Comments on: Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks and the Smile You Send Out – Part 2: Orange Crate Art Is A Place To Start

By: Andrew Hickey

Andrew Hickey — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:28:22 +0000

If you play an instrument, try getting chord charts for a few of the songs and playing through them yourself. That’s what convinced me.
But then, I like Holland and *LOVE* So Tough, too…

By: Bob B

Bob B — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:21:42 +0000

Interesting series on Brian and Van Dyke. Quite thoughtful. Though I sighed yet again to read that Love You is a great album. I am a huge fan of both Brian and the Beach Boys, but Love You is simply the worst album I’ve ever purchased by any band.

The singing is terrible, the lyrics are banal and the music is nothing to write home about. Even more embarrassing than Holland and So Tough.

BB 1985, Keepin the Summer Alive and even Summer in Paradise are better albums: stronger singing and pop melodies. I’ve never understood this near-universal praise of Love You.

By: Steven

Steven — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:55:41 +0000

Great review. I love Orange Crate Art. Definitely a “grown up album”, although Van Dyke Parks has always seemed ancient to me. He was in his early twenties with Brian when they conceived SMiLE, and I don’t know any others of that age who could compose these lines:

Light the lamp and fire mellow cabin essence;
timely hello welcomes the time for a change.

Lost and found, you still remain there.
You’ll find a meadow filled with grain there.
I’ll give you a home on the range.

I want to watch you, windblown, facing waves of wheat
for your embracing. Folks sing a song of the grange.

Nestle in a kiss below there, the constellations ebb
and flow there and witness our home on the range.

By: bchboy1

bchboy1 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:11:46 +0000

Great post! We don’t hear as much about “Orange Crate Art” as we should…”That Lucky Old Sun” has alot of that same feel. I have “orange Crate Art” and can’t wait for Brian’s new album! Once again thanks for the education!

By: Andrew Hickey

Andrew Hickey — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:32:49 +0000

Thanks – glad these posts are doing their job…

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:22:06 +0000

Thank you for these posts–you’ve opened my eyes to some amazing music that I must buy soon. I was a Brian Wilson fan before and a sorta casual Beach Boys fan but this is all new material to me. Can’t wait to get into it.