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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2020 8:10:59 GMT
This week's album is Ten Years of Harmony.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 4, 2020 13:54:46 GMT
Pretty good indication of how screwed up and schizophrenic the band was in the 70s, probably the most ironic title possible. Doesn’t project any strong voice from the band and doesn’t mine diverse hits (because there weren’t many hits). It’s a bunch of songs from the ‘70s, though. Nailed it.
(I tend to hate this type of release, in case you couldn’t tell.)
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Post by kds on Mar 4, 2020 14:25:05 GMT
A Dennis Wilson solo song on a Beach Boys release? How dare he use The Beach Boys name to promote solo material?
Annnnyway, I suppose this collection would be a good primer for somebody looking into The Beach Boys 70s material. Although, to do that, it would have to be in print. Essentially, it's been rendered useless by the Sounds of Summer / Warmth of the Sun collections, which combined, offer a great selection of hits and deeper tracks (the latter collection including a lot of 70s highlights).
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Post by jk on Mar 4, 2020 18:38:12 GMT
Pretty good indication of how screwed up and schizophrenic the band was in the 70s, probably the most ironic title possible. Doesn’t project any strong voice from the band and doesn’t mine diverse hits (because there weren’t many hits). It’s a bunch of songs from the ‘70s, though. Nailed it. (I tend to hate this type of release, in case you couldn’t tell.) Tend to? I hate this type of release, period! So I won't be voting--that wouldn't be fair. Sorry, Wata-san.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 4, 2020 18:52:54 GMT
I didn’t vote either, btw.
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Post by kds on Mar 4, 2020 18:57:41 GMT
I think the worst part about a release like this is it essentially forces die hard fans / completists to plunk down money for a two disc collection to get three songs (It's a Beautiful Day, San Miguel, and Sea Cruise).
But, I'll go ahead and give the album a seven. For what it is, it's good, and it's got a pretty strong track list.
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Post by B.E. on Mar 4, 2020 19:14:05 GMT
For what it is, it's good, and it's got a pretty strong track list. It's useful. Which automatically places it on a short list of Beach Boys compilations. I'm a little surprised at the criticism. For this period, it's either this or Greatest Hits Volume 3: Best of the Brother Years. I think Ten Years Of Harmony is far superior.
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Post by kds on Mar 4, 2020 19:30:57 GMT
For what it is, it's good, and it's got a pretty strong track list. It's useful. Which automatically places it on a short list of Beach Boys compilations. I'm a little surprised at the criticism. For this period, it's either this or Greatest Hits Volume 3: Best of the Brother Years. I think Ten Years Of Harmony is far superior. I think the song list is quite good. I'd probably rank it higher if the label didn't use those three tracks to try to entice die hards to buy the collection. One of my pet peeves as a music buyer is feeling obligated to purchase a collection where I already have 90% of the material.
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Post by B.E. on Mar 4, 2020 19:46:57 GMT
I think the song list is quite good. I'd probably rank it higher if the label didn't use those three tracks to try to entice die hards to buy the collection. One of my pet peeves as a music buyer is feeling obligated to purchase a collection where I already have 90% of the material. The other way to look at it, though, is that completists are going to buy it anyway, so might as well give them something to make it worth their while. I take it that doesn't describe you, but it undoubtedly describes many others. That said, Rarities, was less than two years away, so in hindsight it might have been best to save "San Miguel" and "Sea Cruise" for that (which had room for it) and replace them on Ten Years Of Harmony with two other songs from the '70s which were deemed to be among their best by the group. Still then, who's to say that "San Miguel" doesn't fit that bill? I know quite a few fans who think so (not so many fans think that highly of "Sea Cruise" but I love it!). Also, completists are still likely to covet some of those mixes which were available for the first time on an LP. I think this set has a lot going for it. It was also timely. If you were a fan in the early/mid '80s (and beyond) who wanted to catch up on the '70s BBs ('cause, let's face it, you had all the '60s hits a few times over already) you couldn't go wrong with this. As their albums became spottier and less commercial, a set like this becomes more attractive.
