I have had a bad time at work recently and last Thursday was the worst. When I got home I put on the new Brian Wilson CD and it made me smile and happy again.

It may have got generally bad reviews but it get the thumbs up from me.

Bought it on Saturday and unfortunately I was disappointed with it as I felt they were going through the motions of trying to sound like The Beach Boys in their prime. But I will persevere as I'm a huge fan of Mr Wilson.

I think if I was in a good mood I would have said it was too nice and sickly sweet. But that's the thing about recorded music, it always stays the same but you have changed every time you listen to it.

It did make me think they were trying to recreate Pet Sound though...

I bought it the other day. Absolutely dire. Ok, slightly better than Getting In Over My Head, which was an atrocity, but those Van Dyke Parks interludes are horrific, and the rest sucks and swallows. Midnight's Another Day is great, but that's about it though. Funnily enough, I downloaded the demos before the album came out and they're much better than the album.

instant classic. played the hell out of it over the weekend. a very worthy successor to smile. 38 minutes, too - perfect length for us with attention deficit issues and stuff....

Wonderful album!

I have read more good reviews than bad ones. Rolling Stone, Spin, either Mojo or Uncut, USA Today, all gave it alt least 4 stars (or the equivilant).

I think with Brian these days you really have to be a fan to fully appreciate what he does. There are some quirks you just have to overlook. Musically, this is one of the most creative, melodic works I have heard. Some of the lyrics are cringe-worthy.

"Midnight's Another Day" ranks among his best, IMO.

Personally, I love the whole thing, but I am a hopeless fan!

Ross

It's a quick read some of it is okay. I wish Van Dyke Parks did the spoken parts not Brian; I'll give it a couple more listens then shelve it.

I absolutely love this album!!

Bought it last monday when it was released and have been playing it every day since then. It's true that some of the lyrics are dodgy, but it's full of wonderful melodies, some great musical ideas, and Brian is sounding good and happy.

Wonderful stuff...

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What's your favourite flavour?...........Cherry Red!!

The music and the harmonies are nice. Lyrics are terrible as noted. And Wilson's voice is shot ... he sounds like Fozzy Bear.

It just doesn't compare to the classics.

What does?

That's a great video with the sound turned down!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-09-09 13:43 by Elmo Lewis.

This album is the nicest new material I've heard from Brian Wilson since 1988. You can't ask him to top Pet Sounds any more than you can ask the Stones to top the big four.

Saw the Vh1 special the other day, damn near put me to sleep!

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Zack
This album is the nicest new material I've heard from Brian Wilson since 1988. You can't ask him to top Pet Sounds any more than you can ask the Stones to top the big four.

Of course not. No one in their right minds an expect that from him now. His 1988 solo debut is still, for me, the high water mark. Imagination had all of two good songs on it (She Says That She Needs Me and the title track), Getting In Over My Head was dire. Lucky Old Sun is an improvement on Getting In, in that that album had no good songs on it and Sun has one - Midnight's Another Day.

That's kind of harsh, Nick. I think this is a vast improvement over the last.

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Zack
That's kind of harsh, Nick. I think this is a vast improvement over the last.

You're possibly right, Zack. But I barely hear it. Brian spits those Van Dyke Parks interludes like he's in a hurry to go off and sing the insipid crap that follows. Mexican Girl is an absolute stinker.

If you thought Keith's brain was fried. Take a look and listen to this guy. He's been toast for ages. The new cd sounds horrid. I'd rather listen to Barney the dinosaur's greatest hits, which is what this cd sounds like, than this dinosaur's latest!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-09-10 19:25 by shadooby.

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shadooby
If you thought Keith's brain was fried. Take a look and listen to this guy. He's been toast for ages. The new cd sounds horrid. I'd rather listen to Barney the dinosaur's greatest hits, which is what this cd sounds like, than this dinosaur's latest!

mean people suck.

