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Post by B.E. on Nov 26, 2021 14:05:52 GMT
I bought the album this morning and am just a couple of songs in. I'm going to try to listen to it all maybe twice before I give any kind of review/criticism. I’m going to purchase it shortly and do the same. I’ve been reading the reviews at SSMB and EHF, so I wonder how that might affect me. My expectations have been lowered a bit (but I loved the documentary and At My Piano, so I kinda feel like I’m playing with house money). Oh, and I’ve yet to properly listen to “Right Where I Belong”. Anyway, there’s so much to listen to, to watch, to discuss. I’m giving this soundtrack one or two listens today and then I gotta turn my attention to the Beatles GET BACK! Which might be the most exciting Beatles-related project since Anthology.
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Post by Kapitan on Nov 26, 2021 15:14:19 GMT
First, just one thing that keeps dominating my brain when I hear a certain part of "Right Where I Belong": the second time the string glissando happens (around 2:48)--and I say "the second time" because that's the time when the faster strumming acoustic guitar joins it at the same time, as opposed to later, as before--I can't help but get the feel of "Everybody's Talkin'." No, no, the song doesn't sound like that, and I am not saying it was stolen, or anything of the sort. It's just that moment of high strings with that rhythm of strumming that makes me want to say, "everybody's talkin' at me..."
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Post by Kapitan on Nov 26, 2021 18:27:17 GMT
I listened a second time. I'm still hesitant to say a lot.
But I'll admit that my hesitance isn't personal uncertainty or something: it's that I don't think this is very good. I was pleasantly surprised by the documentary, and said so in my discussion of that. But this unfortunately doesn't have a similar effect on me. And I don't want to feed into the narrative that one can't help but notice, the "omigod Brian is gone, he's being puppeteered blah blah wivesandmanagers." The kind of thing that leads to either: all hope is lost; or he just needs to be let loose.
The old songs, I don't really have a lot to say. I saw bellesofparisstan's comments, of course, but I wasn't really listening in that way. ( I did notice some absurdly prominent bass, though.) I'm not necessarily wired like audiophiles and am really quite forgiving in that respect, and I had the album playing over mediocre speakers while doing other things. So, I'll save those comments for after I've listened carefully. And even then who knows what I'll have to say? Maybe not much.
But the choices of those old songs leaves me unimpressed. I knew that coming in, obviously, once the track list was released. But yeah, ok, whatever. Thanks for "Slightly American Music"... (I hate those songs about music/rock. "Spirit of Rock n Roll," "That Same Song," whatever. Hate the concept. Even if the specific song has cool moments, the idea is not something I like. Frankly, they could just as well have released "Smart Girls.") I'd have to revisit the Wilson/Paley boots and track lists to decide what would be better--honestly it's not as if I'm champing at the bit for something specific instead, "My Marianne" notwithstanding--but these aren't exactly songs I've been up nights fantasizing about.
I don't recall having heard "I'm Goin' Home." It might have been absent from the W/P boots I got years (and years and years) ago, and it isn't as if I've been going out of my way to keep up on everything that has come around more recently--with "recently" meaning the past decade, decade and a half. (Guess what, younger readers: eventually a decade feels like about 25 minutes.) It's funny in that obviously it was used for "Goin' Home" on TLOS, but I don't recall people talking about that even when describing from whence that material came. My life has not been changed having heard it, though.
And the new(er) recordings... Brian Wilson sings very poorly. I think all of them are presented with his "I'm gonna come into the booth to hear that one" sorts of studio chatter, presumably to make the whole thing seem informal. I wonder if that was a preemptive strike: we know this isn't very good, but see, it was just informal studio fun, not a real album. But it is largely bad, at least on Wilson's part.
I agree that "Rock 'n' Roll Has Got a Hold One Me" might be the highlight. I could set that beside "Run James Run" as part of the legendary rock 'n' roll album, which--the more a person hears--turns out not to live up to any real legend. But it certainly isn't bad. Indeed, it's the best of the bunch, probably, for whatever that's worth.
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Post by lonelysummer on Nov 27, 2021 3:46:36 GMT
Man, what is up with the timing of these releases? Brian was on tour a couple months ago, that would have been the best time to release this new music. Wonder if any of the new songs will make it into upcoming setlists? Naw, probably not. People only want to hear old Beach Boys songs. How about a tour behind Brian playing solo piano?
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Post by Kapitan on Nov 27, 2021 13:27:14 GMT
I know it's a topic you focus on more than most.
But for perspective, I'd just note that this isn't an album of new material. And it's also not a greatest hits album. It is a soundtrack comprising mostly previously unreleased music or remakes: so nobody ever intended it to be the cream of the crop. It's more scraping the bottom of the barrel (which is a little harsh, but gets the point across) than new meisterwerk.*
Point being, it's relatively obvious that the songs on it aren't likely to dominate live setlists: it isn't that kind of album, and they aren't those kinds of songs. However, that said, they have played quite a few of these songs live, including at least two of the previously unreleased ones ("Honeycomb" and "I'm Broke").
*If that's the case, if it's so mediocre, should it remain unreleased? Hell, no! Beach Boys fans as long as I've been among them have begged, pleaded, and illicitly purchased and traded illegal leaks of music like this just for a chance at it. I'd think we would be pretty fucking happy that still more of it is being properly, commercially released, even knowing that obviously it's not even going to compete with the likes of TLOS, much less Pet Sounds, in quality.
