*Merged* Brian Wilson current album thread

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Yeah, people just need to stop having opinions or caring so much about music that has been with them for their entire lives to the point where they might care to discuss details and might, by gosh, disagree with each other. We need to all get on whatever that drug was in Brave New World and wait for the album to float down from the sky. But it would never work. Even if all of us did nothing but praise Brian day in/day out someone would eventually disagree or take issue with someone's specific praise.

Preach it, Brother.  not saying I agree with it though, I don't like the font you typed it in, asshole!    

Thank you! I did choose that particular font for maximum offensiveness!

[alf wiedersehen]

Yeah, people just need to stop having opinions or caring so much about music they has been with them for their entire lives to the point where they might care to discuss details and might, by gosh, disagree with each other. We need to all get on whatever that drug was in Brave New World! But it would never work. Even if all of us did nothing but praise Brian day in/day out someone would eventually disagree or take issue with someone's specific praise.

Like Chuck said: you can't stop the train, gotta let it roll on!

If you like it so much, say something fucking positive!
Is it really so hard to just not respond to people you disagree with?

you are literally, responding to someone you're disagreeing with right now.  Calm down Sugar.

I wasn't having an argument that went on for days-on-end is the difference. Thanks for you concern.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Yeah, people just need to stop having opinions or caring so much about music they has been with them for their entire lives to the point where they might care to discuss details and might, by gosh, disagree with each other. We need to all get on whatever that drug was in Brave New World! But it would never work. Even if all of us did nothing but praise Brian day in/day out someone would eventually disagree or take issue with someone's specific praise.

Like Chuck said: you can't stop the train, gotta let it roll on!

If you like it so much, say something fucking positive!
Is it really so hard to just not respond to people you disagree with?

you are literally, responding to someone you're disagreeing with right now.  Calm down Sugar.

I wasn't having an argument that went on for days-on-end is the difference. Thanks for you concern.

Yeah, I'll stop posting and lets watch the endless arguments and insults just magically stop! .... Yeah, right.

I think what we need to ALL do is take a step back and think about how emotional we get when someone posts something we disagree with, and how personal this all is to us, and how righteously indignant we get in offense, and then take ...... another moment ..... and consider the possibility that the person we are about to fire upon with insults, ultimatums and tantrums (I'm just as guilty of this) has just as personal and intense of an emotional and intellectual experience with this music as we do ..... We're getting to the point where it's like a bunch of guys on a life raft in the middle of the ocean fighting about who loves the life raft most and who doesn't appreciate it enough because they might want to discuss how the boat is holding off, and someone else is like "Just jump into the ocean, bastard"

[Ron]

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!

Embarassingly, I agree with you again.  I don't mind guest singers and don't mind covers blah blah blah, what sticks in my craw is it just seems to me that this isn't Brian working with artists he respects and wants to make music with, this is Brian working with artists somebody decided would be pretty cool.  Maybe he's known Zooey since she was 7 like they want you to believe but then if that's true, why has he not recorded anything with her before?  

In the past, we've had Brian work musically with his wife... or his manager... or his next door neighbor... or people in his band... or his daughters...  

Now he's working with 18 year olds he's never met that just happen to be hot right now.  

If he had his next door neighbor singing sh*t I would be SO EXCITED because obviously this would be some real from the heart sh*t.  If he told us that he wanted to introduce us to the girl who serves him milkweed or whatever that sh*t is he drinks down at the local cafe, I would love it and would buy 2 copies.  If he informed us that he's known Tina Turner since the 60's when her and Ike used to hang out at his house, and she's on the new album.. BAM, that sounds interesting.  

I'm sure I'll enjoy the album no matter what he chooses (um... agrees) to do, I've always enjoyed his albums.  I enjoy them more though when I get an idea that he's throwing a little passion into it.

[alf wiedersehen]

Yeah, I'll stop posting and lets watch the endless arguments and insults just magically stop!

It's worth a try.

[Nicko1234]

We are all here because of Brian (and maybe a few other guys) yet some feel the need to complain while he's working his ass of to make us new music, at 72 years of age.

I genuinely think some people should be shamed for criticising the man. He owes us noting and should at his stage of the game be allowed to do as he pleases with nothing but our full support.

If the music sucks then of course voice your opinion when reviewing it but support Brian in his efforts.

I don`t think you are going to find any message board for any musician on the internet where criticism is banned.

[bringahorseinhere?]

my gut instinct, is this is going to be a really great album!!!!

it may not be the 'solo' album people are expecting from Brian, but in terms of lyrics, vocals and production........

I predict it's going to be a good album to the 'Brian Wilson' catalogue...

RickB

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Yeah, I'll stop posting and lets watch the endless arguments and insults just magically stop!

It's worth a try.

lead by example perhaps?

[Nicko1234]

Embarassingly, I agree with you again.  I don't mind guest singers and don't mind covers blah blah blah, what sticks in my craw is it just seems to me that this isn't Brian working with artists he respects and wants to make music with, this is Brian working with artists somebody decided would be pretty cool.  Maybe he's known Zooey since she was 7 like they want you to believe but then if that's true, why has he not recorded anything with her before?  

