My Brian Wilson Review Gettin in Over My Head

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Finally Got this done...

After Imaginations (1998) Brian began to tour full time again. My thoughts of seeing anyone from the Beach Boys live at this point was getting nothing more than the obvious Beach Boys hits. Brian and his revamped band changed that. Members of indie band The Wondermints became Brian's new 'wrecking crew'. Not only did they do a lot of deep cuts, but they performed the entire Pet Sounds album beginning in 2000. Than in 2004, Brian announced that he would be taking the abandoned follow up, SMiLE on the road in 2004. The SMiLE tour has to be a highlight of my concert life! In the midst of this, Brian and his band recorded Gettin In Over My Head. The first 'original' album by Brian since Imaginations, but several of the songs were reworked from songs he had left unreleased from the 80s and 90s. The best thing about this album is the production, greatly helped by Brian's backing band. The worst thing about this album is, sadly, Brian's voice. His heart doesn't seem into it. The SMiLE tour seemed to give him more inspiration, but that would not be apparent til his next album. Another highlight is the guests on this album include Elton John (How Could We Still Be Dancin), Carl Wilson (Soul Searchin), Eric Clapton (City Blues) and Paul McCartney (A Friend Like You). I never thought a song with Brian and Paul would be so cheesy! Over all, though, if you get passed Brian's vocals, the music is excellent and a lot more interesting moments than with the previous album, Imaginations.


GETTIN IN OVER MY HEAD (June 2004)

1. How Could We Still Be Dancin? (B.Wilson/J.Thomas)     8
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6HY_tGvo1g

2. Soul Searchin (B.Wilson/A.Paley)                                         7
3. You've Touched Me (B.Wilson/S.Kalinich)                           5
4. Gettin In Over My Head (B.Wilson/A.Paley)                          6
5. City Blues (B.Wilson/S.Bennett)                                            6
6. Desert Drive (B.Wilson/A.Paley)                                            5
7. A Friend Like You (B.Wilson/S.Kalinich)                              4
8. Make a Wish (B.Wilson)                                                          7
9. Rainbow Eyes (B.Wilson)                                                       7
10. Saturday Morning in the City (B.Wilson/A.Paley)              7
11. Fairy Tale (B.Wilson/D.Foster)                                            5
12. Don't Let Her Know She's an Angel (B.Wilson)               6
13. The Waltz (B.Wilson/V.Parks)                                              9
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Gy_8cZa2s

ALBUM AVERAGE:                                                                       6.3

[Nicko1234]

You are a very generous man. 

There is a horrible stench that surrounds this album even before we get onto talking about the music. If Imagination is considered to be more Joe Thomas`s album than Brian`s, then this feels it belongs more to Brian`s management at the time (probably David Leaf and Melinda). The idea of including the celebrity guests (and Robbie Williams and Sting who declined invitations - "He probably doesn`t even know who I am." RW) to shift CDs was never going to be enough to sell this steaming turd.

The music is ok but no better than that. Poorly mixed and A Friend Like You is the only one that I don`t know of as being an oldie.

The vocals show that Brian couldn`t have cared less and they all sound like they were recorded in one take. On Soul Searchin his voice on the `Why oh Why` section is painful to listen to and he couldn`t even be bothered to replace Mike`s bass vocals. I remember a review at the time saying that it sounded like he`d turned into an alien on the `be bop mnwamnah` section of The Waltz. Fairytale is similarly dire.

The lyrics are also abysmal. Even VDP`s lyrics for The Waltz. God they are terrible, but so are two references (?!?) to getting things cranking!?! Kalinich`s lyrics are also very weak. They sound completely inappropriate when sung by Brian.

One of the saddest aspects of this album is that some of the Sweet Insanity songs actually sound worse than they did when Brian was being brainwashed and drugged to the eyeballs during Landy`s tenure...

Don`t Let her Know She`s an Angel is pleasant but it`s not enough to redeem this rancid, maggot ridden monstrosity which should be buried in a New Mexico landfill.

