Beach Boys Wild Honey (Guest post by Bill Watt)

An album that seems to go unnoticed is The Beach Boys' Wild Honey, released in the later part of 1967. The Beach Boys, like many other bands, evolved over time. You've got "I Get Around" and you've got "God Only Knows", two brilliant tracks that reflected their lives and Brian's thoughts at the time. However there's another side to The Beach Boys that may take you by surprise, but nonetheless a side that you need to hear and you will be glad that you did. Wild Honey is one of the most underrated albums of all time.

The first track "Wild Honey" plays and right off the bat you know you're about to hear a side of The Beach Boys you haven't heard before: a more free-flowing and soulful side. The song has that signature element of fun they had on their early albums but with sophistication. To me it seems to be about a guy who just met a girl and he feels that great things are to come. Carl Wilson's voice is infectious and takes the song to another stratosphere. 

Next comes "Aren't You Glad" which has kind of a hip and youthful vibe. Brian Wilson never ceases to amaze and this song Beach Boys Aren't You Glad almost seems to represent a generation in a way that Peter Bjorn and John's "Young Folks" does. 

Next is "I Was Made To Love Her", a Stevie Wonder cover. Right off the bat, Brian finds a way to make Beach Boys "I Was Made To Love Her" his own. Carl Wilson is one of the most underrated vocalists of all-time, with this insane ability to bring out the listeners' emotions, and Beach Boys "I Was Made to Love Her" is great proof. 

"Country Air" is a new twist to the album; simple yet catchy, but gets you thinking about the country landscapes, maybe even early pioneer times and the simplicity of that lifestyle. 

"A Thing or Two" is the next track, a fun tune with a jam session feel. 

The next song up, "Darlin'", is an unforgettable one. A mature love song, Carl Wilson once again, steals the show. It is amazing how pleasing to the ear his voice his. Beach Boys Darlin' isn't the longest song, but doesn't need to be. Beach Boys Darlin' holds up against any Beatles song. The harmonizing is stellar as well. 

"I'd Love Just Once to See You" is up next and is a great Brian Wilson experiment. The "Baah ba ba ba baah ba ba" in the background is the quintessence of that time period and is Monkies-esque. 

"Here Comes the Night" is the next track. Later made into a disco song that grows on you over time. Beach Boys Here Comes the Night is very different from the norm, but is fairly catchy and with a decent amount of substance. 

"Let The Wind Blow" is next and is perfectly placed on the album. Beach Boys Let the Wind Blow eases your mind and has hints of the abandoned "Smile Album". 

Next is "How She Boogalooed It", which has hints of the song "Summertime Blues". To me, Beach Boys How She Boogaloeed it is a very fun summer song that takes you back to the days of block parties and summer games. Carl's voice is very cool and you cannot help but bob your head. 

The last track is "Mama Says", which is a discarded bridge section from the song "Vega-Tables. Originally a piece of a song, Beach Boys Mama Says owns. The great instrumentals and harmonizing are definitely worth a listen.

Overall, Beach Boys Wild Honey deserves much more acclaim and is a unique side of The Beach Boys that everyone should hear.

Oasis Part 2 British Rock Definitely Maybe

Today, I guide you further into Oasis' debut album Definitely Maybe. We feature Up in the Sky, Columbia, and Supersonic. While listening, focus on the often over-looked position  of rhythm guitarist within Oasis, Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs. He is Oasis. His reliable and loud rhythm guitar make Oasis' sound unequaled. Enjoy the songs!

Up In the Sky
is blaring music in the background that makes you feel you gained an edge over your fellow man. Up In The Sky gives you confidence. You will get well needed energy  that is fun to have.

You  can do good  while listening to solid clean rock music by a couple of blokes who don't care. This will give you a strong base to face life. Another solid live performance is from Live at the white room as part of the Live by the sea DVD. Live by the sea are lyrics from Oasis's song It's Good to be free.
This is a live performance I remember liking. If you watch the other videos from this same concert you understand the exciting atmosphere. The concert is just loud, awesome music. Oasis does not simply blanket perfectly polished noise in the background to emphasize the singer upfront. While the vocals and music are at the same level, British music like Oasis focuses on the raw guitar.

Columbia
Clean production and big time guitar-playing is what comes to mind with Columbia. My interest is in seeing them play this live. The video below is from Knebworth in 1996. Where they were at an historical peak of fame. Feel this energy; Oasis are putting on a tremendous show to a record size crowd of 250,000 people over two nights. They had 2.5 million ticket applications!! This whole concert with Oasis' huge sound is worth checking out! Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs, the remarkable Oasis rhythm guitarist said that Columbia was his favorite song to play because it only consisted of a few chords. He could get into a hypnotic groove playing Columbia.1

Supersonic

        Some personal thoughts: This will give you the confidence to ambush the people in your life from a business stand point. Raid the ones that downplay your achievements. And therefore don't realize how truly great you have done with your life so far. Larrup the assholes who hold something over your head. You may be in debt to them. Maybe they invested in your college education and hold you to unrealistic expectations of livelihood. Well take this song, ride high, and get the type of success that shuts everyone, including yourself up. Then revel in the shocking quietness that always remains after your accomplishment. 

