*Merged* Brian Wilson current album thread

[The Shift]

A clip from Brian's song with Zooey Deschanel:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152548010452241

Sounds great to me!

Ten seconds makes it a bit difficult to judge much. I’m not particularly digging the Busy Doin’ Nothin’/Bill and Sue vibe that it seems to have. A tropical or bossa nova sort of thing doesn’t interest me. But hopefully a longer clip or full track will yield more interesting results.

I'm no expert but is this a clip of Brian actually recording a vocal or is he simply singing along to an already mastered track? The Wall of Brians in the background sounds smooth and polished to me, whereas the live track we're hearing is raw (and no less great to hear for that!). The professional recording folks here will correct me if I'm wrong but surely each overdub wouldn't get that treatment before the next is laid down, even in today's digitalised world of instantaneous gratification?

As everyone's saying, too little on which to form an opinion on the song or the album but as a ten-second clip it's fine!

John ; its actually recording a first take on one of the layered background parts of "On the Island"

Many thanks Ray; thought I'd heard the same vocal melody line in the background it will listen again more closely when back home with headphones.

Looking forward to this album … I could listen to Brian doing backgrounds to anything for hours on end.

[Ray Lawlor]

It's very thrilling to have heard this clip!  As short a glimpse as it was, I thought "On the Island" sounded wonderfully sublime and it served to leave me eager for more.

I know it may not be everyone's cup o' tea, but personally?  I've always been a big, big fan of anything produced by Brian/The Beach Boys which exudes that kind of Hawaiian/tropical essence.  It never seems to disappoint me.

I don't know that this is the kind of music Brian had in mind for Pleasure Island (and I'm not suggesting that that's what this album will actually be), but the clip sounded pretty much how I always imagined that project could be.

I'd gladly take an entire album's worth (but I still want that Life Suite more than anything).


Mr. Lawlor, if you please:  Are you in a position to say whether we could expect any more material recorded for this project to share in a similar kind of vibe?  And this is almost certainly a reach, but have you any idea whether this wonderful new track (or, for that matter, anything else Brian may currently be working on) maybe fits into said suite, somehow?

Well ; "On the Island" was unique to what I have heard; the only track that has that bossa nova feel to it.  I will say that Zooey sings the hell out of it , and I said before that to me it has a real Rosemary Clooney vibe to it ; Brian really loves Rosemary Clooney so maybe that's just my projection.  I would love an entire album of bossa nova tracks by Brian ; like "Francis Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim" , one of my favorite records of all time.

I heard a few tracks that to me were of suite level caliber, but I am certain that they are not, and never were , part of the suite.  I am just happy with the fact that for the last 5-6 weeks , Brian has been working at the studio by himself , or with Al, spending the time and energy to get it right. That's what I want to hear   

[Ray Lawlor]

A clip from Brian's song with Zooey Deschanel:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152548010452241

Sounds great to me!

Ten seconds makes it a bit difficult to judge much. I’m not particularly digging the Busy Doin’ Nothin’/Bill and Sue vibe that it seems to have. A tropical or bossa nova sort of thing doesn’t interest me. But hopefully a longer clip or full track will yield more interesting results.

I'm no expert but is this a clip of Brian actually recording a vocal or is he simply singing along to an already mastered track? The Wall of Brians in the background sounds smooth and polished to me, whereas the live track we're hearing is raw (and no less great to hear for that!). The professional recording folks here will correct me if I'm wrong but surely each overdub wouldn't get that treatment before the next is laid down, even in today's digitalised world of instantaneous gratification?

As everyone's saying, too little on which to form an opinion on the song or the album but as a ten-second clip it's fine!

John ; its actually recording a first take on one of the layered background parts of "On the Island"

Many thanks Ray; thought I'd heard the same vocal melody line in the background it will listen again more closely when back home with headphones.

Looking forward to this album … I could listen to Brian doing backgrounds to anything for hours on end.

John; I took your advice and listened to it on headphones;  I believe you are right; he is doubling a part.

