Customer Reviews

Stars & Stripes 1

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

First, in answer to earlier reviews, I must point out that the track with Tammy Wynette (In my room) was eventually released on her memorial album, Tammy Wynette Remembered, and it is at least as good as any of the tracks that are on this album. It was included on that album because it was already clear that volume 2 would never be completed. As far as I know, this was the only track recorded for volume 2.

As a lover of Beach Boys, country music and tribute albums, I love this album. It is obvious to me that some people take their music far too seriously. There are some really classy performances here, particularly Don't worry baby with Lorrie Morgan, Warmth of the sun with Willie Nelson and I can hear music with Kathy Troccoli, but some of the other tracks are just for fun. And wasn't that what much of their sixties music was about anyway? - Fun Fun Fun !!!!!

Anybody who knows anything about Sawyer Brown's music knows that their music is just for fun, not to be taken too seriously, therefore their contribution here (I get around) is just as I expected. No doubt that the Beach Boys invited them on this album knowing what to expect. As to Long tall Texan with Doug Supernaw, this is obviously just a piece of musical fun and was never intended to be anything else.

Difficult though it may be for some to accept, this album may have introduced the music of the Beach Boys to young country music fans who may not have quite appreciated just how good their sixties music was - and it may have caused some Beach Boys fans to discover that country music has changed out of all recognition since the sixties. In those days, people often complained that it was too sad and miserable. Now people complain that it's too lightweight and fluffy, and maybe (for them) this album will reinforce their belief.

Tribute albums offer the chance to look at old songs in a new perspective, and none more so than this one. I have a lot of tribute albums, and this is one of my favorites. I wish that there had been a volume 2 (perhaps including Glen Campbell, who was once a Beach Boy himself) but it will never be.

I am a huge fan of the Beach Boys and a huge fan of country music. It is undeniable that country has influenced the Beach Boys, as did many other types of music. However, some of the songs are really poor matches with the artists who covered them. For example, Mark Miller's awful interpretation of "I Get Around" is not bearable to listen to. On the other hand, Willie Nelson meshes his sound with Brian Wilson's for a painless rendition of "Warmth of the Sun". Lorrie Morgan does a song that is really a "man" song, and therefore, the lyrics don't work, and Junior Brown does a great job on his song. "I Can Hear Music" is not at all up-to-snuff with the Beach Boys' version, but "Caroline, No", could almost fool you into thinking it was the original, if you weren't listening extra-carefully. It is an odd mix that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't work.

The fact that they got Brian out to sing is worth the price alone. This CD is a DDD production (all digital). The best songs belong to the women Lorrie Morgan and Kathy Troccoli in fact there should have been more women lead vocalists. Which brings me to the question what happened to Volume 2. The liner notes indicate that Tammy Wynette had a version of "In My Room". Either it never got released due to poor sales of Vol. 1 or it never got completed. Too bad.

Heard about it, bought it, loved it. Yes it's different and it's not TRUE Beach Boys, but it revives and puts a fun spin on some tracks and a beautiful spin on others. But will there be a volume 2? With all the recent changes and passings, I would hope that it can be released. The combination of Tammy Wynette and Brian Wilson (In My Room) cannot be missed out on.

This showcases the 60's Beach Boy sound upgraded with late 90s technological mastery. The Jim Webb arrangements create a wall of sound that really showcases 11 different contemporary country singers in a new and exciting way. Shows a true fusion of 60's rock and 90's country and the result is something rock-lovers-that-hate-country and vise versa will find electric!

This had the capacity to be something good. I have a great affection for country music and would have been fascinated by hearing how country musicians would interpret the classic Beach Boys songs in their milieu. The problem is that for the most part this does NOT happen. Instead, you have fairly rock/pop arrangements with country singers doing the lead and the Beach Boys as backup.

