No Pier Pressure (board member reviews)

[GhostyTMRS]

It's probably not my call to create a thread like this, but I figure sooner than later everyone will want to chime in with their opinions. Just got the 16 track version in the mail today at work.

First impression: Despite the young guest stars, this album has a very late 70's soft rock vibe to it. Not the 70' of Holland or even Love You, but AM radio soft rock. That's not a bed thing at all to these ears! The tracks that we've heard in dribs and drabs over the past few weeks work better in the album's context (no surprise there). As expected nearly every song is a co-write with Joe Thomas but unlike TWGMTR, which was a bit disjointed in places, I think this album holds together better. Strings are prominent on many of the tracks.

1. This Beautiful Day - A lonely and mournful snippet of a song that sets up the album well. A bit jazzy.
2. Runaway Dancer - As a standalone track, this did very little for me, but in the larger context of the late 70's mood of the album, it works better. Not one I would've picked for a single, but there you go..  
3. Whatever Happened - Gorgeous. The kind of song you'd listen to at dusk if that makes any sense. Kind of an "everything's changing and I'm not too happy about it" song. Some little Pet Sounds flourishes.
4. On an Island - Cute and laid-back ditty, as we've all heard by now.
5. Half Moon Bay - Continuing the laid-back feel of the previous track. Nice harmonies on this instrumental with cool as ice jazzy Mark Isham work on top of it. Kind of repeats a little bit of the "On an Island" melody so it's of a piece with that one.  
6. Our Special Love - We've heard this one. The mix seems a bit different here to these ears. I thought this one would kind of stand out because it's got a contemporary sound in the way the other tracks don't, but I like it more now.
7. The Right Time - I liked this one the minute I heard it way back when. A standout for me.
8. Guess You Had To Be There - I like this one a great deal. We've all heard it by now. Again, in the easy 70's groove of this record it makes more sense.
9. Don't Worry - Brian does Motown? Yeah, he kind of does here. Very Four Tops!
10. Somewhere Quiet - "Summer Means New Love" with lyrics. I'm not a fan of remakes but because this puts an interesting spin on the idea I dig it. Al sounds awesome here! Scott Bennett must be the lyric writer since he's credited as a cowriter, and we know Brian wrote the music decades ago.
11. I'm Feelin' Sad - Light and bouncy like "Guess You Had To Be There".
12. Tell Me Why - Holy crap! This is the kind of sad sack ballad only Brian can write. Al shines again on the chorus. The melody reminds me of another song. Can't quite place it. Maybe a Frankie Vallli solo cut?
13. Sail Away - To me, the stand-out track of the album. ...
14. One Kind Of Love - ...until this one comes on. Written with Scott Bennett. God, Brian sounds great here. The best he's sounded in years. What's that?.... Almost going for that falsetto? He hasn't sung this high since "Your Imagination"..and so smooth. I DO detect the "Dijon" on certain points of this album but NOT on Brian's vocals here. Holy moley!
15. Saturday Night - We know this is a great cut..and it's the one I was dreading because of Nate Reuss..but again, this is a very mellow 70's sounding soft rock album...he nails it.
16. Last Song  - What can I say, context is everything. I know this is allegedly about the (latest) Beach Boys break-up, but it doesn't come off that way at all in the context of the album. There are a lot of broken-hearted lyrics on this album and that's how I read it. I can't compare it "Summer's Gone". That FELT like a fitting coda to The Beach Boys' career. This doesn't. It feels of a piece with the album. Fans have hyped this as potentially the masterpiece of the album. It's not, in my opinion. I think we got two before this track came on. It's a good album closer though.  

So..in a nutshell..this is more "Imagination" than TWGMTR, and a lot mellower than both. Some of the production sounds a bit thin, but that's a very minor gripe. I give it 4 stars. Maybe on par with "That Lucky Old Sun" but tough to compare, since it's radically different.  

      

[coco1997]

How'd you get it so early?

