My Brian Wilson Review That Lucky Old Sun

[Nicko1234]

I think this album indicates that even with Brian`s solo stuff that the managers realized that including Beach Boys themed stuff about the sun, surfer girls and California was the best tactic to try to sell CDs.

Generally it is done pretty well though (except for Mexican Girl) and Scott Bennett clearly played a huge role both lyrically and musically.

[Andrew G. Doe]

TLOS is the best Beach Boys record they never made.

[Jonathan Blum]

TLOS is the best Beach Boys record they never made.

Seconded.  It's uncanny how easy it is to hear how the parts would have been handed out -- from Mike chiming in on the "mow mamayama" hook to Bruce on the final bridge of "Southern California"...  Probably Al on "California Role", or maybe "Live Let Live"...  Mike, Brian, and Al trading off couplets on "Morning Beat", and everyone taking lines on "Southern California".  Course, if Mike actually sang the "Hey bonita muchacha / Dontcha know that I wantcha" lines in "Mexican Girl", we'd never hear the end of it!

Brian's voice is probably the best it's sounded since the sixties here too...

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[carl r]

I think the production on the Gershwin album is miles better (Al Schmitt?) giving Brian's original/semi-original tracks much more depth. It's not without its issues, TLOS... though I love bits of it. [adds: if they could get Schmitt to manage the re-recording, mixing and production of the Paley songs it would be  ]

[Andrew G. Doe]

I think the production on the Gershwin album is miles better (Al Schmitt?) giving Brian's original/semi-original tracks much more depth. It's not without its issues, TLOS... though I love bits of it. [adds: if they could get Schmitt to manage the re-recording, mixing and production of the Paley songs it would be 

Al Schmitt remixed the album (why, I have no idea - the original mix was perfectly fine and, TBH, almost indistinguishable from the released version): he had nothing whatsoever to do with the recording and production.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Not criticizing this thread, but the place where it was posted bothers me:

Are we going to flood the main board with review threads? There is a full section of this messageboard dedicated specifically to album reviews. Just saying.

At least it has people talking about the music. Better than talking about Paul McCartney surely.

Originally I was just posting a link to my Facebook page, but some people aren't on Facebook so they asked me to post the whole thing here. It is mainly for my Facebook fans that don't know much about Brian Wilson but interested in learning more about it.

[dellydel]

"TLOS is the best Beach Boys record they never made."

Hell yeah!  I really adore this album, the only bad thing I can say about it is that it's not a full on BBs album.  Because, man, that would have been amazing.  Imagine if instead of TWGMTR (which I also truly love), the reunion album we got had been "The Beach Boys starring in That Lucky Old Sun"... a focused, themed album, nostalgic but modern, happy, melancholy, poppy, deep, silly, meaningful, SMiLEy.   It would've been the Beach Boys truly making ART again, and I think general audiences might've been a little more blown away than the generally positive but totally not blown away reaction TWGMTR generated.

Instead, it's just Brian, which is still perfectly fine. 

And damnit, I love Mexican Girl!  And I love Forever You'll Be My Surfer Girl!! 

[dellydel]

Also, while I must to admit to being a life-long card-carrying atheist, I can't help but always joyfully sing along to this....

"I got a notion we come from the ocean and GOODDDDDD ALLLLLMIIIIIIGGGGHHTTTYYYY... has his hands on the water!"

Oh Brian Wilson, one of the few people that can make light-spirituality work for me 

[drbeachboy]

"TLOS is the best Beach Boys record they never made."

Hell yeah!  I really adore this album, the only bad thing I can say about it is that it's not a full on BBs album.  Because, man, that would have been amazing.  Imagine if instead of TWGMTR (which I also truly love), the reunion album we got had been "The Beach Boys starring in That Lucky Old Sun"... a focused, themed album, nostalgic but modern, happy, melancholy, poppy, deep, silly, meaningful, SMiLEy.   It would've been the Beach Boys truly making ART again, and I think general audiences might've been a little more blown away than the generally positive but totally not blown away reaction TWGMTR generated.

Instead, it's just Brian, which is still perfectly fine. 

And damnit, I love Mexican Girl!  And I love Forever You'll Be My Surfer Girl!! 

I'm with you on all of this. Nice post!

[carl r]

I think the production on the Gershwin album is miles better (Al Schmitt?) giving Brian's original/semi-original tracks much more depth. It's not without its issues, TLOS... though I love bits of it. [adds: if they could get Schmitt to manage the re-recording, mixing and production of the Paley songs it would be  

Al Schmitt remixed the album (why, I have no idea - the original mix was perfectly fine and, TBH, almost indistinguishable from the released version): he had nothing whatsoever to do with the recording and production.

