Carnival of Sound


Carnival of Sound is the last studio album by the American rock duo Jan and Dean. Though recorded sporadically from 1966 to 1968, it was not released until 2009. Even though it is credited as a Jan and Dean record, it is actually more of a Jan Berry solo effort. Berry died in 2004. The album consists mostly of original material, with a few covers of songs by artists such as The Five Satins and The Coasters. The album is notable for having a more psychedelic sound than other Jan and Dean records.

Background

Sessions for a new Jan and Dean album began in March 1966, with a few tracks completed before Berry's debilitating car accident the following month. Sessions continued sporadically until December 1968 as Berry slowly recovered. The project was also significantly over budget. The album was deemed complete in 1969 but was never released, while collectors circulated unofficial bootleg versions. The album's disappearance prevented a possible psychedelic comeback for Jan and Dean, and their working relationship as a duo soon ended.
Rhino Handmade Records released the first official version of the album as a limited-edition mono vinyl record on November19, 2009, followed by a wider release on compact disc on February22, 2010. Included were tracks intended for the original album in 1968 plus 15 bonus tracks from the same sessions. Producer Andrew Sandoval contributed extensive liner notes. AllMusic compared the album to Brian Wilson's Smile (The [Beach Boys album)|Smile], calling it "just as tantalizing a 'lost' artifact of the psychedelic '60s" and that Jan Berry had become "far more self-consciously ambitious" than on previous Jan and Dean records.
While presented as a Jan and Dean album, Jan Berry only played and sang on a few songs due to complications from his car accident. Dean Torrence, who by that time had become disillusioned with the duo's prospects, only appears on one song. Glen Campbell made some contributions to the sessions, and singer Tom Bahler performed lead vocals on several songs.

Track listing

Original release

  1. "Girl, You're Blowing My Mind"
  2. "Mulholland"
  3. "Fan Tan"
  4. "Carnival of Sound"
  5. "Laurel and Hardy"
  6. "I Know My Mind"
  7. "Love and Hate"
  8. "Tijuana"
  9. "Hawaii"
  10. "Louisiana Man"
  11. "Stay"
  12. "Only a Boy"
  13. "In the Still of the Night"
  14. "Yakety Yak"

    Additional tracks

  15. "Don't Drop It" —
  16. "Girl, You're Blowing My Mind" —
  17. "Mulholland" —
  18. "Fan Tan" —
  19. "Carnival of Sound" —
  20. "I Know My Mind" —
  21. "Love and Hate" —
  22. "Tijuana" —
  23. "Hawaii" —
  24. "Louisiana Man" —
  25. "Stay" —
  26. "In the Still of the Night" —
  27. "Girl, You're Blowing My Mind" —
  28. "Laurel and Hardy" —
  29. "Girl, You're Blowing My Mind" —

    Personnel