Brian Reimagines Gershwin

[b00ts]

I am decidedly not a fan of autotune - I am a singer who has never used it on my own voice, but I can hear it in a second when it is used, even tastefully as on BWPS. I don't hear autotune on this album, except for on "The Like in I Love You" but I could be mistaken anyhow.

No autotune on this album, I'm told - if there is it was added during the 2nd mix.

I agree.  The more I listen to "The Like I Love in You," the more I believe it's Nick's lead guitar doubling Brian's lead note-for-note on the verses, instead of Autotune.  Listen to the guitar solo in the instrumental break -- doesn't that sound like what we're hearing behind Brian's voice on the verses?.

In the "Imagination" DVD, Jimmy Buffet refers to discovering one of Brian's "secrets" in the vocal session for "South American."  It was assumed de facto that he was referring to Brian double-tracking or triple-tracking his lead vocal, but I always thought that was too obvious -- I think the secret was doubling the lead vocal with an instrument mixed very low.

Lee

Very interesting, Lee! I think you may be onto something. I will have to listen to TLIILY with fresh ears.

I must say that this album is supremely impressive. The opening and closing Rhapsody snippets leading in and out of the new songs, respectively, give the album a cohesive feel. My favorite tracks are:

- Someone to watch over me
- They can't take that away from me
- It ain't necessarily so
- The Like in I love you
- Nothing but love (vintage solo Brian, as someone else so aptly pointed out above)
- I got plenty of nuttin' - I LOVE the strings in this one, and the accompanying horns when the mood changes. Was this always planned as an instrumental? Also, is there synthesizer in this song, or is it Jew's harp or something similar?

In terms of production and arrangement, this is the closest we've gotten to Pet Sounds since 1966. Truly inspired stuff. I hear quotations in the arrangements from Brian Wilson 1988 ("There's so Many), Brian Wilson Presents Smile ("Long, long ago, long ago" from On a Holiday and "The Old Master Painter"), and some more recent/obscure Brian albums. I suppose there's enough of those musical quotations to start up another thread regarding this album.

Now if only Joe Thomas had produced this! Damn it, another lost opportunity for Brian. Jesus, I can't believe how well he croons "It ain't necessarily so." Amazing. He said in the "Ron and Fez" interview that this song is unsettling to him due to its uncertainty, and he does a good job of conveying that feeling!

Any chance the Disney album will be this well put together?

[Ron]

Lee, that is interesting.  He could use a lead guitar to 'voice lead' the vocals.  That's kinda brilliant.

As for the Buffett revelation, Brian's probably got all kinds of genius tricks up his sleeve, so it doesn't necessarily have to be this one. 

Didn't Linda Rhondstat (or somebody) say that they worked with Brian on a song, and it was a slow ballad, but when he figured the harmonies out on piano, he was playing a completely different fast Rock & Roll shuffle... but yet they worked perfectly in the ballad? 

Probably anybody that works with him in the studio comes away a bit awed.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Everyone notice the "Goin' On" quote?

Is that right after Nothing But Love? It made me think of the ascending vocal part in Heroes, but I guess they are very similar.

"Our Prayer" ?

[Andrew G. Doe]

... and erotic shots of Margaret Thatcher. (don't tell anyone about the last part, though. It's a secret).

FFS, I'm having my breakfast dude !!!

[Andrew G. Doe]

Lee, that is interesting.  He could use a lead guitar to 'voice lead' the vocals.  That's kinda brilliant.

As for the Buffett revelation, Brian's probably got all kinds of genius tricks up his sleeve, so it doesn't necessarily have to be this one. 

Didn't Linda Rhondstat (or somebody) say that they worked with Brian on a song, and it was a slow ballad, but when he figured the harmonies out on piano, he was playing a completely different fast Rock & Roll shuffle... but yet they worked perfectly in the ballad? 

Probably anybody that works with him in the studio comes away a bit awed.

The LR thing came from his bv session on "Adios" - he was having problems coming up with an arrangement, went to the piano, played a thunderous boogie for maybe ten minutes, walked back into the booth, yelled at the engineer "gimme eight tracks !" and had the thing wrapped in maybe 40 minutes. Linda said it was one of the most amazing things she'd seen in a studio.

[The Heartical Don]

's Funny -

I haven't heard anything of the album except for a snippet of TLIILY. Which I really love. I think, from all the opinions posted here, that we could have a real grower of an album here, which in my book would mean: something akin to 'Friends', or 'Love You'. With these, the first listening sessions made me wonder. I could not foresee whether I would play them a couple of times only, or really over the years. Of course, the second option came true.

