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Ed Hemingway
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« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2006, 12:08:04 pm » |
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Well, I always thought they should've done an album of oldies in the manner of Dylan's As Good As I've Been To You, so I don't have any problem with that aspect. It is problematical when you realise this followed (eventually) an album as great and diverse as Holland and that it sold well only to act as a poor advert for the group. Then there are the voices - those which once sung like angels seem almost shot to hell, especially Brian and Dennis, but Mike's nasal whine isn't far behind. It must have come as quite a shock to people picking this up with all their 60s songs in mind. In a lot of people's eyes, it's the album that was the death knell for the group's creativity. I like Had To Phone Ya and Susie Cincinnati; but the other new songs are awful, especially It's Okay, which tried to capture the 1964-65 spirit of their hit-making heyday without any of the charm, wit or skill. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be the last song to try to do this! I quite like Back Home - sorta belongs on an album of oldies in a way. As for the oldies themselves... I like A Casual Look, In the Still of the Night, Palisades Park and especially Just Once In My Life. Rock 'n' Roll Music is okay and Sea Cruise and On Broadway would've been definite pluses. It's their first genuinely weak album sonce they became successful, but there's enough there to make it worth buying and worth more than a casual listen.
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Not even if it helps the space programme...
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topgazza
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« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2006, 02:53:54 pm » |
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I was visiting a friend and his wife who were well into the Rolling Stones and usually stoned as well. They loved Holland and waited my arrival with the new BB album under my arm. 15 Big Ones............oh dear. After a polite 15 minutes they suggested we revert to the Satanic Majesty's album.
What a major disappointment with very little saving grace. Sure some of the songs are just listenable but why do we insist on being charitable.....this is rubbish.
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Lee Marshall
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« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2006, 05:18:12 pm » |
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A few fairly decent songs. Nothing REALLY great. Several absolute stinkers. And as Ed pointed out...those voices...just shot. What a 'blockbuster' follow-up to Holland. A MOST generous 3. Dreck on lp, cassette or cd.
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"No Wilsons...NO Beach Boys." I find it impossible to argue with THAT.
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Conspiracy Jim
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« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2006, 11:01:29 am » |
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A few fairly decent songs. Nothing REALLY great. Several absolute stinkers. And as Ed pointed out...those voices...just shot. What a 'blockbuster' follow-up to Holland. A MOST generous 3. Dreck on lp, cassette or cd.
Took the words right out of my mouth. I was atonished by the production values on this too. Even Holland etc have some sonic clarity or adventurousness about them, but this is just artificial in extremis. This just feels like it was made in a tiny room and they piled everything in, or overdubbed it afterwards. Production wise, it sounds like the theme music for a bad soap opera. I really like Had To Phone Ya, It's OK, Susie Cincinatti, and Back Home though. |
Are you telling me you don't see the connection between government and laughing at people?
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garydavis
Shows up sometimes
 Offline
Posts: 25
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« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2006, 12:33:07 pm » |
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About half of this one consists of cover versions of some of the most popular songs of early rock 'n' roll. None of them do any justice to the original versions.
Many of the songs produced in-house were outtakes from previous lps. "Had to Phone Ya" is OK but it when it's the best song on the album, then you have problems. "Susie Cincinnati" and "Back Home" are the best of the rest which is a scary thought.
And to think, as Brian Wilson's "comeback" lp, this one was big hit - top ten on the Billboard charts with a top five single (the risible cover of Chuck Berry's "Rock and Roll Music"). At this point they needed a hit but they probably lost a few fans in the long run because there's no way this one could stand repeated listenings from very many people.
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Susan
Administrator
Wow! I hit 4,000 posts!
Offline
Posts: 4,429
Got Bambu?
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« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2006, 01:48:50 pm » |
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All of what is said above is true. And yet...it has aged better than it began. Maybe because i didn't have the baggage of knowing the background when it came out...maybe because the whole American Graffiti thing was happening...but i liked the album then, and i like it now. A 7. Almost was a 6, but i gave it an extra point for staying power.
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My Dad's Truck - Free-range Acoustic! New Truck tracks! NERFA '08 demo here. "I love to get a pie in the face, 'cause it makes the people laugh!" ~ Soupy Sales
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Howard
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« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2006, 03:53:51 pm » |
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This was a big disappointment and the beginning of the end for my involvement in listening to The Beach Boys as a source of contemporary music. (I bought Love You and one other LP, at a knock down price of 99p subsequently.) I liked Rock and Roll Music but really that was it. I look at the track listing and I have difficulty recalling what the other songs were like, except perhaps Had to Phone Ya. 4/10
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Moon Dawg
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« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2006, 06:58:51 pm » |
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I agree that this album has aged better than one would have expected...Brian's keyboard textures are interesting. "It's OK" is the only original composition close to classic status, but "Had to Phone Ya", "Back Home" and "Susie Cincinnati" are all decent. The best covers are "Just Once In My Life", "Palisades Park" and "Chapel of Love". "Sea Cruise" was a rocking outtake...a better Dennis vocal than what you get on "In the Still of the Nite".
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Vega-Table
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« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2007, 02:25:35 pm » |
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Best song on here? The TM Song!  Otherwise pretty much a dreadful disappointment. |
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captain wick
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« Reply #10 on: June 28, 2008, 12:15:50 pm » |
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People were expecting good things from Brian and the group in 1976, but this sad clunker was all they got. A big miss! * *
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