        

       Now onto the music itself. This song holds the test of time. Noel Gallagher still plays Supersonic after Oasis broke up in 2009. But Supersonic became Oasis' first hit back in 1994. While waiting to record Bring It On Down, band leader Noel Gallager hummed a melody over drummer Tony McCaroll and rhythm guitarist Paul Arthurs' impromptu jam. When they were told by the record company this should be a hit, Noel wrote lyrics in a corner. The famous Elsa in the song doesn't refer to teenage prostitution as commonly thought. Those lyrics are about sound engineer David Scott's nine-stone rottweiler who has a farting problem. The dog was present for the quick recording of Supersonic . Hence the lyrics "he's into Alka seltzer".  In addition, Noel Gallager said that despite the similarities of Supersonic' solo to the riff from George Harrison's My Sweet Lord, Noel didn't set out to copy the riff.


Conclusion:
Be sure to check out Live at the Whiteroom concert (1995) as part of the Live By The Sea DVD.
And Live at Knebworth (1996) for these songs featured today. Oasis's songs Up In The Sky, Columbia, and Supersonic will give you the energy to get to the top in your life.
Crush your competition and have some adrenaline-fueled fun in the process. Oasis have a loud raw guitar sound yet the vocals are easily heard. Oasis' signature sound comes from Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs reliable rhythm guitar. Real good comes from their music, as far as I am concerned. And Noel's songwriting comes from a very interesting place.

Related Websites to explore: 
1. http://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/02/oasis-babyshambles-pulp-pogues-bandmates
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supersonic_(Oasis_song)

Oasis Part 1 British Rock Definitely Maybe

Definitely Maybe
Oasis stormed the world with swagger, releasing Definitely Maybe on August 30th, 1994. The album begins with:

Rock N' Roll Star 

 I originally thought the song's title was too direct a self-praising statement in comparison to the similar I Hope I Think I Know from Oasis's third album Be Here Now.  But Oasis's arrogance is the attitude and hedonistic lifestyle Oasis is about. Oasis's celebration of life, music and good times draws people into the music.

Shakermaker

       Noel believes the best songs are based on borrowing from the best lyrics and songs of the past. So Noel is a student of history and the world around us. Let me explain some of the song's references. Shakermaker is a 1970s toy. Mr. Soft is a character from a Trebor soft mints commercial. Mr. Clean is a song by the Jam.  Mr. Bean is from a British cartoon. And Mr. Sifter is the owner of Noel Gallagher's favorite record store. The musical melody is a twelve-bar blues progression. And the melody for the verse was originally taken from "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)" by Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway, Bill Backer and Billy Davis. The result of "copying" is a more infectious guitar riff and vocal melody with fun lyrics. The loud distorted guitars give you a new kind of energy. It's belief in these loud songs that makes you feel you are slightly on edge, slightly messed up, slightly crazy in comparison to your fellows. You feel important listening to this music. Oasis Shakermaker rocks!1

Live Forever

 

      Their first big hit. If you don't want a seizure I recommend the British version of the music video in lieu of the US version. The gag of burying drummer Tony McCaroll in the music video is done in good fun. The pick axes add comedy. But highlights the strained blood between band members and Tony and also points towards the Gallagher brothers ousting Tony from Oasis in the future.  Another stunt in the music video is Liam Gallagher cooly floating on a chair against a wall. Noel stands above it all on a stair set as does the bassist Paul McGuigan affectionately known as "Guigsy". A roller bladder careens through the scene. 2

      The loud music is exciting; backed by the hope, and the fun the brothers and band members are having. The guitar work is simple and rocks. Noel Gallagher has a stranglehold on the songwriting of early Oasis. He wrote Live Forever before Oasis formed while on a construction job site. Back when he decided between being a criminal or a musician. The people of the world are glad he dedicated himself to music. 3 

Stay tuned for much more on Oasis. Including my take on more of the songs from their groundbreaking album Definitely Maybe. You will have an MP3 album that has these three songs after each other with knowledge the album is only beginning. Find out how good it gets in the next post.

Sources I.E. websites to explore:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakermaker
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_Forever
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oasis_(band)
More sources to come!

Oasis Part 1 coming soon

Part 1 of Oasis article is coming soon this week. I will seek to do two posts a week. But I will still work on relatively big pieces. Delivering them in smaller pieces. So expect an article / intro / beginning of early Definitely Maybe Oasis this week. I want to consistently deliver content for active readers.

yours truly,

Bobby H.

Latest Song by JGE - People In Orbit

JGE's newest release- People In Orbit

updates

For any fans of this blog: I am working on an article on Steven Wilson's film Insurgentes. and then I hope to write about Oasis. Stay tuned.

Summer Music

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