*Merged* Brian Wilson current album thread

[Jim Rockford]

Time to move this to the sandbox. I don't drink and find this all exceedingly tedious. Might seem a PITA to some but at least I stay OT.

I'm with AGD.

I'm not

[Ray Lawlor]

Just to make sure I'm asking for the right one, am I looking for Fordham "Helles Lager", or "Gypsy Lager"?

You are looking for Fordham Hellas Lager

[Custom Machine]

I think the new Blue Moon Winter Ale coming out this Fall is gonna be awful! ..... I know someone who took a tiny micro sample at the brewery and he says there's way too much artificial hoppiness...... They call it "Autohops"

With posts like the one I quoted above, this thread is getting way too much fun to read to consider moving part of it to the sandbox.  If someone started a thread on beer or speakers or whatever, then sure, that thread should be moved to the sandbox.  But when the conversation in this thread twists and  turns in various directions, such as it has recently, it provides, for me at least, a welcome change of pace as well as some interesting insight into other aspects of various posters' personas.  

[Custom Machine]

sorry, dup, post!

[Custom Machine]

sorry, dup post again! 

[bgas]

sorry, dup post again! 

Too many Burkes Hemp Premium Ales?

[Mikie]

sorry, dup post again! 

Too many Burkes Hemp Premium Ales?

No, too many Smartass Bgas Ales.

[Mikie]

I think the new Blue Moon Winter Ale coming out this Fall is gonna be awful! ..... I know someone who took a tiny micro sample at the brewery and he says there's way too much artificial hoppiness...... They call it "Autohops"

Probably won't pick it up anyway. I wonder how many beers have "autohops" in 'em. Went down to my local Stuft Pizza joint last week and they musta had 20 different IPA beers available. Various creative names in nice bottles and colorful labels to attract your attention. I've tried 3 of them now (ales) and can't tell much difference.

I'll stick to one of my top favorites. Tall glass of cold stock Blue Moon with an orange slice.

[halblaineisgood]

.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I think the new Blue Moon Winter Ale coming out this Fall is gonna be awful! ..... I know someone who took a tiny micro sample at the brewery and he says there's way too much artificial hoppiness...... They call it "Autohops"

Probably won't pick it up anyway. I wonder how many beers have "autohops" in 'em. Went down to my local Stuft Pizza joint last week and they musta had 20 different IPA beers available. Various creative names in nice bottles and colorful labels to attract your attention. I've tried 3 of them now (ales) and can't tell much difference.

I'll stick to one of my top favorites. Tall glass of cold stock Blue Moon with an orange slice.

Like GF said, it's a bit of a market flooding going on due to the somewhat sudden popularity of iPA's..... Most do seem to be quite indistinct from one another, but when you do find a great one, you know it! ..... When I feel like an IPA, I generally snag a Lagunitas..... No AutoHops there!

[Mikie]

That picture of Brian holding a beer was copy and pasted into the group picture (sans beer) on the Carl & The Passions album sleeve. Same picture was on concert posters of that era. Who do they think they're foolin', trying to insert and airbrush a picture of Brian, making him look like part of the band. Too damn lazy (hazy) to make the photoshoot I guess.....

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

The funny part is, both made their way into the MIC boxed set!

[The Shift]

Know what this thread is? It's a queue of hardcore fans waiting for the doors to open to a concert.

Initially we talk about the band and the impending gig.

Someone sees a band member arriving, states that he looks rough and we might be in for a sh*t night - but no-one leaves the queue.

Some one else sees Stamos arriving, declares that the guest appearances are going to make this the worst gig in history… still no-one leaves the queue.

Then someone called Ray sneaks out the theatre door to let us know he's sitting through the sound check and not only is the band on fire but the set list includes Smile 66/67 in its entirety, and so many deep cut tracks that half of us will cream our pants.

Still a few complain about the guest list… but still no one leaves the queue.

Every now and then a little news emerges from within the hall but now the fans, still excited, are making normal, routine conversation, to pass the time before the next news bite slips out.

Once the doors are open, the only topic of conversation will be the gig but until then we're chewing the cud, shooting the breeze etc.

Someone suggests we're talking drivel and should go queue to see some other band, but no thanks.

My only concern is that all the talk of beer will deter some of the album's guest artists from offering items of news, cos they're not old enough to drink and will feel excluded! 

[Dancing Bear]

Old white men debating beer. I liked them better when they guested on Brian Wilson albums.

