Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

Takes all sorts. I've always like "POB" personally - to my ears "What's Wrong" is the only real stinker on there (generic cocaine-sozzled Cali boogie-woogie fodder). I don't think it even sounds that much like the Beach Boys, except for the obvious vocal harmonies - Dennis' voice, by this stage, was far more raspy and lived-in than Brian's or Carl's, and I've always liked the poignancy his runied-sounding vocal chords lend to the songs. Plus the new remastering is far better than the early 90s CD on Epic (which always sounded way too muddy and indistinct for my liking).

Played the "bambu" disc for the first time this mortning - having never heard the boots, I yearn for what it might have sounded like had it been completed - although even listening to the fragments is no chore.

It's rumoured that the whole package is about to be pulled from the shelves yet again owing to an allegedly litigious extract from the sleeve notes, so anyone who's curious should snap it up now just in case. You read it here first...