LOS: The Last Great Brian Wilson Record

[donald]

This holds up like nothing else since Love You.  I can't imagine this being topped.  Even Brian's narratives hold up to repeated listenings.  This was the Home Run for the Brian Wilson Band.  Even the "lesser" cuts grow on repeated listenings. 

I'll certainly groove on what is to come this year or next but LOS will stand as the last great.  And I suspect it will grow in recognition and appreciation.

This is certainly the masterpiece of the Brian Wilson Band.

I respectfully welcome your comments.

[puni puni]

Nah

[donald]

Nah

Que?

[Magic Transistor Radio]

The production of the Gershwin album was just as good. Although, not original music.

I think Brian's vocals on these two albums are the best of his solo albums.

[puni puni]

Nah

Que?

You can't top Love You

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Nah

Que?

You can't top Love You

I don't think he said it did top Love You.

[rogerlancelot]

I think that most of us here can agree that Love You tops 15 Big Ones. But if you don't, can you tell us all why?

[puni puni]

I don't think he said it did top Love You.

It doesn't hold up anywhere near as well as Love You!

[donald]

I said "This holds up like nothing since Love You". .   Meaning;    Best since not necessarily better.

[Shady]

What a great album...

"Can't Wait Too Long"
"Midnight’s Another Day"
"That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)"
"Going Home"
"Southern California"

What an ending..

Also, Oh Mi Amor is just brilliant, should of been on the album

[puni puni]

I said "This holds up like nothing since Love You". .   Meaning;    Best since not necessarily better.

Right

BW '88 is better than TLoS, though.

[Jeff]

I said "This holds up like nothing since Love You". .   Meaning;    Best since not necessarily better.

Right

BW '88 is better than TLoS, though.

Yep.

[ghost]

Well Donald brother dearest I have placed my faith in you and chosen That Lucky Old Sun for the stoned album of the evening. My previous thoughts have always been: That Sucky Old Sun, as they sing in the first song. Just kidding, there's some cool songs on this album. It's almost bizarre. Brian is this old man really but TLOS is a youthful sounding recording. And no one in his band are particularly youthful anymore either. Morning Beat is overlooked but it has a very cool groove. There's a lot of parts to all these songs. I guess that was always my major impression of That Lucky Old Sun - it felt very 'complete' with lots of new Brian Wilson interesting musical things like the bridge to Morning Beat. The 60s Brian is there, but also the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s - dig? So it bears resemblance yet is not the same at all. The album sound quality is a little too loud for my tastes. Seems like it would play better if it was not pushed so loud. And yes Donald, I agree, that the interludes and narratives do hold up over time in a strange typically Beach Boys goofy way. Good Kind Of Love became a favorite of mine as soon as I heard it. I mean, when the keyboards come in, it just makes you adore Brian. I mean, whether he played that part or not - it's stylistically BW. It's a celebration of that lucky old son, Brian Wilson.

Forever She'll Be My Jewish Girl is a great song. If Brian did this in 1971 and it was unreleased you guys would be shitting yourself daily over it on this board. The bassline reminds me of Sloop John B how Brian played it live in 1976 on television. And I love his voice on it too. He sounds great. He has a kind of weird drawl sometimes, but mostly his voice is still very sweet. He still has Brian Wilson purity in his entire mode of being. I usually think of this song as being about Marilyn. I mean I guess it has other meanings. But I like to romanticize and in my mind Brian misses all those nights laying in bed with Marilyn. That leaves a deep impression on the mind. He told Melinda it was for her, of course. Like any wise husband [slave].

Can we all agree that Brian's new music is more substantial than Paul Mccartney's? No offense to Paul since I know he reads this board but Brian's music lasts a long time in the brain. Paul's seems to pass right by me. Live Let Live. Sounds like some kind of ordinary song- but then Brian is whirling you through Wonderland in chord changes. We marvel over This Whole World but not these songs? They are just as cool. Brian has a strong Van Dyke Park element going on here. Did they collaborate on this album? Besides the narratives? I thought the songs were Brian (music/melodies) and scott bennet (words) -- is this correct?

[37!ws]

My thoughts:

When I first heard Brian sing "I Wanna Be Around," I thought it was PERFECT for his voice, and he sounded great on it.

And I also thought the suite style was exactly the kind of stuff he should produce.

That Lucky Old Sun has both....the title track, albeit, is the only one with the "crooner"/gospel voice, but there were suites...

And one thing I absolutely love about BWRG (actually one of my favorite Brian albums -- tied for second, actually, with TLOS after Smile) is that there's plenty of that -- "Summertime," "I Loves You, Porgy," "It Ain't Necessarily So," "'Swonderful"....Brian sounds great on that, and he sounded even better in concert on those tunes...

TLOS is probably the last great Brian album...so far. You never know what else he has up his sleeve.

[Chris Brown]

I could do without the narratives, but otherwise I think this is the second-best original solo work Brian has done, behind BW88.  Easily the best involving his band.  If I'm in need of a "go-to" Brian Wilson album, it's almost always this is BW88.  Ghost you hit the nail on the head - it's a youthful recording sung by a pretty old dude, and he pulls it off wonderfully.  At the same time though, the more introspective cuts ("Midnight's Another Day" and "Southern California" specifically) suit his current voice so well, and that makes them even more stunning to hear.

