LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Magic Hollow is a long overdue, definitive celebration of the work of one of America's finest musical aggregates of the 1960s, a group whose time has still not come. For their innovation alone, the Beau Brummels should be considered in the same class as the Beach Boys, Byrds, Spoonful and other frequently championed arbiters of American pop music in that era. If talent and ability counted above credibility, then the Brummels would, and should, be the hippest band within the entire San Francisco 1960s milieu.The irony is of course the fact that, while they were named after an obscure 19th century English dandy, the Beau Brummels were from the start a group as steeped in Americana as one could envisage. The Beatles and their ilk were an impetus, to be sure, but the wholly organic blend of country, folk and pop that constituted the Beau Brummels' sound was unique to themselves, throughout a remarkable four year career that began with the deceptively simple hits "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just A Little." Despite further hit parade success, the sheer consistency of quality the combo maintained in all its recordings is truly a marvel.Magic Hollow's producers -- and major Brummels fans -- Andrew Sandoval and Alec Palao have left no stone unturned in making this lavish and exhaustive four-disc boxed set the last word on the Beau Brummels' legacy. Across 113 tracks, it traces the original groups career via hit singles, album tracks, B-sides and other rarities, from their very first studio demos, pre-Autumn Records, in 1964, to outtakes from the acts final acclaimed long-player, 1968's Bradley's Barn. Indeed, a full 42 cuts are unissued, many from the later Warner Bros. era, when the Brummels recorded a tremendous amount of stellar material that never saw the light of day. The music is accompanied by an extensive chronology and music guide by Alec Palao, assembled with the full co-operation of the band and their associates, in addition to many rare and unpublished photos from the archive.Magic Hollow is available as an individually numbered limited edition of 2,500 copies.
TRACK LISTING PEOPLE ARE CRUEL ([2:00]) STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU BABY (Demo Version) ([2:35]) STICK LIKE GLUE (Demo Version) ([2:08]) LAUGH, LAUGH (Alternate Version) ([3:22]) JUST A LITTLE (Alternate Version)[3:08 ([2:37]) THEY’LL MAKE YOU CRY ([3:08]) AIN’T THAT LOVING YOU BABY (Alternate Vocal Version) ([2:22]) THAT’S IF YOU WANT ME TO ([2:35]) LAUGH, LAUGH (Promo Single Version) ([3:11]) STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU BABY (Single Version) ([2:33]) JUST A LITTLE (Alternate Backing Track) ([2:53]) I WANT MORE LOVING (Alternate Mix) ([2:20]) JUST WAIT AND SEE ([2:21]) STICK LIKE GLUE ([1:58]) JUST A LITTLE (Single Version) ([2:25]) HERE I AM IN LOVE AGAIN (Backing Track) ([1:58]) I WILL GO (Demo Version) ([2:37]) THAT’S ALRIGHT (Demo Version) ([2:20]) NO LONELIER MAN ([2:01]) SHE’S MY GIRL ([2:25]) LOVE IS JUST A GAME ([2:33]) SHE LOVES ME (Demo Version) ([3:11]) CAN’T BE SO ([2:17]) I’M ALONE AGAIN ([1:30]) TOMMOROW IS ANOTHER DAY ([2:45]) WOMAN (Vocal Version) ([2:43]) WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR LOVE (Version One) ([2:01]) SHE LOVES ME (Backing Track) ([4:34]) YOU TELL ME WHY ([3:03]) I WANT YOU (Single Version) ([2:57]) DREAM ON ([2:10]) CAN IT BE ([2:26]) I’LL TELL YOU ([2:40]) DOESN’T MATTER ([1:59]) GENTLE WANDERING WAYS ([2:40]) IN GOOD TIME ([1:47]) THAT’S ALRIGHT ([2:10]) I GROW OLD ([2:00]) SOMETIME AT NIGHT (Sal’s Vocal Version) ([1:49]) FINE WITH ME (Version One) ([2:13]) DON’T TALK TO STRANGERS ([2:20]) I’VE NEVER KNOWN ([2:02]) WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR LOVE (Album Version) ([2:09]) SAD LITTLE GIRL ([3:29]) BEFORE DARKNESS ENDS ([2:29]) TILL THE DAY ([1:52) FRIEND OF MINE ([2:20]) DARKNESS ([2:02]) GOOD TIME MUSIC ([3:03) SHE SENDS ME ([1:59]) DOWN ON ME ([2:29]) LET ME IN (Version One) ([2:15]) CRY SOME ([2:35]) HEY LOVE ([2:55] ) GO AWAY ([3:24]) THIS IS LOVE ([2:12) FIND A PLACE ([2:07]) I WILL GO (Backing Track) ([2:46]) ONE TOO MANY MORNINGS ([2:52]) SHE REIGNS ([2:56]) HANG ON SLOOPY ([2:51]) MR. TAMBOURINE MAN ([3:46]) BANG BANG ([1:54]) HOMEWARD BOUND ([2:39]) YOU’VE GOT TO HIDE YOUR LOVE AWAY ([3:41]) ON THE ROAD AGAIN ([2:26]) OUT OF CONTROL ([3:05]) GOD HELP THE TEENAGERS TONIGHT ([2:13]) DELILAH ([2:17]) STAND UP ([2:24]) LET ME IN (Version Two) ([2:20]) HERE WE ARE AGAIN ([2:49]) FINE WITH ME (Single Version) ([2:26]) GALADRIEL (Demo Version) ([2:21]) YOU AND I ([2:32]) IT AIN’T NO USE ([2:45]) SHE’S COMING (Demo) ([2:24]) DON’T MAKE PROMISES ([2:28]) GALADRIEL ([2:08]) TWO DAYS ‘TIL TOMORROW (Unedited Version) ([3:47]) WALKING IN THE PARK ([2:43]) ONLY DREAMING NOW (Demo Version) ([2:12]) MAGIC HOLLOW (Demo Version) ([2:15]) WHERE ARE YOU ([3:00]) GLASS (Backing Track) ([3:01]) ARE YOU HAPPY? ([2:17]) ONLY DREAMING NOW ([2:07]) THE PAINTER OF WOMEN ([2:49]) IT WON’T GET BETTER ([2:01]) MAGIC HOLLOW ([2:54]) TRIANGLE ([2:17]) LOWER LEVEL ([3:21]) LIFT ME ([2:31]) HIGH THERE ([2:40]) I LOVE YOU MAMA (Version One) ([3:35]) JUST A LITTLE BIT OF LOVIN’ ([3:04]) THE DREAMER ([2:53]) JESSICA (Demo Version) ([2:09]) I LOVE YOU MAMA (Version Two) ([2:45]) BITTERSWEET ([2:35]) ESSICA (Alternate Version) ([2:16]) I’LL BE YOUR BABY TONIGHT ([2:58]) LONG WALKING DOWN TO MISERY (Single Version) ([2:50]) CHEROKEE GIRL (Single Version) ([3:02]) I’M A SLEEPER (Single Version) ([3:11]) ANOTHER (Demo Version) ([3:00]) BLACK CROW ([2:43]) DEEP WATER ([2:31]) LOVE CAN FALL A LONG WAY DOWN ([4:1]) TAN OAK TREE ([2:23]) TURN AROUND ([3:02]) ANOTHER ([2:47]) DEEP WATER (Alternate Version) ([3:19])