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Smiley Smile Stuff => General On Topic Discussions => Topic started by: Loaf on September 19, 2010, 04:43:12 AM



Title: BWRG - Wow
Post by: Loaf on September 19, 2010, 04:43:12 AM
I got BWRG yesterday. I live in the UK, and then I went on holiday so I had to wait until yesterdat for BWRG.

I'd heard The Like In I Love You on the internet and was reasonably pleased, but listening to the album on vinyl, the whole thing just blows me away. A home-run if ever there was one. An mp3 doesn't do justice to the feel of the music coming out of a proper pair of speakers.

Brian's vocals are the best thing he's done in years. The phrasing is probably better than on pre-Pet Sounds stuff (when he sometimes came off as rushed and breathless). So this is what it's like when he's 100% motivated? Now I can see why people are pissed off with GIOMH et al, where he was passing the time.

The production is also superb. The instruments sound organic (unlike the harsh TLOS), the strings sound natural, not bolted on, and there is a wonderful depth and subtlety to the whole recording, especially on my favourite Gershwin track "It Ain't Necessarily So."

The album is a mature, sympathetic, inspired work, and I cannot for the life of me understand how the Sunday Times renamed this album as "BW Mangles Gershwin".

I would love to see Brian and his band perform this live.

More music like this, please! Even the Disney songs album (and i hate disney songs) could be enjoyable if produced like this.

How about reimagining Adult Child now?


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: The Heartical Don on September 19, 2010, 05:10:27 AM
I got BWRG yesterday. I live in the UK, and then I went on holiday so I had to wait until yesterdat for BWRG.

I'd heard The Like In I Love You on the internet and was reasonably pleased, but listening to the album on vinyl, the whole thing just blows me away. A home-run if ever there was one. An mp3 doesn't do justice to the feel of the music coming out of a proper pair of speakers.

Brian's vocals are the best thing he's done in years. The phrasing is probably better than on pre-Pet Sounds stuff (when he sometimes came off as rushed and breathless). So this is what it's like when he's 100% motivated? Now I can see why people are pissed off with GIOMH et al, where he was passing the time.

The production is also superb. The instruments sound organic (unlike the harsh TLOS), the strings sound natural, not bolted on, and there is a wonderful depth and subtlety to the whole recording, especially on my favourite Gershwin track "It Ain't Necessarily So."

The album is a mature, sympathetic, inspired work, and I cannot for the life of me understand how the Sunday Times renamed this album as "BW Mangles Gershwin".

I would love to see Brian and his band perform this live.

More music like this, please! Even the Disney songs album (and i hate disney songs) could be enjoyable if produced like this.

How about reimagining Adult Child now?

Dear mr. Shortenin' Loaf Sir -

I agree. It's in my player, and tonight, after a nice movie, I'll finish this Sunday with BWRG. I'm fond of the orchestral parts, lovely miniatures.


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: filledeplage on September 19, 2010, 07:24:38 AM
I got BWRG yesterday. I live in the UK, and then I went on holiday so I had to wait until yesterdat for BWRG.

I'd heard The Like In I Love You on the internet and was reasonably pleased, but listening to the album on vinyl, the whole thing just blows me away. A home-run if ever there was one. An mp3 doesn't do justice to the feel of the music coming out of a proper pair of speakers.

Brian's vocals are the best thing he's done in years. The phrasing is probably better than on pre-Pet Sounds stuff (when he sometimes came off as rushed and breathless). So this is what it's like when he's 100% motivated? Now I can see why people are pissed off with GIOMH et al, where he was passing the time.

The production is also superb. The instruments sound organic (unlike the harsh TLOS), the strings sound natural, not bolted on, and there is a wonderful depth and subtlety to the whole recording, especially on my favourite Gershwin track "It Ain't Necessarily So."

The album is a mature, sympathetic, inspired work, and I cannot for the life of me understand how the Sunday Times renamed this album as "BW Mangles Gershwin".

I would love to see Brian and his band perform this live.

More music like this, please! Even the Disney songs album (and i hate disney songs) could be enjoyable if produced like this.

How about reimagining Adult Child now?

Dear mr. Shortenin' Loaf Sir -

I agree. It's in my player, and tonight, after a nice movie, I'll finish this Sunday with BWRG. I'm fond of the orchestral parts, lovely miniatures.

Don - Do you have both versions of Brian's Gershwin?  Is one version different from another?

And to "Loaf" - I am a true sucker for Disney music...Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? - one of my favorites!   :lol


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: willy on September 19, 2010, 07:25:22 AM
I have just downloaded the album  :p  so a bit of a late-comer. Wish I had a good turntable set-up as the vinyl sounds like it is awesome!

I heard the snippets a while ago and was blown away, the full album is truly *astonishing* and now I just cannot wait for the Disney album... hope it is 'Classic' Disney and not the later Elton stuff.


