The Smiley Smile Message Board

Was just wondering if anyone could confirm what we know to do date about any plan, if any any at all, for a new BB studio album?

And what is the general sense about where the BB's are headed in the next year or so? in October, will everything go back to the way it was a year ago? Was it just a one year celebration that we should all be grateful for, and that's it?

I know there's tons of info about these questions on different threads, but instead of wading through it all, I thought I'd just ask it straight up.

Thanks!

Material exists. Brian seemed interested a month or two ago.

Mike and Bruce will be touring this fall on their own.

Next year, we'll see.

Good thing to bug them about at the Q and A next month. "Isn't it time for the rock n' roll album? Call it Pleasure Island and put a bunch of surfboards on the cover or whatever. Whaddya say?"

Oh yeah, I'd love any concrete info on any further new Beach Boys music, be it a NEXT album or any new material that may be coming on the boxed set.

However, I doubt even the Boys know much at this stage. I guess Mike and Bruce will be keen to carry on touring, while Brian, Al and Dave will be able to rest up after the tour for at least a few months and recharge the batteries after this pretty busy year. I guess (with absolutely no inside knowledge) that they'll probably have some kind of band meeting late this year/ early next and see how they all feel about carrying on/ recording/ touring more and in what form at that point.

Personally, I'm not expecting any concrete info on any possible new album (or not) until early next year. Let's let the guys have a rest and let them sit in the sun awhile. They deserve it after this year imo  :) .

Thats how I see it.

There was a David track recorded during the TWGMTR session that we know will be released "on a future Beach Boys project". There's also the remainder of the Brian suite which needs finishing and is partially recorded, and we know Brian spoke of initially seeing "Summer's Gone" as the final song on the final Beach Boys album but no longer feels that way. Al has spoken about wanting to do a new album several times.

So yeah - nothing concrete, but I'd say the chances are good but not a sure thing quite yet.

According to my conversation with Al Jardine, they are recording new/recycled material, like "Waves of Love", redoing some TWGMTR songs slowed down, for the box set.  Of course, he also said that the box set was called "50 Big Ones".   Right title for the wrong set.

I don't expect another new BB album but I've learned to say "Never say Never".  They may have enough material left over from TWGMTR, plus these new recordings, to put out one more album.
Maybe Brian wants to finish the whole Song Suite that was parred down for TWGMTR.

Maybe this is the last tour but Brian makes BB albums from now on. Maybe he retires.

As much as I've loved Brian's solo albums, if he never put out another one again and focused solely on new Beach Boys records, that'd be just fine with me. That's true for all members of the band, really. That's Why God Made The Radio far exceeded my expectations, I don't doubt that the group could continue to put out quality albums for the remainder of their career.

Mike has a bunch of stuff in the can from "Mike Love Not War" from which "Daybreak" came from.

If they can't top TWGMTR then they shouldn't do it imo

Yeah, that's why I think these new tracks will be on the box set. End of story (till Mike keels over at age 80 doing the Mike and Bruce show)

TWGMTR was such an unexpectedly good album, though. I mean I wasn't expecting something bad, but it far exceeded my expectations. The idear that if you can't top your previous album then you shouldn't bother at all would've screwed us out of a world of great material over the years, y'know? That applies to the Beach Boys and basically any other band. To me, the only time someone should not bother putting out material is if they don't want to or don't enjoy it anymore and their motivation lies solely in making a quick buck and nothing more.

I don't think they can top TWGMTR. It had basically been in the works for nearly 15 years and they had a much larger song pool to choose from. I'm willing to bet whatever they do next could be on par with or at least nearly on par with That's Why God, though, and that's good enough for me. And stuff like "You're Still A Mystery" needs a bit of reworking and a slot on an album, damn it >: (

Disagree. There's something to enjoy in every album. Besides, as long as they're in this world and willing, I say let them record and release as much as possible. History will put things in their place eventually anyway.

