The Angry Young Bostonian

The Sports Talk of Boston

2009-07-16T13:05:00.002-05:00

I've railed against the state of Boston radio a couple times in this space before, here and here, but the news of a couple days ago was quite a shocker -- pioneering rock station WBCN is switching to an all-online format, with top 40 station WBMX (Mix 98.5) assuming the vacant 104.1 terrestrial frequency and the creation of an FM-based sports talk station, WBZ-FM to take over the 98.5 frequency. That's a reshuffling that's quite indicative of not only the state of Boston-area radio, but the radio industry worldwide.

Radio long ago ceased to be about the content and is now entirely about the business bottom line. If a block of airtime isn't generating enough ad sales revenue, then change the block's content. If the entire station isn't bringing in enough ad sales revenue -- change the station format.

There are so many ways a person can satisfy their musical tastes in a format other than over-the-air radio, it's almost not worth it to play music at all. The very thing radio stations like WBCN were attempting to achieve in the 60's and 70's -- education and celebration of great music -- were their downfall, now that someone can click on over iTunes to download their favorite tracks, rather than chancing it by listening to the radio for 30 minutes, or sign up for a Pandora account and listen to only the artists/types of music they appreciate.

These days, if I am listening to the radio in the office, it's online with BBC6, a British-based station that's in online-only format. They play music I like and keep it varied. That's my taste.

On the flip side of things, WBZ-FM comes along as the third sports-talk station to take on WEEI in recent years. Where ESPN and The Zone have failed, WBZ-FM has strength -- local coverage (or in ESPN's case, lack-of) and signal (The Zone doesn't have a strong one). The new lineup has already been leaked to the masses and it looks strong: Toucher and Rich can certainly give the blowhard duo of Dennis and Callahan a run for their money in the morning, and I just hope that Gary Tanguay has the good sense to maintain interesting discussions with interesting guests in the afternoon -- that's all he'll need to beat the bloated idiots on The Big Show. WBZ-FM also benefits from the Boston Globe not banning its staff from appearing on-air, so the pool of talent from which to pick to appear on-air is already deep for this fledgling station.

...Five Years / My Brain Hurts A Lot

2009-07-06T21:43:00.004-05:00

It hasn't been that long since I last wrote in this space, but I just am digesting the fact that it has been five years since Nomah's last at-bat at Fenway Park. Time flies.

Seeing the highlight reel before the game tonight, watching him answer questions about the Boston fans and what they meant to him, and seeing that rousing, standing ovation before his first at bat at Fenway in five years really made me feel for the guy. In the late 90's/early 00's, he was the king of the Boston sports scene -- a sure shot Hall of Famer and the face of the Red Sox organization. Everything seemed to go in a reverse direction for him starting with the trade to the Cubs in 2004 -- watching the Red Sox win two World Series without him on the roster, and nagging injuries reducing his career to not much more than a utility role.

Ironically, it's a player like Nomar that the Sox could use right now, with Mike Lowell and Jed Lowrie both dealing with their own injury issues.

Bill Belichik and His Kicking Quarterbacks

2008-12-28T15:24:00.003-05:00

... A good name for a sixties folk group, I'm sure, but more pertinent for the HC of the NE P's and his late-season plays involving his quarterbacks and their feet. A couple years ago it was Doug Flutie successfully drop kicking the ball for an extra point against the Dolphins (the first successful drop kick in over 60 years). Today it was Matt Cassel, punting the ball on 3rd and 8 with 5 minutes left in the game to give Buffalo the ball at their one yard line -- another brilliant call by Bill Belichick, using the awful wind conditions to his advantage and essentially sealing a Patriots win by requiring the Bills to move the ball 99 yards to get at most 8 points with the clock counting down.

Well That Makes Sense...

2008-12-24T09:09:00.002-05:00

Money had long ago become an object for the Northernmost teams along I-95 -- the off season is all about strategy right now: What pitcher on our team counterbalances a batter on their team? What ballpark improvements can counterbalance their new ballpark? And on and on.