[GhostyTMRS]

How'd you get it so early?

The physical copy got shipped to radio today for Tuesday adds. I've already spun "The Right Time" several times, other tracks will get spins on my show this Sunday.

[debonbon]

I cringe every time I read Joe Thomas' name in reference to this album.

[SMiLE Brian]

Nice review ghosty!

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

Thanks, Ghosty..

[Gerry]

Joe Thomas is good enough for Brian and yet he's not good enough for some of the people on this board. Troubling.

[wantsomecorn]

Joe Thomas is good enough for Brian and yet he's not good enough for some of the people on this board. Troubling.

So is Mike Love.

[GhostyTMRS]

Some more thoughts....

Like some of you, when the various guest artists were announced,  I had my secret fear that we were going to get Brian singing on top of a bunch of crappy Indie-rock cuts. That is not the case here. The guest stars do NOT detract from the album at all. This record has a distinctive sound all its own.

RE: the comparison I made to "Imagination". That's more on the production side of things than anything else. "Imagination", however, sounds like a collection of pop songs (as does most of TWGMTR). NPP has an overall mood to it.

If it had been up to me to pick the songs that were leaked out early, "Don't Worry" would've definitely been one of them. It's probably not representative of the feel of the record ("The Right Time" certainly is) but this track is catchy as heck. I mean VERY catchy. It's upbeat and sounds like a lost AM radio hit!   

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Joe Thomas is good enough for Brian and yet he's not good enough for some of the people on this board. Troubling.

If Brian never records with anyone other than Joe, then so be it. I have absolutely no issues with JT or Brian's decision to choose him. Time for all the "experts in production" here to either accept that or move on to some other artist to criticize. I'd rather support Brian and his team instead of hearing people bitch about this, that or the other thing. NPP is going to be another victory for Team Brian so be somewhat thankful that Mike Love didn't worm his way into this project because then, we'd all have something to scream about.

[Wirestone]

I'm thrilled to see that Scott still seems to be collaborating with Brian. This is very welcome news.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

I wish I had a drain to fix right now....

[GhostyTMRS]

Okay, allow me to fanboy out one more time tonight. Listening to this album in my office is a different experience than listening to it with headphones. Guys… I swear Brian's using more falsetto on this album than he's done in years. I can hear Matt and Jeff but Brian is hitting some sweet notes. When you get it listen to the way he sings the word "calling " in the song "One Kind Of Love"....here and for a moment or two on this album, we get that beautiful sound we don't hear enough of.

[Rocky Raccoon]

I didn't realize "One Kind of Love" was going to be on the album.  That's the song Brian wrote for Love & Mercy (he told me himself during his Facebook Q&A  ).  It's going to play over the end credits.

[the professor]

fascinating. Can you please say more about the song whatever happened? how are al and Dave represented, and are there any distinctive references to their shared beach boy past.



ote author=GhostyTMRS link=topic=20243.msg508368#msg508368 date=1427779533]
Okay, allow me to fanboy out one more time tonight. Listening to this album in my office is a different experience than listening to it with headphones. Guys… I swear Brian's using more falsetto on this album than he's done in years. I can hear Matt and Jeff but Brian is hitting some sweet notes. When you get it listen to the way he sings the word "calling " in the song "One Kind Of Love"....here and for a moment or two on this album, we get that beautiful sound we don't hear enough of.
[/quote]

[GhostyTMRS]

Much like "the right time", Al's vocals and Dave's guitar. The song is really about growing old and watching things like your favorite places vanish. Basically the message is things are changing all around me as I grow older, but thank goodness I can count on you... meaning Melinda presumably. It's really got nothing to do with the Beach Boys at all. It's a love song.

[Andrew G. Doe]

If Brian never records with anyone other than Joe, then so be it. I have absolutely no issues with JT...

I'd get your hearing seen to, were I you. That or you actually like tuna fish.

