Epinions Recent Reviews for zmanbarzell

The Lonesome Death of The California Myth

Thu, 12 Oct 2000 18:11:12 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author zmanbarzell - "We could live forever tonight..."

At the end of 1965, Brian Wilson was on top of the American commercial-pop world. He could have skated for a while quite comfortably making more feel-good anthems for the sun-starved masses. He just...

Moving Picture Review

Mon, 9 Oct 2000 21:16:34 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author zmanbarzell - Chilly night. The theater lightly crowded, not packed. The art-house crowd have their conversations, openly and flagrantly pretentious, proud even. There is a vague anticipation in the air. No one dissuaded by the motion-sickness warning posted outside,...

Aspects Of The California Myth

Sun, 8 Oct 2000 20:33:06 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author zmanbarzell - By mid-1965 The Beach Boys had already released two hit albums and several hit singles. One might think a little vacation time for Brian Wilson would have been in order. But Capitol Records insisted on the delivery of one more L.P. in time for the...

The California Myth Matures

Sat, 7 Oct 2000 23:25:08 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author zmanbarzell - The Year of 1965 marked the beginning of a new era for The Beach Boys. Brian Wilson was out of the touring band, choosing to focus exclusively on writing and recording the group's studio output. The first fruit of this new arrangement was the stunning...

The California Myth , Christmas, Milk and Cookies

Thu, 5 Oct 2000 21:07:47 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author zmanbarzell - The Beach Boys capped off the heady year of 1964 with "The Beach Boys Christmas Album", their 4th album of the year and their 8th overall.

Rock n' Roll Christmas albums are a pretty motley assortment, with only Phil Spector's...

The California Myth-Live!!

Wed, 4 Oct 2000 20:28:47 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author zmanbarzell - The Beach Boys' classic records of the 1960's were studio creations, plain and simple. They were very layered, complex productions that mostly featured the work of seasoned session musicians. The original recordings are the way these songs were meant to...

The California Myth takes flight

Tue, 5 Sep 2000 01:51:31 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author zmanbarzell - Just one month after The Beach Boys released their "Surfer Girl" L.P. it's follow-up "Little Deuce Coupe" was issued.

This was hastened by Capitol Records' quickie cash-in L.P. "Shut Down" which was promoted as a...

The California Myth takes shape

Mon, 4 Sep 2000 07:35:21 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author zmanbarzell - When Brian Wilson entered the studio to record the followup single and L.P. to the smash "Surfin' U.S.A." he knew one thing: the limited musical abilities of the members of The Beach Boys were no longer able to fully support his rapidly growing...

Brian Wilson's California Myth,Page One

Sun, 3 Sep 2000 17:49:13 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author zmanbarzell - From humble seeds are the greatest bands sewn, as this C.D. makes it painfully clear.It couples The Beach Boys' first two L.P.'s on one disc.

In 1960 the Boys released their first single, the very primitive but catchy...

The best album of 1967

Fri, 1 Sep 2000 23:29:51 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author zmanbarzell - Here's where it all comes into focus. By the middle of 1967 The Who had their first American hit single, had played the Monterey Pop Festival, and done their first Stateside tour, leaving many a smashed hotel room and shattered ear drum in their wake...

A great band experiments...to fill an album

Fri, 1 Sep 2000 17:16:15 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author zmanbarzell - The Who of 1966 faced the same problems they had faced the year before in trying to fill an entire album of original work:lack of suitable and quality material & their continued single-minded focus on their 45-RPM output,which that year included the...

In The Beginning....

Fri, 1 Sep 2000 04:02:04 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author zmanbarzell - The Who were first and foremost,in the early days at least,a singles band.Pete Townshend has stated,more than once,that most,if not all,of their creative energies in the halcyon days of '66-'67 went into the creation of 3 minute blasts of pure...