Uncanny

GUARDIAN "Smart twists and fussy attention to musical detail (or "muso moments", as I call them) have the power to propel a fist into the air (rather than straight through the speaker cone). If you appreciate the bit one minute into the Beach Boys' God Only Knows where bass, percussion, flute and kitchen sink unite on an off-kilter rhythm that only happens once in the entire song...then you'll know that these little islands of shocking clarity and occasional genius can buy a thrill that easily equals a howling gale of dumb-rock riffage. It's the magical few seconds when you realise that, hang on, they've only bloody thought this whole thing through."

HAUNTED CALIFORNIA(S) "While Walt Whitman only wrote one poem about California in 1860, The Beach Boys wrote and produced several songs about it in the years between 1962 and 1966. Apart from the hundred years separating Whitman and The Beach Boys, a cultural gap also exists between them. Whitman represents the high point of American literary Romanticism, whereas The Beach Boys became the sixties’ most well-known pop icon of surf music and surf culture. Nevertheless, their common interest in California as a particular topographic image of the American West invites comparison and further study. This paper aims to make an intertextual reading of Whitman’s 'Facing West from California’s Shores' and selected songs by The Beach Boys, arguing that the Californian beach functions as a cultural topos of an American locus amoenus in the texts of both Whitman and The Beach Boys. Significantly, the belatedness with which The Beach Boys are haunted by and pick up on Whitman’s image of the Californian beach results in a kind of Bloomean misprision, in the sense that they (re)inscribe it in a sixties’ context of youth and consumer culture. To Whitman, the shores of the American West coast incarnate the home of perennial homelessness, dislocating any conventional sense of home as a place of resting. One hundred years later The Beach Boys seem to invest the West coast with similar cultural values. The Californian beach is still a homely site for constantly being on the move; only this time it is invested with the ambience of youth and surf cultural phenomena such as leisure, Woody cars, surf boards, fast sex, dancing, etc. And to top it all, in a utopian vision of mass cultural imperialism the Californian surf culture is even imaged as extending itself transcontinentally and transglobally, thus transplanting its home of eternal movement and time off worldwide." (Søren Hattesen Balle, Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies, Aalborg University, Denmark)

DVD MONTHLY

PET RECORDS is an amazing, but obscure, record label that specializes in compilations of little known soft-pop, soft-psych, harmony-psych, sunshine-pop, etc. tunes. Most of the tracks are by unknown artists, primarily from Southern California, who recorded in the late '60s and very early '70s. There's not too much information around about Pet Records. It seems that their releases fall into the "grey area." It's highly unlikely that all of the songs on their compilations were officially licensed; while some of the tracks originally appeared on small independent labels, many of them were released by majors (A&M, ABC, Capitol, Epic, Buddah, etc.). The questionable legality of their releases is dwarfed by the interesting music. If you're at all interested in the genres mentioned above, soft-pop, soft-psych, harmony-psych, sunshine-pop, you simply must track down Pet Records' compilations. If you care about this kind of stuff, and if you're looking at this blog you probably do, be aware that these discs move like hot cakes. It seems that two compilations (Soft Sounds for Gentle People 2 and Mystic Males) are already of of print. As I own all of Pet Records' compilations, I can wholeheartedly recommend them.

Here's a link to a brief, but insightful, interview with one of the people behind Pet Records: GREAT GOD PAN

What does the future hold for Pet Records? "It's back to work with Sounds of She, Mystic Males 2, more of the same. Some folks split off and are doing something called Kandel Records. They’re gonna issue the complete Felicity Facility story, and maybe some unreleased stuff from a certain L.A. sitar-based jazz group from the late ‘60s. Top secret stuff. Oh yeah, and the Who Am I? thing, a comp of New Energy related outfits like the Beagulls and the Growth Ring."

Why do the songs on Pet records' compilations sound so good? "Most of these songs on the comps were produced to be hits with top-notch producers in high tit studios, that’s why they’re so good. They’re not just some kids wanking off in the garage, which is fine too, but that scene’s been pretty well documented by now."

