San Fran Sessions is a box set compilation which collects 60 demos, outtakes, rarities and unissued performances recorded by The Beau Brummels from 1964 to 1966. The three-disc set, released by Sundazed Records on June 11, 1996, includes alternate takes of the band's singles "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just a Little", as well as early versions of songs that were likely targeted for their never-completed third album on Autumn Records.

San Fran Sessions
Box set by
ReleasedJune 11, 1996
Recorded1964–1966
StudioGolden State Recorders, San Francisco, California, US
GenreFolk rock, pop, rock
Length141:52
LanguageEnglish
LabelSundazed
ProducerSylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart, The Beau Brummels

Background

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In addition to demos and alternate takes of some of the Beau Brummels' early material, San Fran Sessions contains songs—such as "I Grow Old", "Gentle Wandering Ways", "Dream On", "Love is Just a Game", "This is Love", and "Hey Love"—that were recorded in 1965 and early 1966 and were likely planned for the band's third album on Autumn Records.[1] Ultimately, the album was never finished because the entire Autumn roster, including the Beau Brummels, was transferred in early 1966 to Warner Bros. Records, who wanted the band to record an album of cover versions of recent hits.[2] The result was Beau Brummels '66, released in July.[2]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [3]

Author and music journalist Richie Unterberger said San Fran Sessions "should only be acquired by serious fans of the band" and added, "from a historical viewpoint, it's interesting in that it presents a lot of previously unheard Sal Valentino-penned tunes (Ron Elliott wrote most of the songs that ended up on official releases)".[4] Unterberger favorably compared the previously unreleased tracks to the rest of the band's Autumn material,[1] praising the band's "beautifully sad harmonies and glittering guitar arrangements".[4] He noted the album also features "substantially different versions of officially released songs like "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just a Little".[4]

Track listing

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Disc one

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No.TitleWriter(s)NotesLength
1."Still in Love with You Baby"Ron Elliottearly version2:30
2."It's So Nice"Sal Valentinodemo1:45
3."Love Is Just a Game"Elliottdemo2:33
4."Just a Little"Bob Durand, Elliottalternate version 12:30
5."Just Wait and See"Elliottearly version2:04
6."How Many Times"Elliottdemo2:04
7."Stay With Me Awhile"Valentinodemo3:23
8."I Will Go"Elliottdemo2:37
9."Laugh, Laugh"Elliottalternate version3:21
10."Sad Little Girl"Elliottdemo4:10
11."She's My Girl"Declan Mulligandemo2:24
12."Talk to Me"Mulligandemo1:13
13."Before Darkness Ends"Valentinodemo2:28
14."Hey Love"Valentinodemo2:28
15."That's All That Matters"Elliott 2:37
16."I Want More Loving"Elliottalternate vocal2:22
17."I Will Love You Still"Valentinodemo1:24
18."Just a Little"Durand, Elliottalternate version 22:20
19."News"Valentinodemo1:52
20."Woman"Durand, Elliottdemo1:11

Disc two

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No.TitleWriter(s)NotesLength
1."Sometime at Night"Durand, Elliottalternate vocal1:48
2."Sad Little Girl"Elliottalternate version 14:18
3."I'll Tell You"Elliott 2:42
4."When It Comes to Your Love"ElliottVillage of the Giants version2:10
5."Can't Be So"Elliottdemo2:15
6."That's Alright"Valentinodemo2:19
7."No Lonelier Man"Elliottdemo1:58
8."She Loves Me"Mulligandemo3:08
9."Can It Be"Durand, Elliottdemo2:17
10."Forget It Babe"Valentinodemo3:22
11."Woman"Durand, Elliottinstrumental2:45
12."No Lonelier Man"Elliottdemo1:41
13."Tomorrow Is Another Day"Elliottdemo2:43
14."I'm Alone Again"Elliottdemo1:26
15."Kill"Elliottdemo1:39
16."When It Comes to Your Love"Elliottdemo1:50
17."Sad Little Girl"Elliottalternate version 23:04
18."Sometime at Night"Durand, Elliottalternate version1:50
19."On the Road Again"Valentinodemo3:13
20."Pity the Fool"Elliottdemo1:41

Disc three

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No.TitleWriter(s)NotesLength
1."She Sends Me"Elliott 2:02
2."Fine With Me"Durand, Elliott 2:24
3."Friend of Mine"Elliottdemo2:29
4."Gentle Wandering Ways"Elliott 2:41
5."This Is Love"Valentinodemo2:12
6."This Is Love"Valentino 2:12
7."I Grow Old"Durand, Elliottversion 12:06
8."Dream On"Elliott 2:26
9."Till the Day"Elliottdemo1:58
10."I'll Go Now"Valentinodemo3:23
11."Down on Me"Elliott 2:27
12."I Cannot Hide"Elliottdemo2:22
13."Let Me In"Elliott 2:15
14."Cry Some"Elliott 2:34
15."What Do You Want"Elliottdemo2:33
16."Hey Love"Valentino 3:01
17."I Grow Old"Durand, Elliottversion 22:01
18."Find a Place"Valentinodemo2:06
19."I Will Go"Elliottinstrumental2:43
20."Coming Home"Elliottdemo2:30

References

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  1. ^ a b Unterberger, Richie (2000). Urban Spacemen and Wayfaring Strangers: Overlooked Innovators and Eccentric Visionaries of '60s Rock. San Francisco: Miller Freeman, Inc. pp. 178, 183. ISBN 978-0-87930-616-8.
  2. ^ a b Cohen, Elliot Stephen (2008-04-24). "Beau Brummels Look to Rewrite History with Greatest-Hits Package". Goldmine. Retrieved 2010-03-27.
  3. ^ Allmusic review
  4. ^ a b c Unterberger, Richie. "San Fran Sessions - Review". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-03-27.
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