NMC #83 (Asia, The Beach Boys)

[Scott]

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Two new releases this week.  And a break from the heavier side of Classic Rock! PLAYLIST: http://snack.to/auni2p9u

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ASIA – XXX There’s been a few comments on this one already, so let’s try to take a deeper look at this album which is a celebration of the original lineup 30th Anniversary.  (Which explains the “XXX” for those who thought differently). AMAZON RATINGS AS OF THIS POSTING DATE… 4.2 out of 5 stars - so it’s getting very favorable reviews up to this point.  What do you think? Bury Me In The Willow I Know How You Feel Judas Ghost Of A Chance

THE BEACH BOYS - THAT’S WHY GOD MADE THE RADIO So this is an interesting release on so many levels.  I bought this because I liked the title track which is getting a fair amount of play, and also because it was a download deal off Amazon for 99 cents (yes less than a dollar) I jumped on it at that price and I'm happy I did.  Check it out! AMAZON RATINGS AS OF THIS POSTING DATE… 4.6 out of 5 stars. That’s Why God Made The Radio Isn’t It Time Beaches In Mind Strange World Pacific Coast Highway* *I’ve included one extra track because I found it poignant, maybe you will see the connection too?

 

[Jon]

The Beach Boys--Thumbs on the middle to 3/4 up

This depressed me, especially that last song (were they sending a message?). Thought this would make me run and get my surfboard so I could hit some of those Michigan waves. Instead, it made me want to sit in me dark basement updating the New Release list. The second song also started off bad, don't know who was singing but it sounded really bad, after that it picked up.  

Then I listened to Asia, and that sparked me back up. I like XXX, not as much as Omega, but more than Phoenix yet less than their debut, but more than Alpha and maybe on par with Astra.

[Scott]

Yah... Beach Boys got even more mellowed with age, hard to imagine that, but for .99 cents it was great pick up.

[Alan Christensen]

I like real CDs, but I would've downloaded the Beach Boys for that. I listened to it on Spotify and like the album, and they were great live!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Asia (Thumbs 3/4 Up)

Can't quite make up my mind on this one.  I'll probably listen to it again later.  It's much more pop oriented, like their earlier stuff, than what I remember the last two albums being.  Maybe I should revisit those as well.  But I like their pop sound.  So basically, I'm still on the fence.

 

Beach Boys (Thumbs Even)

Hey, they really do sound great after all these years.  The harmonies are as superb as one would expect.  But I've never owned a BB record, and probably won't buy this either.  I would have downloaded it for 1.99 if I had seen that.   I do really, really like the last song, Pacific Coast Highway.  That one is quite beautiful.

 

Nice post Scott.

[Niels (Mod)]

ASIA - 2.5 out of 6

I do NOT like the kind of music, ASIA "stands for". Never have, and never will. I've only bought one ASIA-album, and it was back in '86 or something like that. I don't think I heard all of the album, just the first side, and I had it kind of the same way with this one. I downloaded the album, put my headphones on, and after 5-6 tracks, I had enough. It is soooooo boring. It's not BAD, but man, I'm bored listening to it. And it's a bit weird, because I like the album YES put out last year, and I love/loved the Buggles, when they were around. Too much 80's AOR-soft-rock-crap for me. And what's good about it, you've heard a thousand times before. 

THE BEACH BOYS -  3 out of 6 

Never was a Beach Boy's-fan either. I've TRIED, but the hits is more than enough for me. "Pet Sounds" is sooooo overrated, except for "God Only Knows", which probably is one of the 25 best songs ever written!!!

The title track is not bad, and it would fit nicely on a best off-album. Track two is actually very good as well, and in the right time and place, it could have been just as populare as "Kokomo". Track 3, is where the fun stops. I've just wasted 2 minutes and 36 sec. of my life listening to that track!!! "Strange World" is not much better. And "Pacific Coast Highway" is definetly a Brian Wilson-track, sounds like a track from SMILE, but very very short. Where's the extra track, Scott? I dont get it??  

[Scott]

I posted 4 songs from each album, and considered the 5th track from the Beach Boys a bonus.

[Niels (Mod)]

Oh, but why only 4 tracks from each album. Is that the "newest thing"? I thought it was 5 from 2 or 3 albums? Of course if the tracks are 10 min. long, fewer than 5, but these tracks are not very long (thank god!!) 

[Scott]

no its just my preference...