It’s sadly ironic that Dennis Wilson – the only Beach Boy that truly lived the beachcombing lifestyle his band championed – met his demise by drowning near a friend’s boat in 1983. And though Dennis was the mysterious figure among the three Wilson brothers, he did leave us one official solo album – Pacific Ocean Blue – that was first released in 1977. Until now, the album was scarcely available and demanded large sums of money on the secondary market. But thanks to Epic/Legacy Recordings, Pacific Ocean Blue: Legacy Edition is now available and gives us the original album plus a wealth of bonus material. Totaling 33 tracks, the double-disc release offers Pacific Ocean Blue alongside Bambu – The Caribou Sessions and recordings previously unavailable in any format. Musically, the collection validates Wilson’s talents as a singer, songwriter and arranger – qualities that were sorely undervalued as Dennis remained in the shadows of brothers Brian and Carl. Moreover, Wilson successfully taps the aura of The Beach Boys while placing his own stamp on the songs – longtime Beach Boys’ fans will find something familiar yet fresh in each track. But perhaps Wilson summed up Pacific Ocean Blue best by stating, “Everything that I am or will be is in this music. If you want to know me, just listen.” Though Brian Wilson’s Smile has long been the sacred cow among the Beach Boys’ faithful, Pacific Ocean Blue stands toe-to-toe with Smile in the family’s treasure chest of influential music. www.LegacyRecordings.com.
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