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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2019 3:36:17 GMT
This week's album is Lei'd In Hawaii, an unreleased "live" album recorded in 1967 that was finally released as a part of Sunshine Tomorrow in 2017. The track list is as follows: The Letter You're So Good to Me Help, Me Rhonda California Girls Surfer Girl Sloop John B With a Little Help from My Friends Their Hearts Were Full of Spring God Only Knows Good Vibrations Game of Love We will discuss Live Sunshine as well this week:
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 17, 2019 23:57:47 GMT
I had to do a little listening research on this one. I have Sunshine Tomorrow but I don't have Live Sunshine, so I had to spend some time on Spotify.
I know I'm supposed to like this stuff, but I don't really care for it. Yes, the tracklist/setlist is good, the sound is very clear, and Brian Wilson is present. You would think that combination would bring better results. Meh...
Brian was well into his "doing whatever he wanted to do" phase, even moreso than 1966, and his/their audience was starting to tune him and the group out. Brian basically Smiley Smiled these live performances. On some he Wild Honey'd them. There's even hints of things to come (Friends?). I find these performances borderline boring. The ballads are too soft and slow. The fast songs don't rock. The Pet Sounds songs are neutered. Heck, these tracks are so stripped I think I could've played drums on them! I went down the list of songs/performances to see which ones are superior to the studio versions, and which ones are superior to the other live versions. Not very many.
Again, it's nice to hear Brian, but not this way. I'll give this a 5 and that's being kind. I'm only going that high (was the group high at these shows?) based on the strength of the material and Brian's voice in the mix.
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Post by lonelysummer on Dec 18, 2019 2:07:15 GMT
I'm gonna have to listen to this stuff again. Like the good Sheriff, I have Sunshine Tomorrow, but not the live cd/download/stream. My recollection is that it's all very mellow.
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Post by B.E. on Dec 18, 2019 2:34:42 GMT
Not too long ago, I attempted to compile an "ultimate" version of the Hawaii concert by simply picking the better version of each song...and I felt like I was running in circles. Eventually, I gave up. One thing I noticed, which I wasn't expecting, was that there was a pattern of sloppy endings. The songs would just peter out. It's as if Brian thought he were still in the studio and that he planned to just fade each song out. That said, it's not all on Brian. The more I dig into the copyright live releases, the more I realize how sloppy and unprofessional the touring group could be (both before and after these concerts). Listen to "Wouldn't It Be Nice", the 2nd show, on Graduation Day 1966: Live at the University of Michigan - such an embarrassment! Someone tell these guys they're a big deal!
Still, I'd like to re-listen to both Hawaii concerts (the actual shows, not the rehearsals) and the Lei'd In Hawaii album. I'm glad to have these, even if they are disappointing.
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Post by Kapitan on Dec 18, 2019 16:41:07 GMT
I need to revisit this music before I can comment, but basically my recollection (after frankly listening a couple of times and letting it go mostly unheard since) was that there are some nice vocal bits, definitely great hearing Brian singing well, but it's so lethargic, presumably so stoned, that it's just not a lot of fun.
But maybe that's just an unfair recollection covered in mental dust. I'll relisten and offer something more concrete.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 20, 2019 14:18:40 GMT
A question about some of these tracks...Who is on bass and who is playing the organ? Was it always Brian on one and Bruce on the other, or were they alternating?
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