Brian Reimagines Gershwin

[absinthe_boy]

The entirety of Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin reeks of a newfound arrogance that lifts this Beach Boys aficionado's spirits. If there's one thing Wilson has lacked all along, it's the bull-headedness to trail his uniquely complex muse down the most mettle-testing of passages.

I do think that reviewer has a point. Brian seems to have regained confidence in his own talents and perhaps even grown a little arrogant....which gives him the ability to "do his thing" in the studio more effectively.

[LostArt]

Where did you guys buy your copies?

Anyone have trouble finding one?

I went to best buy, and couldn't find it.  Looked around for 10 minutes.  Didn't know what section to even look in, and they only have about 4 rows of cd's now anyways. 

EVENTUALLY, I used a kiosk computer which told me that they had a whopping 3 copies in stock on launch day at 11am.  So I went back to the pop/rock section, and noticed there were 5 shelves of "Charlie Wilson" albums. Now I'll admit Charlie Wilson is pretty friggin' cool, but I dont' know about 5 shelves.  Behind the top shelf, were the 3 Brian albums, along with a nice card that said "Brian Wilson".  So I moved Charlie down to the next row, (cramping his stylel a bit since now he only has 4 shelves of albums on display)... took 1 copy, and left the other two copies exposed so maybe somebody would see it and pick it up. 

This is so funny...I just posted almost the same thing over in the "Where Can I Buy.." thread, before reading this.

[Jim McShane]

I like the album generally, Brians singing is enjoyable. I'm not that keen on 'It ain't necessarily so' or 'Our love is here to stay' (reminds me of those terrible Rod Stewart standards albums). The Brian 'trademarks' get a little overdone - clarinets etc (which i'm sure weren't used that much in the 'classic' days), but overall it's okay, thankfully light on the hideous twangy 'surf' guitars which are all over some of his other recent solo work.

If you are familiar with the opening few bars of "Rhapsody In Blue" you know the clarinet is the featured instrument - and the clarinet is used a lot in Rhapsody...

In fact, the clarinet solo opening is one of the most famous musical passages around.

[Ron]

Yeah, and i'm not well versed in Gershwin, but the clarinet bit that keeps repeating through the album actually IS Rhapsody in Blue, isn't it?  It's not a new melody... so each time it does it, I don't think that's Brian being Brian, I think he's playing up the Rhapsody theme. 

[The Heartical Don]

allmusic chimes in with a review from John Bush [at least it's not Stephen Thomas Erlewine!]. There's no score yet and although the review is positive I'm sure it'll get some weird numerical value when it finally does get a star rating!

During his five decades of music-making, Brian Wilson has added countless songs to the canon of great American pop music, but he hasn't recorded many by other composers. Still, his affection for the work of George Gershwin is long, and quite evident from this tribute album. In it, Wilson presents 11 classics from Gershwin's pen, and received the blessing of the Gershwin  estate to finish two incomplete songs, "The Like in I Love You" and "Nothing But Love." As usual, Wilson's musical instincts are impeccable, and with a full orchestra lending additional weight to these songs, it's easily the best production on a Brian Wilson record since 2004's SMiLE. (It doesn't hurt that the lyrics as well as the music are tried and true; most of Wilson's solo output, and much of the Beach Boys' after 1967, has suffered from trite or tone-deaf lyrics.) Wilson is also in fine voice for his age, finding the pathos in "Summertime" and "It Ain't Necessarily So" during a four-song medley, and even multi-tracking his vocals for the first time on the opener, a nearly a cappella version of "Rhapsody in Blue." "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'" is done up, as an instrumental, in full Pet Sounds  splendor (complete with bass harmonica), while "I Got Rhythm" is neatly transformed into an uptempo nugget to rank with "Surfin' U.S.A." or "Little Honda." Wilson's normal studio group is augmented here with an orchestra (the arrangements and orchestrations are by Wilson and Paul Von Mertens), and they stay to the background except when needed -- just one of the many fine touches to the entire production here. Granted, Wilson's bouncy take on "They Can't Take That Away from Me" is never going to compete with Ella Fitzgerald's (or even Julie London's), and "'S Wonderful" is nearly blanded out into easy listening oblivion, but nearly everything else here is loving, sincere, and worthy of hearing by fans of the Beach Boys or Broadway.

I found the review kind of boring since it doesn't really say much about the arrangements or the singing. Just that they're both well done -- I mean, yeah, that's great to hear but... duh?

It's got 4 stars. Which is nice.

[Runaways]

where'd you see the 4 stars

[buddhahat]

allmusic chimes in with a review from John Bush [at least it's not Stephen Thomas Erlewine!]. There's no score yet and although the review is positive I'm sure it'll get some weird numerical value when it finally does get a star rating!