My appetite is really whetted. But I exercise restraint. I want to do it the good old way: buy it  on the day it's in my shop, take it home, wait until evening time, open a nice can of beer, put my headphones on, and let it wash over me (the album, I mean).

[phirnis]

Only listened to "Nothing But Love" and "TLIILY" so far.

I'm going to say something bordering on sacrilege; "Nothing But Love" really reminds me of the GIOMH album - in a good way, that is. To my ears it doesn't sound like the Beach Boys. Instead it sounds like BW's solo records of the '00s should have sounded. In a way I think it's similar to some of GIOMH's more relaxed love songs, such as "You've Touched Me".

[buddhahat]

I'm finding I Got Plenty o' Nuttin to be really intriguing. I found it instantly enjoyable, but the natural cynic in me dismissed it as a pastiche job at first as it sounds so reminiscent of BB circa Pet Sounds through to 20/20. However on closer listens I find myself thinking, maybe the reason some of the parts of this song sound so quintessentially Beach Boys is because Brian is producing this! Rythmically, and in the changes, (especially in the minor key chorus) it reminds me of Three Blind Mice, Tones and Look - that sort of staccato string thing that Brian was doing at the time. I think it's one thing when his new music has very overt self referencing touches like the ubiquitous bass harmonica for many of us to say "that's just his band trying to make it sound like BB music", but when something reminds you of tracks as obscure as 3 blind mice (0.54 - 1.05 Three Blind Mice, clear as day!)  you have to wonder if it's because Brian is producing, co-arranging this, and Brian still makes similar musical decisions that he did back then. Wishful thinking maybe, but the track in question hangs together so cohesively as to be more than just pastiche imo.

[Ron]

If "Pastiche" means that the band is trying to imitate the BB's, there's only so far that will go.  Sure the references and things hint at that, but there's a reason Brian's been so successful.  The only real explantion for the success (early in his career, definately) is that he's one hell of a producer/arranger/writer/singer .  So yes Cynically you can call it 'pastiche', but you're doing a disservice to give that too much thought. 

I had a friend tell me once that you can never lose potential.  I.E., if Brian was capable of greatness before, he's still capable of greatness now.  The great moments on the album I would largely attribute to Brian Wilson

[buddhahat]

If "Pastiche" means that the band is trying to imitate the BB's, there's only so far that will go. 

I agree, I think the diminishing returns of such an approach would be quite obvious.

I had a friend tell me once that you can never lose potential.  I.E., if Brian was capable of greatness before, he's still capable of greatness now.  The great moments on the album I would largely attribute to Brian Wilson

I really think you are right  

It's a cruel irony that many of us want nothing more than for Brian to create songs that sound like the Beach Boys in their peak, but the closer he gets to those sounds, the more suspicious we become!!

[Wirestone]

My take on the bass harmonica / bari sax sound is this --

In the late 90s, we would have killed for a bass harmonica on a Brian Wilson record!

I think Brian really likes a certain low rumbly bass sound, and absent a Moog bass that he can play himself (a la Love You), bari sax / bass harmonica is the closest he can get. It has less to do with the instrument (which can seem gimmicky after being used repeatedly, I suppose), and more to do with the sound he likes. I think it's some TLOS interview where Scott explains that Brian can't stand cymbals. He doesn't like that high frequency sound. He prefers shakers or other percussion. Thus the jingle bells!

[b00ts]

I am decidedly not a fan of autotune - I am a singer who has never used it on my own voice, but I can hear it in a second when it is used, even tastefully as on BWPS. I don't hear autotune on this album, except for on "The Like in I Love You" but I could be mistaken anyhow.

No autotune on this album, I'm told - if there is it was added during the 2nd mix.

I agree.  The more I listen to "The Like I Love in You," the more I believe it's Nick's lead guitar doubling Brian's lead note-for-note on the verses, instead of Autotune.  Listen to the guitar solo in the instrumental break -- doesn't that sound like what we're hearing behind Brian's voice on the verses?.

In the "Imagination" DVD, Jimmy Buffet refers to discovering one of Brian's "secrets" in the vocal session for "South American."  It was assumed de facto that he was referring to Brian double-tracking or triple-tracking his lead vocal, but I always thought that was too obvious -- I think the secret was doubling the lead vocal with an instrument mixed very low.

Lee

I can hear the guitar doubling the vocal in the "duplicate the universe" part - the bridge, I believe. It is much lower than the later solo.