As you can see from the pics below, the covers of Pet Records' compilations have a very heavy '60s design vibe. So far, Pet Records has released seven compilations:

Soft Sounds for Gentle People

1.Moorpark Intersection - I Think I'll Just Go and Find Me a Flower
2.Avant Garde - Naturally Stoned
3.Jim and Dale - Past the State of Mind
4.Stained Glass - My Buddy Sin
5.Pleasure Fair - Today
6.Hyle King Movement - Flower Smile
7.Brigadune - I'll Cry Out from My Grave (God I'm Sorry)
8.Deep Six - C'mon Baby (Blow Your Mind)
9.Paper Fortress - Sleepy Hollow People
10.Serendipity Singers - Love Is a State of Mind
11.Thorinshield - Brave New World
12.Lewis and Clark Expedition - Blue Revelations
13.Marcus - Grains of Sand
14.Stone Country - Mantra
15.Parade - A.C.D.C.
16.Rich Kids - Plastic Flowers
17.Peppermint Trolley Company - 9 O'Clock Business Man
18.Harper and Rowe - Here Comes Yesterday Again
19.Fun and Games - It Must Have Been the Wind
20.Fireballs - Groovy Motions
21.Underground Sunshine - Take Me, Break Me
22.Fargo - Cross with No Name
23.Appletree Theater - You're the Biggest Thing in My Life

Soft Sounds for Gentle People 2

1.New Hobbits - I Could Hear the Grass Growing
2.Collage - My Mind's At Ease
3.Queen Anne's Lace - The Happiest Day of My Life
4.Spike Drivers - Drink Up the Wine
5.Smokey & His Sister - In a Dream of Silent Seas
6.Pleasure Fair - Nursery Rhyme
7.Garden Club - Little Girl Lost and Found
8.3's a Crowd - Coat of Colors
9.Family - San Francisco Waits
10.Holy Mackerel - Wildflowers
11.Thorinshield - Lonely Mountain Again
12.Earth Island - Seasons of Our Lives
13.Stone Country - Time Isn't There (Anymore)
14.Gates of Eden - No One Was There
15.Lewis & Clark Expedition - Why Must They Pretend?
16.Moorpark Intersection - Yesterday Holds On
17.Wichita Fall - Ornamental Sideshow
18.Sounds of Modification - Carry On Carole
19.Garden of Eden - Flower Man
20.Sounds of Sunshine - Linda the Untouchable
21.Growing Society - Just for Fun

Soft Sounds for Gentle People 3

1.MOJO - CANDLE TO BURN
2.THE WEST COAST BRANCH - WHERE IS THE DOOR?
3.THE POPE DREAM - JANUARY GIRL
4.THE FUN & GAMES - CLOSE TO CARMEL
5.BRYAN - LEARN TO LOVE
6.LE CIRQUE - LAND OF OZ
7.JIM & JEAN - TIME GOES BACKWARDS
8.THE HUNG JURY - BUSES
9.THE STATUS CYMBAL - LOVIN' DAY
10.JACOBSON & TANSLEY - DREAM WITH ME
11.THE SECOND HELPING - FLOATING DOWNSTREAM ON AN INFLATABLE RUBBER RAFT
12.THE STAINED GLASS - THE SCENE IN BETWEEN
13.CONDELLO - OH NO
14.THE CINNAMON SHIP - OCTOBER RAIN
15.A.M GATELY - BATTLE IN THE CITY
16.P.K LIMITED - MY IMAGINATION
17.THE ELASTIK BAND - IN A FAMILY TREE
18.THE GAINSBOROUGH GALLERY - LIGHT IN THE WINDOW
19.ANTHONY GREEN & BARRY STAGG - LIFE & LOVE
20.THE MUSIC BACHS - LIFE AND DEATH
21.THE STORYBOOK PEOPLE - DO YOU BELIEVE
22.THE SERENDIPITY SINGERS - RAIN DOLL
23.MID DAY RAIN - WELCOME TO THE RAIN
24.THE SUNDOWNERS - RING OUT WILD BELLS

