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Adrian's Album Reviews |
Mike Love
Together with the full Beach Boys touring band at the time, Mike Love took time out to record his badly selling, long since deleted, and only solo album. It sounds like The Beach Boys and given the albums reputation, and Mike's reputation as an all out git, it's far better than I ever expected it to be. Mike was writing songs during the tail-end of the 70s, wanted to prove himself, I guess. One of these songs even ended up on the Beach Boys 2012 reunion album, although that song isn't present here. The opening vocal harmonies during 'On And On And On' are straight from 'Do It Again' yet credit to Love for the overall song. We must remember, Brian had un-released solo albums, Dennis had done well but sold poorly, Carl had released solo albums nobody even cared about. Here is Mike, pouring the 80s into his music. Being 'the voice' of The Beach Boys, according only to Mike Love, 'On And On And On' makes perfect sense, a nice updating of the formula. Also, a full decade before the US number one hit 'Kokomo' arrives 'Over And Over', a faint reggae beat and again, a commercial sound that the parent group were seemingly unable to come up with at the time. He didn't need to cover 'Calender Girl' or 'Be My Baby' though. Christ, an eighties 'Be My Baby' sang by Mike Love, you can just picture it, any listening to the actual recording is hardly required. One shock moment for me, apparently Brian himself provided backing vocals on a couple of songs on this album - no other Beach Boys were involved at all. |
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Made In Devon.