No Pier Pressure (board member reviews)

[Micha]

I hope you don't feel what I wrote about NPP is tainted by an agenda because I don't really have one. I can't tell whether Joe Thomas is good or bad for the overall sound of NPP (other that I do assume it's him who settles the way the drums are recorded, resulting in a sound that doesn't have any drive), and I'm not hung up on "Autotune" either (love the term "ottotune" though ), I can detect it only when someone like Lukas Podolski sings. (A soccer player.)

I was really pumped about this album. Then I saw that Yahoo! interview where Brian revealed the true nature of his & Joe Thomas' collaboration: Joe comes up with the chord changes, some of the melodies, and most of the lyrics. Unfortunately, that knowledge really tainted my listening experience.

Really? I just go by the way listening to the music makes me feel. Brian wrote next to no chords or lyrics to "Sloop John B.", but listening to it is sheer bliss.

Unlike most (apparently) ss members I don't think TLOS is the be all and end all of BW's solo output. I found I loved about 30-40% of that album. Whenever I listen to it I'm niggled by the sense that it is trying too hard to be an artistic statement worthy of BW's legacy. What I like about the last two Thomas collaborations is that the slightly old-fashioned production style feels somehow much more sincere and un self-conscious.

Fascinating! Again, my feelings about TLOS and NPP are the exact opposite. To me, TLOS sounds straightforward, sincere, and self-conscious, while NPP is the one that seems to be trying to hard. It's good we have both albums.

it all works well together and flows in a cohesive manner (even Runaway Dancer and Last Song carry a similar vibe, in terms of atmospheric/studio feel).

We have to agree to disagree here, unfortunately, but respectfully.

...
"The Last Song" - you're going to hate me for this, but the Lalala part makes me cringe, especially the first one. I wish they had some instrument(s) play that melody. The other parts of the song are good, emotional in a "Midnight's Another Day" and "Summer's Gone" way but not quite reaching that level of greatness.
...

As a fellow German, did the "la la la" part remind you of Deutscher Schlager music? Because that's what came to my mind the first time I heard it. Would be interesting to hear if you felt similar about it or if it's something entirely different that made you cringe.

Now that I think of it, maybe so! At least the sound of it does, it has a certain Modern Talking cheesiness. The melody line reminds me of the Rolling Stones' "Take It Or Leave It", one of the weak tunes from "Aftermath".

Am I the only one shocked that "I'm Feeling Sad" basically didn't make the album cut?  It's only a bonus track, but is arguably better than 80% of the rest....

Wondering about the differences in tracks on International versions. The Dutch version has 18 tracks: In the Back of My Mind and Love & Mercy are listed as "bonus tracks". The main album lists 16 tracks. I'm Feeling Sad isn't on it though.

I hadn't payed any mind what's on the regular version, having the German version of the deluxe edition, which has 18 tracks too so I also wonder what replaces "I'm Feeling Sad" on the Dutch version.  "I'm Feeling Sad" is definitely one of the more memorable tracks to me, while "Guess You Had To Be There" is the song most to my liking.

A funny thing happened this morning: I went to a friend for breakfast, took NPP with me, and her player wouldn't play it!

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

What's a guy to say with all these competing pressures and prerequisites? Dazzle them with your encyclopedic knowledge. Make 'em laugh with your cynical wit. Make sure they hear you, but for God's sake, don't speak loudly enough to be heard above the crowd. Cover your bases in case the right people end up coming down pro, but be sure to err con. Yes, when in doubt, point out every instance where the subject falls short of perfection … ideally with sarcastic precision.

Maybe instead of expecting everything to be Pet Sounds and taking away points for every flaw, a guy could start from nothing and just listen. Find something to like. Think about why someone else might like it, even if he doesn't at first listen. Maybe err on the side of generosity, even if that means naiveté.

This is an ongoing project for me, asshole that I am by nature. But from my past few years of experience, I can say unequivocally that it's more fun liking things than disliking them. Sure, I miss the snark: I revisit it more often than I should. But really. Liking things is fun.

Coincidentally Kacey Musgraves was one of my successes in this project a few years back, and son-of-a-gun, here she is working with my (apparently, if the professional reviews are to be believed) again-uncool, embarrassing and awkward musical hero. Their song has four chords, which is probably six or eight fewer than a genius ought to be tossing out--and in a pedestrian progression besides. The lyrics are nostalgic, which is the most tedious of feelings for anyone who likes to think his life is less than half over, a sad reflection by someone implicitly acknowledging it's all downhill from here. Our high school football team sure was great, wasn't it? We must have scored 100 points that homecoming. And we walked 5 miles to and from school, uphill both ways.

