The Smiley Smile Message Board

That stands for 'I Just Wasn't Made For These Times btw.

I think it's a nice mellow and soulful album with some interesting versions of classics.  Doesn't come close to the originals, but I think it's the closest thing we have to a BW acoustic album.

Thoughts?

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Big section of the forum for album thoughts/reviews including Brian's solo stuff including an IJWMFTT thread;

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,74.0.html

Brian's worst released vocals, very "meh" backing vocals overall, mostly lesser versions = not my favorite Beach Boys related record. Some of the arrangements are pretty cool and interesting, but Brian's vocals being up front and center of those arrangements kind of kills my overall enjoyment of them.

Works nicely as a soundtrack. Can do without it as an album.

I like it. Nice to hear Beach Boys classics painted with different palet of colors.

Recently reissued on vinyl and it sounds awesome.

Oh you didn't know? Your ass better caaaaaalllllll somebody!

Hearing it on vinyl does help, but yeah the vocals are pretty bad. I like the production on most songs, I like Love and Mercy without the 80's arrangement. It's OK but non essential.

My girlfriend at the time thought Brian sounded bad on this album, but I think he's fine here. Maybe not as polished (or processed) as on the 88 album or SI, ...well, maybe that's why I like it. I think the songs work well with a slightly different tone to the backing vocals, and the stripped down arrangements. The one sore spot is that home recording of "Still I Dream Of it". He just sounds awful there.

 :o

No offense meant...just surprised.

Of course this is by no means an essential album, but it's a nice addition to the collection. Interesting choice of songs, cool arrangements and I prefer this version of L&M over the original.

Don't listen to the album much. But seeing this docu about Brian on the big screen in a theatre late 1995 was memorable  :3d Audree had interesting comments...

I enjoy it quite a lot, actually. I much prefer for the versions of "Love and Mercy" and "Melt Away" to the BW88 album. I like the more stripped down, simple production of them, I guess.  I also like the version of "Til I Die" on there, though of course not as much as the Beach Boys version.

I wonder what the vinyl sounds like that released recently.

The significance of the doc/Lp was that it was the 1st step that ultimately gave us Brian touring, Pet Sounds w/ orchestra, Smile, Beach Boys' 50th and so on.  A pretty big deal!  Also it focused on non-"hits" but brilliant Brian Wilson, legitimizing the approach of the Wondermints led group.

Listening to this album for the first time in a few years, the vocals are really funny. Meant For You is making me laugh.

This is like his Paley Sessions voice but not buried under fourth generation cassette transfer hiss. Caroline No sounds pretty good.

I want to be a fan of this album but I'm not. I can't stand Brian's voice on This Whole World. The backing vocals don't really do anything for me either.

I don't mind the versions of Caroline No and Love and Mercy.

I agree totally. Although I like the concert L&M best of all, I think redoing these two for acoustic guitar really redeems them from the lumbering quarter-note keyboards on BW. "Melt Away" looses some of its dynamics on this version to me is the only downside. That said, I don't play this one much either.

Not a big fan of this album. I like Orange Crate Art and the Paley sessions more. I am probably in the minority for liking the synthy Love and Mercy more.

You're not alone.

I don't find myself listening to the CD but I still occasionally watch the DVD-which is great!  Recall seeing it in the theater-back in those days it was rare to see anything on the BBs-so much more is available today (especially with Youtube)

The best recording of Love and Mercy in my opinion is the Walking Down the Path of Life version from I think 2005.
http://static.squarespace.com/static/5073209bc4aa6253939f5db3/t/50886188e4b03adb4edf6da9/1351115176218/Walking%20Down%20The%20Path%20Of%20Life%20_%20Love%20And%20Mercy.mp3/original/Walking+Down+The+Path+Of+Life+_+Love+And+Mercy.mp3

I don't know why but I love the I Just Wasn't Made For These Times album.  Brian doesn't sound great vocally but his performance is great because there's that sense that he's just singing his heart out.  And it's a great collection of songs, I don't know, there's just something very charming about it.  Nice artwork too.

I saw that in a store recently, but priced a bit steep. Nearly $30 for IJWMFTT, compared to $18 for TWGMTR. I don't "get" vinyl pricing these days, it seems to be all over the map.