He's accredited with production, must be nice work if you can get it :-)

I think TLOS sounds a bit flat by comparison, though I'm not sure whether or not this relates to something or someone different involved with BWRG... has anyone got the vinyl of TLOS? How does this compare with the CD? Is it a good pressing?

[Andrew G. Doe]

I think the production on the Gershwin album is miles better (Al Schmitt?) giving Brian's original/semi-original tracks much more depth. It's not without its issues, TLOS... though I love bits of it. [adds: if they could get Schmitt to manage the re-recording, mixing and production of the Paley songs it would be  

Al Schmitt remixed the album (why, I have no idea - the original mix was perfectly fine and, TBH, almost indistinguishable from the released version): he had nothing whatsoever to do with the recording and production.

He's accredited with production, must be nice work if you can get it :-)

I'm looking at the CD booklet now, and he's not. His only credit is "mixed by". Disney requested a remix and nominated him. He did no production work whatsoever. Suggest you stop digging that hole. 

[carl r]

http://www.discogs.com/buy/Vinyl/Brian-Wilson-Reimagines-Gershwin/152644734?ev=bp_titl was my (unreliable?) source for this...

on the other hand, the fact I don't like the sound of TLOS is simply an opinion, right? No holes, or assertions.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Album Liner Notes - Reimagines Gershwin

I've checked this against the CD booklet (five minutes ago) and the relevant part is transcribed with 100% accuracy.

You any kin to a certain female bass player ? I ask because you seem hell-bent on not believing a thing I say.

[carl r]

Well, it says 'ere:

Producer, Mixed By – Al Schmitt

which makes him (a) producer of the record, right? 'Cos producers normally do the mixing? Ultimately I think it's a semantic point, but can we have an arm-wrestle over it?

probably the main point here is that BWRG has a less plastic, or at least, more refined sound than TLOS, to these ears at least. And Brian's vocals sound better, generally. (Of course, I think the lyrics are also better, but that's another point for another slow Wednesday afternoon).

[Andrew G. Doe]

You're quoting from a website. I'm quoting from the actual credits of the album. No, wait, I can do better than that:



Not the worlds best scan, but the salient information is easily discernable, at least to those with the eyes and smarts to see. Does it say "Produced by Al Schmitt" ? No sir, it does not.

From an 8/17/2010 online article by Peter Ames Carlin:

"When Wilson finally felt comfortable enough to invite the Disney executives to listen to the all-but-finished album this spring, their reaction was so positive he wept with relief. “We realized instantly we had something very special,” [Disney label chief Jim] Weatherson says So special, in fact, that Weatherson decided to pay vaunted engineer Al Schmitt to re-mix Wilson’s original finished tracks."

But, if you want to continue making an ass of yourself, please carry on. You're doing an excellent job, btw.

[?]

I think TLOS sounds a bit flat by comparison, though I'm not sure whether or not this relates to something or someone different involved with BWRG... has anyone got the vinyl of TLOS? How does this compare with the CD? Is it a good pressing?

It is good, but not amazing.  Definitely an improvement over the cd but it isn't stunning in the way BWPS is on vinyl, for example.

The (Gershwin) producer credit was just entered incorrectly on discogs.  I just looked at my record and BW is the only credited producer.  Schmitt is only credited with the mix.

[drbeachboy]

Well, it says 'ere:

Producer, Mixed By – Al Schmitt

which makes him (a) producer of the record, right? 'Cos producers normally do the mixing? Ultimately I think it's a semantic point, but can we have an arm-wrestle over it?

probably the main point here is that BWRG has a less plastic, or at least, more refined sound than TLOS, to these ears at least. And Brian's vocals sound better, generally. (Of course, I think the lyrics are also better, but that's another point for another slow Wednesday afternoon).

Do you own the CD? Check that CD first. Why would you ever trust what is on the Internet over the actual booklet? Just  because some smoe wrote "Producer, Mixed By" doesn't mean it is so.

[carl r]

It is quite possible that the details in Discogs are wrong, as I initially acknowledged. I'm not the one using green ink.

"http://www.discogs.com/buy/Vinyl/Brian-Wilson-Reimagines-Gershwin/152644734?ev=bp_titl was my (unreliable?) source for this..."

Can people take a deep breath, perhaps? Before inventing a conflict, when one doesn't actually exist? What's in the water on the Surrey/Hants border these days?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Well, it says 'ere:

Producer, Mixed By – Al Schmitt

which makes him (a) producer of the record, right? 'Cos producers normally do the mixing?

Nope. Your knowledge of how an album is recorded is... sorely ill-informed. 

[carl r]

I think TLOS sounds a bit flat by comparison, though I'm not sure whether or not this relates to something or someone different involved with BWRG... has anyone got the vinyl of TLOS? How does this compare with the CD? Is it a good pressing?

It is good, but not amazing.  Definitely an improvement over the cd but it isn't stunning in the way BWPS is on vinyl, for example.

