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Post by boogieboarder on Sept 19, 2022 10:10:28 GMT -5
Reviews at the time either pointed out that the disco song was misguided, or that it was the only sign of life on an otherwise bland album of slow ballads. I think it was a mistake to have Bruce Johnston produce the album, because the first thing he did was listen to each band member’s available songs, and then he picked which ones would be recorded and included on the LP. Bruce’s tastes seems to run from slow ballad to even slower ballad at that time, as you can tell from his contributions to the band, and his own songwriting hit.
If I had been consulted, I would have made sure that there were more uptempo tunes included.
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Post by lonelysummer on Sept 19, 2022 15:09:02 GMT -5
"It's A Beautiful Day" was recorded about June 1979. Let's imagine the band had held back L.A. a few months and come up with the following LP, circa July 1979: Side 1 It's A Beautiful Day Good Timin' Lady Lynda Full Sail Love Surrounds Me Sumahama Side 2 Here Comes the Night Angel Come Home Baby Blue California Feeling Shortenin' Bread It's a similar album but in my view somewhat better. We get a slight uptick in Brian Wilson content and Mike Love vocal presence re his co-lead on It's A Beautiful Day. In addition, the sequencing of side one is a bit better without two Dennis leads in a row, IMO. 6 minute edit for Here Comes the Night. LA (LIGHT ALBUM) is a record that has grown somewhat in stature over the years, but it is not an unjustly ignored masterpiece. It was always about two steps away from being a good album and to my ears the above puts it over the hump. I would leave out HCTN completely, just have it as a standalone single. I'd put Goin' South back on the album; but kicking off with It's a Beautiful Day is a nice idea. Get the album started with an uptempo track, as a lead in to Good Timin'.
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Post by boogieboarder on Oct 23, 2022 10:01:26 GMT -5
Has anyone here ever heard that tape of the disco version of “Here Comes the Night,” repeated over and over, each time with additional overdubs? Hopefully, it won’t appear on a deluxe version of L.A. (Light Album).
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Post by Maci Eascra on Nov 11, 2022 11:10:10 GMT -5
I actually enjoyed the 11 minute disco extravaganza! Don’t assume that we all disliked it! I agree! You have to like disco but that's like an early extended LCD Soundsystem or Arcade Fire mix. Problem with the album, in my view, is that you either go for it or don't. That makes the album very uneven as there is this late 70s light-rock sheen that make Here Comes the Night feel very out of place. And the hatred of disco isn't new. There are songs that fit into a "could've been good" category - Good Timin', Baby Blue and I've a soft spot for Goin' South that I can't explain. Bruce Johnston at the helm explains a lot of the production approach, and that's not a compliment. It's uneven, was irrelevant when released, doesn't age well, but I get why devotees see some value in it. It's better than 15 Big Ones or MIU. That doesn't make it a good album. 4/10 is being generous.
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Post by boogieboarder on Nov 11, 2022 15:43:25 GMT -5
I actually enjoyed the 11 minute disco extravaganza! Don’t assume that we all disliked it! ...I've a soft spot for Goin' South that I can't explain. ... It's a beautiful Carl Wilson ballad. What more needs to be said?
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