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shadooby
If you thought Keith's brain was fried. Take a look and listen to this guy. He's been toast for ages. The new cd sounds horrid. I'd rather listen to Barney the dinosaur's greatest hits, which is what this cd sounds like, than this dinosaur's latest!

This is bullshit. You are REALLY exaggerating. Brian still commands the studio.

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What's your favourite flavour?...........Cherry Red!!

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Mr Jimmy

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shadooby
If you thought Keith's brain was fried. Take a look and listen to this guy. He's been toast for ages. The new cd sounds horrid. I'd rather listen to Barney the dinosaur's greatest hits, which is what this cd sounds like, than this dinosaur's latest!

This is bullshit. You are REALLY exaggerating. Brian still commands the studio.

I was only kidding, actually when I first put it on it was around 11 pm and somehow without explanation the sun came out and the birds started singing in joyeous harmony...la da da dee dee dee da da, bum bum bum pa dee da da!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2008-09-11 22:16 by shadooby.

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shadooby

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Mr Jimmy

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shadooby
If you thought Keith's brain was fried. Take a look and listen to this guy. He's been toast for ages. The new cd sounds horrid. I'd rather listen to Barney the dinosaur's greatest hits, which is what this cd sounds like, than this dinosaur's latest!

This is bullshit. You are REALLY exaggerating. Brian still commands the studio.

I was only kidding, actually when I first put it on it was around 11 pm and somehow without explanation the sun came out and the birds started singing in joyeous harmony...la da da dee dee dee da da, bum bum bum pa dee da da!

Keep them jokes coming Shadooby...

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What's your favourite flavour?...........Cherry Red!!

Hey Mr Jimmy, you've just about convinced me.

I'm buying it tomorrow!

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LOGIE
Hey Mr Jimmy, you've just about convinced me.

I'm buying it tomorrow!

Atta boy...!!

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What's your favourite flavour?...........Cherry Red!!

Tour starts Monday. Anyone going?

I've seen the last two that featured Smile and Pet Sounds respectively. But I'm seeing Robyn Hitchcock on the night Brian Wilson's in DC.

Nice to see this thread come back round again !

I just got fired and I really need cheering up but I won't be returning to Lucky Old Sun. Relaxing to Gomez instead.

I'm still thinking about seeing him Wednesday in Ann Arbor, but I think if I really wanted to go I would have made plans already. I've seen him four times, twice at the Michigan Theatre, since he began doing solo concerts in 1999. I think maybe the novelty of seeing him in person has sort of worn off. He IS doing a CD signing earlier that day in a store across the street from the theatre. I'm not much of a memorabillia collector and rarely go to those kinds of things, but I've got a Smile concert poster that's still rolled up, gathering dust in a corner of the bedroom, exactly where I left it after bringing it home from the concert four years ago. I might consider getting it framed if it had an autograph on it .... plus, I've got a story I want to tell him.

Doesn't seem worth taking the day off from work without pay. But I know I'll regret it someday if I don't.

Seeing him tonight at the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor. As of yesterday morning when I bought the tickets, it appeared that only around half of the 1700 seats had been sold.

Just got back from meeting Brian at the CD signing. Good turnout. Somewhere between 100 and 150 people. Brian looked kinda tired and frowny by the time we were face to face, but I managed to get a Smile out of him. The lady behind me was impressed. "You got him to LOOK AT YOU". Apparently, that's a very rare accomplishment! LOL. Now that I think of it, he DID just kind of keep his head down the whole time, signing whatever was put in front of him. I also got interviewed (on camera) by the local classic rock station for their web site.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-08-21 17:35 by tatters.

I have only listened all the way thru once, but I liked it. Very sunny, 60's-esque of course, but it felt more honest than desperately nostalgic. Face it guys, this is the sound that Brian hears in his head, and has been since the 60's. Unlike the Stones, who are willing to adapt to the times more, Brian only makes one style of music. He's forever a tortured teenager. Good production, and MUCH better than the dire Gettin' In Over My Head. I do, however, still like SMiLE the most of all his solo work.