Well, page down and take a look at my Top Debut of the week. In a sea of Alternative and Indie rockers, with the occasional country and pop record thrown in for good measure, there are....The Beach Boys! Yes, you saw right, the Beach Boys....the "Surfin' USA", "California Girls" (back before Katy respelled "girls" with a "u"! So, why the Beach Boys?
I've always loved the oldies, and when you think about the sixties, especially when it comes to American bands, The Four Seasons, and the Beach Boys comes to mind, representing the East and West coasts, respectively. And it just so happens that Brian Wilson and the gang have a great new album out to celebrate their 50th year together....all the surviving members have apparently put their differences aside and pooled together their talents.
It was 1961 when their first chart hit, "Surfin'" hit the list at #75, but two years later, they began a string of hits that dealt with the good times in Southern California, be it surfing, hot rods, school, or girls... The band...comprised of the Wilson brothers, Brian, Carl and Dennis, along with cousin Mike Love and school friends Al Jardine and David Marks, survived the British Invasion very nicely, thank you, and in turn, brought attention back to American rock'n'roll as well. Their album Pet Sounds, is a classic, having inspired The Beatles' Sgt.Pepper.
Which is not to say they didn't have problems...they did....friction between the Wilsons and their dad Murry; Brian's neverous breakdown which caused him to only be an occasional member from the late sixties onward, a lesser acceptance of their music as they changed with the times, caused a lot of strife. But they endured very nicely; in its various incarnations, the Beach Boys made the charts frequently thru the seventies and even the eighties, culminating in their #1 hit "Kokomo", in 1988.
Unfortuantely Carl and Dennis passed away in the 80's, and Brian concentrated on a solo carrer, and Mike Love essentially carried the torch from that point on. I had seen the band (Love and backups) at the PNC Bank Arts Center in 2001....they were good, but essentially, they were just an oldies group playing their hits. Problems with Jardine caused him not to be a part of things. The only other member from this hit period was Bruce Johnston.
Luckily for us, everyone who was still alive got bck together, settled their differences and recorded an album, as well as a lead single, "That's Why God Make the Radio", released in late April. Of course, since it's a great song, with their classic harmonies about the good times taking charge, pop radio stayed away from it. Aside from some publicity about the reunion, I didn't think too much from it, just seeing a few passing comments from Facebook friends about it. And that was it.
Then about three weeks ago, FB friend Dave Paterno posted a video of the new single, which featured current footage of the band as well as classic ones, and paying homage to all their members, including Carl and Dennis. I liked it enough to plan on adding it in the next few weeks. And it just so happened that another FB friend and Roselle Park alumni (and SNS follower), Perry DeParre, who was at the reunion, wondered why I didn't mention anything about the Beach Boys. Well, with the album, titled after the single, was released just last week, and it debuted at #3 on the Billboard album charts. That's the highest showing for an album of original material since 1965's "Summer Days and Summer Nights" (Their landmark Pet Sounds from 1966 only reached #10). On June 27th, on their 50th anniversary tour, they will be back at the PNC Arts Center--and I'd suspect their show will be vastly different from the one I saw in 2001.
STILL A GAME: Ty Segall and White Fence stay at the top of the list for a second week with "I Am Not A Game", but changes are on the way. Any of the next three songs--The Shins' "The Rifle's Spiral", Metric's "Youth Without Youth", and Maroon 5's surreal "Come Away To the Water"--could hit the top next week.
Three entries into the Top 20 by two acts which have had hits here before, and one much bigger band which makes its first SNS debut in the top echelon. Retro soul crooner Mayer Hawthorne, whose chart-topping "The Walk" is still on the chart in week 35, has his latest, the more seventies-savvy "Henny and Gingerale" come in at #17. The Wombats, who hit the top 5 last year with "Toyko", struggled a bit with their latest "Jump Into the Fog", but finally enters in week 14. Linkin Park finally reached the Top 20 with their latest, "Burn It Town". This song is from their new album Living Things, due on June 26; their previous high was the #23 peak of "The Catalyst", from their 2010 set A Thousand Suns. Jones Beach is where you can catch them, on August 15.
Follow-ups to hits by Train and Beach House are next to enter the chart after The Beach Boys, the next intriguing entry somes from an outfit called The Tallest Man On Earth, the song is "1904", Brian Sniatkoski's latest "Song of the Week". Like several other acts, this is actually one person, named Kristian Matsson who hails from Sweden. There's No Leaving Now is his latest, third album, released this week. He's also put out two EPs. His songs lean more towards folk, but he's definitely worth catching. And do it quickly, he will be at The Town Hall in New York City this Tuesday and Wednesday.
