Lists, lists, lists… music critics, music fans are full of playlists these days. Themes galore. But what about a soundtrack to one’s memorial service? I don’t plan on dying anytime soon, but any of us could go tomorrow. In the next hour. Especially at my advanced, arthritic, yet “Hold the phone, I’m still 19!” Gen …
“The Beach Boys” is a celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come. The documentary traces the band from humble family beginnings and features never-before-seen footage and all-new interviews with The Beach Boys’ Brian …
This last quarter of the season – depending on where you live – when you’re really trying to make every day without rain and cold count. No wonder so many yearn for the “Endless Summer.” As an aside, I remember the first time I went to a Southern California beach – Zuma, Malibu. Driving thru …
I’ve discussed the incredible musical and vocal arrangements of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” to death – and never tire of it. However, so much is said of Brian Wilson’s studio wizardry, the Beach Boys’ lyrics are often overlooked as key components of timelessness. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older Then we wouldn’t have …
What does it say about Brian Wilson that, perhaps alone among recording artists, he made his creative breakthrough in a Christmas song? When the single “Little Saint Nick” was released in the fall of 1963 Wilson had already written and recorded the touchstone ballads “Surfer Girl” and “In My Room,” but the bulk of the …
http://youtu.be/1fQT-GjKlLw
This tune gets better as the years go by. The title is misleading, “Surf’s Up” generally means, “The swells have begun, the waves are cresting, let’s get out there…” but in this song the title is to mean, “Surf’s up, time’s up, the California dream is over,” and the music, the lyrics and the harmonies …