":  sad.  On the other hand, he praised "'Til I Die" in the same interview as being Brian's last truly great work of art.

Me, of course, I've loved "Love You" since Day One, because it's as brilliant as it is whacked-out.  But I'm on the outside looking in.

As for his dislike of "POB"...I guess there's no accounting for taste, but Bruce did praise "Make It Good" and to a lesser extent "Cuddle Up", from a musician's standpoint, while admitting he wasn't being "commercially objective". 

I wonder how long it's been since he's heard "POB"?  If he hasn't listened to it since it came out, he might feel differently about it by listening to it now.

[Dancing Bear]

So Bruce doesn't think Love You and POB are masterpieces... So what? "Bad taste"? 'Cause he loves Sunflower, that album must suck then. I'd rather have him giving his honest opinion instead of saying "all the right things" to apease the Beach Boys audience. POB ain't this perfect album, and I say this as a proud owner of a Caribou CD.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I don't know, I don't think Bruce said much that's so bad. I don't like Carl's solo material at all, so I can't relate to that. But I''m somewhat neutral on POB, too. I like about half of it, and could take or leave the rest. So for him to say he's neutral about it isn't as shocking to me (other than from the standpoint that most bands, one would think, promote one another in public...but hey, this is the Beach Boys) as it might be to others. I honestly don't consider POB some kind of lost classic. I consider it a good album that ought to be reissued, sure. But there's no way I'd put it in my top 100 albums.

The other things he says aren't so crazy either. He says Dennis could have made it more commercial, "farther reaching," I think is his term. I'm sure that's true. I don't think it would have improved the album, but certainly, it could've been more commercial.

And he says Dennis was talented, and fun to hang out with. I doubt anyone would argue those points!

I would agree with you that POB is not necassaraly a classic, one of a kind gem.  But in the context of the Beach Boys, it was by far the best thing that came out in the 70s. In fact, I that the BB continued to progress from Wild Honey to Holland. POB was a step beyond that IMO. Love You is an album that I may like better, but it is not as mature as POB. The same could be said in comparing Friends and Holland. I like Friends better, but Holland is more mature.

No, it may not compare to Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin, Chicago, etc.

[the captain]

But in the context of the Beach Boys, it was by far the best thing that came out in the 70s.

By far? Not to my (Brucian?) ears. It's not as good as Sunflower, Surf's Up, Holland or Love You. But i beats the pants off 15BO, MIU and LA. Fifth of nine.

[MBE]

I would say only Sunflower trumps it.

[roll plymouth rock]

I just want to throw it out there that I believe the Spring/American Spring, BW-produced album is equally deserving of a re-release, and yet another example of an artistically interesting album not seeing re-release.

[Eric Aniversario]

But in the context of the Beach Boys, it was by far the best thing that came out in the 70s.

By far? Not to my (Brucian?) ears. It's not as good as Sunflower, Surf's Up, Holland or Love You. But i beats the pants off 15BO, MIU and LA. Fifth of nine.

My rankings (as of 11/07):

1. LA (Slick production is not always a bad thing...beautiful background vocals on each track...edges out POB just because everyone participates)
2. POB (I do think that this is a lost classic that deserves a wider audience)
3. In Concert (their best live album)
4. CATP/ST (a sentimental favorite...when I first heard this, it really clicked for me that they really did a lot of great music in the early 70's that went unappreciated)
5. Love You (unlike any other BB album)
6. Sunflower (not as much of a favorite as it used to be for me)
7. Surf's Up (my appreciation for this album has gone way up over the years)
8. MIU (weak songs, but definitely a fan of that warm sound)
9. Holland (this album is definitely less than the sum of it parts...it just doesn't come together)
10. Blondie Chaplin (vastly underrated...some potential hits on there if the album had been promoted)
11. Celebration (2nd album...fun, mindless pop.)
12. 15BO (Because of  the availability of the 45 versions of RNRM and It's OK on GH3, I don't ever bother with this)
13. Almost Summer Soundtrack (a couple of OK tracks)
14. Going Public (the disco Deirdre is OK)

[phirnis]

For me, there's is a certain sense of despair to DW's love songs at that point in time, which I find to be both appalling and beautiful at once, so it totally depends on the mood I'm in if I'm even able to enjoy it. That said, I certainly don't mean that in a negative way, as an artist bearing his very soul like that is one of the true blessings you rarely come across in the history of pop music.

[c-man]

It's both Dennis' "Pet Sounds" and his "Plastic Ono Band".

[MBE]

1. LA (Slick production is not always a bad thing...beautiful background vocals on each track...edges out POB just because everyone participates)
2. POB (I do think that this is a lost classic that deserves a wider audience)
3. In Concert (their best live album)
4. CATP/ST (a sentimental favorite...when I first heard this, it really clicked for me that they really did a lot of great music in the early 70's that went unappreciated)
5. Love You (unlike any other BB album)
6. Sunflower (not as much of a favorite as it used to be for me)
7. Surf's Up (my appreciation for this album has gone way up over the years)
8. MIU (weak songs, but definitely a fan of that warm sound)
9. Holland (this album is definitely less than the sum of it parts...it just doesn't come together)
10. Blondie Chaplin (vastly underrated...some potential hits on there if the album had been promoted)
11. Celebration (2nd album...fun, mindless pop.)
12. 15BO (Because of  the availability of the 45 versions of RNRM and It's OK on GH3, I don't ever bother with this)
13. Almost Summer Soundtrack (a couple of OK tracks)
14. Going Public (the disco Deirdre is OK)
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Interesting list, I would say that for me I like everything from 1970-73 much more then 76-79 but  P.O.B. is as good anything they did previously. I admit to liking Dennis' young voice better, but I still think it's nearly perfect as an album can be.  It's funny the late seventies may pale next to what came before but it's so much better then what was to come later not counting some of Brian's solo work.