[Gohi]

This sounds like adult-contemporary schlock.

[job]

This sounds like adult-contemporary schlock.

Careful...they might hear you.

[Generation42]

Mr. Lawlor, if you please:  Are you in a position to say whether we could expect any more material recorded for this project to share in a similar kind of vibe?  And this is almost certainly a reach, but have you any idea whether this wonderful new track (or, for that matter, anything else Brian may currently be working on) maybe fits into said suite, somehow?

Well ; "On the Island" was unique to what I have heard; the only track that has that bossa nova feel to it.  I will say that Zooey sings the hell out of it , and I said before that to me it has a real Rosemary Clooney vibe to it ; Brian really loves Rosemary Clooney so maybe that's just my projection.  I would love an entire album of bossa nova tracks by Brian ; like "Francis Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim" , one of my favorite records of all time.

I heard a few tracks that to me were of suite level caliber, but I am certain that they are not, and never were , part of the suite.  I am just happy with the fact that for the last 5-6 weeks , Brian has been working at the studio by himself , or with Al, spending the time and energy to get it right. That's what I want to hear   

Outstanding!

I'll say again, as much as I was already looking forward to this release, this new clip has ratcheted my interest in the project up all the more.  And reading that you would put the quality of a handful of the new recordings comfortably alongside what we've already heard from the Life Suite is even more encouraging, still. 

I still hope to hear the complete suite one day, though. 


Thank you for taking the time to reply, kind sir.

[Gohi]

This sounds like adult-contemporary schlock.

Careful...they might hear you.

Who is "they?"

[guitarfool2002]

like "Francis Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim" , one of my favorite records of all time.

YES! Times 100. I love that album. Those chords, the voices, the arrangements...I think Sinatra was quoted as saying that was the quietest and softest he ever sang on a record, and he nailed it. The follow-up Jobim-Sinatra is good, but nowhere near that first one. Beautiful record, beautiful songs.

I don't know how many people haven't heard it, but if there are some, *run* out to buy it...or, er, download it I mean, or whatever. 

I'd also like to see Brian do more Bossa Nova, apart from what he's already done since the 60's and this new one. Maybe even mix some of the Jobim standards with some new originals, I'd like to hear what he'd do with a full album in that style.

[Ray Lawlor]

like "Francis Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim" , one of my favorite records of all time.

YES! Times 100. I love that album. Those chords, the voices, the arrangements...I think Sinatra was quoted as saying that was the quietest and softest he ever sang on a record, and he nailed it. The follow-up Jobim-Sinatra is good, but nowhere near that first one. Beautiful record, beautiful songs.

I don't know how many people haven't heard it, but if there are some, *run* out to buy it...or, er, download it I mean, or whatever. 

I'd also like to see Brian do more Bossa Nova, apart from what he's already done since the 60's and this new one. Maybe even mix some of the Jobim standards with some new originals, I'd like to hear what he'd do with a full album in that style.

Oh yeah; the first one is just in another league; I joked that it was Sinatra's "Friends"( without "Transcendental Meditation"); the chords, vocals, arrangements; the relaxed and quiet feel; jus the intro to "Girl From Ipanema " is worth the price of admission....I would really love Brian to get into that style for a whole record ; or even a suite....whatever !

 I had my JBL 4320 Studio Monitors wiped out in Superstorm Sandy, and I bought a pair of Dahlquist DQ-20's to replace them as I couldn't find any....that Sinatra /Jobim record on the DQ20's with a bottle of Opus One 2001 to accompany it is a beautiful thing.

[guitarfool2002]

A clip from Brian's song with Zooey Deschanel:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152548010452241

Sounds great to me!

Ten seconds makes it a bit difficult to judge much. I’m not particularly digging the Busy Doin’ Nothin’/Bill and Sue vibe that it seems to have. A tropical or bossa nova sort of thing doesn’t interest me. But hopefully a longer clip or full track will yield more interesting results.