I have heard that a lot of the stuff that was left out was terrible!

lawl, who said this? I'll grant you that "Waves Of Love" wouldn't have been a standout on the album, as would a stripped down and improved upon "She Believes In Love Again", but I can't imagine either version is legitimately terrible. Otherwise, sans the short clip of one of the suite songs, do we have any idear what else was recorded but didn't make it?

Aside from those, "Stowaway", a Dave Marks composition.

If they do dip into the can and recover the leftovers from the last sessions, would Brian continue working with Joe Thomas as a collaborator or would he look to someone else to collaborate with?  Brian seems to enjoy working with someone new for each new project.  Would be interesting to see if he works on the unfinished stuff...I know that little snippet we heard on the PBS special was intriguing....

Seeing Brian work with a bunch of his past collaborators (including Mike and the rest of the band, of course) and maybe a new one or two for an album would be awesome. Can't really say there are any of his past collaborators I wouldn't be interested in seeing the results from.

Totally with you. If Brian wants to work with the guys on new material, then that's what he should do, instead of doing solo albums. Not gonna lie, I thought the last album was better than all of Brian's solo albums except for his debut. Having Mike, Bruce, and Al sing on his stuff just adds the certain something special that was missing, no matter how nice or how cool Darian, Scott, etc are.

And even if they do new albums and they stink, so what. They've put out shitty albums before, and they've survived. Plus, there's usually something good on every Beach Boys album, except for Summer In Paradise maybe. So if they wanna work together and put it out, I'll sure listen intently.

I think a more organic approach to recording would go a long way.  I like the songs and performances on the new album, dislike the production, especially the impulse to tune and compress every little element.  I would find a less polished, more "analog sounding" record even with less standout songs a more listenable record, myself.

I would love as many new albums as possible!

I actually think I'd go the complete opposite and say I'd really like to see a Brian solo album instead of a BB album. There must be another albums' worth of tunes (rather, ideas for tunes), left on Joe Thomas' 80 hours worth of tape. The BB harmonies I would miss for sure, and especially the alotted Al lead vocal or two, but all of my very favorite tunes on the latest album are ones that Brian sings lead on and I would love to see a whole album in the direction of the suite.

No question about that. My point is just that the next one might very well be the last album and I don't want them to go off on a so-so album. TWGMTR would be a nice last one

Wasn't there another song that Dave and Mike worked on together?

+1.  I think the songs, vibes and energies on TWGMTR are great, but think it would have benefited from a production similar to Brian's That Lucky Old Sun, which had ok songs but it's great natural sounding vox inspire repeat listenings; and would love to see that kind of approach on further BB ventures.

I don't know if another album would be right.

As much as I love hearing the pure musical bliss that comes from Brian's brain, TWGMTR seemed like a pretty definitive curtain call.  The suite at the end reminds me of Abbey Road.

And the lyrics...well....I think they are kind of depressing because they are about the end of the band, and era, and people's lives.  Additional material would just be kind of weird. 

"Sometimes I realize it's time to move along"

"Sunlight fading and there's not much left to say"

etc.

etc.

Yeah, but The Beatles followed "The End" with..."Let It Be".  :)

TWGMTR is the perfect curtain call for the last album but if they all collectively want to do another album...are we really going to deny them that opportunity (not that they'd look to us for an answer).  But honestly, if they want to come together again then by all means they should.  I'm always up for some new tunes by these guys and as long as they're still around, willing and able then why not?

At this point I don't know what else to expect/look forward to. I wouldn't mind another album if they're up to it. And from what's been going around, it's very likely that another album might be in the works.

Well, who knows? We have something going on that we never thought would happen so anything is possible  :)

True, but Abbey Road was recorded after Let it Be.  The suite was intended to be the end of the catalogue.

"I'll Go Anywhere" Sounds like a Pet-Sounds Styled H&V

Err. Says who? Never heard Messrs. McCartney, Lennon, Starr, or Harrison ever say anything like that.

