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BRIAN WILSON’S 11TH SOLO STUDIO ALBUM, TITLED ‘NO PIER PRESSURE,’
TO BE RELEASED APRIL 7 BY CAPITOL RECORDS

New Album Features Collaborations with Beach Boys Bandmates,
Kacey Musgraves, fun.’s Nate Ruess, She & Him’s Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward,
Peter Hollens, and Capital Cities’ Sebu Simonian


Hollywood, California – January 29, 2015 – He is one of popular music’s most deeply revered figures, a legendary writer, producer, arranger and performer of some of the most cherished music in pop music history. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to call Brian Wilson one of the most gifted and influential composers of the past 50 years. For the release of his 11th solo studio album, titled No Pier Pressure, Wilson has returned to Capitol Records, his original label home with The Beach Boys.  The album will be released April 7 in standard 13-track and deluxe 16-track editions, each available on CD and digitally, as well as a 16-track 2LP edition on 180-gram vinyl.

For the No Pier Pressure sessions, Brian Wilson reunited with longtime collaborator Joe Thomas, with whom he co-produced The Beach Boys’ No. 3 Billboard album That’s Why God Made The Radio for the iconic band’s 50th anniversary reunion in 2012.  In addition, Wilson was  joined at Hollywood’s Ocean Way Studios by talented musicians he personally invited to record with him, including his former Beach Boys bandmates Al Jardine, David Marks and Blondie Chaplin, as well as Kacey Musgraves, fun.’s Nate Ruess, She & Him’s Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, Peter Hollens, Capital Cities’ Sebu Simonian, and trumpet master Mark Isham.  Wilson has also brought in session all-stars Don Was, Jim Keltner, Dean Parks, and Kenny Aronoff.  Members of Wilson’s longtime touring band, including Scott Bennett, Paul Mertens, Darian Sahanaja, and Probyn Gregory also participated in the sessions, along with Matt Jardine, son of Al Jardine, and former bandmate Jeffrey Foskett.

Wilson and Thomas began collaborating on the new songs during The Beach Boys’ whirlwind 50th anniversary activities throughout 2012, a banner year for the band which also included a GRAMMY® Award win for Brian for The Beach Boys’ long-awaited SMiLE Sessions release.  He told family, friends, and journalists around the world that he looked forward to returning to the studio when he got back home to California. 

Always most inspired when creativity is given time and space to freely flow, Wilson initially envisioned the sessions for his new album with The Beach Boys in mind, but that was not to be.  Wanting to find the right voices to complete his vision, Wilson saw an opportunity to finally become hip with his kids and recruited some amazing young vocalists who have been inspired by his music to do the job. 

Throughout his iconic career, Wilson has brought ingenious vision to his own compositions, as well as to those for which he has collaborated, weaving a lush, vibrant tapestry of intricately nuanced vocal harmonies and instrumental arrangements for himself, his bandmates and others.  For more than 50 years, fans have marveled at the sheer beauty of the music that springs forth from Wilson’s imagination into glorious song.

Camped out at Ocean Way, Wilson took a fluid, woodshedding approach to the recording process, deftly tailoring the vocal and instrumental parts and arrangements to each participant.  Wilson worked to hone the arrangements, often assembling pieces from various takes, a signature style of recording he has enjoyed since his earliest sessions with The Beach Boys.  In fact, several of the songs were written during the recording process.

Brian Wilson began his career as a teenaged founding member of The Beach Boys, who signed with Capitol Records in July 1962 and released their first album, Surfin’ Safari, that same year. The band’s initial surf-rock focus was soon broadened to include other themes, and 1966’s Pet Sounds is universally hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time.  Wilson’s innovative vocal and instrumental arrangements for major hits including “I Get Around,” “California Girls,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “God Only Knows,” and the No. 1 smash “Good Vibrations” made The Beach Boys America’s preeminent band of the 1960s. 

Brian Wilson has also achieved great solo success with 10 of his own albums released to date, including his acclaimed 2004 completion of an album he first began recording in the ‘60s, Brian Wilson Presents… SMiLE, which reached Billboard’s Top 20 and earned him his first GRAMMY® Award for a recording.  Wilson won his second GRAMMY Award® for producing The Beach Boys’ acclaimed 2011 release, The SMiLE Sessions.  Wilson has also performed major, sold-out SMiLE and Pet Sounds tours in recent years with his own band.  Wilson is a Kennedy Center Honors recipient, a Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, and a UK Music Hall of Fame inductee.  As a member of The Beach Boys, Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and honored with The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY® Award in 2001.

www.brianwilson.com

BRIAN WILSON:  No Pier Pressure [CD, digital]

1. This Beautiful Day
2. Runaway Dancer [featuring Sebu Simonian]
3. What Ever Happened [featuring Al Jardine and David Marks]
4. On The Island [featuring She & Him]
5. Our Special Love [featuring Peter Hollens]
6. The Right Time [featuring Al Jardine and David Marks]
7. Guess You Had To Be There [featuring Kacey Musgraves]
8. Tell Me Why [featuring Al Jardine]
9. Sail Away [featuring Blondie Chaplin and Al Jardine]
10. One Kind Of Love
11. Saturday Night [featuring Nate Ruess]
12. The Last Song
13. Half Moon Bay

BRIAN WILSON:  No Pier Pressure (Deluxe Edition) [CD, digital]
(added tracks in bold)

