Pet Sounds at 40

[Gentle Giant]

Opening myself up to the slings and arrows of the anti-Brians out there, but there's a new, free, weekly Pet Sounds podcast series on iTunes that goes through the whole album:

The Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary Podcast is a 15-episode series documenting the making of the Beach Boys' seminal 1966 album. We invite you listen to its creator, Brian Wilson, and fellow Beach Boys Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston share their thoughts on making this landmark album.

This 15-episode series includes an album overview, individual podcasts for each album track, as well as a bonus episode on the making of "Good Vibrations."

New episodes will be available weekly. If you click on the iTunes button below, you can subsribe to this series so that new episodes will automatically be downloaded to your computer and iPod. If you'd prefer to listen to the programs online, you can click on the MP3 links below to listen here.
Click button to subscribe in Apple's iTunes

Episode Schedule

August 21, 2006
Pet Sounds Overview (video)
Pet Sounds Overview (audio)

August 29, 2006
Wouldn't It Be Nice
You Still Believe In Me

September 5, 2006
That's Not Me
Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)

September 12, 2006
I'm Waiting For The Day
Let's Go Away For Awhile
Sloop John B

September 19, 2006
God Only Knows

September 26, 2006
I Know There's An Answer
Here Today

October 3, 2006
I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
Pet Sounds
Caroline, No

October 10, 2006
Good Vibrations

Then there's the fabulous fuzzy 40th anniversary CD/DVD reissue and Good Vibrations CD single (five versions). And Brian's performing the whole album live in L.A. in November.



There's also a Pet Sounds blog, and a new book about Brian.

At 64, with his brothers and therapist dead, the SMiLE albatross off his back, and even Mike Love's SMiLE lawsuit apparently thrown out of court, Brian Wilson somehow keeps chugging along.

[Gentle Giant]

The next logical step:



On sale from the BW website and at shows (I'll be going November 17 in Boston). $150 autographed, $75 not.

[Chris D]

Does it come with the sandbox and brown acid?

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

There was a good documentary about Brian that came out a few years ago, it had Van Dyke Parks in it, I think they were working on the Orange Crate Art album (which I liked). The bit in the movie I really dug was one of his daughters explaining that Brian began every morning by blasting The Ronettes "Be My Baby".

[Scott Dolan]

A Pirate Looks At 40

[Gentle Giant]

Originally Posted by Squaredancecalling Steve

There was a good documentary about Brian that came out a few years ago, it had Van Dyke Parks in it, I think they were working on the Orange Crate Art album (which I liked). The bit in the movie I really dug was one of his daughters explaining that Brian began every morning by blasting The Ronettes "Be My Baby".

Played it nonstop for a while, to be sure, 100 times a day by one estimate. That documentary was I Just Wasn't Made For These Times by Don Was, also features John Cale and Thurston Moore as talking heads, along with some more obvious choices (such as Crosby and Nash, who get all their dates wrong). I'm expecting the DVD to arrive any day now, so my VHS copy will be available if you're interested.

Another Brian DVD, Brian Wilson on Tour, shows Ronnie Spector visiting Brian backstage. She's a hoot, and obviously has a lot of affection for him.

[Gentle Giant]

Originally Posted by Chris D

Does it come with the sandbox and brown acid?

All accessories sold separately!

[Gentle Giant]

Review of first show on this month's short Pet Sounds tour. Sounds like Brian is in amazing form. Saw a set list on the BW message board. It's all Beach Boys numbers except for Love and Mercy from his first official solo album (I always consider Pet Sounds to be his first solo album), which is his standard final encore. Al Jardine sings a few leads, notably on Help Me Rhonda, which was his first lead with the BBs. There's a short acoustic set, then Al comes on for a run of classics, then a brief intermission followed by the entire PS album, then an encore medley of the rockingest BB tunes, then Love and Mercy. Can't wait.

Wilson revives "Pet Sounds" in stunning LA gig
By Erik Pedersen

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Let's not dally: There simply aren't enough superlatives to describe Brian Wilson's performance Wednesday night at Royce Hall.

Sure, his ace band and singular repertoire -- including a beautiful run-through of "Pet Sounds," being celebrated with a 40th anniversary reissue by Capitol -- were a major part of the show's success. But they played supporting roles; it was Wilson's singing that made this night unforgettable: confident, unhesitant and, most notably, solo.