In the past, we've had Brian work musically with his wife... or his manager... or his next door neighbor... or people in his band... or his daughters...  

Now he's working with 18 year olds he's never met that just happen to be hot right now.  

If he had his next door neighbor singing sh*t I would be SO EXCITED because obviously this would be some real from the heart sh*t.  If he told us that he wanted to introduce us to the girl who serves him milkweed or whatever that sh*t is he drinks down at the local cafe, I would love it and would buy 2 copies.  If he informed us that he's known Tina Turner since the 60's when her and Ike used to hang out at his house, and she's on the new album.. BAM, that sounds interesting.  

I'm sure I'll enjoy the album no matter what he chooses (um... agrees) to do, I've always enjoyed his albums.  I enjoy them more though when I get an idea that he's throwing a little passion into it.

Just because he may not be passionate about the guest singers, doesn`t mean that he hasn`t been passionately working on the music for the past 18 months.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

We are all here because of Brian (and maybe a few other guys) yet some feel the need to complain while he's working his ass of to make us new music, at 72 years of age.

I genuinely think some people should be shamed for criticising the man. He owes us noting and should at his stage of the game be allowed to do as he pleases with nothing but our full support.

If the music sucks then of course voice your opinion when reviewing it but support Brian in his efforts.

I don`t think you are going to find any message board for any musician on the internet where criticism is banned.

No one talked about, discussed or argued over TWGMTR before it was released? Right? ...... We seem to be getting close to a banning criticism reality on this board! .... Let's please just all roll with it and then discuss, argue, praise, and criticize the album once it's released.

[Ron]

I'd love to sit down with Joe Thomas (yeah, like that's ever going to happen) and put a few pointed questions to him, in particular "exactly how long after Jeff Beck bailed on the collaboration did you start calling the likes of Deschanel and Del Ray ?"

Don't get me wrong, I'm as fascinated as any of you to hear the new album, but to say its had an... interesting genesis would be on a par with saying George Best was a fair footballer. That said, Sunflower was a distinctly compromised and mongreliod product, and that wasn't exactly shabby, was it ? 

Knowing what Jeff Beck and his band's sets consisted of and sounded like on the tour, and considering no one in Beck's band really sings since Beck's guitar is the lead melody instrument, I'd say it was an interesting experiment for sure but ultimately apart from "Danny Boy" which was excellent...how far could they go with it? Would it consist of Brian's lead vocals trading off with Beck's guitar playing? Would Brian's songs which are heavy on melody, arrangement, and vocal harmonies have blended well with what is basically a modern fusion-jazz combo? Would a small backing band known mostly for playing instrumental jazz-fusion have worked in this context playing across a whole album of Brian Wilson's songs?

The answer to all your questions is : f*** Yeah.  Brian Wilson harmonizing over Jeff Beck's guitar would take a lot of Work.... on Brian's part.... but it would likely be awesome.  To further illustrate how far removed from something that great we are:

THERE IS A RAPPER ON BRIAN WILSONS NEW ALBUM



A RAPPER.  



HE RAPS.  


ON THE ALBUM.

[SMiLE Brian]

All this backdoor producing is annoying. BW knows a hell of a lot more about making an album than the people criticizing this new album. BW is not the brainwashed zombie that some people hope he is. I think people want this new album to fail so he crawls back to M&B and makes the worst BBs album ever made with ML in control.

[Shady]

We are all here because of Brian (and maybe a few other guys) yet some feel the need to complain while he's working his ass of to make us new music, at 72 years of age.

I genuinely think some people should be shamed for criticising the man. He owes us noting and should at his stage of the game be allowed to do as he pleases with nothing but our full support.

If the music sucks then of course voice your opinion when reviewing it but support Brian in his efforts.

I don`t think you are going to find any message board for any musician on the internet where criticism is banned.

Should never be banned, just look at any Mike Love thread

But why criticise Brian for making an album because at this point that's all we really know , he's making an album with a few guest singers.

Sounds exciting to me

[Ron]

I think Brian's handlers have made a mistake with this duet idea but we'll see. I imagine a large number of his fans won't buy this record.

Perhaps the marketeers take his fan base for granted.  In fact, it's the kind of record that could alienate both his fan base and the fan bases of the guest stars.

But let's hope for some amazing music, interesting chord progressions and stellar harmonies.

Speaking for myself: I will buy whatever Brian Wilson records.  I'll probably like whatever he records, but like anybody I have an opinion and would rather see some things than others.

I don't really blame them for taking fans like me for granted, but that doesn't mean I can't run my mouth about it

[rab2591]

All this backdoor producing is annoying. BW knows a hell of a lot more about making an album than the people criticizing this new album. BW is not the brainwashed zombie that some people hope he is. I think people want this new album to fail so he crawls back to M&B and makes the worst BBs album ever made with ML in control.

