Several new reviews

[ArchStanton]

Here's a very subjective review published today:

http://www.glidemagazine.com/132584/brian-wilson-pier-pressure-album-review/

The only word I have for that review is: Brice.

It's all very Brice.

That reviewer has an interesting perspective--the stuff that sounds to him like Brian is too familiar, and the stuff that doesn't sound like what he expects from Brian is too far out there.

[Mikie]

Here's a very subjective review published today:

http://www.glidemagazine.com/132584/brian-wilson-pier-pressure-album-review/

The only word I have for that review is: Brice.

It's all very Brice.

That reviewer has an interesting perspective--the stuff that sounds to him like Brian is too familiar, and the stuff that doesn't sound like what he expects from Brian is too far out there.

Yeah, it's Brice, whatever the hell that is....

[puni puni]

Pitchfork: 5.6

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20367-brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure/

[Nicko1234]

A review from Belgium: 2.5/4

http://www.humo.be/cd-reviews/328605/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure

And another from Sweden: 2/5

http://www.ltz.se/noje/musik/skivrecension-brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure

From Holland: 2/5

http://www.parool.nl/parool/nl/14628/RECENSIES/article/detail/3947455/2015/04/09/Brian-Wilson-goes-dance-welke-gek-heeft-hem-dit-idee-aangepraat.dhtml

A generally positive review:

http://alibi.com/music/48906/Sonic-Reducer-Micro-reviews-of-Bashed-Out-Same-A.html

And one from Italy:

http://www.jamonline.it/recensioni-album/brian-wilson

Final conclusion:

`A decent album in my humble opinion, but not a masterpiece which lack some of the best flicks Brian Wilson, who will satisfy the romantics. Sweetness and nostalgia prevail, but it remains a disc out of time.`

[Nicko1234]

And a positive review:

http://17seconds.co.uk/blog/2015/04/08/album-review-brian-wilson/

[ArchStanton]

Pitchfork: 5.6

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20367-brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure/

It's not a bad review, but it starts off by claiming Brian is going to retire from music, which I do not believe I have heard anywhere. Touring, yes, it has been discussed as a possibility, but as for recording, no, not even close. Also ignores that Lucky Old Sun was a collaboration with a younger artist, as was Smile for that matter. Minor details, perhaps, but it grates when they get such easily verifiable facts wrong. Can critics be bothered to even read an artist's wiki page?

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

Here's the cheap version of writing a review of NPP and Brian Wilson when you really don't know or appreciate his music but you want to get paid:  Do a quick, distracted play-through, maybe not even listening to each whole song.  Go to Wikipedia for a brief history.  Google and scan for some recent comments.  You want to sound balanced, so you grab some positive and negative ideas others have posted.  I've had SS comments come up plenty of times when I've Googled for comments in the past, so no wonder some of this sounds familiar.  Put it in your own writing style - if you even have one.  Then you give it 3 stars so it's kind of in the middle, too - since you really don't understand crap about the music, or Brian and really aren't interested.

As a writer who has regular deadlines (not in the realm of music), I know that I can do lots of research (and since I'm obsessive, I do) and then give a lot of thought to the article (again, guilty), or I could do something quick and dirty and get paid the same - in fact it might even be better-received than something that requires actual thinking on the part of the reader.  Such is the irony of writing for the internet and putting any merit in most of these reviews.  Thank heavens for the Craigs, Rabs, Ontors, Rays, Angs and others who actually know the music and have something to offer commenting here and on Brian's community.  Otherwise, I'm a lot more interested in going out and hearing the public responding to my buying the record and commenting about Brian and the up-coming movie.  It's a lot more fun than reading hacks.

[Nicko1234]

Here's the cheap version of writing a review of NPP and Brian Wilson when you really don't know or appreciate his music but you want to get paid:  Do a quick, distracted play-through, maybe not even listening to each whole song.  Go to Wikipedia for a brief history.  Google and scan for some recent comments.  You want to sound balanced, so you grab some positive and negative ideas others have posted.  I've had SS comments come up plenty of times when I've Googled for comments in the past, so no wonder some of this sounds familiar.  Put it in your own writing style - if you even have one.  Then you give it 3 stars so it's kind of in the middle, too - since you really don't understand crap about the music, or Brian and really aren't interested.