Last night the Yankees most definitely outmaneuvered the Red Sox to the point where it's almost a joke. Signing Mark Teixeira not only gives them the most coveted free agent hitter of 2009, it also puts the Red Sox in an extremely awkward corner. Who is the second-most coveted free agent hitter of 2009? Old friend Manuel "Manny" Aristides Ramirez -- that's who. How convenient that the Red Sox and Manny Ramirez had a messier breakup than Brad and Jen this past summer.

The Yankees outspent the Red Sox yet again, and can afford to keep doing so -- revenues from their brand new stadium can almost guarantee this. I can't wait to sit behind a pole in Fenway's right field grandstand next year, directly facing center field and thinking to myself "I really appreciate the ownership throwing the idea of a new stadium away in order to maintain the historical integrity of this place. I don't miss the amenities or financial benefits of something new. More restaurants under the stands, please!"

Still, not all is lost -- the Red Sox were a healthy Josh Beckett away from going to the World Series in 2008, so they certainly won't be a quiet team this year. They still have the 2008 MVP and a 2008 MVP candidate in Pedroia and Youklis, respectively. They have an amazing, young hitter in Jason Bay. Jonathan Papelbon is one of the best closers in the game.

Things do need to happen if they want to get over that hump: the rotation as a whole needs to pick it up a level -- Tim Wakefield needs to retire or move to the pen and the team needs a 4th and 5th starter; Don Corleone needs to grab Jacoby Ellsbury by the face and yell at him to "act like a man!" Shortstop and Catcher positions are still big question marks.

Unfortunately for the Red Sox, the Yankees have fewer question marks. Really, just two -- the back end of their rotation and the bullpen. If the Yankees knew what was good for them, they'd return Joba Chamberlain to the pen and groom him to be the closer of the future, leaving the 4th and 5th starter spots open and introducing the question of who takes over the 7th inning.

Even if The Yankees need more help in their bullpen, they figure to just outscore opponents enough to make up for any shortcomings.

It's going to be an interesting 2009.

Oh Netflix, You Know Me So Well

2008-12-23T15:42:00.003-05:00

"At a Dresden hospital in 1945, nurse Anna Mauth (Felicitas Woll) cares for badly injured British pilot Robert Newman (John Light), whom Anna believes to be a German deserter. As Allied forces close in, Anna grows close to Robert despite her engagement to Dr. Alexander Wenninger (Benjamin Sadler). The gripping historical romance won the 2006 German Television Award for Best Movie Made for Television."

I did enjoy Curb Your Enthusiasm so there must be some twisted logic in this suggestion.

Shut Up and Let Me Go

2008-12-14T22:48:00.002-05:00

Last Thursday, Wife and I were lucky enough to be guests #234 and #235 at the 235-person capacity Ting Tings show put on by WFNX at Church. The show was great. In case you don't know who the Ting Tings are, you'll probably recognize them by their song, Shut Up and Let Me Go. The have a bunch of catchy dance tunes -- Great DJ and That's Not My Name included. Think of them as the White Strips of Britpop. I love my Britpop, so I had a fun time.

I had never been to Church, but I had heard that it's a great venue for a show -- half true. The space itself was kind of cramped, but to my surprise, the in-house audio was not turned to 11. I could have an actual conversation with the person next to me, even while the band was playing. My only real complaint is that Miller Brewing Company took over the taps while no one was looking -- I ordered a Smuttynose Porter and got a Blue Moon instead.

Special thanks to Special Ed at WFNX's Sandbox show. Since we were the lasts one in before they locked out over a hundred people in line behind us, we didn't get to share a beer as planned. I was harsh in my post about Boston morning radio, but I realize it's a tough market and each show has to cater to a specific, yet broad audience. I'll keep listening, Special Ed, don't you worry. We'll have that beer another time.

A Quantum of Solace: AYB Review

2008-12-10T17:56:00.001-05:00

A couple years ago, in anticipation of Casino Royale, I ranked all Bond films relative to one another. This year I wasn't able to catch A Quantum of Solace right when it premiered, but I have finally seen it and here's the breakdown:

A Quantum of Solace (2008)
The first ever direct sequel in Bond film history -- you can get by with not having seen Casino Royale since it came out, but you'll enjoy AQoS a little bit more if you do.

