Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue

the synth patches on it are alternately great and hilariously bad

its more like an extension of the sound of "Love You" than "Smile". I think the "Smile" talk was mostly due to "Rio Grande" (which recycles some "Smile" melodies/material - incidentally it also quotes Dennis' "River Song")

that "Little Children" song on it tho = ugh.

and don't forget Terence Trent D'Arby and Christopher Cross

okay I'm breaking out my cassette of this right now lolz

and don't forget Terence Trent D'Arby and Christopher Cross

What songs are they on? I may have to break out my CASSETTE of this, too. If it was released a few years earlier, I'd have to break out my 8-TRACK ot it.

Rolling Stone four star roflz

I never trust Rolling Stone reviews, unless they reinforce my preexisting beliefs. Then they're okay.

"Brian Wilson is a stunning reminder of what pop's been missing all these years." lol.

Had Rolling Stone not heard of A Flock Of F--g Seagulls by 1988?

(j/k about the Flock Of Seagulls part. Still, lol at that line from the review).

This is so going to end up top of the Metacritic table for 2008 come December. Serious bummer. But look at what it's got in its favour! He's dead! He was a Beach Boy! It was unavailable long enough to become mythologised! Beatles catalogue still not remastered!

Why a bummer, Nick? You don't like the disc?

I've not got it, to be honest; I have heard it, a few years ago when I was downloading like mad, but like I Am The Cosmos and Starsailor I was left pretty non-plussed by it. I remember it being nice, but not some kind of epochal, criminally unreleased mountain of genius, as all the 100% ratings on Metacritic from classic rock mags would lead you to believe. But then again I'm not a Beach Boys fan by any stretch of the imagination.

Understood. FWIW, I actually do think I Am The Cosmos was epochal, criminally overlooked mountain of genius (like POB), but I can't stand one minute of Starsailor.

I love all 3 personally. Starsailor is especially fantastic.
I suppose you guys are gonna diss Oar now?

or Gene Clark's "No Other"?

He's dead! He was a Beach Boy! It was unavailable long enough to become mythologised!

hey Carl Wilson's got all three of these things going for his solo records and nobody cares about them

(which is totally okay - they are not good)

you know there are at least a couple "this so-called lost classic is overrated pile of crap" reviews of the reissue about to drop. there is always a backlash to myth rock landmarks.

I remember it being nice, but not some kind of epochal, criminally unreleased mountain of genius, as all the 100% ratings on Metacritic from classic rock mags would lead you to believe.

yeah seriously this reminds me of chuck eddy complaining about other critics raving about the Betty Davis reissues. has more to do with being annoyed by hype than the actual material methinks

I don't think I was swayed by the hype, at least no more so than virtually anyone -- critics included -- is normally swayed. I just feel a strong nostalgic pull toward that kind of music (70s West Coast rock), and these songs are especially good examples of that genre. And it's not like other artists (save Wilco maybe) are churning out stuff like this routinely, anymore. Hence my semi-irrational love for this disc.

Well, "critics included" I imagine. I mean, I'm guessing critics get caught up in hype like anyone else, as much as they try to evaluate something on its merits alone.

Being unavailable for a while often gives a boost. The Traveling Wilburys albums, for instance, are regarded considerably better now than they were back then. Particularly "Volume 3", which got a pretty lukewarm reception back then, but which is now often seen as almost as good as the debut.

See also "Sunflower". (I mean, it is an amazing album, but most people didn't realise until the re-release a few years back)

But is that because they were unavailable or it just took some time for the albums to gain a following of vocal supporters?

Wilburys are unlistenable glop lets get that straight

But is that because they were unavailable or it just took some time for the albums to gain a following of vocal supporters?

I think a bit of both. When an album is unavailable, you don't get the chance to get sick of it in the same way, and you remember it for its positive qualities while you ignore what you might not have liked so much about it.

That is, unless you play your old vinyl records or cassettes a lot, but fewer and fewer people do that.

I don't know about that. Seems like it cuts both ways. Tusk, which I think shares some commonalities with P.O.B., has always been available, I believe. And its rep seemingly grows by the year.

Wilburys are unlistenable glop lets get that straight.

Yeah, I sort of think this, too.

I think Pacific Ocean Blue is good, and this reissue is great news and generally a lot of fun. But I also think it's off-base to peg it as an experimental avant-pop album. West Coast rock, not far from the kind of thing Wilco is making now, is right on the money, but the full-page review in the current Wire puts it in the lineage of Remain in Light and Kid A.

THAT'S what's irritating me. It's insane.

Wire puts it in the lineage of Remain in Light and Kid A.

Okay, well, that's just ri-damn-diculous. It's still a lost classic, and I do think that term ("lost classic") is used far too loosely.

i love this album and so have read zero press about it

But I also think it's off-base to peg it as an experimental avant-pop album. West Coast rock, not far from the kind of thing Wilco is making now, is right on the money

But Dennis Wilson, like Jeff Tweedy today, didn't have the kind of voice you expect from a West Coast MOR singer.

the trick is not to read the press guys

but the full-page review in the current Wire puts it in the lineage of Remain in Light and Kid A.

maybe cuz the Wire guys haven't bothered to listen to a lot of West Coast 70s MOR rock...? or no wait maybe its cuz Remain in Light and Kid A owe more to West Coast 70s MOR rock than previously recognized haha

Yes, there's a strong Jacksone Browne/Doobie Bros. vibe in Kid A.

lolololol

Jackson Browne/Doobies/Talking Heads/Dennis Wilson = cokeheads

I dunno about tom yorke

I suppose you guys are gonna diss Oar now?

OK, I'll step up to the mark. Not that good, is it? Frankly.

i like oar and POB and no other - oh no, i am beardo cliche

I put Am The Cosmos on the other day after this thread and turned it off again after two songs. Uergh.

"I Am the Cosmos" isn't really considered in the same class as "POB", "Oar, "No Other" etc - by "beardo cliche" critical consensus, I mean

Southall my office tomorrow 9 am sharp

Big Star's 3rd album, fer sure (xp)

On the bright side, I look forward to reading James Masterson's chart commentary when Buckley's Starsailor gets reissued and goes straight in at number one.

Shame Jimmy Saville's not around, there's that track on where Timbo impersonates him after all

The Traveling Wilburys albums, for instance, are regarded considerably better now than they were back then.

What on earth are you talking about? Volume One got overwhelmingly positive.

"but the full-page review in the current Wire puts it in the lineage of Remain in Light and Kid A"

Just read that yesterday. Listening the album now for the first time, and fortunately The Wire's review is bullshit.

What a surprise. Who wrote it?