As a writer who has regular deadlines (not in the realm of music), I know that I can do lots of research (and since I'm obsessive, I do) and then give a lot of thought to the article (again, guilty), or I could do something quick and dirty and get paid the same - in fact it might even be better-received than something that requires actual thinking on the part of the reader.  Such is the irony of writing for the internet and putting any merit in most of these reviews.  Thank heavens for the Craigs, Rabs, Ontors, Rays, Angs and others who actually know the music and have something to offer commenting here and on Brian's community.  Otherwise, I'm a lot more interested in going out and hearing the public responding to my buying the record and commenting about Brian and the up-coming movie.  It's a lot more fun than reading hacks.

Well, one of the main reasons I started this thread is because I can only think of 2 sensible attitudes towards media reviews.

I`m sure there are many people who don`t care about them at all and having them all in one place here makes it very easy for people to avoid them if they wish.

For anyone who is interested, I presume it is because they wish to see what opinions are like outside the hardcore fan-base.

Now one thing I genuinely don`t understand, with the greatest of respect, is those people who are interested enough to read the reviews but then question any or all that don`t correspond with their own opinion. Comments such as `they don`t get it` or `they didn`t listen to it for long enough` or `they are copying other people`s opinions` are daft.

The reviews that have been posted on this board doubtless average out at 3/5 which is hardly hideously negative. They have come from a dozen different countries and many different kinds of publications. If they broadly agree on certain points such as Joe Thomas`s cheesy production, too many guest stars, Runaway Dancer being dismal etc. it is because these people actually hold those opinions. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Nicko1234]

More reviews:

http://kdhx.org/music/reviews/album-review-brian-wilson-surfs-choppy-waters-on-no-pier-pressure

http://spectrumculture.com/music/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure/

[Larry Franz]

I decided not to read any reviews of the album (and still haven't -- not even the long reviews offered here), for the same reason I avoid reviews of a movie I'm really interested in. I'd like the initial experience to be as personal as possible.

But does anyone know how these reviews in the media are done? Do the reviewers choose what they want to review? Or are they randomly assigned? Do reviewers generally listen to albums several times or merely give their first impressions? I assume it varies from place to place, and reviewer to reviewer, but does anyone know how it usually works? Or is their any pattern to it at all?

[puni puni]

It's not a bad review, but it starts off by claiming Brian is going to retire from music, which I do not believe I have heard anywhere. Touring, yes, it has been discussed as a possibility, but as for recording, no, not even close.

The review links to where BW says he will retire from music.

[Nicko1234]

A couple of mixed but interesting reviews:

http://www.elsewhere.co.nz/music/6894/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure-universal/

http://rocknycliveandrecorded.com/brian-wilsons-no-pier-pressure-a-great-song-to-slow-down-to.html

And it seems it is currently predicted to start at 19 in the U.K. chart which would be very respectable.

[Nicko1234]

A pretty positive review: 6.5/10

http://theinscribermag.com/no-pier-pressure-album-review-brian-wilson-delivers-commendable-effort/

From Italy: 3/5

http://www.rockol.it/recensioni-musicali/dischi/5963/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure

[HeyJude]

I decided not to read any reviews of the album (and still haven't -- not even the long reviews offered here), for the same reason I avoid reviews of a movie I'm really interested in. I'd like the initial experience to be as personal as possible.

But does anyone know how these reviews in the media are done? Do the reviewers choose what they want to review? Or are they randomly assigned? Do reviewers generally listen to albums several times or merely give their first impressions? I assume it varies from place to place, and reviewer to reviewer, but does anyone know how it usually works? Or is their any pattern to it at all?

I somehow doubt these organizations monitor their reviewers and make sure they listen to the entire album. You never know what they have or haven't listened to, or how many times. I've mentioned this before, but DVD review websites are notoriously transparent in that some reviewers clearly aren't looking at all of the contents before they publish the review. You can even see some reviewers who use a clear template and just fill certain bits of info in.

It's harder to that with music reviews, since each album is pretty unique to itself. But I wouldn't find it hard to believe some reviewers have listened to the album once, or maybe even skipped forward to the next track early. I also *don't* think that just because a review is negative and doesn't mention every song it means they didn't listen to it enough. We would never know, other than a few total hack reviews with confirmable false information.

[Cam Mott]

I don't understand why anybody is going after anybody else over their opinions of something as subjective as musical taste. If people like it, that's legit. If people don't like it, that's legit. Jeez.

[Nicko1234]

More reviews for the completists:

ABC News: 3/5

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/brian-wilson-waxahatchee-blues-traveler-music-reviews/story?id=30235679

Renowned for Sound: 1.5/5

http://renownedforsound.com/index.php/review-brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure/

The afterword:

http://theafterword.co.uk/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure/

[RickD]

From the bloke who gave him 1.5

It’s a treat indeed to hear those angelic vocals again: Wilson sounds as good on the track as he did almost half a century ago on God Only Knows.