[Yorick]

1. How Could We Still Be Dancin? (B.Wilson/J.Thomas)     8
2. Soul Searchin (B.Wilson/A.Paley)                                         7
3. You've Touched Me (B.Wilson/S.Kalinich)                           7
4. Gettin In Over My Head (B.Wilson/A.Paley)                          10
5. City Blues (B.Wilson/S.Bennett)                                            4
6. Desert Drive (B.Wilson/A.Paley)                                            7 1/2
7. A Friend Like You (B.Wilson/S.Kalinich)                              6 1/2
8. Make a Wish (B.Wilson)                                                          4 1/2
9. Rainbow Eyes (B.Wilson)                                                       5 1/2
10. Saturday Morning in the City (B.Wilson/A.Paley)              6 1/2
11. Fairy Tale (B.Wilson/D.Foster)                                            6
12. Don't Let Her Know She's an Angel (B.Wilson)               7 1/2
13. The Waltz (B.Wilson/V.Parks)                                              4

[filledeplage]

Finally Got this done...

After Imaginations (1998) Brian began to tour full time again. My thoughts of seeing anyone from the Beach Boys live at this point was getting nothing more than the obvious Beach Boys hits. Brian and his revamped band changed that. Members of indie band The Wondermints became Brian's new 'wrecking crew'. Not only did they do a lot of deep cuts, but they performed the entire Pet Sounds album beginning in 2000. Than in 2004, Brian announced that he would be taking the abandoned follow up, SMiLE on the road in 2004. The SMiLE tour has to be a highlight of my concert life! In the midst of this, Brian and his band recorded Gettin In Over My Head. The first 'original' album by Brian since Imaginations, but several of the songs were reworked from songs he had left unreleased from the 80s and 90s. The best thing about this album is the production, greatly helped by Brian's backing band. The worst thing about this album is, sadly, Brian's voice. His heart doesn't seem into it. The SMiLE tour seemed to give him more inspiration, but that would not be apparent til his next album. Another highlight is the guests on this album include Elton John (How Could We Still Be Dancin), Carl Wilson (Soul Searchin), Eric Clapton (City Blues) and Paul McCartney (A Friend Like You). I never thought a song with Brian and Paul would be so cheesy! Over all, though, if you get passed Brian's vocals, the music is excellent and a lot more interesting moments than with the previous album, Imaginations.
GETTIN IN OVER MY HEAD (June 2004)

1. How Could We Still Be Dancin? (B.Wilson/J.Thomas)     8
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6HY_tGvo1g

2. Soul Searchin (B.Wilson/A.Paley)                                         7
3. You've Touched Me (B.Wilson/S.Kalinich)                           5
4. Gettin In Over My Head (B.Wilson/A.Paley)                          6
5. City Blues (B.Wilson/S.Bennett)                                            6
6. Desert Drive (B.Wilson/A.Paley)                                            5
7. A Friend Like You (B.Wilson/S.Kalinich)                              4
8. Make a Wish (B.Wilson)                                                          7
9. Rainbow Eyes (B.Wilson)                                                       7
10. Saturday Morning in the City (B.Wilson/A.Paley)              7
11. Fairy Tale (B.Wilson/D.Foster)                                            5
12. Don't Let Her Know She's an Angel (B.Wilson)               6
13. The Waltz (B.Wilson/V.Parks)                                              9
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Gy_8cZa2s

ALBUM AVERAGE:                                                                       6.3

MTR - I'm probably in the minority here.  I don't think it is a bad album and actually really like about half of it.  About five.

How Could We Still Be Dancin'? 1 - think that this one, should have been the title. And, Sir Elton's fire!

Soul Searchin' - 2 - The Voice - Carl Wilson!

The Waltz - 3 (finally some "concrete" Parks imagery! ) - hilarious! Always gives me a giggle! I'd have loved to have watched them come up with the lyrics. I bet there were some goofy exchanges.

Fairy Tale - 4 like the yearning quality, a little retro, but find it cool. Doesn't seem to be 5:29!

A Friend Like You - 5 - of course Sir Paul's vocals! - analogous to Mike's Pisces Brothers

And, I don't remember any promotion with this one. Maybe someone else is familiar with this? Thanks for your time.

[Nicko1234]

MTR - I'm probably in the minority here.  I don't think it is a bad album and actually really like about half of it.  About five.

How Could We Still Be Dancin'? 1 - think that this one, should have been the title. And, Sir Elton's fire!

Soul Searchin' - 2 - The Voice - Carl Wilson!

The Waltz - 3 (finally some "concrete" Parks imagery! ) - hilarious! Always gives me a giggle! I'd have loved to have watched them come up with the lyrics. I bet there were some goofy exchanges.

Fairy Tale - 4 like the yearning quality, a little retro, but find it cool. Doesn't seem to be 5:29!

A Friend Like You - 5 - of course Sir Paul's vocals! - analogous to Mike's Pisces Brothers

And, I don't remember any promotion with this one. Maybe someone else is familiar with this? Thanks for your time.