Plot: James Bond balances his desire for revenge and his his desire to be MI6 Employee of the Month as he investigates the organization behind the events of Casino Royale.

Villain: Mathieu Amalric plays Domenic Greene, one of the most nondescript villains Bond has ever come up against -- his eyes don't even bleed!

Henchman: Like in Casino Royale, a few thugs here and there, but none have superhuman strength or metal teeth, and thus are no match for James Bond and his wits.

Girl: A relatively low Bond Girl count with just two: a rogue Bolovian agent played by tanned Ukranian Olga Kurylenko and the deliciously named Strawberry Fields played by Gemma Arterton. Miss Aterton should have played a henchwoman -- she was born with six fingers on each hand.

Gadgets: Bond gets his Bourne on with not even a holiday card from Q Branch.

Locations: Two visits to Italy, a ride through the slums of Haiti, an opera in Austria and the Bolivian desert.

One-liner:
James Bond: [at a dirty, small motel] What are we doing?
Strawberry Fields: We're teachers on sabbatical. This fits our cover.
James Bond: No it doesn't. I'd rather stay at a morgue. Come on.
[they go to a nicer hotel]
James Bond: [to the hotel receptionist] Hello. We're teachers on sabbatical and we've just won the lottery.

Good: The opening credits sequence, taking place within an astral globe is cool (not to mention the pre-credits car chase and the post-credits foot chase on the rooftops of Siena, which are even cooler). Feminists will cheer this film because Bond does not bed Olga Kurylenko's character -- he does bed Miss Fields, but she ends up dead for her promiscuity. The floating opera scene is an amazing spectacle that I hope to one day see in real life.

Bad: Most of the movie just feels subdued. The final fight has some cool explosions that are set off, but it boils down to a fistfight between Bond and Greene. Bond staples Moneypenny and Q are still not in the picture -- a lot of critics are claiming the Bond franchise is intentionally losing its identity; reintroducing these characters would go a long way towards putting the Bond "stamp" on this film. The character of Villers (M's assistant in Casino Royale) is nowhere to be seen despite the events of AQoS taking place just hours after Casino Royale ends. The prospect of several movies chronicling Bond's fight against a secret international organization of businessmen is as exciting as it sounds.

------------------------------------

So where does it rank? It's a tough call -- it's a slick production, but the actual story is "meh" enducing. The luster of the "new" Bond has worn off already -- better than Thunderball but not as good as The Spy Who Loved Me. Impress me in 2010, James. Now, on to the Star Trek reviews for next May.

How Did That Happen?

2008-12-09T09:06:00.002-05:00

It's time to get angry about the modern-day domestic sitcom. How is it that the average-yet-quirky nuclear family now has a schlub husband, a hot wife that no schlub in real life could ever get, a son and a daughter who conveniently appear and disappear when the story calls for it, and several extended family members who exist only to insult the schlub husband? Oh, and they all live in a huge house on one income.

In the movie Knocked Up, Paul Rudd's character comments that "marriage is like an unfunny, tense version of Everybody Loves Raymond; but it doesn't last 22 minutes -- it lasts forever." I'll contend that Everybody Loves Raymond (and its ilk) are an unfunny version of life, and last forever.

This whole trend in three camera mediocrity started with Everybody Loves Raymond, and we have been bombarded by the likes of My Wife and Kids, The King of Queens, Yes Dear, Still Standing, and possibly the biggest offender, According to Jim, ever since.

Why Accoding to Jim? Alan Sepinwall noted that According To Jim, bastion of mediocre, three-camera comedies is entering its eighth season this year. That just ain't right.

Who is watching According to Jim? Is it housewives who wish their life was so much better that they were married to Jim Belushi? Is it schlub and non-schlub husbands who dream of being lazy and married to Courtney Thorne Smith? I just don't get the appeal.

