The Beach Boys: Beach Boys' Party! Uncovered And Unplugged (Capitol Records/2015)

In the Autumn of 1965, Brian Wilson was composing and preparing The Beach Boys' legendary Pet Sounds album. 1965 also saw the release of two top-five charting albums (The Beach Boys Today! and Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)) which both show Wilson's maturing as a songwriter and a producer. By the middle of the Summer Capitol had been hounding the band for a new album to release for the Holiday shopping season. However, the band didn't have anything prepared. So, Brian Wilson came up with the idea of recording an album where the band sounds like they're just hanging out at a party with their friends and just performing acoustic cover versions of some of their favorite songs. The only instruments heard are acoustic guitar, bass, tambourine and bongos.

The album contained covers by Bob Dylan, The Everly Brothers, Phil Spector and three songs by The Beatles. Plus the novelty songs "Alley Oop", "Hully Gully" & "Papa Oom Mow Mow". The band's cover of "Barbara Ann" from this album was rush released as a single by Capitol when the bands' non-album single "The Little Girl I Once Knew" stalled at #20 on Billboards single charts. Apparently, "The Little Girl I Once Knew" was taking too long a time, slowly building momentum, in becoming a hit for the label's liking.  "Barbara Ann" reached #2 on the charts. Dean Torrence of Jan & Dean sings co-lead on the track with Brian Wilson.

To add a party atmosphere to the album, the bands recorded an ambient track of just chatter, clinking of glasses and general party noises which pervades the entire album. Capitol record has just released Uncovered and Unplugged, which is the album without the backround ambient track and just the band playing and singing in the studio. The vinyl version is a beautiful reproduction of the album with labels faithful to the original mid-60's Capitol label. And the CD contains two discs of the album itself and virtually all of the outtakes as well. Including versions of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", "Ticket To Ride" and "California Girls".

The album itself is unwittingly a virtual snapshot of the pre-Pet Sounds Beach Boys. How they were and never would be again.

Highly recommended for the Beach Boys connoisseur and for maybe a listen for the Beach Boys novice as well.

Here's The Video Review:



Special Thanks to Dave Rerecich of T.V. Games.

The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions (Capitol Records/2011)

By 1966 Brian Wilson was, creatively speaking, the king of the pop world. As leader and producer of The Beach Boys he'd been responsible for dozens of hit singles and albums. He'd also produced and written several singles for other artists as well. In three years he'd basically spearheaded an entire industry with selling California and it's appeal to the entire world. 1966 saw the release of The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, an album that was inspired by Rubber Soul and in turn was single-handedly responsible for inspiring The Beatles to make Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Originally intended for release in January of 1967, Smile was to be the next progression in pop music. A continuation of the modular songwriting that began with the “Good Vibrations” single. It had a loose thematic concept as an American travelogue from starting as Plymouth Rock and ending in Hawaii (with references to Imperialism, expansion, Industrial revolution, Manifest Destiny and the Great Chicago Fire). It also touches on The Elements (air, fire, Earth and water) as well. However, due to Brian Wilson's excessive substance abuse, paranoia and his creative partner, Van Dyke Parks walking away from the project, Smile was never completed. In fact, it's basically become a common view that Brian Wilson may have been simply overwhelmed with all of the fragments that were recorded for the segments of the pieces. And in his ambitions he basically envisioned the future of digital editing.

An over-simplified version of Smile was released in late Summer of 1967 as Smiley Smile. Songs from what would have been on the finished album did see release in various forms over the years, including on Smiley Smile. “Cabbinessence” and “Our Prayer” were released on the 20/20 album in 1969. "Cool Cool Water" later appeared on Sunflower in 1970. The “Mama Says” segment from “Vege-Tables” was released on Wild Honey in 1967 and “Surf's Up” served as the title track to their critically-acclaimed 1971 album.

The failure of Smile to materialize in its' intended form caused Brian Wilson to retreat from the public eye for many years and serving to ultimately further deepen his mental health problems. Wilson re-recorded the Smile album and tour in support of it in 2004 with his excellent solo band. The 50^th anniversary of The Beach Boys in 2011/2012 was the perfect occasion to finally release the original Smile recordings as The Smile Sessions on Halloween 2011.

The Smile Sessions box set included one double vinyl album (which comes with the original booklet as it was originally produced in 1966), two vinyl seven-inch singles, five CD's, and a sixty-page book. The CDs are one disc of the album as it has now been envisioned/revisioned and four CDs of session highlights. It's easily one of the most reverend box sets to be released specifically with it's fans in mind.

In 1966 album sleeves and booklets were produced way in advance as Smile was on the most highly anticipated releases in Capitol Records history. The artwork has been properly restored as well the mid-60's labels. Not one UPC barcode to be found on the item anywhere. The singles are beautifully reproduced as well, using the original “Heroes & Villains” picture sleeve as well as more of Smile artist Frank Holmes artwork for “Vege-tables”. You can also purchase the vinyl album as a standalone-purchase.

I'd recommend this release for anyone to hear as it's such an important slice of 1960's recording history that almost neverwas.

Here's The Video Review:

Special Thanks to Patricia Marson.

The Rip Chords: Sting Ray 7" (Sundazed Music/2006)

The Rip Chords were southern California surf pop band that were signed to Columbia Records. They released two unsuccessful doo-wop influenced singles (“Here I Stand” & Gone”). Columbia Record producers Terry Melcher and Bruce Johnston - also of the surf pop combo Bruce & Terry - came in shortly thereafter and took over the lead vocal duties. The band then had huge hit singles with “Hey Little Cobra” and “Three Window Coupe”. The band released two albums and subsequently had one more charting single with “One Piece Topless Bathing Suit” before calling it a day in 1965.

The always reliable Sundazed Music later reissued the bands two albums and a best of compilation that also contained a few unreleased items. Sundazed also released a single on colored vinyl on yellow wax.

“Sting Ray” is a boogie woogie rock and roll song that references The Beach Boys “Little Deuce Coupe”. “Red Hot Roadster” is a song that appeared in the motion picture A Swingin' Summer, that the band actually appeared in and the band performed said song. “Shut Down” is the a cover of the Beach Boys classic and appeared on the the Hey Little Cobra And Other Hits album. Terry Melcher went on to produce The Byrds and Paul Revere And The Raiders. Bruce Johnston joined the Beach Boys in the Spring of 1965 and is in the band to the day. And a touring version of The Rip Chords still tours the oldies circuit.

Highly recommended for fans of The Beach Boys and 60's Surf Pop. 

Here's the video review: