The Beach Boys - Sounds of Summer: Very Best of The Beach Boys
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Free Music Notes for Sounds of Summer: Very Best of The Beach Boys
Free Music Review: More like 4.9
Hit: 5 Stars
The Beach Boys were a very talented group. That is all there is to it. They understood the importance of harmonies and, in my opinion, perfected the harmony/melody combination.
There are only five songs out of twenty-five that I do not care for on the Sounds of Summer album, which is incredible, considering on most other albums there are five, maybe six out of twelve that I don't like.
1. California Girls 10/10 This song really created a platform for the Beach Boys to grow from.
2. I Get Around 10+/10 I'm probably going to say this for all the songs, but, great harmonies. One of the many songs on this album that you can listen to over and over again and never get tired of it.
3. Surfin' Safari 9/10 Not the best song on the album, it sounded kinda weird at first and it took a while to grow on me.
4.Surfin' U.S.A. 10+/10 The most well known Beach Boys song, the melody is great, the harmonies are beautiful, and it makes you want to run out and surf
5.Fun, Fun, Fun 10+/10 Ahhh.. Girls and cars. Need I say more?
6.Surfer Girl 10+/10 All I can say is, wow.
7.Don't Worry Baby 10/10 Took a while to grow on me, but it is still a great song.
8.Little Deuce Coupe 10+/10 One of my personal favorites, and another well known song.
9.Shut Down 10/10 Same genre as Little Deuce Coupe, just as good, not as well known.
10. Help Me, Rhonda 10/10 Just good harmonies and beautiful melodies
11. Be True To Your School 10/10 Very funny, don't know where this inspiration came from, but very good.
12.When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) 5/10 A good song... but not my favorite, decent harmonies, but kinda boring.
13.In My Room 10+/10 Another one of my favorites, talks to anyone who has ever retreated to their room just too be alone
14.God Only Knows 10+/10 Once again.. a favorite. Absolutely beautiful melodies and harmonies.
15. Sloop John B 10/10 Great song. Repeat on harmonies and melodies.
16.Wouldn't It Be Nice 10/10 Fun song. I really like the timpani
17. Getcha Back 9/10 Took a while to grow on me, but a decent song
18. Come Go With Me 10++/10 My favorite song on the album,
harmonies are absolutly perfect, just beautiful.
19. Roch and Roll Music 9/10 Good song, but not their best
20. Dance, Dance, Dance 10++/10 second favorite song on the album, even those who hate the Beach Boys like this song
21.Barbara Ann 10+/10 Great song. Really fun to listen to. They all seemee to have fun with this song.
22.Do You Wanna Dance? 10/10 Another song in which they utilize the timpani, which makes the whole song.
23.Heroes and Villians 9/10 Took me a while to figure this song out, but once I did, it grew on me real fast.
24.Good Timin' 10+/10 Another set of good harmonies and melodies. I like this song. Alot.
25.Kokomo 10++/10 Third favorite song on the album. If this song is any indication, the Beach Boys were in the wrong genre of music.
26. Do It Again 5/10 Decent, but not great.
27. Wild Honey 5/10 Again, decent, but not great.
28. Darlin' 5/10 I did not like this song.
29. I Can Hear Music 5/10 Finally, decent, but not great.
30. Good Vibrations 10+/10 A great closer to a great album
Free Music Review: I Can Smell The Ocean!
