*Merged* Brian Wilson current album thread

[Dancing Bear]

Once things were simple and I was pure, circa 1997. I first got online and got to know fellow Beach Boys' fans from all over the world. Leaked tracks, new info, it was beautiful.

Then there was word about a new Brian wilson realease, which turned out to be Imagination.

Then I got it. Things would never be the same.

Change "1997" to 1991 or 1992:

Then there was word about a new Beach Boys release, which turned out to be Summer In Paradise.

 

At least there wasn't an online fan community! Would you endure that kind of debate: "What the f*** do you want from them, at least they are recording and trying their best, stop living in the past and waiting for another pet sounds you loser. You're not a real fan, asshole. Stop dissing this band, they're my friends" vs "Oh my god this is the end of line for the band, they've managed to screw their legacy forever. This album is horrible I wish they had split after pet sounds, everything that came after lacks Brian's involvement and is an embarassment for me as fan. I'm personally offended."

[Wirestone]

There are many options available to Brian here. I'm sure his handlers think that duets with stars of the day is an easy way to put something out that would make money. However, I would prefer if they let Brian wait until inspiration struck and if it never strikes so be it.

These are mostly original songs, you realize? This isn't a covers project.

Brian has a batch of new songs he wrote for a new record. The inspiration has struck.

[Wirestone]

Brian is doing backgrounds while others sing lead. Just like Stars & Stripes. Is my point.

According to Mr. Lawlor, Brian is singing lead, or sharing lead on 7-8 tracks, or what would be about two-thirds of a 12-track album.

So, again, nothing like Stars & Stripes.

[KittyKat]

Can anyone think of a similar project by another artist? By which I mean, it's not a set of duets only. It's not the artist singing all the songs himself. It's not the artist having guest singers on all tracks, only some.  Maybe it's something that's never been done . Or perhaps it has, I'm just not aware of it.

[NickandthePassions]

When I hear 'guest artists' on a Brian Wilson album, I automatically think of a Postcard from California-esque album (except with new songs).  Guest singers singing here and there, but it's predominately a Brian Wilson album.  Regardless, I've very rarely been disappointed with any of Brian Wilson's work and he certainly has a better ear creating music than any of us would.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I make no apologies about being a one-note pony......something has to give here that makes the next project the BB album.........so sad to be reading all this when we should be arguing over some amazon samples from a new BB album.....

sorry fellas....(guess i do make apologies...)
Professor

Nothing will give. There will be no next BB album.

[Nicko1234]

Can anyone think of a similar project by another artist? By which I mean, it's not a set of duets only. It's not the artist singing all the songs himself. It's not the artist having guest singers on all tracks, only some.  Maybe it's something that's never been done . Or perhaps it has, I'm just not aware of it.

A Postcard from California (and hundreds of other albums).

[Shady]

I make no apologies about being a one-note pony......something has to give here that makes the next project the BB album.........so sad to be reading all this when we should be arguing over some amazon samples from a new BB album.....

sorry fellas....(guess i do make apologies...)
Professor

Nothing will give. There will be no next BB album.

I can live with that

Now if another reunion tour never happens, well I'm not so sure I can live with that

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I make no apologies about being a one-note pony......something has to give here that makes the next project the BB album.........so sad to be reading all this when we should be arguing over some amazon samples from a new BB album.....

sorry fellas....(guess i do make apologies...)
Professor

Nothing will give. There will be no next BB album.

I can live with that

Now if another reunion tour never happens, well I'm not so sure I can live with that

These guys are all in their 70's now (other than Dave, right?) ..... We're gonna have to live with it sooner than later.... But you never do know.

[Wirestone]

Can anyone think of a similar project by another artist? By which I mean, it's not a set of duets only. It's not the artist singing all the songs himself. It's not the artist having guest singers on all tracks, only some.  Maybe it's something that's never been done . Or perhaps it has, I'm just not aware of it.

An interesting point. Offhand, I'd suggest some of the latter-day Jerry Lee Lewis records. He has guests on nearly every track, but often times they're only contributing backing vocals or instrumental parts. Not a huge amount of new material on them, though.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

I make no apologies about being a one-note pony......something has to give here that makes the next project the BB album.........so sad to be reading all this when we should be arguing over some amazon samples from a new BB album.....

sorry fellas....(guess i do make apologies...)
Professor

Nothing will give. There will be no next BB album.

I can live with that

Now if another reunion tour never happens, well I'm not so sure I can live with that

These guys are all in their 70's now (other than Dave, right?) ..... We're gonna have to live with it sooner than later.... But you never do know.

