38. The Beach Boys - Today.
After a lengthy break, we begin our sonic odyssey once more. This recording was released in 1965, and was the eighth studio album from the Beach Boys.The band was looking to branch out from the genre of surf music, this album marked a move into a new direction; the songwriting was becoming more intricate, resulting in tracks with more depth than in their previous offerings. The musicianship on the album is spectacular, as are the unmistakable vocals. I do find the topical matter somewhat juvenile, the lyrics are lacking the same depth as the music. It could be taken out of context, but it seems like the album is made up of the concerns of a teenager hanging out at the malt shop in a 1950's movie. Listening to these songs, you get a whiff of that nostalgia of a simpler time, of an America that many say never actually happened. That being said, the time capsule aspect adds to the allure, and the overall vibe of the album turns out to be a positive one.
The album begins with a cover song, "Do You Wanna Dance". Immediately you can hear the presence of the Wall of Sound. While the album was not produced by Phil Spector, many of the Wrecking Crew session musicians were present on the album. "Good To My Baby" has a good guitar riff and the vocal melodies the Beach Boys are known for, and begins our time travel back to the malt shop. "Don't Hurt My Little Sister" continues in this vein, as big brother sticks up for his upset sibling. The line "Why don't you love her/ Like her big brother..." made me raise an eyebrow, but I suspect that is new Millennium cynicism kicking in.
The theme of youth continues with "When I Grow Up To Be A Man". This track has obvious harpsichord parts, which shows the Beach Boys were staying current and moving in a more orchestral direction, and experimenting with new sounds, like many of the albums we have previously listened to. Wikipedia mentions that Brian Wilson had allegedly begun to use marijuana in 1964, so that could account for the expanded musical awareness.
"Help Me Rhonda" is a classic Beach Boys song, and "Dance, Dance, Dance" sounds like the Beatles playing surf music. The soaring vocals are unmistakably the Beach Boys. "I'm So Young" is a doo-wop cover, and fits in nicely with the teen theme, and the vocals are layered and rich. The oohs and aahs in the background really illustrate the Wall of Sound, while the guitar chugs out some cool riffs in the middle of the mix. I think that this track is probably my favourite on the album.
"Kiss Me Baby" has layered vocal parts and is a nice ballad. I can imagine two young lovers pressed together at a high school dance thinking that this was the most important song, it was their song, and would be their song until the end of time. I'm sure many years later, when the song played by chance on the radio, the memories of that moment in time would flood back, even if your present lover was sitting beside you in the car. It is one of those songs that remains special to you long after you have forgotten it was out there. Don't tell my wife, but rereading this, maybe I do have some romance in me after all.
The parade of love songs continues with the introspective "She Knows Me Too Well". "In The Back Of My Mind" is a little different, it has a somewhat psychedelic feel to it, layers of music and vocals that evoke the Beatles. Then, the whole thing gets surreal and there is a spoken track; an interview over burgers. The album wraps with the sax heavy "The Girl From New York City".
I liked this album quite a bit, I am looking forward to checking out "Pet Sounds" a little further down the line. This one seems dated, but maintains it's integrity. You know that you are listening to a really good album from a different era. Rolling Stone placed this record at number 270 on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
The album begins with a cover song, "Do You Wanna Dance". Immediately you can hear the presence of the Wall of Sound. While the album was not produced by Phil Spector, many of the Wrecking Crew session musicians were present on the album. "Good To My Baby" has a good guitar riff and the vocal melodies the Beach Boys are known for, and begins our time travel back to the malt shop. "Don't Hurt My Little Sister" continues in this vein, as big brother sticks up for his upset sibling. The line "Why don't you love her/ Like her big brother..." made me raise an eyebrow, but I suspect that is new Millennium cynicism kicking in.
The theme of youth continues with "When I Grow Up To Be A Man". This track has obvious harpsichord parts, which shows the Beach Boys were staying current and moving in a more orchestral direction, and experimenting with new sounds, like many of the albums we have previously listened to. Wikipedia mentions that Brian Wilson had allegedly begun to use marijuana in 1964, so that could account for the expanded musical awareness.
"Help Me Rhonda" is a classic Beach Boys song, and "Dance, Dance, Dance" sounds like the Beatles playing surf music. The soaring vocals are unmistakably the Beach Boys. "I'm So Young" is a doo-wop cover, and fits in nicely with the teen theme, and the vocals are layered and rich. The oohs and aahs in the background really illustrate the Wall of Sound, while the guitar chugs out some cool riffs in the middle of the mix. I think that this track is probably my favourite on the album.
"Kiss Me Baby" has layered vocal parts and is a nice ballad. I can imagine two young lovers pressed together at a high school dance thinking that this was the most important song, it was their song, and would be their song until the end of time. I'm sure many years later, when the song played by chance on the radio, the memories of that moment in time would flood back, even if your present lover was sitting beside you in the car. It is one of those songs that remains special to you long after you have forgotten it was out there. Don't tell my wife, but rereading this, maybe I do have some romance in me after all.
The parade of love songs continues with the introspective "She Knows Me Too Well". "In The Back Of My Mind" is a little different, it has a somewhat psychedelic feel to it, layers of music and vocals that evoke the Beatles. Then, the whole thing gets surreal and there is a spoken track; an interview over burgers. The album wraps with the sax heavy "The Girl From New York City".
I liked this album quite a bit, I am looking forward to checking out "Pet Sounds" a little further down the line. This one seems dated, but maintains it's integrity. You know that you are listening to a really good album from a different era. Rolling Stone placed this record at number 270 on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Buy it here.
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