The Beach Boys - Today/ Summer Days (and Summer Nights)
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Free Music Notes for Today/ Summer Days (and Summer Nights)
Free Music Review: great music--influential, revolutionary, brilliant
Hit: 5 Stars
This twofer CD was originally released in 1990, & it sure is great to see it in print in the US again, because it truly is a terrific release--the packaging, from the great notes & photos, to nicely putting 2 albums on 1 disc with bonus tracks, is impeccable. It's basically a dream come true release.
However, if you already own the 1990 twofer, I strongly encourage you to skip this--this claims to have 24-bit remastering, but the sound doesn't seem to be improved at all. In fact, the version of "The Little Girl I Once Knew" on the original 1990 twofer had a brief 'pop' during the first 'dead air' spot which was eliminated for its appearance on the "Good Vibrations" box set in 1993; yet, with this supposedly 24-bit remastered disc from 2001, the 'pop' sound is back--go figure that out. Like I said, don't get suckered into buying this thinking it sounds better. The big difference with this version opposed to the original 1990 version is the updated songwriting credits--Mike Love successfully sued in the mid-'90s to finally receive songwriting credit for all the songs he supposedly contributed to (more than 20 songs)--I don't think any of the credits he received were for anything other than co-lyricist.
Now, onto the actual music... Granted, some of the tracks on this CD aren't really good, yet everything here's worth hearing (even if some tracks don't demand countless listens), & there are classics in spades whether it be the hit A-sides, or lesser exposed tracks. Another review claimed "In The Back Of My Mind" to be one of the duds--no way. This is a marvelous emotional ballad. It's probably the Dennis Wilson vocal that turns them off--it tends to seem people either love or hate his singing performance on this song--but I think by & large, he did a great job. From upbeat rockers like "Good To My Baby", "Dance Dance Dance", & "You're So Good To Me", to lush & emotionally gripping ballads like "Please Let Me Wonder", "She Knows Me Too Well", "In The Back Of My Mind", "Let Him Run Wild" (the alternate mix has a great, slightly mellower vocal), & the instrumental "Summer Means New Love", to other affecting gems like "Girl Don't Tell Me" & the bouncy "The Little Girl I Once Knew", these are all brilliant tracks, & despite the co-writes on most of them, the credit for their creation belongs almost exclusively to Brian Wilson: soaring melodies & vocal harmonies, rich instrumentation--simply essential, 100%.
Free Music Review: The Beach Boys at their Best
Hit: 5 Stars
After reading a lot of the reviews, I began to think I'm one of the few people left around that actually am a fan of just about everything the Beach Boys did starting from day one up to Pet Sounds. After Pet Sounds, the Beach Boys to me stopped sounding like the Beach Boys and evolved into something completely different. Apparently, for a lot of fans they didn't really get interested until Pet Sounds. Truly this was a landmark recording with the Beach Boys at a creative high point, but sounding less & less like the band that their fans had grown to love in the previous years. This CD however is a special package in that it gives you the best of everything. In these recordings they still sound like the Beach Boys with their trademark musical sound & vocals, but with the benefit of Brians genius production & writing skills and the groups collective years of experience on the road and in the studio. As you listen though, as many others have said you begin to get clues of where Brian was going musically and the changes that were happening in the music industry as a whole. The very first 45 and recording I ever bought was, "Little Deuce Coupe/Surfer Girl". That was the sound that made them, and that was the sound that most of the world loves them for. Even though the early albums are a little immature and slightly rough, remember that they were basically a teenage garage band from Hawthorne, California whose youngest member was around 12 or 13 years old at the start!They came a longgggg way in a short time, and if you listen to each of the albums chronologically, you will see the talent all the way through. If you love the Beach Boys for their original sound, you will love these albums. There are great extra tracks on all of these re-released CD's, some of which will find you wondering why you haven't heard them until now. Worth the money for sure!Free Music Review: I actually like this stuff better than "Pet Sounds"
Hit: 5 Stars
Like many Beach Boys fans who's full-on "discovery" of the band began when "Pet Sounds" was re-issued on CD in the early 90's(?), I found that album to be hard to beat - as far as Beach Boys ALBUMS are concerned. Being a Beatles fan, first and foremost, the whole "influence on Sgt. Peppers" thing took hold, and - like the afore-mentioned Bealtes LP - took on legendary status for me.
