No Pier Pressure (board member reviews)

[Wirestone]

Did they bring Jim Peterik back in during the NPP sessions to help with "Sail Away," or was this song written in 2012?

Peterik co-wrote "Your Imagination" (he's not credited in the CD notes, but he's listed as a co-author by BMI) and "Dream Angel" in the late '90s, and the song TWGMTR dates from that period, too.

That being said, I think he came back in 2011-2012 to put some final touches on the song and work on "Isn't It Time." So "Sail Away" could come from either of those period or be totally new.

[Slow In Brain]

Less than a week to go... Haven't been this stoked for a new BW release since 1988

[HeyJude]

Songwriting credits for HeyJude:

1. This Beautiful Day (B. Wilson and J. Thomas)
2.  Runaway Dancer (B. Wilson and J. Thomas and S. Simonian)
3. Whatever Happened  (B. Wilson and J. Thomas)
4. On The Island  (B. Wilson and J. Thomas)
5. Half Moon Bay (B. Wilson and J. Thomas)
6. Our Special Love (B. Wilson and J. Thomas)
7. The Right Time (B. Wilson and J. Thomas)
8. Guess You Had To Be There (B. Wilson and J. Thomas and A. Salgado and K. Musgraves)
9. Don't Worry (B. Wilson and J. Thomas)
10. Somewhere Quiet (B. Wilson and S. Bennett)
11. I'm Feeling Sad (B. Wilson and J. Thomas)
12. Tell Me Why (B. Wilson and J. Thomas)
13. Sail Away (B. Wilson and J. Thomas and J. Peterik and L. Millas)
14.One Kind Of Love (B. Wilson and S. Bennett)
15. Saturday Night (B. Wilson and J. Thomas and N. Reuss)
16. The Last Song (B. Wilson and J. Thomas)

Thank you! Interesting....

[HeyJude]

Did they bring Jim Peterik back in during the NPP sessions to help with "Sail Away," or was this song written in 2012?

Peterik co-wrote "Your Imagination" (he's not credited in the CD notes, but he's listed as a co-author by BMI) and "Dream Angel" in the late '90s, and the song TWGMTR dates from that period, too.

That being said, I think he came back in 2011-2012 to put some final touches on the song and work on "Isn't It Time." So "Sail Away" could come from either of those period or be totally new.

I would suggest purely for the sake of pointless curiosity that it would be interesting to know if “Sail Away” could have or would have been a “Beach Boys” track, considering Peterik and Milias were “re-involved” around the time of TWGMTR. I’m curious if it was cut fresh after C50, or if anything (backing track, or something) might have been cut earlier. (I shouldn’t have to say this, but I will anyway: This is NOT a foray into trying to talk about the demise of C50 or to even lament what “could have been” so much as to simply wonder).

For that matter, especially considering that Brian and Joe appear to have cut at least a few of the TWGMTR backing tracks prior to the BB’s even being involved, I’m curious if any backing tracks from NPP date from that 2010-2011-ish period. I’m talking recordings more than compositions, as apparently random threads date compositionally back to 1997-98.

[Back Home]

Advance warning--this may constitute heretical speech--but I find after listening to all of the samples that many of the songs would have been so much more enjoyable and fullsome--at least to my ears--if Mike and even Bruce were singing along with the rest. I am a 45-plus year fan, and I am thrilled to hear any song with Al or Blondie taking the lead. Al is in his Hall-of-Fame best here (and thank you Matt for your beautiful falsetto). But (and I apologize for offending anyone) Brian's voice alone, in these "mellow" songs, doesn't work for me. The comparisons to "Busy Doin' Nothing", etc. are interesting except for two things (a) those were Brian at his vocally purest voice; and (b) it was Brian, and not the other fellow, producing. I am all in favor of anything Brian wishes to do; any thing that makes him happy--and I am simply amazed at his productivity. But i would be less than honest if I said if found these songs, where he is going alone on the solo, to be anything but a step below TWGMTR, and even LOS. Kind of disappointing, but then I am not sure I have any right to be disappointed at all.

[HeyJude]

One thing about TWGMTR, and perhaps one of the reasons Mike has sort of “meh” feelings about the album apparently now, is that he is only sporadically mixed into the vocal blend particularly prominently. There are certain bits where his low end is mixed up and sounds good and very prominent (e.g. the vocal intro to “Pacific Coast Highway”). But, for instance, out of the four of Brian-Mike-Al-Bruce, Mike is probably the least audible on the title track.

