Departed
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2019 18:51:14 GMT -5
I wrote this years ago and see no reason to revise it so here it is again:
"Sitting back listening to my precious copy of Pacific Ocean Blue I was suddenly struck by the sheer NUMBER of musical styles or moods on board, or, let's say, leanings towards various styles. These include straight rock, symphonic rock, funk, soul, gospel, folk, big band, latin, ballads, even some Madigras-style blowing and a smattering of psychedelia (those bleeps à la 'Reflections' (Supremes), and Dennis's heavily treated voice on one track). "There are of course other things going on that defy classification entirely--that's just Dennis. No-one asked him to make an album, no Brianesque soul-searching for him. His horizons were wide open, and off he went."
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Post by kds on Jan 4, 2019 11:32:56 GMT -5
Back on PSF, I rated this album a 9/10, but I've cooled on the album since, and will rate it a seven.
I think the individual tracks are mostly good, but feel a certain sameness creeping in when I listen from start to finish.
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Post by Beach Boys Fan on Jan 6, 2019 6:15:46 GMT -5
1. It isn't the music I care about, like, "get". Besides, Dennis' voice is flat out bad at this point (not the worst notwithstanding). At least if he kept his 60s voice, the album would've been nicer to listen to.
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Post by Vale on Jan 6, 2019 7:33:24 GMT -5
A full 10. This is my favorite album of all time. I own it in several versions, but my relic one is the 1991 CD from Caribou/CBS Records that I found in a local music shop in 1997. The seller told me it was out of print since 1992 circa and to keep it safe. The best track on it is "Thoughts Of You", lyrics are so true and Dennis sang it perfectly. River Song also is a great piece of music, I can't find any defects in this album. I love all the other tracks, Dennis IS something special to me and the way I listen to The Beach Boys. This album is Awsome.
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Post by filledeplage on Jan 6, 2019 8:51:00 GMT -5
1. It isn't the music I care about, like, "get". Besides, Dennis' voice is flat out bad at this point (not the worst notwithstanding). At least if he kept his 60s voice, the album would've been nicer to listen to. Have you ever listened to the 30th anniversary edition?
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Post by AGD on Jan 6, 2019 16:35:35 GMT -5
1. It isn't the music I care about, like, "get". Besides, Dennis' voice is flat out bad at this point (not the worst notwithstanding). At least if he kept his 60s voice, the album would've been nicer to listen to. Given that you awarded Surfin' Safari 7.5-8, you'll hopefully understand why your opinion of what is widely regarded as the best BB solo album leaves us open mouthed and disbelieving. And also totally invalidates any other opinion you care to express.
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Departed
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2019 0:16:25 GMT -5
I give it an 8. River Song is great; like Sail On Sailor, it's what I most imagine a Beach Boys hit from the 70s should sound like.
You and I is beautiful and passionate.
Im not gonna go down the list of every track, but in general the album has an appropriately "grunge" and "rough n tumble" quality about it, as most good 70s music does. I think Dennis' voice was shot, but he found a way to incorporate it into the album's identity. It creates a wounded yet resilient atmosphere which suits the material well. This is suitably mirrored on the cover, where he appears sad and worn out, looking like he just needs to unload some baggage on the listener.
I do think a good deal of the tracks sound a bit "same-y" which is why I knocked off two stars.
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Post by kds on Jan 7, 2019 8:12:19 GMT -5
1. It isn't the music I care about, like, "get". Besides, Dennis' voice is flat out bad at this point (not the worst notwithstanding). At least if he kept his 60s voice, the album would've been nicer to listen to. Given that you awarded Surfin' Safari 7.5-8, you'll hopefully understand why your opinion of what is widely regarded as the best BB solo album leaves us open mouthed and disbelieving. And also totally invalidates any other opinion you care to express. I don't really think anyone's opinion is "invalid" just because it's not a popular one.
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Post by AGD on Jan 7, 2019 8:16:07 GMT -5
Given that you awarded Surfin' Safari 7.5-8, you'll hopefully understand why your opinion of what is widely regarded as the best BB solo album leaves us open mouthed and disbelieving. And also totally invalidates any other opinion you care to express. I don't really think anyone's opinion is "invalid" just because it's not a popular one. Do you agree with ranking the bands very first album seven and a half times better than Dennis' solo set ?