What hurts most is the other side edge of the domestic sitcom sword -- the shows that don't make it because of their popularity. For every Raymond, Jim, Yes Dear and King of Queens, there are several Arrested Developments and Freaks and Geeks that get cancelled because of low ratings. Two networks had to be downsized into one because of low ratings. I'm not saying According to Jim singlehandedly slayed UPN and The WB, but it that it provides further weight to a genre that is suffocating interesting and creative comedies is certainly not helpful.

Ratings are sagging for Jim, so I can only hope for swift and brutal cancellation next summer -- however there may be time to introduce a spin off.

Christmas = Ruined

2008-12-07T16:48:00.003-05:00

Ironically, a few weeks ago, I was going to write in this space how great the Microsoft Xbox 360 dashboard update was -- easier navigation and management, connection to my Netflix queue and even the ability to play games directly off the hard disk.

Well, no more.

Within two weeks of updating, I'm getting this lovely little notification every time I turn on my machine. Luckily my warranty covers servicing -- I do have to mail the Xbox to Microsoft, wait weeks and then hope it's actually fixed when they mail it back to me.

I've been pretty indifferent about Microsoft over the years. They are a necessary evil so that the world at large can get on the Internet, type term papers and get business done. Those days have ended, for sure: Every update my computer downloads from Microsoft slows it down just enough so it's not noticeable, until one day turning on my computer takes an eternity. Having to design a website for with Internet Explorer 6's display quirks in mind makes my job a real pain. The great idea of streaming video and pictures from my PC to my Xbox (when it's actually working) is only an idea -- in practice it's a mess that hardly ever works.

I am stuck with the Xbox 360 for a long time -- that's fine, because it is a great system, but I wish I could somehow mail Microsoft itself to a service facility for some repair.

Good Morning, Toucher and Rich

2008-12-03T20:08:00.004-05:00

The morning radio landscape in Boston has been pretty barren since Charles Laquidera headed for Hawaii in 1996 and Howard Stern decided you should have to pay to listen to him in 2006. I've been making a commuting drive to one job or another for about two and a half years, and every morning my radio has been like an Old Country Buffet for my ears -- plenty to choose from, mediocre quality, and usually causing diarrhea.

I did enjoy the Swayse Show on WFNX while it was on -- decent music, news and interviews with local and national personalities. This was all good until The Swayse Show was replaced with the Sandbox in 2007 -- an un-entertaining mess hosted by three pop-culture expert wannabes who think interviewing the editor of Blender magazine is good radio and pass off the corporate synergy of interviewing Boston Phoenix writers as something objective.

My dial would often turn to Opie and Anthony on WBCN, who had a somewhat entertaining show, despite its New York slant and the on-air talent's ridiculous use of the word "bleech", like Mad Magazine was all the rage.

This past Tuesday, WBCN pulled the plug on the O&A Virus and installed afternoon guys Toucher and Rich in their place -- what a difference a plug pulling makes. I've written in this space before that the T&R show is some of the best radio around and so far the switch to 6am has not diluted their quality. Rather than listen to Opie and Anthony interview Jim Leyritz for the 5th time, I now get to listen to fat intern Adolfo try to have a conversation with a homeless man nicknamed Chili Guy.

The T&R show has also fired several shots at WAAF's Hill-Man Morning show, so it will be interesting to see how that plays out (my money is on T&R).
Anyway, good luck, Toucher and Rich, with your new time slot -- you actually don't need it in this market.

Goodbye, Show with the Best Opening Theme Song Ever

2008-11-26T11:38:00.004-05:00

And so it ends. Seasons of The Shield often remind me of the Rolling Stones concert film, Gimme Shelter. Both start off slow moving -- almost boring -- then pick up steam, eventually turning into fiery freight trains rumbling towards an inevitable end. Last night's broadcast being the series finale of the show, the audience knew it was most certainly not going to end well.

Did Vic Mackey get his comeuppance for years of jumping well beyond the line rather than toeing it? He got exactly what he wanted -- legal immunity for his sins -- at the price of alienating his last few friends and abandonment by his ex-wife and kids. After the absolute rollercoaster of events leading to Vic's (and everyone else's) fate, I can't decide if I feel sad, relived or angry about how he ended up. Probably a mix of all three.