Yet, I KNEW there had to be more out there. Of course I had heard other Beach Boys songs on the radio, but mostly the slightly goofy "surf-themed" early stuff which I didn't really like all that much. So, when I found this 2-CD-in-1 collection of "Today/Summer Days (and Summer Nights)" several years ago, and saw a few of my non-Pet Sounds faves on it ("Help Me Rhonda" and "California Girls"), I figured it was worth a shot.
It turned out that I got more than I had anticipated. The music the Beach Boys were recording right before "Pet Sounds" is my favorite stuff of theirs. These are two beautiful albums... full of fun-loving romps like "Do You Wanna Dance", "Good To My Baby", "Girl From New York City", "Salt Lake City", and gorgeous harmony-laden tracks like, "Kiss Me Baby", "Let Him Run Wild", "Please Let Me Wander", and "She Knows Me To Well".... as well as the more well-known "Help Me Rhonda" and "California Girls"... the latter of which I think is probably 2 of the most joyous minutes of music ever recorded.
These two albums represent Brian Wilson at a point where he had grown tired of touring and began devoting all his energies to the studio. He'd not yet heard The Beatles' "Rubber Soul"... his music still had that California-surf feel going on, but it was getting more sophisticated. Incredible music that signalled the end of a certain era before a new, more uncertain, one began.
Free Music Review: THE MOST ROMANTIC RECORD OF ALL TIME.
Hit: 5 Stars
Don't be one of those fools that think (because the media told them) that Pet Sounds is the only great Beach Boys album. And by no means would I want to diminish the monumental achievment that Pet Sounds is. There are dozens of truly great Beach Boys albums and these 2 are among them. There are some unbelievably great musical gems on here.
On Today! the album kicks off with Denis singing Do You Wanna Dance- simple enough cover song. But then the genius kicks into overdrive with Brian Wilson on Good To My Baby- a classic that you will immediately love. And both versions of Help Me Rhonda/Ronda with an explanation for the wierd volume changing on one of them are here as well. Also on here is the hit Dance, Dance, Dance- ever see clips of the boys singing this when it came out? The crowds went nuts. But again it is the lesser known songs on this album that make it one of the greatest albums of all time. They include songs like Please Let Me Wonder(unreal),I'm So Young, Kiss Me Baby and She Knows Me Too Well(one of the greatest love songs ever. This album is a treat because Brian Wilson sings so many leads on it.
This cd is a steal in that not only do you get The Beach Boys Today! but then you get Summer Days (and Summer Nights) as well. One of the greatest songs on it is Salt Lake City- a pop masterpiece on the same album as one of the greatest pop masterpieces of all time... California Girls. One note- you can get real stereo versions of both songs on Hawthorne and on Endless Harmony that are well worth getting. I have both Beach Boys box sets and initially thought that was all I would ever need or want from the Beach Boys. I have since learned that there isn't a single Beach Boys album not worth owning. And that the double album format for cd is a phenominal deal.
Free Music Review: My Personal Favorite BeachBoys going Way Back!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
my two old lp's disappeared maybe 30 years ago, and from time to time I'd check the local CD/Record store,no luck! When AMAZON recommended them (2 vinyls on 1 CD, plus extras), I immediately bot it via AMAZON, and played it (today that is). The up-tempo tunes are so good that I'd occasionally hum them to myself,even though I hadn't heard them in decades! So you can imagine this post-Christmas self-treat, for a guy pushing 50. GOOD TO MY BABY is still incredible. If there is a better,guitar -based anthem of pure joy, I' don't know it (maybe another BBOY tune!). Maybe DANCE DANCE DANCE ,but I had heard that over the years,or WHEN I GROW UP.. These were "hit" radio releases. SHE KNOWS ME TOO WELL also, another less known BBoy,and PLEASE LET ME A WONDER (should it be "wander"). All great songs, plus AMUSEMENT PARKS USA, a great tune with a slight touch of the bizarre even (unusual for this super-cleancut quintet). And the great alternates, esp. DANCE DANCE DANCE with new lyrics no less!! And the original album version of RONDA, my preferred version...BTW, notice the cover of BBTODAY!! All dressed in preppy looking sweaters as timeless as their tunes. Shortly thereafter, with the "British Invasion" still blazing, and "Psychodelia" on the horizen,protesting, you know the story...the BOYS seemed "Square" to many, and succumbed somewhat to the new thing.Even so,it would be tough for any later group to top these great tunes, harmonies, licks, you name it!!! Give this one a try!! If you're a youngster, tell your parents you read this review from a late-40's guy,who knows a little bit about popular music! Then maybe they'll treat you to it...PS They may like it too. PPS- Don't miss the terrific linear notes too!