Falling Apart featuring Andrew Wyatt and Brian Wilson

[Ron]

Let's face it, Brian's songwriting has been a little sub-par for quite awhile, and he himself has often commented on how he has writers block. 

I have to say that I cannot stand it that you just state things like the above as though it's a fact. And rab2591 made the great point about how a bunch of the material on TWGMTR is primo Brian material. If you had said this in the GIOMH era then maybe we'd admit you were onto something.

So yeah, if you don't mind stop saying things for all of us, cuz most likely we don't agree with you.

Hey SweetJim, I cannot stand it, that you just state your opinion out loud either.  I don't agree with it.  so if you could, just censor yourself like you're asking me to do. 

Get over it.  If you dont' agree, then tell me why you don't agree, but don't tell those who have a different opinion to be silent. 

[Ron]

Let's face it, Brian's songwriting has been a little sub-par for quite awhile, and he himself has often commented on how he has writers block. 

I have to say that I cannot stand it that you just state things like the above as though it's a fact. And rab2591 made the great point about how a bunch of the material on TWGMTR is primo Brian material. If you had said this in the GIOMH era then maybe we'd admit you were onto something.

So yeah, if you don't mind stop saying things for all of us, cuz most likely we don't agree with you.

Seriously?  Who doesn't have writer's block sometimes?  Well, probably people who set themselves up as critics and never write anything of value themselves.  Even in the case of GIOMH, there were some really solid compositions.  I wish much of it could be re-thought and re-mixed at some point.  Brian has clearly never lost his talent as a composer.  There is just too much evidence of truly great stuff, so where do these "sub-par" comments come from?  Also, when people comment about a certain work that was started 10 years ago as evidence that the talent is somehow lost, it's also important to remember that Brian's style has often been described as modular - different bits come together to form something great over time.  His work is notably complex. That process isn't at all unusual for a great artist in any genre.  What is this desperate need to trash Brian's talents on a Board full of people who supposedly love the music?  I'm sorry, but there's something very weird about it - even if you only go to Love's shows.  Take out the BW compositions, and that would be one very short show...

What the hell are you talking about?  I spent the whole post praising Brian and saying how I liked the song, and just stated that I think he's been writing sub-par.  He's had some good stuff here and there, and I don't know what you have to bring Mike Love into it for.  Mike Love's songwriting is FAR worse than Brian's at this point.

I'm talking about lyrics.  Not compositions.  Brian's lyrics are often GOD-AWFUL.  Not always, but he himself has said for 20 years he has writers block.  Why not have someone else help him write?  that's my point.    Since someone else wrote this song, I said "Good job!".

Since somebody mentioned it...

"Isn't It Time, We Danced, The Night Away!  How About Doin' It, Just Like Yester Day!"

Really?

Being a fan doesn't mean you have to just blindly appreciate stuff you honestly don't like.  His lyrics often suck.  I've never said his sense of composition is anything less than as great as it's ever been.  He's a genius, one of the greatest composers the world has ever seen. 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

But...those lyrics weren't Brian's! 

[rab2591]

Ron, if you were talking about lyrics, you should've said it specifically. Writing "Brian's songwriting has been a little sub-par for quite awhile" is a statement that blankets the entirety of Brian's songwriting, not just lyrics.

"Isn't It Time" isn't solely a Brian Wilson song....Mike Love also has a writing credit on it. So blaming Brian for the lackluster lyrics isn't totally fair.

If you look at the writing credits for most of Brian's recent songs you can see he isn't solely writing them himself....he is getting help from people like Mike, or Bon Jovi, or Scott Bennett. And actually, between TLOS and TWGMTR, the only song that Brian is credited on by himself (besides 'Can't Wait Too Long') is 'Good Kind of Love' - which, in my opinion, is one of his best pop songs of his solo career.

[SMiLE Brian]

I will respectfully disagree with Ron.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Let's face it, Brian's songwriting has been a little sub-par for quite awhile, and he himself has often commented on how he has writers block.   

I agree with your opinion, Ron, and, also, Brian's self-assessment. I think that is a major reason for Live At The Roxy, some of Imagination, Pet Sounds Live, Brian Wilson Presents Smile, Gettin' In Over My Head (the Sweet Insanity tracks), What I Really Want For Christmas, and In The Key Of Disney.

Also, Brian has transitioned from using lyricists (Love, Christian, Asher, Parks, Reiley, etc.) to working with collaborators. Actually, I believe that ultimately sealed Mike Love's fate. Brian now wants/needs more than lyricists.

[rab2591]

Well, it seems that Brian's writers block cleared up quite a bit since the C50....as according to the man himself, he was writing material for another Beach Boys album before the C50 ended.