Mike’s still got the bass vocal chops. The question is, though, does every song need that classic BB-style bass vocal on the multi-part harmony? No to stir more “it could have been a BB album” debate, but I think had material on “NPP” formed into a BB album in an alternate universe and had been done in a similar fashion to TWGMTR, I think Mike again would have only sporadically been super evident in the background vocal blend/mix.

Obviously, there would be more leads from other BB’s, well Mike anyway. I’ll leave the merits of Mike’s “lead” voice for another thread/discussion.

But we all have different preferences even among the extant BB voices available. As far as I’m concerned, I would probably prefer a BW or BB album to just hand most of the leads over to Al. I kind of wish Brian would just write an album for Al or something.   

[guitarfool2002]

No advance warning necessary - opinions are freely accepted here and lead to some good discussions, and sometimes dust-ups as well. It's all part of the game.  

What I will respond to is the notion of asking "what it could have been IF...." in a lot of these cases. I think fans based on their personal likes and experiences would naturally think that with many artists. But at the same time I think doing so doesn't give the artists as much of a chance to have their work experienced on its on terms. The fact is, the album is what it is, and in this case it's what Brian wanted to release for his fans. The sounds and the people making them are the sounds and the people who are on the album, and that's what is being offered to enjoy, judge, and experience on its own merits.

I say this because there seems to be more of a "what could have been..." thinking when it comes to Beach Boys fans and Brian Wilson's albums than there is among other fanbases of other high-profile artists. Ringo Starr has a new solo album and is currently doing press for it, interviews, etc. Obviously his past shadows everything he does, and he specifically focuses on that past through songs on the new album like "Rory And The Hurricanes". It is what it is. If you like Ringo, even if you like his music, his voice, or just the idea of buying it because you're a Beatles fan and you like to hear anything the band members do, you'll buy the album.

But are there the same number of fans saying "why isn't McCartney singing more of these songs with Ringo?" or "what would that guitar solo have sounded like if George were alive to play with Ringo?", and any number of variations? There may be, but it's not as big of a deal, perhaps, as it is in this case with Brian.

I think fans in those cases have accepted that some things did not happen, they will not happen, and cannot happen for obvious reasons. It's liberating, then, for Ringo to have a new solo album and have it be exactly what it is rather than all of the "what if?" questions putting a different shade of opinion on it. I think the same can be said or should be said of Brian Wilson's new album. It is what it is, and let's take it for what it is on its own merits. Without even going into the reasons why they're not on the record, Mike and Bruce are not on the record, period, end of story. That's the cold-hard fact of the matter, and it should open up more opportunities to take the album for what it is rather than as a fantasy what-if scenario that simply doesn't exist.

The reunion is over, finis. Mike is not on this album, Bruce is not on this album, choices were made, and they do their own thing. It is what it is, and whatever they did or didn't do to me is irrelevant if not distracting in terms of fans who are excited about this new Brian album and who will listen to it on its own terms. The more lamentations about who isn't on the album, the less the album gets a chance to stand on its own merits, which is a pretty fair shot I think any new album should get.

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

I would enjoy this album a lot more if I was twenty pounds lighter and swaddled in tailored, designer three-piece suits while drinking the finest grappa and lounging next to three European models in the hotel bar of a Swiss mountain ski resort. Also, I'd have a puppy, my pilot's license and a Gulftsream IV waiting in Geneva. Then this album would be really great. As it is, I just can't enjoy it.

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

 

[Wirestone]

Frankly, the blend sounds more like the BBs on No Pier Pressure than it does on TWGMTR.

As I wrote in an earlier thread, if one actually listens to the harmonies on the earlier record, you hear 99.9 percent Brian and Jeff. The other guys do cameo appearances, at best. Given the condensed time frame they had for completing the album, I strongly suspect that Mike, Bruce and Al spent a couple of days in the studio apiece, overdubbing BW solo tracks.

No Pier Pressure, on the other hand, features Al and Blondie and Matt on harmony vocals on multiple songs. You can actually hear that four-part blend of multiple voices, with multiple textures. Combined with Al and Blondie taking leads, along with the guest vocalists, and you have an album that is far more about the union of different voices, all singing at once, than TWGMTR ever was.

[Lowbacca]

Oh man. Just got my review copy of the Deluxe Edition. Excited beyond words. Gonna put it on as soon as dinner is ready and my face muscles have relaxed from grinning maniacally. Gotta say, I feel really good about this.

I'm going to update this with first track-by-track impressions, provided I'm still conscious by track 3, or something.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________



1.    "This Beautiful Day"          
Brian knocks another beautiful mood-setting album opener out of the park.

