Along with PET SOUNDS and SMILE, I'd love to
hear some of the outtakes and other tracks
done during the HOLLAND and also the SURF'S UP
recording sessions.
The songs recorded for HOLLAND are STRONG. Leaving
This Town, Only With You, Funky Pretty, Sail on
Sailor, and Steamboat are all great tunes. With
how much Brian was involved (very little), it's
still one of the best BEACH BOYS cds.
California Saga has a good message and is well done
but might not be for everyone (I used to live in Big
Sur in Bixby Canyon - so I dig it).
Mt. Vernon and Fairway Theme, I'm the Pied Piper,
Better Get Back in Bed, Magic Transistor Radio,
I'm the Pied Piper, Radio King Dom tale is a bit
of a waste. A fairly tale for kids or the stoned out?
If you like SURF'S UP, PET SOUNDS, and SMILE, I'm
sure you'll like this too.
When Carl's masterful two-part mini-epic "The Trader" reaches its second half, it'll bring tears to your eyes. It's that beautiful. All the other Boys have fine moments as well (except, surprisingly, for Brian), and the production is really quite lovely. While Sunflower is their greatest post-Pet Sounds album, Holland runs a close second ... and is particularly notable for attaining greatness without relying on any Smile leftovers.
Though I do believe that the "Carl and the Passions"/"Holland" 2cd set is a good deal and well worth owning,I think both albums stand on their own so I am glad even with the price of this that "Holland" is available by itself.This was to be the last album where Dennis and Carl were pretty much running the show.Not that the other band members didn't contribute.But after this album with the exception of Dennis and Carl the rest of the band members at that time were happy to become a greatest hits jukebox with the massive success of "Endless Summer".This album is a work of art and pretty much as "out there" as The Beach Boys ever got without Brian.All the songs are great of course though I like Carl's "The Trader" and Dennis's "Steamboat" the most.Brian's "Funky Pretty" is just plain cool especially with the Blondie Chaplin vocal and even Mike Love and Al jardine's contributions("California Saga")rank among the best work they ever did.Not to mention the best album opener you possibly could have had with "Sail on Sailor".The instrumentation is perfect with plenty of great pedal steel and slide guitar work,a great organ solo(Leaving this town")and the most psychedelic backround vocals they ever did maybe with the exception of "Smile".It all works as a whole and I find it musically to be related to Dennis's "Pacific Ocean Blue" album that would be released 4 years later.I only have two complaints:the first is Brians "Fairy tale music"(Mt. Vernon and Fairway)just does not fit with this album.Many reviewers have mentioned this.I have heard the version of this without the narration and must say that it works a lot better,but that's not the point.Whether you like Mt. Vernon or not you kind of have to admit that it doesn't really fit in with Holland.I'm not saying it's bad,but to listen all the way thru the album to the fade of "Funky Pretty" and then be introduced to "Mt Vernon" with the narration of Jack Rieley? It just doesn't work together in my opinion.The second complaint is where is Dennis Wilson's "CARRY ME HOME"?????I know it wasn't originally included with the album but this song needs to see an official release somewhere.(Maybe as a bonus track)It was intended for this album but like so many of Dennis's gems("You've got a friend","Lady","4th of July",etc.)it just was ignored.What a shame.Most of the time instead of listening to "Mt. Vernon" after the end of "Funky Pretty",I put in the bootleg cd I have to follow the end of Holland with "Carry me Home".It get's the job done.
HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS CD UNTIL MY HUSBAND MENTIONED IT. HE HAD ENJOYED LISTENING TO IT IN THE PAST SO I BOUGHT IT FOR HIM. HE STILL ENJOYS LISTENING TO IT. A LITTLE DIFFERENT THEN THE MORE FAMOUS BEACH BOYS ALBUMS BUT A MUST HAVE FOR THE COLLECTOR. IT HELPS COMPLETE OUR COLLECTION. YOU'VE GOT TO LISTEN TO THIS ONE IF YOU LIKE THE BEACH BOYS. PRETTY UNIQUE.