I bet there weren`t. 

Brian (or his management) probably sent VDP a tape of the old music and he wrote the words. That`s certainly how Tony Asher`s collaborations wiith Brian of a few years earlier happened anyway.

[Andrew G. Doe]

"After Imaginations (1998) Brian began to tour full time again. My thoughts of seeing anyone from the Beach Boys live at this point was getting nothing more than the obvious Beach Boys hits. Brian and his revamped band changed that. Members of indie band The Wondermints became Brian's new 'wrecking crew'. Not only did they do a lot of deep cuts, but they performed the entire Pet Sounds album beginning in 2000. Than in 2004 2003, Brian announced that he would be taking the abandoned follow up, SMiLE on the road in 2004. The SMiLE tour has to be a highlight of my concert life! In the midst of this 2003, Brian and his band recorded Gettin In Over My Head. The first 'original' album by Brian since Imaginations, but several of the songs were reworked from songs he had left unreleased from the 80s and 90s. The best thing about this album is the production, greatly helped by Brian's backing band. The worst thing about this album is, sadly, Brian's voice. His heart doesn't seem into it. The SMiLE tour seemed to give him more inspiration, but that would not be apparent til his next album. Another highlight is the guests on this album include Elton John (How Could We Still Be Dancin), Carl Wilson (Soul Searchin), Eric Clapton (City Blues) and Paul McCartney (A Friend Like You). I never thought a song with Brian and Paul would be so cheesy! Over all, though, if you get passed past Brian's vocals, the music is excellent and a lot more interesting moments than with the previous album, Imaginations."

Fixed that for you. BTW, it's been reliably reported that the album was rejected by everyone it was offered to in fall 2003 and was likely only released because it was part of the BWPS package. Rightly so. The first time I heard it I thought "damn, this sucks" and 10 years later I have no reason to revise that opinion (and in this I'm not alone).

[Nicko1234]

"After Imaginations (1998) Brian began to tour full time again. My thoughts of seeing anyone from the Beach Boys live at this point was getting nothing more than the obvious Beach Boys hits. Brian and his revamped band changed that. Members of indie band The Wondermints became Brian's new 'wrecking crew'. Not only did they do a lot of deep cuts, but they performed the entire Pet Sounds album beginning in 2000. Than in 2004 2003, Brian announced that he would be taking the abandoned follow up, SMiLE on the road in 2004. The SMiLE tour has to be a highlight of my concert life! In the midst of this 2003, Brian and his band recorded Gettin In Over My Head. The first 'original' album by Brian since Imaginations, but several of the songs were reworked from songs he had left unreleased from the 80s and 90s. The best thing about this album is the production, greatly helped by Brian's backing band. The worst thing about this album is, sadly, Brian's voice. His heart doesn't seem into it. The SMiLE tour seemed to give him more inspiration, but that would not be apparent til his next album. Another highlight is the guests on this album include Elton John (How Could We Still Be Dancin), Carl Wilson (Soul Searchin), Eric Clapton (City Blues) and Paul McCartney (A Friend Like You). I never thought a song with Brian and Paul would be so cheesy! Over all, though, if you get passed Brian's vocals, the music is excellent and a lot more interesting moments than with the previous album, Imaginations."

Fixed that for you.

You had this bilge-fest of an album to comment on and you chose to correct somebody`s English??? 

[filledeplage]

MTR - I'm probably in the minority here.  I don't think it is a bad album and actually really like about half of it.  About five.

How Could We Still Be Dancin'? 1 - think that this one, should have been the title. And, Sir Elton's fire!

Soul Searchin' - 2 - The Voice - Carl Wilson!

The Waltz - 3 (finally some "concrete" Parks imagery! ) - hilarious! Always gives me a giggle! I'd have loved to have watched them come up with the lyrics. I bet there were some goofy exchanges.

Fairy Tale - 4 like the yearning quality, a little retro, but find it cool. Doesn't seem to be 5:29!

A Friend Like You - 5 - of course Sir Paul's vocals! - analogous to Mike's Pisces Brothers

And, I don't remember any promotion with this one. Maybe someone else is familiar with this? Thanks for your time.

I bet there weren`t. 

Brian (or his management) probably sent VDP a tape of the old music and he wrote the words. That`s certainly how Tony Asher`s collaborations wiith Brian of a few years earlier happened anyway.

Even if there weren't, Nicko, who else but a baby-boomer - BB 1st gen, would use the terms?