Gone were the tentative, almost meek vocals he offered just a few years ago. Instead, Wilson boldly supplied the bulk of the lead singing, never needing to fall back on his cohorts. He read lyrics from a video screen, and there was the occasional vocal fumble, but nothing egregious. And any missteps were quickly forgotten -- and forgiven.

It all started with the collective huddled together as if around a beach campfire on a summer night. Accompanied only by bongos and an acoustic guitar, they offered a handful of Beach Boys songs both classic ("Surfer Girl") and obscure ("You're Welcome"). As the party broke up and the players manned their stations, a figure strolled onstage unintroduced but recognized with a loud cheer.

"Al Jardine of the Beach Boys!" Wilson eventually shouted, twice. And the two shared the stage for the first time in ages.

But Jardine's appearance wasn't the biggest news of this two-hour, 38-song show, which visited at least 15 Beach Boys albums dating back to 1963. It was Wilson's stunning renaissance as a frontman. Sporting an untucked purple Western shirt, he sang with a clarity and purpose most thought were decades behind him. And amid oddly endearing gestures and movements, his stage patter was unforced, funny, even charming.

The band juxtaposed some of pop music's all-timers ("California Girls," "In My Room," "Good Vibrations") with nearly forgotten Beach Boys gems ("Break Away" and the fiercely rocking highlight "Marcella"). After playing an hour of the Fab Five's songs (Wilson eschewed his spotty solo career, save for neo-traditional show closer "Love and Mercy"), the group took a short break and returned to perform "Pet Sounds."

One of rock's landmarks, the 1966 album nodded to Wilson's earliest inspirations (Phil Spector, folky '50s vocal groups, with dollops of doo-wop) while pushing mid-'60s rock boundaries with magical songwriting, clever changes and a slew of nonrock instruments.

But this was more than a mere recital; master of melody Wilson and his stellar 11-piece band somehow improved on the record, adding a flourish here and a little extension there. He provided jaw-dropping solo vocal moments, carrying almost the entire album. After fairly drilling "God Only Knows," which Wilson called "my most prized achievement in songwriting," he was visibly moved by the spontaneous standing ovation. And there was no shortage of broad smiles in the audience all night.

Here's hoping that one of the stops on this six-city tour, which began Wednesday, is recorded for posterity. It's legacy time for Brian Wilson -- again.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

[Gentle Giant]

Boston show is Friday! And now this:

Beach Boy's Story Coming to the Big Screen
Source: Variety
November 15, 2006

Chief Beach Boy Brian Wilson has made a deal with producer Mark Gordon to tell his life story in a feature film.

Variety says Gordon is teaming with filmmaker David Leaf (who chronicled Wilson's creation of the album "Smile" in his documentary Beautiful Dreamer) and Wilson's managers Ronnie Lippin and Jean Sievers to construct a package that will include rights to Wilson's vast catalog of songs. They will set a writer shortly and then take the package out to studios.

"I love the idea of there being a movie on my life, and I can't wait to see the script," Wilson told the trade, while preparing to sing "Good Vibrations" and "God Only Knows" during his Tuesday night induction into the U.K. Music Hall of Fame. He was being inducted with Led Zeppelin, Rod Stewart and George Martin.

Gordon said Wilson's willingness to include the rough spots in his life, and the guidance of Leaf (who has known Wilson for 30 years), gives the movie its core.

[walto]

Speaking of (well not really but sort of) Van Dyke Parks, what do people think of Joanna Newsom? (Parks does the orchestrations on her new disc.) IYO, is she a female incarnation of Randy Newman, or are her composition skills not much above the level of her (horrible) voice? Based on what I've read about her, I've been a little tempted to pick up this recording, but the clips provided by Amazon are only 30-second snippets. Not much to go on....

[Chris D]

Originally Posted by walto

Speaking of (well not really but sort of) Van Dyke Parks, what do people think of Joanna Newsom? (Parks does the orchestrations on her new disc.)

Flavor of the day. She's in love with her own "genius"; too clever by half. Every track is overpacked with sonic information, claustrophobic. Had an almost physical revulsion to her voice.

[walto]

Thanks, Chris. I appreciate your comments.

Any dissenting views?

[Gentle Giant]

Originally Posted by walto

Thanks, Chris. I appreciate your comments.

Any dissenting views?

I'm assuming you've read the adoring article on her from last week's Phoenix. Haven't heard her but for someone who's lyrics are supposed to be so cool, she didn't have a whole lot of interest to say in the interview.

[walto]

Very close, GG. I read about her in the Metro yesterday AM.

