Rick has dropped the gauntlet once again. He went to Starbucks and bought one of their feature albums. In this case, it was a “favorite picks” compilation from Elvis Costello. So Rick has asked us to put together a single “favorite picks” CD album of for ourselves. That shouldn’t have been such a hard thing. After all, I did it for him once before.
But this time was different. First, the list had to be shorter. It had to fit on one CD. Second, the songs are not supposed to be historically or culturally important. Instead, I focused upon music that was meaningful to me. Sounds easy. I could just take my previous list and voila, right? Wrong. My previous list was a rapid stroll through pop music history. This was a walk through Lorin’s life. And I’m pretty complex. I can think of dozens of songs that have touched me – each and every year.
So I closed my eyes and thought about songs that would either define me or define how I felt at a particular point in time. Well, my first cut had over fifty songs. And each meant something. Knowing this was too large, I took out my mental scissors. As I cut, I asked myself whether the ommission of this song from my life would have left me a poorer soul. Yeah, I know that such a question is too subjective. But it got me to about twenty songs.
From there, it was a matter of tossing coins and re-listening to all of the songs. I reached seventeen songs. And these songs would fit on one audio CD. So I have burned the disk and printed labels. Here is the list:
1. Snoopy vs. the Red Baron / The Royal Guardsmen
2. Hotel California / The Eagles
3. Dust in the Wind / Kansas
4. Your Love Broke Though / Keith Green
5. The Power of Love / Huey Lewis & the News
6. Joy in the Journey / Michael Card
7. Faith Makes / Glad
8. Lead of Love / Caedmon’s Call
9. Dandelions / Five Iron Frenzy
10 Pray for Rain / PFR
11. Deeper / Delirious?
12. Too Many Miles / The Waiting
13. Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of / U2
14. Anything but Ordinary / Avril Lavigne
15. The Eleventh Hour / Jars of Clay
16. I Can Only Imagine / MercyMe
17. I Am / Nichole Nordeman
You may not recognize some of these artists. But they each touched me somewhere deep inside my spirit. Some remind me of a particular time (like “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron”). Others re-ignite my spirit to look beyond myself and my circumstances. Each of these songs merits paragraphs of explanation. Someday, I may take the time to record those paragraphs. But for now, I am content to hand the disk to Rick. And I am content to spend Father’s Day thinking about how my heavenly Father has blessed me beyond my comprehension – and my own merit!
Happy Father’s Day to all. Dad, I love you!
-CyclingRoo-

SMiLE was supposed to be released in 1967. I was six years old then. So I haven’t been waiting for this since Brian went into his immense personal struggles. But I am like most music lovers – I do know the hype. I have heard the boots and the remixesfor years. And I have always loved seeing the Beach Boys (and Brian Wilson) in concert. One of my fondest memories of the seventies was seeing the Beach Boys performing on the Mall in Washington D.C. on July 4th.
Since then, the last time I truly th0ught about Brian Wilson was when I heard the Brian Wilson track from the Barenaked Ladies on their Gordon album. I love BnL so the song spawned some research on Brian and the pop music of the sixties. Without spending more than a few words, it is safe to say that Brian Wilson was one of the most innovative composers in modern pop music. I could say a whole lot more. But my words would not do Brian (or his artistic genius) any justice. And I have no right to comment on his personal troubles. He will need to spend the rest of his life exorcising the demons from the Summer of Love.
Where was I… Last week, I got a gift certificate to the local retail mall. I got the gift certificate from the basketball booster club (I did a video for their annual banquet). As I thought about how I would spend $25, I figured music would be the best bet. So I started looking at what had been recently released. Then I saw the hooplah about the SMiLE album. I don’t know where I was last year, but I missed the calendar release entirely. Of course, once I knew the album was out, I found an article in this week’s Kansas City Star that mentioned Brian. He will be in concert this summer. He will be performing all of the cuts from the SMiLE album. I can’t wait. Best yet, it will be performed at Starlight. Starlight is an open-air theater. And my sense of the album is that it was meant to be performed in the open air.
So I just had to get the album. Would you like a review? Well, there are hundred available on the Net. One of the best is Dominique Leone’s review at Pitchfork. But here is mine:

• This album rocks.
• It captures the sense of the Summer of Love.
• It has intentionally trippy and somewhat disturbing (or at least, incongruous) elements – especially during Mrs. O’Learry’s Cow. And it is very reminiscent of Sgt. Pepper in many ways. No wonder Paul and Brian hit it off. No wonder there was so much controversy between the bands.
• It has amazing vocal harmonies. I just wish I could have heard the entire piece with the original vocals. The Wondermints are great. And I almost hear the Beach Boys. But remember, this is Brian Wilson’s SMiLE. The Beach Boys never released this album.
• If I close my eyes, I see the band I remembered. Brian and the Wondermints have faithfully replicated the Beach Boys sound. But this is not a sneering and smarmy remake/retake. Brian was sincere and faithful in every track.
• Even at sixty-two, Brian has a great voice. It is a little lower than at its prime. And there is less of the exuberance that youth creates. But I would have never known that this was sung by a sectagenarian.
• Paul wasn’t munching on carrots during Vega-tables.
• This is not a nostalgia album. It is strong and solid on its own. And it is great – at any time.
• Just as planned, the last track (Good Vibrations) really does leave you with a smile.

My review is simple – buy ths album. It is a fantastic follow-up to Pet Sounds – even if it is a 37-year follow-up!

OK, Rick. I’ve worked the list some more. I’ve added and deleted many times. I like most of what I picked last time. But I had to add some important things and delete some personal favs. But I like this list much more.
Here are the operating parameters:
1. Less than three (3) hours playing time!!!
2. Less than three dozen songs.
3. Only songs from 1965 on – this one hurts!
So here is the list…

• Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys – 1966
• Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Beatles – 1967
• Riders on the Storm , The Doors – 1971
• Tiny Dancer , Elton John – 1971
• Reelin’ in the Years, Steely Dan – 1972
• Money , Pink Floyd – 1973
• Piano Man, Billy Joel – 1973
• Nights in White Satin , The Moody Blues – 1974
• Killer Queen , Queen – 1974
• Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin – 1976
• Hotel California , The Eagles – 1976
• Sweet Talkin’ Woman, Electric Light Orchestra – 1977
• Dust in the Wind , Kansas – 1977
• Roxanne , The Police – 1978
• Dog Eat Dog, Adam & The Ants – 1980
• Call Me , Blondie – 1980
• White Wedding, Billy Idol – 1982
• Mr. Roboto , Styx – 1983
• Burning Down the House, Talking Heads – 1983
• China Girl , David Bowie – 1983
• I Want to Know What Love Is, Foreigner – 1984
• Purple Rain, Prince & the Revolution – 1984
• Material Girl, Madonna – 1984
• Money for Nothing, Dire Straits – 1985
• Bouncing Around the Room, Phish – 1991
• Jeremy , Pearl Jam – 1991
• Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana – 1991
• Mysterious Ways , U2 – 1991
• Losing My Religion, R.E.M. – 1991
• All I Wanna Do , Sheryl Crow – 1993
• Just a Girl, No Doubt – 1995
• You Oughta Know, Alanis Morissette – 1995
• Crash Into Me , Dave Matthews Band – 1996
• Airbag , Radiohead – 1997
• Smooth, Santana – 1999

Rick, this isn’t getting easier. But I did get “Good Vibrations” in. So with a Brian Wilson song in the mix, I know I am in the proximity of success.
Ciao