It's easy to do that. It's easy to be an asshole. I can do it at the drop of a hat, and twice more before you pick it up. Whoo-dee-goshdarn-doo.

What's not so easy is to describe the honest smile you're not comfortable that showed itself at the crack in Wilson's voice at "suddenly mi-i-ine." Or the literal LOL at the surprising chord on "unconditional" and "been wishing' for" in "One Kind of Love."

Ian Gittens, in VirginMedia.com, called No Pier Pressure "one of pop music's true creative geniuses working off memory and autopilot." With all due respect to Ian Gittens, that phrase strikes me as a reviewer working on autopilot. The aforementioned "money chord," to use a term Scott Bennett coined, is not the work of someone on autopilot. Neither are the astoundingly dense, nuanced tracks--both instrumental and vocal--throughout this album.

For someone in that frame of mind, or even for someone whose tastes honestly demand it, there is plenty to pick apart. If it's a Platonic pop perfection every album is measured against, good fucking luck for, well, everyone. Everyone, even the people who once in a while saw stars align to shine their shadows onto that cave wall the rest of us watch.

That's one too many woodblocks. The dreaded vocal effect that dare not speak its name was probably employed. Too much pandering to the retro sound, except when it's pandering to a non-retro sound. I suspect foul play. Who's the puppet master? And wouldn't this actual, tangible thing be better if it were some imaginary thing-made-perfect?

Sure. But those flawed things, these individual, unimportant parts of a flawed whole, all support one another to make what turns out to be beautiful music. It all fits just fine if you don't break it first. It's amazing, actually. A couple septuagenarians with voices in various stages of disrepair, a handful of younger artists spanning a spectrum of hipster cred and pop appeal, any of whom may be forgotten any day now. An instrumental backdrop that is decidedly easy listening, with a few exceptions.

It's true. Again, there's a lot to jump on--or, if the idea of jumping suggests a level of dirtying of feet, certainly to look down on--without trying hard. Those things are true.

What's the harm, though? What's the result when voices performing interweaving parts that--apologies again, Mr. Gittens--stray far from the realm of pop autopilot may also employ the Dreaded Effect, for example? What happens is nothing. Those parts remain the closest thing to divinity I can imagine. It's not worth rejecting god to prove a production point.

The miserable can sit in the corner telling anyone who will listen that the music has been ruined because of the four-chord simple track, the synth-dance track, the dated adult contemporary production, the woodblock, or the rap that isn't even there anyway. They don't make 'em like they did back in my day, goddamnit grumble grumble.

The rest of us will find joy, peace, and even community in this ruined music.

If this is autopilot, we should all be so lucky as to hand over the controls.

Hat's off, sir to another brilliant piece of writing here that I will save.  That opening paragraph says it all.  Then why am I replying, right?  Probably because we are all born assholes who usually settle for the ultimate expression of that to prove our exceptionalism.   I remember observing what I used to call the "groupie pose," way back in the 70's.  One had to perch backstage on the back of a sofa while expressing a total state of ennui (cheeks sucked in, of course) - those around us just aren't cool enough to engage our interests - but here we are hoping the rock star will notice us.  It's the absurdity of being "cool" that becomes laughable when a person has seen it a few too many times.  Those women were always the ones left behind for the roadies.  And that's how I read that obnoxious other thread where someone "totally without an agenda" compiled every ignorant, nasty review possible about NPP.  Congratulations on that feat.  Aren't search engines great?

I love how you stretched beyond cool asshole-dom to enjoy this record.  Being dazzled by the total lunar eclipse this morning was easy.  Being dazzled by the heart-stopping beauty that another human being can produce, even with all his flaws, is totally uncool in our world - and, god help us - this Wilson character gives us sweetness and tenderness, too.  That's even more hideously embarrassing - and if we'd admit it - confrontational in a world where we're all on the defensive, waiting for the next snarky blow.  If there's one thing those reviews prove, it's that it's damn hard to let in the love, and Mr. Wilson offers it in abundance.  That's what's cutting edge these days, and once again, we leave it to Brian to offer it to us and most of us don't get it.

Lucky us who hear it and bask in it, and there are plenty of those reviews, too if we wish to organize them.  But maybe we're just having too much fun being flawed humans capable of feeling this great while listening to this music.  Humanity may indeed survive in spite of its self-loathing, thanks to artists like Brian.

[startBBtoday]

Really glad they released Don't Worry, Somewhere Quiet and I'm Feeling Sad.

Don't Worry sounds very influenced by 70s Four Seasons records, notably Who Loves You.

Somewhere Quiet easily could have fit on a Beach Boys record from 1963 to 1965.

I'm Feeling Sad is one of the best tracks on the album. Just sounds like a Brian Wilson-penned song. Mixes eras, I enjoy the production.