Soft Sounds for Gentle People 4

1.COSMIC BROTHERHOOD - Sunshine World
2.THE LUV BIRDS - Little Faces
3.THE PRECIOUS FEW - The Carnival
4.THE 1ST CENTURY - Dancing Girl
5.THE SPLIT LEVEL - Looking At The Rose
6.THE FACTORY - No Place I’d Rather Be
7.CENTRAL PARK - Flower Hill
8.THE PHOENIX TROLLY - Too Many Trees
9.1ST NATIONAL BAND - When Once It Was Good
10.THE ROONEY BROTHERS - Geordie
11.THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE - Boston Bay
12.MARK ERICKSON - Hey, In The Water
13.THE LAUGHING WIND - Don’t Take Very Much
14.THE THOUSAND FACES - A Thousand Faces
15.THE LEMONADE CHARADE - Yellow Brick Road
16.LUX - When I’m Gone
17.THE CHUCK BARRIS SYNDICATE - Donnie
18.JENNIFER’S FRIENDS - Visions
19.PUBLIC COMPANY - Hearts & FLowers
20.THE FRAGILE LIME - A Day in the Sun
21.THE FOURTH DIMENSION - The Land of Make Believe
22.THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH - Sunshine on a Cold Morning
23.INCREDIBLE FOG - When the Sun's Gone Down

Mystic Males

1.J.P. Rags - Soul Sunrise
2.Gordon Alexander - Windy Wednesday
3.Harumi - Hunters Of Heaven
4.Bill and Howdy - Misty Morning Confrontation
5.Bob Ray - (Girl With the) Cameo Ring
6.Michael Blodgett - Fire Engine Sky
7.Thomas Hill - Glider Pilot
8.Paul Parrish - Suzanne
9.Bob Jameson - Jamie
10.Dick Domane - Bad Dream
11.Chip Taylor - You Should Be From Montere
12.Tom Parrott - Groovy and Linda
13.Tommy Roe - Paisley Dreams
14.Kenny O'Dell - Flower Girl
15.Dino Valente - Birdses
16.Teddy Neeley - Autumn Afternoon
17.Bob Lind - Elino
18.Bob Siller - In This Tiny Lonesome Place
19.Vince Donofrio - Daisy
20.Jim Valley - Invitation
21.Sunshine - A Sad Thought This Is
22.Now - Deja Vu
23.Hamilton Camp - Lonely Place

He & She

"It pretty much began with Sonny and Cher. When the teener template of Paul and Paula and Dick and Deedee got superimposed on the hip set, a new genre was born. The success of co-ed pairings like Mimi and Richard and Nino and April had coffee house folkies shacking up in droves and soon every town had its own dynamic duo. There were variations too. Paul and Mary found their Peter. John Phillips had two chicks so he had to find another Papa. But the sound was what made it, the call and response, the traded verses -- love stories acted out over twelve-strings ringin', like shaggy-topped Romeos and Juliets in tight slacks and pilgrim belts. You've heard some of the reissues -- the Blackburns and Snows, the Jims and Jeans -- their stories and music made public again after years in obscurity. Now hear the ones who didn't quite crack the radio charts, at least not for long. The ones whose songs remain unsung. Heroes and heroines in the nightclubs and studio booths. Reaching out in the darkness, and the sunshine too. In love and touching forever. She and He. He and She."
1.The Hubbels - Hippy Dippy Funky Monkey Double Bubble Sitar Man
2.Tony and Siegrid - Up Here
3.Kathy and Larry - Time
4.Friend and Lover - Circus
5.The Source - You Don't Know What's Going On
6.Tingling Mother's Circus - Sunday Kind of Feeling
7.Bunky and Jake - Taxicab
8.St. George and Tana - Big Daddy Blues
9.Ranee and Raj - Rainbow Land
10. Petticoat and Vine - Riding a Carousel
11.The Gas Company - Get Out of My Life
12.Morley - Faran's Forest
13.Sunny and Phyllis - I've Been Lost
14.Tony and Siegrid - You Don't Understand at All
15.Good and Plenty - Children Dreamin'
16.Bobby and I - Love Is for the Sharing
17.Tony and Terri - California, L.A.
18.Rejoice! - Gardens of Chelsea
19.Smokey and His Sister - Sheridan Square
20.Tee and Cara - I Don't Think I Know Her
21.Stormy and Gabriel - Comin' Down
22.Gypsy Trips - Rock `N Roll Gypsies

Sounds of She

"Twenty-three tracks of female vocal fronted studio pop psych all from the Aquarian age."