No Sugar. Calm down.

Brian is a zombie who has a RAPPER




YES




A RAPPER




ON THIS ALBUM (even though reports say the song was most likely not used - but let's not discuss reality here)

So obviously the people on this forum know a fuckton more about this album than Brian does.

Anyways, back to the delusions of SmileySmile.net......

[stack-o-tracks]

I'd love to sit down with Joe Thomas (yeah, like that's ever going to happen) and put a few pointed questions to him, in particular "exactly how long after Jeff Beck bailed on the collaboration did you start calling the likes of Deschanel and Del Ray ?"

Don't get me wrong, I'm as fascinated as any of you to hear the new album, but to say its had an... interesting genesis would be on a par with saying George Best was a fair footballer. That said, Sunflower was a distinctly compromised and mongreliod product, and that wasn't exactly shabby, was it ? 

Knowing what Jeff Beck and his band's sets consisted of and sounded like on the tour, and considering no one in Beck's band really sings since Beck's guitar is the lead melody instrument, I'd say it was an interesting experiment for sure but ultimately apart from "Danny Boy" which was excellent...how far could they go with it? Would it consist of Brian's lead vocals trading off with Beck's guitar playing? Would Brian's songs which are heavy on melody, arrangement, and vocal harmonies have blended well with what is basically a modern fusion-jazz combo? Would a small backing band known mostly for playing instrumental jazz-fusion have worked in this context playing across a whole album of Brian Wilson's songs?

The answer to all your questions is : f*** Yeah.  Brian Wilson harmonizing over Jeff Beck's guitar would take a lot of Work.... on Brian's part.... but it would likely be awesome.  To further illustrate how far removed from something that great we are:

THERE IS A RAPPER ON BRIAN WILSONS NEW ALBUM



A RAPPER.  



HE RAPS.  


ON THE ALBUM.

That song is allegedly not finished and possibly not appearing on the new album.  Fine by me. Brian Wilson hasn't needed a "flavor of the decade" sound on any of his prior releases and aside from that '88 album, none of his work has sounded dated. Can't wait til this rap fad is replaced by artists who actually have the ability to carry a tune in a bucket.

[Ron]

Am I wrong in thinking that the presence and involvement of producer Don Was on bass, who is into organic recordings, might have an influence on the way the record will be produced?
Maybe he makes Joe Thomas up his game. He can't get away with bad auto tune in the presence of a more well known colleague.

Depends on how involved Don Was is... was...

[SMiLE Brian]

I will take Frank Ocean over Jeff beck's guitar wankery anyday.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

What I'm excited about are the reported Al/Brian lead vocal swaps n such!!!!! .... There hasn't yet been quite enough of that in the world!

[rab2591]

And Al's vocals from TWGMTR have me excited for more. I can't believe his voice still sounds nearly the same as it did in the '60s.

[Dudd]

It's only natural to have doubts, but it's no use trying to convince others that the album you haven't heard yet is going to be bad. You can voice your concerns about rapping on a BW album, but you can't outright criticize it before listening.

[Ron]

Just because he may not be passionate about the guest singers, doesn`t mean that he hasn`t been passionately working on the music for the past 18 months.

Well... no... it kind of does mean he doesn't give a sh*t.  You can get a ton of examples of Brian not giving a sh*t on the last album he did that had guest artists.  Go check it out.  That's the whole point we're all trying to stab you with.  

[stack-o-tracks]

Am I wrong in thinking that the presence and involvement of producer Don Was on bass, who is into organic recordings, might have an influence on the way the record will be produced?
Maybe he makes Joe Thomas up his game. He can't get away with bad auto tune in the presence of a more well known colleague.

Depends on how involved Don Was is... was...

Agreed, he was involved with Stone Temple Pilots' most recent album of songs before they dumped their wonderful lead singer and that album was mildly overprocessed.

What I'm excited about are the reported Al/Brian lead vocal swaps n such!!!!! .... There hasn't yet been quite enough of that in the world!

Don't forget the Brian/Al/Blondie vocal swaps/harmonizations. Forget all the Deschanels & Lizzy Grants, this BB classic lineup minus Mike Love reunion is bound to be OFF THE HOOKIN CHAIN!!!

[Ron]

What I'm excited about are the reported Al/Brian lead vocal swaps n such!!!!! .... There hasn't yet been quite enough of that in the world!

Yes, that will be a highspot for sure.  It's kind of amazing that they haven't worked more together, since it seems they've never had a falling out or anything.

[Nicko1234]

Should never be banned, just look at any Mike Love thread

But why criticise Brian for making an album because at this point that's all we really know , he's making an album with a few guest singers.

Sounds exciting to me

And pretty much every time The Beach Boys have used guest singers from The Fat Boys to John Stamos to Little Richard to Status Quo etc. they have been criticized so Brian is not being singled out.

I actually think that in this thread there has been far more space devoted to arguing about how critical people have supposedly been rather than any genuine criticism of Brian anyway.