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Post by kds on Jan 7, 2019 8:19:47 GMT -5
I don't really think anyone's opinion is "invalid" just because it's not a popular one. Do you agree with ranking the bands very first album seven and a half times better than Dennis' solo set ? Not really, but that's just my opinion. If somebody isn't necessarily into Dennis's songwriting style, I can see the logic of a preference for Surfin Safari over POB.
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Post by Beach Boys Fan on Jan 7, 2019 21:44:53 GMT -5
1. It isn't the music I care about, like, "get". Besides, Dennis' voice is flat out bad at this point (not the worst notwithstanding). At least if he kept his 60s voice, the album would've been nicer to listen to. Have you ever listened to the 30th anniversary edition? I listened to EXACTLY the 30th anniversary edition. In fact, "Tug Of Love" is better than entire POB (save "The River Song", of course). It's really good, Dennis sounds charmingly innocent, even childlike, in TOL, especially during the "The WORLD. Loves you. Yes I do" bits. Pity it isn't in the factual 12-song tracklist.
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Post by Beach Boys Fan on Jan 7, 2019 21:46:55 GMT -5
Do you agree with ranking the bands very first album seven and a half times better than Dennis' solo set ? Not really, but that's just my opinion. If somebody isn't necessarily into Dennis's songwriting style, I can see the logic of a preference for Surfin Safari over POB. Agree.
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Post by jasonaustin on Jan 9, 2019 4:30:00 GMT -5
A 10. Nothing less than a complete tour de force. The artist, set free to create the album he wanted to make, unencumbered for the most part by record label interference thanks to the visionary Jimmy Guercio, whose belief in Dennis's talent helped gift us with this amazing musical statement. If only every album could be created under such conditions: Dennis had years to develop these tracks, virtually unlimited time in a state-of-the-art studio and the support of some amazing engineers and talented musicians.
The music itself is honest, emotional, authentic and powerful. There are wonderful melodies interwoven seamlessly throughout. The lyrics nicely reflect what Dennis was passionate about at the time: the ocean, California, good times and his insatiable love for his wife Karen. There's also a deep, spiritual yearning embedded in the music. You can come tantalizingly close to what Dennis must have been feeling at the time simply by dropping the needle and listening.
I don't really get the argument about saminess. "River Song" sounds nothing like "What's Wrong?", which sounds nothing like "Moon Shine", which sounds nothing like "Friday Night", and so on.
Can you tell that I enjoy this record somewhat?
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Post by Mikie on Jan 9, 2019 14:33:12 GMT -5
Right on, Jason. I've discussed this album so many times over the years, I don't feel that I even need to justify my through the roof stance on it. No-brainer for me - it's an easy tenner!
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Departed
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2019 15:56:20 GMT -5
Ten! It’s a masterpiece: the whole beautiful crazy state of California distilled into musical form. So many changes of style and mood not just between songs but within single songs as well. I am sure you could go through and dissect and isolate individual imperfections if you really wanted to but that would be missing the variegated soulful spiritual f***ing MAGNIFICENCE of the whole.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2019 19:36:45 GMT -5
POB is a stunning 10.
I honestly think this album is a Pet Sounds level masterpiece from start to finish that deserves to be more widely known and appreciated than it is by the general public. The moods, the soundscapes, the textures, the sentiments. It's totally infused with Dennis' character (from what I can tell). It's just so recklessly emotive but also carefully executed. There are times when it's my all time favourite album by anyone ever. Usually when I'm listening to it, LOL.
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Post by Jason (The Real Beach Boy) on Apr 2, 2019 7:44:25 GMT -5
10. Man, what a record. It gets better with each listen and the sheer quality on here is amazing. Nothing feels out of place and no time is wasted. THE gold standard for Beach Boys solo music and even Brian couldn't come close to this one.
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Post by songster on Dec 23, 2019 17:07:02 GMT -5
When i first heard it in '77, I was surprised by its intimacy,and personal appeal...Now all of these years later,I love it even more.It has withstood the test of time,and like a very fine scotch,has perhaps,may even be better...It sounds fabulous !!!
