Got some new records today, great finds. A lot of Beach Boys in fair shape. I passed up on some to save money...Buddy Holly's self titled, a great find but it wasn't in great shape. Plus I have all I need from Buddy on record with one of the compilations. I buy to listen not so much collect in that regard. An original of Highway 61...eh someone else who doesn't have a copy can get that one. The Kinks Lola Part One! Rare but bad shape.
The Beach Boys,
Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) The last of the early traditional Beach Boy albums, with the surfing, cars, girls, music and California themes in full form. The Wrecking Crew is present, seen in the rather fantastic arrangements. With that great rhythm and fullness to the songs. "California Girls" is the album's classic, and a truly amazing single with it's illegally catchy chorus and simple lyrics that paint a campy and fun summer image. The composition as well is remarkable. The rest of the album is good, with a greatness bubbling. It really shows the road to Pet Sounds, the instrumentation is so good with a lot of cool bits. Especially guitar tones and background sax. "Let Him Run Wild" is a highlight, a standout in every regard. This is a very worthwhile album that shouldn't be ignored.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WutAN1fq4bU The Beach Boys,
Smiley Smile The greatest tragedy of 60's recorded music is that we'll never know what truly could've come from Smile as a completed work. Instead we have this muffled lo-fi rush job, which has all the charm, twists and sheer creativity you'd want, without the sound and power. Smiley Smile is a weird basement record with a lot of crafty and cool bits, but nothing more then unpolished gems that where never allowed to shine. "Good Vibrations" is present which sharply contrasts the rest of the record. It feels so out of place, a single with insane amounts of work among rush jobs. "Vegetables" is fun for the lyrics and sound effects, "She Goes Bald" has a twist spoken word bit, "Little Pad" is simply odd. "Wind Chimes" is almost like a failed attempt at remaking "Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)".
There may not be a timeline where a fully realized Smile could exist, and I don't think it would've been better then Pet Sounds anyway. Given how meaningless and goofy some of the lyrics are. Smiley Smile is no way to judge this, it's just a novelty with "Good Vibrations" and a muddy recording of "Heroes And Villains" tacked on. The band didn't even bother touching "Surf's Up" yet. You hear good things happening, but it's a sad end to something that was not allowed to grow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gu-hzfhv10 The Beach Boys,
Wild Honey Recorded and released mere months after Smiley Smile, this album is dramatically different, like a weight had been lifted off, resulting in rather upbeat and sunny music. It's surprisingly black for a Beach Boys album, with a real R&B sound in the vocals, which are grittier and dig deeper. It's primarily made with band action, the songs don't have tons going on, but the keyboard sounds are cool with a lot of neat tones such as the sounds on the title track. It's an easygoing album and rather short at just 23 minutes. Instead of trying to make an ambitious masterpiece, Wild Honey just sounds like Brian Wilson relaxing his music muscles, while still trying to make a consistent record. There are still cool changes in the music, and the Motown tint gives it a unique feel. It's a neat album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXhB2uETzP0 Bob Dylan,
New Morning It would be a little too sweeping to claim Bobby never made anything worthwhile after Blonde On Blonde, certainly he was not the same cool guy with the shades, black clothes & wild Jewfro, and the attitude in his music became much less interesting, but an album like 1970's New Morning shows he still had some good things going. It's really quite simple, a solid band backs Bob doing the folk rock, country thing. The songs are very effective and sound good, with a light sound. Variety in tone with some cool twists like the jazzy "If Dogs Run Free" and upbeat title track. George Harrison did a much better version of "If Not For You", but this one is good for something fast and loose. Ditching his strange tone on Nashville Skyline, Bobby sounds good. This album actually has life and fun to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i33gxrvkjMg