Let's talk about The Beach Boys - Holland

"Funky Pretty" was always a highlight, IMO, but the more that I listen to Holland the more that I feel like its inclusion was a mistake. Its placement as well.

That style of music sounds more at home on the Mount Vernon EP, or alongside of "Fairy Tale Music".

 

Holland is about the most Beach Boys Lp imo that turns up second hand sans EP.

 

Yes, this album was the most plentiful studio Beach boys album at my favourite used record store today. There were four copies of it; I bought the nicest one there for 15 bucks. Original Brother Records copy. I am very impressed with the sound; warm and clear.

 

This is my favorite of the later Beach Boys albums, especially with the little EP with it. Maybe I got a particularly nice pressing as it sounds so full. The Trader is my favorite track on it but I can listen to the entire 12"s. Definitely not a 'typical' Beach Boys album.

 

Much as I love Love You and think there are gems (though you have to dig deeply) on the later albums, this is the last great album by the band. Would have been interesting to hear Mt Vernon with A Casual Look incorporated.

 

Is it also a longer version than the version that was non the original, withdrawn album?
I downloaded it from the Qobuz website some time ago and, much to my surprise, this was a longer version than the one I had had on bootlegs for years.

 

I'd imagine it's the same version you downloaded. I actually haven't gotten around to buying the CD yet (some fan I am, I know). It's difficult when it's only sold by Acoustic Sounds and I don't live in the US--on top of the already expensive price, I'm scared of getting hit with customs.

 

This isn't an accurate description of the Brian Wilson show that I saw last April, and I don't think you are giving Brian's fans enough credit (at least, in Tokyo, they are very sophisticated fans of his work). At the show I saw, about 2/3 of the 39 (!) songs played were from Pet Sounds and later - Pet Sounds was played in its entirety. He played two sold out shows at the 5,500 seat Kokusai Forum in Tokyo, and the audience was very appreciative of Pet Sounds and later songs such as "Darlin", "Marcella", "Funky Pretty", "Sail On Sailor" and "Add Some Music To Your Day". He has done this on a number of his other tours - The Brian Wilson Presents Smile, That Lucky Old Sun and Reimaging Gershwin Tours all featured his most recent albums played in their entirety.

 

Not sure I'm understanding the negative comments aimed at the Fairy Tale. I always considered it as a bonus, if you will, as to where Brian's head was at that time. The music, which was produced by Carl, was absolutely brilliant in it's beauty and created a dark, deep, murky atmosphere vibe to the whole trip. My only complaint hinged upon the question, why didn't Brian or Carl or both flesh out these amazing melodies as a suite all in one cut with Jack's lyrics?

 

My favorite post 60's BB lp.

 

I often wonder what those lucky few first-day purchasing Germans thought, taking the record back home after purchase, and hearing an album that begins with Steamboat. Sail On Sailor really acts as a great show opener for the album, and without it, the first side (incl. We Got Love) is a strange beast indeed. Give it a try- program the tracklist so Sail On Sailor opens side two and you'll notice the difference.

 

... therein lies the problem.

 

Pet Sounds is almost 51 years old and three hits from it are played at every show by both guys. Of course deep cuts are played, and played by both. You mention Brian's cuts, but Mike has performed All I Wanna Do, Here Today and Darlin', etc.. While that is a terrific thing to see and hear, they are not the songs that the majority of concert goers go to hear. Both bands play the songs that made them famous, even Barbara Ann. So yes, it is very accurate and they should be played. When you are a band that has 40 Top 40 Hits, then I think it is to be expected that fans will want to hear them and the bands will want to please their paying public and play them. Brian & Mike both have to make decisions on how to balance out the set lists each night. It is a great and wonderful problem to have.

 

I've never seen Mike Love perform so I don't know what he plays. I was just addressing the statement that Brian Wilson's fans attend concerts to hear old songs, which I took to mean the surf and sun pre-Pet Sounds hits. I wanted to point out that the audience at the shows I have seen are much more knowledgable, and know all of the deep cuts (at least in Japan). It gives Brian the luxury of playing albums in their entirety of he chooses to do so.
Of course, it's a smaller audience - not like acts like McCartney or the Stones, who need to cater to stadiums full of casual fans.

 

Brian has played the Pet Sounds album (2 tours) along with Smile and That Luck Old Sun (before they were actual album releases). He is a composer, where Mike is not. Brian has never played any other Beach Boys album or any of his other solo albums in whole. If you check the set lists that are online, Brian has done many, many meat and potato shows. Hell, they're his songs and he should be proud to have and play that many hits songs.

I went to a Brian show a few years ago in Atlantic City. It was a tour right after C50, with Al Jardine and David Marks in tow. Great show, btw. While conversing with fans before the show, standing between the theatre and casino, those fans were looking forward to hearing Kokomo. I had to tell them to not hold their breath waiting to hear it.

 

You keep mentioning Mike Love as though I am comparing the two, but I'm not. I honestly have no idea what his shows are like.

As for those fans in Atlantic City asking about "Kokomo", I am certain that there are very few such people in the audiences at the Tokyo shows. Similar to Western artists like Jackson Browne, Cheap Trick, Deep Purple and many, many others, Brian has a loyal following in Japan with few, if any "casual" fans. I don't read setlists, but I'm pretty sure that most (or at least the majority) of his concerts since 2004 have focused on one album(?). The Smile and Pet Sounds tour were both long tours, and he also did Gershwin in 2010(?).

 

My point being, both guys play the hits. Second, Japan is not indicative of all of Brian's shows. In Philadelphia for example, Brian did a show months after the release of No Pier Pressure and did 2 or 3 songs from a brand new album. He performed a majority of hits with a few deep Beach Boys cuts. Third, they both play to the fan base where they perform. Shows are different in Asia, Europe, Australia and the U.S..

 

You'll get a lot of debate about "best" and it's hard not to put their earlier stuff and Pet Sounds well ahead, but I've loved Holland since the first listen. "Sail On Sailor" is just great, and I really like the odd "Steamboat." "California Saga" is perhaps my #2 personal song after "California Dreaming"-I wanted to move to California ever since a trip to Disneyland and San Diego at age 4. Anyone who hasn't, DO check out Al Jardine's version on his very nice A Postcard from California.

As for "Mount Vernon and Fairway" I always wondered what that was about and then found out in Mike Love's excellent autobiography that they used to live there.

 

Maybe I should have said where his head was at musically. I've always been acutely fascinated by what he may come up with musically. Like I said, those snippets on Mt. Vernon were incredibly tantalizing to say the least.

 

Spring bump

 

Got the HD Download with 16 tracks today.

 

I (finally) bought the a Analogue Productions vinyl a few days ago. I should be getting it in a couple of days. Can't wait to hear my favorite post-1960s Beach Boys record on 200 gram vinyl!

 

Listening right now. This might be my favorite record that I own! It's amazing!

 

I think Holland was their last big hurrah as a group, but 'Love You' 4 years later was their last fully solid project, but that was more of a Brian solo record than anything. I think the whole "California Saga" is a beautifully crafted piece of work, very impressive. I love the country influence, the dark lyricism, the weird flute and piano interludes, and their self references to California girls and stuff. "Trader" "Funky Pretty" "Sailor" "Leaving This Town" are all great too. Mount Vernon and Fairway is also wonderfully weird and painfully Brian, very great sounds and concepts going on in that little saga of its own. Holland is a fantastic record in my opinion. It doesn't rank among my TOP TOP Beach Boys albums, but that doesn't mean its not very well put together and very strong. Very very good. What do you think?

 

It's their last studio album that I can enjoy front to back without wanting to skip any of the tracks.