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  1. David Schecter
    October 6, 2020 @ 1:44 am

    Great that you’re covering The Beach Boys, but there are way too many mistakes in this article about one of the group’s best albums. For one, how did Hugh Grundy (!!!!) get listed as being the fifth member of the group rather than Dennis Wilson? WTF?????

    The group recorded a demo of “Surfin’?” Uh, they also recorded an actual version of the song that became their first hit, albeit more of a local one in California than anywhere else. That’s more important than the fact that they recorded a demo, unless you’re going to mention how the demo caught the attention of somebody before there was an actual finished song.

    “When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)” does not have “the presence of a vibraphone throughout.” That is a harpsichord, and the two instruments sound NOTHING alike.

    “Help Me, Ronda” was NOT “the definitive hit from the album.” It was a lackluster version that Brian later re-cut, and that SECOND version was the number one hit, which was featured on the NEXT album, “Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!,” with the name “Rhonda” having an “h” in it.

    And it wasn’t their first song “to reach three minutes in length.” There were two songs of that length on the previous year’s Christmas album.

    “Please Let Me Wonder” features “a Western-like backing and the usual over-the-top harmonies?” Not sure what western music you listen to, but I’ve never heard any that sounds like this. And as for “the usual over-the-top harmonies,” if that is meant to be a criticism, WHAT? That’s what makes The Beach Boys so great.

    There are some other errors in the piece, but I don’t want to sound like I’m nit-picking. It’s important to get your facts right before you publish something like this…

    Reply

    • Alpha Dog
      October 11, 2020 @ 11:13 am

      Thanks for your input, David. We have corrected some of the technical errors you found in the review but left other opinions and assertions.

      Reply

    • John Ballew
      January 5, 2021 @ 9:45 pm

      David:
      Just came across this review and after going nuts how inaccurate it was came across your well-written corrections. Thanks for your ACCURATE AND WELL-INFORMED comments. “Western-like backing”. WTF. This is probably one of the 4-5 best BB albums of all time (I would say the 3rd best behind “Sounds” and “Sunflower”) and side two is an exquisite precursor to “Let Him Run Wild”, “The Little Girl I Once Knew” and of course all that would become “Pet Sounds. Although it is true that the album was “released” in 1965 it was almost all recorded in 1964. Think about that as you listen to these songs and production. The classy production and rich arrangements on this album are superior to any other rock album in 1964. Period. Reviewer obviously not well versed in the music of America’s most important band of the 60’s. Again, nice to see somebody accurately call out bad reviews. Thanks. You called it right. Catch a Wave Dave!

      Reply

      • Cory Church
        June 16, 2021 @ 11:37 pm

        I believe only Kiss Me Baby and When I Grow Up were recorded in 1964. And Dance, Dance, Dance . The rest in mid January 1965

        Reply

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