2.    "Runaway Dancer"     
Brian Wilson is not about harmonies, sunshine, melancholy or health food - he's about surprise. Track #2 takes you by the beach balls and yanks the whole thing in an unexpected direction - especially after the opening track. This is BW like you've never heard him. He's trying something new and you can't help but dance to it. And the kids will too.

3.    "What Ever Happened"     
Brian with Jardine & Marks. Mellow goodness. One that is certainly going to grow on you, once you realise it's flawless.

4.    "On the Island"     
Bossanova, baby. Brian style. So much going on here. Deschanel and Ward are spot-on. People who think "She" sounds bored are missing the point.

5.    "Half Moon Bay"         
Calms any sense of pressure even further. You're starting to wonder what is going to hit you next, jumping at you from behind a pier. Exquisite instrumental track showcasing the craft of Mark Isham.

6.    "Our Special Love"     
New, even better mix of the Peter Hollens track. Beyond gorgeous.

7.    "The Right Time"
The Alan Jardine show. One of the first tracks to be premiered off NPP, it fits nicely into the overall album sequence.

8.    "Guess You Had to Be There"         
I have no clue who Kacey Musgraves is. But, starting April 2015, if you look up "catchy" in the dictionary it will refer you to this melody, chorus, bridge, everything.

9.    "Don't Worry"           
Deluxe edition bonus track. I'll need to listen to this one a couple more times.

10.    "Somewhere Quiet"           
Deluxe edition bonus track. Great singing by Brian. Jardine pops up again, too. Pretty track.

11.    "I'm Feeling Sad"           
Deluxe edition bonus track with a hint of Fosquette. Delightful production, lots to discover. You can tell when Brian has fun doing it.

12.    "Tell Me Why"
.. this isn't the Beach Boys. Because it is. Brian sounds great, and when Al comes in... wow. Floored. My eyes just got a little watery.. I fear it's going to grow worse with the remaining tracks. Maybe it's not the dry Berlin air, after all..

13.    "Sail Away"
BLONDIE!!! AL (again)! Such a tasty intro.. Mr. Chaplin.. .. and then the one and only Jardine takes it away. Man, I love the Beach Boys. Pure bliss.

14.    "One Kind of Love"  
Brian's singing...... "Oh, it's a revelation, I feel alive again." - The maestro in full controll of his ripe voice. I'm smiling like an idiot and I feel happy right now. One kind of Brian Wilson. Splendiferous!

15.    "Saturday Night"
Nate Ruess, everyone. This has single potential written all over it.

16.    "The Last Song"  
Mere words... This is the first time I've needed a handkerchief when listening to a record since... TWGMTR and "Pacific Coast Highway", probably. I'll end this here, it's just too beautiful.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Oh man. Just got my review copy of the Deluxe Edition. Excited beyond words. Gonna put it on as soon as dinner is ready and my face muscles have relaxed from grinning maniacally. Gotta say, I feel really good about this.

I'm going to update this with first track-by-track impressions, provided I'm still conscious by track 3, or something.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________



1.    "This Beautiful Day"          
Brian knocks another beautiful mood-setting album opener out of the park.

2.    "Runaway Dancer"     
Brian Wilson is not about harmonies, sunshine, melancholy or health food - he's about surprise. Track #2 takes you by the beach balls and yanks the whole thing in an unexpected direction - especially after the opening track. This is BW like you've never heard him. He's trying something new and you can't help but dance to it. And the kids will too.

3.    "What Ever Happened"     
Brian with Jardine & Marks. Mellow goodness. One that is certainly going to grow on you, once you realise it's flawless.

4.    "On the Island"     
Bossanova, baby. Brian style. So much going on here. Deschanel and Ward are spot-on. People who think "She" sounds bored are missing the point.

5.    "Half Moon Bay"         
Calms any sense of pressure even further. You're starting to wonder what is going to hit you next, jumping at you from behind a pier. Exquisite instrumental track showcasing the craft of Mark Isham.

6.    "Our Special Love"     
New, even better mix of the Peter Hollens track. Beyond gorgeous.

7.    "The Right Time"
The Alan Jardine show. One of the first tracks to be premiered off NPP, it fits nicely into the overall album sequence.

8.    "Guess You Had to Be There"         
I have no clue who Kacey Musgraves is. But, starting April 2015, if you look up "catchy" in the dictionary it will refer you to this melody, chorus, bridge, everything.