Hit: 5 Stars
It's time to hit the beach yet again. Imagine yourself putting on your hawaiian shirt, shorts, flip flops and jumping in your 'ol woody with surfboards on the side and on top and heading down to the sand and surf to catch a wave. That's the feeling you get when you think of The Beach Boys and their historical legacy. Opening the case of the CD practically makes you hear the waves and the sounds of the ocean. The guys from Hawthorne, California became the American version of The Beatles, and gave them a run for their money. There wouldn't be a group if it weren't for the genius of Brian Wilson. A man who ranks along with Lennon/McCartney as one of the top composers of all time. This disc is A LOT better than the greatest hits package released previous to this one. There's more songs here and it's a bigger bang for your buck. There are 30 tracks on here and the music journey is exhaustive. The disc kicks off with "California Girls" and "I Get Around", and their first hit single, "Surfin' Safari", which charted back in August of 1962 at #14, is the third track. Their first single, "Surfin'", isn't here. Should of been. Amidst the group of songs that seem to be about water, surfing, girls, cars, and everything else sunny, there are deep moments here from the Wilson psyche. "In My Room" sticks out the most. It's a song with lyrics that are a sharp contrast to the norm of the other songs. My favorite song has to be "Don't Worry Baby". I think it's about as picture perfect as a song could get. The 26th track, "Do It Again", which was a top 20 hit, is another top favorite. It wasn't as huge a hit or as remembered as others, but it features one of Wilson's finest grooves and catches. An underrated gem. The set gives you the bare essentials of the Beach Boys' work. From their first hit in 1962, to their last charting hit, "Kokimo", which hit #1 back in November of 1988. This is the best single disc collection of the Boys' hits. Hardcore afficiondos will want more, but anyone looking for the bare bones collection that sweeps thru most of their hit making decades will want this one instead of forking over a ton of money for the boxed sets. "Getcha Back" was a worthy return to the Beach Boy sound back in 1985, and it was also a top 20 hit. The also cover the Chuck Berry chestnut, "Rock And Roll Music", but it seems that every rock and roll band from that era at one time or another covers that song. I've heard better versions. They also include their cover of "Come Go With Me", a cover that I prefer over the original. The genius of Brian Wilson is undeniable. His ear for harmony and the perfection of chords, choruses, and beats, is legendary. We must also give credit to Mike Love, who wrote or co-wrote a good chunk of these songs too. Some people only hear happy, sunny music and think nothing of it, but they always fail to really hear the brilliance of one of the finest musicians/singer/songwriter/composer heading up one of the finest bands in music history. There is a lot more material here to go over, but it would take too long. It covers everything you would want from "Barbara Ann" to "Wouldn't It Be Nice", from "Good Vibrations" to "Help Me Rhonda" and beyond. As the Amazon review stated, this is the best well rounded hits disc that beats the recent releases from Elvis and The Beatles. There you have it. Hit the sand and hang ten!.Free Music Review: The One to Have
Hit: 5 Stars
Regardless of the travails faced by the Beach Boys, we will always remember them as the clean cut boys they were in the early 60s. Their music is timeless and simultaneously recalls an era when our society was more innocent. This collection, one of the numerous compilations of Beach Boys songs, is also one of the better collections. It may be the best single disk collection. Some of the songs are in mono, but so was radio in those days. I could wish for stereo for those few songs, but I am happy to have them in mono.
Most of the music in this collection is focused on 1962 to 1968, which was the most creative period for the Beach Boys. The list of classic songs is like a classic rock play list. The list of top ten and number one songs is extensive. "I Get Around," "Help Me, Rhonda," "Good Vibrations" and the 1988 release "Kokomo" all hit #1 on a U.S. chart. "California Girls," "Surfin' U.S.A.," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Surfer Girl," "Be True to Your School," "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)," "Sloop John B," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Getcha Back," "Rock and Roll Music," "Dance, Dance, Dance," and "Barbara Ann" all reached the top ten on at least one chart. The remaining fourteen songs all had some measure of success as singles, with songs such as "Surfin' Safari," "Little Deuce Coupe," and "In My Room" visiting radio stations frequently yet today.
This collection contains a combination of song versions. "I Get Around," "Surfin' Safari," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Don't Worry Baby," "Help Me, Rhonda," "Be True to Your School," "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)," "Barbara Ann," "Do You Wanna Dance," "Do It Again," "Wild Honey," "Darlin'," and "Good Vibrations" are all mono versions. "Don't Worry Baby," "Help Me, Rhonda," "Be True to Your School," and "Barbara Ann" are the single versions. Some of the songs have newer stereo mixes from various years. Those songs and the year of the remix are "California Girls" (2002), "Shut Down" (new stereo mix), "God Only Knows" (1996), "Sloop John B" (1996), "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (2001), "Dance, Dance, Dance" (new stereo mix), and "Heroes and Villains" (2002).
These songs favor the 1960s. The years represented in this collection and the number of songs from that year are 1962 - 1 song, 1963 - 6 songs, 1964 - 5 songs, 1965 - 3 songs, 1966 - 5 songs, 1967 - 3 songs, 1968 - 1 song, 1969 - 1 song, 1976 - 1 song, 1979 - 1 song, 1981 - 1 song, 1985 - 1 song, and 1988 - 1 song.
The Beach Boys have become icons of the 1960s. They were one of the American groups that managed to do well during the British Invasion of the mid-1960s, scoring hit after hit. The Beach Boys' music is omnipresent, from radio to television commercials. Words from their songs have made appearances in novels. The group's music was always upbeat and fun, and is now timeless.
There are a number of ways to buy Beach Boys music. As of the date this review was written, Amazon lists 213 items in popular music for the Beach Boys. This collection is a great representation of the Beach Boys music and one of the best Beach Boys' collections. If you are just getting into Beach Boys music, start here and then decide which albums you would like next. Enjoy!
