Youngblood

Carl Wilson (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 26, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: ICONOCLASSIC
• ASIN: B003VVQF54
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,186 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. What More Can I Say

2. She's Mine

3. Givin' You Up

4. One More Night Alone

5. Rockin' All Over The World

6. What You Do To Me

7. Young Blood

8. Of The Times

9. Too Early To Tell

10. If I Could Talk To Love

11. Time

12. BONUS TRACK - Givin' You Up (single version)

Editorial Reviews

Youngblood , originally released by Caribou/Epic Records in 1983, was the second solo album from legendary Beach Boys vocalist Carl Wilson. In contrast to the bright pop and airy ballads with which Wilson made his reputation in the Beach Boys, Youngblood bursts from the speakers with a pair of tough rockers powered by the guitar of album producer Jeff Skunk Baxter (Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers). Youngblood continues with dramatic balladry ( Givin' You Up, whose lyric may be seen as a commentary on the state of the Beach Boys at the time; One More Night Alone, penned by Wilson's then brother-in-law Billy Hinsche who also wrote new liner notes for this reissue) and finds space for some good old fashioned rock & roll, both from Wilson's own pen and those of John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival) and John Hall (Orleans). Although commercially unsuccessful upon release, demand for Carl Wilson's solo material has increased dramatically since his tragic death in 1998. Youngblood only ever saw release on CD in a very limited Japanese pressing; this Iconoclassic reissue -- remastered from the original master tapes -- marks the first wide release of Carl Wilson's solo music on CD. File under: Beach Boys

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Rare Solo Album by a Genuine Angel, October 22, 2010

By 

whitelightnin618 (PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Youngblood (Audio CD)

Carl Wilson was definitely revered as a member of the Beach Boys and by anyone who knew him, not only for his seemingly heaven sent vocal talents (whether singing rock n roll (when it was still rock n roll) or heartbreaking ballads) but for his angelic personality. Unfortunately neither of his two solo albums got much praise or air play and Youngblood was a commercial failure. Is all the material on Youngblood great? No, but some of the songs are good and the ones that are only decent are elevated by Carl's uniquely stellar voice.

Youngblood is a solid cover featuring how strongly Carl could pull off largely unfamiliar territory with the blues laced tune. My favorite cut from the album though has always been the upbeat (John Hall penned) What You Do To Me, kind of a guilty pleasure in context of the Beach Boys. Anyway you cut it you hear many different sides to the already very versatile Beach Boy lead guitarist.

Currently this will be the only solo work by the youngest Wilson brother available the Beckley-Lamm-Wilson collaboration aside) and is a very welcome (and long awaited) addition to Beach Boys' available solos catalog. If I was comparing this strictly with the Beach Boys catalog I'd probably give it a 3 or 2, but in comparing it with music in general(especially in 1983) it's easily a 4. You have to figure anything solo by a member of the greatest music producing band in history has to be at least good, (Mike Love aside) and Youngblood delivers. It's not Pacific Ocean Blue, but Carl again reinforces (despite often mediocre material) there was more than one "genius" in the Wilson family.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Carl Wilson's best solo effort, November 28, 2010

By 

David M. Beard "In Music" (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Youngblood (Audio CD)

By David M. Beard

Editor and Publisher of Endless Summer Quarterly; The World's Leading Beach Boys Publication

While there are few defining solo musical efforts from the members of The Beach Boys, Carl Wilson, the youngest sibling to older brothers Brian and Dennis, did mange to briefly capture lightning in a bottle on this 1983 release. Faced with the lack of creative flexibility within the group dynamic, Wilson left the band after 1980's Keepin' The Summer Alive album to pursue personal music interests.

His first self-titled effort, released in 1981, was a meager eight-track submission with the lovely "Heaven" becoming the memorable hallmark. Youngblood was a far more focused event under the production of Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (Steely Dan and Doobie Brothers fame). While neither album changed Carl's status in the music world, they did bring his bluesy and impassioned singing style as well as his rhythm & blues sensibilities to the forefront. Youngblood also demonstrated that Wilson was itching to compose guitar-led compositions.

"What More Can I Say?," "Rockin' All Over The World" and "Young Blood" are prime examples of Carl finding his inner "honky-tonk." There are also tracks of deep substance here; the Billy Hinsche (Dino, Desi & Billy) penned "One More Night Alone" and the toe-tapping "What You Do to Me" remain the collection's strongest recordings.

The liner notes, written by Hinsche, provide a compelling backstory and song-by-song analysis that sheds light on just about every facet of the period and the recordings.

While this album is not as dark and brooding as Dennis' Pacific Ocean Blue and Bambu albums, or as esthetically evolved as 2004's Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE, Youngblood is a vivid reminder of why The Beach Boys relied so heavily on the voice of the youngest Wilson, and why they have never been as good since Carl passed away in February of 1998.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars not bad, November 24, 2010

By 

Jerry Caffarello (NEW YORK, NEW YORK United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Youngblood (Audio CD)

nice singing,very good musicians but mostly so so songs and especially poor production(typical for mainstream artists of the time) make this album essential only for the diehards.

reminds me of Christopher Cross.