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Question: Al Jardine - A Postcard From California
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Author Topic: A Postcard From California (Al Jardine)  (Read 45539 times)
KDS
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« Reply #50 on: September 29, 2017, 08:38:37 AM »

Do It Again (pick any of the three recent ones).

No, thank you: I'd rather pretend some didn't exist.

Same here.  I don't even much for for the 2012 BB version too much.  Why release that when you're about to release 12 originals?   
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the captain
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« Reply #51 on: September 29, 2017, 08:44:42 AM »

Totally agree with that. Frankly I'm not even that big a fan of the song to begin with. I mean, it's fine. I don't hate it. But I could have done without any of them. I get the idea of getting together to kick the tires and see where things stood, but you don't have to release it. (Though yes, obviously the song subject matter and title made it an obvious marketing hook.)
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« Reply #52 on: September 29, 2017, 08:49:01 AM »

Getting back on the topic of Al Jardine material. 

If Al decides to do another solo album one day, (I think I posted in another thread) I'd like to see him work with Jeff Lynne.  They could do some originals together.  No BB covers.  And it would be a nice album. 
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KDS
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« Reply #53 on: September 29, 2017, 08:50:29 AM »

I listened it the album a few weeks ago for the first time in awhile. 

I posted two years ago that it's an overall good listen, but not much very memorable.  Drivin is nice.  I'd love to hear what The Beach Boys would've done with Waves of Love, as Al tried to pitch it for TWGMTR.  I could do with less BB remakes, but they're not bad, just inferior to their originals. 
If there's sth. I'm easygoing about, it's remakes. If the remake's done really well, I don't see what's the big deal. Don't even care inferior-superior, it matters if I like it, not within the "it's written years back & this is 5th remake" but as if it's different, new song. So, we'll agree to disagree here, KDS.

That's fair enough.   I just think they kind of break up the flow of the album a light, similar to how the two BB remakes break up Brian's Imagination album.
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« Reply #54 on: September 29, 2017, 08:54:27 AM »

Getting back on the topic of Al Jardine material. 

If Al decides to do another solo album one day, (I think I posted in another thread) I'd like to see him work with Jeff Lynne.  They could do some originals together.  No BB covers.  And it would be a nice album. 

While I'm not much of a Jeff Lynne fan, I do think he'd need somebody who could provide material and a sense of production urgency. Realistically, Al doesn't write a whole lot, and he tinkers too long.

Ideally I'd like that collaborator (or one of those collaborators) to be Brian, because he's given Al so much fantastic content over the years. But he's not exactly overly productive these days, either.

I really liked that version Al did with Richard Barone of "If I Had a Hammer." I don't know much of anything about Barone, but I wonder if he or someone else could spur Al's interest in folk music and do harmony-heavy stuff in that vein, which might also keep Al from the production tinkering by keeping things simpler.
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« Reply #55 on: September 29, 2017, 09:14:27 AM »

Getting back on the topic of Al Jardine material. 

If Al decides to do another solo album one day, (I think I posted in another thread) I'd like to see him work with Jeff Lynne.  They could do some originals together.  No BB covers.  And it would be a nice album. 

I'd love to see Al work with Jeff Lynne. But I don't think Al could afford him, and no indie label that signs Al would pay for Lynne.
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« Reply #56 on: September 29, 2017, 09:18:44 AM »

Do It Again (pick any of the three recent ones).

No, thank you: I'd rather pretend some didn't exist.

Same here.  I don't even much for for the 2012 BB version too much.  Why release that when you're about to release 12 originals?   

The C50 2012 version of DIA had a very specific purpose. It essentially *wasn't* released in any widespread fashion. It was posted as a video on YouTube, and also tacked onto that "Zinepak" thing they sold at Walmart. But it wasn't even sold as a download on iTunes or Amazon, etc.

It was used as a promotional tool for the reunion project. And the session itself from back around May of 2011 was undertaken as a dry run for the reunion to simply make sure the four guys could get through a session without any major acrimony. I would imagine they picked the song because of the obvious reunion theming, and because the four of them and their touring guys could sing and play the song in their sleep.

It think most fans were most interested in the track due to the novelty of seeing the guys together again. That being said, it's still far better than Mike's PBS remake and a million times better than his 2017 version.
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« Reply #57 on: September 29, 2017, 09:23:51 AM »

I'm less curious about Waves of Love, just because I don't think it's that good a song. Maybe if they'd rewritten it, keeping the obvious benefits of Carl's vocals wherever they could, but come up with a stronger song overall. Sadly I just don't think the part Carl sang was that good a part, or that excitingly sung.

Agree 100% about the remakes. It's one thing to rerecord and release songs that may have been booted but weren't ever on real releases, as Brian has done on occasion over the years (or I guess as Al did with Wave of Love). But things like Rhonda or California Saga are just entirely unnecessary to me.

Doing remakes seems to be an odd, and somewhat bewildering, habit among the surviving Beach Boys going back 20 odd years now.   I can kinda see them trying to maybe improve on a song (ie. extending the Man With All the Boys), or doing more obscure songs that may have been overlooked the first time around.  But, there's no reason for stuff like Little Saint Nick - BW '05, Help Me Rhonda '12, or Do It Again (pick any of the three recent ones).