1. This Beautiful Day
2. Runaway Dancer [featuring Sebu Simonian]
3. What Ever Happened [featuring Al Jardine and David Marks]
4. On The Island [featuring She & Him]
5. Our Special Love [featuring Peter Hollens]
6. The Right Time [featuring Al Jardine and David Marks]
7. Guess You Had To Be There [featuring Kacey Musgraves]
8. Don’t Worry
9. Somewhere Quiet
10. I’m Feeling Sad
11. Tell Me Why [featuring Al Jardine]
12. Sail Away [featuring Blondie Chaplin and Al Jardine]
13. One Kind Of Love
14. Saturday Night [featuring Nate Ruess]
15. The Last Song
16. Half Moon Bay

BRIAN WILSON:  No Pier Pressure [2LP 180g vinyl]

Side A
1. This Beautiful Day
2. Runaway Dancer [featuring Sebu Simonian]
3. What Ever Happened [featuring Al Jardine and David Marks]
4. On The Island [featuring She & Him]

Side B
1. Our Special Love [featuring Peter Hollens]
2. The Right Time [featuring Al Jardine and David Marks]
3. Guess You Had To Be There [featuring Kacey Musgraves]
4. Tell Me Why [featuring Al Jardine]

Side C
1. Sail Away [featuring Blondie Chaplin and Al Jardine]
2. One Kind Of Love
3. Saturday Night [featuring Nate Ruess]
4. The Last Song

Side D
1. Half Moon Bay
2. Don’t Worry
3. I’m Feeling Sad
4. Somewhere Quiet

Hey, there's already a discussion about the news: http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,17691.msg496975.html#msg496975 (http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,17691.msg496975.html#msg496975)

I wish Brian would use the search function. It's always the same with him...

Cool beans. What'a great day of music April 7th will be;  I'm seeing Fleetwood Mac that nite. Will for sure pick up a copy of NPP beforehand.

 :woot :woot :woot :woot :woot :woot :woot :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :happydance :happydance :happydance :happydance :happydance :happydance :happydance :rock :rock :rock :rock :rock

Wow, that's odd. Ever since 'Southern California' came out on TLOS, I have envisaged part of it taking place at Half Moon Bay - a beach I particularly loved on one of my Pacific Coast Highway trips, as it seemed to me like almost the *archetypal* Southern California beach, the kind from which you could imagine countless teenagers and twenty-somethings launching their surfing adventures in the early 1960s. And now this album closes with a track called exactly that.

You know how SMiLE-O-Philes like to point out that after SMiLE's non-show in 1967, the next few Beach Boys albums all ended with, or at least *featured*, reworkings of SMiLE material? Smiley Smile has Whistle In, which was part of Do You Like Worms, Wild Honey has 'Mama Says', part of Vega-Tables at one point. Friends has that bit of CIFOTM in the middle of Little Bird, and 20/20 has the Workshop percussion on the end of Do It Again, and finishes with Our Prayer and Cabinessence. And then Sunflower finishes with Cool, Cool Water, derived from All Day and ILTSDD, and Surf's Up ends with the title track.

Well the last few original BW-helmed albums have had Pacific Coast Highway-themed tracks to close with. TLOS, as mentioned, has Southern California, which mentions Highway 1 by name. That's Why God Made The Radio had, well, Pacific Coast Highway itself, as part of the concluding suite. And now we have Half Moon Bay...

The old dude is STILL giving me interesting things to think about, even at the ripe old age of 72...

Thanks for coming by and letting us know Brian!  I have preordered all three formats of No Pier Pressure (I'm weird like that).  Excited to hear it in all of it's glory!

This is fantastic news!! :rock :rock

If the Peter Hollen's track was any indication of the production quality for the rest of the album, I think we're in for a real kickass record!!

From where?
Why would anyone pre-order mp3s? 
Why would anyone BUY mp3s when you have the CD you can make them from effortlessly?

Excellent news!!! I can't wait for April!!!

You expressed my sentiments perfectly, OSD!

I can't wait.

Lana Del Ray didn't make the cut  :-\

Neither did Jeff Beck.

Neither did Run James Run, apparently.

It´s a pity that Jeff Beck didn´t make it. Danny Boy was very nice............

Wow - great news! Very excited about this.

Can't wait for this!!!  Just a little over two months away.  Of course the three songs I was most looking forward to - Summer Means New Love, Run James Run, and Last Song (sung by LDR) - didn't make the cut.  Oh well, I'm just glad we finally got a release date for this, and it's sooner than I expected.

I wonder if Whatever Happened has to do with the BBs.  I'm Feeling Sad sounds interesting as well.

They probably just gave Summer Means New Love a new title.

Maybe they can stick Run, James Run on some charity compilation or something... some Jardine eco-cause!

Great news tho, interesting track listing. I would've dropped Our Special Love unless its a totally different mix.

Pretty sure the SMNL remake is called "Somewhere Quiet". It's on the deluxe version.

I usually avoid speculation but it has to be noted that the last side of the 2lp set appears to be Brian, no guests/collaborators.

Unless they just forgot to mention her in the press release. ::)

Ah well, it'll be bootlegged a thousand times anyway. All those Capitol employees with sticky fingers!

 I'm just glad we can hear BW's version!

Oh, and John... Half Moon Bay is the Isham collaboration track with a lengthy solo. Heard it at the Vegas show!

I wonder if....
8. Don’t Worry
9. Somewhere Quiet
10. I’m Feeling Sad
...is the rest of the suite from TWGMTR...

I am officially pumped for this release.  Can't wait!

Happy Danny Boy is not on there, but confused if LDR is on there or not. Hopefully it's just an oversight.

I like Lana Del Rey and was looking forward to her appearance on this.  ???

Agreed. No loss there.

It's been stated from early on that there were two version of "The Last Song" -- one with Lana and one without.

If she's not listed on the official Capitol press release, then I would wager she's not the record. That is not an oversight.

