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and was using up valuable vinyl/cassette/CD space for what perhaps could been taken up by further new recordings – movie-related or not – or maybe even recent band recordings that had actually appeared on the big screen …“It’s A Beautiful Day” (1979), “Chasin’ The Sky (1984) or “Happy Endings” (1987).

  Certainly, the band was showing occasional (if somewhat erratic) signs of renewing recording activities again, albeit now without Dennis or Brian (who had branched away from the group to embark on his Landy-led solo career) but nevertheless, the ‘soundtrack’ ploy was actively utilised by Capitol and this album, mainly on the back of the astonishing success of the 1988 #1 chart smash “Kokomo” (from the film soundtrack to the Tom Cruise movie "Cocktail"), received strong enough sales to justify Capitol’s faith in the project, achieving ‘gold’ status upon release (the first time for a new Beach Boys album since the 1976 appearance of “15 Big Ones") – and how that must have hurt the watching executives at CBS, with whom the band had attempted, and failed, to achieve credible chart placings …

  Although former driving force behind the group, Brian Wilson, was no longer an regular part of the line-up, his presence can be heard throughout the release, supplying background vocals to both “Wipe Out” (a duet with Brooklyn-rappers The Fat Boys) and “Make It Big” (the latter taken from the film “Troop Beverly Hills”), whilst also adding harmonies to the intro of "Island Girl”. However, the ongoing 'scam' to make it appear that Brian was still an essential part of the group was fully employed via his ‘solo’ contribution; “In My Car” (with additional vocals by Alan and Carl overdubbed to make it appear as a Beach Boys recording) …

  Of the remaining ‘newer’ recordings, most are actually extremely pleasing on the ear, if unconvincing in the rock’n’roll stakes, with Jardine’s “Island Girl” and the Love/Johnston/Terry Melcher collaboration (with further assistance from former “Papa” John Phillips) “Somewhere

Near Japan” resulting in some of the most polished efforts from the past decade … but the overall ‘feel’ of the project is that of an enforced compilation, and not one of a more unified collection or a total ‘new’ offering …

  The sleeve package hardly assists either – with some strictly non-informative sleeve notes on the rear (written by one Del Porter; presumably NOT the same man who worked alongside Glenn Miller and Ethel Merman …) only further highlighting the confusing concept of the package. Exactly who was the album aimed at, we ask ?

  The actual package itself was overseen by Capitol’s Grammy award winning Art Director, Tommy Steele (a home-grown California surfer, no less … and more significantly, the man behind the 'Pet Sounds' logo), and the design and concept was initiated by DZN; The Design Group, a company that has, over the recent years, come into our homes via the designs for artists such as Sheryl Crow and Sting, or via movie projects for the Harry Potter franchise, Tomb Raider or the all encompassing BVHE/Disney Corporation; which makes it all the more frustrating that, overall, it’s such a weakly combined effort.

  The front sleeve is dominated by the red auto-influenced design/logo of Tom Utley’s illustration, with the retro chrome-plated suggestion of the album title, the air-intakes on the hood, the checkered flag … but that’s where the package design starts and ends. It's all too obvious. There is seemingly no more thought gone into the artwork beyond that. A few other examples of Utley’s design work can be located within the industry, and this is perhaps one of his better works, but the simple fact that the entire design for this release revolves around one illustration is slightly bemusing. Accepted, we have a few faint palm trees over-layered on the rear of the cover, but one is left with the assumption that, just maybe, Capitol weren’t prepared to quite lay out the same expenses that their predecessors over at CBS were. No photographic sessions, no inserts, no unnecessary outlay … just profit margin, after all of these years ...

Everyone, it seems, was still on cruise control ...

Right: The Japanese picture sleeve for the 45rpm release of the title track, including Brian

CLICK ON AN IMAGE

Two further slightly underwhelming designs from Tom Utley (above left; top and bottom) and the sleeve design for the "Still Cruisin'" 45rpm / CD single release ...

  DATELINE; LATE 1988, and whilst the Beach Boys were contemplating such recent successes as a #1 Billboard single, their first for over 20 years, former creative mastermind for the band, brother and cousin Brian Wilson was mulling over the relative success/failure of his debut solo album, simply titled “Brian Wilson”. Recorded under the dubious guidance of his doctor, therapist, mentor and … ahem … musical ‘partner’, one Eugene E Landy, the album contained a number of critical successes, and was accepted almost universally by fans and music critics alike. Maybe the overall chart success (a megre #54) didn’t quite meet the hype that had preceded the release, or maybe the world expected too much from the now fragile musician … or maybe Brian simply wasn’t in control of the project enough to add that certain amount of Wilson-magic that he had so liberally sprinkled over his earlier works with his family and friends. Maybe … whatever … but at least Warner Brothers/Sire Records, the label who had taken Brian under their large collective wing, had made a statement about the return of the ‘musical genius’ through extensive media coverage and publicity. In addition, they packaged the release in a very artistic style, under the direction of Jeri Heiden and SMOG Designs, and featuring photography by Kam Hinatsu.

  It was certainly ... one in the eye for the boys.

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