Al Jardine Releases First New Collection Of Music In 15 Years
The four track EP features collaborations with Neil Young, fellow Beach Boy Bruce Johnston, and Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Al Jardine, co-founding singer, songwriter and guitarist of The Beach Boys, has released his first new collection of songs in 15 years with the eclectic new 4-song digital EP, Islands In The Sun. He’s joined by a collection of special guests on the project, including Neil Young, fellow Beach Boy Bruce Johnson, Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers, and his own son, Matt Jardine.
The EP opens with “Islands In The Sun,” a friendly nod to “Kokomo.” The track features lead vocals from Al and his son Matt Jardine, plus a guest vocal from Beach Boy Bruce Johnston and a children’s choir from three local elementary schools. “‘Islands In The Sun’ captures that special magic we felt and sang about on Beach Boys songs like ‘Island Girl’ and ‘Kokomo,’” shares Al. “It was inspired by the enchanting calypso sounds of Harry Belafonte and Bob Marley’s laid-back reggae vibe. Now wouldn’t it be fun if we could bottle up the sun!”
The second track, “My Plane Leaves Tomorrow (Au Revoir),” is a heartfelt duet with Neil Young that Al first started working on while recording his 2010 debut solo album, A Postcard from California, and has now been completed nearly a decade and a half later. Neil recorded his vocals at the same session that he recorded Postcard’s “A California Saga” with his old bandmates, David Crosby and Stephen Stills. In the song, Al and Neil share the same sentiment about sending our troops off to foreign wars. The track includes a portion of the melancholy military bugle call “Taps,” performed by Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who laid down his contribution when he also provided bass for “Help Me Rhonda” for the Postcard album.
Track 3, “Highway 101 (Rosarita Beach Café),” is Al’s version of the Leiber/Stoller classic, “Smokey Joe’s Café.” The original, recorded by The Coasters in 1956, was one of Al’s favorite songs when he was growing up. Almost 70 years later, he got permission from Mike Stoller to rewrite the lyrics. This new interpretation features long-standing Beach Boys touring band members Ed Carter on bass and Mike Kowalski on drums, Michael Lent (Barry Manilow’s guitarist for over 25 years) on lead guitar and Steve Douglas from the legendary Wrecking Crew on sax.
The EP concludes with “Crumple Car,” an updated version of the forgotten tune from the 1978 classic surf movie, Big Wednesday. Originally written by surfer Denny Aaberg with Phil Pritchard, the song was brought to Al’s attention years ago and has been reimagined as a folky, fingerpicked ode to Al’s love of the ocean and his desire to keep the coastlines clean and safe from harmful manmade pollution. With Denny’s blessing, Al’s new version features Ed on lead guitar with backing vocals from Al’s son, plus Al on lead whistle.