During his five decades of music-making, Brian Wilson has added countless songs to the canon of great American pop music, but he hasn't recorded many by other composers. Still, his affection for the work of George Gershwin is long, and quite evident from this tribute album. In it, Wilson presents 11 classics from Gershwin's pen, and received the blessing of the Gershwin  estate to finish two incomplete songs, "The Like in I Love You" and "Nothing But Love." As usual, Wilson's musical instincts are impeccable, and with a full orchestra lending additional weight to these songs, it's easily the best production on a Brian Wilson record since 2004's SMiLE. (It doesn't hurt that the lyrics as well as the music are tried and true; most of Wilson's solo output, and much of the Beach Boys' after 1967, has suffered from trite or tone-deaf lyrics.) Wilson is also in fine voice for his age, finding the pathos in "Summertime" and "It Ain't Necessarily So" during a four-song medley, and even multi-tracking his vocals for the first time on the opener, a nearly a cappella version of "Rhapsody in Blue." "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'" is done up, as an instrumental, in full Pet Sounds  splendor (complete with bass harmonica), while "I Got Rhythm" is neatly transformed into an uptempo nugget to rank with "Surfin' U.S.A." or "Little Honda." Wilson's normal studio group is augmented here with an orchestra (the arrangements and orchestrations are by Wilson and Paul Von Mertens), and they stay to the background except when needed -- just one of the many fine touches to the entire production here. Granted, Wilson's bouncy take on "They Can't Take That Away from Me" is never going to compete with Ella Fitzgerald's (or even Julie London's), and "'S Wonderful" is nearly blanded out into easy listening oblivion, but nearly everything else here is loving, sincere, and worthy of hearing by fans of the Beach Boys or Broadway.

I found the review kind of boring since it doesn't really say much about the arrangements or the singing. Just that they're both well done -- I mean, yeah, that's great to hear but... duh?

It's got 4 stars. Which is nice.

That is good news from All Music. Let's hope there are a few more like this. Metacritic currently has BWRG at 73 (although only based on 9 reviews).

[Menace Wilson]

The Love You thread has me listening for synth on the Gershwin album.  There actually appears to be some. 

"Plenty O' Nothin" has a synth in the descending turnaround parts
"They Can't Take That Away From Me" sounds like it has a synth in the "we may never never meet again" sections

That's all I've got so far.

Another misc. observation: I can hear some Martin Denny influence on this stuff, especially the way the theremin is used.  Reminds me very much of the whistled part in "The Enchanted Sea" at times.

[nobody is a chode]

The Love You thread has me listening for synth on the Gershwin album.  There actually appears to be some. 

"Plenty O' Nothin" has a synth in the descending turnaround parts
"They Can't Take That Away From Me" sounds like it has a synth in the "we may never never meet again" sections

That's all I've got so far.

Another misc. observation: I can hear some Martin Denny influence on this stuff, especially the way the theremin is used.  Reminds me very much of the whistled part in "The Enchanted Sea" at times.

Apparently Darian played the synths. That's why I say - if Brian considers my idea (firing the band) seriously, maybe he should consider letting Darian hang around. Kid's got potential. Lol, kid. How old is he? 40? That afro makes him look young.

[Curtis Leon]

I finally got my copy! Had to run all the way down to my not-so-local Barnes and Noble, but I got it! Feels good to have an actual, physical copy of the CD.

Odd thing happened, too. While I was on my way hope, at the stop light, lo and behold, a deuce coupe pulled up right next to me, painted blue. I couldn't help but sing the song in my head.

[Andrew G. Doe]

The Love You thread has me listening for synth on the Gershwin album.  There actually appears to be some. 

"Plenty O' Nothin" has a synth in the descending turnaround parts
"They Can't Take That Away From Me" sounds like it has a synth in the "we may never never meet again" sections

Darian plays Moog in "Nuttin'",, but no synth in "TCTTAFM".

[hypehat]

Really? What's that I can hear in the left channel during the bridge?

[matt-zeus]

I like the album generally, Brians singing is enjoyable. I'm not that keen on 'It ain't necessarily so' or 'Our love is here to stay' (reminds me of those terrible Rod Stewart standards albums). The Brian 'trademarks' get a little overdone - clarinets etc (which i'm sure weren't used that much in the 'classic' days), but overall it's okay, thankfully light on the hideous twangy 'surf' guitars which are all over some of his other recent solo work.

If you are familiar with the opening few bars of "Rhapsody In Blue" you know the clarinet is the featured instrument - and the clarinet is used a lot in Rhapsody...

In fact, the clarinet solo opening is one of the most famous musical passages around.