This one just came out, I have not had time to type up all the tracks yet. But, titles include:
"Psychedelic Movement" by The Ravelles,
"Green Plant" by Amanda Ambrose,
"The Aquarians" by The Aquarians,
"If I Didn't Want To See You Anymore" by Morningstarr,
"See The Farmer" by Bunches A Good,
"The Lady Barber" by Lynn Castle,
"What Do You Do When You've Lost Your Love" by Guardians Of The Rainbow,
"Flowers In The Air" by Sally Eaton,
"Billy Sunshine" by Sugar Townes,
"All I Dream" by Estelle Levitt,
"In The Middle Of The Night" by The Pipe Dream, and
"Meditation 1968" by Ellen Margulies

LA RECORD "Brian Wilson closed the evening with an amazing 45 minute set that included several classics that had the audience singing along with every word. Although he spent the entire set singing from a stool at center stage, his voice is as harmonious as ever. Seeing and listening to him in an intimate setting like the Roxy is a treat that I’ll always remember."

NEIMAN MARCUS "Thirty-Five Year Collection of Top 100® 45 RPM Records. In this age of soulless digital downloads and MP3 mumbo-jumbo, we gleefully turn to that treasured icon of our American pop culture childhood: the 45 RPM vinyl single. And since we're in the once-in-a-lifetime business, we giddily present our exclusive, definitive collection. To be clear, it contains each and every 45 RPM vinyl record that was listed on the Billboard Top 100® Rock and Pop charts from Jan. 1, 1955, through Dec. 31, 1990. Absolutely every disc for 35 years, every No. 100 up to every No. 1. There are some 18,400 records total. Some are even autographed. How about the Beatles' 1964 hit "Ain't She Sweet" with picture sleeve, worth a cool $500; or the Beach Boys' 1961 hit "Surfin' Luau" worth $200. There are literally hundreds of extremely collectible 45s — Elvis, Joplin, Hendrix, you name it — and the collection in its entirety is priceless."

Left to Right: Circa 1979: Jan Berry, Richard Hatch, Dean Torrence, James Armstrong, Brian Wilson

Any fan of Brian Wilson who does not investigate the music of Jan Berry is doing him/herself a great disservice. While Berry might not have written/released as much music as his contemporary Wilson, the quality of what he did accomplish stands up remarkably well. Good fortune smiled upon Berry fanatics this year with two stellar Berry related releases: Jan & Dean: The Complete Liberty Singles and more recently Encomium In Memoriam Vol. 1: Jan Berry of Jan & Dean . While they are both essential, I’m going to focus on “Encomium In Memoriam Vol. 1: Jan Berry of Jan & Dean.”

“Encomium In Memoriam Vol. 1: Jan Berry of Jan & Dean" is a labor of love by two keepers of the Berry flame: Cameron Michael Parkes and Mark A. Moore . Parkes and Moore got access to Berry’s original music scores, and with the help of some wonderful friends, recorded brand new versions of some of Berry’s most interesting arrangements. Instead of just focusing on the hits, Parkes and Moore wisely chose to track down Berry’s strongest work regardless of commercial notoriety. Parkes and Moore have certainly done their homework. They have an intimate knowledge of Berry’s music. In particular, the liner notes are very detailed and informative.

In addition to their own music contributions, Parkes and Moore enlisted the assistance of a talented and varied group of musicians. These musicians include:

Mike Deasy
Alan Boyd
Probyn Gregory
Stephen Kalinich
David Marks
P.F. Sloan
Tripsitter
Vic Diaz
David Beard

Although drums are clearly audible throughout EIM, the liner notes do not credit anyone as playing the drums (with the exception of a couple credits for percussion). This would lead one to believe that the drums were not recorded live, but were electronically reproduced somehow. There was at least one post on a message board that dissed the project for its presumed use of pre-recorded drum tracks. While I would prefer live drums, I don’t think the project really suffers from the absence of live drums and no one should avoid buying EIM for that reason alone.

It’s the arrangements and compositions that are the real focus of the project. The first song on EIM, “The Anaheim, Azusa & Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review and Timing Association,” is so strong that I kept repeating it over and over. It took me a few days of listening before I heard the album all the way through because I kept repeating this tune so much. TAA&CSCBRATA just leaps out of the speakers and right into your ear drums. This song is mastered loud! But it sounds wonderful. Tripsitter’s vocals are absolutely sublime. If you really want to investigate the intricate harmonies, you can check out the a cappella excerpt that’s the first of 7 bonus tracks.

