miércoles, 18 de julio de 2012

The Beach Boys- Still Cruisin' Review

6/10
By Javier Torres

This is the easiest album to review cause there are only 7 songs that basically all are good. The only problem in this album is that the songs are not great except for Kokomo. The album was released in 1989 after some recent hits that the band in those years on the Billboard US top 100 Chart such as the #1 Kokomo, #12 Wipe Out #93 Still Cruisin'. But obviously the song that made that this album was an hit was Kokomo. Some people don't consider this an oficial Beach Boys Studio Album cause is more like a compilations of recent hits but also is one of the most successful late Beach Boys albums cause it went Gold in the US. Anyway, the album starts in a good way with the title song Still Cruisin' followed by the great Somewhere in Japan that is one of the best songs on the album. Al Jardine's Island Girl is next that is a Caribbean style song. Is not bad. Brian Wilson's In My Car was made for a car commercial. Is a good song that was Co-Written by Wilson, Dr. Landy and Alexandra Morgan. Then Kokomo starts and makes this album better and cool followed by a good Wipe Out cover ft. The Fat Boys. Finally the bad lyric, god music Make it Big. In overall this album is good. I didn't find a bad song on this one. Let's see a close look at my song reviews:
  1. Still Cruisin'- *** "Nice way to start the album"
  2. Somewhere Near Japan- **** "Great vocals by Bruce, Carl and Alan"
  3. Island Girl- *** "Makes me wanna play limbo"
  4. In My Car- *** "Great Rock song!!"
  5. Kokomo- ***** "An Instant Classic"
  6. Wipe Out- ** "The less good from the album"
  7. Make it Big- *** "Bad Lyric, Good Music"
Other Reviews:
All Music- 2/5 stars[1]
Rolling Stone- 1/5 stars[2]

sábado, 14 de julio de 2012

The Beach Boys-Summer in Paradise Review

5/10
By Javier Torres

The Beach Boys last studio album with some new material (before That's Why God Made The Radio 2012) came up with a little of good material but is not that bad. After listening a couple of times, I realize that if we analyze the album lyrics instead of music, I would rate this album 1/10 'cause I mean that is bad. When I mean bad is that is bad haha, the lyrics are terrible. Oh but what can you expect of an album with new lyrics written by Mike Love without Brian Wilson supervision? But anyway, skiping the no-Brian Wilson problem, the music is not that bad. The album begins with a cover song Hot Fun in the Summertime. Nice cover, very nice cover song. Then comes a cover from an original song Surfin' that was realized in their first album Surfin' Safari. Ok this cover is not bad. It would be better if this cover was only instrumental cause the guitars sounds cool, but Mike Love vocals kills it. Carl vocals make you feel more secure about it but is bad thanks to Mike. Then comes a sexual-lyrics song from the incredible Mike Love: Summer of Love. I hear this song when I'm bored and I don't feel like to hear some of the Beach Boys hit. What can I say? If the song is bad, just see the music video -_- The next song is as Mike Love said in the album Production Notes, the cousin of Kokomo!, Island Fever. I cannot cricticsize this song, I like it. Actually is my favorite pick from the album. I like it. Then a good song Still Surfin'. Slow Summer Dancin' (One Summer Night) is one the best songs on the album. It has excellent vocals by Bruce Johnston and Al Jardine. Mike Love hit down with the next song Strange Things Happens that is the perfect example of the good music bad lyrics on the album. The next two songs are very energetic and with great Carl Wilson vocals, Remember and Lahaina Aloha, a song that I consider the best of the album. A decent Mike Love song that makes it good just because Carl Wilson vocals again: Under the Boardwalk. Then comes the title song that sucks very hard. The worst lyrics on a Beach Boys songs ever is this one. I hate it. The Live version of it is great but the Album version sucks!!!!. The last song, a cover of them... again this time Forever one of the best Dennis Wilson songs covered by John Stamos? John is a great drummer, has good vocals but I don't know is strange to hear his vocals on a song like Forever. Any way the song isn't bad. The album in general is not that bad but you can't say either that is a great album. Is good but not great. Let's see the song reviews:
  1. Hot Fun in the Summertime- **** "One of the best late covers of the band"
  2. Surfin'- ** "It would be better instrumental cause Mike vocals kills this song"
  3. Summer of Love- ** "The song is worst than the bad music video"
  4. Island Fever- **** "Nice tropical song, actually Mike said that is the cousin of Kokomo"
  5. Still Surfin'- *** "The song is not bad, one of the best from the album"
  6. Slow Summer Dancing- ***** "If your a fan of Bruce and Al, this song is perfect"
  7. Strange things Happens- ** "Good music, bad lyrics"
  8. Remember- **** "Excellent vocals by Carl"
  9. Lahaina Aloha- ***** "The best song from the album"
  10. Under the Boardwalk- **** "This is a Mike Love song"
  11. Summer In Paradise- * "The worst song of the album"
  12. Forever- *** "Not bad but not even close to Dennis' version.
Other Reviews:
All Music- 1/5 stars[2]

miércoles, 11 de julio de 2012

Mike Love- Catch A Wave

Catch a Wave 3/10
By Javier Torres

After listening to various Beach Boys and Brian Wilson albums, I wonder how Mike Love albums sounds like. Well the first one I picked was this one that was produced by Adrian Baker and you noticed his voice on the background vocals. The album is only of old Beach Boys songs covered by Mike and Adrian on the vocals and it begins with a great Catch a Wave cover. Then Do it Again it's another good cover. I get Around is a little bit good. Then a great California Girls cover. The rest of the album sounds terrible in my opinion, except for Hawaii that is the last attempt of a good cover. My final opinion is that what Mike Love was thinking while recording this album?
Let's see my song reviews:

  1. Catch a Wave- ***** "Great Cover"
  2. Do it Again- **** "Nice and soft"
  3. I get Around- ** "Bad cover, the drums are just too bad"
  4. California Girls- **** "Good!"
  5. Fun, Fun, Fun- * "-_-"
  6. Surfin' Safari- ** "They ruin one of the classic Beach Boys songs"
  7. Hawaii- **** "Good attempt to balance the album"
  8. Surfin' USA- ** "Isn't the worst but isn't good."
  9. Surfer Girl- * "The worst of the album, why Mike is singing Brian part?