If there is another BBs record, there better be songwriting contributions from all of them, even if it's just one song each from Al, Dave, Mike, and Bruce. Nothing against Brian, I still want to hear plenty of contributions from him, but it's not 1966. The other guys are capable of writing songs too. TWGMTR would've been dud-free if Spring Vacation and Beaches in Mind were replaced by Waves of Love, Don't Fight the Sea, San Simeon, Drivin', 10000 Years (2005 Mike Love version, of course-would've given Denny a writing credit!!), Cool Head Warm Heart, Glow Cresent Glow, I Sail Away, and/or potentially halfway decent Dave and/or Bruce songs (and maybe a major lyrical rewrite of the otherwise great title track). I was majorly disappointed when I saw that Al and Dave didn't get any songs on the album.

Pardon my ignorance, but where are y'all hearing "I'll Go Anywhere"?

No new info to offer, other than what's been mentioned.  Still, I've said it before:  Give me a nice double LP of Rock 'n' Roll, packaged with a completed "My Life" suite.

C'mon, admit it, it'd be ecstasy.

From wikipedia (I know, but this seems fairly accurate re: their interviews for Anthology) -

After the near-disastrous sessions for the proposed Get Back album (later released as Let It Be), Paul McCartney suggested to music producer George Martin that the group get together and make an album "the way we used to", free of the conflict that began following the death of Brian Epstein and carrying over to the sessions for the "White Album". Martin agreed, stipulating that he must be allowed to do the album his way. This would be the last time the band would record with Martin. In their interviews for The Beatles Anthology, the surviving band members stated that, although none of them ever made the distinction of calling it the "last album", they all felt at the time this would very likely be the final Beatles product and therefore agreed to set aside their differences and "go out on a high note".

Personally, I think McCartney did know that this would be the last Beatles album recorded, and the 'suite' was his idea. 

As for TWGMTR, I wouldn't mind if it was the last album from our heroes.  I wouldn't mind them doing more recording either, if they have it in them.  I'm just saying that if TWGMTR is indeed their last hurrah, I'm fine with that.

A clip of the backing tracks with some background vocals was in the Doin' It Again doc.

Is that really needed to show that everyone is a part of the group? I think it's important to have everyone contribute vocally (and in Dave's case, instrumentally), but I'm not sure I would want more re-recorded songs from Bruce, Dave, Al or Mike's solo catalog just so they can have a credit.

Anyone is capable of writing songs. With the exception of Brian, and to an extent Mike, the surviving members haven't really shown much evidence of being able to write particularly *good* songs. Al and Bruce have written one or two decent tracks each in a fifty year career. I don't like Spring Vacation or Beaches In Mind either, but those songs you list aren't much better -- at worst (Waves Of Love) they're just as bad, and at best they're basically competent. And five of them have already been released.

Al and Bruce's vocal contributions to the album were magnificent, but even though I think the album could have been better than it is, I don't think it would have been improved much by anything they could add as songwriters.

Very well put. Generally speaking, BW's very best work has come about through external collaborations, for the last 50 years.

Well, maybe not Bruce, but Al can turn in a halfway decent song when he wants to. Maybe my judgement is too clouded by the more democratically produced early 70s records being some of their best. Even BB85, which had everybody contributing, isn't that bad (at least the songs thenselves are OK, can't say the same about Steven Levine's synths).

A couple of gentleman who worked on the songs.

Al's written a few good songs, yes -- but looking at his solo album (which I like very much) shows that he's not exactly a prolific composer of good new material. Half of it's covers and remakes, and much of the rest dates back to the 70s or 80s (and a lot of it is very derivative of other people's work). He's a great singer, and from his solo album he's a good producer and vocal arranger, but he's not an especially accomplished songwriter.

And remember, those more democratic records were made by a band with Carl and Dennis (and Blondie and Ricky for some of them) involved -- and with Carl as de facto band leader.