That makes me sad. Maybe it'll be in her new album...

Nope, they didn't.

And/or perhaps an online single release. That would be nice, as an "alternate" way to hear the track. That would probably get Brian more genuinely "new" listeners than most of the other guest stars, if that's what they're looking for.

But as I've mentioned before, if "Last Song" is even half as epic and meaningful as they've been making it sound, I'd rather have an all-Brian version than a duet if I could only have one version.

TV Forces,
I said nothing about Mp3s.  I am one of those silly completist collector types.  I ordered both versions of the cd and the vinyl.

Maybe the Lana Del Rey track will be a Japanese bonus track, making us all have to spring for the import version.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/brian-wilson-taps-musical-peers-for-new-album-no-pier-pressure-20150129

By the way Eric, happy belated birthday! Thanks for the url.

Interesting sequencing... I like the vinyl running order, with Half Moon Bay setting up the bonus tracks rather than ending the album as in the the other versions... I dunno about an instrumental following "The Last Song." Seems they missed a trick not making it the er, last song.

Maybe the cumulative effect is super melancholy or something. But I think I'll have to pick up the vinyl! Can't wait.

Nothing at amazon has changed yet...Album still available March 31.  Can't pre-order it yet.  Will comment AFTER I have had the chance to enjoy it...as I know I will. :hat

Blondie Chaplin has to be on the tour for this.

 Sell Al's spare white suit if you absolutely must raise the funds for it but he HAS to be part of the band for all the dates, not just two cities. Sail Away, Wild Honey, Sail On, Sailor... bust out Hold on, Dear Brother a time or two! His guitar sound mixes in great and I just love seeing him and Al Jardine together with BW.

Bribe Ricky for a few dates too. Tell him its a Rutles reunion, whatever it takes. That lineup was unbelievable at the Venetian. Imagine how good they'd sound by the end of a tour.

If only.  I'm going to see the "reunited" Rutles in April, but to the best of my knowledge it's only going to be Nasty and Barry.

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a Japanese bonus track (there often if not usually is), but I don't think they'd hide a high-profile duet there. Or, rather, they wouldn't have it exclusively there. I could envision a scenario where they issue it as a single, and then the Japanese CD includes it as a bonus track.

Trust me, you'll know when the real US listing is up at Amazon. It'll have cover art, and will not be priced above $20 or so.

That current listing on Amazon for 3/31 (which is listed at $36.95 and can actually be pre-ordered) is also listed as an "Import." I'm assuming it's perhaps the Japan or UK version that Amazon might end up importing. If that's the case, the release dates don't mean much. Often, an import version of a CD on Amazon will, on "release date", then revert to "ships in 2-3 weeks" status.

I would imagine, with a press release now out, we'll see the US release up on Amazon soon. I'm guessing the "standard" version will be in the $15 range give or take, and the deluxe $20 give or take, and it could go down significantly lower by April.

I agree that Jeff Beck ended up acting like a tool, but I'm still bummed we won't get to hear a few of those Beck tracks. The description of a few of them, even if hyperbolic, sounded quite intriguing. Beck doing some guitar stuff with Brian and Al harmonizing wordlessly. That sounds more interesting to me than the Hollens track, for instance.

At least we have one good-sounding recording (via the Fallon TV show appearance) and a number of tour recordings of the "Danny Boy" rendition. So if one is inclined to like it, there is a way to hear it.

I'm wondering, if a full tour happens, if it might be like the 2013 dates. Al on board, with Blondie at select dates. (Not sure if Dave might appear with Brian again). I think Blondie doing some Blondie-specific stuff with Brian is great (the new album stuff, Sailor, Wild Honey, maybe some other stuff like "Hold on Dear Brother" or "Funky Pretty"), but I don't know how much he would be able to contribute to a setlist with stuff like "Please Let Me Wonder" and whatnot. I certainly hope they can get Al, Blondie, Dave, and even Ricky for as many dates as possible. It would probably cost too much money to lug all these guys out on a full tour, but it would be an intriguing headline to see Brian wrestle up FIVE Beach Boys for a "solo" tour.

Sure, you could make that argument but if you want to put on a great show, pay the man what he's worth and gain some invaluably tasty guitar and vocal work. It'll add a helluva kick to Marcella. Plus he's all thin and wiry so you could probably fold him up and ship him with the lighting equipment... value! BW isn't going to have many more big tours in him and this is with Capitol's backing for the album,  do a few more meet and greets to pay for Mr. Chaplin! Its amazing to see those guys together on one stage and I think a lot of fans will come away pretty damn happy.

I am sure they are in a scheduling nightmare right now... but I say Blondie and Al with the core BW band for all shows and whichever NPP guests are near big cities at the time guesting on those nights make sense. You could still do plenty of NPP songs with the BW band plus Blondie and Al... a fine 2015 tour.

While i'm fantasizing, a small 2016 Brian Wilson and Al Jardine "Love You" string of shows in NYC, LA, SF, London. Or its advertised as a Pet Sounds tour and they randomly bust out Love You and Brian knocks over a chair. Rock n' roll! Darian and Scott perched over analog synths that drift out of tune! Oh, fine. Be that way... Pet Sounds. How about Love You in 2017? Anniversary! Tshirts for the kids.

 I agree completely.  The one thing I was hoping for was a Brian only version of "Last Song".  If it's anything close to "Summer's Gone", it'll be a masterpiece!

Yeah, I agree... it should be a BW track! Then hype up the Lana track... It could be a spooky mythological track... a rumor of a collaboration that was ruined when she sh*t on a dinner plate and made Melinda look at her empty eyesocket... a tinny  bootleg in 2019... .until she goes thru a born again phase or a scientologist in need of money to become an Operating Thetan and puts it out on a rarities compilation in 2021.