9.    "Don't Worry"           
Deluxe edition bonus track. I'll need to listen to this one a couple more times.

10.    "Somewhere Quiet"           
Deluxe edition bonus track. Great singing by Brian. Jardine pops up again, too. Pretty track.

11.    "I'm Feeling Sad"           
Deluxe edition bonus track with a hint of Fosquette. Delightful production, lots to discover. You can tell when Brian has fun doing it.

12.    "Tell Me Why"
.. this isn't the Beach Boys. Because it is. Brian sounds great, and when Al comes in... wow. Floored. My eyes just got a little watery.. I fear it's going to grow worse with the remaining tracks. Maybe it's not the dry Berlin air, after all..

13.    "Sail Away"
BLONDIE!!! AL (again)! Such a tasty intro.. Mr. Chaplin.. .. and then the one and only Jardine takes it away. Man, I love the Beach Boys. Pure bliss.

14.    "One Kind of Love"  
Brian's singing...... "Oh, it's a revelation, I feel alive again." - The maestro in full controll of his ripe voice. I'm smiling like an idiot and I feel happy right now. One kind of Brian Wilson. Splendiferous!

15.    "Saturday Night"
Nate Ruess, everyone. This has single potential written all over it.

16.    "The Last Song"  
Mere words... This is the first time I've needed a handkerchief when listening to a record since... TWGMTR and "Pacific Coast Highway", probably. I'll end this here, it's just too beautiful.

Now THAT'S a great review! Enjoying your sincere enthusiasm and looking even more forward to next week.  

[the captain]

I have no clue who Kacey Musgraves is.

One of the better pop/country songwriters on earth, at the moment, and the author of one of the best albums of the '10s so far. You might want to look into it if you like catchy melodies and clever lyrics.

[18thofMay]

Sanity in Australia have it in store. I just got the Deluxe edition.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

For those that have heard it, do you think it's as good or better than TLOS? So far, that is the pinnicale album to me of mostly original material. So far, from the few songs I've heard, it sounds good, but not quite TLOS. But I'm waiting to hold judgement until I buy it next week.

[18thofMay]

I think it is better than TLOS and by some margin!
I think its more Brian. Best vocally by a long shot and seems more Brian and less faux Brian.

[18thofMay]

This is the best solo album he has done by a long way in my opinion!

[Matt Bielewicz]

Oh man. Just got my review copy of the Deluxe Edition. Excited beyond words.

Thanks for the review! But... tell us about the LAST two tracks! You got the Deluxe Edition, right? So what about In The Back Of My Mind and Love and Mercy?

How does Brian sound on the first? Rough, smooth, or a bit of both? How does the backing differ from the 1965 version, if at all?

And Love and Mercy - is it a live version? What are the lyrics? Does it have the harmony bridge present in the 1988 and 1995 studio versions, but not in Brian's live renditions?

Questions, questions... We'd love to know the answers...

Oh, hang on, wait... I think the US Deluxe Edition doesn't have those two tracks. Is it only the Target edition that does in the States?

To explain: here in the UK, the Deluxe Edition has In The Back Of My Mind (1975) and Love and Mercy on the end...

[18thofMay]

L&M is the best version I have heard, from the hurricane relief sessions maybe and ITBOMM is from to my ears around the same time (night/day/night/day?) that California Feeling is from. Has the same vibe.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

How does his voice sound on itbomm?

[18thofMay]

He starts of crooning and has a coke sounding lounge singing style. Then he does some front of my mind lyrics and at the end hits a long sustained soaring mid range vocal into a short higher range.

[18thofMay]

Ray Lawlor also gets his name in the liner notes.

[Lowbacca]

For those that have heard it, do you think it's as good or better than TLOS? So far, that is the pinnicale album to me of mostly original material. So far, from the few songs I've heard, it sounds good, but not quite TLOS. But I'm waiting to hold judgement until I buy it next week.

Before hearing NPP, TLOS was my absolute favourite as well. And I will always treasure TLOS, but NPP is superior in most ways (besides an overall 'visual' theme and "Midnight's Another Day", maybe). As far as Beach Boys records go, NPP is the real deal.

Oh, hang on, wait... I think the US Deluxe Edition doesn't have those two tracks.

Bingo.

[Alan Smith]

Sanity in Australia have it in store. I just got the Deluxe edition.

Nice tip, dude!, don't usually trade with these guys - picking my copy up in 30 minutes!

[Fall Breaks]

Yes!! Met the mailman just as we had left home for the holidays. Convinced wife that yes, we should turn around, and the 18 track version is now in my hand!