I wasn't talking about the clarinet in Gershwins music, I was talking about the clarinet in the Beach Boys/Brians music (Hence my reference to 'Brian trademarks'). Obviously I know it's prominent in RIB, my point was rather the (over) use (?) of these instruments (not singling out clarinet in particular but just the general instrumentation - bass harmonica, twangy surf guitars etc etc) on recent Brian albums to indicate a flavour of his 'classic' or '60's sound when in actual fact they weren't used that commonly in the first place (aside from surf guitar obviously!). I think the term 'Wilsoniser' has been used....

[buddhahat]

Really? What's that I can hear in the left channel during the bridge?

Not listening right now but from memory are you referring to the what sounds like a harpsichord?

[Yorick]

There is definitely a moog in TCTTAFM, but it really is what we call earcandy. It's so hidden in fact, that they've forgotten to put the instrument in the album credits!

[rab2591]

Speaking of Moogs, is there one in 'I Got Plenty O Nothin''? Listen at 1:27 - 1:31 (with headphones on) in the left speaker. There is definitely something electric/synth in that part....

[rab2591]

Speaking of Moogs, is there one in 'I Got Plenty O Nothin''? Listen at 1:27 - 1:31 (with headphones on) in the left speaker. There is definitely something electric/synth in that part....

Nevermind, just saw AGD's post above...

[nobody is a chode]

Really? What's that I can hear in the left channel during the bridge?

Not listening right now but from memory are you referring to the what sounds like a harpsichord?

That's no harpsichord. Not even a BWPS "Harpsichord". 

[Wrightfan]

After listening to this album a few times, I'm convinced this is Brian's best work in a LOOOOOOOONG time. Track by track:
1. Rhapsody in Blue-Nice start to the album. The "wall o' Brians" is an interesting touch.
2. The Like in I Love You-Still one of my favs on the album. I must've played this song about 10 times in the first 24 hours after I heard the preview.
3. Summertime-Another amazing arrangement. Love the guitars and the strings at the beginning and also the tag at the end.
4. I Loves You, Porgy-Another great arrangement.
5. I Got Plenty o' nuthin'-Not a bad instrumental. I get a Good Vibrations feel. Not one of my favs though.
6. It ain't Necessarily So-Possibly my favorite on the album. The middle eight...that's all I have to say.
7. 'S Wonderful-Nice Bossa Nova feel here. Soothing.
8. They Can't Take that Away from me-Love the response backing vox. For some reason, I think this could've been better but I can't think of why.
9. Love is here to stay-Kinda boring in my opinion.
10. I've got a Crush on You-Sounds like a 50's ballad. Interesting arrangement.
11. I Got Rhythm-Meh, not a fan of this.
12. Someone to Watch Over Me-One of Brian's best vocals in quite awhile.
13. Nothing but Love-Not bad. Don't like it as some here do but it's good.
14. Rhapsody in Blue (reprise)-Nice reprise but I think the album could've ended a bit stronger.

[Dave in KC]

Just jumped on here having not read much of anything from recent posts related to BWRG. A couple of things jumped out at me. 1) When I first heard Orange Crate Art, I said I want more. It came back with The Waltz. Now this. I absolutely love this. My dear Brian Wilson, whatever makes you tick is simply wonderful. You HAVE IT! Big-Time. I'm simply amazed, but not surprised. 2) After the first listen, my wife was smiling and that's all I needed to seal the deal.
God Bless Brian Wilson.

[?]

I'm still not fully ready to get into my thoughts on this album.  I love it but I'm not ready to talk about it for the most part (though I'm getting there).  It's almost too heavy to digest at once, you know?

I do really enjoy reading everyone's favorite/least favorite songs since many seem to differ from my own.  Right now, I'm really high on the four Porgy and Bess tracks and They Can't Take That Away From Me.  Brilliant.  On the other hand, I don't like S'Wonderful at all and the itunes Let's Call the Whole Thing Off doesn't work for me either.  I like the latter's backing track but I can't get into the vocals.  An instrumental version would have been fun.

I'll write more later.  Many more listens are in order!

[Emdeeh]

There's definitely some promotion goin' on -- I just heard BWRG thanked as a sponsor on NPR, also saw an ad for BWRG twice during the same program on a cable channel last night.

[Shady]

Means nothing if copies aren't in stores

[Runaways]

i was more surprised at the complete lack of beach boys at the best buy i went to.  they didn't even have a name card. just one copy of pet sounds

[rab2591]

i was more surprised at the complete lack of beach boys at the best buy i went to.  they didn't even have a name card. just one copy of pet sounds

At least yours has a copy of Pet Sounds! Ours has 5 of the 'Sounds of Summer' albums and that's it....and as with yours, no nametag.

Glance a foot over and you see the Beatles section swamped with albums.