RECOMMENDED ALBUM: Dennis Wilson – Pacific Ocean Blue [LEGACY EDITION]

Dennis Wilson – Pacific Ocean Blue/Bambu (Legacy Edition)

Caribou/Sony Legacy

Available now.

Disc One

1. “River Song” (Dennis Wilson/Carl Wilson) – 3:44
2. “What’s Wrong” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson/Michael Horn) – 2:23
3. “Moonshine” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 2:27
4. “Friday Night” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 3:10
5. “Dreamer” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 4:23
6. “Thoughts of You” (Dennis Wilson/Jim Dutch) – 3:04
7. “Time” (Dennis Wilson/Karen Lamm-Wilson) – 3:32
8. “You and I” (Dennis Wilson/Karen Lamm-Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 3:25
9. “Pacific Ocean Blues” (Dennis Wilson/Mike Love) – 2:37
10. “Farewell My Friend” (Dennis Wilson) – 2:26
11. “Rainbows” (Dennis Wilson/Carl Wilson/Steve Kalinich) – 2:48
12. “End of The Show” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 2:57
13. “Tug Of Love” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 3:44
14. “Only With You” (Dennis Wilson/Mike Love) – 3:57
15. “Holy Man” [instrumental] (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 4:24
16. “Mexico” (Dennis Wilson)

Disc Two: Bambu (The Caribou Sessions)

1. “Under The Moonlight” (Carli Munoz) – 3:55
2. “It’s Not Too Late” (Carli Munoz) – 4:22
3. “School Girl” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 2:31
4. “Love Remember Me” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson/Steve Kalinich) – 4:04
5. “Love Surrounds Me” (Dennis Wilson/Geoffrey Cushing-Murray) – 3:40
6. “Wild Situation” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 2:41
7. “Common” (Dennis Wilson) – 3:34
8. “Are You Real” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 3:38
9. “He’s A Bum” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 2:50
10. “Cocktails” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson/John Hanlon) – 3:00
11. “I Love You” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 2:02
12. “Constant Companion” (Carli Munoz/Rags Baker) – 3:22
13. “Time For Bed” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 3:07
14. “Album Tag Song” (Dennis Wilson) – 3:45
15. “All Alone” (Carli Munoz) – 3:44
16. “Piano Variation on Thoughts Of You” (Dennis Wilson) – 3:03
17. “Holy Man (Taylor Hawkins Version)” (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson/Taylor Hawkins) – 4:25

Apart from the non-release of Smile, the biggest lament of hardcore Beach Boys fans is that Bruce Johnston aside, none of the non-Brian Wilson solo albums are available on CD. But now, for fans of late drummer Dennis Wilson, there’s reason to celebrate as his only-released solo album gets the reissue it deserves. Widely acknowledged as the finest Beach Boys solo effort, it’s now presented with clarity, allowing the full sonic palette–the punch of opening “River Song” for example–to be heard in its intended glory. Wilson’s raspy vocal may have been past its prime, but it’s still affecting and ably supported by the sumptuous production values he gave the album. With high quality tracks such as the funky “Dreamer” and the poignant “Farewell My Friend”, this will appeal to anyone with even a passing interest in The Beach Boys, as well as a delight for hardcore fans as the unreleased tracks (from the unfinished follow-up Bambu), easily match the original’s quality.

While the disappointing absence of earlier singles (“Lady” or “Sound of Free”) prevents this from being a definitive career anthology, this is as essential a Beach Boys artefact as Pet Sounds or Sunflower/Surf’s Up. -–Thom Allott

Visit www.pacificoceanblue.net for more info.

~ by insomniacafe on June 17, 2008.