Album Review 299: Carl Wilson - Carl Wilson

[@andrewhillabrand4432]

Great review as always Giggens. Carl is deeply missed. Heaven was such a great Carl solo song. It should have been a top 10 hit

[@ronbo11]

You might have already done this, but 2000's "Like a Brother" by Beckley-Lamm-Wilson has Carl's last compositions and vocals. "I Wish for You" from that album is one of his best songs ever. Anyway, thanks for this review and I'll have to investigate this album and "Youngblood" more. I've seen videos on KZbin and liked what I've heard.

[@ronfowlermusic]

check out my channel for some live recordings from his solo tour.

[@orbyfan]

Thanks for that introductory explanation. The first time I saw the Beach Boys live was on July 7, 1982, when they opened with "It's O.K.," "I Can Hear Music," and "Good Timin'." "Disney Girls" was part of that concert, as was "Runaway," which they introduced by saying that it might be the next BB single. I suspect that the version of "Runaway" that appears on the "25 Years of Good Vibrations" album (1986) comes from this time. There's a CD that's been available in record stores for the last few years of the radio broadcast of their July 4, 1981 concert in Washington. The CD notes erroneously state that it's the classic BB lineup, but Carl wasn't there, so you have Brian singing lead on "God Only Knows" and "Good Vibrations." The recording has sound quality problems that you might expect with one that's made from a radio broadcast, but the main problem is that the Beach Boys just don't sound very good, which ties in with your introductory comments.

[@davidschecter5247]

The version of Runaway might come from Cleveland around this time, at Blossom Music Center. I can't recall if it was Carl or Alan that announced they'd be recording it live for this concert for single release. They might have said that at more than one venue, but they definitely said it at this concert.

[@wmulhernjr]

@@davidschecter5247. It was Al

[@MIKELIN8]

Myrna Smith Schilling was one of Elvis' backup singers, The Sweet Inspirations. Jerry Schilling, The Beach Boys' manager, had been employed by Elvis, too.

[@arthurhenderson2188]

I saw an advert in Radio & Records bulletin (20th March/1981) for the Hold Me single where it reads at the bottom of the page that this album was to be called Can't Fight Lightning

[@honeybrookbishop]

Heaven is an amazing song. I saw him do it live with the Beach Boys.

[@Giggens]

Awesome!

[@ronfowlermusic]

Once again, Giggens hits it out of the park with a spot-on review. Kudos to Carl for not letting the apathy of his bandmates drag him down. I've got a couple live cd's of Carl on his first solo tour - the album versions of these songs are funky, laid back, mellow - but the live versions kick @$$! Posted one of the live cd's on my channel. No sleepwalking through a show for Carl and his band. One reviewer said "this band has a bassist that could get a corpse dancing, and a drummer to beat it back into the grave!" Myrna, Myrna, Myrna - one of the loveliest ladies to ever walk this earth. Part of the Sweet Inspirations that backed up Elvis Presley from 1969-1977. Hope you review Like a Brother some day.

[@Giggens]

Thanks man! Yeah, some amazing songs here!

[@ronfowlermusic]

@@Giggens kzbin.info/aero/PLbGlEAG8fDe07ToE5hr4v1c6pq2qt4UY4 Carl live at the Bottom Line

[@Giggens]

Thanks man!

[@Lambert1386]

The songs sounded great live, plus it was cool seeing Carl in a small club like The Agora Ballroom in Dallas. I saw a Carl-less Beach Boys show later in Fort Worth and it was like a nightmare in a David Lynch movie. Brian was huge and Dennis was out of his mind. It was interesting, I'll give it that.

[@Giggens]

Man I bet!

[@scottjkennedy]

Great review as usual Giggens. Carl’s solo career is easily as good as Peter Cetera’s post-Chicago output. I’m not sure why that was not recognized by the public at the time… I agree his voice is as perfect 80’s rock as you can get. He was the glue of the group, I was lucky enough to see him live with the boys in the early nineties when I was around 12 years old. I’ll never forget it.

[@Giggens]

Man that is awesome!

[@haroldbailey9011]

I’m the biggest beach boys fan ever. I love all there albums up to the self titled album. But this album stinks. It’s painful

[@wcassady]

One of my favorite vocals from Carl was “You We’re Great” with Olivia Newton-John

[@wcassady]

When I think of “The Grammy” I can’t help but think of “Good Vibrations” losing to the group Winchester Cathedral

[@Flapperdame16]

Taking time out of listening to Feel Flows to watch this! Thanks Giggens! This is the one I have not found yet, I found a 2010 reissue cd of Young Blood- still looking for this one!!!

[@ronfowlermusic]

it's out there, i think the cd version came out 2013 or 14.

[@dreadfuldansdiscs2781]

Fab video, really enjoyed this one despite not much liking this album (sorry!) But your enthusiasm almost convinced me to pull it out and give it a spin. I loved all the background to BBs in 1981 - I find the period between KTSA and BB85 fascinating, because it is really under-documented, and when you look into it there was so much going on and obviously a pretty tumultuous time. On a totally unrelated note... have you tried lighter fluid for getting stickers off jackets? I was amazed at the results.

[@Giggens]

I haven't tried that yet, but I've heard it's a good idea!

[@c.a.carlln0287]

James William GUHR-see-oh.

[@arthurhenderson2188]

Highlights for me are Heaven and Seems So Long Ago. The album is almost a fast side/slow side set, let down only by The Grammy on Side Two, for me the weakest song on the album. Seems So Long Ago is the perfect track to listen to prior to putting on Disney Girls.

[@Giggens]

I can dig that!

[@michaelstitt3307]

I have Youngblood on vinyl but I don't have this one. Need to find it. I don't think they're to easy to find.

[@ricardovandervegt9834]

Try discogs😁

[@ENigma-um8zw]

Free Flows is out!

[@justinainsworth8635]

Are you going to review the new feel flows box set

[@Giggens]

Yup! Out tomorrow!

[@davidschecter5247]

I saw him in Cleveland. Great show, but SO SHORT. I doubt it was 40 minutes long. Not sure how comfortable he was performing live solo. I thought some of the songs on his first album were a little too simplistic. A few could have used a bridge or some other dynamics/complexity in there. There's more of that in the second album. Especially having grown up with Brian as his brother. Not saying it needed advanced production, but the songs themselves needed a little more work on them.

[@ronfowlermusic]

I think most of the shows on his first tour were around an hour long, including two songs featuring Myrna. I saw him a couple years later after Youngblood came out, that show may have been a bit longer because he had two albums to draw from.

[@petestaint8312]

Agreed. Although, Dennis' album was phenomenal!

[@davidhigginbotham5451]

Hold Me IS great! I remember the video being on MTV. What bugs me is the cover photo. Is he going for a fashion model look? If so, he fails. OR is he socking himself in the ear, as a secret message to Murry and Brian? I dunno. LOL

[@Evan-ug9hr]

Is the feel flows review coming later today? I wanted to watch the review before I opened it myself.

[@Giggens]

Coming out tomorrow!

[@orcapodmedia]

The crazy thing is that I really don't think you'll ever run out of Beach Boys content to review and tell stories about.

[@Giggens]

Man I hope not haha

[@daddybog7189]

Seen Carl on his solo tour at The Paradise in Boston, nice small atmosphere and the show was great.

[@Giggens]

I've heard alot about the Paradise!