The Honeys - Capitol Collector's Series (1992)

Surfing used to be a man's world, especially in music -- while the Beach Boys and the Surfaris were catching a wave, landlubbers like Annette Funicello and Donna Loren were back on shore playing Beach Blanket Bingo. The Honeys, then, were something rare: a girl group who specialized in surfing songs like "Shoot the Curl" and "Pray for Surf," which The Honeys themselves composed. When Marilyn Rovell married Brian Wilson, having a familial connection to the Beach Boys certainly didn't hurt. Wilson contributed a handful of songs to the group and helped coordinate some of their sessions early on, and was often on the periphery thereafter. The early Capitol recordings are some of The Honeys' best efforts, and have been anthologized twice: Capitol Collectors Series was their first collection, and The Honeys Collection, on the Collectors' Choice label, followed nearly a decade later. The two anthologies have 11 songs in common, but veer off in different directions after the early Capitol singles. The Honeys Collection contains a large number of songwriting demos and recordings by other artists for which The Honeys provided background vocals, while Capitol Collectors Series sticks to The Honeys' own commercial recordings. There are two previously unreleased recordings from Capitol sessions, "Raindrops" and "Come to Me," the latter of which Brian Wilson's father composed, and two sides of a 1964 single for Warner Brothers. A cover of Patience and Prudence's "Tonight You Belong to Me" from a 1969 Capitol single, omitted from The Honeys Collection, is also included. The final eight cuts are recordings the original trio made in the late '70s, a couple of which saw eventual release on the album Spring in 1988. While The Honeys Collection offers a behind-the-scenes view of the group backing other artists and recording demos (one of their primary professional activities), Capitol Collectors Series showcases the group's lead vocals and the records released under their own name, and in so doing offers a better view.