I have no problem with the idea of Al, Bruce or David writing songs for a future album -- if Al can come up with another All This Is That or California, or Bruce another Disney Girls, then they should definitely be included. But I certainly don't think that there should be a slot on the album reserved for each band member's contribution, no matter how bad or inappropriate. The only consideration should be an artistic one -- is the material used the best the band have, and/or does it help the album's flow?

I'm all for them putting out another (more?) album's so long as they maintain a level of quality at least to that in TWGMTR. Don't just rush into the studio to release one on the back of the current one. Don't force it; posters here and elsewhere suggest that when Brian is forced to do something, we don't get his best. I'm not even sure that any album should be called their "final" one at this time or the immediate future because one sometimes never knows if it is final. When someone "retires" (especially in the world of sports) and then makes a comeback down the road more often than not they get criticized. Why put yourself in that position? While it might be nice and neat to say some release is the final album, do we/they really need that (marketing aside, perhaps)? I kind of like the expectation of possible future BB releases (again, so long as the quality continues to be there); not having that to look forward to would close a chapter in our lives and that would be disappointing.

I think having a good last album like TWGMTR is great, but I think the fact that it should've been an amazing Brian suite that the band declined perfectly ends the saga.

Pet Sounds = Begrudgingly
SMiLE = Declined
Til' I Die = Originally Declined
Mt Vernon and Fairway = Originally Declined
Beach Boys Love You = Apparently, "Doesn't Exist"
Adult/Child = Declined
The Fabled "Pet Sounds 2" project = ignored
My Life Suite = Declined


SO Typical.

I don't think that's what actually happened. Brian didn't finish the suite. He had written lots of other material, including songs with Mike, that he wanted on the record.

The suite wasn't declined - it's not even finished (yet)!

And honestly, if the suite was fully developed and finished, and lets say it ran the length of a full album, I'm sure the label would have had less of a problem with it than Mike Love.

What is the fabled Pet Sounds 2 project?

Smile was declined by Brian Wilson.

I'm not sure I would count Mt. Vernon and Fairway among Brian's greatest accomplishments.

I agree. Brian's still the best and most prolific songwriter of the band. He more than the others doesn't  seem to think he has to write in a cliche Beach Boys-style. Interesting of note is that Alex mentioned two songs being "dud"'s which were co-written by Mike. Brian had some success solo with songs/albums and that I think that gave him the freedom to write what he wants to. And I also think that a good songwriter should never try to imitate or repeat himelf (repeating of course doesn't mean writing in your own style)
I think that some tracks on Mike's unreleased soloalbum (like "Daybreak over..." was until TWGMTR) are quite good and maybe Al has also one or two left. I don't know enough about David's songwriting skills so I can't say nothing about him. But I'm very disappointed if Bruce really only has a re-recording left inside of him. Ok, if the song wasn't released but it was...on a Beach Boys album ! That guy is really talented and I wouldn't wonder if he has another "Deirdre" or "Disney girls (1957)" inside of him. If he only wants to go the re-recording route then imo there's no place for that. If Mike, Al and david have songs that are better than the ones Brian brings in I'd say "put 'em out". If not, let Brian do it.
And another thing is that the album would have to have a coherent sound. You can't put a "River song" onto TWGMTR no matter how great it is or how cool the album is.

What I'm trying to say is that the quality of the music has to come first, no matter who wrote what song, etc. And it seems that Brian is the only one who can come up with enough quality material that is suited for the Beach Boys. He probably knows the complete voices better than any of the guys knows his own.
The recordings themselves still can have a lot of creative input of the other boys (that goes of course also for songs written by someone else than Brian -» I'm a little disappointed that they didn't re-do all the vocals for "Daybreak...").

There are some no-go's though imo:

- re-recordings of songs that they already released: no, just no !
- putting a song on it just because it is already finished although it totally feels out of place (like "Don't fight the sea" would have on TWGMTR)
- taking the easiest road and going with cliche-like written songs because they are too lazy to write another, better song or work on it (with this approach they shouldn't anything imo)

I think TWGMTR really is an ejoyable and fitting last record. As i mentioned before, if they can't do another record at least as good as that album they shouldn't do it. If they can, I'd be happy to listen to it. But there has to be something like a quality control imo. Unfortunately I don't think that anyone would tell Brian that one of his songs is sh!t, if that should be the case.

