"Revolver" by The Beatles (August, 1966)

Brad's Take:


Revolver is a Beatles album that I have been pretty familiar with for quite a few years. I remember my dad burning Revolver, Abbey Road, and Rubber Soul for me one day, and out of the three, I think Abbey Road stuck with me the most. Mostly just because of "Oh Darlin'" though. That was quite a few years ago. But now, having listened to Revolver again, I think this one might win.

Every song rules. Well, with the exception of "Yellow Submarine." I could never really get into that song. But songs such as "She Said She Said," "Eleanor Rigby," and "Good Day Sunshine," how can you not love this album? Song after song after song is just gold.

I'm not sure how The Beatles did it. Just about every song on Revolver sounds so full and polished that you think every song was 5+ minutes long because of all the production and everything distracting you, but the longest song is a second or two over 3 minutes. Pairing the Beatles with producer George Martin was a match made in Heaven. I use the term "polished" lightly though. They don't play as tightly as they could have on these recordings, but with the strings, horns, percussion, and vocal harmonies mixed it, it all works perfectly.

Pet Sounds was The Beach Boys answer to The Beatles' Rubber Soul, and Revolver is The Beatles' answer to Pet Sounds. Personally, I think Revolver falls short, in comparison. But on its own, Revolver, to me, is the perfect Beatles album. Fun and catchy, with a little bit of dorkiness, and a touch of weird experimental sounds and production.

Dad's Take:

Revolver is the third disc on my list of greatest albums ever (and the rockingest of the top three), and is, on most days, my favorite Beatles record.

Of course, when I first fell in love with this record, it was the U.S. version, which omits three songs, "I'm Only Sleeping," "And Your Bird Can Sing," and "Doctor Robert." The result is a different listening experience, although nowhere as drastic a difference as the U.S. and U.K. versions of Rubber Soul, which could be counted as different albums entirely. Having those songs restored to their rightful place only makes Revolver even better.

Picking favorite songs from this album is like singling out your favorite bits in a perfect salad. The individual components are great, but when assembled into a single unit, each part is even better. There are so many classics here, from "Taxman" and "Eleanor Rigby" (reportedly the first rock and roll song to feature only classical instruments) to the Beach-Boys-Esque "Here, There, and Everywhere" and the heartbreaking "For No One," the happy, poppy "Good Day Sunshine" and "Got To Get You Into My Life," the experimental "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "I'm Only Sleeping," and even the goofy, silly oddball of the album, "Yellow Submarine." Revolver bridges all of the different Beatle stages, a true musical candy store, and opens the door for the more artistic, studio-based sound that would continue through the end of their career.

Rock and roll really doesn't get any better than this.

"Beach Boys Concert" by The Beach Boys (August, 1964)

Brad's Take:

This is the only official live Beach Boys album released that features all 5 original members; Brian, Mike, Carl, Dennis, and Al. Beach Boys Concert features a few hits, like "Little Deuce Coupe" and "In My Room" and it also includes a lot of previously unrecorded cover songs that they'd typically throw into their live sets, such as "Little Old Lady From Pasadena" (originally by Jan & Dean) and even "Monster Mash" (originally by Bobby "Boris" Picket.)

I like The Beach Boys just as much as anybody, but this "live" album disappoints me. I have two big problems with this album. First, the screaming of the fanatic crowd is annoying and obviously overdubbed. The screaming goes throughout the entire album at various different volume levels. They cranked up the screaming on the hooks of most of the songs. It sounds like it's just some stock sound clips of screaming girls, and they just layered it over the live recordings. My main issue with this record though is that not all of the songs are actually live recordings...

Before listening to this, I burned a CD with the whole All Summer Long album, and I squeezed Beach Boys Concert onto the same disc. I had a bit of a drive to make so I wanted to listen to these two albums so I could review them when I got back home. All Summer Long features the hit "I Get Around" and since it was released around that same time, it was also on the live album that came out a month later. When I heard "I Get Around" on Beach Boys Concert, I thought to myself that it sounded an awful lot like the original studio recording I heard on All Summer Long. So after I got home, I did a quick little Wikipedia search, and BAM! I was right.... Apparently Brian Wilson and the producers of Beach Boys Concert didn't like the live version of "I Get Around" (if they even played it at the concert) so they took the flawless studio recording from All Summer Long, took various tracks off of it, added in the annoying 60s Wilhelm-esque screaming, and then threw it on the "live" album. They did the same thing with "Fun, Fun, Fun" as well.