ROCK JUST STOPPED: There's a new #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, Carly Rae Jepsen poppish "Call Me Maybe". It sits at #91 on my chart, as I like to add current pop hits that are tolerable. The acension ends a fourteen week reign at #1 by Alternative rock acts fun. and Gotye. But despite this showing, rock seems to be fading way from the pop charts even more this year. Fun. and Gotye are relatively new, so it's uncertain if they'll still get viable rock airply down the road. But, aside from Train's "Drive By" whih brushed the Top 10 recently, even mainstream rock acts like The Fray, Daughtry, Kings of Leon, and others have been absent from the top of the charts with their latest or most recent efforts. Maroon 5's "Come Away to the Water", their Fleet Foxes-style song on the Hunger Games soundtrack only made one apparence on the Billboard Chart (#83) last month, their current "Payphone", in their trademark pop-funk style, is at #2 on the Hot 100 (and holding at #45 on SNS). And alternative bands like The Black Keys (who are at #1 on the alternative chart with "Gold on the Ceiling"), Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, and Florence + the Machine, though getting rock airplay, still haven't been pop senations yet.
SCENES 'N' SOUNDWAVES 100 for Week of June 11, 2012:
|
This Week
|
Last Week
|
ARTIST-Title
|
Weeks on List
|
|
1
|
1
|
TY SEGALL & WHITE FENCE
"I Am Not A Game"
Album: Hair
(2 weeks at #1)
|
12
|
|
2
|
4
|
The Shins- The Rifle's Spiral
|
10
|
|
3
|
9
|
Metric - Youth Without Youth
|
7
|
|
4
|
6
|
Maroon 5 - Come Away To the Water
|
12
|
|
5
|
2
|
Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose
|
14
|
|
6
|
3
|
Electric Guest - This Head I Hold
|
15
|
|
7
|
7
|
Garbage - Blood For Poppies
|
12
|
|
8
|
13
|
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - Never Go Back
|
9
|
|
9
|
5
|
Gotye f. Kimbra - Somebody That I Used to Know
|
21
|
|
10
|
8
|
Lady Antebellum - Dancing Away With My Heart
|
12
|
|
11
|
12
|
The Decemberists - One Engine
|
10
|
|
12
|
14
|
Toby Keith - Red Solo Cup
|
12
|
|
13
|
10
|
Dante vs Zombies - Natural Disaster
|
13
|
|
14
|
15
|
Jack White - Sixteen Saltines
|
10
|
|
15
|
11
|
Silversun Pickups - Bloody Mary
|
11
|
|
16
|
17
|
Beach House - Myth
|
13
|
|
17
|
26
|
MAYER HAWTHORNE
"Henny and Gingerale"
Album: How Do You Do
|
5
|
|
18
|
22
|
The Wombats - Jump Into the Fog
|
14
|
|
19
|
16
|
Town Hall - Good Boy
|
11
|
|
20
|
27
|
Linkin Park - Burn It Down
|
7
|
|
21
|
19
|
Florence + the Machine - No Light, No Light
|
22
|
|
22
|
21
|
Marriages - Ride In My Place
|
11
|
|
23
|
34
|
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - That's What's Up
|
7
|
|
24
|
18
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - L.O.V.
