Founding Beach Boys member Al Jardine has released a brand-new digital EP titled Islands in the Sun. The four-song collection is Jardine’s first multiple-tune of new music since his debut album, A Postcard from California, arrived in 2010.
Videos by American Songwriter
Islands in the Sun is available now as a digital download and via streaming services. It includes contributions from Neil Young, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, and longtime Beach Boys member Bruce Johnston, as well as from Al’s son Matt.
The title track is a Caribbean-flavored tune in the vein of the Beach Boys hit “Kokomo” in which Jardine tried to capture the mood of life in the West Indies. Al shares lead vocals on the track with Matt Jardine, with Johnston contributing backing vocals. The song also features a children’s choir made up of students from three local elementary schools.
“‘Islands in the Sun’ captures that special magic we felt and sang about on Beach Boys songs like ‘Island Girl’ and ‘Kokomo’,” Al said in a statement. “It was inspired by the enchanting calypso sounds of Harry Belafonte and Bob Marley’s laid-back reggae vibe. Now wouldn’t it be fun if we could bottle up the sun!”
You can check out a lyric video for “Islands in the Sun” at Jardine’s official YouTube channel.
Jardine co-produced the Islands in the Sun EP with Stevie Heger and Jeff Peters, who both also worked on A Postcard from California.
About the Other Tracks on the Islands in the Sun EP
The EP’s other tracks are “My Plane Leaves Tomorrow (Au Revoir),” “Highway 101 (Rosarita Beach Café),” and “Crumple Car.”
“My Plane Leaves Tomorrow (Au Revoir)” is a duet with Young, that Jardine began working on during the A Postcard from California sessions. Neil recorded his vocal part for the track at the same time he worked on the A Postcard from California tune “A California Saga,” which also featured Young’s old bandmates David Crosby and Stephen Stills.
“My Plane Leaves Tomorrow (Au Revoir)” features the melancholy theme of U.S. soldiers being sent to fight in foreign wars. The track includes a segment of the military bugle call “Taps” played by Flea. The Chili Peppers member recorded his part at the same time he laid down bass for Jardine’s updated rendition of The Beach Boys’ “Help Me Rhonda” that appeared on A Postcard from California.
“Highway 101 (Rosarita Beach Café)” is a Mexico-inspired rendition of the classic Leiber/Stoller tune “Smokey Joe’s Café,” which The Coasters famously recorded in 1956. The song was one of Jardine’s favorite tunes when he was a kid, and he asked Mike Stoller permission to rewrite the lyrics.
“Crumple Car” is a cover of a song from the 1978 surf movie Big Wednesday. The tune, which was that was written by surfer Denny Aaberg with Phil Pritchard, was brought to Jardine’s attention years back by longtime Beach Boys touring guitarist Ed Carter. Al has reimagined the song as a folky, acoustic ode to keeping the oceans and coastlines from becoming polluted. The track features Jardine on whistle, Carter on finger-picked guitar, and backing vocals by Al’s son Adam Jardine.
Jardine’s 2025 Tour Plans
Jardine has lined up a series of U.S. tour dates this summer with his backing group, The Pet Sounds Band. The collective features his son Matt and various musicians who previously toured with Brian Wilson.
Al and the group will be performing Beach Boys classic, fan favorites, and deep cuts, as well as “a song or two” from the Islands in the Sun EP.
Jardine’s trek currently features eight dates, spanning from a July 4 concert in Lake, Minnesota, through a September 7 show in Concord, New Hampshire.
(Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
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