Background:It is January 1963 and the Beach Boys (still including David Marks), start the recording sessions for their second Capitol album in what will fast become Brian’s favourite studio - Western 3 at 6000 Sunset Boulevard. He was not satisfied with the sound of the Capitol studios and remarkably had been able (and the first) to break free of the tradition of artists being forced to use company facilities. Straight away there is a step up in the dynamics and the density of the vocals. Brian has understood the benefits of doubling the same lines to create a full ringing sound. The sound is ‘big’ without the muddiness of heavy reverb. Mike’s leads are now more powerful. The group has been touring and playing extensively so have become better players. Brian is now confident in the Beach Boys signature sound. A driving shuffle beat from the rhythm section, dense jazzy harmonies under an energetic Mike Love lead relating the young Californian lifestyle, and Brian’s soaring falsetto on top. It is irresistible.

Review: Side one opens with the US number three hit Surfin’ USA. On the face of it a straight rewrite of Chuck Berry’s Sweet Little Sixteen, but it has a young optimistic energy and a clever marketing angle inviting everybody across the USA (and the world) to join in the ‘California dream’. Surfin’ USA with its pounding kick drum and crowd responding “SURFIN’ USA!” becomes a key part of the Beach Boys concert encore thereafter. Farmer’s Daughter is an exemplar of that early ‘signature’ sound. Misirlou is a cover of a Dick Dale hit which they might have been expected to include in their repertoire and with the other covers, helped to fill out the album. The first instrumental from Brian Wilson, Stoked sits comfortably on the album following Misisrlou of the same genre. Lonely Sea is another first, the first sign of Brian’s melancholy. It rather stops the album in its tracks. It is so sad and the spoken phrase in the last verse seems corny, but there’s something special about the harmonies in the fade, its another sign – the sign of things to come… Shut Down is Brian’s first collaboration with LA disc-jockey Roger Christian and it sounds like Brian has the car song trick sussed from the get-go, with fast paced lyrics full of hot-rod jargon, a great melody and the Beach Boys ‘sound’, you could be right there on Sunset Strip! Co-written with Mike Love about a mythical surfer, Noble Surfer starts off side two and is notable for Brian’s first use of vibes instead of the lead guitar in the break. The Beach Boys were one of the few bands to cover Honky Tonk reputedly the first rock & roll instrumental. It seemed that Brian could conjure up exquisite melodies effortlessly and Lana is a fine example of that. Surf Jam is Carl Wilson’s first contribution to the songwriting effort and is a reasonable stab at the surf guitar style, standing up to the following Dick Dale classic Let’s Go Trippin’ which would become a favourite in their live set. Finders Keepers closes the album and has a great boogie-woogie feel and some great Mike Love bass vocals.Surfin’ USA is a good album. The band is beginning to cook and Brian is obviously getting to grips with the recording technology at Western. It confirms the Beach Boys as ‘The No1 Surfing Group In The Country’ which pleases Capitol Records.

CD Twofers: The CD Twofer release of Surfin’ Safari/Surfin’ USA has 3 bonus tracks salvaged from the early recording sessions: Cindy, Oh Cindy, The Baker Man and Land Ahoy . Pleasant enough, they add to our understanding of Brian’s rapid development, but offer little more.

Highlights: Surfin’ U.S.A. Lonely Sea

© GV Team 2006 All Rights Reserved