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Post by Kapitan on Nov 27, 2021 13:28:31 GMT
How about a tour behind Brian playing solo piano? I truly think that would be terrible: a humiliating experience for Brian and an awkward one for the audiences.
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Post by B.E. on Nov 27, 2021 15:54:44 GMT
Man, what is up with the timing of these releases? Brian was on tour a couple months ago, that would have been the best time to release this new music. I don't think that even enters the equation. Streaming/download is king. Availability of physical formats aren't even prioritized when it comes to scheduling release dates. ( Think about that!) So, why would a string of live performances? And, especially in the case of legacy artists, I don't think it should. The money is in touring. You don't tour to hustle album sales, you tour to tour. Should you take advantage of being in front of an audience and mention that you've got a new product out, perform the best/most commercial song or two, and have it available for purchase at the stand? Yeah, of course...when you happen to be on the road. But it's far from necessary (or, even, effective) to coordinate the two. I think legacy artists have a reliable group of fans who attend their shows and a reliable (but much smaller) group of fans who purchase archival releases and new music. I don't think scheduling decisions, or setlist decisions, will alter that. (And if they try too hard to push their new product on that larger group, they'll alienate them.) Another scheduling complaint I'm seeing is from fans outside the US. Understandably they are frustrated at not having easy access to the documentary. Ideally, I think all these releases would be available worldwide and simultaneously in all formats. (And I'd imagine everyone involved in these releases probably feels the same way.) But, that's far from an easy task. I mean, heck, the Beach Boys have a hard enough time getting projects released featuring some of their best material. Anyway, my point is, releasing this soundtrack, or the documentary, or At My Piano, to coincide with Brian's sporadic touring, wouldn't address these other issues.
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Post by B.E. on Nov 27, 2021 16:03:44 GMT
Point being, it's relatively obvious that the songs on it aren't likely to dominate live setlists: it isn't that kind of album, and they aren't those kinds of songs. However, that said, they have played quite a few of these songs live, including at least two of the previously unreleased ones ("Honeycomb" and "I'm Broke"). Good point. And I actually wouldn't be surprised if they brought back "Honeycomb" to plug the documentary/soundtrack. Might be interesting to see if they try "Right Where I Belong".
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Post by B.E. on Nov 27, 2021 17:53:04 GMT
My initial thoughts on the soundtrack are forthcoming but, in the meantime, is the date of the live performance of "In My Room" known? bellesofparisstan , do you know?
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Post by Kapitan on Nov 27, 2021 17:59:07 GMT
My initial thoughts on the soundtrack are forthcoming but, in the meantime, is the date of the live performance of "In My Room" known? bellesofparisstan , do you know? Cursory googling makes me suspect Sept. 16 or 17, 2016. (Setlist.fm shows three B Wilson shows there: Nov. '08 and the two Sept. '16 dates.)
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Post by B.E. on Nov 27, 2021 18:15:32 GMT
My initial thoughts on the soundtrack are forthcoming but, in the meantime, is the date of the live performance of "In My Room" known? bellesofparisstan , do you know? Cursory googling makes me suspect Sept. 16 or 17, 2016. (Setlist.fm shows three B Wilson shows there: Nov. '08 and the two Sept. '16 dates.) Interesting. Based on Brian's vocal performance I thought it might be an earlier 21st century recording. But listening again, perhaps not. Listening to the other singers...that's Matt on falsetto, for instance, isn't it? Just goes to show you, there's probably a pretty strong live album they could put out if they cherry-picked the best 12-14 performances (which could either be post- Brian Wilson and Friends or span his entire solo career, if they select performances that haven't already been released). And I woudn't be opposed to a little sweetening, either. But, anyway, my initial reaction was, "wow, I can hear Brian singing throughout and he sounds pretty darn good!" I say that because sometimes during those group vocal songs, Brian (and other BBs on Beach Boy recordings) can be drowned out a bit by background singers or flatout disappear in spots. The band sounds incredible, too. What a HUGE improvement over other live recordings, such as the Beach Boys' Live - The 50th Anniversary Tour, IMO.
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Post by Kapitan on Nov 27, 2021 19:04:00 GMT
He does sound good on it, but perhaps they redid it in the studio.
The '08 performance is still possible, too, of course, though since it does sound like Matt to me, too, that would mean they replaced Jeff with Matt for the recording, which seems less likely.
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Post by kds on Nov 28, 2021 14:15:01 GMT
My initial thoughts on the soundtrack are forthcoming but, in the meantime, is the date of the live performance of "In My Room" known? bellesofparisstan , do you know? Cursory googling makes me suspect Sept. 16 or 17, 2016. (Setlist.fm shows three B Wilson shows there: Nov. '08 and the two Sept. '16 dates.) If I recall, a couple Sept 2016 shows were recorded, and I think one might've even been filmed, so those dates would make sense
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Post by lonelysummer on Nov 28, 2021 20:35:39 GMT
Is there going to be a physical release for this set?
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Post by The Cincinnati Kid on Nov 28, 2021 22:02:28 GMT
I don't have a whole lot to say about it. It's the first release of "new" music from any of the guys in my lifetime where I don't have a strong desire to listen to it a second time. It all feels very cobbled together and although I could be mistaken, I don't think many of the songs even appeared on the documentary. We'd still be better off if we just got some sort of anthology. Keep it streaming only if you need to, it would be a lot better than what we got here or posting random songs on his website that can't be downloaded. Maybe I'll have more to say after a second listen.
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