Saturday, December 01, 2018

Christmas Album ~Different Perspective on The Beach Boys' Ground-Breaking Album




The Beach Boys, birthed as a garage band with some harmony thrown in, grew into an American phenomenon releasing a string of hit albums covering the surf music wave, the car craze, and surfer girls. "Best of The Beach Boys" fans often overlook the creative, even daring albums they recorded. Artists and critics from across the music spectrum praise the groundbreaking "Pet Sounds" ('66) and the mind-blowing "SMiLE" (studio tapes finally released some 40 year later) but overlook "Party!" ('65), possibly the first unplugged album by a rock group or "Concert" ('64), one of the earliest (and loudest) live shows by a rock and roll band. "Stack-O-Tracks" ('68), the first backing-track-only album, was ahead of it's time; a precursor to bootleg studio tapes (many bands are including similar bonus tracks on their new CD product).

Unnoticed in their catalogue of surfing music, teen testosterone car songs and odes to girls from New York City to California, is an album that actually appeals to the entire family. The only Beach Boys 33 and 1/3 that includes songs written for every generation; from the little ears of preschoolers to children, mom and dad (even grandparents!), as well as teenage rock and roll fans. Unnoticed because it has always been topically categorized, this All-In-The-Family album is otherwise known as "The Beach Boys Christmas Album." Repackaged several times by Capitol Records, it continues to sell, with several of the tunes appearing on numerous and varied compilation albums.

No comments:

Post a Comment