The Free Design were a soft-psyche,
baroque pop band from Delevan, New York (which is upstate in
Cattaraugus County). They were comprised of the siblings of the
Dedrick family. The band released seven albums between the years of
1967 and 1972. They only managed one charting single “Kites Are
Fun” which reached 114 on Billboard's charts and 33 on the Adult
Contemporary Charts. However by the mid 1990's with American baroque
pop of the 60's being reevaluated, they slowly acquired a cult
following of people like Belle & Sebastian, Beck and The
Polyphonic Spree.
By the mid 2000's all of their albums
had been reissued. Along with an album of new original material -
Cosmic Peekaboo – as well
three EP's of remixed and “resigned”. These redesigned songs are
essentially comprise a remixed tribute album of sorts with
contributions from Danger Mouse, The High Llamas, Super Furry
Animals, Stereolab and Belle & Sebastian. The EP I have is volume
2 (out of the the three volumes). Of the most effective and
sympathetic tracks are Stereolab & The High Llamas' remix of “The
Proper Ornaments” and Caribou's interpretation of “Dorian
Benediction”.
All in
an interesting, if diverting tribute album. If you've not heard The
Free Design, by all means, check them out. The Beach Boys are the
only peers to The Free Design's jazzy, complex vocal harmonies.
The Beach Boys are one of the greatest American bands to emerge from the second-half of the 20th Century. Brian Wilson is one of the most important modern-day American pop composers. His productions ushered in Baroque pop, Sunshine pop and Psychedelic Pop. However, to your average low-information consumer, they are primarily known only for recording a handful of well-crafted, but perhaps over-saturated early hits (i.e. "Surfin' U.S.A.", "Fun, Fun, Fun", "I Get Around", "Help Me Rhonda" and "California Girls"). Hits that have been heard in commercials, movies and all-over oldies radio, for quite some time now.
However some of their best material (bona fide hits or minor hits) come from their lesser-known-to-the-public-at-large era of 1966-1973. Some songs that are very well-known ("Good Vibrations") and have similar, near companion songs that are not as well-known ("Heroes And Villains"). Good Vibrations: Best Of The Beach Boys was the first time all of the baroque-pop period of The Beach Boys was compiled in one place. However it's release was not exactly of purest intentions. Endless Summer (Capitol/1974) and Spirit Of America (Capitol/1975) were compilation albums released of the bands' earlier material by Capitol after the band had been on Reprise for a few years. They were blockbuster albums peaking at numbers 1 and 8, respectively on Billboard. They single-handedly put The Beach Boys back in the general public's commercial consciousness again after years of releasing artistically-successful albums, but dwindling returns. Reprise had the rights to the bands Capitol catalog from 1966-1969 and the bands' own Reprise material (from 1970 onward).
Good Vibrations: Best Of The Beach Boys succeeds in (albeit modestly - it charted at 25) cashing-in on the band they seemingly could never sell in the same way that Capitol had, despite first-class material. Song-for-song it's basically a perfect album. "Good Vibrations", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Heroes And Villains", "Friends", "Add Some Music To Your Day", "God Only Knows", "Sloop John B", "Surf's Up", "Caroline, No", "Darlin'", "Do It Again" and "Sail On Sailor" are the songs on the album. If there was to be a CD release for a complete 1966-1973 best-of, these are the tracks I'd include: "I Can Hear Music", "Cottonfields" (single version), Bluebirds Over The Mountain", "Wild Honey", "Long Promised Road", "Till I Die", "Marcella", "Cabinessence", "California Saga: California" (single version) "Busy Doin' Nothin'", "This Whole World" and "You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone". But you could always make a compilation CD of all of this I suppose.
I cannot recommend the vinyl platter highly enough.