A lot of the critics are likening the complexity of The Shield to that of The Wire, another cop show that ended its run this year -- it's true, a new viewer would have had a very difficult time understanding almost everything happening over the past 13 weeks, but I think it's more appropriate to point out the The Shield is a spiritual heir to Homicide: Life on the Street (despite Wire creator David Simon having written for and produced Homicide). It's built almost purely on emotion and visceral energy -- I don't recall The Wire's focus on minutiae ever making me want to punch anyone in the face after watching an episode.

In short -- one of the best shows on TV leaves the medium on its own terms, with one of the best and satisfying finales I've ever had the pleasure of viewing.

Get a Life

2008-11-16T22:34:00.002-05:00

High school gossiper: If Heidi hadn't dumped her boyfriend, she was totally going to cut him off from make out sessions.

Pedro Gomez of ESPN: If the Red Sox hadn't traded Manny Ramirez, they were going to suspend him without pay.

Events that could have -- but never did -- happen months ago now make news? Is this what sports journalism has come to? I'm embarrassed.

I Hope I Die Before I Get Old

2008-11-12T08:49:00.002-05:00

Two days ago I was lamenting that I had no time to write -- well here I am, at 8:55 am on a Wednesday, laid up in bed with a pulled back, and with all the time in the world.

Well THAT happened....

2008-11-10T20:51:00.002-05:00

When I started this blog over four years ago, I was a different person: I was a single guy, just moved out of his parents house, working at a job that provided as much motivation as it did compensate (read: very little). Writing for this blog and its audience of five was almost second nature.

Things have changed -- in four years, I've switched jobs three times and got married. Blogging kind of fell by the wayside. I'm not alone -- several of my buddies in the blogosphere have curtailed their writing or out and out just stopped.

Well, it's time for things to turn around. Not only am I challenging myself, but if you have a blogger account that's been sitting idle for a while, I'm challenging you. Hit that keyboard once a month. I bet you'll like it. Then, hit it once a week -- you'll like it even more. Write about whatever you're thinking. Give me your link and I'll put it on the right!

My day consists of sleeping and working and fitting in TV. Unless you watch the same shows I watch and want to write about them, I guarantee you I'll read what you have to write, no matter how 'plain' you think it is. Give me a window into your thoughts and I'll do the same.

Not to get all revolutionary on you, but the Internet is here for our taking -- opinions and thoughts are here for our taking. So take them!

To News or Not to News

2008-08-16T10:16:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure if this is news or not, but Curt Schilling announced that he's pretty close to retiring. I think that the biggest news is not that he made the announcement, but that our local sports leader, the Boston Globe -- the Boston Globe that just announced two hirings to bolster its online presence -- failed to pick up on a story that's breaking online.

The best part of all of this? New Globe hire Chad Finn -- of the excellent Touching All the Bases -- will only be blogging "Monday through Friday" for the Globe. Good thing nothing in the world of sports happens on the weekend.

Life Takes Over

2008-08-16T09:25:00.002-05:00

Sorry for not writing more often, as life has taken over yet again -- two weddings, plus planning for my own in four weeks since my last post.

Festivus Comes Early

2008-07-15T21:04:00.003-05:00

Let's get angry!

Item! Why's everyone getting so pissy about the Barry and Michelle Obama New Yorker cover? It mocks almost every right wing stereotype of the couple save Barack's Ivy League, elitist education and lifestyle. If anything, this should energize the Obamaniacs. They should go on campaign warpath with this, not direct anger towards the New Yorker, which has produced its share of controversial covers in the past. Once again, this country's rear end is so tight it could make diamonds from coal. Somebody must have said in the past, "If you're not offending at least one person, you're not doing it right." If nobody's taking credit for that statement, I'll take it.

