The Song Whats Stuck In Mark's Head-"Proto Pretty" by the Wondermints aka Mark get's LIED TO by the Internets!

If you are a follower or casual observer of the BrianWilson saga, you probably know of the role that LA's Wondermint's have played in his creative renaissance. The main members of the Wondermint's according to what Al Franken would call the "prestigious" Internet are Darian Sahanja (Keyboards), Nick Walusko aka Nicky Wonder (guitar) and Mike D'Amico (Percussion). At various times they have been joined by Brian Kassan on bass, David Nolte on bass and the multi-talented Probyn Gregory on whatever needs playing. They came to Brian's attention while playing in Southern California clubs where they would pull off  a showcase like replicating difficult-to-play live material like the Beach Boy's Pet Sounds. Brian famously offered up a blurb for one of their albums along the lines of "If the Wondermint's had been my backup band then I would have finished "Smile" and toured behind it" or words to that effect. Life would soon imitate art as they became the core of BW's crack backing band, helping him finish "Smile" and touring behind it.

"Proto Pretty" was a vinyl single released in the 90's way before all of the Brian Wilson focused attention.  It may be their earliest release, but I can't be sure of that. Google the name Wondermints and you get a skimpy Wikipedia entry and a lot of Brian Wilson articles but relatively little on the band itself. "Proto Pretty" jangles nicely, has hooky 70's type vocals, trademark Wondermint's harmonies, and lyrics that...well, I'm not quite sure what they mean. But they feel good. Here is a live version below with another LA Power pop recording Artist Robbie Rist who played Cousin Oliver on the Brady Bunch (and who writes about pop music ten times better than I do...I'm not kidding about this. Google him!).

This tune was available on the long out-of-print Rhino "Poptopia" collections. If there has been one downside to the Wondermint's association with Brian Wilson (and their presence on last year's phenomenal Beach Boys tour) it is that it has kept them out of the recording studio. Their releases have been favorites around Casa De Chadwick but there has been, as far as I am aware, no new Wondermints music as such since 2002's "Mind If We Make Love To You" which is probably in a used bin in a record store near you. Pick it up if you see it. Rarer still is their "Bali" covers collection which I had to pay mucho yen for as a Japanese Import.

Sadly the generally worthy Spotify has only one Wondermints tune for your listening pleasure, a 2007 track (thus contradicting an earlier sentence in this essay-damn Internet) from a tribute to Os Mutantes, a band from South America which is a story for another day! I threw that tune up on the Chadwick's Listening Room playlist for your listening pleasure!

So, horror of horror's, the tune that the Internet, specifically the You Tube neighborhood of the Internet calls "Proto-Pretty" is actually a live take of the Wondermint's doing the Roy Wood Christmas classic, "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" which is a damn fine song but out-of-season. So, once again, as in the case of the REAL LIVE GIRLS waiting to meet you NOW,  and the bogus Boner Pill come-ons, the Internet has proven to be a liar. So here are the Wondermints doing the extremely worth "Tracy Hide" which is another Wondermints favorite, also not on Spotify!

Listen to this nice little tune then enjoy the rest of your Sunday! Walking Dead is on in a little over two hours!