Preview No Pier Pressure On Google Play!

[RiC]

Man, I got to tell ya, Runaway Dancer and Saturday Night on Hollywood Boulevard are AWESOME.

[smilethebeachboysloveyou]

This is totally different from what I was expecting.  It's very strong production-wise, as all of Brian's recent work has been, but he really seems to be playing around with different musical styles.  I'll wait until I hear the album in full to decide whether it's the best of Brian's solo career, but from the previews it definitely sounds like the most adventurous.

[JohnMill]

My thoughts when I heard the songs for the first time went something like this. "You know who is going to be really pissed off about this album?" the response was outlined in a few posts above.

I have to disagree.  If we are talking about Mike Love, I don't think he is going to be pissed and that is the problem.  See in order to be pissed off about something, you have to care enough about it in the first place.  Judging from his comments regarding TWGMTR, Mike Love either didn't sense or couldn't connect with the fact that Brian was creating some amazing music both for that record and now for it's follow-up, "No Pier Pressure".  So as Mikie stated, Love jumped off board (or upset the apple cart however you want to view it).  If the new Brian Wilson music was of any importance to Mike Love, I can't see how he wouldn't want to be a part of all of it going forward.  The problem is I don't think it is important to him, bringing me back to my original point.

Btw: If I haven't already made it clear, this stuff is fantastic!  If it was a Beach Boys record it would've been better than Radio and since it's a BW solo I have to concur with those who are saying it's probably his best solo album yet.

[ReggieDunbar]

https://soundcloud.com/reggiedunbar/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure-previews

Uploaded it to soundcloud. Don't know how long they'll let it stay due to copyright stuff. So listen fast

[Lee Marshall]

"The best of Brian's solo career" Stbbly?  It seems, in a sense, way too early to definitively make that claim.  We, after all, are only hearing limited clips of the songs from the album.  Yet... ... ...

This isn't some questionable 'comedy' flick where they used up all the best jokes in the TV commercial and then we find that the story is just swiss cheese and that we've already heard all of the funny stuff.  No...I know that we're going to hear even more amazing surprises when we get to hear the 'whole '9' in another 7 weeks.  Why THIS album will be a contender for being considered Brian's all time best solo effort is simply that he has returned to what historically worked for him.  With No Pier Pressure Brian is directing the performances of a group of talented singers and musicians who have aligned themselves with Mr. Wilson in order to help him deliver a complete and fullfilling, artistically satisfying and rewarding communal effort.

There's no deer in the headlights here.  It's collectively a force to be reckoned with...assembled by the man who is about to release one of the very best albums he has ever been directly associated with.  Where it ranks over-all?  That'll vary from one set of ears to the next.  But I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that most folks will have it sitting somewhere in the upper echelons of his body of work...solo or otherwise.

Or maybe it's just another bad comedic movie.   [not]

[freedomaspirer]

https://soundcloud.com/reggiedunbar/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure-previews

Well, thank you very much!

[Tord]

https://soundcloud.com/reggiedunbar/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure-previews

Thank you!

[Jukka]

Sounds pretty mellow and easy-going. I didn't pick any instant hooks or killer melodies from those snippets, but can't wait to hear the whole album!

[Stegibo]

Don't like this at all.

[RiC]

Don't like this at all.

How's that?

[clack]

I like what I can hear of the songs. Some of those arrangements though -- ugh. Smooth-jazz tenor sax? Adult Contemporary guitar licks?

[seltaeb1012002]

My only complaint is that it's not gonna be out for another 2 months.

Love the samples. Lots of BW falsetto here. Nice!!

The clarity in BW's vocal tone on "What Ever Happened" is pretty amazing.

[bgas]

I like what I can hear of the songs. Some of those arrangements though -- ugh. Smooth-jazz tenor sax? Adult Contemporary guitar licks?

