October 23, 2008 Earworm

The Beach Boys' "All I Wanna Do" sounds like it was recorded in a cavern slowly filling with rain. It also sounds like a tear in the time/space continuum where sixties sunshine pop shook hands with eighties revivalism and then graciously introduced nineties britpop: I can't imagine what Mercury Rev would sound like without this record.

The lyric to "All I Wanna Do" was written by Mike "That's 'MR. DOUCHEBAG' to you, fella" Love which proves that transcendental meditation could be inspirational, if not completely successful in cleansing a vinegar and water spirit. To be honest, I would have thought it was written by Dennis but that may have been just for fantasy fodder.

"All I Wanna Do" was on 1970's "Sunflower", an album that proved to be a low point in their commercial appeal and the critics weren't too kind, either. Fortunately, time has shown "Sunflower" respect for it's uncluttered, soulful sound and was recently ranked at #380 in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all times. More important, for an all too brief time, "All I Wanna Do" allows me to believe that heaven and earth and peace and love are simultaneously within reach and that Mike Love is more than an asshole. And that, folks, is a miraculous achievement.

August 12, 2008 Earworm

We all know that The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" was inspired by The Beatles' "Rubber Soul" and in turn, "Pet Sounds" inspired the envelope pushing of "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" yet I can't help but wonder if side two of "Today!" - as well as the finer points of "Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)" didn't give the fab four a little incentive as well. And with all the praise deservedly heaped upon '66's "Pet Sounds", it's easy to overlook the fact that Brian had begun lining that gilded cage back in '64 with the shockingly honest "Don't Worry Baby".

"Today!" consisted of three previously released singles, an embryonic "Help Me, Ronda", and two new tunes packed into side one for an old-fashioned Beach Boys romp in the sun but, as fun as that may be, it's side two where things get interesting, kicking off with the gorgeous tremble of "Please Let Me Wonder". It aches with anticipation, aided by a guitar riff that tips it's hat to The Crystals' "And Then He Kissed Me". The bass line throbs with expectation and Brian Wilson sings as tenderly as one can without resorting to whispers, asking so many questions without once using the appropriate punctuation. It's 'will you go with me' sans the 'yes' or 'no' boxes, 'will you marry me' before buying the ring, and 'will you sleep with me' minus the awkward condom wrapper. If you haven't succumbed at this point, Carl's 'I love you' should seal the deal nicely even if you are actually looking over his shoulder at Dennis.

May 29, 2008 Earworm

I can't begin to calculate the amount of time my head has spent between earphones listening to The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" and even if I could, I'd not want one second of it back. That a record mixed to mono continues to provide sonic surprises after four decades is reason enough for its status as a masterpiece of modern music. But, as much as I find comfort in its aural sweep, it's lyrical content brings the heavenly sounds down to earth and into the home; where the heart is. Every song suggests being in the right place but just a moment or two too soon or too late - even "Sloop John B.", the track that Capitol insisted be added to up the commercial viability of a project that itself was too soon. "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" might have been a more precise title for the album, but instead, sits just left of the middle of side two.
If Brian had only sung the opening couplet, "I keep looking for a place to fit in, where I can speak my mind - And I've been trying hard to find the people that I won't leave behind...", and left the rest of the piece as instrumental the point would have been made as the alternately walking, stomping, marching, and creeping percussion fills in the rest of the scenario. Its outside perspective confirmed that it had no place with the masses, as did Capitol's burying the album by quickly releasing a "Hits" package on hot on its heals.

Besides, who wants to jump into the woodie when the driver is no longer focusing on fun, fun, fun.