A Postcard From California Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)So I purchased Al's new CD via Amazon download. I had listened to the demos a while back and to be honest, I wasn't real fond of them. Based on the time it took to be released and the fact that it wasn't being issued as an official CD, it seemed like it had disaster written all over it. Plus I wasn't sure what kind of shape Al's voice would be in because I never considered him as one of the stronger vocalists in the group. Well, I'm happy to say that I could not have been any more wrong. With 'Postcard' Al paints a beautiful picture of California and it is obvious how much he loves the Golden State. Most of the album seems to flow effortlesssly from track to track with the running theme being Al's awe of California and it's beauty. Whereas Brian always painted a picture of California that made you want to grab a board and go party with all the other kids there, Al always seemed to paint the other relaxed side of California. A side that made you want to take a slow ride around the coast with the love of your life while watching a beautiful California sunset. I have listened to this CD six or seven times now and my only complaint would be the lack of new material on it (half of the tracks are Beach Boys tunes.) That said, even his re-workings of the old songs turned out great (and better than the originals in most cases.)
If you have been thinking about getting this one I would strongly suggest you do (The song "Don't Fight The Sea", featuring Mike, Brian, Carl, Al, and Bruce is worth the price of the CD in my opinion.) The writing is great, Al's voice sounds great, and the harmonies are in top form. Plus check out the list of guest vocalists that appear on here: Neil Young, Gerry Beckly, Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Mike Love, Alec Baldwin, Glen Campbell, Flea, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Steve Miller.
Track by Track review:
- A Postcard From California -

The title track is one of my favorite tracks on the CD. When I first heard the demo for this song I thought it was a complete rip-off of "Rhinestone Cowboy" but now I realize that Glen Campbell was part of it which explains the similarities to his hit song (It actually sounds like it could be a follow-up or a sequel to "Rhinestone Cowboy.") The verses build up perfectly to the chorus which I absolutely love and can't help singing along with it. When Glen Campbell's voice kicks in it seems to add authenticty to the whole theme of the song and really enhances it. I actually think this track is radio-worthy.



- California Feelin' -

Before Brian released his version, the only versions of this song I had heard were poor quality as I'm sure they were compiled from bootlegs and demo versions. I always liked the song but was hard to enjoy because of the quality of all the various releases. Well, after listening to this song on here I'll have to say the Al's new version trumps them all...yes even Brian's.



- Lookin' Down The Coast -

Al's voice is in top form and I love the acoustic Spanish guitars at the breaks. Also, for the first time I noticed that Brian's "Walkin' the Line" sounds similar to this song at certain parts ("And that's no lie....")



- Don't Fight The Sea -

Beach Boys fans need to fast forward to this track immediately. This is my favorite track on here (easy choice considering the guest vocalists!) First of all you will hear Mike, Brian, Al, Bruce...and yes even Carl. It is vintage Carl and this track sounds like a lost Beach Boys tune. It would not be out of place on the 'Surfin' USA' album right between "Stoked" and "The Lonely Sea." I wish there were 20 more tracks like this.



- Tide Pool Interlude -

This song is actually the first part of a "trilogy" to "California Saga.". It features spoken word about California written by poet Stephen John Kalinich. I have never been a fan of his poetry because it always sounds so overly dramatic. However with Alec Baldwin doing the narration and the way that it ties the three pieces of "A California Saga" together, it actually seems to fit.



- Campfire Scene -

A harmonica and banjo kick this one off and I immediately thought of 'Cabinessence.' The slow drawn-out beginning bars of 'California Saga' provide a nice build-up into the actual song.



- A California Saga -

Check out the opening piano. They are the same notes that the organ plays on the break in 'California Girls' but for some reason I never caught that before. This is a great cover as well and really has a nice country-western feel to it which suits the song well. And although I've never been a big fan of Neil Young, he seems to be a good fit on this one.



