Smile To Be Released

The sessions for the legendary SMiLE album by The Beach Boys will be released in October.

Capitol Records have collected and compiled the sessions from 1966 and ’67  when The Beach Boys went in to record the follow-up to their masterful Pet Sounds album in 1966. The master-tapes were shelved and SMiLE went down in history as the most mythical unreleased pop album ever.

After 44 years as a secret passed between fans, three of the band’s surviving members have collaborated on “an approximation of what was intended to be the completed” album, according to a press release. And if you spend enough, it comes with a surfboard.

The Smile Sessions will be released by Capitol/EMI on 31 October, available digitally and in a variety of physical manifestations – dual CD, double vinyl, or in box sets including 7in singles, shadow-boxes, signed lithographs and even a custom-made Hobie longboard. Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and Mike Love have worked with engineers to polish off the Beach Boys’ original session masters, which were aborted when the group began work on 1967′s Smiley Smile.

Besides Smile itself, the Beach Boys are issuing four albums of bonus material, including demos, alternate mixes and studio chatter. There is also a 60-page hardbound book, including essays by Wilson, Love, Jardine and Bruce Johnston, who joined the Beach Boys in the lead-up to Smile.

The assembled SMiLE album features 19 tracks, with another eight bonus tracks. And the second disc features thirteen cuts of alternate takes, highlights, demos and unheard parts.

The five-disc set has a mammoth 139 tracks.

It’s a landmark of pop history, and the various editions will be released on October 28.

 

The Union – Elton John/Leon Russell (Mercury)

It comes as no surprise that Elton John is a long time fan of Leon Russell and that much of his really good early work – from the Tumbleweed Connection era was inspired by Russell both vocally and in the style of piano playing. It’s also no surprise that Elton felt the need to repay the favour by inviting Russell to make this album and re-generate his slightly ailing career and self-esteem. Beneath all the feathers and spandex you get the sense that Elton has never forgotten that he was a remains a musician first and foremost.

It is also not a great surprise that a number of great musical identities flocked to be a part of the project – from producer T Bone Burnett to core band members like Jim Keltner, Jay Bellerose (both drummers play on all songs!)  Dennis Crouch and Marc Ribot  and contributors like Neil Young, Doyle Bramhall, Booker T, Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks  and Don Was. That Bernie Taupin would be an integral part of the project was almost a given.

What is slightly surprising though is the class and dignity that the album possesses. These are really great songs done in a way that adds to the legacy that Russell will one day leave behind (hopefully not too soon!).

A song like Hey Ahab and Hearts Have Turned To Stone rollick along behind the trademark piano playing and Russell’s gruff vocals combine with some soaring gospel backing vocals in songs that deserve to sit alongside Tightrope. A Dream Come True is rootsier but in a similar vein. Gone To Shiloh, which sees Neil Young, Russell and Elton trading verses, is almost maudlin but poignant at the same time.

At times, on the more countrified songs, Russell actually sounds a bit like Willie Nelson and the musicians seems to sympathise with this approach giving the songs a stylised but never hokey country feel. In many ways Marc Ribot is the unsung hero of this album with his tasteful yet edgy guitar contributions.

There’s a raw an untamed feeling about this album that stops it from ever becoming and ‘all-star tribute’, something that it easily could have descended into. The piano playing of Russell and John is so right for the songs and never becomes a cheesy duelling pianos type deal that, again, was a potential threat.

I guess with Burnett at the helm none of these fears were ever going to be realised, but nevertheless the sound motivations and successful execution of this album is a credit to all involved.

Brian Wilson Replaces Peter Gabriel

You win some, you lose some.

The bad news is that Peter Gabriel will no longer be headlining the November 1st Concert at Intimate Arena Mode, Etihad Stadium. The cancellation is said to be due to scheduling issues.

But there’s a very bright silver lining to this dark cloud. Brian Wilson will replace Gabriel on the November 1st Concert as the headline international guest. Australian fans can expect to hear Brian Wilson’s greatest hits along with his solo classics and a selection of songs from his new album Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin.

America, Chicago, Peter Frampton, Blue King Brown, Daryl Braithwaite, Ross Wilson, Joe Camilleri, Stephen Cummings, Deborah Conway and Danielle Spencer will continue to perform as scheduled on Monday 1st November at Intimate Arena Mode, Etihad Stadium.

Andrew McManus Presents will refund any disappointed ticket holders in full and tickets are still on sale via Ticketmaster for Brian Wilson fans. Having seen Wilson a couple of times in the last decade you wont want to be getting a refund, trust me!

Brian Wilson is one of popular music’s most deeply revered figures, the main creative force behind some of the most cherished recordings in rock history.   It is no exaggeration to call Brian Wilson one of the most influential composers of the last century.

Beginning as one of five members of the Beach Boys, Wilson’s career took off when the single ‘Surfin’ hit big locally and made ripples on the national charts, the Beach Boys were then signed to Capitol Records. Seven albums later, the Beach Boys became one of the most popular touring acts in the world. Wilson remained a key contributor to their albums, writing some of his most affecting work. Behind the timeless songs of surf, sun, sadness and longing is the quintessential prince of introspection and inspiration, Brian Wilson.

Claimed by Paul McCartney as having written the greatest pop song ever ‘God Only Knows’. In early 1966, while the other Beach Boys were on a tour, Wilson embarked on a trip of his own and created what many today consider ‘The Great American Pop Album.’ With the release of Pet Sounds, Wilson became recognised as a groundbreaking musical force. Anticipation was sky high for the Beach Boys’ next album. However, the Smile album became the most legendary album that never was. Through profound personal setbacks and professional frustrations, Brian Wilson has overcome many obstacles and remains one of the most influential pop composers of the last 50 years.

The Brian Wilson live show is a wonderful example of recreating the magic of the timeless melodies and complex harmonies that made the Beach Boys sound.