I'm still hoping for a reunion for Pet Sounds 50th anniversary.  But yeah, I'm not counting on it. 

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I make no apologies about being a one-note pony......something has to give here that makes the next project the BB album.........so sad to be reading all this when we should be arguing over some amazon samples from a new BB album.....

sorry fellas....(guess i do make apologies...)
Professor

Nothing will give. There will be no next BB album.

I can live with that

Now if another reunion tour never happens, well I'm not so sure I can live with that

These guys are all in their 70's now (other than Dave, right?) ..... We're gonna have to live with it sooner than later.... But you never do know.

I'm still hoping for a reunion for Pet Sounds 50th anniversary.  But yeah, I'm not counting on it. 

That would be really great with them all! Bruce doing his part on God Only Knows, Dave on guitar for "Pet Sounds", Mike leads for That's Not Me and Here Today! ... Brian doing Don't Talk!!!! ...... We can hope.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I'm sure his handlers think that duets with stars of the day is an easy way to put something out that would make money. However, I would prefer if they let Brian wait until inspiration struck and if it never strikes so be it.  

Just based on Brian's record sales, or lack of, I think a lot of the listening public would agree with you.

[the captain]

It's funny how closely Brian's inspiration correlates with each and every individual poster's particular preferences, though. Quirky, jagged Love Youesque absurdities, full-fledged pop arrangements, psychedelic snippets, etc ad nauseum. Nobody much seems to think that what he's doing might actually be what his particular inspiration of the moment may be.

Then again, I don't much believe in inspiration in the sense most people here seem to, so I'll retreat to the General Music Forum and babble on about something else.

[Nicko1234]

I make no apologies about being a one-note pony......something has to give here that makes the next project the BB album.........so sad to be reading all this when we should be arguing over some amazon samples from a new BB album.....

sorry fellas....(guess i do make apologies...)
Professor

Nothing will give. There will be no next BB album.

I can live with that

Now if another reunion tour never happens, well I'm not so sure I can live with that

It ended on a high in 2012 for me (what M&B call themselves now isn`t important to me as I know it`s just a marketing tool)...

Mike and Al couldn`t even arrange to play one gig together.
Brian is scheduled, I think, to play 4 shows in total this year as it stands.

I can`t see another tour happening so I will just enjoy the stuff they are doing in their respective factions as it won`t be too long before it is over.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Nobody much seems to think that what he's doing might actually be what his particular inspiration of the moment may be.

Yeah, I agree with you. Why do you think that's so? Not why I am agreeing with you but why NOBODY seems to think that what he's doing might actually be what his particular inspiration of the moment may be?

[the captain]

Nobody much seems to think that what he's doing might actually be what his particular inspiration of the moment may be.

Yeah, I agree with you. Why do you think that's so? Not why I am agreeing with you but why NOBODY seems to think that what he's doing might actually be what his particular inspiration of the moment may be?

Damnit, SJS, you've lured me in for another post. But that's just because I like you. (And you're the only person on this board aside from AGD I even recognize anymore, what, with all the name-changing and whatnot.)

Honestly? Because nobody much has assumed BW has done anything he wants over the past 40 years or so, because he has come across as a marginally functioning human being in most respects. And so while the scope of music released during those decades is pretty broad, the room for interpretation is equally broad. Then you have fans who would rather praise their do-no-wrong idol. So anything outside of that sliver of ideal BW must be due to the much-publicized problems. And only that [insert favorite thing here] could possibly be the real thing.

His demos with Scott, THOSE were legit! Or his Gershwin stuff. Possibly Smile. Certainly '88. Wait, no, it's...

[Cyncie]

I make no apologies about being a one-note pony......something has to give here that makes the next project the BB album.........so sad to be reading all this when we should be arguing over some amazon samples from a new BB album.....

sorry fellas....(guess i do make apologies...)
Professor

Professor, as much as I empathize with your position, I'm afraid that ship sailed in 2012. The opportunity was there, but for whatever reasons, the guys couldn't come to an agreement on how to proceed. In this case, I really think they needed to strike while the iron was hot, but they didn't. If some miracle brings them back together again, I'll be the first in line for tickets. But, in the meantime, I don't expect Brian to sit around the house staring at his toenails when he still has opportunities to do what he has always loved to do.  I would have loved a follow up to "That's Why God Made the Radio." It didn't happen. The fact that it didn't happen in no way diminishes Brian's continued solo work. I look forward to hearing what he has for us.

[leftybass77]

You do realize he can't name these songs or the singers singing them. It's all so forced.

\

These are mostly original songs, you realize? This isn't a covers project.