Item! John McCain can't use a computer. Who should care? The White House Tech Support guy -- he has one less potential problem to worry about. McCain is quoted as using his cell phone often. Would you rather a U.S. President who hides behind email the way you or I hide behind email when you have to contact someone but you don't want an immediate response because that means more work, or do you want a guy who gets on the horn and gets shit done? Vice Presidents are for looking shit up on Google. Presidents are for making decisions. I've worked for many capable company presidents and CEOs who can barely create a word document and they seem to do pretty well for themselves and the company. I'm not a McCain supporter by any means, but the fact that a 72 year old man doesn't check YouTube for the latest Weezer video should not affect your vote.

Item! There's only one October and it's brought to you by Spanish from Old School. Am I reading Rick Gonzalez's thoughts on the pennant race, or am I reading some professional writer's estimation of what a young, hispanic man named October Gonzo would be thinking about the playoffs? If I were October Gonzo, I'd be thinking about why my parents ate mushrooms before deciding on my name. Why do I need my hand held by a corporate lackey, or several corporate lackeys from July to October?

Item! I'm writing this blog from a line outside the Apple Store at the mall. No I'm not -- I'm at home, resting, because I work during the day and take personal and vacation days to actually travel and enjoy life. I invite all iPhone users to send me a text message* to tell me how much I really want an iPhone. *Impossible on an iPhone.

Not all things boil my blood. In fact, I've even been appreciating things:

Item! There is nothing funnier on the radio these days than the Toucher and Rich show on WBCN in the afternoon. It seems like every day they take what look like to be normal slices of life and flip them on their heads. Of course, there's the inane radio T&A, but there are several moments of brilliance -- the years-long relationship ship with homeless man "Chili Guy" who appears to either be a time traveler from 1989 or just decided to forget the last 19 years. He loves his Stevie B. Listeners are also treated by the escapades of weight and smarts challenged intern Adolfo. It's hard to explain in writing, so I urge you to listen any afternoon from 3-7.

Item! Rock Band releases 10 downloadable tracks by The Who! I'm not sure if anyone from the band had a hand in picking the tunes, but almost all are perfect choices -- I would replace Eminence Front with a John Entwistle tune, My Wife, or 5:15 off of Quadrophenia. Three tracks from Live at Leeds make this a must-download-now pack.

Item! I know this is pretty late, but how about them Celtics? Is there a player in the NBA more deserving of a championship than Paul Pierce? KG and Ray Allen are also players with incredible character -- but The Truth has been through good times, bad times, and near-death times. His number will be hanging from the rafters when he retires and he will truly be considered a Celtic Legend when his time comes.

------

That's it for now, bloggerinos.

Dan Shaugnessy, Highlander Fan

2008-07-06T14:44:00.002-05:00

If you know me, you know I'm big on the Highlander series, warts and all. Imagine my excitement when I found out that Globe Sports stalwart, the immortal Dan Shaugnessy is a fan too.

Phantom Beach BBQ

2008-06-18T22:18:00.003-05:00

One rib sandwich causes you to feel nice and warm on the inside. One rib sandwich and one Jamaican jerk pulled pork sandwich causes stomach problems and makes you to blog about it late at night.

Thank you, Phantom.

POWe

2008-06-09T07:34:00.003-05:00

One of the great afterthoughts of the 2007-08 NBA playoffs is that the Celtics have such an exciting future. When Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen start the twilight of their playing careers, we can take comfort in the fact that players like Leon Powe, Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins will all be entering their prime, having played several years together as a unit.

I hope the committee that hands out the Executive of the Year award looks at the results of all drafts in which a particular GM has participated when making their decision. Let's pencil Danny Ainge in for another award in 2011.

Mama There Goes That Man

2008-05-30T22:28:00.002-05:00

It's going to be a fun next couple weeks. I don't know if I'm more excited for Boston-LA in 2008 or Boston-LA highlights from the last 50 years and the cavalcade of Celtics Legends that will no doubt make appearances at all homegames this series.

We're 8-2 against the Lakers in the Finals since 1959. Let's make sure to rub that futility in their face. Go C's!