I'm no expert but is this a clip of Brian actually recording a vocal or is he simply singing along to an already mastered track? The Wall of Brians in the background sounds smooth and polished to me, whereas the live track we're hearing is raw (and no less great to hear for that!). The professional recording folks here will correct me if I'm wrong but surely each overdub wouldn't get that treatment before the next is laid down, even in today's digitalised world of instantaneous gratification?

As everyone's saying, too little on which to form an opinion on the song or the album but as a ten-second clip it's fine!

John ; its actually recording a first take on one of the layered background parts of "On the Island"

Many thanks Ray; thought I'd heard the same vocal melody line in the background it will listen again more closely when back home with headphones.

Looking forward to this album … I could listen to Brian doing backgrounds to anything for hours on end.

John; I took your advice and listened to it on headphones;  I believe you are right; he is doubling a part.

I wanted to answer John's question with a few points about the recording process, and what may be happening in that clip beyond what Ray ID'ed as an overdub/double on a harmony part.

First, we have no idea what stage of the recording process we're seeing and hearing. One point, the "mastering" is the last and final step in the process, after everything has been recorded, given a final mix that is approved, then sent usually to another location and a mastering engineer and facility separate from the people who recorded and mixed all the tracks. Guys like Bob Clearmountain, they get the "fresh ears" on the final mixes, and have different equipment and a different focus than the actual mixing of the tracks. Most mastering is done separate from wherever and whoever mixed it. You wouldn't overdub on top of a mastered track.

What we're hearing is probably a rough mix using whatever raw tracks they had already done at this stage of the process, which is fed by the engineers to Brian's headphones as a "cue mix". The cue mix is done individually, using the rough tracks set up as the artist prefers to hear them as he/she overdubs the next part. In the case of cue mixes for individual musicians or singers, they all have a preference depending on what part they're doing. For example, if a bassist is laying down a bassline to an existing rhythm track, he might ask that his cue mix be very heavy on the kick drum, or drums in general, and perhaps more rhythm section than other instruments, so he can "lock in" with whatever groove he's playing over. It wouldn't matter as much to hear a trumpet or another non-rhythm instrument for his overdub, unless he wants to phrase around a specific solo part. A singer may want something totally different, hence the cue mix in general can be customized for whoever is recording their part.

Depending on where the sessions are happening, and what they have available, studios also have a system of "mini mixers" that can be placed wherever the musician is in the studio. These are basically stripped down mixers where the booth sends the raw tracks to them, and each musician can do his or her own individual cue mix, and balance what they hear through their 'phones from the existing tracks they're playing over. It gives each musician that control, and the engineer if it's multiple players no longer has to create a cue mix to try accommodating multiple musician's preferences, each one can set it however they choose.

Keep in mind what we're hearing of the raw tracks in that short snippet of video may not be all of the tracks that were recorded up to that day, and it may not be what eventually ends up on the final mix. Part of the cue mix involves muting certain tracks that aren't needed for the artist overdubbing. It sounds like a single Zooey lead vocal, yet they could have done half-dozen or more lead vocal tracks which they may go back and "sum" together, choosing the best phrases and delivery from the lot. Or perhaps that's what we're hearing...and it could also be a "scratch vocal" or a guide vocal, laid down for reference than replaced later. There also may have been more than one lead vocal, like a double or even a triple lead, and again all of that would come out in the mixdown stage. But for Brian overdubbing an inner harmony voice, he might not want to hear that many vocal tracks in his cue mix, and would get a stripped-down combination of the tracks instead for him to lock in both pitch and phrasing. If he's doubling a part manually which he already tracked, he'd most likely want to hear that to match how he phrased and timed it, along with pitch.

Unlike many, many singers Brian still does this doubling old-school, manually doing takes on top of takes from what I understand. Pick any number of top-40 pop artists today, and a lot of what you hear as doubling is a studio trick where you have a lead vocal, copy it several times, drop the pitch  up or down a few cents or even slide it a little out of time, and it fattens up the single lead. That is a specific sound that's a slightly different effect than doubling and tripling manually, more "digital" sounding but radio-friendly just the same.