High school Cotillion

Angora sweater...every girl had one or wanted one.

A body you'd kill for...

She up and said I'm a dancer...don't tell me you're a Cancer

And I do really love the strings and waltz time. It's a tribute to a time when "courtship" was not such an informal thing.

JMHO  


  

[Andrew G. Doe]

"After Imaginations (1998) Brian began to tour full time again. My thoughts of seeing anyone from the Beach Boys live at this point was getting nothing more than the obvious Beach Boys hits. Brian and his revamped band changed that. Members of indie band The Wondermints became Brian's new 'wrecking crew'. Not only did they do a lot of deep cuts, but they performed the entire Pet Sounds album beginning in 2000. Than in 2004 2003, Brian announced that he would be taking the abandoned follow up, SMiLE on the road in 2004. The SMiLE tour has to be a highlight of my concert life! In the midst of this 2003, Brian and his band recorded Gettin In Over My Head. The first 'original' album by Brian since Imaginations, but several of the songs were reworked from songs he had left unreleased from the 80s and 90s. The best thing about this album is the production, greatly helped by Brian's backing band. The worst thing about this album is, sadly, Brian's voice. His heart doesn't seem into it. The SMiLE tour seemed to give him more inspiration, but that would not be apparent til his next album. Another highlight is the guests on this album include Elton John (How Could We Still Be Dancin), Carl Wilson (Soul Searchin), Eric Clapton (City Blues) and Paul McCartney (A Friend Like You). I never thought a song with Brian and Paul would be so cheesy! Over all, though, if you get passed Brian's vocals, the music is excellent and a lot more interesting moments than with the previous album, Imaginations."

Fixed that for you.

You had this bilge-fest of an album to comment on and you chose to correct somebody`s English??? 

Nope - corrected the errors... and then, granted, added my views on this unfortunate blot on Brian's career.

[SMiLE Brian]

AGD, didn't you make a joke about GIOMH in your book?

[Nicko1234]

AGD, didn't you make a joke about GIOMH in your book?

This came out after AGD`s book didn`t due to it being delayed (God knows why as it certainly wasn`t because Brian wanted to take extra care with the recordings).

[Andrew G. Doe]

AGD, didn't you make a joke about GIOMH in your book?

Alas, no. It wasn't released in time. Shame, I'd have had a field day with that sucker.

[SMiLE Brian]

The board should start a kickstarter campaign to get an updated version of your book.

[smilethebeachboysloveyou]

AGD, didn't you make a joke about GIOMH in your book?

Alas, no. It wasn't released in time. Shame, I'd have had a field day with that sucker.

I'd love to see your track-by-track appraisal of that particular album.

However, in defense of GIOMH, it did serve one very useful function: it made the lackluster singing and production on BWPS sound brilliant by comparison.

[Nicko1234]

I'd love to see your track-by-track appraisal of that particular album.

However, in defense of GIOMH, it did serve one very useful function: it made the lackluster singing and production on BWPS sound brilliant by comparison.

Indeed. I do remember that AGD promised (when he knew he wasn`t going to be able to include it in the book) he would write said appraisal and post it online as soon as GIOMH was released.

Of course, that was before he heard it!

[Andrew G. Doe]

AGD, didn't you make a joke about GIOMH in your book?

Alas, no. It wasn't released in time. Shame, I'd have had a field day with that sucker.

I'd love to see your track-by-track appraisal of that particular album.

Be something like this:

Sucks.

Sucks.

Really sucks.

Sucks, but not so much.

An offense against music... and so on.

[Cabinessenceking]

Review:

This album is shite.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

"After Imaginations (1998) Brian began to tour full time again. My thoughts of seeing anyone from the Beach Boys live at this point was getting nothing more than the obvious Beach Boys hits. Brian and his revamped band changed that. Members of indie band The Wondermints became Brian's new 'wrecking crew'. Not only did they do a lot of deep cuts, but they performed the entire Pet Sounds album beginning in 2000. Than in 2004 2003, Brian announced that he would be taking the abandoned follow up, SMiLE on the road in 2004. The SMiLE tour has to be a highlight of my concert life! In the midst of this 2003, Brian and his band recorded Gettin In Over My Head. The first 'original' album by Brian since Imaginations, but several of the songs were reworked from songs he had left unreleased from the 80s and 90s. The best thing about this album is the production, greatly helped by Brian's backing band. The worst thing about this album is, sadly, Brian's voice. His heart doesn't seem into it. The SMiLE tour seemed to give him more inspiration, but that would not be apparent til his next album. Another highlight is the guests on this album include Elton John (How Could We Still Be Dancin), Carl Wilson (Soul Searchin), Eric Clapton (City Blues) and Paul McCartney (A Friend Like You). I never thought a song with Brian and Paul would be so cheesy! Over all, though, if you get passed past Brian's vocals, the music is excellent and a lot more interesting moments than with the previous album, Imaginations."