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Post by jk on Mar 4, 2020 20:04:11 GMT
Pretty good indication of how screwed up and schizophrenic the band was in the 70s, probably the most ironic title possible. Doesn’t project any strong voice from the band and doesn’t mine diverse hits (because there weren’t many hits). It’s a bunch of songs from the ‘70s, though. Nailed it. (I tend to hate this type of release, in case you couldn’t tell.) Tend to? I hate this type of release, period! So I won't be voting--that wouldn't be fair. Sorry, Wata-san. This was perhaps a little too outspoken. I still won't be voting though because I have absolutely no notion of what to give it! The GV 30 Years box set had something going for it. It broke new ground in many ways. But this? I agree with the Cap'n--it's a bunch of songs from the '70s.
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Post by kds on Mar 4, 2020 20:06:33 GMT
I think the song list is quite good. I'd probably rank it higher if the label didn't use those three tracks to try to entice die hards to buy the collection. One of my pet peeves as a music buyer is feeling obligated to purchase a collection where I already have 90% of the material. The other way to look at it, though, is that completists are going to buy it anyway, so might as well give them something to make it worth their while. I take it that doesn't describe you, but it undoubtedly describes many others. That said, Rarities, was less than two years away, so in hindsight it might have been best to save "San Miguel" and "Sea Cruise" for that (which had room for it) and replace them on Ten Years Of Harmony with two other songs from the '70s which were deemed to be among their best by the group. Still then, who's to say that "San Miguel" doesn't fit that bill? I know quite a few fans who think so (not so many fans think that highly of "Sea Cruise" but I love it!). Also, completists are still likely to covet some of those mixes which were available for the first time on an LP. I think this set has a lot going for it. It was also timely. If you were a fan in the early/mid '80s (and beyond) who wanted to catch up on the '70s BBs ('cause, let's face it, you had all the '60s hits a few times over already) you couldn't go wrong with this. As their albums became spottier and less commercial, a set like this becomes more attractive. I think after awhile, even the "completist" in me draws a line when it comes to comps. It really takes something new and exciting to get me to purchase one, if it's a band I'm really into. Of course, if I were a casual BB fan, and didn't feel the need to purchase all their 70s albums, this would do nicely.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 4, 2020 21:51:18 GMT
One place I differ is, if I were a casual BBs fan, odds are I wouldn’t just want some sampling of their ‘70s music. There are so many things that are so different, I bet very few people who truly like Surf’s Up material also truly like KTSA material and also truly like Love You material. (I’m not saying none, but not many.) I’d think if you wanted to do comps from the 70s, you’d have better luck grouping the first four studio albums into one comp and the leftovers into another. It’s still a very eclectic collection, but at least holds together sonically a bit more.
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bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
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Post by bellbottoms on Mar 4, 2020 22:18:28 GMT
I happened to come across a super cheap copy of Ten Years of Harmony while record shopping a few years ago, so I bought it. Listened to it exactly once. Nice to have but certainly not essential. I guess I'll give it a 7.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 4, 2020 22:40:21 GMT
OK. This is going to be another of those "the group and the record company didn't have a clue" posts, just in case you wanted to change the channel.
The Beach Boys and Reprise didn't have a clue how to release the best possible album and Ten Years Of Harmony is a perfect example of it. So there!
It's a comp, and a two-record comp at that. Ten albums to represent. The tracklist is essential. And they blew it. This is why:
1. Sunflower - For many fans, it's supposed to be the band's best album after Pet Sounds. They chose three songs from the album with "Add Some Music To Your Day", "This Whole World", and "Cool Cool Water". Great choices, but friggin' "Deidre"? Ugh. Why? Every time I'm listening to this album and "Deidre" comes on it just deflates the mood. If they had to choose a fourth song from Sunflower, why not "Slip On Through", "Forever", or "All I Wanna Do"?
2. Surf's Up is a good album, some say a very good album, some say a great album. But, six songs is too many for one comp. I would not have included "Don't Go Near The Water", and with "Long Promised Road" and "Feel Flows" - just pick one, not both.