The (Gershwin) producer credit was just entered incorrectly on discogs.  I just looked at my record and BW is the only credited producer.  Schmitt is only credited with the mix.

Duly noted - do you think it's worth going for BWPS vinyl over and above the Smile Sessions vinyl? (sorry for going a bit OT)

[carl r]

Well, it says 'ere:

Producer, Mixed By – Al Schmitt

which makes him (a) producer of the record, right? 'Cos producers normally do the mixing?

Nope. Your knowledge of how an album is recorded is... sorely ill-informed. 

I haven't been here for a while, I'd forgotten what it was like sometimes 

[drbeachboy]

Well, it says 'ere:

Producer, Mixed By – Al Schmitt

which makes him (a) producer of the record, right? 'Cos producers normally do the mixing?

Nope. Your knowledge of how an album is recorded is... sorely ill-informed.  

I haven't been here for a while, I'd forgotten what it was like sometimes  

See Reply 38. You asked the question and now we're setting you straight on the answer. You had no problem trying to set AGD straight when you thought that you were right. That sh*t works both ways, you know.

Plus, you should know better than to question stuff like that in here. Most of us know this stuff already and if we don't, we go and check.

[?]

I think TLOS sounds a bit flat by comparison, though I'm not sure whether or not this relates to something or someone different involved with BWRG... has anyone got the vinyl of TLOS? How does this compare with the CD? Is it a good pressing?

It is good, but not amazing.  Definitely an improvement over the cd but it isn't stunning in the way BWPS is on vinyl, for example.

The (Gershwin) producer credit was just entered incorrectly on discogs.  I just looked at my record and BW is the only credited producer.  Schmitt is only credited with the mix.

Duly noted - do you think it's worth going for BWPS vinyl over and above the Smile Sessions vinyl? (sorry for going a bit OT)

Actually, yeah.  The Smile Sessions does sound better than the cd, but BWPS is night and day.  It's so far ahead of the cd it's shocking.  One of the best sounding LPs period.  This is the US pressing btw.  I haven't heard a European pressing but those that have both say it's not as impressive.

[Ron]

I'm kind of surprised at the disdain the spoken word parts receive.  I kind of like it.  Most of the people on this board pride themselves in being nuanced, sophisticated musicphiles so I would think that most of the snob... urgh... FANS on here would enjoy something as artsy fartsy as a spoken word interlude lacing tracks together

I think it's worth mentioning too that when Brian recorded this, he was in the habit of touring and performing FULL albums... so when he performed this album live, it had video and slideshows, etc. to accompany the spoken word parts.  It was more than just an album, it was toured around and presented as an art performance. 

I never understood the criticism, either, of saying the album isn't long enough.  Says who?  If an album only has 3 songs, what is there to complain about unless you're complaining about the cost.

I thought it was a pretty damn solid album.  I can't even call out any weak spots on it... Live let Live was great; Forever (she'll be my surfer girl) was fantastic I thought.  Oxygen to the Brain I loved, It sounds like Brian making fun of his fat, sleepy 70's caricature.  It sounds like Fantasia, there's so much going on with the horns and everything it sounds like Mickey conducting the mops and everything around while his hands swirl around his head.  At least that's what I see when I hear it!  Midnight's another day is great; Mexican girl I enjoyed...

Another interesting thing that I thought about back when the album came out, was that it kind of lines up with Brian's life.  I dont' know if he purposefully does that but I've noticed that a few times in his music. 

So for instance, Morning beat is his birth... Good Kind of Love represents the sweetness of his teenage years, forming the band... Forever She'll be my Surfer Girl of course represents his life with Marilyn... Live Let Live represents the peak of his creative years, mid late 60's.... Mexican Girl fills in for the years when he was at his weirdest (mid 70's) it's almost a Love You outake.... California Role represents the polished cheese of the 80's...   Oxygen to the Brain Brian's talking about overcoming his insanity and represents all the therapy years with Landy... Midnight's another day is about coping with Carl dying, and the rebirth of Brian's life with Melinda and the children... Going Home is about his twilight years that he's living right now... and Southern California is a little reprise of his life.  "Glad it happened to me...."


Or I could just be imagining it. 

[surferlicious]

I think the production on the Gershwin album is miles better (Al Schmitt?) giving Brian's original/semi-original tracks much more depth. It's not without its issues, TLOS... though I love bits of it. [adds: if they could get Schmitt to manage the re-recording, mixing and production of the Paley songs it would be 

Al Schmitt remixed the album (why, I have no idea - the original mix was perfectly fine and, TBH, almost indistinguishable from the released version): he had nothing whatsoever to do with the recording and production.

..I heard that .the original mix by ? of Gershwin was so bad it was deemed unreleaseable by the label and Schmitt agreed when he heard it.