I thought Mike's lyrics on Daybreak and Beaches in Mind were duds, I expected more out of him for a 50th anniversary album.  So for a new project, I would hope someone else, like Scott Bennett would be drafted to write the words.

Hell, why not get Van Dyke Parks in to do it?  Just to see what happens.

That ended great for everyone last time  ::)

What about Tony Asher?

Who wrote the lyrics to From There to Back Again?  I thought they were very Asher-esque

You know, If Pet Sounds is a teenage album, I can see them writing one hell of a "Life Passing" album.

Isn't that what TWGMTR is?  At least the closing suite.

True, but I mean a whole album.

I don't have the booklet here but I guess it was Joe Thomas (probably with input by Brian). He co-wrote every song on the album except "Daybreak..." iirc.



Really? I thought the lyrics to "Daybreak..." are good. Not mind-blowing but good and honset/not trying to write those stupid "Beach boy"-lyrics.
But in terms of "Spring vacation" and "Beaches in mind" I also expected better from him. Especially after he said in an interview that he takes time to really work on the lyrics. What we got sounds too many times like something that was written while he was sitting on the toilett.

He's credited as co-writing every song on the album except Daybreak. Not the same thing as actually doing so.

Ok, that's true. But my guess is still that it's a colloboration between Joe and Brian.

Anyone know about this?

On that song, definitely. On a couple of other songs on the album -- Strange World, for instance -- I wonder what, exactly, Joe contributed.

It's just a gut feeling, speculation of course, but I think Joe Thomas' contributions to TWGMTR, the album - producing, song writing, lyric writing - is much greater than he will ever get credit for.

teh hell does this mean? Are you accusing Joe "Dave" Thomas "deceased owner of Wendy's" of Landy-like "I was in the room breathing when Brian did his vocal, I get a co-write credit"?

It seems difficult for Joe to be credited any more for song writing than he already is on the album.

Production wise, there is indeed an argument.

Brian has almost always worked with an outside collaborator for each album, though, especially recently. Why is it hard to believe Mr.Thomas helped with arrangements, lyrics, whatever for the majority of the album?

I don't think in the world of "BRIAN IS IMPORTANT AND DOES EVERYTHING ALWAYS HE STILL OPERATES LIKE HE'S 22 NO REALLY YOU GUYS" that they'd just freely hand out songwriting credits.

I don't think it's hard to believe, but I can see the scepticism. Prolly 'cuz he seems like a business man type more than a creative, quirky wordsmith. I mean, it does look a little odd when the guy's name is plastered all over the album - but then again, people could have said the same thing about Asher or Parks. I wasn't so sure myself until I read the pre-album interview that was posted here with Joe, he seems like he really does look out for Brian's best interests and that they are friends who collaborate.

The same could be said in the affirmative too (i.e - that Brian's name is all over the credits but he didn't do as much as he's credited for etc), but I think that's something no one really wants to think about.

Indeed, and remember that Thomas wrote the tag of "Sunshine" (the Imagination song, not the Keepin' The Summer Alive one) that is the most Brian Wilson-sounding part of the song.

I'm having trouble finding the quote, in the "50 Sides..." book, but apparently in the IJMFTT era, Don Was helped to set up an environment where Brian could record all the Tracks, and the boys could come in and do vocals to record a sort of follow up to Pet Sounds These sessions resulted in "Soul Searchin'" and "You're Still A Mystery"

Carl's Death apparently hauled the progress, and then the guys decided not to go through with it, after they'd wanted to do it.  This is all known stuff, however its the first time I've seen the sessions presented as a "Follow Up To Pet Sounds"

Joe did explain tho that he did the piano on Think About The Days and Brian came up with all the harmonies on it.