|
14
|
|
25
|
30
|
Florence + the Machine - Breath of Life
|
5
|
|
26
|
24
|
The Black Keys - Gold On the Ceiling
|
20
|
|
27
|
29
|
Eve6 - Victoria
|
13
|
|
28
|
28
|
The Hives - Go Right Ahead
|
11
|
|
29
|
32
|
Oberhofer - Away From You
|
8
|
|
30
|
33
|
The Offspring - Days Go By
|
5
|
|
31
|
25
|
Dirty Heads - Spread Too Thin
|
13
|
|
32
|
40
|
Passion Pit - Take A Walk
|
4
|
|
33
|
23
|
Fun. f. Janelle Monae - We Are Young
|
28
|
|
34
|
20
|
Miike Snow - Paddling Out
|
12
|
|
35
|
36
|
Snow Patrol - This Isn't Everything You Are
|
8
|
|
36
|
51
|
The Kooks - Is It Me
|
3
|
|
37
|
50
|
Best Coast - The Only Place
|
4
|
|
38
|
31
|
The Rapture - How Deep is Your Love
|
22
|
|
39
|
37
|
Lost n the Trees - Golden Eyelids
|
10
|
|
40
|
38
|
Grouplove - Tongue Tied
|
26
|
|
41
|
39
|
Train - Drive By
|
22
|
|
42
|
44
|
Graffiti6 - Stare Into the Sun
|
5
|
|
43
|
35
|
E'lissa Jones - Best I Ever Had
|
15
|
|
44
|
41
|
Zach Heckendorf - All the Right Places
|
9
|
|
45
|
45
|
Maroon 5- Payphone
|
5
|
|
46
|
48
|
Chromatics - Kill For Love
|
7
|
|
47
|
43
|
Smash Palace - Living It Lonely
|
7
|
|
48
|
66
|
Trails and Ways - Nunca
|
3
|
|
49
|
72
|
MOVER OF THE WEEK:
KELLY CLARKSON'
"Dark Side"
Album: Stronger
|
2
|
|
50
|
47
|
The Fray - Run For Your Life
|
8
|
|
51
|
55
|
M83 - Reunion
|
4
|
|
52
|
67
|
Wolf Gang - The King and All His Men
|
2
|
|
53
|
52
|
Fun. - Some Nights
|
11
|
|
54
|
60
|
Alabama Shakes - Hold On
|
13
|
|
55
|
46
|
Gary Clark Jr - Bright Lights
|
20
|
|
56
|
59
|
Foo Fighters - Bridge Burning
|
8
|
|
57
|
42
|
Rachel Allyn- Ain't No Fun
|
26
|
|
58
|
62
|
Gotye - Eyes Wide Open
|
8
|
|
59
|
68
|
Phillip Phillips - Home
|
3
|
|
60
|
53
|
Young the Giant - Apartment
|
17
|
|
61
|
63
|
Allo Darlin - Capricornia
|
4
|
|
62
|
65
|
Alex Clare - Too Close
|
5
|
|
63
|
49
|
Norah Jones - Happy Pills
|
14
|
|
64
|
74
|
The Gaslight Anthem - 45
|
3
|
|
65
|
69
|
Florence + the Machine - Never Let Me Go
|
14
|
|
66
|
75
|
Reptor - Sebastian
|
3
|
|
67
|
57
|
Caveman - Old Friend
|
20
|
|
68
|
81
|
Ty Segall - I Brought My Eyes
|
2
|
|
69
|
54
|
Wild Nothing - Nowhere
|
20
|
|
70
|
56
|
Veronica Falls - Bad Feeling
|
21
|
|
71
|
76
|
Frank Turner - I Still Believe
|
2
|
|
72
|
58
|
Haley Reinhart - Free
|
12
|
|
73
|
73
|
Atlas Genius - Trojans
|
3
|
|
74
|
----
|
THE BEACH BOYS
"That's Why God Made the Radio"
Album: That's Why God Made the Radio
|
1
|
|
75
|
80
|
Katy Perry - Wide Awake
|
2
|
|
76
|
61
|
Pageants - Edible Rust
|
22
|
|
77
|
70
|
Morning Parade - Headlights
|
7
|
|
78
|
----
|
Train - 50 Ways to Say Goodbye
|
1
|
|
79
|
64
|
Colbie Caillat - Favorite Song
|
12
|
|
80
|
88
|
The Walkmen - Heaven
|
2
|
|
81
|
79
|
Colbie Caillat - Brighter Than the Sun
|
13
|
|
82
|
----
|
Beach House - Lazuli
|
1
|
|
83
|
87
|
Blind Pilot - Half Moon
|
3
|
|
84
|
71
|
Nada Surf - Waiting For Something
|
19
|
|
85
|
86
|
Alanis Morissette - Guardian
|
3
|
|
86
|
90
|
White Violet - Lays Around Lazy
|
2
|
|
87
|
98
|
The Phenomenal Handclap Band - Radio Girls
|
2
|
|
88
|
----
|
Eric Hutchinson - Watching You Watch Him
|
1
|
|
89
|
78
|
Mayer Hawthorne - The Walk
|
35
|
|
90
|
85
|
NeedtoBreathe - Keep Your Eyes Open
|
4
|
|
91
|
92
|
Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
|
2
|
|
92
|
93
|
J.D. McPherson - North Side Gal
|
2
|
|
93
|
91
|
Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
|
25
|
|
94
|
----
|
The Tallest Man on Earth - 1904
|
1
|
|
95
|
77
|
The Cranberries - Tomorrow
|
24
|
|
96
|
----
|
Awolnation - Kill Your Heroes
|
1
|
|
97
|
84
|
Dr. Dog - That Old Black Hole
|
21
|
|
98
|
----
|
Theory of A Deadman - Hurricane
|
1
|
|
99
|
83
|
My Morning Jacket - First Light
|
23
|
|
100
|
89
|
Atlas Sound - The Shakes
|
27
|
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