Where the tour goes, I'm thinkin' the more Seventies it is the better. Which means Al...with his Pilgrim hat, assuming it wasn't Frisbeed into a lake someplace by Dennis....and Blondie...hopefully doing a lead or two besides SOS and WH...and at least The Night Was So Young and Honkin' from Love You.

How do you know this?

God yes! What a great idea on nights without one of those big guests!

I'll get the Deluxe version.  Why put the bonus tracks in the middle of the album?

I was wondering the same thing.

This is increasingly common. Elton John and Leon Russell's "The Union," for instance, was resequenced  for its deluxe edition. Ditto for the Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett album from last fall. The thought is to make the deluxe album actually a different experience, rather than the same sequence with some stuff tacked on the end.

Okay, thanks for the info.

This is the same thought that has been going through my mind. The titles, for what it's worth, certainly fit.

I think I'm going to take release day off of work so that I can soak this in.

(http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/mog1.gif)

That's a bummer about Lana not being on there, I thought they would be really pushing the newer artists thing with this album.

this made my night :lol

Posted on David's Facebook page:

(https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10313334_771479779610106_7479530017633983446_n.jpg?oh=0a911f61bf0fd0d9c09a44b607a97680&oe=55692247)

A "Last Song" seven inch vinyl with the album version / LDR version would make for a nice Record Store Day release or a brianwilson.com exclusive.

I was thinking so would an EP of live in Las Vegas stuff. "Hold On, Dear Brother" especially.

Just a note from someone used to album sequencing - "Our Special Love" sure sounds like it's cut from a transition... are we looking at a "flowing" album?

I'm a little surprised that the Hollens song is on the album. It's been available for a few months now on his own album. I was not expecting it to appear on NPP.

Kinda bummed Lana Del Rey's version of Last Song didn't make the cut.... Not a huge fan, but she's got a nice voice, and it'll definitely put a dent in sales because now fans of her aren't going to check the music out....


Looking forward to the rest of the album tho. My homie Scott Weiland's got one coming out a week prior to No Pier Pressure, so I've got a lot of good stuff to look forward to in April.

Is Tell Me Why a cover of the Beatles song?

Exciting news!  Congrats Brian and thanks, really looking forward to hearing it :)

Absolutely not ! Very nice ballad.

Wasn't that impressed with what I've heard of Blaster, but hopefully it'll sound better on disc rather than low bitrate files. Noticed the timing, though... considering how big of a fan Scott is, I wonder if that was planned?

Off subject, but you bringing up Scott made me think about a crazy dream I had the other night. Brian and I were in the studio covering Alice in Chains' Down in a Hole, with Brian singing Jerry's parts and me singing Layne Staley's parts. With the vibes, the arrangement sounded like the Desper version of Til I Die, and it sounded incredible. If I ever get the opportunity to work with Brian, (I can dream!) I'd have to make that happen. AIC always did sound like a hard rock version of the Everly Brothers to me, so...

Anyway, I'm going to buy the deluxe copy as soon as it comes out. I want that f*cker bad lol

Any guesses on when the first single will be released? Which song(s) do you think it'll be?

Hopefully, Last Song with Lana Del Rey.  Some folk here seem not to like her and I've not paid much attention to her, but my opinion is that we'll have the Brian version on the album anyway, so it'd be fabulous if a new Brian Wilson single, using a current famous singer, could go high in the charts.

Well, if it's an instrumental, nobody will sing on it, and thus it's not a song, is it? :wink A piece or a track, yes, but not a song - the last song will be "The Last Song". :-D

I just don't think our senses of humor will ever align. Smileyface here with a dollop of pedantry!

Sorry, just wanted to cheer you up :) I think I'm more a nitpicker and smartass than a pedant though! :angel:

Just asking, ontor - and I must add here that I know nothing about ANY of these tracks yet, I haven't heard a thing - how do you know Half Moon Bay is instrumental? You mentioned you saw a version of it played live, was that it? You said Mark Isham took a long solo, but didn't explicitly say that the whole thing was instrumental. But is it?

Excuse my ignorance. It could be that it's on YouTube somewhere, but if so, I haven't heard it yet. So I'm genuinely curious...!

Andrew, have you heard the whole album?  Can you give any other details?

Why bother with two versions anyways?  Just stick with the deluxe version and be done with it.

It will hit them where it most hurts (sales) not having Lana del Ray on the record, it would've been great exposure. Bizzare to not even have her on the deluxe.

Well, it was there decision to make and they made it.

Has this been posted yet?

http://pitchfork.com/news/58275-frank-ocean-and-lana-del-rey-left-off-brian-wilson-album-due-to-scheduling/

Apparently Frank Ocean and Lana Del Rey were left off due to scheduling issues.  :(

Pretty sure that her second album did worse than her first (1 million in sales vs. 5 million), and her star has fallen somewhat. She also does not do promotion.

Given that, and given how personal and important "The Last Song" is for Brian, it perhaps makes sense to leave her off. Musgraves is pretty hot right now, Zooey will do anything to help out BW, Ruess is just awesome, and the Cap Cities guy and Hollens are pleasant up-and-comers. It's a pretty balanced list, and it doesn't overwhelm the album -- only 5 of the 13 tracks feature non-BB folks on vocals.


If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you. The album was done last year, and it's not out til April -- if scheduling was that important, they could still be dubbing those guys on the tracks.

Agreed. I'm Team Brian all the way, but that was not a good reason given.

