Pacific Ocean Blue

 

I have to admit that I have been a fan of the Beach Boys and I like many of their 60's pop songs with their great harmonies but I don't own more than a best-of compilation. But I love Dennis Wilson's first and only solo album Pacific Ocean Blue. Dennis was the only one in the band that could be called as a real surfer and therefore it is consequent that he died by diving in the harbor in California. He was the drummer when the Beach Boys played live and his life was anything but straightforward. Haunted by demons he joined Manson's family and his life was full of drug abuses. In 1977 he released his album where he played most of the instruments. I think it was his only and last chance to get back into 'normal' life. And he made a masterpiece. Filled with great songs about love, loss and sometimes the chance of a brighter future it seems like a sentimental one. And yes, it is sentimental and has a somber tone but it is true and an album I return constantly.

Dennis Wilson - Dreamer

Dennis Wilson - River Song

Dennis Wilson - Farewell My Friend

Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blues

Keep Me A Space

 

Sometimes it happens a song appears on random play from my mobile phone and I can't get him out of my mind. The last song that came to me this way is the new song from Glasgow's indie-rock band Glasvegas. Released a few weeks ago as an appetizer to their upcoming album it is a song I can't get out of my mind. It may be James Allan's baritone that reminds me to Scott Walker or just the sound borrowed by Phil Spector, JAMJ and the Beach Boys that fascinated me. Anyway just a great song for a Sunday morning.

Say Sue Me - Reprise

Almost two weeks ago Robster introduced us to Say Sue Me a band from Korea that plays probably one of the best jangly sounds in Asia. I liked what I heard from them and a few days ago I read the news that they release an EP for RSD covering a lot of songs from rock history in their unique sound. I expected everything but not that they covered Blondie with Dreaming, a great song from the new wave era. It is easy to cover this song but breath new life into this song is great. It is like Debbie Harry singing with the Reid Brothers. Awesome.

That they know the history you can see it by listening to  a great cover by The Velvet Underground:

And the Beach Boys

Gone, But Not Forgotten # 2

DennisWilson is mostly known as a founding member and drummer of The Beach Boys. What's seldom known is that he was the only regular surfer in the band. You can read his whole biography here. What ever had been attributed to The Beach Boys lifestyle - Dennis had lived it in all facets. What was also known, was his contact/friendship to Charles Manson and his Family and his support to him to sing his songs. However, the intention to write a few words about Dennis Wilson was his album from 1977 'Pacific Ocean Blue'.

The bandwidth on this record is really enormous, ranging from gospel influenced rock (River Song) on soft , electric piano  dominated (and depressing) ballads to funky tracks ( Pacific Ocean Blue). The Beach Boys squint course, everywhere around the corners which is noticeable especially in the sophisticated vocal arrangements. This record is like a diary created and realized over seven years. It's filled up with sequences of his life. There you encounter narcotic landscapes on "Moonshine"and "Dreamer", the fascination of the elements on "River Song" and  "Pacific Ocean Blue", experiments in releasing on "Farewell My Friend", "Time " and " End Of the Show") and also the search for love and the suffering it (" Thoughts of You "," Rainbows "," You And I ").

Overall, all these shots are a fantastic look back at the work of a guy of his own life is not always easily designed . These record convey emotions and moods so do not fit to a Beach Boy, but personally have a magical attraction for me: Here an artist painted on a very large canvas.

Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue
Dennis Wilson - Farewell My Friend
Dennis Wilson - End Of The Show
Dennis Wilson - River Song
Dennis Wilson - Moonshine