Adventures in Stimulus Check Spending, Vol. 1

2008-05-27T17:21:00.004-05:00

"...the gravest assault upon children in this country since polio" - Jack Thompson

"Thanks, George Bush!" - Me

Stimulus money left: $540

Beach Boys Songs Other Than California Girls, Wouldn't It Be Nice and Good Vibrations for Your Summer Soundtrack

2008-05-26T14:28:00.005-05:00

If weekends in the summer involve having a beer and grilling some meat, I don't want to know the alternative. But what about that musical background for your BBQ heaven? You let your girlfriend get away with the awfully tired Vince Guaraldi Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack every single holiday party; how do you counter when the party moves outside six months later?

The Beach Boys ethos oozes the hazy fun of summertime, from their early sixties pop jangle to their early and mid seventies soulful harmonies. Songs about cars, girls and surfing aren't necessarily native to Southern California, but where else can you envision all three subjects existing together in an endless summer? What better soundtrack to your summer get together, regardless of where in North America you are?

Since most casual music listeners' knowledge of the Beach Boys begins and ends with a greatest hits package and maybe Pet Sounds, here are some from deeper within the catalog to add to your playlist when you point your computer speakers towards your back window:

All Summer Long All Summer Long, 1964
Give me better recorded use of the xylophone -- I dare you. Bonus points for being the end-credits song in American Graffiti.

Dance Dance Dance The Beach Boys Today!, 1965
Starts off with sleigh bells, rides maracas and ends up in Phil Specter's patented Wall of Sound.

Do You Wanna to Dance? The Beach Boys Today!, 1965
Dennis Wilson's go at Bobby Freeman's classic. The background vocals especially after the first and third verses will blow you away every time.

Then I Kissed Her Summer Days (and Summer Nights!), 1967
Al Jardine vocals just rip right through this cover of "Then I Kissed Him" by the Crystals (originally produced by Phil Specter).

Let Him Run Wild Summer Days (and Summer Nights!), 1967
A somewhat sad song about the singer knowing his crush's boyfriend cheats on her -- thank goodness it sounds so great.

Feel Flows Surf's Up, 1971
The end-credits track in Almost Famous, Feel Flows sounds nothing like the Beach Boys songs of the sixties. It literally is a flowing feeling, engulfing you its tambourine, organ and Carl Wilson's vocal reverb.

Surf's Up Surf's Up, 1971
Possibly the Beach Boys' most underlooked song, in league with Good Vibrations and Wouldn't It Be Nice, Surf's Up is yet another operatic piece by Brian Wilson and co-writer Van Dyke Parks.

Sail on Sailor Holland, 1973
Blondie Chaplin is a backup singer for the Rolling Stones when they go on tour, but during the early 1970's, he was a full-fledged member of the Beach Boys and in Sail on Sailor he delivers yet another "this is great and I can't believe this is the Beach Boys" song. It sounds like something Steely Dan would have made.

Keepin' the Summer Alive Keepin' the Summer Alive, 1980
Taken within context, this one last, painful gasp by the Beach Boys to be relevant, despite being over a decade removed from Pet Sounds. Out of context, this is a fun, poppy, Joe Walsh-assisted track.

River Song Pacific Ocean Blue, 1977
This is actually a Dennis Wilson solo track, but I think it qualifies as a Beach Boys tune. A powerful, harmony driven track that makes you want to sing along with the chorus as Dennis sings about transforming himself into a powerful, moving body of water -- something great. Pacific Ocean Blue is being re-released on June 17.

These next two slow things down a little:

Forever Sunflower, 1970
Most famously covered by John Stamos, the original stands up great with a slow beat and great backing harmony. Dennis Wilson may be one of the most underrated singer/songwriters of the 70's, if only because he had to live and work in the shadow of his brother Brian.

The Warmth of the Sun Shut Down, Vol. 2, 1964
Something you would dance to with your sweetheart while the crowd at your party starts to thin out.

Back on the Wagon

2008-05-26T13:56:00.003-05:00

There's nothing like a three day weekend and some gorgeous late Spring weather to get the creative/angry juices flowing again.

Hibernation

2008-01-17T08:38:00.000-05:00

Sorry, readers (all 5 of you). I've been on the go since Christmas with a new job and a date with the gym almost every night of the week so I can look good on the wedding day in September.