I understand why these aren't on the 13-track album because they needed the guest vocalists, but I prefer these three songs to all of the songs with guest artists.

There's one hell of an album to be made between the non-guest-artist tracks on this album and TWGMTR.

[Dave Modny]

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.

FWIW, and for anyone keeping score, the bonus track version of "Love and Mercy" is indeed the same one that's on the 2005 "Walking Down The Path Of Life," Hurricane Katrina "single" release.

[SgtTimBob]

When was this recording of ITBOMM done? Sounds like it falls somewhere in the adult child era, when his voice was making an impressive comeback from the gruff and pitchy Love You sound. He almost has some of his original sweetness in places.

[Dave Modny]

When was this recording of ITBOMM done? Sounds like it falls somewhere in the adult child era, when his voice was making an impressive comeback from the gruff and pitchy Love You sound. He almost has some of his original sweetness in places.

1975.

[Wirestone]

Don't Worry sounds very influenced by 70s Four Seasons records, notably Who Loves You.

Interesting! That would make two latter-day BW tunes so influenced (the other being Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl).

[runnersdialzero]

Glad to see some open minds. Just gonna cut to the chase though- this album shouldn't get ANY HATE.

NOTHING here is badly written, even the lyrics are top-notch for Brian. Half the album features vocals handpicked to sound perfect for the track.

You can call it trash, you can call it unlistenable, that's great. It's not an opinion to say this is well written.

Joe Thomas can be blamed for some stuff, but Brian goshdarn Wilson delivered something even his GREATEST fans don't deserve. No one can understand how hard this must be for him. God bless that man.

are you literally snorting a tornado of cocaine as you type this or

COME ON COME ON COME ON COME ON COME ON COME ON COME ON YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YOU BETCHA
P.S. Autotune.

[Wirestone]

I'm putting off further posting until 1.) I have a copy of the 18-track album, and 2.) I complete my review. I've titled it "20 Ways of Looking at No Pier Pressure," and it will be several thousand words long.

Look for it here!  

[SMiLE Brian]

Nice wirestone!

[CenturyDeprived]

Anyone else besides me holding out until listening to it on release day?

There's something very special and satisfying about purchasing an archaic Compact Disc from an actual store, popping it in the car CD player, and listening to the album from start to finish.  That's my plan, at least.

[joshferrell]

here's what I think "Don't Worry" sounds like...IMO (at least parts of it)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE10Yb3UYP0

[shadownoze]

Here's a fun thing to do: sing the lyrics from a verse of either Little Deuce Coupe OR Little Saint Nick to the verses of On The Island. It works much like the way you can make a nice medley of Lay Down Burden and The Right Time.

[Summertime Blooz]

Wow! I'm shocked at how much I like 'Don't Worry'. Just based on those 30 second clips, I thought this would be the worst track, but I'm just finding it delightfully weird in a 70s kitsch way. And it fits in so nicely with the 70s-vibe soft rock tunes on the album. i think it should have been the proper lead-off track instead of Runaway Dancer (which I also like), but this song is more Brian, and he sounds good on it too. Somewhere Quiet and I'm Feeling sad are also top-notch, but I figured they would be. The official version of this album pales in comparison to the deluxe version. Big mistake leaving these tracks off if you ask me.

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

Anyone else besides me holding out until listening to it on release day?

There's something very special and satisfying about purchasing an archaic Compact Disc from an actual store, popping it in the car CD player, and listening to the album from start to finish.  That's my plan, at least.

 

[TonyW]

I've been listening to this album for over 48 hours now and it just keeps getting better. Put the headphones on and you just drift away in the production. so layered. so wonderful. ...... and even the La La Las now seem appropriate.

[The_Holy_Bee]

Baffled by the ambivalence to this album - seems the top end of the scale is a begrudging "three stars" in the musical press. I'm no automatic Brian Wilson apologist, but I've also been less than enthused by his ongoing reliance on Joe Thomas (and Mr Thomas' ongoing reliance on certain production approach and sonic fixes). The writing, too. Sometimes the old, weird Brian, or Brian the lush romantic, or Brian the bent but unbroken survivor reappears, and it's wonderful. Often, it's the unconvincing rock'n'roller or sentimental nostalgist. There have been a few too many "Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl"s and not enough "Midnight's Another Day"s.

But Good God, I love this record. Despite - or maybe thanks to, who knows? - Joe Thomas, "No Pier Pressure" has turned out so weird and unexpected. And melodic, and full-assed - Brian sounds engaged throughout. Like he's thrilled to be working with younger talent, yet confident not to let them (with the possible exception of Nate Ruess on "Saturday Night") pull focus from whose album this is. Highlights for me are "This Beautiful Day", "Whatever Happened", "Guess You Had to Be There", "Tell Me Why", "The Last Song". I'm not as convinced by "Sail Away" as I feel I'm meant to be, and agree that "Runaway Dancer" - which, incidentally, I think is really charmingly gonzo - should come later in the sequencing, as many others have suggested. I only really get lost by "Our Special Love" and "Saturday Night".