[Vince Kargatis]

Haven't heard her most recent, but I really enjoy her debut. Very nice tunes, and a voice I find charming enough. Certainly her debut's tracks couldn't be described as "overpacked with information" - they're quite spare.

[Surfer]

Milk Eyed Mender is OK to good, not great. Havent heard the new one, but I will say its in the running for Worst Album Cover Of the '00s.

[Chris D]

Originally Posted by Vince Kargatis

Certainly her debut's tracks couldn't be described as "overpacked with information" - they're quite spare.

Night and day difference in the production. On this one she used Parks, Jim O'Rourke and Steve Albini (!).

[Gentle Giant]

Happy for folks to discuss anything they want here, but just to bring it back to the theme, Charlie Haden's daughter, Petra, was in town recently with a group of singers doing her The Who Sells Out a capella thing. I didn't get to see it unfortunately, but in her set, she also did God Only Knows, and the reviewer, Brett Milano (whom I know, and know to be a major Brian Wilson fan), said it was the first time he'd heard a BB cover that could rival the original.

Edit: Just found an mp3 of it: http://www.petrahadenmusic.com/sounds.html Pretty remarkable.

[Gentle Giant]

Set list:

ACOUSTIC SET
Add Some Music To Your Day
Surfer Girl
Hawaii
Please Let Me Wonder
Drive In
Your Welcome

ELECTRIC SET
Then I Kissed Her (Jardine vocal)
Breakaway
Dance dance dance
Little Girl I Once Knew
Do It Again
In My Room
California Saga: California (Jardine vocal)
Do You wanna Dance
When I Grow Up
I Get Around
California Girls
Sail On Sailor
Marcella
Good Vibrations

INTERMISSION

PET SOUNDS
Wouldn't It Be Nice
You Still Believe In Me
That's Not Me
Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)
Im Waiting For The Day
Lets Go away
Sloop John B (Jardine vocal)
God Only Knows
I Know There's An Answer
Here Today
I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
Pet Sounds
Caroline No

ENCORE I
Johnny B Goode
Help Me Rhonda (Jardine vocal)
Barbara Ann
Surfin USA
Fun Fun Fun

ENCORE II
Love & Mercy


Wilson unleashes pure genius with ‘Pet’ project
By Jed Gottlieb
Saturday, November 18, 2006 - Updated: 12:20 AM EST

If there were any doubts that “Pet Sounds” is not only Brian Wilson’s masterpiece, but pop music’s, they were erased last night at the Orpheum.

Before Wilson and his gifted 10-piece backing band presented the pop symphony, however, the packed house was treated to Wilson’s rock ’n’ roll suites, sonatas and concertos.

Wilson and his band began crowded in a tiny corner of the stage around a few mics, harmonizing to “Add Some Music to Your Day” and “Surfer Girl.” For a lesser group, this type of campfire sing-along would come off as corny, but they pulled it off perfectly.

After the intimate set, Beach Boy Al Jardine emerged and the crowd exploded in a standing ovation. Jardine wasted no time diving into “Then I Kissed Her.” The Phil Spector-penned tune was a fitting introduction to Wilson’s Spector-influenced catalogue of hits.

Live, and performed by a top-notch band, Wilson’s songs sound as brilliant as they did 40 years ago. “In My Room” is as good as any Beatles’ tune, “California Girls” is the sound of summer and “I Get Around” contains all the elements of rock (a rebel spirit, se*ual innuendo and a kickin’ backbeat).

But it was the first set’s closer - “Good Vibrations” - that unequivocally proves Wilson’s genius. Less than four minutes long, “Good Vibrations” is a symphony in a song. It’s got the twists and turns of a Homeric epic, but is as catchy as, well, a great Beach Boys hit.

For his second set, Wilson dove into “Pet Sounds.” But after the hourlong first set, his voice sounded flat on the first few songs. It’s here that the magic of Jardine came in. As Jardine jumped in to back up Wilson, the maestro’s voice was buoyed. After a few songs, Wilson warmed and began hitting the high notes with confidence.

While Wilson’s singing is nice, it’s his compositions and arrangements that makes “Pet Sounds” so stunning. After performing what he called his “most prized possession” - “God Only Knows” - came the night’s second standing ovation. Clearly, Wilson’s mash-up of high art and teenage longing still resonates four decades after its release.

Wilson says he’s written more than a dozen songs for a 2007 album. If he put half the genius into them as he put into “Here Today,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” or “Caroline No,” it could be one of next year’s best albums.