Brian recording 1/23 with Matt Jardine

[Watch a Cave]

Call me a dreamer but what I would really like to hear is Mr. Brian Douglas Wilson do a falsetto or two.

[WesB8302]

Call me a dreamer but what I would really like to hear is Mr. Brian Douglas Wilson do a falsetto or two.

You're a dreamer....(but so would I!)

[runnersdialzero]

This is really, really good news. Matt's falsetto is worlds upon worlds more fitting for Brian's work than Jeff's (sorry).

Call me a dreamer but what I would really like to hear is Mr. Brian Douglas Wilson do a falsetto or two.

Yes.

Make it an official Beach Boys project already.

YES.

[mikeddonn]

"Who would lead the band?"  I've often wondered what the other guys think of Jeff always raising his hand to finish a song.  I think those guys probably know where the song finishes.  It always seems a pit patronising to me when this happens.

I still think Jeff does a good job helping Brian out on stage when he stops singing and stuff.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Call me a dreamer but what I would really like to hear is Mr. Brian Douglas Wilson do a falsetto or two.

You're a dreamer....(but so would I!)

Me too!

Nothing against Jeff Foskett; I think he does a good job on falsetto, especially live. But, every time a part comes on the That's Why God Made The Radio album that requires a falsetto, and then Jeff comes in, I go "Nooooooooooo!!!!!". It is very disappointing. I would've liked to have heard Brian do a couple of takes/tries, have Joe Thomas pick the best take, and then (cough) work his magic to make it sound acceptable. It's a bit of a letdown to hear Jeff so prominent in the mix, because it feels like Brian is just sitting back, playing it safe, not even trying. That is especially evident in live performances, but I can understand that. If Brian did the falsetto part live, it would be a train wreck and embarrass him. The recording studio is a different situation, though.

[Phoenix]

As much as I perfer Jeff OVER Matt (partially due to nostalgia), I'm still a big fan Matt and am glad to see him involved.  Of course the best part of this is it shows Brian using as much of the Beach Boys crew as possible.  I'd LOVE for Ricky to make an appearance on the CD too, as well as Billy and Ed!

Then... why not just use The Beach Boys ? Maybe just I'm getting old and (even more) cynical but it's beginning to look like there's an increasing degree of nose-thumbing going on here.

He's said he wanted to.  He was looking forward to the next album but if Mike won't budge in regards to the writing situation (which is certainly his right), Brian can only do the "next best thing".  Believe me.  I wish they were all together again.  I REALLY liked the last album.

[rab2591]

I'm glad that Brian is in the studio recording again. And I'm glad he's getting picky and involved in the selection of his musicians/singers. It's a bummer that Mike and Bruce won't be on the record (because damn Bruce's vocals were great on TWGMTR), but it is what it is.

[Wirestone]

"Who would lead the band?"  I've often wondered what the other guys think of Jeff always raising his hand to finish a song.  I think those guys probably know where the song finishes.  It always seems a pit patronising to me when this happens.

I still think Jeff does a good job helping Brian out on stage when he stops singing and stuff.

Jeff hasn't led the band in at least a decade, IIRC.

[Wirestone]

If I ever win big on the lottery, one of the first things I'd do is put Thomas on a personal monthly retainer of $XXX,XXX, the first (and only) clause of which would be, "never, ever record, mix or produce another record involving Brian Douglas Wilson".

It's not really those things that are the issues with JT, though, are they? I mean, you found TWGMTR pretty darn excellent, right?

[HeyJude]

I thought Thomas’ studio production/sound was much more subdued on “Radio” compared to “Imagination.” His odd “Recorded by” credit on “Radio” is a smokescreen; he certainly served as a de facto co-producer at least. “Radio” still had some Thomas touches I don’t care for (overuse of woodwinds, that friggin’ oboe/clarinet sound he sticks on a lot of his stuff; although Brian has overused woodwinds in my opinion in the last decade without Thomas as well), and his reliance on autotune is not unique to him, but still very annoying. The use of autotune is the only major problem with the 50th live album, but it’s a big problem. It’s really weird too, because Thomas does the “Soundstage” PBS shows and they usually sound pretty good.

I don’t understand the “Brian should get all the Beach Boys singing on this album” thing; Brian and Al clearly wanted to do another BB album and tour after the 50th tour. Mike clearly is no longer willing to do the Pet Sounds-style formula of coming in to sing an album full of stuff Brian wrote with some other co-writer. I don’t think Mike would feel differently if the collaborator was Jeff Beck or Scott Bennett instead of Joe Thomas or Tony Asher.