I know this isn't necessarily unheard of when it comes to live albums, but that's one reason why I dislike them, usually. When you're aware of things that were altered in the studio, it kind of takes away from the feeling of being at the concert, and then you realize that they're really just ruining perfectly good studio recordings by adding screams and taking tracks off of the original songs.

If it wasn't for the doctored recordings and the overuse of cover songs, I'd agree that this is a classic album. But really, I'd call this just a classic gimmick, unfortunately.

Dad's Take:

Of all the classic Beach Boys albums that were left off our list, I'm more than a little surprised this was included. Yeah, it was their first number one album, but there's nothing ground-breaking here.

As Brad pointed out, there's plenty of studio sweetening on this record. They used the studio version of "I Get Around" (closely compare the ends of this version with the on "All Summer Long" and you'll hear a little something that gives it away). They also recorded a new version of "Fun, Fun, Fun" in the studio (not the hit version, as Brad claimed) and threw it on here with the canned screams. That was very common for "live" albums of the time (and now), but it's still a bit off-putting.

Thing is, I've heard the original recordings of the two Sacramento that, along with some other live material from 1963, were assembled into this record, and those original recordings are pretty good. They could have done a real live album and it would have been good. Still, they did what had to be done at the time. With Brian Wilson's more sophisticated arrangements and the constant touring, this live album bought time that was needed for the next album.

One positive is that eight of the 13 songs don't appear on any other record, making this less of a greatest hits package than many live albums are. The one thing that maybe did break new ground on this album was the packaging. Originally released a single album in a gatefold cover, the album featured four pages of photos from the concerts. As far as I know, this had never been done before.

So this might not be a truly great album, but it's not a bad album either. The performances are fun, and some are great. It captures a time when the band still toured as an intact unit, before stage-shy Brian Wilson retired from touring to concentrate on the studio productions that would lead to the Beach Boys' best work. Still, I could easily argue for a half dozen or so other Beach Boys records that deserve to be on our list more than this one does and were left off.

"All Summer Long" by The Beach Boys (July, 1964)

Brad's Take:


For those who don't know, my dad is arguably one of the biggest Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fans ever so this band of fine young gents are no strangers to me. This is an album that contains a lot of songs that I grew up hearing a lot, especially "I Get Around."

You can tell that the boys were growing up with this release. There were still some songs that sounded like good old fashioned Beach Boys, like "I Get Around" and "Little Honda", but there were also a few glimpses into the sound that they'd eventually find with Pet Sounds just a couple years later. Song like "Wendy", "We'll Run Away", and "Don't Back Down" still have young Brian Wilson lyrics, but you can tell that his production skills and melody/harmony ideas were starting to really take shape here. I read that Brian even had studio musicians come in and record demos of the whole album, under his direction, and then he had the actual Beach Boys come in and overdub their parts. Whether or not that is true, my dad will let us know.

"Wendy" and "Don't Back Down" are both songs that I remember listening to in the past, but I didn't realize how much I really like them until I listened to this in my car when preparing to write this review. Both of those songs are really great, and are definitely highlights on this album for me.

This album does have its flaws though. "Drive-In" was pretty bad, let's be honest....

If you say you watch the movie you're a couple o' liars
And "Remember only you can prevent forest fires"

Ouch.

Overall though, this album had its ups and downs, but it's a perfect transitional album of classic Beach Boys to influential Beach Boys.

Dad's Take:

Of all the summery sounds in the Beach Boys canon, this could easily be argued to be their classic summer album. This is when the Beach Boys still sounded like they were having fun, Brian Wilson was still touring with the group, and they were putting out at least three records a year, produced, arranged, and mostly written by Brian. As the boy said, the music was starting to get more complex, but it still had that classic Beach Boys sound.

Few albums have started with the one-two punch this one had. The brilliant and surprisingly complex "I Get Around" with its deep organ notes followed by "All Summer Long" with its chimes provide all the signal you'll need that this is an extraordinary record. How they never released "All Summer Long" as a single has always amazed me.

This may well be the feel-good record of all time.

The Beach Boys reputation has been diminished somewhat by soft drink commercials and endless jukebox tours, but listen to this album and you'll understand why they are the classic American band. Complex arrangements, perfect harmonies, fun themes, and successful mythologizing of the American teenaged lifestyle create a sound that has often been copied but never matched. Even filler like their cover of the doo-wop classic "Hushabye" show that these young men were up to something. We'd soon see what that was. "We'll Run Away" would have been a perfect fit on side two of the even better "Beach Boys Today!" album a year later. (How did THAT gem not make our lists? Flat-out amazing record.)

