There Shall Be Peace In The Valley

Smile. It's really happening. 11/1/11.



Wow.

Been Taken for Lost and Gone

Yeah, right.

The Beach Boys' legendary lost masterpiece Smile is set to finally finally finally be officially released 40+ years after its recording. This album has its own mythology around it because there have been so many near-releases over the years, not to mention bootlegs and Brian Wilson's own take on it. Capitol Records says it's coming out in 2011, yet...

"Some of these questions are hard to answer because not only haven't we assembled them yet, this has to be played for Brian and the other members of the group to see what kind of input they have ... The main thing I am getting from everybody, after waiting 40 years to have it officially released, is, 'We want to make sure it is right,'

You want it right? Sure, we all do. So make it right BEFORE announcing that it's ready to be released. Sheesh. They say it's happening, though, and the whole band is on board. I'm sure Mike Love will find a way to f#ck it up like he always does though.

The story of Smile via Wikipedia

I'll Make You So Sure About It

It's undeniable. God Only Knows is easily one of the most brilliant tunes ever released in the Too Poppy genre. Lovely harmonies, sweet sentiment, gooey in all the right places - just an all-around fantastic aural experience. The generations since have shown just how influential this one song has been with so many trying so desperately to write and record their own God Only Knows. Some come close. Most don't.

And others simply record their own cover version. Let's not kid ourselves, this is an incredibly risky move. Imitation may be sincerely flattering, but what good is a cover unless it has something special or unique to offer?

Brandon Schott is the latest to give it a go and not surprisingly we're the better of for it. As you'd expect, his version is no radical rearrangement, but the gift that Brandon gives in his music and especially in this cover is a certain intimacy and even vulnerability that let's us in and encourages us to experience the brilliant song from a slightly different perspective. For those of us familiar with Brandon's work, you're not surprised the musicianship is top-notch. He slows the tune down just enough for us to notice and give it new consideration. And for a song so revered for its harmonies that envelope the listener, Brandon boldly keeps them in check. The most obvious covers overwhelm us and try to outdo the original's harmonies. Brandon has more respect for the song itself and this interpretation challenges us to experience it with a fresh set of ears. Of course the killer moment comes when his son Tyler breaks in near the end: "...what I'd be without you...!" As any parent will tell you, this transcends the song to a completely new level.

Brandon Schott's proves God Only Knows is one of those rarities that is of its time and completely timeless. Well done.

I must not neglect to mention God Only Knows is backed with a cover of Strawberry Fields Forever! Strawberry Fields Forever is certainly of its time and is a bit too weird to be as universal as God Only Knows, but Brandon gives it a similar special treatment. As any Beatles nut as done throughout the years, I've dissected the song to dig deeper for understanding or revelation, which is its beauty - it never gives it all away. By making it downright haunting, Brandon's take adds a whole new element that has me excited to revisit the original and its many takes seeking a similar feel.

The Beach Boys and The Beatles - give Brandon credit for tackling both on one single and for giving us an entirely new appreciation for both the brilliance of the original songs and the gift of Brandon's musical voice.

God Only Knows b/w Strawberry Fields Forever is out today via iTunes.

Life Would Still Go On Believe Me

Brandon Schott is releasing his cover of God Only Knows b/w Strawberry Fields Forever as an iTunes exclusive on May 25. To celebrate, he and some friends are "hosting a special evening of music and entertainment at the Renaissance Hotel and Spa in Hollywood California on Thursday May 20, 2010 at 7PM. The event is FREE and open to all ages." For those lucky enough to be able to attend, he'll have 25 signed, limited edition CD singles. Not too convenient for this chump in Des Moines so I'll have to settle for the electronic version! I can handle that.


You might recall Brandon's first shot (see what I didn't do there?) at Strawberry Fields Forever as the grand finale of his Homegrown Recordings series featured exclusively here on Too Poppy last year. The free download is gone now - would you be willing to mess with The Beatles' business? - but soon you'll be able to download the new version from iTunes! We'll remind you when the time comes.


In the meantime, get yourself familiar with his previous releases: 


All of Brandon Schott's singles and albums via iTunes
Brandon Schott - RELEASE (2003) via iTunes, Not Lame, CD Baby
Brandon Schott - Golden State (2007) via iTunes, Not Lame 
Brandon Schott - Dandelion (2009) via iTunes, Amazon.com MP3

I Hear the Sound of a Gentle Word

If you haven't heard, which is unlikely, this year marks the 40th anniversary of one of the best pop albums ever, Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys. To commemorate the occasion, Capitol released Pet Sounds: 40th Anniversary this week. The new release includes versions in mono, stereo, 5.1 surround sound, jingle cats, hi-res stereo, and DVD. One of those might not be true. They've also released the Good Vibrations CD single.

The AV Club spoke briefly with mad genius Brian Wilson about it. Bring the love-vibes, Brian.

It truly is a stunning and legendary album, something everyone should have in their collection. Maybe on its 40th anniversary, I'll finally pick it up (oops).