Beach Boys, Royal Philharmonic Preview Joint LP With ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’
The Beach Boys and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will release a new album that combines the group’s classic vocals with new orchestral arrangements. The album arrives June 8th digitally and on CD, while a double LP vinyl version will follow August 15th. All versions are available to pre-order.
The Beach Boys and Royal Philharmonic teased the project with a delightful rendition of “Fun, Fun, Fun” that opens with a euphoric burst of strings giving way to the song’s indelible guitar intro. The orchestra adds a few new dimensions to the classic tune, whether it’s the occasional rumble of brass or the way the string section swoons beneath the Beach Boys’ harmonies.
The Royal Philharmonic recorded their new arrangements at Abbey Road Studios. Steve Sidwell and Sally Herbert conducted the orchestra and wrote several of the arrangements.
In a trailer for the album, the Royal Philharmonic offered an inside look at their recording process, while members of the orchestra spoke about the unique challenge of arranging orchestral accompaniments for Beach Boys songs. “Because of their meticulous harmonies, bringing an orchestral texture to that is very different from the orchestral albums we’ve done before, and I think that will be borne out when people hear it for the first time,” said Ian MacLay, managing director of the Royal Philharmonic.
Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson said of the project, “I always knew the vocal arrangements I did back in the Sixties would lend themselves perfectly for a symphony and there is no better one in the world than the Royal Philharmonic. I am both proud and humbled by what they have created using our songs and I hope everyone falls in love with it like I have.”
The Beach Boys are in the middle of a massive North American tour that will stretch through September. Wilson was also recently on the road, but was forced to postpone several shows earlier this month to undergo back surgery.
As for the Royal Philharmonic, their new album with the Beach Boys marks their latest collaboration of this kind, following projects with Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and Aretha Franklin.