What we're hearing in the snippet is, I believe, a rough "cue mix" as described above set to whatever Brian wanted to hear in the headphones as he adds his stacked harmony parts. Most times you wouldn't hear them treated with effects at this stage, and they'd be "dry" (no effects), again all those additions coming during mixdown.

I wanted to try answering John's question in general terms, understanding that my description is more of a general practice kind of thing, and obviously everyone does it different to suit their own needs and suit whatever song is being done. But that's just an overview of standard procedure to give more of an idea of why we may be hearing certain things on that video that won't be on the final version, or will be there but sounding different due to the mixing process of adding effects, summing takes, all of that stuff.

[clack]

Hard to judge by a 10 second clip, but it doesn't sound too promising. I mean, has there ever been a good "island" song? It's always the same old "hey let's kick back and take it slow" crap.

[Ron]

Hard to judge by a 10 second clip, but it doesn't sound too promising. I mean, has there ever been a good "island" song? It's always the same old "hey let's kick back and take it slow" crap.

Weezer - Island in the Sun.

Yup. 





Yup.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Hell yeah, Ron.

It's always the same old "hey let's kick back and take it slow" crap.

Just for shits and grins I'm gonna do an island song about being pissed off and breaking sh*t

[Gohi]

Hard to judge by a 10 second clip, but it doesn't sound too promising. I mean, has there ever been a good "island" song? It's always the same old "hey let's kick back and take it slow" crap.

Weezer - Island in the Sun.

Yup. 





Yup.

I'm hoping this isn't sarcasm because that's a classic pop track.

[the captain]

Hard to judge by a 10 second clip, but it doesn't sound too promising. I mean, has there ever been a good "island" song? It's always the same old "hey let's kick back and take it slow" crap.

Has there ever been a good surfing song? They're always about surfing. Or car songs? Ugh, always that stupid crap about engines and racing. And don't even get me started about love songs.

[Dancing Bear]

like "Francis Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim" , one of my favorite records of all time.

YES! Times 100. I love that album. Those chords, the voices, the arrangements...I think Sinatra was quoted as saying that was the quietest and softest he ever sang on a record, and he nailed it. The follow-up Jobim-Sinatra is good, but nowhere near that first one. Beautiful record, beautiful songs.

I don't know how many people haven't heard it, but if there are some, *run* out to buy it...or, er, download it I mean, or whatever. 

I'd also like to see Brian do more Bossa Nova, apart from what he's already done since the 60's and this new one. Maybe even mix some of the Jobim standards with some new originals, I'd like to hear what he'd do with a full album in that style.

Jobim says when Sinatra gave him a call (in Rio de Janeiro) to make an album together he thought it was a prank call. 

"Francis albert sinatra and antonio carlos jobim" is a really great album, very respected also in Brasil. The next one ('Sinatra Jobim', which became half of  'And Company') isn't as magical, though it has great arrengements by Eumir Deodato of Also Sprach Zarathrusta and Kool & the Gang fame. Back then in the 60s this guy had a golden hand (listen to 'Inutil Paisagem', 1964).

[guitarfool2002]

like "Francis Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim" , one of my favorite records of all time.

YES! Times 100. I love that album. Those chords, the voices, the arrangements...I think Sinatra was quoted as saying that was the quietest and softest he ever sang on a record, and he nailed it. The follow-up Jobim-Sinatra is good, but nowhere near that first one. Beautiful record, beautiful songs.

I don't know how many people haven't heard it, but if there are some, *run* out to buy it...or, er, download it I mean, or whatever. 

I'd also like to see Brian do more Bossa Nova, apart from what he's already done since the 60's and this new one. Maybe even mix some of the Jobim standards with some new originals, I'd like to hear what he'd do with a full album in that style.

Jobim says when Sinatra gave him a call (in Rio de Janeiro) to make an album together he thought it was a prank call. 