Too bad the Q&A is over and done with. Knowing what we do now about the tracklist, we definitely should have asked him more questions about Lana Del Rey.

Nope. But, the key is to reach for the stars. Ask him the most unanswerable questions possible. Go hardcore.

Questions that Brian might have answered ...those are for idiots.

Guess I gotta check out Lana and ocean.    Never heard them.   Kept waiting for the Brian album to hear for the first time.   So I guess they will pull in a few Brian fans who are curious.

Direct linear descendent of 2007s "Alan won't be touring with Brian because he needs to finish up his solo album", and roughly as credible.

I hope this is not about image. In that regard, leaving off LDR and Frank Ocean while including the Peter Hollens collaboration would speak volumes.

Not a fan of Lana, but this should be your first stop when checking out Frank:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNBD4OFF8cc

I'm still confused as to why people would want Lana Del Rey singing on what would ostensibly be a very personal attempt at a "Last Song" by Brian Wilson. Seems like a weird thing to want a guest vocalist on.

We know nothing, really… maybe it'll be a bonus hidden track; maybe she'll release on her own next album… I doubt it'll stay unavailable forever.

You don't really think it's Brian's last song ever, do you?

Summer's Gone had an air of finality to it.  Would have been fitting as a last song.  Now, we're getting another last song.  Maybe Brian's trying for a cool ending.

It probably was the last Beach Boys song.

Maybe Brian's in his "last song" era.

Sad, but probably true.

New album next year

It seems like these days “deluxe edition” and “standard edition” are becoming more like “standard edition” and “substandard edition”   ::)

Someone who's adept at Photoshop should replace the Brian Wilson text on the "NPP" cover with the Beach Boys logo.

Nah, 2017 to tie in with Mike's book.

I don't believe that Frank Ocean actually did any recording for the project. It was more that he was one of the names talked about early on. He was "dropped" from the album at some point last year -- several news articles about the ongoing album mentioned that he didn't end up doing anything.

As for LDR, I tend to believe that her performance was in the can, but Brian preferred to sing the song himself. Her people may have had some sort of objections, too, but Brian generally figures out how to get the things he wants.

As for image, it's not like the absent guys are being replaced by hordes of college a capella singers. The surviving guests are respected indie-pop folks. We've heard the Hollens collab. already and can judge it on its own merits.

Personally I'm happy that Lana Del Ray is NOT singing "Last Song", given the alleged importance of it.

I think she's more hype than anything else..a kind of pre-packaged Nico for the Facebook generation.

I asked in the "Thanksgiving" thread and got no answer. Thus I'm asking here. Up until 2 months ago AGD and other knowledgeable people denied every wish or comment about a possible new album. Now.... not so. Is there anything they've been privy to? If so, I'll catch a plane to L.A. and raise a toast with the professor.

And that makes me HAPPY!   :thumbsup

Nothing at all against Ms. Del Rey, of course.  She may have made a perfectly nice contribution, but from the few things we have heard about the genesis of this number (and particularly with a title like "Last Song"), there's no other voice alive that I'd want to hear singing the lead than Brian Wilson.

Frankly, there are no other voices than current and former Beach Boys voices that I'd want to hear anywhere on it.

Mind, I'd be perfectly happy to entertain the version with Lana at some point, too.  If they release it as a single, a B-side, put it on some charity album or rarities collection, I'll be all over it, and be glad for it.

But this one sounds like it could be special; really special.  And I'm thankful we'll get the chance to hear Brian sing it first.


As for the rest of the things that I am excited/curious about, upon reading the press release:

- I mentioned in this topic's sister thread that "Sail Away" intrigues me not only for the Brian/nautical theme connection, but for the inclusion of Blondie (and Al), too.

- "On the Island" has had me excited for months now.  I cannot wait to hear the full record.

- Every number which includes Al and/or David Marks makes things that much more special!

- All of the songs with no guests listed [So, I 'm guessing just "All Brian, all the time"].

- And then come the numbers with the other guests.  They may be fantastic, but going in, the concept doesn't blow me away.  But I'll certainly listen with an open mind!  As I said, "On the Island" sounds great to me, so maybe the others will really cook.

- And hey, someone questioned whether the three bonus numbers found on the deluxe version are sourced from Brian's "Life Suite"?  I haven't scanned through the whole topic yet; do we have any idea about these?



Finally (and I know that I've also mentioned this before], I'm not going to lie: I am disappointed that this could not have been a Beach Boys album, as Brian had first envisioned.  I'm not going to deny that.

But I'm also not going to dwell on it, either.  I'd much rather celebrate what we are getting in April.  But the thought is there...

I'm not the least bit concerned that M&B won't be on the album. I'm sure that not having the lovester poke his nose into this project made it far more enjoyable for everyone involved. It will sound just fine without those two on board now or ever again. The icing on the cake would be to have Brian's next album be a BB affair sans Mike Love. Here's hoping!  :happydance :happydance :happydance :happydance :woot :woot

A rather quick job, but I hope that it's to your liking:

(http://s26.postimg.org/fd6rw657t/THE_BEACH_BOYS_No_Pier_Pressure.jpg)

And then comes the next question: why isn't Emile Haynie - "Falling Apart" (Feat. Andrew Wyatt & Brian Wilson) on the album? Love it!!

http://youtu.be/uo2JLzGiEj4 (http://youtu.be/uo2JLzGiEj4)

:-D

Oh, but I didn't mean to imply that it would ruin the experience for me, mate!

Part of it is that Brian wanted it to be a Beach Boys project; that this is what he was envisioning as he composed.  So I'm sorry for him that he didn't have that realized.

