The First Entry

Test post. Repeat, this is a test post; an experiment, a chance for my web designer and I to experience the look and feel of the page before the blog officially launches. Let us know what you think this of it so far too. 

I’ve been crazy busy lately, working on a bibliography and working on a tutorial with a professor, etc. I’ve been feeling very weird lately with having deadlines, stress, anxiety, and other emotional things (hope that’s vague enough). Its December now, so I’m working on a list of my favorite albums of 2015. Brace yourselves. It’s going to be a long list. I’ve been trying to ease my mind and just relax and feel fresh. Then it hit me. I decided to return to the one album that was always there for me in the darkest and emotional moments in my life: 

Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys (1966) 

Let it be known, The Beach Boys are my favorite band of all-time. And Pet Sounds planted the seed of my lifelong love, pursuit, and obsession with their music. 

I did grow up listening to the Beach Boys, but I was mostly limited to the songs “California Girls”, “Surfin’ Safari”, “Surfin’ USA”, “Good Vibrations”, “I Get Around”, “Little Deuce Coupe”, and “Help Me Rhonda”. 

A friend of mine turned me onto Pet Sounds in junior high. I had never heard the full album before, had no idea it existed. Naturally, I was curious. I bought the 40th Anniversary Edition of the album on CD in both mono and stereo. I put it on, and relaxed on my bed to listen. Afterwards, I felt a strange. I asked myself, Okay, what was I supposed to get from this? I didn’t know if it was disappointment or uncertainty. I told myself, “That can’t be all there is to it.” 

The next day I listened to it again. I went to bed and put it on and listened until I fell asleep. I found myself doing this night after night, and soon enough, week after week, I couldn’t stop listening. 

I became infatuated, obsessed. After a while I began really listening, to the lyrics. They resonated with me, deeply. The lyrics echoed the very emotions I was experiencing at the time. For example, “That’s Not Me” and “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” perfectly summed up my feelings towards the last final two years of high school. 

I could try to be big in the eyes of the world. What matters to me is what I could be to just one girl. -“That’s Not Me” (Wilson/Asher) 

I searched for a place to fit, a place where I can speak my mind.                                                

I’ve been trying hard to find the people that I won’t leave behind. 

They say I’ve got brains but they ain’t doin’ me no good. I wish they could. 

Each time things start to happen again, I think I got something good goin’ for myself, but what goes wrong. 

Sometimes I feel very sad
Sometimes I feel very sad
Sometimes I feel very sad
I guess I just wasn’t made for these times.
- “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times (Wilson/Asher) 

These were songs about adolescence, isolation, love, loneliness, longing, trying to fit in, and innocence. All of these were exactly what I was facing as a teenager. But at the end of the day, in my room, Pet Sounds was always there to pour out my feelings for me. 

Epilogue: 

As I searched deeper into the music of the Beach Boys, I began to admire the genius of Brian Wilson. His production, his songwriting, and his vocal and instrumental arranging. His use of orchestral instruments and unconventional chord progressions in rock and roll music was truly revolutionary. There’s a fascinating conversation happening between The Beach Boys and The Beatles. Pet Sounds was influenced by the album Rubber Soul. Pet Sounds influenced Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. 

I then began to explore the backstory of the Beach Boys, and discovered the mental illness Brian had suffered throughout the years. 

Another fantastic album I discovered was Smile, which was intended to be the Beach Boys/Brian Wilson’s magnum opus. Unfortunately, Brian Wilson aborted due to the pressure being and constant resistance from his bandmates. Drugs may have factored in, but that’s another story. 

As time went on I began to dig deeper into the Beach Boys’ back catalog. I was introduced to albums like Today!, 20/20, Friends, Carl & The Passions ‘So Tough’, Holland, Love You, Sunflower, and Surf’s Up, among others. Even on their worst albums, The Beach Boys have recorded fantastic songs. Below a list of my all-time favorite Beach Boys deep cuts. I urge to you check out some of these tracks, and if you haven’t listened to Pet Sounds, do it. Like NOW!! Stop reading, listen, and get back to me when you’re finished. I’ll wait. When you’re done, take a gander at these absolute gems. You’ll thank me later. Or not. 

Fantastic Beach Boys Deep Cuts: 

“Little Bird” from Friends
“Be Here In The Morning” from Friends
“Time To Get Alone” from 20/20
“This Whole World” from Sunflower
“Add Some Music To Your Day” from Sunflower
“All I Wanna Do” from Sunflower
“Barbara” from Endless Harmony Soundtrack (Unreleased Studio Outtake)                           

“Feel Flows” from Surf’s Up (also featured in the film Almost Famous)
“’Til I Die” from Surf’s Up
“Surf’s Up” from Smile and Surf’s Up
“Marcella” from Carl & The Passions ‘So Tough’
“Hold On Dear Brother” from Carl & The Passions ‘So Tough’
“All This Is That” from Carl & The Passions ‘So Tough’                                                  

“Cuddle Up” from Carl & The Passions ‘So Tough’
“California Saga: Big Sur/The Beaks of Eagles/Californ-I-A” from Holland                     

“Leaving This Town” from Holland
“Only With You” from Holland
“Funky Pretty” from Holland
“Johnny Carson” from Love You
“Honkin’ Down The Highway” from Love You
“Winds of Change” from M.I.U.
“Full Sail” from L.A. (Light Album)
“Love Surrounds Me” from L.A. (Light Album)
“Endless Harmony” from Keepin’ The Summer Alive
“Slow Summer Dancin’ (One Summer Night)” from Summer In Paradise
“Strange Things Happen” from Summer In Paradise
“Lahaina Aloha” from Summer In Paradise
“Daybreak Over The Ocean” from That’s Why God Made The Radio                                 

“Strange World” from That’s Why God Made The Radio