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Post by jk on Feb 25, 2020 17:42:50 GMT -5
I wrote this years ago and see no reason to revise it so here it is again: "Sitting back listening to my precious copy of Pacific Ocean Blue I was suddenly struck by the sheer NUMBER of musical styles or moods on board, or, let's say, leanings towards various styles. These include straight rock, symphonic rock, funk, soul, gospel, folk, big band, latin, ballads, even some Madigras-style blowing and a smattering of psychedelia (those bleeps à la 'Reflections' (Supremes), and Dennis's heavily treated voice on one track). "There are of course other things going on that defy classification entirely--that's just Dennis. No-one asked him to make an album, no Brianesque soul-searching for him. His horizons were wide open, and off he went." I agree with Deleted, word for word. I hope he gave it ten. I just did.
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Post by Moon Dawg on Aug 19, 2020 12:26:34 GMT -5
Imagine if "Tug of Love" had been revived for inclusion on MIU...would have done wonders in place of "HLT."
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Post by Moon Dawg on Aug 22, 2020 11:25:40 GMT -5
PACIFIC OCEAN BLUE remains, for me anyway, the most emotionally gripping of all Beach Boys related albums.
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Hydra
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Post by Hydra on Jun 1, 2021 8:00:23 GMT -5
easilly a 10, an absolute masterpiece, not a bad song on it, way ahead of it’s time and still timeless, some utter moments of genius on here
Track Ratings
1. River Song 10/10 2. What’s Wrong 8/10 3. Moonshine 10/10 4. Friday Night 10/10 5. Dreamer 10/10 6. Thoughts Of You 10/10 7. Time 9/10 8. You And I 10/10 9. Pacific Ocean Blues 10/10 10. Farewell My Friend 10/10 11. Rainbows 10/10 12. End Of The Show 10/10
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Post by jk on Jul 24, 2021 8:09:14 GMT -5
easilly a 10, an absolute masterpiece, not a bad song on it, way ahead of it’s time and still timeless, some utter moments of genius on here Track Ratings 1. River Song 10/10 2. What’s Wrong 8/10 3. Moonshine 10/10 4. Friday Night 10/10 5. Dreamer 10/10 6. Thoughts Of You 10/10 7. Time 9/10 8. You And I 10/10 9. Pacific Ocean Blues 10/10 10. Farewell My Friend 10/10 11. Rainbows 10/10 12. End Of The Show 10/10 Interesting that you award “Time” a nine. For me it’s worth the price of admission on its own. The astonishing tag seems to come from another planet.
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Post by boogieboarder on Jul 24, 2021 9:16:29 GMT -5
Wow, it seems like everybody here either loves the album or hates it. I lean more toward the "hate it side," though I wouldn't give it as low a rating as a 1 or 2. Maybe a 3. Given that Surfin' Safari contains almost all Brian Wilson compositions, I totally agree that Surfin' Safari is a much better album. In fact, I love that album.
I have nothing against Dennis Wilson. I loved Dennis Wilson's original songs when they started appearing on Friends and 20/20. But by the time of Pacific Ocean Blue, these are really just song fragments, lovely as they are, many aren't really fully developed songs. And Dennis' voice was so ruined by then, he could barely croak out anything. Ironically, I like the Bambu sessions a lot more. It seems that he recovered his ability to write complete songs, especially like the ones Bruce Johnston decided to record with The Beach Boys on the L.A. (Light Album) - "Love Surrounds Me" and "Baby Blue." There were other great songs Bruce could have selected as well, but Bruce seemed to select the slow ballads.
I didn't even buy Pacific Ocean Blue when it first came out, but my mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas that year, and since I usually have already bought everything I want when it comes to albums, I suggested Pacific Ocean Blue. I was embarrassed when she also gave the same album to my brothers, who weren't big Beach Boys fans to begin with. They wondered what the heck I was thinking.
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Post by AGD on Jul 24, 2021 11:58:04 GMT -5
Given that Surfin' Safari contains almost all Brian Wilson compositions, I totally agree that Surfin' Safari is a much better album. Your opinion, sir, and one you're perfectly entitled to both hold and propose. That said, I've rarely seen such complete and utter hogwash posted on any BB forum since I joined the internet back in February 1998.
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