By Chris Moore:
This is an outtake from a recent recording for the Laptop Sessions. I just had to share it, and I hope you find it as enjoyable as I did. (Keep in mind that this is completely unscripted — this is exactly how it happened; this is precisely my natural reaction!) I think it speaks for itself…
Check back for a new Original Wednesday Laptop Session, to be posted in about an hour or so.
By Jim Fusco:
Hello all! Here’s another song for the Laptop Sessions! This one is by request for an early Beach Boys tune called “Farmer’s Daughter”. It’s a pretty cute little song (only four chords!) made exponentially harder because of the fact that it’s ALL sung in falsetto! But, as Brian Wilson was about when he recorded this, I’m in my early 20s, so I think I hit the notes! I, for one, love the songs from the very early Beach Boys albums. It was definitely a different time. It was before the Beatles made it big in America and there was an innocence to the music. Of course, that’s why I love the music I love- I try not to listen to too many depressing songs. For instance, I was starting to get in to Elliot Smith’s music. But, as anyone who has heard of Elliot Smith knows, his songs are almost always dark and with an overtone of suicidal thoughts. Elliot was a great musician and songwriter. But, I could never become a huge fan because of the songs’ subject matter. Listing to music has always been a source of joy for me, so I’ve decided to stay in my happy pre-Vietnam music world, smiling all the way. 🙂
Although, I will admit, “Farmer’s Daughter” is a bit too “vanilla”, even for me. But, Brian Wilson sings it so sweetly and it works. In fact, many of the songs from their early albums are a bit embarrassing to listen to now. Remember “Chug a Lug”? Probably not- it’s not that memorable. But, basically, it’s about drinking beer…root beer! I’ve played that song for people over the years and it’s embarrassing every time I do. But for some reason, I really like that song. It’s just a song a bunch of teenage friends, brothers, and cousins wrote and sang together for fun. And their voices are so “cute” that you can’t help but smile while singing.
Speaking of SMiLE, I wonder if these early songs gave Brian Wilson some influence over his most notable work. He wanted SMiLE to be something fun- something that was brilliant, but also made you not take the music so seriously. He always seemed stuck in a child-like state. I wonder if he looked back on these early songs and thought, “Yeah, I’d like to get back to that fun again. How do I do that while still sounding cool, complex, and relevant?”
One other album I love so much (which you’ll see plenty of videos from here on the music blog) is the Beach Boys Christmas Album from 1964. It’s one of my absolute favorite albums of all time. Why? Well, it fits all the criteria I listed above! It’s great music with the wonderful innocence and happiness of Christmas built right in. Nothing puts a bigger smile on my face (musically) than their Christmas songs.
I hope you enjoy, and stay tuned for many more updates to the Laptop Sessions Acoustic Cover Songs Music Video Blog in the coming days.
By Chris Moore:
To put it lightly, this has been a groundbreaking year for the Weekend Review and all its various off-shoots. Featured here weekly on the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover song music video blog, the Weekend Review has gone “one-a-week” for what will be a combined total of 52 full-length album reviews by the end of the year. In addition, there will have been over 30 “Yes, No, or Maybe So” one-sentence reviews, the “Top Five Rock Artists of the Decade (2000-2009)” five-part series, and various other one-off segments.
As 2010 draws to a close, it’s time to go out with a bang. Thus, I am happy to announce that — starting tomorrow — there will be a music review list posted every day for the rest of the year. In many cases, this will be in addition to other posts, such as the regularly scheduled sessions. These lists will include the biggies like the top twenty albums and the top twenty-five songs of 2010, as well as lesser ranked items such as the top three debuts and the top ten music videos.
Be sure to check your LS Blog. Check it often, as there are still six more Weekend Reviews, the New Music 2010 Special Report, and so much more before the year is over.
It all kicks off tomorrow — fittingly — with the Best Cover Songs of 2010 list. Don’t miss it!
By Chris Moore:
It’s my honor to present my first original, non-yuletide tune for today’s edition of the Laptop Sessions. At first, I wasn’t sure what song I should play, as “Original Wednesday” comes but once every three weeks. I chose “Marissa,” a song from my 2003 album Something They Thought It Should Be, since it has always been one of my favorite songs to play on guitar. For over a year, it was instinctively the first song I would play whenever I picked up the guitar. Now, I’m playing it for you and hoping you’ll enjoy it!
If you like it, check out the album at the Fusco-Moore Store…
A session a day rolls on at guitarbucketlist.com, and I hope you come back tomorrow for another great session from Jeff!