I am definitely and unashamedly one of the legion of obsessive fans ofBrian Wilson. I wholeheartedly agree with all of the critics who nevertire of declaring Wilson a genius of pop songcraft and production. Ihave faithfully collected all the prime Beach Boys material—LPreissues, box sets, 45s, live albums, bootlegs, "Best Of" albums, etc.To my already absurd Wilson collection, I can now add this interestingarchival disc, recently released by Ace Records of London. Ace Recordsis a label for music collectors and junkies, specializing inre-releases of forgotten rock n' roll treasures and lost musicalexotica from the 18's and 60's. This disc may be their mostirresistable release yet, as it is the first to compile all of thenon-Beach Boys material produced by Brian Wilson in his sixties heyday.Someone has obviously gone to a lot of trouble to track down all thoserare 45s and lesser-known one-off projects. As an archival compilation,Pet Projectsis unparalleled. As a listening experience, however, the disc issomewhat more problematic. It is a pure pleasure to hear the first twotracks, a pair of Phil Spector-influenced teenage symphonies performedby Sharon Marie, a girlfriend of Beach Boy Mike Love. Wilson and Love'smediocre ballads are transformed by Brian's studio genius intoover-the-top orchestral blowouts, matching (and often exceeding) thebar set by Spector, Brian's hero and a huge influence on the evolutionof his studio sound. It's hard to remember that forty years before hestarted murdering B-movie actresses, Phil Spector was the innovator ofstudio-created, multi-layered pop masterpieces that influenced ageneration of producers. Spector and Wilson became the first "star"producers—their production genius was recognized as the primary elementof the music, more important than the song or the singer. Wilson andthree of his friends called themselves The Survivors, and cut a one-offsingle "Pamela Jean" with the instrumental b-side "After the Game." Thea-side recalls the classic Beach Boys sound of "Help Me, Rhonda," butthe b-side is an early preview of the complex, emotive instrumentaltracks that Brian would write and produce for Pet Sounds a couple yearslater. There is also a glimpse here of Brian Wilson, the acid casualty:Dean Torrance (of surf-pop duo Jan & Dean), using the fictitiousband name The Lauging Gravy, recorded a version of Brian's psychedelicbarbershop quartet song "Vegetables," originally recorded for thenever-completed Smile. The song sounds just as bizarre here as on the numerous Smilebootlegs. The rest of the disc is dominated by 45s released by Wilson'sgirl groups The Honeys, Rachel and the Revolvers and American Spring.Although most of these groups are long-forgotten for good reasons,there is a naive charm and excitement to songs like "Pray for Surf" and"He's a Doll" that recall everything that is wonderful and beguilingabout the girl groups of the early sixties. These songs would not beout of place on Music for Pussycats (the Boyd Rice-compiled love-letter to girl-group pop). Pet Projects is a unique, if somewhat frustrating, look back at the "lost" treasures of one of pop music's most fascinating talents. - Sharon Marie - Run-Around Lover
- The Survivors - After the Game
- The Laughing Gravy - Vegetables
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