Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight/BW88 discussion...

[I. Spaceman]

Brian wrote much of the album. The reality of the situation is that Brian didn't have enough viable songs for the project, according to the label. So other songs, such as Paley's Meet In In My Dreams Tonight and Lynne's Let It Shine, were drafted into the project, and Brian was given writing credits, to make him seem more involved than he was. (But when hasn't that happened since 1967?). The label also asked for an ambitious suite-type work, and Paley took two unfinished Brian songs, wrote extra sections and all the linking material, and Rio Grande was done.
The fact of the matter is, besides Love And Mercy, the songs Brian was the most excited about were the ones that most folks dislike, the ones that sound most contemporary with that era, Night Time and Walkin' The Line. That is the sound he personally liked, not the BB 60's retro thing. The parts of that record that sound the most 60's (and this goes for a few subsequent projects as well) are things others contributed. As much as people do not dig it, Brian's taste in sounds and arrangements changed drastically decades ago, and moved with contemporary trends, for better or worse. This is the guy who thinks an example of a modern classic is Kenny G's Christmas album.
If one wants to hear an example of unfettered Brian in the modern-digital age, they should listen hard to Sweet Insanity. That was a large burst of creativity from him, and there hasn't really been one on that scale since. He put a lot into that album (he still thinks it is one of the best things he has ever done), and the rejection of the album was another in a long line of personal devastations that have seen him lose faith in his own creative voice sans "translators" and heavy collaboration.

[Awesoman]

I totally dig "Rio Grande". 

[I. Spaceman]

I like Rio Grande a lot too. But as Randy Newman said, it was a case of the label "plugging in Brian Wilson" to get the effect they wanted.

[Alex]

Great song! Would`ve been even better if it had more guitar and drums, and even 70s Moog, and less fake drums, DX7,Fairlight, etc.

[NatureShowInStereo]

Despite the Landy brainwash and the 80s production, BW88 is a really good BW solo album and he shines through all of the negative characteristics about it, giving it its longevity. Great songs on that one. Melt Away is a Brian Wilson gem. It showed he's definitely still "got it" in terms of writing music with artistic integrity. Beautiful harmonies.

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

Thanks for the info, Spaceman. Walkin the Line and Night Time are my favorites on the album, but I also dig the collaborations. I think it is his best solo album-- most interesting, at least-- but I've only heard Sweet Insanity via YouTube. To the Google!!!

[phirnis]

Sweet Insanity did have its moments and I really wish it would've come out in its original form just so that there could've been some more continuity to BW's early solo career.

[Exapno Mapcase]

Interesting that Usher originally seemed to have pushed him to those godawful production values (more or less at the same time Melcher was doing the same for the Boys) in an attempt to make Brian sound up to date...

[Rocker]

The fact of the matter is, besides Love And Mercy, the songs Brian was the most excited about were the ones that most folks dislike, the ones that sound most contemporary with that era, Night Time and Walkin' The Line. That is the sound he personally liked, not the BB 60's retro thing. The parts of that record that sound the most 60's (and this goes for a few subsequent projects as well) are things others contributed. As much as people do not dig it, Brian's taste in sounds and arrangements changed drastically decades ago, and moved with contemporary trends, for better or worse. This is the guy who thinks an example of a modern classic is Kenny G's Christmas album.
If one wants to hear an example of unfettered Brian in the modern-digital age, they should listen hard to Sweet Insanity. That was a large burst of creativity from him, and there hasn't really been one on that scale since. He put a lot into that album (he still thinks it is one of the best things he has ever done), and the rejection of the album was another in a long line of personal devastations that have seen him lose faith in his own creative voice sans "translators" and heavy collaboration.

Thanks for that post!
I think people should Brian just write what he wants. Sweet Insanity has a lot of great stuff on it and I think the "Brian"-songs on BW88 are cool as well. The guy has shown that he's a great songwriter (one of the very best) so why always this formula-thinking? Why are peopl so afraid of letting him write what he feels like, which is the way his best stuff came along (including the hits because back then he also just did what he wanted to)?

[I. Spaceman]

Interesting that Usher originally seemed to have pushed him to those godawful production values (more or less at the same time Melcher was doing the same for the Boys) in an attempt to make Brian sound up to date...

True, but Brian had worked with washes of synth before on Love You. He was just so sheltered and broken, or out of the loop (read Beach Boys 85) after that, he didn't get the chance to get into up-to-date 80's technology in the studio until The Wilson Project.

