Al Jardine’s solo album seems to have been “in the can” for a while, with a complete tracklist and pre-orders available, but no release date or apparent record deal. Rumors are that one track features a lot of current and previous Beach Boys. Nothing firm yet then, but you can listen to a lot of tracks, old and new, on Al’s website.
Archive for February, 2010
An Interlude From Al
Saturday, February 27th, 2010A Coming Of Age
Monday, February 22nd, 2010The new Lucky Soul album, A Coming Of Age, is imminent , and you can now download the title track for free at their website.
Facebook Update
Friday, February 19th, 2010Facebook status from Nelson Bragg – “was directed by Brian Wilson all day long….the man sure knows what he wants…I’m actually tired!! Awesome day.” No further comment needed!
Brian’s Hidden Beauties LXII: Country Air
Sunday, February 14th, 2010
It’s been a while since we’ve looked at Brian’s hidden “booty” -so it’s worth remining readers what this series is about. Basically it’s songs penned by Brian Wilson that are not widely known in popular culture -so a California Girls would be excluded. Also excluded are all the tracks from Pet Sounds, SMiLE and That Lucky Old Sun -these are covered in separate track-by-track series.
So we resume our series with a song from the Wild Honey album, known for it’s boogie-woogie feel, and there is still a bit of that piano sound in this track. However Country Air hearkens back to the more harmonic earlier Beach Boys sound with the great harmonies. The country sounds and humming give the song a homemade feel, but there is also an element of spirituality in the soaring harmonies – a sense of “going home” that Brian returned to on That Lucky Old Sun. It’s another wonderful track from the beautiful transcendental era of the Beach Boys music.
Billy Hinsche Chat Transcript
Friday, February 12th, 2010If you missed our online chat with Billy Hinsche on 17 January, you can now see the transcript of the chat on our website – find out more about Billy’s concert movie and other insights into the Beach Boys.
God Only Knows….
Sunday, February 7th, 2010
…what Brian Wilson would be without the Wondermints. We all know the integral role members of the group play in Brian’s touring and studio band, let alone Darian Sahanaja’s pivotal role in getting SMiLE finally released. So Brian Wilson fans should really be buying an album of these guys snoring in gratitude for their role in Brian Wilson’s comeback.
The recently released “new” Wondermints album Kaleidoscopin’, subtitled Exploring Prisms Of The Past, brings together songs from their early tapes that were not released on CD, other non-album tracks, songs from tribute albums and other bits and pieces. It includes what some may regard as the Wondermints greatest gift to pop culture, the theme from the Austin Powers movies, and it’s certainly nice to have that on Wondermints CD.
Even better are songs like No One’s Girl, I Should Fall, Invisible Paint and the aching love song Gone which would have graced any Wondermints album. Throughout, there is the consistent melodic power pop that drew the initial connection between Brian Wilson and this group.
It may be a collection of odds and ends from the group, dating from the 1990s, but it starts the 2010s decade on a high musical note. The album also features extensive and insightful liner notes from the band. Brian Wilson fans may be obliged to be buy it, as suggested above, but will be putting it on repeat rotation. You can get buy it on Amazon by clicking on this link.
Carl Wilson: 12 Years On
Saturday, February 6th, 2010
It’s twelve years today since we lost Carl Wilson- a date which now seems to also mark the end of the Beach Boys as a functioning group. It’s also marks my daughter turning six months old, so it’s a date that I won’t ever forget. But most of all, the world lost a wonderful voice, and a wonderful person that day.
Al Was There Too…..
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010So Brian wasn’t the only Beach Boy at the We Are The World re-recording…Al was there too.
Brian Raps With Kanye
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010Brian Wilson is one of the 80 performers who will be on the new recording of We Are The World that has been recorded to benefit victims of the recent Haiti tragedy. And while some of the fellow performers may be of dubious artistic merit, it is some comfort that Brian was on the invitation list for the single, and part of this good cause. Just hope Mike Love is cool about it…