BRITAIN: Pop Music Stars Perform Beach Boys Classic God Only Knows

With a cast of new performers, the BBC has restaged its 1997 star-studded take on the Beach Boys classic, God Only Knows. Via the Guardian:

As in 1997, the BBC has succeeded in gathering together a fairly staggering array of stars. Joining Brian Wilson, the song’s writer, are Sir Elton John, One Direction, Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams. Jake Bugg, Lorde, Emeli Sandé, Chris Martin, Kylie Minogue, Paloma Faith, Sam Smith, Florence Welch, Chrissie Hynde, Brian May, Dave Grohl, Alison Balsom, Martin James Bartlett, Danielle de Niese, Nicola Benedetti, Eliza Carthy, Baaba Maal, Jamie Cullum, Jaz Dhami, as well as the BBC’s Zane Lowe, Lauren Laverne, Katie Derham, Gareth Malone and Jools Holland. They are joined by the Tees Valley Youth Choir and the BBC Concert Orchestra. Sir Elton John is the only survivor from Perfect Day. The song is accompanied by a lavish video filmed at the disused Alexandra Palace Theatre in London, which hosted the first BBC broadcast more than 90 years ago.

(Tipped by JMG reader Chris)

Chrissie Hynde - Dark Sunglasses

The Wall Street Journal has a review of her coming first solo album, which is due next week:

The album opens with "You or No One," styled after the 1960s' Wall of Sound, and closes with "Adding the Blue," a moving ballad driven by an acoustic guitar played by Joakim Åhlund, who co-wrote the song with Ms. Hynde. With its taunting lyrics, "Dark Sunglasses" has the bite of some of her previous work, and if "Down the Wrong Way" sounds like Ms. Hynde is fronting Crazy Horse, that's because Neil Young is wailing away on electric guitar. The chilling ballad "Tourniquet (Cynthia Ann)" finds Ms. Hynde's voice floating above a nylon-stringed guitar, celesta and organ, all played by Mr. Yttling. John Eriksson—the John in Peter Bjorn and John—provides the punch on drums in "Like in the Movies." Ms. Hynde's longtime fans, who surely will be pleased with "Stockholm," will recall that she's previously portrayed herself in song as a tough woman who would bend for the right kind of love.

Chrissie Hynde - Dark Sunglasses

From her debut solo album coming in June.