So: Brian's most cohesive, expansive and enjoyable solo record, for me, by far. A lot of people are and will be dismissive of "No Pier Pressure" and, while I grant you that art is subjective and a matter of personal taste etc - I can't help but feel time will prove them wrong.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Somewhere Quiet easily could have fit on a Beach Boys record from 1963 to 1965.

Yeah... I can hear it on Summer Days....

[brother john]

Really glad they released Don't Worry, Somewhere Quiet and I'm Feeling Sad.

Somewhere Quiet easily could have fit on a Beach Boys record from 1963 to 1965.

That's because its Summer Means New Love from 1965's Summer Days (And Summer Nights) with added lyrics.

[phirnis]

...
"The Last Song" - you're going to hate me for this, but the Lalala part makes me cringe, especially the first one. I wish they had some instrument(s) play that melody. The other parts of the song are good, emotional in a "Midnight's Another Day" and "Summer's Gone" way but not quite reaching that level of greatness.
...

As a fellow German, did the "la la la" part remind you of Deutscher Schlager music? Because that's what came to my mind the first time I heard it. Would be interesting to hear if you felt similar about it or if it's something entirely different that made you cringe.

Now that I think of it, maybe so! At least the sound of it does, it has a certain Modern Talking cheesiness. The melody line reminds me of the Rolling Stones' "Take It Or Leave It", one of the weak tunes from "Aftermath".

The next time I'll listen to The Last Song I will try to NOT picture a younger Dieter Bohlen (complete with puffy denim jacket and 80s mullet) singing the "la la la" part while strumming an unplugged electric guitar.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Anyone else besides me holding out until listening to it on release day?

There's something very special and satisfying about purchasing an archaic Compact Disc from an actual store, popping it in the car CD player, and listening to the album from start to finish.  That's my plan, at least.

Couldn't think of a better plan than that! 

[startBBtoday]

Really glad they released Don't Worry, Somewhere Quiet and I'm Feeling Sad.

Somewhere Quiet easily could have fit on a Beach Boys record from 1963 to 1965.

That's because its Summer Means New Love from 1965's Summer Days (And Summer Nights) with added lyrics.

Oh, duh. Completely forgot about that. It came out well.

[Nicko1234]

Having now had the chance to listen to the bonus tracks on the deluxe edition a few thoughts...

I think there are plenty of nice songs and moments but the album could have been stronger than it is.

This Beautiful Day is a very nice introduction to the album but it is then followed by 5 songs which all feature separate guests and display different musical styles (including a near instrumental and an a capella number). It`s not really surprising that some people don`t think it hangs together cohesively. In my opinion, Runaway Dancer should certainly have been cut and perhaps Our Special Love too. Whatever Happened is the best of these songs imo.

The Right Time is strong and Guess You Had to be There is catchy. The only complaint I would make about these tracks is that they are quite repetitive (the same goes for a few other songs).

Several of the reviewers have mentioned `cheesy` or `saccharine` and I think the production problems are particularly apparent in the next few songs. Al sounds great on the vocals and Brian sounds good but the backing tracks less so. The lyrics are also too simplistic and banal on occasions.

Nate Ruess has an excellent voice but he sounds out of place on this album as do the other young guests. I think having 5 youthful singers is either too many or too few. An entire album of them might have sounded coherent. Having them popping in and out does nothing to help the album`s flow. Al`s use of his peers on his solo album (and no I`m not comparing the material) generally blended in better (with one or two exceptions).

The Last Song is certainly the best track and succeeds in spite of the production. A moving way to finish.

Of the 3 bonus tracks, I would say that two perhaps should have made the album. Somewhere Quiet and I`m Feeling Sad aren`t great but they certainly would have fit in better than Runaway Dancer and Our Special Love. Don`t Worry is awful and sounds like it was produced by Adrian Baker. That should have been left buried.

The album isn`t a bad one as it stands and is a solid 3/5 for me. With a better track selection and a stronger production I certainly think it would have been getting an even better reception than it has though.

[wilsonart1]

Just to see Brian smile,  prior to Nate Ruess singing Sat. night is more reward than this wonderful album can bring to myself.  Enjoy this work for many evenings.  Happy Easter to all!

[Terry]

Has anyone listened to it on vinyl yet? I listened to it this morning and I'm really having a problem wrapping my head around the track order on the LP version. Nothing at all like the CD versions.