So not impossible that he came up with other ideas, like chords or some lyrics for some other song on the album.

I remember in an interview Joe stated that he supplied some of the lyrics for Shelter and The Private Life of Bill and Sue after Brian came up with the idea/concept for both songs.

Brian relied heavily on the studio musicians input for his instrumental arrangements. He dries his collaborators up. He makes them work for him. Nothing wrong with it. Gee, look at JT's output without Brian. Or Scott's. Or the Wondermints. Or Tony Asher, for that matter. It's the Wilson in the Wilson-Thomas what makes the difference.

Umm. He pretty much hates Brian's cousin. He's pretty obsessive about it. Don't see it happening.

As for bringing Asher back... nothing really special happened when Asher and Wilson got together in '96. Let us be realistic.

The fact is that joe Thomas is the best collaborator/lyricist to work with Brian since Asher and Parks - and in the final suite he is every bit the equal of Asher or Parks, as the final three songs are every bit as good as anything on Pet Sounds or Smile.  Why are people reluctant to give the man credit?  The proof's in the product.

The new album is as much a Joe Thomas record as it is anyone else's, perhaps even more his than anyone's. His credit, 'Recorded by' is totally fabricated to give BW the production credit. I think this is something people seem to be missing: he is not the engineer or the producer, so what is he? What does 'Recorded by' even mean? As noted above, he co-wrote every song. For all we know he wrote most of the songs based around riffs BW had lying around (that's what it seems like to me). And the whole thing sounds like JT trying to sound like the Beach Boys.

Somehow, despite the odds, 'From Here to Back Again' works ... and there are moments of that '80s Beach Boys sparkle, but ... Bon Jovi wrote a song on this record.

Meh. I usually agree with you Donny, but I personally think you are wayyyy too tough on this album. If you heard "Summer's Gone" and didn't know the songwriters, I highly doubt you'd guess Jon Bon Jovi was a co-writer. And I think the "'80s Beach Boys sparkle" thing is a backhanded compliment, but whatever.

And I think getting pissy over whether Brian "produced" it is kinda useless. I honestly don't think they sell one more record by saying Brian produced something, rather than saying whoever else did. Pretty much everybody involved in the project refers to Brian as the producer, and in the Rolling Stone article on the group, it definitely gave me the image of Brian as the head producer, the leader, or whatever. You had Brian doing his thing and Al asking him if they could work on "Waves of Love". Of course, Brian didn't want to, so it didn't get worked on. He made the big decisions and therefore is the producer. That's what the album says and all evidence points to it being the truth. Therefore, it's a Brian production. I think people get so hung up on the fact that they think if Brian really produced a new album it would sound like Love You or something, and that he is being coerced into these projects. Now, I don't know about his last few solo albums, but if you read the background info about That's Why God Made The Radio, you would notice it was basically Brian would facilitated the entire thing, with him getting back together with Joe Thomas to gather up some songs for the album, demoing them, presenting them to Capitol with the insistence that this material be on a new Beach Boys album, getting Mike Love involved, etc. This was Brian's baby, whether we like it or not.

And although I'd prefer if Brian and the boys were still writing and performing at the level they were on Pet Sounds, Wild Honey, and Sunflower, I understand that people get older and environments change and therefore, so does the output.

Therefore, I feel that basically Brian put out the album that he wanted to. And I hope we get a new Beach Boys album next year! And the year after that. The guy still brings the goods, regardless of co-writer or whatever.

But... You've been proven wrong.

In 2008, Brian recorded demos for TLOS, that sound almost stylistically the same as Love You.

Not to these ears. They are rougher than TLOS, but nothing like Love You. And there's not moogs buzzing all over the place or anything. And he didn't release those demos as a final product either, did he? That's not how he rolls anymore. I'd wager to say he prefers a slicker sound.