[I. Spaceman]

The fact of the matter is, besides Love And Mercy, the songs Brian was the most excited about were the ones that most folks dislike, the ones that sound most contemporary with that era, Night Time and Walkin' The Line. That is the sound he personally liked, not the BB 60's retro thing. The parts of that record that sound the most 60's (and this goes for a few subsequent projects as well) are things others contributed. As much as people do not dig it, Brian's taste in sounds and arrangements changed drastically decades ago, and moved with contemporary trends, for better or worse. This is the guy who thinks an example of a modern classic is Kenny G's Christmas album.
If one wants to hear an example of unfettered Brian in the modern-digital age, they should listen hard to Sweet Insanity. That was a large burst of creativity from him, and there hasn't really been one on that scale since. He put a lot into that album (he still thinks it is one of the best things he has ever done), and the rejection of the album was another in a long line of personal devastations that have seen him lose faith in his own creative voice sans "translators" and heavy collaboration.

Thanks for that post!
I think people should Brian just write what he wants. Sweet Insanity has a lot of great stuff on it and I think the "Brian"-songs on BW88 are cool as well. The guy has shown that he's a great songwriter (one of the very best) so why always this formula-thinking? Why are peopl so afraid of letting him write what he feels like, which is the way his best stuff came along (including the hits because back then he also just did what he wanted to)?

I agree. Brian has settled into a good groove lately of balancing his own taste with the retro feel that others want from him. TLOS and Radio are good examples of that. I hope he makes another record soon, and gets even closer to himself. It is possible that if him and Mike somehow broke down the walls, he would be comfortable enough, familiar enough, to make a full Brian album (or as close to it as possible, since he has not fully produced/controlled a released album, top to bottom, since Pet Sounds).

[onkster]

Still think this deserves the live-performance-of-a-whole-album treatment. The band would sound great. And Brian could it sing it way better now.

[Phoenix]

According to both parties, Brian wrote the intro/round of "Let It Shine" so I'd say the co-writing credit is deserved, certainly more than Mike getting one for his contributions to "Wouldn't It Be Nice".

[Don Malcolm]

Yes, love the bejesus out of Brian's drone-rock sounds...the Rhino reissue of BW 88 has the "TV mix" of "Nighttime," and it is killer--really pops once you remove that shouty lead vocal.

Agree with onkster that BW 88 would be fun to play all the way through live...they could take the intermission at the end of "side one" on the LP version.

I think BW still wants to have a hit that isn't somehow "beholden' to the BBs and their sound. Though that's probably impossible at this point, he might as well go for it!

[I. Spaceman]

According to both parties, Brian wrote the intro/round of "Let It Shine" so I'd say the co-writing credit is deserved, certainly more than Mike getting one for his contributions to "Wouldn't It Be Nice".

I dunno. That is like saying a rearrangement of a tune deserves a cowriting credit, to my mind.

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

I listened to the album again today, and I gotta say that I don't really care for Little Children at all. Just a wee bit too precious. And One for the Boys is kinda boring. The a capella really helped me pick out the Fairlight pitch correction, though.

My final negative comment... I feel Love and Mercy is overrated. And the chorus reminds me of Cali. Girls for some reason.

[I. Spaceman]

I like Little Children a lot, being from the Love You period and all. Shoulda got sued for the Mountain Of Love rip tho.

[Michael Edwards Love]

I've got a great love for 'Let It Shine' but I love Jeff Lynne's work as well.  So, the Brian/Jeff combo works for me.  A few days ago, this article showed up in which Jeff talked about his favorite albums.  He discusses 'Let It Shine' briefly.

http://thequietus.com/articles/10299-jeff-lynne-favourite-albums?page=12

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

I like Little Children a lot, being from the Love You period and all. Shoulda got sued for the Mountain Of Love rip tho.

I never would have guessed it was from that period. Mindblowing. Does anything else go that far back or further?

[Doo Dah]

He actually performed Let It Shine when he performed outside of Tacoma, during the Pet Sounds tour. I heard the band do it during soundcheck as well. Rare one to hear live.

[I. Spaceman]

I like Little Children a lot, being from the Love You period and all. Shoulda got sued for the Mountain Of Love rip tho.

I never would have guessed it was from that period. Mindblowing. Does anything else go that far back or further?

That we know of! Knowing Brian's gift for melodic recall, he could have sketched out One For The Boys in 1959.

[Aegir]

I like Little Children a lot, being from the Love You period and all. Shoulda got sued for the Mountain Of Love rip tho.

I never would have guessed it was from that period. Mindblowing.

I think it sounds very Love You.

[Lonely Summer]

He actually performed Let It Shine when he performed outside of Tacoma, during the Pet Sounds tour. I heard the band do it during soundcheck as well. Rare one to hear live.

Puyallup Fair? I was there. Highlight of the show for me, along with Lay Down Burden. Wish he would've done more of his solo material on his solo tours. Of course, some will say PS, SMiLE, and ....well, pretty much everything he's done is "solo material"..

[Mendota Heights]

.

[William Bowe]

The label also asked for an ambitious suite-type work, and Paley took two unfinished Brian songs, wrote extra sections and all the linking material, and Rio Grande was done.

Obviously one of these two was Night Bloomin' Jasmine. Which was the other?