Published on Mar 14, 2005
There have been few groups in the history of rock that have come
close to challenging the Beatles for dominance of the musical
industry. Many came, and many failed. The Beach Boys came closer
than anyone save perhaps the Rolling Stones.
Good Vibrations highlights the span of the Beach Boys’
career, from their first demo of “Surfin’,” to their last big hit
to date, “Kokomo.” In between, the listener is presented with some
of the most brilliant music the 20th century has seen, and some of
the most inane as well. This dip in quality makes
Good Vibrations a fascinating listening experience, but also
a maddening one.
Discs One and Two of
Good Vibrations show just why the Beach Boys were so
popular. Hooks and gorgeous harmonies — the two most notable
characteristics of the band — abound. If you can find me better
harmonies than the ones featured on songs such as “I Get Around,”
“Warmth of the Sun,” and “Don’t Worry Baby,” drop me an e-mail. The
Beach Boys were one of the most talented vocal groups in rock
history, and this set merely reaffirms that. On a side note, all
thirty of the tracks featured on the bands latest hits package
Sounds Of Summer are presented on this set, so essentially
any Beach Boy song one might hear on the radio is here.
As I mentioned earlier, the first two discs of
Good Vibrations offer the best material from the band; there
isn’t a dull moment to be found. Discs Three and Four however, are
a bit more tedious to get through, especially the latter. At this
point in time, the band became a bit more democratic in the
writing, and unfortunately, it shows. There are some incredibly
lackluster and clichéd songs. (“Disney Girls” and “Airplane”
are among the worst offenders.)
That is not to say after 1970 it was all downhill for the band.
The gorgeous “Til I Die,” the uplifting “Add Some Music To Your
Day,” and “Surf’s Up” are tracks that equal some of the better
Beach Boy songs from their golden era. However, they are relatively
few and far between.
When this set first came out, its big selling point was the 30
minutes of music from the
SMiLE sessions (represented on the second half of Disc Two),
the first time any of the sessions had been officially released.
These tracks have been rendered somewhat meaningless now that Brian
Wilson has released
SMiLE on his own terms, but they provide a fascinating
glimpse into how Wilson recorded music back in the ’60s. Tracks
such as “Heroes and Villains (Sections), and “Cabin Essence”
showcase Wilson’s modular recording style, which was thought by
many to be a feat of genius.
The
SMiLE sessions make up the bulk of the rarities, but not all
of them. We’re presented with a fifth disc that solely includes
rare tracks, live performances, or different versions of old
standards. For the most part these songs are interesting, but don’t
warrant a repeat listen. For example, the aforementioned “Good
Vibrations (Sessions)” provides a fly-on-the-wall perspective, but
if it came up on shuffle on your CD player, are you going to sit
though 15 minutes of it? The “Track Only” numbers show off the
musicianship of the Beach Boys, something that gets dismissed too
much and unfairly. There are also a few songs the give listeners a
chance to either listen to the vocals of songs like “Wouldn’t It Be
Nice,” or “When I Grow Up To Be A Man,” or their backing tracks
depending on what channel one chooses.
One does not have to be a diehard Beach Boys to enjoy
Good Vibrations. This is some tremendous music, and given
the fact that many of the bands albums from the ’70s and ’80s are
of poor quality, this gives fans and novices alike the chance to be
presented with best material of the band’s career, without having
to suffer through the worst moments of the Beach Boys’ long
recording history.