As for "Drive-In," Bradley Boy, it's a funny song with an unusual arrangement. Like much of their filler of the time it was a chance to experiment a bit. And that "Only you can prevent forest fires" rings a bell with those of us who grew up at the drive-in. It's a reference to the classic "Smokey the Bear" PSA that played for years at the drive-in, mixed with a bit of innuendo.

That the British authors of our list would choose this album is no surprise. "I Get Around" was a monster British hit, the first major success by the Beach Boys in Britain, the beginning of a relationship with a country that treated the band with more respect than their own country did.

This was one of my first three Beach Boys albums (along with "Today!" and "Surfer Girl"), purchased for nearly nothing at a flea market by my parents and given me on my 12th birthday. This record played a key role in beginning decades of fanaticism, and remains a favorite. I've told people that if they want to get just one Beach Boys album and want that classic sound, then get this one. Not every second is brilliant, but close. Even the gimicky bit of humorous filler goofiness called "Our Favorite Recording Sessions" is fun.

In retrospect, closing the album with their last surfing song, "Don't Back Down" was a stroke of genius. They used their original sound as a challenge for what was to come. Like the Beatles, they were growing musically at an astounding pace, and only two years later would create what many consider the finest rock and roll album ever, "Pet Sounds."

But for now it was all about Brian's studio creations of the California myth, played (yes) mostly by the finest studio musicians in LA, the same ones used by Phil Spector, and sung impeccably by this brilliant harmony group.

"A Christmas Gift For You" from Phil Spector (November, 1963)

Brad's Take:


It's only a few days into the new year, but I guess it's a good time to listen to a Christmas album again, right?

Basically, Phil Spector's own record label, Philles Records, released this compilation of Christmas songs performed by groups on the label at the time: The Crystals, The Ronettes, Darlene Love, and Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans.

This is an album that I am pretty familiar with. It's been playing around Christmas time in the Rhoades household for many years. Phil Spector was a great producer when it came to doo-wop styled pop acts. I've always had a sweet spot for these types of groups.

Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys has said that this is his favorite album of all time. I think I would like this album a lot more if it didn't have so many mega cheesy songs on it, such as "Frosty the Snowman", "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." However, I love The Crystals' version of the latter. It totally sounds like what Christmas should sound like. I wish it had songs like "The First Noel" and "Baby It's Cold Outside." I think those songs would have been great additions to this release.

Aside from a few ill song choices, I love this album. It's one that I try to listen to at least once every Christmas season. It's really fun, classy, and upbeat. You can't help but smile when listening to this. Unless you're the Grinch.

Dad's Take:

It's easy to argue that this is the finest rock and roll Christmas album ever. The Phil Spector approach, with his sleigh bells and castanets and other wall of sound elements lends itself perfectly to a Christmas album. Best of all, maybe, is that the Christmas album isn't much of a departure from the usual Spector sound, so this thing sounds good all year round.

If anything hurts this record, it's how loved it is. As a result, it's overplayed. It's hard to find a Christmas movie that doesn't include at least one song from this record. That tends to make a classic record sound a little more cheesy.

But the happy fact is, song after song benefits from a full production and some brilliant vocal work. There are a few Christmas albums that got more play in my house, car, and office this past season, but that doesn't mean I like this one any less. This is as good as rock and roll Christmas music gets. I'm sure ol' Saint Nick blasts this one on his sleigh stereo system as he speeds through the skies. It's upbeat and is perfect for setting the pace he has to work at.

"Exotica Volume 1," by Martin Denny (April, 1959)

Dad's Take:

This is a slightly more jazzy entry into the exotica genre we first saw with Les Baxter's Tamboo. Loaded with sound effects like screeching monkeys and with exotic instruments from around the world, Martin Denny transports the listener to a mysterious tropical island, or the jungle, or China. Or at least a Hollywood lounge version of those places.

This album got rave reviews that mentioned "the most exciting musicians" and claimed that it was the perfect record to push rock and roll stars out of kid's minds. I don't know about that last claim, but it's an enjoyable enough record, for what it is.