I guess I kind of wish they would have been more alerted to Mike’s getting stuck so much on wanting a BB album to feature Love/Wilson co-writes (assuming Mike isn’t just using that complaint about “Radio” as an excuse to not do more reunion activities because he doesn’t like that financial/power structure), and just placated Mike enough to wring another BB album out of the group, because I think another album could have been (and could be) pretty good.

Back to Thomas. He isn’t the guy I’d pick to be involved, but I refer back to Howie Edelson’s post some time back. Thomas was the nearest to a Neil Aspinall-type the group have had any time in the last few decades, and he had the money and organizational skills to get a studio album, live world tour, a TV special and two DVDs/Blu-rays, all out within the span of a year. Maybe Mike soured on the guy by the end of the tour, but Thomas aided in getting more done than most have with this band.

[HeyJude]

As for Matt Jardine, I’m glad to see him recording with Brian (with hopefully Al in there at some stage too). Matt did at least one gig with Brian solo back in 1998. Brian clearly knows Matt is a solid singer to go to.

I don’t think Matt appearing at some sessions has anything to do with Foskett. We don’t even know for sure that Matt’s vocal work entails any falsetto work. He’s a good harmony (and lead) singer in general.  

[doc smiley]

Matt recording with Brian now?  not much of a surprise, really, When you think about it, Brian fills the room with vocalists that he's comfortable with, and after spending time with Al, has not doubt remembered Matt's fine voice in the mix of the 80's/90's  material. Likely, Brian asked Al if he thought Matt would come down at some point when Al was in studio before Christmas and thats all it took....   

[SurfRiderHawaii]

per Matt's facebook he is in LA recording vocals for 3 days with Brian, Blondie and Scott Bennett

I am more excited to hear Blondie is still recording with Brian.

And I lean more to Matt's falsetto than Jeffs'. From the You Tube clips I watched from Brian's Beck tour, I found Jeff's falsetto on "Old Man River" a bit hard on my ears.

[startBBtoday]

Is there evidence on YouTube to suggest Matt still has his 80s/90s falsetto chops?

[acedecade75]

Can someone block the road so Joe Thomas doesn't reach his mixing appointments?

AMEN!! 

[Wirestone]

Is there evidence on YouTube to suggest Matt still has his 80s/90s falsetto chops?

I actually think there's evidence to the contrary -- his falsetto is thinner these days.

[runnersdialzero]

Is there evidence on YouTube to suggest Matt still has his 80s/90s falsetto chops?

Is there evidence to support anyone involved with this band, official, touring member etc. has the vocal chops they had 30 years ago?

inb4 Al Jardine, he's a freak of nature. AL DOESN'T COUNT (literally, his math skills are terrible).

[Mikie]

Is there evidence on YouTube to suggest Matt still has his 80s/90s falsetto chops?

I actually think there's evidence to the contrary -- his falsetto is thinner these days.

It is thinner and not as good as it was in the 80's and 90's (listen to the Red Barn Rehearsals, Paramount Theatre, and Unplugged from '93). As you get older, it's expected to be thinner.  To me, these two vids aren't that hot - not nearly as good as the versions of Hushabye, Surfer Girl, In My Room, Hawaii, and Add Some Music he use to sing with the Beach Boys in the 90's.  Little too nasally for my tastes - especially Don't Worry Baby here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_yoEEN0tBQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDo8tyLStvQ



  

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Ouch...that's Adrian Baker levels right there.

[Mikie]

Ouch...that's Adrian Baker levels right there.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh.  Low blow, Billy.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Okay, maybe it's an exaggeration, but that was definitely too nasal.

[seltaeb1012002]

He sounds good and kinda Brian-esque on In My Room. I'd imagine double tracked in the studio he'd still sound awesome.

[Mr. Wilson]

Nice acoustic  variations  of BB songs..  Some added chords for spice on In My Room.. Good stuff.. Lip sync I think also.. WHAT IF..?? BB had done a bunch of stuff like this instead of Stars + Stripes.. No guests just BB and and a studio band pop//jazz players..  I think it would have been more successful  than Stars + Stripes..

[startBBtoday]

Is there evidence on YouTube to suggest Matt still has his 80s/90s falsetto chops?

Is there evidence to support anyone involved with this band, official, touring member etc. has the vocal chops they had 30 years ago?

inb4 Al Jardine, he's a freak of nature. AL DOESN'T COUNT (literally, his math skills are terrible).

Other than Al, no. But folks in this thread were talking like Matt's falsetto would be a giant improvement over Jeff's, which probably isn't true.

[Niko]

This is really exciting! It seems like this record is going to be more Beach Boy than the last one.

Can't wait for some real details to come out on what kind of record this is going to be.