Brian Wilson - Brian Wilson (Dlx)
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Free Music Notes for Brian Wilson (Dlx)
Free Music Review: What you need tonight
Hit: 4 Stars
This, of course, was Brian Wilson's long awaited first solo album. It's a very good effort. Brian can't hit all the high notes he used to hit, but he is still an excellent singer. Good songs for the most part. His fans should enjoy it.Free Music Review: Very Positive Vibes
Hit: 3 Stars
"Love and Mercy" definitely is among the most upbeat, cheerful pop songs I've ever heard. Absolutely up there with Brian's Beach Boys "Wouldn't It Be Nice", although, like far too much of the cd, it's production is rather top-heavy and processed with too much reverb. Blame the late 80's trend in throwing everything, including the kitchen sink, in. Its not that the synthesizers sound bad(They actually enhance the melodies and add a richness in tone sometimes), its more in the way they were arranged which does give the album its overtly clinical sound, as does producing it entirely digitally. That may be ok nowadays(Though I'm still not so sure), recording in digital then quite often led to a noticeably electronic-soundstage lacking desirable warmth due to lower sampling rates. The other downside to this otherwise impressive collection is that Brian sounds as if he's singing on top of pre-programmed music. While this is most-certainly not always so, it does give the impression of a faceless band. One cannot say this about the organic band sound that the Beach Boys achieved at their best. Faceless is certainly not the word that I'd choose to describe Brian's singing here, however. Though its true that his voice betrays a certain uptightness, whatever rigitity the music may have is more than made up with the fantastically moving vocal harmonies, all Brian's, but you probably knew that. "One For The Boys", a dedication to the Beach Boys, is a beautiful, crystaline-clear multi-tracked wordless vocal showpiece. Brian harmonizing with himself. Lovely. Perhaps the most magical moment on the album is contained within "There's So Many", an excellent song I might add, when Brian's voice reaches an inspiring summit and an incredible, stacked harmonic vocal swirl rings out the lyrics, "Where planets are spinning around". Everything just sparkles here, both music and vocals. I would say that that segment is the emotional apex of the cd, similar in magic to Brian's ethereal "Solar System" chorus from The Love You album by the Beach Boys. The production and mix accorded to "There's So Many" is glorious and better suited to Brian's compositional style than over half of the other tracks. "Melt Away", a gorgeous work by any standard, also benifits from sumptuous vocal harmonies(all Brian's as on every song) and effective, ear candy production. I'm also impressed by "Let It Shine", as its production is the most "band-like" and the melody really suits Brian's voice. When was the last time he sang this good?His solo voice is really strong here. Really good Jeff Lynn song, it sounds like something Brian thought-up. What's there to say about Rio Grande that hasn't been already said by its admirers? Well, I'll say that I agree that it follows up on some of Brian's Smile ideas, namely the "Heroes and Villians" stuff, of course, and that it is the most ambitious thing of his to be released since either "Surf's Up"(itself from Smile origins) or "Good Vibrations"(just before Smile) depending on your point of view. "Rio Grande" may be made up of different musical sections, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't hang together as a whole. Its an extremely impressive and aurally adventurous mini-suite that does indeed somehow cohere without coming across as stitched-together song fragments. Brian's vocals here are again tops, he takes his vocal harmonies to a trully grand, cinematic territory here. So that's my review of this cd, and while I don't think it works track by track as nicely as his 1998 Imagination, it does probably contain more individual high points. Brian Wilson from 1988 features some of his best work since at least 1977. Brian's music can really pick me up and makes me feel better than probably any other artist out there.Free Music Review: Love & Mercy And Little Else
Hit: 3 Stars
Love & Mercy says it all. Brian "Genius" Wilson...Who else could have crafted such a breath taking beautiful song? Yes, Love & Mercy is as good as ANYTHING Brian ever wrote. No kidding...It is really on the same level as God Only Knows, Good Vibrations, Add Some Music To Your Day, Wouldn't It Be Nice and anything else you might consider as "top-shelf" from the enormous Brian Wilson catalog.
But what of the balance of the material contained herein? I'm afraid to say there is little else to get excited over. Let's Go To Heaven In My Car, Too Much Sugar, There's So Many....Man I wish I could offer some kind words for these dreadful songs. "I keep on pushing" Brian sings on Walkin' The Line and oh boy is he ever pushing. Brian's genius has always been his great songwriting and production. Perhaps he'd be better suited concentrating on these and give singing a rest.
Free Music Review: For completists only
Hit: 3 Stars
That Brian Wilson could make this record at all is a miracle, given his personal history. That fact led critics at the time to overrate the actual product. Yes, Love and Mercy is a classic - but it is the only song on this record that ranks with Brian Wilson's best. Most of the album is warmed-over, late era Beach Boys. Buy Pet Sounds. Buy California Girls. Buy Good Vibrations, perhaps the best box set ever. But don't buy this unless you've got everything else and feel the need to own even second-tier Brian Wilson.Free Music Review: maybe it should have stayed in the past?
Hit: 3 Stars
The sticker on the front of this CD likens it to Brian's best work with THE BEACH BOYS,but I'm not convinced.I found these songs kinda mediocre and sad,the exception is Rio Grande where the old Brian appears with GOOD production!Most of this CD has that crummy 80s produuction sheen and seriously hurts these songs.Wilson Phillips?