Next time you have a tropical-themed party (and who doesn't have those all the time?), put this record on and enjoy the monkeys and frogs and birds and the jazzy percussion-oriented music. Before you know it, you'll be dancing like the cartoon version of Barbara Eden during the opening credits of "I Dream Of Jeanie."

One little side note. This album was actually recorded twice, once in mono in 1956, and then again a couple years later in stereo. The stereo version features Julius Wechter on vibes (the mono version had Arthur Lyman). People who, like me, know more than is healthy about the Beach Boys, will recognize Wechter's name as part of Brian Wilson's stable of studio musicians. He also worked with Phil Spector and others.

Brad's Take:


This album is all over the place. There's songs that remind you of China, South American jungles, and so on. I enjoyed the jazzy piano bits of the songs, but everything else was just a little too weird for my taste. Some of the experimentation is interesting on the album, but a lot of it (mostly the crazy human-made animal sounds) was just laughable. I couldn't take it seriously.

The experimental sounds and instruments used on this album remind me a lot of the Pet Sounds and SMiLE era Beach Boys recordings, but it's of course missing the poppy vocals and melodies that I like most about those albums.

For what it is (a super weird experimental jazz record) I guess it's as good as you can get. I can't say I'm much of a fan of the exotica genre, but it's not that much of a struggle to get through.

Tamboo!, by Les Baxter, His Orchestra and Chorus (June, 1955)

Dad's Take:

Tamboo is one of the earlier and better-known examples of the Exotica genre, music that brings to mind exotic lands through the rhythms of jazz, classical, and swing music, played with unusual instruments. This album allows you to travel to exotic places without any danger and to confront your inner ethnic sensibilities without risking your whiteness. This is mostly instrumental music, with some wordless choral arrangements mixed in. Each song creates a mood, and evokes a sense of place, usually of a beautiful island paradise. The kind you find in Hollywood.

As much I hate to admit it, I like this album.

To the modern ear, there's plenty of cheese. Think Rodgers and Hammerstein traveling through a projected background of the jungle with the Love Boat crew. Rumba lessons with Tarzan and His Swinging Orchestra. Las Vegas cocktail jungle cruise. I'm pretty sure I should be sitting at a tiki bar while listening to this.

The arrangements are exciting, especially the percussion and percussive strings. Many of the songs include strong rhythms and crazy tempo changes. Baxter was one of those composers who could manage to turn out a complete suite in less than three minutes.

I hear significant influence on later pop masters, especially Brian Wilson. Wilson's sources are often cited as The Four Freshman, Chuck Berry, and Phil Spector, but it's clear he owes a debt to Les Baxter. The impact on Wilson's Pet Sounds, Smile, and Friends instrumentals, both in style and arrangement, is obvious. Maybe that's part of why I like this. It helps me understand where some of Brian Wilson's crazy instrumentals--not quite rock or pop, not quite jazz or classical either--come from.

Back to Baxter. I have to confess that I was not looking forward to listening to this one. Unexpectedly, I caught myself swaying like a cobra, tapping my feet (not so much like a cobra), and just digging Baxter's jazz-inspired trip to the exotic places of Hollywood's imagination. He evokes the feel of the Pacific and Caribbean islands, and of Africa, India, and the Amazon, without leaving behind Western musical forms. It's exotic and yet still familiar. Each song is different, and yet the album holds together as a whole.

Works for me, but I don't think I want to be caught at a stop light with this blasting from my car stereo.

Brad's Take:

Like my dad mentioned above, this album transports you to classic-Hollywood's interpretation of an exotic island. I imagine a 1950s newlywed couple (a guy with slick styled dark hair with a pretty blonde girl hanging on his arm) giggling and pointing at the interesting local native tribe dancing around a bonfire, like how it shows on the album's cover. After reading a little bit about Les Baxter, it's really no surprise that he later started to score cheesy B-movie soundtracks, like Frogs and Muscle Beach Party.

I started getting antsy about halfway through this album. This is definitely not my cup of tea when it comes to music. Although I don't think I plan on listening to it again, it's still interesting and unique. Being a musician myself, I try to have an appreciation for all music. I can appreciate what Baxter was trying to portray here. He pulled it off very well. And if I was having a beach party with friends, I'd probably put this CD on for ambience and a little chuckle.

But really, Les Baxter knew what he was going for, and he pulled it off perfectly. It's great for what it is. It's not something I see myself recommending to anyone, but it's fun and unique, and sometimes that's what people are looking for. So we'll see...