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

Let's face it, Brian's songwriting has been a little sub-par for quite awhile, and he himself has often commented on how he has writers block. 

I have to say that I cannot stand it that you just state things like the above as though it's a fact. And rab2591 made the great point about how a bunch of the material on TWGMTR is primo Brian material. If you had said this in the GIOMH era then maybe we'd admit you were onto something.

So yeah, if you don't mind stop saying things for all of us, cuz most likely we don't agree with you.

Seriously?  Who doesn't have writer's block sometimes?  Well, probably people who set themselves up as critics and never write anything of value themselves.  Even in the case of GIOMH, there were some really solid compositions.  I wish much of it could be re-thought and re-mixed at some point.  Brian has clearly never lost his talent as a composer.  There is just too much evidence of truly great stuff, so where do these "sub-par" comments come from?  Also, when people comment about a certain work that was started 10 years ago as evidence that the talent is somehow lost, it's also important to remember that Brian's style has often been described as modular - different bits come together to form something great over time.  His work is notably complex. That process isn't at all unusual for a great artist in any genre.  What is this desperate need to trash Brian's talents on a Board full of people who supposedly love the music?  I'm sorry, but there's something very weird about it - even if you only go to Love's shows.  Take out the BW compositions, and that would be one very short show...

What the hell are you talking about?  I spent the whole post praising Brian and saying how I liked the song, and just stated that I think he's been writing sub-par.  He's had some good stuff here and there, and I don't know what you have to bring Mike Love into it for.  Mike Love's songwriting is FAR worse than Brian's at this point.

I'm talking about lyrics.  Not compositions.  Brian's lyrics are often GOD-AWFUL.  Not always, but he himself has said for 20 years he has writers block.  Why not have someone else help him write?  that's my point.    Since someone else wrote this song, I said "Good job!".

Since somebody mentioned it...

"Isn't It Time, We Danced, The Night Away!  How About Doin' It, Just Like Yester Day!"

Really?

Being a fan doesn't mean you have to just blindly appreciate stuff you honestly don't like.  His lyrics often suck.  I've never said his sense of composition is anything less than as great as it's ever been.  He's a genius, one of the greatest composers the world has ever seen. 

I didn't even remember this discussion from several weeks ago.  But now I am to understand that the quote that Brian's songwriting has been "sub-par" for "quite awhile" was about the lyrics, whether he wrote them or not?  Okay, then...I'm feeling a bit of vertigo coming on from all the spin...but if it makes you happy, great.

[The Shift]

Just a shout out to John Manning iro his post above. I'm based in Ireland and didn't realise that the UK didn't have full access at the time to "www.qobuz.com".

I was browsing the Hoffman board this morning and saw it mentioned that this site is now available in the UK.

Many thanks for that … seems, sadly, that this track isn't available in the UK (or maybe it's just Yorkshire!) - it's not appearing under any search terms. Suppose it could be a browser issue Hough I doubt it.

[Lee Marshall]

I liked it.  Glad Andrew said something after all the early gushing though 'cause up until near the end I was guessing as to what Brian was actually doing with it vocally.

I am of the opinion that Brian arranging and producing SOME other vocalists singing SOME of his songs is a GOOD idea.  Brian didn't sing all of the songs back in the day.  There are some tunes he's better suited to and some where a different voice can ADD to the over-all sound/presentation.

And as for his songwriting...[and arrangements...'cause that makes a huge difference too]...not unlike ALL of the greats...he has some triple, some double and some single A material.  And every now and then...something which isn't up to his career batting average sneaks through the gap for a base hit.  I don't care who it is...there are only SO many great songs that anyone is capable of writing.  For some the number is way higher but sooner or later...it's going to get harder to be consistently fan-freekin-tastic.

[Jim V.]

Let's face it, Brian's songwriting has been a little sub-par for quite awhile, and he himself has often commented on how he has writers block. 

I have to say that I cannot stand it that you just state things like the above as though it's a fact. And rab2591 made the great point about how a bunch of the material on TWGMTR is primo Brian material. If you had said this in the GIOMH era then maybe we'd admit you were onto something.

So yeah, if you don't mind stop saying things for all of us, cuz most likely we don't agree with you.

Hey SweetJim, I cannot stand it, that you just state your opinion out loud either.  I don't agree with it.  so if you could, just censor yourself like you're asking me to do. 

Get over it.  If you dont' agree, then tell me why you don't agree, but don't tell those who have a different opinion to be silent. 

Hey Ronnie, dig this. I don't tell you to be silent. I told you just not to state your opinions for all of us, as fact.