'The Beach Boys With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,' to be released on June 8!

Judging from that preview video, they've gone for uninspired pedestrian arrangments for songs that deserve much more.

I abhor this trend. The Elvis ones really do show up Elvis' vocal shortcomings...mind you, there's only one Elvis I care about (Costello).

 

Mike Love looks like a mushroom on the cover.

 

And Brian and Carl and Dennis and Al.

No reason to change your mind, but laying the blame solely at Mike’s door isn’t accurate.

 

Wasn't this kind of the sound that Brian was going for in the first place? Just more a wall of it. Sunshine pop to the 10th power.

Next Brian should hand over the original Smile tracks for similar treatment. Let the Philharmonic complete it.

 

Cool! So they've got a lot to work with, no spectral editing needed. Thanks.

 

There is something bigger than this on the horizon for Beach Boys fans.

 

I have a soft spot for those Hollyridge Strings albums, but I understand that this isn’t for everyone.

Still, those orchestrated Elvis albums came off pretty well, and sold impressive numbers.

 

You mentioned a special - like a TV special? Doc? Van Dyke Parks being interviewed in a tanktop?

 

OK, I'll blame Dennis and Carl. They're easy targets.

 

We'll see.

 

The Stephen Desper Thread

 

At least half unlistenable.

 

Three quarters?

 

Initially interested, now on the fence. I love a good orchestra, but....

 

The album cover looks like a cheesy K-tel album cover for back in the day.

 

I think I’ll pick this up, on disc not a download.

 

I think this could be better than some people think.

 

The only thing worse than this would be if they re-recorded the vocals using that hint of auto tune they used on why god made the Radio which makes the vocals sound fake. Only thing this has going for it is original vocals.

 

What really gets to me about both the Aretha Franklin and now Beach Boys RPO albums is that there is absolutely no artist participation. I get it with Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison for obvious reasons, but Franklin, Brian Wilson and others are still alive and able to give direct input and ideas (yes, even Brian; it's well known that when he's in the studio he's a completely different person) on how it should sound. The fact that both of these living artist projects have had the producers say something along the lines of "We really hope that insert artist here will enjoy what we've done with the material" speaks volumes.

 

"The Beach Boys Love You" would be interesting to hear with different backing. But not by these guys, I don't like their arrangements.

 

eh, boring tracklist, boring idea. Pass.

 

To clarify, the producers don't do the arrangements themselves, they have people for that (one of whom was interviewed in the trailer). However, their role as producers means they likely pick certain kinds of arrangers anyway.

 

Right.