The Smiley Smile Message Board

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wrhVBU_H0GE&pp=ygUUR2xlbiBDYW1wYmVsbCBTdHJvbmc%3D (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wrhVBU_H0GE&pp=ygUUR2xlbiBDYW1wYmVsbCBTdHJvbmc%3D)

This track from Campbell's upcoming duets album (a revisitation of Ghost on the Canvas) was released today.

Sounds like the instrumental tracks were recorded by Brian's band. In addition to lead vocals, Brian seems to have at least one baritone spot in the harmony stack.

I have to admit, I haven't listened to Campbell's "Ghost on the Canvas" in quite some time, so I had forgotten how bits of "Strong" are pretty similar to "Guess I'm Dumb"; the main lead line melody is similar in spots, and sounds like this new arrangement works in a few more bits reminiscent of it, like the horns.

I believe this was the track they were recording after Brian's final tour concluded.  Which would explain Brian's rather fragile vocals.  Apparently Darian is handling all or most of the vocal harmonies.  Overall a pretty good track despite Brian's weakened condition. 

I hear Brian pretty clearly in the harmonies, especially at the beginning and the end. He has what sounds like about two parts in the baritone register. The falsetto sounds like Matt to me, but I'm not sure.

Am I the only one to think that this song is simply fantastic. And a special middle finger to the ........ers able only to bitch about autotune etc, even in such a circumstance (not here, bless this forum).
And I know the (great) original version. This new one is my favourite. Not being perfect can be a plus, and here it is. So emotional, in the best sense.

I love it! Perfect song choice for Brian.

Got this scan from off of an Elvis messageboard. Thanks to the OP


(https://i.postimg.cc/MKq1xQmw/glen4.jpg)

My personal opinion on the track...
It's weak, patchwork lead vocals, and Brian's lead vocals are extremely weak , instruments and backing vocals sound like Brian's band (a bonus). I think the A. I. stuff that has come out lately sound better. but with "Strong" the leads, man, both Glen's and Brian's sound very air-lifted into the soundscape.

 ::)

Thanks Peadar, nice to see I am not alone...

The track certainly isn't the Rick Rubin/Johnny Cash "American Recordings" type of thing I had hoped Brian might dabble in over the last decade or two. I think between using the old Glen vocal and doing the best they could with Brian's new vocal track, the result has to sound a bit clouded/processed.

I actually wish on recent Brian tracks where he's heavily processed, they would more often go with what they did on "Right Where I Belong", where they apply some actual effects to the voice to distort it so it at least sounds different and purposefully processed instead of just sounding like autotune dialed up to 11.

That all being said, I have no problems with this track, and I think given recent events/news of the past several months, we'll look back on this period and be grateful Brian stuff is still coming out.

I certainly hope we get tons of Brian archival stuff, but I don't mind if they start trying to gather his most recent "new" stuff from recent years and give us that stuff as well.

And I think it remains to be seen what type of work Brian might still be able to finagle on his good days. I'm sure it has been and will continue to be a delicate balance to strike with Brian's people to determine how (or if) to coax material out of him, even if it's just some rough stream-of-consciousness piano material or something.