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: The Heartical Don on September 19, 2010, 07:30:23 AM
I got BWRG yesterday. I live in the UK, and then I went on holiday so I had to wait until yesterdat for BWRG.

I'd heard The Like In I Love You on the internet and was reasonably pleased, but listening to the album on vinyl, the whole thing just blows me away. A home-run if ever there was one. An mp3 doesn't do justice to the feel of the music coming out of a proper pair of speakers.

Brian's vocals are the best thing he's done in years. The phrasing is probably better than on pre-Pet Sounds stuff (when he sometimes came off as rushed and breathless). So this is what it's like when he's 100% motivated? Now I can see why people are pissed off with GIOMH et al, where he was passing the time.

The production is also superb. The instruments sound organic (unlike the harsh TLOS), the strings sound natural, not bolted on, and there is a wonderful depth and subtlety to the whole recording, especially on my favourite Gershwin track "It Ain't Necessarily So."

The album is a mature, sympathetic, inspired work, and I cannot for the life of me understand how the Sunday Times renamed this album as "BW Mangles Gershwin".

I would love to see Brian and his band perform this live.

More music like this, please! Even the Disney songs album (and i hate disney songs) could be enjoyable if produced like this.

How about reimagining Adult Child now?

Dear mr. Shortenin' Loaf Sir -

I agree. It's in my player, and tonight, after a nice movie, I'll finish this Sunday with BWRG. I'm fond of the orchestral parts, lovely miniatures.

Don - Do you have both versions of Brian's Gershwin?  Is one version different from another?

And to "Loaf" - I am a true sucker for Disney music...Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? - one of my favorites!   :lol

Alas, belle fille, non. Mais peut-être je vais acheter une LP (longue-jouante?) dans quelques semaines...


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: filledeplage on September 19, 2010, 08:02:29 AM
I got BWRG yesterday. I live in the UK, and then I went on holiday so I had to wait until yesterdat for BWRG.

I'd heard The Like In I Love You on the internet and was reasonably pleased, but listening to the album on vinyl, the whole thing just blows me away. A home-run if ever there was one. An mp3 doesn't do justice to the feel of the music coming out of a proper pair of speakers.

Brian's vocals are the best thing he's done in years. The phrasing is probably better than on pre-Pet Sounds stuff (when he sometimes came off as rushed and breathless). So this is what it's like when he's 100% motivated? Now I can see why people are pissed off with GIOMH et al, where he was passing the time.

The production is also superb. The instruments sound organic (unlike the harsh TLOS), the strings sound natural, not bolted on, and there is a wonderful depth and subtlety to the whole recording, especially on my favourite Gershwin track "It Ain't Necessarily So."

The album is a mature, sympathetic, inspired work, and I cannot for the life of me understand how the Sunday Times renamed this album as "BW Mangles Gershwin".

I would love to see Brian and his band perform this live.

More music like this, please! Even the Disney songs album (and i hate disney songs) could be enjoyable if produced like this.

How about reimagining Adult Child now?

Dear mr. Shortenin' Loaf Sir -

I agree. It's in my player, and tonight, after a nice movie, I'll finish this Sunday with BWRG. I'm fond of the orchestral parts, lovely miniatures.

Don - Do you have both versions of Brian's Gershwin?  Is one version different from another?

And to "Loaf" - I am a true sucker for Disney music...Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? - one of my favorites!   :lol

Alas, belle fille, non. Mais peut-être je vais acheter une LP (longue-jouante?) dans quelques semaines...

Homme du talent! Quelle surprise...j'en ai tous (les disques de Disney)...sa famille vient de France (Walt Disney)...Normandie, je crois...le beurre d'Isigny?  famous for Normandy butter, caramels and other dairy products and I guess his family can trace his roots to a Jean-Christophe D'Isigny...

I thought you had both of Brian's Gershwin editions...

Interesting read if you can find it online - the story of the music of Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et La Bête) - Mencken/Ashman (RIP) - who went back to old 19th century music manuscripts to construct the awesome score!  ;)



Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: Mike's Beard on September 19, 2010, 08:11:11 AM
It's his best effort since his '88 album, only without the crappy 80's synths bolted on.


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: kwan_dk on September 19, 2010, 08:44:06 AM
I for one LOVED TLOS so I was a bit disappointed to learn that the next album would be an all-covers project and didn't really have high expectations. And the first few listens didn't change that but since then I've really gotten to like this album. Not as good as TLOS in my opinion - but nearly there.