[edit: cute...  ]

[phirnis]

Much like "the right time", Al's vocals and Dave's guitar. The song is really about growing old and watching things like your favorite places vanish. Basically the message is things are changing all around me as I grow older, but thank goodness I can count on you... meaning Melinda presumably. It's really got nothing to do with the Beach Boys at all. It's a love song.

I like Brian's "getting old" stuff (Pacific Coast Highway, Summer's Gone, Southern California); bittersweet stuff due to the BB's youthful image and he absolutely nails it most of the time. So, definitely looking forward to this one!

[debonbon]

Joe Thomas is good enough for Brian and yet he's not good enough for some of the people on this board. Troubling.

If Brian never records with anyone other than Joe, then so be it. I have absolutely no issues with JT or Brian's decision to choose him. Time for all the "experts in production" here to either accept that or move on to some other artist to criticize. I'd rather support Brian and his team instead of hearing people bitch about this, that or the other thing. NPP is going to be another victory for Team Brian so be somewhat thankful that Mike Love didn't worm his way into this project because then, we'd all have something to scream about.

Firstly let me say I am very happy Brian is still making music but lets be frank here. This is Brian Wilson we are talking about, one of the greatest producers ever. I honestly don't understand how so many of Brian's fans can be OK with how Joe's stuff sounds. If this album sounded anywhere near as good as TLOS I'd be more than happy, but it doesn't. It's glossy, sparkly and sickly sweet to my ears.

Sorry.

[theCOD]

Joe Thomas is good enough for Brian and yet he's not good enough for some of the people on this board. Troubling.

Yes, Brian's extremely low standards are very troubling. Hope it's not a self-esteem thing.

[Awesoman]

Although ol' JT's production is slicker than Willie (has anyone actually *tried* lately listening to Imagination without accidentally slipping on your kitchen floor?), if he had a hand in on-boarding all the guest vocalists, I'd say that was a good move.  

[Wirestone]

TWGMTR doesn't sound like Imagination. And NPP doesn't sound like either.

If one actually bothers to listen to Brian's solo output, the latest albums sound a lot less like Imagination and a lot more like the records he recorded in the oughts.

The biggest difference? Joe gets Brian writing new songs, many of which are excellent.

Joe learns. So does Brian.

[Tab Lloyd]

Risking the wrath of the Peer Pressure Police, I would also like to comment on the overall style of production. There’s some gems in them thar hills, for sure, but I prefer my gems slightly less polished. I can’t speak to the dynamics of the JT/BW production team, but I can’t fathom why Brian is leaning on this guy. Maybe it’s time for Rick Rubin! I’m sure on tour these songs will come to great life with Brian’s awesome live band, but why not let Scott and Darian have more of a go in the studio? I offer this with the utmost love for the music, but too much dessert does not make for a good meal.

Joe Thomas is good enough for Brian and yet he's not good enough for some of the people on this board. Troubling.

If Brian never records with anyone other than Joe, then so be it. I have absolutely no issues with JT or Brian's decision to choose him. Time for all the "experts in production" here to either accept that or move on to some other artist to criticize. I'd rather support Brian and his team instead of hearing people bitch about this, that or the other thing. NPP is going to be another victory for Team Brian so be somewhat thankful that Mike Love didn't worm his way into this project because then, we'd all have something to scream about.

Firstly let me say I am very happy Brian is still making music but lets be frank here. This is Brian Wilson we are talking about, one of the greatest producers ever. I honestly don't understand how so many of Brian's fans can be OK with how Joe's stuff sounds. If this album sounded anywhere near as good as TLOS I'd be more than happy, but it doesn't. It's glossy, sparkly and sickly sweet to my ears.

Sorry.

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

Maybe Brian likes working with Joe, and likes the finished product? I mean, say what you will, but Brian is clearly getting something out of the relationship. Feel free to dislike the sound, but don't presume that Brian is doing anything other than what he wants to do.

[coco1997]

Unless I've been overhyping it all these years, the track I'm most looking forward to hearing is "In The Back Of My Mind."