In depth study of Brian's solo career?

[Magic Transistor Radio]

At this stage, I think Carlin's book has been repackaged/reissued several times.

I believe this was the original US cover:



And this is a more recent cover:

That's the one I have.

[Lonely Summer]

I think Brian's solo career has three phases: 1988-1998, 1999-2011, and 2012 on.

1988-1998: the very good but underproduced BW88. The acclaimed (and imho a bit overrated, but that's just me) Paley Sessions. Enter Joe Thomas, resulting in the underwhelming "Imagination". Brian is delivered form Landy, marries Melinda, but is probably still uncertain whether pursuing a solo career or trying to reconnect with the Beach Boys.

1998-2011: Carl passes, and any hope/wish of staying with the grievously diminished Beach Boys fades in Brian. Exit Joe Thomas. Brian starts the collaboration with the amazing Wondermints-plus band and, surprisingly, starts touring a lot, at least by previous standards. In the studio, what I consider his second halcyon period after 1966-1967: BWPS, TLOS, Gershwin. The sound, in this phase, is very organic and "indie-like", just as you would expect from a band where the Wondermints are so prominent.

2012 on: re-enter Joe. The temporarily reunited Beach do a great tour and a good album with a killer 4-songs finale. Brian doesn't take well the forced ending of the reunion, but makes the most of it continuing the collaboration with Al and taking on board first David then Blondie.
False start with Jeff Beck, but Brian & C insist with "external" collaborations, resulting in NPP, imho a good and generally underrated album.
In this phase, the sound has become much "slicker", unsurprisingly given Joe Thomas, and that's what seems most divisive among the fans. Some, like me, like it, others hate it to no end. Also divisive is the importance of collaborators, imho somewhat of a failed experiment; taking the songs one by one, I like them, but they are too many and by very diverse musicians, so on the whole they give the idea of a scattered album.    
Brian's focus seems to have further shifted from the studio to a volume of touring which is now "a lot" (bordering on "too much") by any standards. Let's hope for the fabled R&R album.  

I see things a little differently. From 1987 or whenever it was he started recording solo (aren't there some demos from 1985/86 in preparation for the solo album?), I see Brian as a guy who is re-engaged with recording and making new music. A lot of it isn't released (Paley sessions, Sweet Insanity), but he seems to be in the studio a lot during these years. Out of it, we get BW88, IJWMFTT, OCA, and Imagination. All are very enjoyable - in different ways.
The second phase of his solo career is when the touring begins in 99. From that point on, the focus is clearly on the old material from 1962-73. He still records, but recording is secondary to the Never Ending Touring. New songs turn up in the set list when an album is first released, but year after year, it is the old hits that he and the band perform. They've gotten a lot of mileage out of Pet Sounds and Smile, because, apparently, that's what Joe Public wants to hear.

[KDS]

I think Brian's solo career has three phases: 1988-1998, 1999-2011, and 2012 on.

1988-1998: the very good but underproduced BW88. The acclaimed (and imho a bit overrated, but that's just me) Paley Sessions. Enter Joe Thomas, resulting in the underwhelming "Imagination". Brian is delivered form Landy, marries Melinda, but is probably still uncertain whether pursuing a solo career or trying to reconnect with the Beach Boys.

1998-2011: Carl passes, and any hope/wish of staying with the grievously diminished Beach Boys fades in Brian. Exit Joe Thomas. Brian starts the collaboration with the amazing Wondermints-plus band and, surprisingly, starts touring a lot, at least by previous standards. In the studio, what I consider his second halcyon period after 1966-1967: BWPS, TLOS, Gershwin. The sound, in this phase, is very organic and "indie-like", just as you would expect from a band where the Wondermints are so prominent.

2012 on: re-enter Joe. The temporarily reunited Beach do a great tour and a good album with a killer 4-songs finale. Brian doesn't take well the forced ending of the reunion, but makes the most of it continuing the collaboration with Al and taking on board first David then Blondie.
False start with Jeff Beck, but Brian & C insist with "external" collaborations, resulting in NPP, imho a good and generally underrated album.
In this phase, the sound has become much "slicker", unsurprisingly given Joe Thomas, and that's what seems most divisive among the fans. Some, like me, like it, others hate it to no end. Also divisive is the importance of collaborators, imho somewhat of a failed experiment; taking the songs one by one, I like them, but they are too many and by very diverse musicians, so on the whole they give the idea of a scattered album.    
Brian's focus seems to have further shifted from the studio to a volume of touring which is now "a lot" (bordering on "too much") by any standards. Let's hope for the fabled R&R album.  

I see things a little differently. From 1987 or whenever it was he started recording solo (aren't there some demos from 1985/86 in preparation for the solo album?), I see Brian as a guy who is re-engaged with recording and making new music. A lot of it isn't released (Paley sessions, Sweet Insanity), but he seems to be in the studio a lot during these years. Out of it, we get BW88, IJWMFTT, OCA, and Imagination. All are very enjoyable - in different ways.
The second phase of his solo career is when the touring begins in 99. From that point on, the focus is clearly on the old material from 1962-73. He still records, but recording is secondary to the Never Ending Touring. New songs turn up in the set list when an album is first released, but year after year, it is the old hits that he and the band perform. They've gotten a lot of mileage out of Pet Sounds and Smile, because, apparently, that's what Joe Public wants to hear.