As much as I love it, I almost wish they'd left off "Can't Wait Too Long."  It doesn't fit with the rest of the album - it's almost like you're momentarily sucked into a time capsule, and amongst Brian's new compositions, you go back in time and get a glimpse of just how gifted this guy really was.  Come to think of it, maybe that was the idea.

[Awesoman]

I could do without the narratives, but otherwise I think this is the second-best original solo work Brian has done, behind BW88.  Easily the best involving his band.  If I'm in need of a "go-to" Brian Wilson album, it's almost always this is BW88.  Ghost you hit the nail on the head - it's a youthful recording sung by a pretty old dude, and he pulls it off wonderfully.  At the same time though, the more introspective cuts ("Midnight's Another Day" and "Southern California" specifically) suit his current voice so well, and that makes them even more stunning to hear.

As much as I love it, I almost wish they'd left off "Can't Wait Too Long."  It doesn't fit with the rest of the album - it's almost like you're momentarily sucked into a time capsule, and amongst Brian's new compositions, you go back in time and get a glimpse of just how gifted this guy really was.  Come to think of it, maybe that was the idea.

I agree that That Lucky Old Sun could have done without the narratives.  They were borderline-ridiculous.  And I was hoping for more with "Can't Wait Too Long".  It seemed more like a tease more than anything else.  But this is still a pretty good album.  Brian Wilson, his debut solo album, is good too but the production hasn't aged well.  "Rio Grande" is still pretty impressive though.

[SMiLE Brian]

I guess I still need to buy this album, I have been distracted by the SMiLE sessions hoopla.

[aerolls]

You Sold Me! I will own LOS manana!

Thank You!

Adrian

[Wylson]

It's definitely worth owning, a very good album. But there are a few  things that limit my enjoyment
- Scott B's clunky lyrics. "if there's a roll in your heart and a rock in your soul...". Come back mike love all is forgiven. Good kind of love is fantastic for the bw lyrics
- the theme, although in some ways holds it together, I think distorts some of the songs. Did oxygen to the brain have to be about being 'ready set in california'? Feels a bit forced
- it's so over produced. Th schmaltzy orchestral overdubs, feels at times as if youre listening to the soundtrack of the muppet Christmas Carol

Still, a v fine latter day bw effort, for all it's faults

[Loaf]

BWRG is the most mature, best-produced BW solo album, and also contains the best songs overall.

TLOS has some good moments, but it's too plastic for my liking. And there are some awful moments too.

[homeontherange]

A very good album, but I still think "Brian Wilson" is his best solo album. Walk walk walk - I keep on walkin the line - dudududuudu

[Jay]

In my opinion, Brian Wilson should be remembered for three major works. Pet Sounds, SMiLE, and That Lucky Old Sun.

[buddhahat]

Can we all agree that Brian's new music is more substantial than Paul Mccartney's? No offense to Paul since I know he reads this board but Brian's music lasts a long time in the brain. Paul's seems to pass right by me. Live Let Live. Sounds like some kind of ordinary song- but then Brian is whirling you through Wonderland in chord changes. We marvel over This Whole World but not these songs? They are just as cool. Brian has a strong Van Dyke Park element going on here. Did they collaborate on this album? Besides the narratives? I thought the songs were Brian (music/melodies) and scott bennet (words) -- is this correct?

I enjoyed your post, but can't agree with your last point. I used to think latter day brian had more going on than Paul but a cursory listen to Chaos & Creation proves Paul is far more in touch with his younger self than Brian imo.

Brian can still do it, and knock out great tunes on a par with possibly his 88 material. I think Midnight's Another day, Southern California, Message Man (best thing Brian has done in 20 years), Christmassey & Nothing But Love all show signs of his brilliance but I think he needs  a lot of help to get this stuff out there, and ultimately I think Paul is consistently better these days.

I like TLOS but there are too many songs that I have to make an effort to like, and that seem to lack the soul, and the heart melting or uplifting moments of Brian's best stuff. Side 2 is pretty cool though.

[Andreas]

The narratives have grown a lot for me, and VDP's lyrics are as sharp as ever. The weakest point of the album are Scott's lyrics and I always try to ignore them and concentrate on the good production and the great melodies instead. But in some cases (Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl, that Mexican song) it doesn't work and I'll skip those.

At one point I should write a review only about the narratives. They are musically very interesting and more subtle than almost everything else on the album. I love Midnight's Another Day, Morning Beat, Oxygen To The Brain, Going Home and Southern California minus the lyrics. Overall it rivals BWPS and BW'88 as his best effort since Love You.

My ranking of BW solo albums:
1. BWPS
2. BW'88
3. TLOS
[huge gap]
4. Sweet Insanity
5. Wilson-Paley recordings
[gap]
6. BWRG
7. GIOMH
8. WIRWFC
9. IJWMFTT
[gap]
10. Imagination

[Amy B.]

I'd say that the Gershwin album was great as well...but if you're just counting original material, I'll agree with you. TLOS is a great album, even though it was ignored by the general public and the Grammy people. Maybe when Brian is gone, people will discover his solo stuff and more obscure BB songs, but for now, we know there are many hidden gems to enjoy. You could easily create a "best of Brian" solo compilation and it would be filled with top-notch, don't-miss songs.

 I just hope he has some more bursts of creativity, whether he chooses to make more albums or not. He sounded almost sad in that Canadian TV interview when he admitted his dry spell has lasted for 5 years.