1968 ORIG THE BEACH BOYS FRIENDS BRIAN WILSON POP PERFECTION PET SOUNDS L

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26

   ~ 1968 BRIAN WILSON POP CRAFT PERFECTION ~

      MINTY CLEAN = RAINBOW CAPITOL COLLECTIBLE

       THE  BEACH  BOYS

                "FRIENDS"

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USA - RAINBOW CAPITOL - ST 2895 stereo

Think about it, you seldom see (if ever?) the original store purchase receipt linked to a record from the 60's or even early '70s. Here's a find, taped to the inside of the album inner sleeve, dated July 1968, the store receipt is included for the underrated LP "Friends" by the Beach Boys, it's a 100% first press!

MINTY CLEAN

Solid collectible from 51 years ago on the highly collected RAINBOW Capitol label.

"Friends" is a wonderful Lp, too often overlooked and issued just two years after the mega-masterpiece "Pet Sounds" and Brian Wilson, though on the drug skids  was still capable of crafting terrific pop-perfections, songs just as infectious as any recent-past album, but just not as consecutive down both sides of "Pet Sounds." That said, and on reflection "Friends" is very strong on its own merit delivering West Coast pop-harmony highs enriched by Brian Wilson song writing, melody and laced by a professionalism that went unmatched except for what the Beatles were doing at the time.

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The Beach Boys changed direction in 1968 with the release of Friends. The pop brilliance of Pet Sounds, the psychedelic flavor of Smiley Smile and the soul inflections of Wild Honey were all meshed in another direction by the Beach Boys in favor of the mellow and laid back grooves the pour out of each track. Some overzealous critics THOUGHT "Friends" did not contain the brilliant highs of the three aforementioned albums, we'd like to think they reconsidered when listening to the record another couple/three times after the GROWING qualities set in, and only then reviewing the album. The LP is just that, a tremendous 'grower' creeping up on the listener and three spins or so into the album both sides open up and suck the listener into majestic pleasant qualities flowing along like a gentle stream.

In many ways Friends was out of place upon its release in 1968. The Vietnam War was raging, Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King have been assassinated, the hippie movement was alive and well, and Jimi Hendrix was changing the musical landscape. It was against this background that the tranquil Friends was released and as could be expected it encountered little commercial success, going right over the heads, or under the radar of the HEAVY GUITAR rockers of the day. Once the album hooks the listener, it's all understood, "Friends" is a underappreciated gem, vastly lost on the public who were busy into other things.

Some fans and listeners think that Wild Honey was more interesting than listenable. Friends, on the other hand, is more listenable than interesting. The Beach Boys take few chances which is fine given their releases of the past few years. Friends provided a nice counterpoint to the world swirling around the group.

Friends marks the album where Dennis Wilson stepped out from behind his drum set. He co-authored and sang lead on "Be Still" and "Little Bird." While "Be Still" is a simple song Dennis Wilson delivers a great vocal. On the other hand "Little Bird" has the feel of a classic Beach Boys song. Dennis Wilson's voice moves against traditional Beach Boys harmonies. These songs show how important Dennis Wilson's clear and plaintive voice were to the vocal unity of the group. When the Beach Boys were having problems in the late 1970's they should have re-grouped around Dennis Wilson's voice. While that did not happen, his occasional vocal and creative contributions were always welcome.

The title song, "Friends," is full blown Brian Wilson  genius production and regrettably,  smartly released as a 7-45 single it did not reach the Top 40, while a lot of commercial crap did hit the popular music charts. Wilson's words, " We've been friends for so many years, through the good times and bad..." may not have been aimed at their fans but would have fit. "Friends?" contains an odd beat for Carl Wilson's lead vocal. Brian's voice joins Carl's about half way into the song. The uses of intermittent harmonies fill the spaces in the songs structure in pure excellence.

Elsewhere, "When A Man Loves A Woman" contains a bubbly organ at its foundation. The vocal by Brian is excellent but the song peters out near the end and has an unfinished feeling. Brian Wilson's "PASSING BY" contains harmonies without words. The wonderful textures of the group's voices just float about simple instrumentation. Brian Wilson also wrote and sang lead on the sparse ?"Doing Nothing." The title of this song describes its basic theme. Brian Wilson, without backing, basically sings about a day in his life at the time.

"Anna Lee, The Healer," co-written by Brian and Mike, with lead vocals by Mike, is a song about a masseuse  who reduces a persons stress. Musically this song has a creative musical structure as it substituted harmony in place of many instruments.

"Diamond Head" may be the most sophisticated song on Friends (it's a killer!). Reminiscent of the sounds and textures of Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson creates a virtual symphony through the use of various instruments. A very creative guitar bridge at the center of the song connects two separate thoughts that are molded into a whole.

All in all, Friends, is ultimately satisfying, it's hard to deny the fact. It is an album that should be listened to with your feet up and a glass of wine ( or other ) in hand.

A:

Meant for You

Friends

Wake the World

Be Here in the Mornin'

When a Man Needs a Woman

Passing By

B:

Anna Lee, the Healer

Little Bird

Be Still

Busy Doin' Nothin'

Diamond Head

Transcendental Meditation