Fixed that for you. BTW, it's been reliably reported that the album was rejected by everyone it was offered to in fall 2003 and was likely only released because it was part of the BWPS package. Rightly so. The first time I heard it I thought "damn, this sucks" and 10 years later I have no reason to revise that opinion (and in this I'm not alone).

Thank you for being my editor    I still thing the backing music is well done on this one. But Brian's voice is hard to listen to.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

It seems my take on Imagination vs Gettin in Over My Head is backward from most. That's OK. I tell it the way I hear it

[Moon Dawg]

 This album is worse than LOOKING BACK WITH LOVE.  Compared to either GOING PUBLIC is a masterpiece.

[Ron]

In general it's hard for me to be negative, I don't really remember things that I don't like, I tend to remember things that I enjoy.  So I remember the good parts of this album... there's not enough there for me to dig it out and play it very often.  I have it in my cd case in my car, but I probably haven't played it in a couple years. 

Songs like 'You Touched Me"... yeah... it's lightweight and it's honestly not very good but it has parts that are GREAT.  Brian's entire career has been like this.  Ultimately, songs like this represent his commercial output.  Some bad, some good... but the good is better than most people are capable of.  The end of the song where he's singing the old-school doo wop harmony round is just fantastic.  LITERALLY, if he would have just looped that for 4 minutes it would have been better than the finished song. 

I really liked "The Waltz" even though i'm talking smack about VDP in another thread.  It's really good.  I wish Brian would have done more of this stuff.  I've always felt Brian's biggest weakness was his lyrics. 

"How Can We Still Be Dancin" is pretty bad.  I love Elton and love Brian but I just can't get into it.  I don't even understand the sentiment.  Brian doesn't dance.   When you write a song with lyrics that you don't even mean, what the hell is that?  No wonder it didn't turn out right.  "Brian, write a song!" "Yes Mam".   This is what happens.

Fairy Tale is about the corniest sh*t ever but man I really like it.  I'm a sucker for the harmony thing he does.  The first chorus he has two part harmony... second chorus three parts... third chorus four parts and there's this little hole he's left in it the whole time so he can go "BABY, BABY, I LOVE UUUUUU"  In his best Ronnie Spector impersonation.  It's a great song.  Nobody will ever make a big deal out of it or remember it, but he did a really good job on it and I think it represents that era of his career very well.

"Saturday Morning in the City" I really like.  I like how he throws his ego to the wind and sings the "Boys and Girls" verse in falsetto.... a funny falsetto... for the boys and girls.  I'll bet his two little girls love that song.

It's an album you probably have to be a rose colored fan to enjoy.  Luckily I'm a rose colored fan.

[urbanite]

I like "You Touched Me."  It sounds like something went wrong during the mixing so it's not all it could be, but I still like it.

[Nicko1234]

The opening vocal harmonies on You`ve Touched Me are truly horrible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgLsW_CK8hI

Ouch. I can`t believe he was allowed to release this album in this state.

[Grayhands]

"How Can We Still Be Dancin" is pretty bad.  I love Elton and love Brian but I just can't get into it.  I don't even understand the sentiment.  Brian doesn't dance.   When you write a song with lyrics that you don't even mean, what the hell is that?  No wonder it didn't turn out right.  "Brian, write a song!" "Yes Mam".   This is what happens.

So I guess all the surf songs Brian wrote aren't good either eh?  I think you put to much emphasis on lyrics
Or are you being sarcastic I can't tell

[Nicko1234]

"How Can We Still Be Dancin" is pretty bad.  I love Elton and love Brian but I just can't get into it.  I don't even understand the sentiment.  Brian doesn't dance.   When you write a song with lyrics that you don't even mean, what the hell is that?  No wonder it didn't turn out right.  "Brian, write a song!" "Yes Mam".   This is what happens.

So I guess all the surf songs Brian wrote aren't good either eh?  I think you put to much emphasis on lyrics
Or are you being sarcastic I can't tell

The lyrics would have made some sense if it had been a Beach Boys song. They would still be crap though.