Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24779 in Digital Music Album
• Published on: 2000-08-15
• Released on: 2000-08-15
• Running time: 0 seconds

Customer Reviews

Pretty good stuff . . . from a forgotten but talented band
Long after their chart-topping heyday, the Boys settled into Life After Brian by patchworking together several generally sub-par 70's albums that were typically littered with isolated gems and way-out, freaky attempts at psychedelia.

This "twofer" is no different. "Carl & the Passions" is a decidedly mediocre work, but contains minor masterpieces of obscurity like the shimmering, haunting "All This is That", featuring the kind of vocal performance by Carl Wilson that only confirms him as one of rock's true angels. There are other tracks worth hearing - but they have gained most of their cache by virtue of hindsight and the way history now sees this seminal band.

A much stronger overall work, "Holland" is widely regarded (now) as one of the Beach Boys' best 70's albums. Panned upon it's release, it contains some of the non-Brian Boys' best contributions: The Trader (Carl Wilson); Leaving This Town (Blondie Chaplin) & Dennis Wilson's strange, Tom Waits-esque "Steamboat". The clincher, however, is the Brian Wilson-Van Dyke Parks-Tandyn Almer-Jack Riley gem, "Sail on Sailor". Ranking with the Beach Boys' absolute best work, this may truly be the Last Great Beach Boys Song. Without this track, Warners rejected the album; with it, the Beach Boys finally added a respectable addition to their canon - without Brian's dominant song writing, composing and producing.

Excellent sound and remastering, nice package. If you're a Beach Boys fan/completist, this is one you won't pass by.

Good, Better, Best
Both albums are good in their own right. Together they form a great combo. Holland is ,imho, the best Beach Boys album after Pet Sounds. With great contributions of Carl & Dennis.

Beach Boys: Carl and the Passions-So Tough / Holland
Whether or not you are a fan of the Beach Boys, this cd set, which includes the Holland cd, is a treasure you will enjoy.
Not only have these melodic songs been treated to a full remastering process thus delivering notes and voice with a remarkably clarity, but the songs and lyrics themselves deliver a feeling of true musicianship only a well heeled band can deliver.
Treat yourself to a set of songs that will find you smiling as you listen, either from fond rememberances or new found experience.
Enjoy.