"Francis albert sinatra and antonio carlos jobim" is a really great album, very respected also in Brasil. The next one ('Sinatra Jobim', which became half of  'And Company') isn't as magical, though it has great arrengements by Eumir Deodato of Also Sprach Zarathrusta and Kool & the Gang fame. Back then in the 60s this guy had a golden hand (listen to 'Inutil Paisagem', 1964).

Great information, thanks for posting! Can you imagine getting a call and someone says "Hey, this is Frank Sinatra, let's cut a record together! " in the 1960's?   


I want to add a bit of a connection to Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys that's pretty slim, but still interesting in terms of musicians involved in the original Bossa Nova popularity and Jobim.

Another favorite jazz album of mine is by Julie London from 1955, called "Julie Is Her Name", produced by Bobby Troup. Julie also did a follow-up in '58. The key feature os this album that was sort of a revolutionary thing at the time for jazz was Julie only had a guitar and bass backing her vocals. No piano, no drums. All of the "space" including percussion sounds had to be filled by guitar and bass. "Cry Me A River" was the big hit from that album. I always liked Julie's version the best.

I've read that among Jobim's musician friends, that first "Julie Is Her Name" album caused a near earthquake musically in that circle of musicians. They were blown away by the way the guitar was voicing chords like a piano, ditching the traditional way a guitarist would back a vocalist, and also adding that hint of rhythm to make up for the drums. Jobim and his fellow guitarists would study and learn those guitar parts and chord voicings and trade notes and ideas with each other on how those sounds were created for Julie's album.

I might be wrong, but I think I read Jobim himself or maybe one of his friends said that the Julie London record and the guitar style on the album was a major influence (if not the major influence on the chords and the Bossa guitar style in general) on how Jobim played and wrote the Bossa Nova classics he became known for. You hear Jobim's guitar style, and the voicings, and you can hear the connection.

What do the Beach Boys' records have to do with this, what's the connection with the musicians? The guitarist on the first Julie London album who so profoundly influenced Jobim was Barney Kessel. The guitarist on the second one was Howard Roberts. 

[clack]

Hard to judge by a 10 second clip, but it doesn't sound too promising. I mean, has there ever been a good "island" song? It's always the same old "hey let's kick back and take it slow" crap.

Has there ever been a good surfing song? They're always about surfing. Or car songs? Ugh, always that stupid crap about engines and racing. And don't even get me started about love songs.

I like surfing songs while I don't like island songs -- there is an energy in songs about surfing ("let's get off our butts and go surfing!") that there isn't in songs about hanging around on a tropical island ("let's sit on our butts with a drink in hand and watch the world go by")  -- but yeah surfing songs are lyrically formulaic ('Don't Back Down' excepted). That's one reason why they're no longer written. On the other hand, the Beach Boys were able to infuse some thematic variety into their car songs ('Fun Fun Fun', 'Don't Worry Baby', 'I Get Around').

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Ready for this? Super amazing review time.

I fu*kin like it.

Oh



My

GOD


NO HATE?!?!?! WHAT!!?!?!?

[Shady]

On an island sounds exactly how I imagined parts of pleasure island sounding..

Very chilled out. Brian sounds great on it, as does the Zooey

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

So, it's OK to like island songs just as long as they're not about one called Kokomo?

And somehow island songs are just great but faux Jimmy Buffet songs about islands are not?

And sit-com actors are awesome with Brian and then it's time to turn around and bash Stamos some more?

Yeah, OK.

At least Stamos is cute

[the captain]

And sit-com actors are awesome with Brian and then it's time to turn around and bash Stamos some more?

It's never time to bash Stamos.

[SMiLE Brian]

 

[the captain]

I'm serious.

[Tomorrowville]

If we're being fair, Zooey Deschanel *does* have a quite successful and at least somewhat respected indie music career with She & Him.  Not to mention a film career beyond her work on "New Girl."  So "sitcom actor" is probably not how the majority of people think of her.