Second, I won't deny that I love Mike Love's voice on Brian Wilson's songs.  I just do.  Not necessarily as the lead singer on each and every number, or anything, but as part of that classic mix.  The suite numbers from TWGMTR, for instance?  Without taking a single proper lead, I felt that Mike's voice lent something truly wonderful to the mix.  Your mileage may vary, of course.

And Bruce?  I still enjoy his voice well enough, I suppose.  Maybe it's more, "If you're going to have every other living Beach Boy on the thing?  Well, then you'd may as well ask Bruce, too."  :P

But I'm happy you're happy, brother!  I am, too.  I haven't been this excited for a release since... well, since 2012.

I think NPP features BW compositions, or co-compositions. He didn't have a hand in writing "Falling Apart," as far as I know, or the Mini Mansions tune, either. He did, however, write "Our Special Love" with JT, so ...

For all of you counting down: http://itsalmo.st/#nopierpressure_7oayu :afro

Lacks a surfboard. ;D

Has a Holland vibe to it....

Yes! Just think, this is what we'd be seeing if Brian had the name instead of a phony, tacky incarnation that exists presently.  ::)

Probably closer to this

(http://i.imgur.com/S3ba4OC.jpg)

The name is just a license for touring. Neither Brian nor Mike or Al can release a studio album under the name "The Beach Boys" without the others

I think the point of the 'Shopped version is to explore what might have been, since Brian originally wanted the next album to be a Beach Boys project.

That was certainly my intent.  Just a glimpse at how things might have looked in that alternate universe where the project came together as Brian first envisioned:  As a Beach Boys album.

Puni puni may have given us the more likely outcome, what with the Torrence logo, and all.  And though I think the "modern" logo has its place, the Cooper Black font makes for what I see as a much more timeless Beach Boys look.


Anyway, I put the picture up because a fellow member asked, and I knew I could probably do a passable job of it, quick-like.  I certainly don't want to steer things too far away from what is important here.  Brian Wilson is releasing a new album in two months (and I couldn't be more excited)! :)

My comment was directed at "The Legendary OSD"'s post that I quoted and not at the photoshopped picture.

Ok, thanks!! :)

First time I've zoomed in on that album sleeve image… had thought the bronze coloured arrangement beyond the blackened pier legs was a set of wind chimes! But it's just more pier legs… hey ho!

I like your idea better. :)

I'm guessing sunlight isn't something you're too well acquainted with...  ;D

Uh... how to put this politely... sarcasm not your strong point, is it ?  ;D

I was referencing the recent interview in which the inquisitor wasn't actually listening to what Mike was saying and assumed he was talking about a new BB album in 2017, not a solo project. Joke. Ha ha.  ;D

Hey Andrew, still think Brian's new album is gonna suck? I remember you saying quite a bit that you weren't exactly hopeful due to the long gestation time.

Personally, I really dig "Our Special Love" and most of the track listing looks super interesting to me. The live cut of "Saturday Night" didn't really do much for me, but I'm hopeful.

Anyways, have you heard any of it, and what's your general opinion sir?

I'll join AGD and note a lack of personal hope.  Not that BW must prove or provide at this point.

But...he stopped fully composing a long time ago (Love You?).  Composing...where you are writing the melodies
but also establishing arrangement and production in your head.  This will be a trumpet.  A piano rhythm here.
Some echo...here.

Please correct me if I'm wrong!   (I hope I am.)   But he has been more of a Brill Building song crafter
for many years now.

I think this is one reason I get excited when Al sings on a song.  It seems to be a case of Brian reaching
more deeply into the song composition.

Dude, do you find if I say for all to hear how I enjoy that we are unified in our love of that song and in anticipation of BW album. I maintain, for all the reasons I have outlined a score of times, that a BB album, will all the boys in artistic and spiritual and creative unity, is my hope, but I am going to enjoy what BW did, especially with Al and Dave.  Our special love could have been a hit if it were a BB song, so marketed. It's a gem. The professor has been hit with a case of shingles (temped to go to the sandbox to see if any of you have been so blessed), and that song has been on constant play as music therapy to calm my sick body and soul. It reaches the levels of BB canonicity in spirit if not in name.

Mike has to regret not swallowing his pride and making it work out to still be together. He could have; BW, AJ, and DM were all into it...

Beautiful!  :o

Apparently the album will be released on March 31 in Germany and I guess in the rest of Europe, too. http://www.magistrix.de/news/musik/14540-album-am-31-maerz (http://www.magistrix.de/news/musik/14540-album-am-31-maerz)

Sometimes it's an advantage living in Europe.  ;D

"Brian, what can you tell us about working with Lana Del Rey?"

"Lana is a very attractive girl. It was great working with her."

It's a nice idea, The Beach Boys being on this album.

But let's be honest, with Mike Love in the mix a bunch of these songs would never make a Beach Boys album.

:woot :thumbsup :thumbsup :woot

Let's be honest, Summer's Gone was on TWGMTR even though Mike alledgedly did not appreciate it, so I think your estimation is not founded in reality.

If you had said with Mike Love in the mix, a bunch of these tracks would not have guest vocalists, I would agree with you that it's likely.

Or with Mike Love in the mix, we'd have to have another remixed Mike Love Not War track awkwardly placed in the middle of the album (though I don't think Daybreak Over the Ocean is bad at all, I just think it's weird and unnecessary that it's there, especially since it uses the old basic track and vocals with the other Beach Boys tacked on instead of them just rerecording it).