[Emdeeh]

OK, I've finally heard the album, on Public Radio.

My reaction is decidedly mixed. It's all well-done, for starters. I like the rock'n'roll oriented and blues-flavored tracks, but the rest I can skip (not to my musical tastes). I wish Brian had used other voices along with his on the a capella part of "Rhapsodie in Blue." It's quite nice as is, but the harmonies would really soar with multiple vocalists. I do like the use of "Blue" as bookends.

I think it would have been a better album without the linking transistions to create a suite-ish effect -- each song is distinctive enough to stand alone as its own track.

[Shady]

OK, I've finally heard the album, on Public Radio.

My reaction is decidedly mixed. It's all well-done, for starters. I like the rock'n'roll oriented and blues-flavored tracks, but the rest I can skip (not to my musical tastes). I wish Brian had used other voices along with his on the a capella part of "Rhapsodie in Blue." It's quite nice as is, but the harmonies would really soar with multiple vocalists. I do like the use of "Blue" as bookends.

I think it would have been a better album without the linking transistions to create a suite-ish effect -- each song is distinctive enough to stand alone as its own track.

You gotta give it a few more listens to truly appreciate it

[Paulos]

I first heard BWRG on Sunday and I have now listened to it a further 5 times since, I have never done that before with an album, ever. It was good on first listen but is now edging towards fantastic, could hardly concentrate at work today with fragments of the songs cycling thorugh my head, it's definately a grower and would urge anyone who is slightly dissapointed with their first listen to listen again. And again. And again.

Basically I think it's awesome, second only to SMiLE in Brian's solo releases, it's that good.

On a side note it is hugely disheartening to see people who's works of literature I greatly admire getting involved in a flame war, please sort this out guys....and we'll have world peace.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

... and erotic shots of Margaret Thatcher. (don't tell anyone about the last part, though. It's a secret).

FFS, I'm having my breakfast dude !!!

[Mike's Beard]

I think I just got a twinge.   

[Runaways]

i think AGD said that the liner notes are just brian in the suit in studeo.  there shoulda been a shot of him in that suit, maybe a lil ruffled on the beach.  just standing there similar to some of the POB shots of dennis.   that would sum up a lot of stuff in the album.  oh well.

[Wrightfan]

Brian's site has been redesigned in anticipation for the album. New information and cool ways to buy the album here:
http://www.brianwilson.com/index.html

I got the vinyl/CD/digital file package. I've been wanting Brian's auto for years.

[Shady]

Entertainment weekly gave it a B+

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20409627,00.html

[Wrightfan]

Entertainment weekly gave it a B+

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20409627,00.html

Woah there EW. That review is WAY too in-depth for us simpletons 

[rab2591]

My first listen:

My favorites:

The Intro - Stunning.
TLILIY - a wonderful pop song
It Ain't Necessarily So - brilliant instrumentals.
S'Wonderful - Bossa Nova = amazing addition to the album....my favorite song on the album.
I've Got A Crush On You - Brian's voice is OUTSTANDING!!!!!
Someone To Watch Over Me - sounds like a cut from Pet Sounds! Beautiful.
Nothing But Love - Chill, and beautiful.
Summertime - Not the best from the album, but it sounds like a grower! (love the ending of it)
Outro - OMG. Beautiful.

My dislikes:

I Loves You Porgy: Can't stand it. Lyrically I just don't see the appeal.
I Got Plenty O Nothing: eh, it's okay, but there is nothing besides the ending that really stands out. I love the idea of an instrumental - but this just sounds like noise to me....it's not incredibly beautiful to my ears.
I Got Rhythm: REALLY well done (and I LOVED the RIB opening), but I've heard this song sung the exact same way too many times...I think Brian could have done a WONDERFUL chill version of this song.

Overall, I give it 5 stars.

Brilliant album, but could have been better.

[mtaber]

"Brilliant album but could have been better"?  Man, that's a tough review.

[Mikie]

Not really.

[OGoldin]

OK I admit I fired up the old TotalRecorder during the streaming tonight; I also here declare I will purchase it.  FLAC sounds good though an autographed lp is tempting.  (I'm wondering about why they are offering the autographs.  So Brian will sign his name for $10 a pop or is there another marketing-related reason they are doing this?)

The sound is definitely soft rock easy listening, whatever.  Not usually my cup of tea but close repeated listening reveals wonders on wonders.  Rich harmonies, arrangements that are beautiful, clear, precise, and intricate.