3. Just one song from The Beach Boys Love You ("Roller Skating Child)? I'm sorry but that's not right. "The Night Was So Young" and "I'll Bet He's Nice" should've been selected, and I also would've considered "Honkin' Down The Highway" and "Airplane".
4. Why the live version of "Darlin'"? First, the SONG PREDATES the ten years included on this comp. Second, if they wanted to represent In Concert, they could've used "Marcella", or even "We Got Love" considering many fans might not have the song in their collection. And third, the In Concert version of "Darlin'" isn't even that good; it's rushed.
5. Just one song from Carl & The Passions: So Tough ("Marcella")? "All This Is That" is an excellent song and "Cuddle Up" is even better. They could've used the single version of "Cuddle Up" to save time/space, and it's a bit of a rarity.
6. I realize Reprise was trying to be creative and give the fans a little something extra with the unreleased tracks, but I would sacrifice "San Miguel" for one of the above songs I mentioned. "Sea Cruise" is a nice addition and I love the song, but, again, there were better "Dennis" songs. Speaking of Dennis songs, I absolutely disagree with the inclusion of "River Song". What were they trying to do, promote Pacific Ocean Blue? I'm sorry, but this is a Beach Boys comp and there are ten other album's worth of material to represent.
7. The three songs picked from M.I.U. are OK, but I still think they blew the opportunity to showcase one of Brian's best lead vocals from the previous ten years with "Match Point Of Our Love". I also think it's a better song than both "Wontcha Come Out Tonight" and "She's Got Rhythm".
8. This last suggestion is a bit of a reach but what the heck. Since I'm scratching Bruce's "Deidre", and Keepin' The Summer Alive only has two songs representing it, I thought it might've been nice to end Ten Years Of Harmony with "Endless Harmony". The overall song is only OK, but that ending is tremendous. Maybe because "Keepin' The Summer Alive was recently released it wouldn't be such a good idea.
OK, those eight points were only addressing the songs, but there were other screw ups. WTF with the album title? Was that confusing enough for ya? And, actually around the time of the release of Ten Years Of Harmony, the band was prepping for their TWENTIETH anniversary.
I keep mentioning Bruce, but he was a big part of Sunflower and Surf's Up, and he came back to produce and actually rejoin the band with L.A. (Light Album) and Keepin' The Summer Alive. So, why did they choose a group photo WITHOUT him? It's 1981, let's not use a current group photo, hey, let's pick a group photo from 1976! Was it because they didn't want to slight Blondie and Ricky?
There were some strong parts to this comp. I'm glad they went with the single mixes. They were obscure to begin with, and they sounded superior to the album versions IMO. Then they went and screwed up the CD version of Ten Years Of Harmony by excluding the single versions mixes and using incorrect mixes of some of the songs.
The album cover is OK. I always thought they were trying to channel The Beatles' White Album.
Don't even get me started on the sequencing.
Now, despite all of my criticism, I have enjoyed this comp very much over the last forty years. Yes, FORTY YEARS. There is some excellent music on this album, and even if there is a misfire, the next track or two compensates for it. If you let me switch/exchange about seven or eight songs (or one album side), and resequence it in a way that makes more sense, I'd go with a 10. It had that potential. The material is that good. But, seven songs is one-fourth of the album, and that influences my ranking by a good two points. I'm gonna reach for an 8 on this one.
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Post by B.E. on Mar 4, 2020 23:03:39 GMT
One place I differ is, if I were a casual BBs fan, odds are I wouldn’t just want some sampling of their ‘70s music. There are so many things that are so different, I bet very few people who truly like Surf’s Up material also truly like KTSA material and also truly like Love You material. (I’m not saying none, but not many.) I’d think if you wanted to do comps from the 70s, you’d have better luck grouping the first four studio albums into one comp and the leftovers into another. It’s still a very eclectic collection, but at least holds together sonically a bit more. I would have addressed this by using chronological sequencing.
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