There are exceptions: Willie Nelson uses authentic country instrumentation (his acoustic, harmonica, fiddle, pedal steel) to make "Warmth of the Sun" sound Western and gives it a tender interpretation. He emphasizes the words with his halting style and gave me new appreciation for the lyric. T. Graham Brown's voice is a good "mesh" with the group making "Help Me Rhonda" work but the arrangement doesn't really do much interesting with it. "409" is re-invented as rockabilly by Junior Brown and it works very well with a great guitar solo. My only quibble here is that Junior's baritone tends to clash with the Beach Boy falsetto. Colin Raye's "Sloop John B." takes the tune into two step territory. Raye gives an impassioned performance though at times it's oversung.

Lowest points are "Long Tall Texan" which was never more than a novelty song when first done by the Beach Boys and not worth the time of a re-interpretation. "I Get Around"'s handclaps and quite a bit of the Boys harmonies are mixed into oblivion on the Sawyer Brown rendition. James House sounds like a low-rent Elvis on what is quite simply a horrible vocal for "Little Deuce Coupe".

And the question begs to be asked: If the CD is supposed to be country singers joining the band, why on earth is adult contemporary belter Kathy Troccoli here?!?!

BOTTOM LINE: The concept was great, but the arrangements aren't great and as a result it ends up being uninspired. It fails as a tribute album and as a country all-star album. Only get it if you're a completist of either the Beach Boys or Willie Nelson.

This is a great CD of The Beach Boys music. The Beach Boys provide back-up vocals while various country artists sing lead vocals. Anyone who likes The Beach Boys and/or country singers like Vince Gill, Lorrie Morgan, Willie Nelson or Steve Warner will enjoy this CD.

But for those of you who are looking for Volume 2... stop looking. Volume 2 was never released due to low volume of sales for Volume 1. That's just a shame.

My dad bought this when it first came out and loved it. I was fortunate enough to find a like new copy without too much effort. He absolutely loves this CD. I have provided a website address below where you can listen to samples of the different songs on the CD (courtesy of Tower Records). My favorites are "Don't Worry Baby" with Lorrie Morgan and "I Can Hear Music" with Kathy Troccoli, although all of the songs are great. Enjoy!
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"Caroline No" is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written, the Tim Schmidt vocals and ESPECIALLY Jimmy Webb string arrangement on this cut are stunning. The rest of the CD is pretty much "fun" stuff.....I didn't think this kind of combination would work, in fact was very skeptical of it at all, but its worth having, if only for "Caroline"

Classic hits given new life by major artists. Most notable is the Brian Wilson feel to the music. I can't wait for Volume II!

For a short time in 1995 there was a slight chance that the Beach Boys were really going to make another Brian Wilson produced disc. The band demoed fairly strong Brian Wilson - Andy Paley tracks, such as "Soul Searchin'" and "Still A Mystery". Brian and Mike Love told Entertainment Weekly that they were writing new music. It was a time of hope for the devoted.

Unfortunately, The Beach Boys opted for the safe route: instead of taking a risk and creating something new, they lent themselves out as backing vocalists for this sanitized and unsatisfying country effort.

Obvious song selection and merely average production are only two of the problems that I have with STARS & STRIPES. The sad fact is that The Beach Boys are simply better vocalists than many of the cookie-cutter country artists that they back on this lackluster affair. Sure, some tracks are listenable, but they could be the work of any competent cover band. Certainly, The Beach Boys had their share of flawed moments throughout their checkered recording career, but there was always still something of their intrinsic character in these noble (and occasionally, ignoble) failures.

This is not the case on STARS & STRIPES. For me, there is nothing distinctive on this disc that makes these bland tracks worthy of a place in the Beach Boys canon. It's sad, but STARS & STRIPES comes across not as a fully realized Beach Boys release, but more as Beach Boys' related product.

Note: I do savor the full group vocals on Timothy B. Schmidt's (and Jimmy Webb's) "Caroline, No" - the stunning coda to this version always makes me wonder if I would actually enjoy this CD more w/o the lead vocals.

Note 2: Seek out the "making of" video documentary for the wonderful and spontaneous moments that showed the Boys (especially Brian and Mike) with their guard down.