The outtakes, though...man, as much as I love TLOS the album, the outtakes are just as good! Those have more of a Love You feel, if not in style, then in attitude. Comparing his love for his woman like a dog waits for his master...if that was Brian's lyric (and I've yet to hear otherwise, as Brian apparently has been writing lyrics more often over the past 6 years, such as his work on TWGMTR), then it is rather revealing...

Why don't you forget all that sh*t , and just enjoy the album? 

Sex is really fun too if you don't think so much about it.  You ought to try that sometime. 

Also you have fun on the Beach if you walk around not worrying about how you look with your shirt off.

Kisses are better when you don't worry about whether or not your breath is fresh.
















Or you could just overthink everything and worry about which parts of which song which human being wrote. 

I've never heard them. Does that mean they have single snares with no bass drum on them?

As I'm one of the few here who doesn't like the sound of Love You (the songs are good) your post now makes me think the whole Love You album sounds like demos.

Interestingly, someone posted here once posted "Isn't It Time" reminded him of Love You. I love "Isn't It Time", but it reminds me rather of the "Landlocked" boot, which I love. That shows how subjective this all is.

Fair points ... but I think Brian Wilson is the greatest record producer of all time, and I also think he's fully capable of producing another album. It just doesn't sound like this is it to me.

That would be great advice if the record sounded good.

Not sure what you're getting at with the other weird comments.

I dig what you're saying. But my view is that Brian has given us a career full of great stuff. So if he puts out five more albums, and there's only one great new song on each album from here on out, then that's ok with me, since it's just a cherry on top of the great stuff he's given us already.


Ron tries to be the "regular guy" of the board. The guy that can admit he likes "Kokomo" and SMiLE in the same breath and not overthink things. But he also kinda seems to state his opinions as fact a lot. But, whatever, to each his own.

For all we know he wrote most of the songs based around riffs BW had lying around

[/quote]

That would be news to me because nothing like that was ever mentioned.



I don't agree with this. The album sounds very much like a Brian Wilson production to me with - no doubt about that - assisstance by Joe.

Even during Imagination, it was blindingly obvious (or rather, since it is music, deafeningly obvious :lol) that Brian was doing the vocal arrangements. That hasn't changed. And one thing that that has been brought up (not just by me, but in interviews) that nobody seems to be commenting on is the fact that Brian contributed lyrics to the album, more on anything since Love You.

There is no doubt the TWGMTR engineering -- and processing on vocals and instruments -- is pretty slick. Thanks, JT. But the overall instrumental and vocal arrangements are of a piece with everything Brian has done in his solo career for the last dozen years or so. It's many of the same guys, and generally the same sound. It doesn't sound much like Imagination. It does sound quite a bit like the finished TLOS, or BWRG. In other words, it's a Brian Wilson production.

... And this is also something I've had confirmed, to my satisfaction.

Would be cool to read more about that... >:D

--

Agreed it doesn't sound much like Imagination...TLOS does have a bit more of a raw sound to it as well compared to 'Radio'.  I guess it is closer to BWRG.

I tried to keep up with the interviews, but admittedly have missed a few. Other than "The Private Life Of Bill And Sue" (and I think the lyrics on that song are underwhelming), what songs did Brian write lyrics for? Did the articles/interviews mention specific lines? How would you know what Brian wrote? Or Joe Thomas? Or Jon Bon Jovi? Please get me up to date.  :police:

Just by listening to the songs you can hear Brian's hand in the lyrics. Much of "Shelter" sounds like it was written by him, so does "Strange World". I also suspect that the second half of "From There and Back Again" with its abstract phrasing is Brian's work. Finally, thanks to the Rolling Stone story, we know that one seemingly innocuous line in "Summer's Gone" represents Brian's last words to Carl...which gives the verse a whole new meaning.

Well, but IIRC Thomas took these last words from Brian to Carl to work them as lyrics into the song, didn't he? That's how I understood it but of course that might not be what was reported

Plus, some of the lyrics in 'Spring Vacation', including the 'easy money/ain't live funny/ so what's it to ya/ hallelujah' part.