Free Music Review: Taking You Back In Time When The Beach Boys Were "Surfin' USA" and Having "Fun, Fun, Fun"
Hit: 5 Stars
"The thirty splendid tracks on 'Sounds of Summer - The Very Best of the Beach Boys' vividly dramatize that legendary band's ability to evoke a vision of California as shimmering, rich and all-encompassing as the state itself...The Beach Boys had not simply defined their own sound, but they themselves had become one of the most significant musical forces on the scene." ~ Anthony DeCurtis ~
How could this collection be the very best of the Beach Boys without my all-time favorite "The Warmth of the Sun?" I was going to give it a four-star-rating due to the exclusion of that beautiful song, but on second thought -- with a set of thirty of their hit songs that are included in this collection, I believe it is arguably a five-star-material.
In my teen-aged years, I have loved the delightful and fun music of the Beach Boys. I was very impressed how their voices blended flawlessly into choir-like harmonies. With their combined talents and creativity, they composed and arranged their own songs. I never fail to listen to this compilation CD every once in a while whenever I want to turn back the hands of time and reminisce cherished memories of summers gone by. And this is also one of the CDs I listen to when I'm running on the treadmill as it is the perfect music that is so full of high spirit and energy.
I have seen one of the live concerts of the Beach Boys back in the Nineties. To me, it was one of the most exciting moments in my entire musical journey to have watched this outstanding group perform live before the eyes and ears of admiring and enthusiastic concert-goers.
This CD is not only meant to be listened to during summertime, but for all seasons through all the years. All the thirty tracks are fun to listen to, but my top twelve choices include the following.
1. Surfin' USA
2. California Girls
3. God Only Knows
4. Don't Worry Baby
5. Wouldn't It Be Nice
6. Do You Wanna Dance
7. Little Deuce Coupe
8. I Can Hear Music
9. Fun, Fun, Fun
10. In My Room
11. Surfer Girl
12. Kokomo
We're on the last leg of summer and in a few days, we'd all be saying...Goodbye Summer of 2008. "Wouldn't It Be Nice" to turn back the hands of time and listen once again to Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnson and David Marks collectively known as the famous Beach Boys? Relive the luscious sounds of the Sixties and enjoy the splendid sounds of summer with this highly recommended CD. A delightful listen.
"That beautiful season, the Summer!
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light
and the landscape lay as if new created
In all the freshness of childhood." ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~
Free Music Review: As Good As It Gets
Hit: 5 Stars
I generally make it a habit to stay away from "Greatest Hits" albums. It's always been my feeling that if you like the hits put out by an artist, then it's worth owning the full catalogue. There are always songs hidden away on albums that I end up liking at least as well as the "hits". In short, greatest hits collections have always struck me as a shallow way to approach an artist's output.Now, having put down greatest hits collections, I have to qualify my opinion. I make exception when I'm dealing with pre-Beatles rock or pop music. The Beatles made albums the main medium for fans to buy music. Before that, the 45 rpm single reigned supreme. Little emphasis was put on albums and they sold in relatively small numbers. Albums from that era were mostly a hit or two and a bunch of filler.
This isn't intended to imply that the Beach Boys produced albums that included a lot of filler. They have produced some excellent albums. However, my problem has always been that most of their best-known hits came out before the Beatles hit the U.S. They're scattered among many among many albums and hits collections, and I was never enough of a Beach Boys fan to want to attempt the acquisition of their rather large catalogue. Further, it always seemed that despite the many previous collections of Beach Boys "greatest hits", each collection was incomplete, omitting a few favorite tunes. As recently as a two weeks, I was browsing through the CDs in a local store and found myself unhappy at being unable to find a Beach Boys collection that had everything I wanted.
Finally, Capitol Records has come to my rescue. SOUNDS OF SUMMER actually has all the Beach Boys hits I was looking for on one CD. Not several different collections with lots of duplication, not an expensive multiple-CD set. I'm aware that some reviewers here have expressed issues with this CD regarding stereo versus mono recordings, while others have criticized the selection of one song over another. For me, however, it isn't important whether "Wild Honey" or "Warmth Of The Sun" was included, or that some of the early tracks are mono instead of stereo. What counts is that this CD includes all the a m radio hits from the early '60's, along with a few later additions that I actually remember (i.e. "Sloop John B" and "Kokomo").
Hard core Beach Boys fans may find reason to be critical of this CD, but for the more casual fan, like myself, who just wants a reasonably complete set of the Beach Boys a m radio hits, SOUNDS OF SUMMER is as good as it gets. It beats any of the other compilations out there. I recommend it very highly on that basis and I think most buyers will be more that satisfied with it. I love it (incidentally, my twelve-year-old daughter loves it, too).