Brian has a batch of new songs he wrote for a new record. The inspiration has struck.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Nobody much seems to think that what he's doing might actually be what his particular inspiration of the moment may be.

Yeah, I agree with you. Why do you think that's so? Not why I am agreeing with you but why NOBODY seems to think that what he's doing might actually be what his particular inspiration of the moment may be?

Damnit, SJS, you've lured me in for another post. But that's just because I like you. (And you're the only person on this board aside from AGD I even recognize anymore, what, with all the name-changing and whatnot.)

Honestly? Because nobody much has assumed BW has done anything he wants over the past 40 years or so, because he has come across as a marginally functioning human being in most respects. And so while the scope of music released during those decades is pretty broad, the room for interpretation is equally broad. Then you have fans who would rather praise their do-no-wrong idol. So anything outside of that sliver of ideal BW must be due to the much-publicized problems. And only that [insert favorite thing here] could possibly be the real thing.

His demos with Scott, THOSE were legit! Or his Gershwin stuff. Possibly Smile. Certainly '88. Wait, no, it's...

My motivation was altruistic. I'm just tryin' to keep you in posting shape! Plus, I enjoy your writing....

[the captain]

Plus, I enjoy your writing....

Mighty kind. May I recommend the Thelonious Monk or new releases threads? 

[Wirestone]

I'll tell you what's forced. People who insist on seeing manipulation and conspiracy in every corner of Brian Wilson's life. It's a lie. And there are folks here who believe that they can make the lie true through sheer repetition. But it just doesn't work that way.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I'll tell you what's forced. People who insist on seeing manipulation and conspiracy in every corner of Brian Wilson's life. It's a lie. And there are folks here who believe that they can make the lie true through sheer repetition. But it just doesn't work that way.

I don't necessarily think those are the best words to describe it ..... It's more like, just my opinion here: the whole Zooey Deschnell, Lana Del Rey, Frank Ocean, guest thing seems a little TOO safely mainstream for Brian .... Yes, The Beach Boys are a major mainstream band/phenomena, but Brian ........... is a bizarre, eccentric maniac ....... and there might be more complimentary people out there who could have been chosen as guests ..... I don't know what Brian wants to be doing right now, and I don't really trust any RS piece nor do I trust anything Brian says either, so we may ever know what's really up ...... But for as many mainstream, Grammy respecting fans as Brian has, there are just as many hipster, mainstream shunning fans who groan at names like Zooey and the others .... I'm not saying this is right or wrong, just that it's there.

But, ya know: this is where the severe stylistic shotgun blast that is The Beach Boys gets a bit messy. There is so much of it, there's almost too much for us all to love in the same way.

This is just me, but get John Cale in there as a guest and let him and Brian duet on a Mr. Wilson remake! Or John's own Caribbean Sunset! There's an island song for ya!

[feelsflow]

Can anyone think of a similar project by another artist? By which I mean, it's not a set of duets only. It's not the artist singing all the songs himself. It's not the artist having guest singers on all tracks, only some.  Maybe it's something that's never been done . Or perhaps it has, I'm just not aware of it.

An interesting point. Offhand, I'd suggest some of the latter-day Jerry Lee Lewis records. He has guests on nearly every track, but often times they're only contributing backing vocals or instrumental parts. Not a huge amount of new material on them, though.

Jimmy Webb's last three albums are just what we are discussing here.  Jimmy Webb & the Webb Brothers - Cottonwood Farm(2009) - a family affair with his sons and relatives, including a lead vocal from his dad.

On Just Across the River (2010) many of his friends dropped into the sessions to support Jimmy's lead vocals - some were duets.  He did a song on this I had been hoping he would do since I first heard it on an Arlo Guthrie album, "Oklahoma Nights."

Same format for Still Within the Sound of My Voice (2013) - featuring one "newer" artist (Rumer), and of course Brian.  Maybe he got the idea from hanging out with Jimmy, and not from having it forced on him by handlers and whatnot.

All had a mix of new and old songs, many that he had not recorded before.  All have been well received by fans and critics.  3 albums in 4 years by an old guy, still in his prime.  I have faith Brian could do that too.

[KittyKat]

I'll tell you what's forced. People who insist on seeing manipulation and conspiracy in every corner of Brian Wilson's life. It's a lie. And there are folks here who believe that they can make the lie true through sheer repetition. But it just doesn't work that way.

Read up on what happened the first time Brian worked with Joe Thomas and you might understand some fans' skepticism. I'm amazed that Melinda Wilson allowed Joe back into the fold ever again.