Another key part of EIM is the inclusion of several tracks from Jan & Dean’s unreleased Carnival of Sound album from 1968. EIM has seven tunes from the “Carnival of Sound” project: “Carnival of Sound,” “Blowin’ My Mind,” “Fan Tan,” “ Love & Hate,” “I Know My Mind,” “Mulholland,” and “Laurel & Hardy.” These tracks show Berry’s slightly more psychedelic side.

Brian Wilson fans should note that Wilson co-wrote 3 songs on EIM, "Dead Man's Curve," "She's My Summer Girl," and The Woolly Bandit's version of "Surf City," a bonus track. Wilson shows up, briefly, on "Audio Montage #3 - Jan & Dean (Warning: Strong Language)." This montage features excerpts from various vocal and instrumental sessions with the Matadors, Brian Wilson, Dean Torrence and the Fantastic Baggys (P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri). It's primarily musicians' racy between song banter and was recorded '64 - '66.

All in all, EIM is a treat for fans of Berry, Wilson or ‘60s pop music in general. It was produced by two very knowledgeable and talented musicians and is a fine tribute to the genius of Jan Berry.

P.S.- Cameron Michael Parkes is the mastermind behind an interesting Brian Wilson tribute album and is a member of the band Box O’Clox.

P.S.ZOLLO "Here's Brian at his favorite deli, where he met me to be interviewed about his amazing new album of California dreamicana - Lucky Old Sun. He had a tuna sandwich, Diet Coke and two bowls of fresh strawberries, on which he added fake sugar. We talked about everything under the sun."

KNOX NEWS "Brian is on a solo path pretty much masterminded by his wife," says Love. "But if Brian and I are alone together with a piano, nature just takes over."

According to CABIN ESSENCE BLOG: "On November 25, two out-of-print Beach Boys-related albums will make their U.S. digital release debuts. Capitol/Caroline World Service will release 1963 Shut Down, a hot rod-centric various artist compilation that inspired The Beach Boys Shut Down, Vol. 2 album, and Murry Wilson’s 1967 instrumental album, The Many Moods Of Murry Wilson, a long out-of-print curiosity among Beach Boys fans. Both titles will be able for download from all major digital service providers. Shut Down was issued by Capitol Records to capitalize on the burgeoning hot rod craze that led The Beach Boys to expand their repertoire beyond the beach to include car songs. It features a rare hot rod effect laden version of The Beach Boys Shut Down. The Many Moods Of Murry Wilson, recorded by the father of Beach Boys Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson, features an instrumental version of The Beach Boys’ The Warmth Of The Sun and the only available recording of Italia, an unreleased Beach Boys instrumental written by Al Jardine."

DVD REVIEW

30 DAYS OUT "There was a strong sense of history during the [SMiLE] sessions. There was also a sense of history being made and the happy finishing of a project that had dark connotations for Brian - almost an exorcism so to speak - and it was done lovingly. We were all so happy for Brian and I think the SMiLE DVD and documentary does a great job of capturing the feeling that was going on around that time."

TAYLOR MILLS' official web site has information about her solo CD "Lullagoodbye," that happens to feature some guest vocals from Brian Wilson.

HEAD HERITAGE "It’s [Lindsey Buckingham's] music, melodies and sonic wizardry that are the reason he is sometimes referred to as the successor to Brian Wilson. Not that he sounds like Wilson per se – but he clearly inherited his sense of experimentation. He’s never been afraid to push the limits of what a “pop” song can be, just as Wilson was doing with 'Good Vibrations' and 'Smile.' Buckingham proved that to great effect on Fleetwood Mac’s most adventurous album 'Tusk' and he continues that sense of exploring" on his 1984 solo album "Go Insane."

"'D.W. Suite' is a tribute to Dennis Wilson, who had recently passed away. The song goes through many changes, starting off quietly with echoing backing vocals, briefly shifting into some spacier sections, then some 1950’s-styled gospel refrains and ending up as an Irish folk melody that speeds up until the whole thing comes to a sudden halt. The suite is not about Dennis Wilson but it does reflect some of his expansive approach to music-making as well as Brian Wilson’s of course."

BRIAN WILSON VS. MIKE LOVE

METRO SPIRIT