Tag Archives: laptop sessions

The BEST REMASTERS / REISSUES of 2011 (The Year-End Review Awards)

Posted on by
Reply

By Chris Moore:

This year, I didn’t listen to all that many remasters or reissues.  Pink Floyd re-released all their albums in one intimidating batch.  Had it been one at a time, I might have tried one.  Nearly every week, there have been remasters or reissues on the new release rack at Newbury Comics.  And yet, at year’s end, I am left with only one in mind that carries any weight with me:  The Beach Boys’ SMiLE Sessions box set.

This is – finally, officially – the closest we’ll ever come to hearing what SMiLE would have sounded like, had it been released in context over four decades ago.  Brian Wilson’s 2004 take on SMiLE turns out to be, as expected, a close approximation and, in some ways, a more complete version.  That is the most heartbreaking aspect of this box set: there are parts missing, instrumentation with unfinished vocals, and a general sense of genius abandoned.  This being said, The SMiLE Sessions present a gorgeous, expansive vision that may well have been yet another game changer in a series of re-visionings then taking place, led largely by the Beatles.

We’ll never know how much of an impact this album would have had, or how great a success it would (or wouldn’t) have been.  What we can do is marvel at the beauty of Brian Wilson’s vision and the Beach Boys’ remarkable vocal soundscapes.  (The deluxe box set may only be for the diehard fan, but believe me, it’s well worth it if you consider yourself to be anything approaching diehard!)

1) The SMiLE Sessions – The Beach Boys

 

 

“On Christmas Day” (Brian Wilson Christmas Cover)

Posted on by
Reply

Welcome everyone to a special holiday edition of the Laptop Sessions cover songs music video blog with me, Jim Fusco!  It’s become a Laptop Sessions music blog tradition to do at least one Christmas song every year.  This is my fourth Christmas doing the blog and I’ve amassed a great collection of my favorite Christmas songs in acoustic guitar and piano cover video form.    In fact, if you go to my YouTube page at http://youtube.com/jimfusco, you’ll see I’ve made a video playlist of all my Christmas song videos.  So, if you’re in the holiday spirit (in December, or any other time you need some Christmas cheer), you can click on that playlist and go through every cover song video I’ve done for Christmastime!

Before I get started with tonight’s music blog post, allow me to wish you a great Christmas (or any other holiday you may be celebrating this time of year).  It’s been a crazy year for me and I’m glad I’m back doing the Laptop Sessions videos on a regular basis.  I really do get a lot of joy doing these cover song videos.  Getting to a million views was a big deal for me, as it seemed to reinvigorate my efforts to make the Laptop Sessions the best music blog on the internet.  Next year promises to be another banner year, as my new album, “Those Around Us” is released in January.  For more details on “Those Around Us”, please visit my website at http://jimfusco.com.

Onto tonight’s cover song video.  You know, it’s rare to find a new Christmas song that isn’t overly cheesy and especially over-produced.  The problem with Christmas songs is that there’s only a finite amount of things to write about.  And, believe me, every single one of those things has been written about.  So, after a while, every new Christmas song starts to sound the same with very, very similar lyrics.   Every artist these days has to have a Christmas album.  I guess I can’t blame them- it’s a built-in excuse to have people play your music at least once a year.  Look at the older artists like Bing Crosby.  I honestly don’t know one Bing Crosby song that isn’t Christmas-related.  To me, in pop music, Christmas songs make you somewhat immortal.  I mean, who listens to Perry Como anymore?  But, come the day after Christmas, “Home for the Holidays” plays on every radio station across the country.  Even Elvis Presley’s music is now considered too “old” for even our local “oldies” station, as they only play music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s.  But, they break their own rule and play “Blue Christmas” about ten times a day.  Christmas songs, if they’re popular enough, are the great musical equalizer.

Maybe that’s why I love Christmas music so much- my favorite artists, like the Beach Boys, are brought back into the public’s consciousness every Christmas with song like “The Little Saint Nick”.  Speaking of the Beach Boys, I was given an early Christmas present this year with the announcement of the Beach Boys’ 50th anniversary reunion tour and album.  I cannot even begin to express how excited I am about this.  It’s a dream come true.

Tonight’s video also has to do with the Beach Boys because it’s one of Brian Wilson’s original Christmas songs!  I’ve loved this song ever since I first got a semi-bootleg copy off of his website a few years ago.  Brian used to come out with a Christmas song each year and put it on his site for his fans.  So, I recorded it off of the site.  Thankfully, though, it came out as a bonus track on his recent Christmas album, “What I Really Want For Christmas”.  “On Christmas Day” is a great tune and has a nice chord progression to it.  I’m not sure if I’m the only one who notices this, but to me, it sounds an awful lot like “Belles of Paris” from the Beach Boys’ “MIU Album” in 1978.  Anyway, “On Christmas Day” is a better arrangement and is in a better key- Brian sounds great on his recording.

I chose to do this song on piano because I thought it would translate better than on acoustic guitar.  Plus, it felt more Christmasey (to quote another Brian Wilson Christmas song) to sit at the piano and sing a Christmas song.  I hope you enjoy my rendition!