[the captain]

This is what excites me most about the upcoming Brian Wilson album: it's just a Brian Wilson album.

For the first time in what feels like forever--though really I suppose just the first time in 10 years--we have an album that doesn't have a theme, doesn't resurrect a lost classic, isn't a comeback, isn't a reunion or event of any sort (beyond whatever kind of event a new Brian Wilson album is). It's just an album. Ten, 12, 14 songs, each presumably able to stand or fall on its own outside of the structure of some external narrative. The theme album, the concept album, is fine, I suppose, but it's my opinion that it's also an effort to lend some weight that is totally unnecessary. It evokes ideas of grand statements or the seriousness one expects from the so-called genius, the Mozart, of American pop music. As I said, that's all fine, but we don't need it, he doesn't need it, and the vast majority of his best work was done outside of that environment.

Wilson's best work has usually been the standalone pop single ("standalone" meaning not as part of a concept or theme, not literally standing alone, say, as a non-album single). That's what I hope this album is: an album of singles (either literally or not). Just songs, this one with Musgraves, that one with Jardine. This one with Beck, that one with Marks. Ocean, Deschanel, another Jardine, whatever. I don't really care who plays or who sings as long as the songs were written or arranged and at least strongly co-produced by Wilson. That's what's interesting to me, a guy putting out a bunch of what I hope were bursts of excitement sustained only long enough to get a quality 2-to-4 minute pop song. I don't care one bit whether that energy was sustained on a grand scale to make an album, but only that there were enough bursts of excitement to eventually add up to an album.

It seems to me like we're likely to have something along the lines of what I hope for, "just" an album of generally unrelated songs. Hopefully it is more successful than the last one, GIOMH. It's not so long to wait; I guess we'll see.

[rab2591]

I don't really care who plays or who sings as long as the songs were written or arranged and at least strongly co-produced by Wilson.

And from what Ray has told us, it certainly sounds like this is the case. So I'm highly optimistic that this album will please us Brian Wilson fans.

And I agree with the rest of your post; I love TLOS, and his latest string of albums, but I'm looking forward to having an album that doesn't have a centralized theme.

[Wirestone]

I'd also just recommend that folks look at what Ray has written about the record, and about how Brian has been working on it. There's a lot of information in those posts, and I don't think folks have digested all of it quite yet.

[rab2591]

Agreed, Wirestone. Here are some of the informative posts that Ray has written over the last couple weeks:

I can tell you that for the new record , Brian is working really hard; it's what I want to see and hear. He has been at Ocean Way at least 10 times this month on his own , no Joe ; just Brian working with musicians and cutting vocals on his own. He is putting a lot of craft into the making of this record, taking his time, working around the schedules of the young singers he has brought in.  I believe yesterday he was in the studio from 12 noon to 9 pm , working on drums and vocals. There are moments where he and Al are singing together, and when they are swapping leads , that I never thought I would hear again.

So essentially we have a 72 year old Brian Wilson who is not the 24 year old kid who cut Pet Sounds, Good Vibrations and SMiLE.  Who is still there , still working , still trying to be unpredictable after all these years .

Well ; "On the Island" was unique to what I have heard; the only track that has that bossa nova feel to it.  I will say that Zooey sings the hell out of it , and I said before that to me it has a real Rosemary Clooney vibe to it ; Brian really loves Rosemary Clooney so maybe that's just my projection. 

I heard a few tracks that to me were of suite level caliber, but I am certain that they are not, and never were , part of the suite.  I am just happy with the fact that for the last 5-6 weeks , Brian has been working at the studio by himself , or with Al, spending the time and energy to get it right. That's what I want to hear   