If you had Mike Love in a room alone with Brian, the way he wanted it to be, you might not have a song like Summer's Gone even existing whatsoever. (Yes I know the song was written with Bon Jovi + Joe Thomas at an earlier time, but I'm using it as a similar example). Mike was gonna make a stink about sad songs (even just a little stink can have consequences), and present opinionated roadblocks which might have stopped the best songs from being written or released. Sometimes sad songs don't need a touch of sunshine and happiness. Sometimes they are better without. I know people in bands are "allowed" to express their opinions, but let's face it - Brian isn't a typical guy from an emotional standpoint.

Brian hates hates hates confrontation, this has pretty been much established from decades of examples, right? Is that even arguable? Why does Mike, who as time evolved, clearly has had more creative differences with Brian than anyone else in the band over the years, think that it would make sense to anyone else (but Mike himself) to want to put Brian in the position of having to potentially confront these difficult differences all on his own?  I don't understand how sympathy is expected by Mike for his plight. Brian's desire to create deeper, sadder, outside-the-safety-zone songs, in the manner that he wants to make them, was never going to truly fly with the Brian/Mike alone in a room scenario. Caroline, Yes anyone?

I don't doubt that Brian/Mike could have written some cool tunes together, but (insert sarcasm here) heaven forbid that a song or two, overwhelmingly thought of as the best songs on a latter-day BB album, should have lyrics written by someone other than Mike. In a dream world, that should be a total non-issue to Mike (as I'm sure it would be a non-issue to Al and David if they themselves weren't credited as cowriters on the widely-thought-of-as-best-songs on a new BB album). It shouldn't matter. But alas, this isn't the case. And that's why the famous Jack Rieley quote about the band blowing it will always, sadly, hit the nail on the head. 

If "No Pier Pressure" was a proper Beach Boys album, I'm sure it would have included "Run, James, Run" (being a car song), "Pisces Brothers" and "Danny Boy." I think it's obvious the idea of recording "DB" was conceived with the Boys in mind.

Very likely the track list would be different if NPP was a BB album instead of a BW album. But Mike doesn't have the power to deny Brian any song he wants on a BB album. Brian has the power to deny Al any song he'd like on the album, however.

Yes indeed! That is also the difference between a "Produced by The Beach Boys" album and a "Produced by Brian Wilson" album.

I'm not sure that Mike is totally adverse to writing melancholic, introspective lyrics. He did write the lyrics to Warmth of the Sun, after all.

I'm not sure what the concern is all about regarding Mike ever writing with Brian again. I think the situation that Brian is in now is much more comfortable for him. It's  not like Mike is Cole Porter. I personally could give a rip whether they ever collaborate  again.

I'm just speaking for myself, but I think it might be to most people that it's not so much that they want Brian and Mike to write together again. It's that they would like to see The Beach Boys reunited and it seems that the only way Mike will reunite is if Brian sits in a room with him and writes new surfin' songs. So I guess if I had  to deal with a few shitty new Brian 'n Mike songs to have the group back together then it'd be okay. I personally get the feeling though that even if Brian said he would get in a room with Mike and write, the goalposts would be moved. I get the feeling that Mike wants to do The Beach Boys thing his way, and really the only way he'd want Brian back is if Brian just joined his group. Which ain't happening.

I'd rather get an album completely full of beautiful Brian Wilson tunes than an album sporadically peppered with uninspired, forced Brian and Mike collaborations. I could care less if Mike or Bruce ever sing with Brian and the guys again.

Don't get me wrong: I'd love to see what Mike and Brian could churn out. But it appears that Brian doesn't want it to happen, I'm sure he has his reasons. Bruce sounded great on TWGMTR album, and Mike still adds a lot to the mix. But If it comes down to Brian having to compromise his vision for an album just for some extra vocals, I'd rather Brian just fly solo.

I agree that I'd be interested in seeing whether a Brian and Mike songwriting session might catch lightning in a bottle.  If they got together and the lyrical result was something other than call-backs to older Beach Boys hits and retreads of the same couple of themes?  If instead, something a little less lyrically 'gimmicky' -- something maybe a little more poetic -- were the outcome?  Outstanding!  Mike has produced any number of fantastic lyrics, and I'd like to think he still has it in him.

But I don't know if that's what Love cares to write these days.  And if that is the case, I suppose my 'best-case' scenario for another Beach Boys album mostly looks like this: Brian producing his own compositions (the more of them in the vein of the 'Life Suite' numbers from TWGMTR, the better), with Mike lending not so much his lyrical talents, but his iconic voice.

Give me an album's-worth of performances featuring the voices of the surviving 'Boys singing all over Brian Wilson's written and produced songs.  Take that, slap a 'The Beach Boys' logo on the cover, and then announce a Summer Tour!   :hat

Logistics?  Sit down over a cheese pizza and hammer it out.

It all sounds so simple, eh?

Exactly rab! Let The Beach Boys end the way BW originally intended it...With "Summer's Gone" on the album, and those live performances in London of it. The perfect place to end a documentary or book on them.

Remember when Mike mimed a gun to his listening to playbacks of it? Turns out he was kinda right and the bullet killed his bar band version of the Beach Boys stone dead and ended the story with a bit of class. Nice to hear live too, isn't it? It'd be nice to get a RAH release one day.

I can wait for that, because NPP is going to be terrific and transcendental nasal bleating doesn't really fit any of the songs... there isn't a "Desert Drive" and Mike would sound like King of the Dickweeds on  "Runaway Dancer"... or what, doing his tender Daybreak Over the Adrian Baker Ocean voice on "The Right Time." Yuck. There are plenty of Beach Boys on there that will actually fit the songs. I'm glad I got to see a few C50 shows but I think Brian is gonna knock out of the park with this one. A grand slam instead of a bunt.