Everyone has their own feelings, right?
On first listen, I enjoyed almost every track to some degree, tho admittedly it is hard to get the full flavor from a snippet. 
However, Half Moon Bay, could go in the dumpster. I thought it sucked at the Vegas show, and I still do. NOT what I want to hear coming from BW
but then, I don't get to decide for anyone but me

[Aomdiddlywalla]

How can we still be dancin'  :-  ' Heeeey EVErYBodyyyyyyyyyy'

Is this the same guy!?  Luv em', thanks from the UK for the link.

[clack]

Remember the talk of a Wild Honey-feel? This sounds like another Imagination. Which, I still listen to Imagination and like it well enough, but this in not what I was hoping for.

That said, I wasn't impressed by the Right Time on first listen, but I've grown to really like it.

[SinisterSmile]

Some snippets really jumped out, others felt like a bit pedestrian.

Still, can't wait to hear the whole thing  

[D Cunningham]

Thank you for that, Reggie D.

Nice to hear Zooey and Brian doing a Bebel Gilberto thing.
Always good to hear Nate Ruess's voice.
And Al J is my hero.

[coco1997]

Anyone know why Frank Ocean dropped out of the album? At least in the case of "Last Song," we know two versions were recorded and they decided to use the solo BW version rather than the duet with Lana Del Rey. Did Ocean ever actually record anything?

[Matt Bielewicz]

I'm not sure I'm going to like this one. Too much Imagination, not enough TLOS in the sound. These *are* just previews, so I'm keeping an open mind, but... well, let's just say that I've never been much of a fan of Imagination.

As I said upthread - I will be the first to admit it publicly if I change my mind!

[Cyncie]

https://soundcloud.com/reggiedunbar/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure-previews

Uploaded it to soundcloud. Don't know how long they'll let it stay due to copyright stuff. So listen fast

Thanks for that.  Some observations

PROS:

Does Al Jardine sound great, or what?

Loved hearing Brian going up into his high range a little.

The collaborations seem to be working well.

I think Last Song is going to make me cry.

Gorgeous harmonies. But, hey. It's Brian.

I'm digging the variety of styles, from AC pop, to smooth jazz.


CONS:

Synth horns

I would have preferred a little more grit here and there.


All in all, I think this is going to be a very enjoyable album. Brian seems excited by it, and I'm guessing it's because this type of work puts him back into his preferred element: he's writing, producing and arranging for other people's voices. With good promotion, I think this could do well on the AC charts.

[job]

Sounds alright. A few samples seem pretty excellent and several others sound like the usual BW duds we've come to expect. I'm not feeling what some posters are are all thrilled about. It was a good move to include Al though. He sounds much better than BW these days. Kind of sad though that it seems like the best way to improve a Brian Wilson album in 2015 is to have less Brian Wilson on it.

Agreed.  I hear roughly 3 really good tunes that are clearly out of place with the rest which sounds like the typical solo BW plodding uninspired stuff.

To say this is his best solo album ever isn't really saying much, even if it was.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

My thoughts so far:

Great album!  Runaway Dancer and Saturday Night have the best chance of charting, though the sax on RD could hurt its chances.  Whatever Happened will probably be my favorite song on the album, but maybe Runaway Dancer.  Don't Worry doesn't seem like a Brian song at all, I need to hear more of it.  Last Song is every bit as good as Summer's Gone.  Can't wait until April 7th!

[Matt H]

My thoughts so far:

Runaway Dancer and Saturday Night have the best chance of charting

I agree completely.  I hope these 2 are released as singles.

[Peadar 'Big Dinner' O'Driscoll]

https://soundcloud.com/reggiedunbar/brian-wilson-no-pier-pressure-previews

Uploaded it to soundcloud. Don't know how long they'll let it stay due to copyright stuff. So listen fast

Thanks very much.

[Lee Marshall]

The Right Time is the first single...and not just in Norway.  Our radio station received it via  the usual channels yesterday.  I did a BIT with the morning man about the album this morning.  The PD/MD will likely play it over the next few days giving the audience their 'say'.  Then he'll add it...or not based on the criteria he uses.  IT WILL get a chance with us.  Same chance as every other possible new hit.