In many cases (and especially Al's album and Brian's X-Mas album), the choice to remake old familiar songs is probably at least partly about garnering interest from prospective labels, and/or please the label that's signed you.

I don't think anyone was surprised by Brian doing the most famous BB X-mas song on his solo X-Mas album. One could even argue that because most of the album is "covers" of classic X-mas songs, he was covering the BB tunes as "classics" rather than simply covering himself.

As for Al, I know that all along he wanted a major label for his album, or at least *some* sort of actual label. I would imagine that was part of the motivation of putting a few familiar songs titles on there, especially Rhonda. Ultimately, while he did initially just put it out himself in 2010, he did get a label to distribute it in 2012. I'm sure they were happy to have "Rhonda" on there.

I'd also argue unlike Mike's typical self-covers (and some of Brian's), Al's re-recordings on his album are at least relatively different arrangements. "Rhonda" is done in a bluesy arrangement, "Cal Saga" is done somewhat more stripped back, and "California Dreamin'" is probably the best of the re-arranged numbers.

I also think Al just wanted to have guest stars, and cover versions helped to facilitate some of those.
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KDS
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« Reply #58 on: September 29, 2017, 09:24:21 AM »

Do It Again (pick any of the three recent ones).

No, thank you: I'd rather pretend some didn't exist.

Same here.  I don't even much for for the 2012 BB version too much.  Why release that when you're about to release 12 originals?   

The C50 2012 version of DIA had a very specific purpose. It essentially *wasn't* released in any widespread fashion. It was posted as a video on YouTube, and also tacked onto that "Zinepak" thing they sold at Walmart. But it wasn't even sold as a download on iTunes or Amazon, etc.

It was used as a promotional tool for the reunion project. And the session itself from back around May of 2011 was undertaken as a dry run for the reunion to simply make sure the four guys could get through a session without any major acrimony. I would imagine they picked the song because of the obvious reunion theming, and because the four of them and their touring guys could sing and play the song in their sleep.

It think most fans were most interested in the track due to the novelty of seeing the guys together again. That being said, it's still far better than Mike's PBS remake and a million times better than his 2017 version.

Yeah, I get that.  And it is better than the 16 & 17 versions.  
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« Reply #59 on: September 29, 2017, 09:25:26 AM »

Another interesting thing about "Postcards" is that during the one day of sessions that Al had Brian in (June 10th, 2007 to be precise), he evidently had Brian add vocals to a ton of stuff, and a lot of it didn't make it onto the album. There's a promotional video for the making of the album that shows Brian singing lead lines on the title track "A Postcard from California", and I believe it was mentioned that he added vocals to "And I Always Will" as well.
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« Reply #60 on: September 29, 2017, 09:25:52 AM »

Getting back on the topic of Al Jardine material. 

If Al decides to do another solo album one day, (I think I posted in another thread) I'd like to see him work with Jeff Lynne.  They could do some originals together.  No BB covers.  And it would be a nice album. 

I'd love to see Al work with Jeff Lynne. But I don't think Al could afford him, and no indie label that signs Al would pay for Lynne.

Yeah, if anything it would have to be a passion project for Jeff.  But, since ELO seems to be slowly becoming an active band again, its probably all a pipe dream.  
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KDS
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« Reply #61 on: September 29, 2017, 09:27:30 AM »

That's fair enough.   I just think they kind of break up the flow of the album a light, similar to how the two BB remakes break up Brian's Imagination album.
Imagination is the worst BW album - not due to remakes.

Wow, forgot that collab, maybe the best cover of that song after orig. It's very nice of Bono to launch this duet/ inter-musician charity thing. Yep, Al should hang out with new(ish) folk stars.

I actually quite like the Imagination album.  I'd probably rank it in the middle of BW's solo albums. 
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the captain
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« Reply #62 on: September 29, 2017, 09:34:39 AM »

Getting back on the topic of Al Jardine material. 

If Al decides to do another solo album one day, (I think I posted in another thread) I'd like to see him work with Jeff Lynne.  They could do some originals together.  No BB covers.  And it would be a nice album. 

I'd love to see Al work with Jeff Lynne. But I don't think Al could afford him, and no indie label that signs Al would pay for Lynne.

Yeah, if anything it would have to be a passion project for Jeff.  But, since ELO seems to be slowly becoming an active band again, its probably all a pipe dream.  

Or for Al, because certainly he does have the funds to hire Jeff ... it's just whether he'd be comfortable putting his own money into something that wouldn't be profitable.
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« Reply #63 on: September 29, 2017, 09:38:32 AM »

Getting back on the topic of Al Jardine material. 

If Al decides to do another solo album one day, (I think I posted in another thread) I'd like to see him work with Jeff Lynne.  They could do some originals together.  No BB covers.  And it would be a nice album. 

I'd love to see Al work with Jeff Lynne. But I don't think Al could afford him, and no indie label that signs Al would pay for Lynne.

