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  THE TROUBLE WITH the Beach Boys 1996 album, “Stars & Stripes”, is that it’s not really a Beach Boys album at all. Not in the strictest sense of the word anyway. There’s no instrumental contribution from the band members whatsoever, and excluding the novelty input of Mike Love on “Long Tall Texan”, there’s not even a Beach Boy lead vocal anywhere to be heard. So what makes it qualify as a Beach Boys release ? Good question, and some will dispute that it even is …

  However, the band’s due credit can be simply assessed by acknowledging that all of the featured songs, and all of the backing vocals, are of Beach Boy-origination, and that there can no doubt that pure quality of the ‘boys’ vocals – some of the warmest and fullest since the heady “Sunflower” days of 1970 – justifies their status on the release.

  The lead vocalists, significant country artists in their own right, flow effortlessly and often anonymously by, one by one, but the solid, lush harmonies that pack out each track could only come from one source … Mike, Carl, Alan and Bruce, along with Matt Jardine (Alan’s eldest son, stepping into the falsetto role with a natural presence)… AND Brian. Yes, indeed sir’ee, for this one project elder statesman, brother Brian, now free from the restricting shackles of one-time mentor and therapist Eugene Landy, was coaxed along for the ride, even sitting in to produce much of the vocal sessions as in days of olde, although reports suggest that the inclusion of Brian was also an essential part of the agreement in financing the project … and that certain other band members didn’t take his contributions too seriously, all too-aware of the unpredictability of his fragile persona.

  Ominously sub-titled upon release, “Volume One”, the initial idea of such an album apparently arose following a discussion between Mike Love and producer Joe Thomas, co-founder of River North Records, whose country music connections led to the Beach Boys signing with the label for a proposed ‘duets’ release. One that would see them link up with some of the hottest names in the Nashville country music scene to revitalise and re-record some of the Beach Boys biggest hits.

  “If you can get Willie Nelson, I’ll get Brian …” was reportedly Mike’s firing line to Thomas. They both succeeded …

  Unfortunately, “Volume Two” never materialised, despite the projected inclusions of Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette and Rodney Crowell, and the initial release, despite some success in reaching #101 on the Billboard charts (predominantly on the back of the featured leads vocalists), never sat comfortably in the record collections of long-time group followers – and whilst the band members themselves verbally stated that there could be no greater partnership than that of America’s band with America’s ‘music’ it was not a natural pairing of Americana. The quality and the professionalism are there, but something just didn’t click …

  Nevertheless, as with the bands previous studio album, the critically-mauled “Summer In Paradise”, the rejection of the music amongst many of the bands staunchest admirers was counterbalanced by the praise received for the actual presentation of the release. Accepted, not many people buy an album simply going by how nice the packaging is, but often the disappointment of what comes within is softened by what is outside (or so the wife tells me …).

  Originating once again with a concept from Mike Love himself, the impressive CD package; another gatefold digi-pak, features the distinct work of acclaimed artist Morton Kaish on the front. A New York-born artist, educated out of Syracuse University, Kaish has held a life-long fascination with the American Civil War and he has painted a series of works that defined a moment in the history of the country that is associated with struggle, loss and ultimate triumph; his “Stars & Stripes” collection.

  The particular piece of artwork chosen for the sleeve front, featuring a heavily wooden and iron-built frontage to a building, features a number of significant associations with his themed passion; ranging from the carved silhouette of Abraham Lincoln on wooden window shutter, along with the dove of peace, to the Union flag fluttering down from on high and the representation of the Stars & Bars on the door. Closer inspection also reveals a series of names, carved into the wooden panels either side of the door, each word representing a particular battle/stage of the Civil War … Cold Harbor, Richmond, Fair Oaks, Shiloh, Antietam and Atlanta.

  Slightly reduced in width for the CD cover, the image is set inside a deep oak frame, with a leather/hide-styled background to the featured artists laying alongside. It’s a fair representation for each of the guest vocalists, listed in the same order as their appearance on the disc inside, and the

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leather effect continues over the spine onto the rear of the sleeve, where the selected 12 tracks are listed. Noticeably, Mike Love gets listed for ‘Executive Producer’ status, above the names of Brian and Joe Thomas, although all further credits are reserved for the 22-page glossy booklet featured inside. And what an impressive booklet this is …

  Full colour graphics and design work, plenty of glossy photographs of all vocalists concerned, including a number of the principal Beach Boys, and with full musician listings and a detailed synopsis of the album (written by Nashville resident Robert K Oermann. Often referred to as the dean of Nashville's prestigious entertainment journalists, Oermann is a multi-media figure in Music City, seen as a TV personality, film consultant, writer and editor-at-large of Country Music magazine).

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whilst the photography is shared between John Lee Montgomery, Raeanne Rubinnstein (who is perhaps more recognised for her photographic work with both The Doors and MC5) and Kris Thomas; much of it taken during the 1996 Nashville Fan Fair concert at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, where 20,000 country music fans were treated to the first public airings of the new temporary partnerships … and surfed along on a wave of typical Beach Boy good vibrations. Surf’s up y’all …

The full Song and Artist selection …

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