I can't get over how well-produced and lovingly carried out this is by all involved. It's a real keeper and really whets the appetite for the Disney album which was something that made my head ache when I first heard about it. But now I think the outcome could be great! - I'm especially looking forward to hearing When You Wish Upon a Star which just has to be on there!  :)


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: Rocker on September 19, 2010, 11:50:03 AM
Got the album yesterday, it was released just now in Germany.
From start to finish a brilliant album. Plus very good artwork, fantastic sound and wonderful singing by Brian, his best in I don't know how many years or decades. Don't want to go into details. Brian's best album of his carreer as of yet, no doubt


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: The Heartical Don on September 20, 2010, 12:56:32 AM
Got the album yesterday, it was released just now in Germany.
From start to finish a brilliant album. Plus very good artwork, fantastic sound and wonderful singing by Brian, his best in I don't know how many years or decades. Don't want to go into details. Brian's best album of his carreer as of yet, no doubt

Lovely call mr Rocker Sir -

it oozes class in all its simplicity (the art AND the music, I mean). No pretense, not posh. The piano keys on the cover are a delight.

I hope he will the Hal Willner Disney tribute a few spins before thinking up the arrangements. You know... Tom Waits, Yma Sumac, Garth Hudson, Syd Straw, Bonnie Raitt, Harry Nilsson, great stuff. Only Barry Wom's alter ego doesn't do it for me.


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: ♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇 on September 20, 2010, 03:11:51 AM
You had me at Tom Waits :)


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: Loaf on September 20, 2010, 05:36:44 AM
I would love to see Brian on Jools Holland. It does seem like a perfect match.

But perhaps the (peer) pressure might be too much, as well as lack of control in case Brian has an off day.

Imagine Jools and Brian cutting loose on an improvised boogie woogie piano duet :)


And i'll also add mt praise for the BWRG artwork. Classy and mature. It's what he should have been doing for years.


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: PongHit on September 20, 2010, 08:42:40 AM
Brian's best album of his carreer as of yet, no doubt

You should check-out some of the albums he made in the 1960s, they're even better.


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: Mikie on September 20, 2010, 08:53:39 AM
Brian's best album of his carreer as of yet, no doubt.

You serious?  ;D


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: jackstar74 on September 20, 2010, 08:54:00 AM
Brian's best album of his carreer as of yet, no doubt

You should check-out some of the albums he made in the 1960s, they're even better.

Yep and it's a shame that there's been very little promotion. If I were Brian, I'd tell Disney to eff off. Why bother with the Disney songs album if they're not really going to promote that either


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: Rocker on September 20, 2010, 12:14:31 PM
Brian's best album of his carreer as of yet, no doubt.

You serious?  ;D


Even if I wouldn't mean his solocarreer, I'd have a point, don't you think so ?  ;)


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: rogerlancelot on September 20, 2010, 12:25:25 PM
Got the album yesterday, it was released just now in Germany.
From start to finish a brilliant album. Plus very good artwork, fantastic sound and wonderful singing by Brian, his best in I don't know how many years or decades. Don't want to go into details. Brian's best album of his carreer as of yet, no doubt

Lovely call mr Rocker Sir -

it oozes class in all its simplicity (the art AND the music, I mean). No pretense, not posh. The piano keys on the cover are a delight.

I hope he will the Hal Willner Disney tribute a few spins before thinking up the arrangements. You know... Tom Waits, Yma Sumac, Garth Hudson, Syd Straw, Bonnie Raitt, Harry Nilsson, great stuff. Only Barry Wom's alter ego doesn't do it for me.

Are you referring to the legendary Barrington Womble?

(http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o52/spevolicious/barrywomm.jpg)


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: carl r on September 20, 2010, 01:10:29 PM
I hope he get VDP in for some of the arrangements for the Disney album (assuming than Van Dyke would be interested, of course).


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: Loaf on September 20, 2010, 02:06:13 PM
I hope he get VDP in for some of the arrangements for the Disney album (assuming than Van Dyke would be interested, of course).

Now THAT'S an idea! A full-on BW-VDP collaboration with Brian's band.


I'd also like to make the point that on BWRG the backing vocals sound gorgeous. I am a big fan of Brian's band, but somehow their harmonies never quite gelled for me, especially when compared to the might of the BBs, but on BWRG the backing voices have a much smoother blend. Why is this? Less voices? Brian coming up with more inspired arrangements? Brian pressing them until they got it right? Al Schmitt's magic touch perhaps? Whatever it was, it works.


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: phirnis on October 05, 2010, 10:38:17 AM
This album continues to grow on me.

I never did like "Summertime" but this version actually works for me. The background vocals chiming in when BW sings "One day you're gonna rise up singing" take this song to another level.


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: The Shift on October 05, 2010, 01:03:22 PM
I hope he get VDP in for some of the arrangements for the Disney album (assuming than Van Dyke would be interested, of course).

Didn't VDP do a lot of arrangements for Disney movies? If he was brought in, therefore, it might not be a "re-imagines" project.


Title: Re: BWRG - Wow
Post by: dogear on October 05, 2010, 01:37:18 PM
I hope he get VDP in for some of the arrangements for the Disney album (assuming than Van Dyke would be interested, of course).

Didn't VDP do a lot of arrangements for Disney movies? If he was brought in, therefore, it might not be a "re-imagines" project.
At least he was involved in the Hal Willner project.