I don't think Mike Love has any good lyrics left in him. He wrote some fun rhymes half a century ago but hasn't exactly gone down as a legendary lyricist on the level of a Randy Newman, Bob Dylan, or that Paul McCartney he's always comparing himself to. When was the last time you saw some sensitive, successful singer songwriter type earnestly citing Mike Love as a huge influence on his lyrics. If so, he probably that other guy with the beard with the same name that gets more hits on google.

He's welcome to prove otherwise on Summer in Paradise 2, but until then there's probably a reason Mr. Wilson cited VDP as his favorite collaborator and not "Cousin Mike." I admit! That one is possibly a  reunion i'm keen on.

If the gun miming incident happened in public, I can imagine that in a private one-on-one "room" scenario, you'd have more of the same, or worse, when creative differences were to almost certainly arise. Does anyone doubt this? Is this off-base?  One could generously call that dry humor, or IMO more accurately call it straight up uncool.  It's mocking, straight up, and it ain't a healthy communication style to say the least, especially with a person who is very, very well known for being sensitive on the receiving end. 

+10 :happydance :happydance  Are we to understand that NPP will not feature any, beloved bow, bow, bow bow's?? :shrug Speaking of citing the lovester's  unending, mind bending influence on all things music, has he guested on any recording in the last 40 years?? Please limit your lengthy lists to no more than 8 pages. By the way..,"transcendental :tm nasal bleating, bar band version of the Beach Boys-universally brilliant! :woot :woot  

CD, in 8 years of stalking this board (and recently posting)  this may be the BEST post I've read.  Straight to the point and so brutally honest.  The thought of Mike having any input whatsoever into SG is comical.  The end of the song sadly is verbatim, in its own way, a corroboration of the Rieley quote. 

Changed my mind. I think it might well be a lot better than many of us were anticipating.

Speaking of "Saturday Night"... is it just me or does it sound really familiar ?

Ahhh Andrew, now you are just being cruel to be kind  ;)

Yes it does now you mention it.
Now going to be bugging me all day.... !

He doesn't get all the sccops y'know - It's actually a  cover of a 90s composition by art-house industrial/noise-pop pioneer 'Whigfield'. I'm particularly stoked about this one as it's a chance for Brian to flex his avant-garde chops again.

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,18540.msg489251.html#msg489251 (http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,18540.msg489251.html#msg489251)

I'd prefer an album sporadically peppered with uninspired, forced Brian and Mike collaborations to an album sporadically peppered with uninspired, forced duets with guest vocalists like GIOMH was. After TLOS and TWGMTR my hopes are high for NPP, though.

Verses of Saturday Night remind me of We Are Golden by MIKA.

Given what we've heard about this project, the clips of songs we've heard from it, and the fact that (as Ray mentioned) Brian has spent months in the studio perfecting this album, it's safe to say that this will be nothing like 'GIOMH'.

Im so excited for this album that if they released a light up box set version with a surfboard for 10 thousand dollars Id proably buy it  ;D

Or the  box lites up under the piers at night, with a set of windchimes in an open air box

Just had notification from Amazon UK of April 20 expected delivery date.

Best Buy now lists it as available for pre-order.  No cover art yet, but they have the release date correct.

$13.99 CD
$17.99 Deluxe CD
$32.99 Vinyl
$37.99 Import (Japanese?) Available 3/31

Amazon uk has art on one of the four versions listed.

Japanese SHM-CD is available for pre-order. Includes 2 bonus tracka:

17 In The Back Of My Mind
18 Love And Mercy

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UICC-10017

I assume that's a re-recording of "In the back of my mind"  :o

I may have to get that version of the album. That's 3 versions of "No Pier Pressure" I'm purchasing  :lol

Wow.

Both "In the Back of My Mind" and "Love and Mercy" re-recorded? I wouldn't be mad if that were the case.

Or maybe the 1975 recording of "In the Back of My Mind"? Wouldn't that be wild?!? I know, very unlikely, but a man can dream!

Something tells me we'll be getting the 1975 version.  8)

Jim, it is the 1975 recording  of In the Back of My Mind

I assume Love and Mercy might be the re-recorded 2005 version with the "Walking Down the Path of Life" intro.  Or maybe a new version he recorded for the movie.

Holy sh*t!

Really? Source?

Wow! That is absolutely incredible.

Thank you so much for this news Ray! I am beyond excited for this now!

I think Ray's a pretty good source himself. He is a very good friend of Brian Wilson himself.

Jim ; you are welcome

Wow, SOLD!

Brian is the gift that keeps on giving  ;D

Also I think this big news deserves its own thread

I'm too tired to make one

That makes two of us !

I'll do the honors then!

I don't understand why a Japan cd gets 2 bonus tracks yet Capitol does not include them as we'll. ridiculous
Zeppo

Japanese bonus tracks are normal, and there is a very reasonable explanation for them...which I have forgotten.

However they are never this good  ;D

I would be VERY surprised if the two extra tracks are not on the deluxe version here in the US.

Thanks for the info - I've ordered it, of course.  It's an honor to order these recordings, more than once, if necessary.  Such a gift and a treat.

I'm so excited for this sequence of songs, could be classic Brian  ;D

Don’t Worry

Somewhere Quiet
   
I’m Feeling Sad

why does amazon US have only an import listed as soon to be available? won't the regular album be available? I am dull about how these aspects of marketing work. In any case, no advanced purchase on Amazon beyond the import, which must mean the Japanese?

thanks

It's terrible its not up for pre-order yet, most albums are up 3 months before release date.

Capitol are letting the ball drop already.

I wonder if "Love & Mercy" is the combo with Walking Down The Path of Life?

Emulating Phil Cohen? :wink

I don't think so. At least there's no such thing in the film.