I have heard the whole thing , and can only give you my opinion. I think that for the core fan base there are 7-8 tracks that I would consider "no brainers" ; "Sail Away" kind of reminds me of "Sloop John B" ; lead vocal's by Brian, Al and Blondie , swapping off ; background vocals are great; there are two tracks with rotating lead vocals of Brian and Al which I think are great. There is a ballad sung by Brian that , in my opinion , can be placed with anything he has done (except "SMiLE) ; one track has a jazz feel , with great harmonies; the remake of "Summer Means New Love' is one of my favorites; I always loved the melody of that track;  Brian decided he wanted to sing it so now its a vocal piece , with lead by Brian , and Brian and Al in the chorus; I had read somewhere on the board that this sounded like it could be a "vapid remake " or some such description.....wrong. There is a track that would fit right in with the three part suite that ends TWGMTR, but is definitely not part of it....then there is "Last Song" ...two versions are cut ; one with lead vocal by Lana Del Ray and one with lead vocal by Brian....I find them both essential, and hope the Brian lead sees daylight.   The guest artists ; well I am sure that there will be controversy here ; I love "On the Island" and I was prepared to really dislike the Kacey Musgraves track , simply because I am not big on country.  The track itself reminds me of " I got Plenty Of Nothin" from BWRG; and I really like the song, and her performance. "Saturday Night on Hollywood Blvd." is a gas. There are a few more, and I like each and every one of them. The songs are great on this record ; my opinion , and so are all the performances, both lead and background vocals.  What I can tell, by what I heard, is that there are a few backgrounds that are Brian stacked; the rest are Brian, Al, Matt and Jeff Foskett; I believe. .....so there is a very different sound to this record, than any other Brian solo record. There are four legitimate Beach Boys on this record;  Brian , Al, David and Blondie; I think they all sound great, and that is good enough for me.  But if none of that is "your thing "(not you personally, figure of speech) , and the guest artist participation offends your sensibilities, what can I say other than don't buy the goshdarn record !

according to my math on what I heard, Brian sings leads or has partial lead vocals on seven tracks...eight counting his take on "Last Song"

I have spent several months added up in my life , in recording studios with Brian Wilson. My ears tell me when he is inspired , when a track is good , or when he doesn't give a damn and a track or take is sub par or mediocre. So I will reiterate what my ears tell me about this new BW product . There are 7-8 tracks on this record which should be extremely satisfying to the "purist core" (of which I feel  am one) of the fan base. These tracks include alternating leads by Brian  and Al, alternating leads by Brian , Al and Blondie, a few leads by Brian that are as good as , or better than his leads on TWGMTR. And as I have said before , if none of that is appealing to your individual taste or requirement, don't buy it.  As for the collaborative tracks ; I will only say that I personally was prepared to not like , for example, the Kacey Musgraves track, as I am not a fan of country music.  In this case , I am glad I listened to it and gave it a chance.  I won't comment at all on the other collaborations other than to say that they are different and you should just make up your own mind when you hear them.

Here is what I know; Brian worked his ass off on this record whether some here want to believe that or not; let the music speak for itself.

[Niko]

^ Should be pinned.

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

Thanks for the good vibes, guys.    Personally, I've enjoyed every word of Ray's posts and I'm extremely excited for Brian's new album.

[Wirestone]

He has been at Ocean Way at least 10 times this month on his own , no Joe ; just Brian working with musicians and cutting vocals on his own

This is what's interesting to me. So for those folks claiming Joe is some sort of evil mastermind -- why has Brian seemingly taken over the production of his own album? Might he have decided he wants to take it his own direction now?

Fascinating stuff, especially given Brian's history with Joe ...

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I wonder how much more involved Brian is with the production now compared to past solo albums. Could it be....he is actually more involved now?

[clack]

He has been at Ocean Way at least 10 times this month on his own , no Joe ; just Brian working with musicians and cutting vocals on his own

This is what's interesting to me. So for those folks claiming Joe is some sort of evil mastermind -- why has Brian seemingly taken over the production of his own album? Might he have decided he wants to take it his own direction now?

Fascinating stuff, especially given Brian's history with Joe ...

It is interesting. Has Joe left the project completely, and is he leaving it to Brian to finish up? Will Joe be involved with the final mixes?

[rab2591]

He has been at Ocean Way at least 10 times this month on his own , no Joe ; just Brian working with musicians and cutting vocals on his own

This is what's interesting to me. So for those folks claiming Joe is some sort of evil mastermind -- why has Brian seemingly taken over the production of his own album? Might he have decided he wants to take it his own direction now?

Fascinating stuff, especially given Brian's history with Joe ...

It is interesting. Has Joe left the project completely, and is he leaving it to Brian to finish up? Will Joe be involved with the final mixes?

In an article I posted a few pages back (a TWGMTR era interview), Joe talked about how he likes to give Brian his space. So I would guess that he is just leaving Brian alone to do his own thing for now.

On a side note, I hope we get some interviews with Brian/Joe soon regarding this project.

[Dancing Bear]

Back then in 98 Brian said in interviews that Joe (co)produced the backing tracks and he (Brian) produced the vocals for Imagination. I guess that's how they work.