I hope everyone has a healthy and happy New Year, too.  I’ll be back after the first of the year with an original song from my forthcoming album, “Those Around Us”.  Then, we’ll all celebrate the release of this new album on January 13th!  Take care and see you in 2012!

“Piles of Love Letters” (Chris Moore Original Acoustic Song)

Posted on by
Reply

By Chris Moore:

Hi there.  This is Chris, bringing you my “Original Wednesday” contribution for this week.  And I’m really trying here, but you’re going to have to cut me a break on the post length.  But I have a reason for the brevity of tonight’s post, I swear!

Whether you think it’s a valid reason, well, that might be another issue altogether…

Anyway, this original song, “Piles of Love Letters,” is potentially slotted for track four of my soon-to-be-recorded album, a debut offering me and a producer officially overseeing things, namely Jim Fusco.  In fact, Jim just made a HUGE contribution to the album tonight by suggesting what I have decided is an excellent idea for an album title.  He thinks the title should be based on the line in this song that states, “At least it’s tried and true.”

I can see this — the new album as Tried and True.  Or Untried and True.  Or Tried and Untrue.  Great idea, Jim!  Now, all I have to do is think a bit about the album and decide which version fits the most strongly with the dominant themes, etc.

Unfortunately, while I was recording this, I missed a performance by the Foo Fighters on the Grammy Nominations Concert Show.  I initially scoffed at the idea of a nominations show, but the concert idea was pretty cool.  Taylor Swift is a modern pop country singer, and yet I must say that her voice is amazing and she is beautiful and seems very sweet.  I wonder, of course, how she is as a normal person, away from the cameras.  (I don’t know if she can quite top my love for Katie Lloyd on Boston Legal (see previous post), but still…

Well, one thing led to another and before I know it, Jim and I are locked in a contest for who can stop watching television and return to working first.  You see, the Victoria’s Secret show came on in HD.  To look away would be to deny both one’s heterosexuality and love of HD television, so you can see why this was an unproductive stretch for us…  Nevertheless, after being told neither the true identity of Victoria nor what her secret is, I returned to my work.

Now, all distractions have dispersed and I am in bed listening to the Uncle Tupelo track “Outdone,” a demo from 1989 that is on their 89/93: An Anthology disc.  This is a fitting end to the day, as it’s been a wild musical ride — the past few days, in fact.  I have heard everything from Brian Wilson to Leonard Cohen to lots of Ringo Starr to What About Today? recently.  On the way home from work, I popped in Wilco’s AM before giving Paul McCartney’s (The Fireman’s) Electrical Arguments another set of rotations.  That led me to this essentials disc — I’ll definitely be recording one from them in the future, though possibly not until the new year.

And with that, I’m off to sleep.  Thanks for checking in for your daily dose of acoustic rock music, today in original form!  Come back tomorrow for a surprise visit and video from our very own Jim Fusco!!

See you next session!

“All For You” by Sister Hazel – Chords, Tabs, & How to Play

Posted on by
Reply

To see how it’s played in the cover song music video, CLICK HERE!

“All For You”
Sister Hazel

(Capo 1st fret)

Am        D
Finally I figured out,
But it took a long, long time.
But now there’s a turnabout,
Maybe ’cause I’m trying.

Em                 Am
There’s been times, I’m so confused.
All my roads, they lead to you.
Em            Am                   D
I just can’t turn and walk away…

G               C(add 9)    Am  D        G
It’s hard to say what it is I   see in you,
Wonder if I’ll always be with you.
But words can’t say, and I can’t do
G  C(add 9)   Am           D      G        C(add9) – D – G
Enough to     prove, it’s all for you.

I thought I’d seen it all,
‘Cause it’s been a long, long time.
But then we’ll trip and fall,
Wondering if I’m blind.

There’s been times, I’m so confused.
All my roads, they lead to you.
I just can’t turn and walk away…

It’s hard to say what it is I see in you,
Wonder if I’ll always be with you.
But words can’t say, and I can’t do
Enough to prove, it’s all for you.

MIDDLE:
Am               Em                  Am                     D
Rain comes pouring down, falling from blue skies.
Words without a sound, coming from your eyes…

SOLO:  G  –  C(add 9)  –  Am  –  D  (repeat)

Finally I figured out,
But it took a long, long time.
But now there’s a turnabout,
Maybe ’cause I’m trying.

There’s been times, I’m so confused.
All my roads, they lead to you.
I just can’t turn and walk away…

SING A CAPPELLA:
It’s hard to say what it is I see in you,
Wonder if I’ll always be with you.
But words can’t say, and I can’t do
Enough to prove, it’s all for you.

GUITAR & VOCALS:
It’s hard to say what it is I see in you,
Wonder if I’ll always be with you.
But words can’t say, and I can’t do
Enough to prove, it’s all for you.

G               C(add9)      Am     D
It’s hard to say…
It’s hard to say…
Am  D       G          C(add 9) – D – G
It’s   all for you.

** These chords and lyrics are interpretations and transcriptions, respectively, and are the sole property of the copyright holder(s). They are posted on this website free of charge for no profit for the purpose of study and commentary, as allowed for under the “fair use” provision of U.S. copyright law, and should only be used for such personal and/or academic work. **