the new album by ADAM MARSLAND'S CHAOS BAND
featuring Evie Sands and Alan Boyd
After their ‘60s golden era and before their mid ‘70s resurgence, The Beach Boys persevered through one of the most overlooked and intriguing periods in their history. With older brother Brian in retreat, Dennis and Carl Wilson took the lead and steered the band into progressive territory, wedding the band’s harmonies to heavily layered productions reminiscent of Todd Rundgren, Pink Floyd or ‘70s era Chicago. After Brian’s return in 1976, Dennis and Carl channeled their creativity into solo projects, including Dennis’ classic LP PACIFIC OCEAN BLUE.
Much of this challenging material was rarely performed live. With the deaths of the younger Wilsons their songs have languished until a new batch of indie musicians digging through the band’s ‘70s output discovered gems like “The Trader,” “River Song,” and “Long Promised Road.” Still, these songs have been so challenging few have tried to perform them on their own.
Until now. L.A. indie pop mainstay Adam Marsland (Cockeyed Ghost, The Negro Problem, and others) and his amazing Chaos Band, which features soul legend Evie Sands (“Angel of the Morning”), have collaborated with Beach Boys archivist Alan Boyd to produce LONG PROMISED ROAD: SONGS OF DENNIS AND CARL WILSON LIVE, a 20-track CD featuring 14 of Dennis and Carl’s songs, including two previously unreleased tracks, “Carry Me Home” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice to Live Again.”
Inspired by the Wondermints’ (with whom Adam and Evie have both performed) stellar work with Brian Wilson, AMCB have brought a similar level of care and accomplishment to Dennis and Carl’s work, tempered with a little Dennis Wilson-style rock ‘n’ roll irreverence. The album also features five original songs and a punked out version of Evie’s early hit, “I Can’t Let Go.”
Incredibly, the intricate arrangements and five part harmonies of LONG PROMISED ROAD are all culled from one performance in a small L.A. nightclub with minimal studio fixing, before an enthusiastic audience that included members of the Beach Boys’ and Brian Wilson bands, Wilson family members and some of their songwriting collaborators.
Grammy-award winning producer and engineer Mark Linett, who worked on Brian Wilson’s groundbreaking SMiLE album, oversaw the live recording, and Beach Boys house engineer Earle Mankey – who recorded many of the original versions of the songs featured here – handled the mastering.
A labor of love for all concerned, LONG PROMISED ROAD is a stunning live record that spotlights not only the talents of the band, but shines a new light on one of America’s most intriguing and enduring rock groups.