Maybe he really knows his stuff and is talking about the Brian version, but somehow i doubt it .....

[Nicko1234]

A stack of new reviews (apparently the Italian for Auto-tune is...Auto-tune   ):

3/5

http://www.thebrag.com/music/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure

Positive

http://artsfuse.org/126047/fuse-album-review-brian-wilson-the-ultimate-rock-roll-survivor/

Negative

http://www.saukvalley.com/2015/04/13/review-beach-boy-brian-wilson-falls-short-of-low-bar-on-no-pier-pressure-grade-d-plus/a3a8xlc/

Average

http://musicnerd.ca/review-brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure%E2%80%A8-capitol-universal-music-canada/

Average

http://www.svd.se/kultur/musik/wilson-skapar-annu-popmagi_4483659.svd

5.5/10

http://ondarock.it/recensioni/2015_brianwilson.htm

4/5

http://monkeybuzz.com.br/resenhas/albuns/14884/brian-wilson---no-pier-pressure/

[Nicko1234]

A discussion of the album on New Zealand radio starting at 9.00:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thesampler

6/10

http://sentireascoltare.com/recensioni/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure/

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

The public has spoken on another thread here, so I'll go with that.  Thanks.

[Nicko1234]

The public has spoken on another thread here, so I'll go with that.  Thanks.

 

You`ve already made it clear that you think 3 star reviews have been copied from this site anyway Debbie so very sensible.

I`m sure there are many people who couldn`t care less about reviews so easy for them to avoid this thread.

[Tab Lloyd]

I would like to hear comments and reviews from some of Brian's peers. I don't believe we have such an exclusive thread, but has anyone heard from other artists, especially Mr. Love? Just wondering....

[OGoldin]

I would like to hear comments and reviews from some of Brian's peers. I don't believe we have such an exclusive thread, but has anyone heard from other artists, especially Mr. Love? Just wondering....

The ever gracious Bruce wrote on "Beach Boys Britain":

"What a great way to preview Brian’s current solo album, "No Pier Pressure," via Soundcloud. I think the album has a very relaxed & gentle feeling….The ooo’s & aahh’s float in and out of the tracks very pleasantly. I enjoyed the guest lead vocals in addition to Brian’s. The occasional orchestral sections I heard were well written.
Overall, "No Pier Pressure" seems to be a very comfortable age appropriate recording from Brian with a most relaxing and friendly vibe. I’m sure I’ll hear the complete album front-to-back soon.

Good luck Brian!"

NPP reveals ever more wonders on each listening, but I for one hope that the rock and roll album will be a little less age appropriate.

[Nicko1234]

A bunch of new reviews over the past few days:

Very positive:

http://www.heraldstandard.com/entertainment/music/clints_music_review/music-review-brian-wilson---no-pier-pressure/article_e78cf3a1-b1a5-560d-95eb-1c953928337b.html

4/10

http://drownedinsound.com/releases/18750/reviews/4148905

1.5/5

http://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure

2/5

https://nowtoronto.com/music/album-reviews/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure/

dmcityview:

http://www.dmcityview.com/sound-check/2015/04/15/29641/

`Look, it’s another album full of guest singers. Wilson, at least, seems to get what decade it is and has invited along the likes of Zooey Deschanel, Kacey Musgraves and Nate Ruess, as well as some artists that could more adequately be described as the 72-year-old Wilson’s contemporaries, like Blondie Chaplin and Mark Isham. The result, however, is not as ambitious as Wilson obviously wants it to be, which is something of a leitmotif in Wilson’s career. The problem with “No Pier Pressure” rests mostly in Wilson’s selection of duet partners. Instead of taking Wilson’s music and doing anything with it, we get a series of milquetoast arrangements featuring people doing their level best to be as inoffensive and safe as possible. CV`

6.7/10

http://jenesaispop.com/2015/04/15/223442/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure/

1.5/5

http://rock-decibels.org/2015/04/16/brian-wilson-no-peer-pressure/

A French audio discussion: `Syrupy`

http://www.lemonde.fr/culture/video/2015/04/16/no-pier-pressure-de-brian-wilson-entre-tartignole-et-sirupeux_4613246_3246.html

[RickD]

From the bloke who gave him 1.5

It’s a treat indeed to hear those angelic vocals again: Wilson sounds as good on the track as he did almost half a century ago on God Only Knows.


Maybe he really knows his stuff and is talking about the Brian version, but somehow i doubt it .....

He's  changed his review. It  now says " You Still Believe In Me" after someone told him in the comments !