Yeah, if anything it would have to be a passion project for Jeff.  But, since ELO seems to be slowly becoming an active band again, its probably all a pipe dream.  

Yeah, he's pretty busy (relatively) these days. Plus, for all his reputation as a famous "producer", he really hasn't ever been an industry "producer" guy the way others have. He pretty much has only produced friends, or people he's a fan of, or himself, or groups he's involved with, and then on rare occasions has produced outside artists usually at the behest of a record label or other intermediary (e.g. Brian).

He produced Regina Spektor several years back, but she was on a major label, sought Lynne out (hilariously not aware of his history as a major artist and only seeking him out because she liked how Petty's "Highway Companion" sounded), and her label could afford him.
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« Reply #64 on: September 29, 2017, 09:40:40 AM »

Getting back on the topic of Al Jardine material. 

If Al decides to do another solo album one day, (I think I posted in another thread) I'd like to see him work with Jeff Lynne.  They could do some originals together.  No BB covers.  And it would be a nice album. 

I'd love to see Al work with Jeff Lynne. But I don't think Al could afford him, and no indie label that signs Al would pay for Lynne.

Yeah, if anything it would have to be a passion project for Jeff.  But, since ELO seems to be slowly becoming an active band again, its probably all a pipe dream.  

Or for Al, because certainly he does have the funds to hire Jeff ... it's just whether he'd be comfortable putting his own money into something that wouldn't be profitable.

Exactly. Considering he has never tried to launch something like a clubs tour, it doesn't appear he's interested in putting his own money into a music project and losing money or, at best, breaking even.

It's tough, because he probably needs an outside producer to motivate things and move things along, because even with a pro studio literally at his own home, he hasn't found whatever it is he needs to produce more music.
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« Reply #65 on: September 29, 2017, 09:55:56 AM »

Getting back on the topic of Al Jardine material. 

If Al decides to do another solo album one day, (I think I posted in another thread) I'd like to see him work with Jeff Lynne.  They could do some originals together.  No BB covers.  And it would be a nice album. 

I'd love to see Al work with Jeff Lynne. But I don't think Al could afford him, and no indie label that signs Al would pay for Lynne.

Yeah, if anything it would have to be a passion project for Jeff.  But, since ELO seems to be slowly becoming an active band again, its probably all a pipe dream.  

Or for Al, because certainly he does have the funds to hire Jeff ... it's just whether he'd be comfortable putting his own money into something that wouldn't be profitable.

Exactly. Considering he has never tried to launch something like a clubs tour, it doesn't appear he's interested in putting his own money into a music project and losing money or, at best, breaking even.

It's tough, because he probably needs an outside producer to motivate things and move things along, because even with a pro studio literally at his own home, he hasn't found whatever it is he needs to produce more music.

He could always join Ringo's All Star Band at some point.
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« Reply #66 on: September 29, 2017, 10:11:35 AM »

If he's going to be in a traveling oldies act, he may as well stay where he is, where at least he's featured throughout the shows rather than 2-3 songs.
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« Reply #67 on: September 29, 2017, 10:14:24 AM »

If he's going to be in a traveling oldies act, he may as well stay where he is, where at least he's featured throughout the shows rather than 2-3 songs.

I meant to say if Brian retires or takes an extended break. 

Like HJ said, an Al Jardine tour would be pretty unlikely, so I think if he's not with Brian any longer, the Ringo gig would be a good fit (some goes for Bruce if Mike ever hangs up his baseball cap). 
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« Reply #68 on: March 27, 2018, 03:20:23 PM »

Doing remakes seems to be an odd, and somewhat bewildering, habit among the surviving Beach Boys going back 20 odd years now.   I can kinda see them trying to maybe improve on a song (ie. extending the Man With All the Boys), or doing more obscure songs that may have been overlooked the first time around. 

When did any of the guys do a song about Kevin Spacey?
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« Reply #69 on: May 01, 2019, 04:06:05 AM »

This is what I wrote at the other board I post on, in December after a third hearing. I've played it many times since:

A Postcard from California is a very warm, intimate record, more so than I'd expected. It is full of felicitous touches and dabs of instrumental colour----the guitar on the first track, the baritone sax on "Honkin'", some great vocal harmonies around the place, Brian in there sounding happy on "Drivin'", the "downhomey" take on "Rhonda"... "DFTS" is a timeless gem and "San Simeon" is gorgeous. Unlike the pastel shades of the album's cover, the music itself is rich and colourful. The few non-musical sounds are used to great effect. All the "old" tracks sound good in their new guise, not better but different... and good. "Honkin'" sounded lewd on Love You but gets just the right tongue-in-cheek treatment this time round. Alan is in great voice, as are Steve Miller and Crosby and Young (and Glen C). The whole atmosphere is joyous. The only track I still have to come to terms with is the album's closer. Is it just too intimate for my liking? Great chords though and again, those deft instrumental touches. I shall be playing Postcard again very soon and who knows?----maybe that final track will click with me eventually.

It did today. (Still a bit on the intimate side though.)  Now I love the entire album. Roll Eyes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzfI3Yr3uNg
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