- Help Me Rhonda -

At about this point in the CD it seems to go down somewhat in my opinion. "Help Me Rhonda" is one of the tracks I could've done without on this collection and seems to take away from the overall theme. It's also a song that I have heard a million times and I just don't think it is a song that needs to be covered. This version doesn't add anything to the original nor is it a departure (if a Beach Boys song is going to be covered I would rather see it re-worked ala Paul Simon's version of 'Surfer Girl.') Al's voice is in good form and Steve Miller adds some vocals which made me wish Al had just sang the whole thing. I know he said he wanted to give it a blues feel but it doesn't sound much different from the original or even the version from 'Stars and Stripes.'



- San Simeon -

The opening of this one sounds like the beginning vocals to "Don't Worry Baby" but that is where the similarities end. It's a track that doesn't really stick out to me but seems pleasant enough (although the word "Simeon" sounds odd in a song.) The harmonies are very good and Gerry Beckly adds some nice vocals which give it an "America" feel. The song fades out with vocals only and that part reminds me a little of "Lady Lynda." I do think the song gets better as it goes along but is probably one of my least favorite songs on here.



- Drivin' -

Al and Brian team up on this one for a song about one of the Beach Boys first loves - crusin' around town. However, there is a twist - The song starts off with how they used to cruise around town in their woodies but then ends with how they can't do that any more because of the price of gas (Al even takes a swipe at BP which seems a little out of place.) It sounds like guys from America are on backing vocals here with a shout-out to a couple of their hits. Musically there is nothing special about this one but it is fun to hear Brian and Al trading off verses.



- Honkin' Down The Highway -

I've never been a fan of 'Love You' but this is a nice cover and was one of the few songs I did like on the original album. Al's voice sounds amazingly like it did on the original and it even sounds like Brian is on backing vocals on this one. There are a few differences here - a sax solo and the sound of a police officer (Matt? Adam?...not sure) pulling the singer over for "honkin' down the highway." The song then ends with the vocals overdubbed into a beautiful sounding choir - "....Way with Girls!"



- And I Always Will -

Al writes a heartfelt song to apparently the love of his life. It sounds like a very personal love letter and maybe should have been left unshared. Once again there is nothing musically special about this one and it is such a mellow song that it wouldn't be out of place at a wedding. Unfortunately it is probably my least favorite song on the CD which was too bad because I hated to see the CD end on this note.As far as Beach Boys solo albums go, I will rank this one right behind Brian's first album and Dennis' POB. Al stays true to who he is and plays to those strengths and I think that goes a long way when you take on the task of creating a solo piece of work.

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Beach Boys co-founder Al Jardine, who started the group in 1961 with the Wilson brothers (Brian, Carl, and Dennis) and their cousin Mike Love, released his new solo album, A Postcard from California. The twelve-song collection includes four cuts that comprise what Jardine calls "the green side" of the new album, compositions that speak to the relationship of man and his environment. "Don't Fight the Sea," "Tidepool Interlude" and "A California Saga" are songs that reflect this artist's deep love for the California coastline and his concern for the ecological health of the planet. "I think this material defines the new project in these days of climate change," he suggests.Al Jardine has always embodied that concern for the environment, and the coastline and ocean in particular. Previously, on the Beach Boys' "Surf's Up" album, he and Mike Love had written the song, "Don't Go Near the Water." The new album includes "Lookin' Down the Coast," a tale of the discovery of California by the Spanish, as seen through the eyes of its natural inhabitants, the California condor, the whale, the otter and the bear.The collection, "A Postcard from California," was largely penned by Al Jardine and features a regular "who's who" of classic rock and popular music royalty. Jardine was joined in the studio by a steady and willing stream of famous friends, including Brian Wilson, Glen Campbell, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell of America, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, David Marks, Richie Cannata and John Stamos, in addition to those already noted elsewhere in this announcement. Completing the generational span, Jardine's sons, Matt and Adam, are also heard on vocal harmonies.
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