The Journey Back Entry 10: The Beach Boys Get High and Them Get Angry

I promised last time that I’d finally address the next Beach Boys album so here goes…

I think that the stories behind this album are a lot more interesting than the finished product but sometimes thats the nature of the beast. In this case, lead singer of the Beach Boys suffered a severe anxiety attack in December of 1964 leading to him swearing off of touring in the beginning of 1965. This actually may have turned out for the better though since the band simply replaced him on stage for the tour while providing him full time in the studio to write whatever he wanted. My struggle with the Beach Boys thus far is that my brain isnt trained to listen for anything deeper in surf rock so I end up hearing better produced versions of practically the same song from album to album(in my head). While surf rock still exists on Today!, Brian Wilson is seriously pushing it to its limits trying new things and shying away from the bands previous main stays. The first half of the album is still more traditional to their sound while the second half contains more ballads and experimentation. Its still tough for me to listen to. Its funny because I can hear that things are taking a turn but they all still sound so “beach boys-y”. Mainly, I think it comes down to the truly “west coast” attitude of the Beach Boys that keeps me disconnected. I need to go live in LA and have beautiful weather year round and go surfing. Maybe then I’ll be more geared towards this sound. Another interesting tidbit of knowledge? Brian Wilson’s anxiety led him to start smoking marijuana. All these changes to the band I think are beginning to show but the next couple albums will tell whether the band can completely step away from its surf rock roots and grab my interest for more than an instant.

1965 – Today! – Highlights

Help Me, Rhonda – I like that the song doesnt have the typical Surf Rock rhythm and while the chorus does get a bit repetitive, the verses are new and exciting with plenty of interesting harmonies and a really fun guitar part.

I’m So Young – The opening harmony hooks you and I just love the over the top confidence of the opening line “I have a girlfriend! She saaays I’m her only one…” and then the beat kicks in with that same high pitched single vocal track with deep bass backing vocals. It’s a classic 50’s doo-wop! No seriously its a cover of 1958 doo-wop song.

Kiss Me, Baby – I love Brian Wilson’s vocals on this track and the way he sings them with this echoing response without a call kind of feeling. It’s the most “not surf rock” sounding track so far and I hope they go further in this direction. Lots of cool percussion on this one too!

In the Back of My Mind – Another song with a slower tempo. I really love the sound of the vocals on this one and the vocal production.

And now… Time for a new band!! Introducing the irish answer to the Rolling Stones: Them!

Them is important because it introduces the world to someone who I’m very excited to follow in the future, the one and only Van Morrison! The album is half covers and half Van Morrison originals. Their sound is a lot more produced than the Rolling Stones and the wide presence of an organ reminds me of the Animals. Van Morrison’s voice has a striking similarity to that of Mick Jagger and I can even go so far as to say sometimes I have a hard time telling them apart. That being said, Van Morrison is definitely the better vocalist, though I personally enjoy the more raw and untamed voice of Mick. At first I thought he was attempting to imitate Mick Jagger but I found out that both are big fans of another artist Howlin’ Wolf. Im actually planning to go back and check out his debut album because I love both vocalists and their wild shouting style. The band also uses harmonica at a very sexy level. The music is still pretty straight forward so while I find the album an enjoyable listen, the tracks seem to blend mostly together with only a couple of real standouts. Im excited to see the progression of both the band and Van Morrison as they carve out a bigger piece of the Rhythm and Blues pie for themselves.

1965 – Angry Young Them – Top 5 Highlights

If You and I Could Be As Two – Tell me you cant hear the Rolling Stones when you listen to this?? This is one of the songs on the album penned by Morrison. The highlight for me is the amazing piano part! Feels like the fingers are just dancing along those keys

Gloria – Another Morrison tune, this one reminds me of “Louie Louie” by the Kingsman for some reason. My favorite part is at about 1:08 when this amazing guitar part comes in and then the song just kind of pulls back and theres this subtle organ part and Van Morrison just starts yelling while the drums float around his voice before everything crashes back in!

You Just Cant Win – This one takes it back a notch to create a slower groove while cranking up the sexy. I love when the drums start rumbling right as Van calls out the chorus. Once again theres some beautiful jangling guitars here.

I’m Gonna Dress in Black – This one isnt a Van Morrison original but once again, the wild organ is what pulled me in. It has this really good, southern flare to it that is just undeniably sexy.

Bright Lights Big City – This one is a cover of a the classic blues song by Jimmy Reed. They really nail the feel and theres some great blues guitar on showcase here.

So there you have it! I wanted to also write about The Byrds today but this entry ended up being longer than I expected and theres already enough great music here. I’ll leave you with one last image. The artwork for Angry Young Them which is one of the best album covers I’ve ever seen. Its like an awkward family photo. So many amazing things going on. Until next time!