And thats what puts the butts in the seats. And Pet Sounds allows Brian to charge more for a ticket than the NPP Tour.

But, thats par for the course for any legacy act.

[Lonely Summer]

I think Brian's solo career has three phases: 1988-1998, 1999-2011, and 2012 on.

1988-1998: the very good but underproduced BW88. The acclaimed (and imho a bit overrated, but that's just me) Paley Sessions. Enter Joe Thomas, resulting in the underwhelming "Imagination". Brian is delivered form Landy, marries Melinda, but is probably still uncertain whether pursuing a solo career or trying to reconnect with the Beach Boys.

1998-2011: Carl passes, and any hope/wish of staying with the grievously diminished Beach Boys fades in Brian. Exit Joe Thomas. Brian starts the collaboration with the amazing Wondermints-plus band and, surprisingly, starts touring a lot, at least by previous standards. In the studio, what I consider his second halcyon period after 1966-1967: BWPS, TLOS, Gershwin. The sound, in this phase, is very organic and "indie-like", just as you would expect from a band where the Wondermints are so prominent.

2012 on: re-enter Joe. The temporarily reunited Beach do a great tour and a good album with a killer 4-songs finale. Brian doesn't take well the forced ending of the reunion, but makes the most of it continuing the collaboration with Al and taking on board first David then Blondie.
False start with Jeff Beck, but Brian & C insist with "external" collaborations, resulting in NPP, imho a good and generally underrated album.
In this phase, the sound has become much "slicker", unsurprisingly given Joe Thomas, and that's what seems most divisive among the fans. Some, like me, like it, others hate it to no end. Also divisive is the importance of collaborators, imho somewhat of a failed experiment; taking the songs one by one, I like them, but they are too many and by very diverse musicians, so on the whole they give the idea of a scattered album.    
Brian's focus seems to have further shifted from the studio to a volume of touring which is now "a lot" (bordering on "too much") by any standards. Let's hope for the fabled R&R album.  

I see things a little differently. From 1987 or whenever it was he started recording solo (aren't there some demos from 1985/86 in preparation for the solo album?), I see Brian as a guy who is re-engaged with recording and making new music. A lot of it isn't released (Paley sessions, Sweet Insanity), but he seems to be in the studio a lot during these years. Out of it, we get BW88, IJWMFTT, OCA, and Imagination. All are very enjoyable - in different ways.
The second phase of his solo career is when the touring begins in 99. From that point on, the focus is clearly on the old material from 1962-73. He still records, but recording is secondary to the Never Ending Touring. New songs turn up in the set list when an album is first released, but year after year, it is the old hits that he and the band perform. They've gotten a lot of mileage out of Pet Sounds and Smile, because, apparently, that's what Joe Public wants to hear.

And thats what puts the butts in the seats. And Pet Sounds allows Brian to charge more for a ticket than the NPP Tour.

But, thats par for the course for any legacy act.

Yes it is, sadly. Dave Davies from the Kinks is "touring to support his new solo album" - in quotes because he performs all of 2 songs from the new album, nothing from his previous solo discs; it's a night of 60's classics (most of which he didn't even write or sing on the records). He's been doing the same set list since he started touring on his own back in 1997/98. Insert a couple tracks from whatever the current cd is, otherwise it's the same songs, tour after tour. I remember the first time I saw the Kinks, back in 1978; they must have played over half of the songs from their current lp "Misfits". Sure, the old classics were there - Waterloo Sunset, A Well Respected Man, Lola, You Really Got Me, All Day and All of the Night - but they were still a contemporary group. 3 or 4 songs from the previous year's "Sleepwalker" album. In comparison, when I saw the Beach Boys that summer, they had already turned into an oldies act. Aside from a couple "15BO" songs, it was "Endless Summer" live.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

My thoughts on the music during Brian's solo career. BW 88 was very good. One of his best in my opinion. A bit of his quirkyness. I think the 80s technology was used tastefully. Rio Grande is one of the best works of art in his career! Love and Mercy is a classic gem with good lyrics. Though I prefer the IJWMFTT doc version. Sweet Insanity songs were a huge step down production wise. Then we get to the post Landy Payley sessions. From what I've heard this is some of his best work production wise since the 70s! Chain Reaction is one of my personal favorites! The early version of Gettin in Over My Head is more interesting than the released version IMO. Imagination songs are nicely written, but poorly produced IMO. Kind of boring for the most part lacking the quirkiness I love so much. Highlights include Lay Down Burden, She Says That She Needs Me, Cry, the tag to Sunshine and Happy Days has some quirkiness in it. Pet Sounds live is good to watch but I would rather listen to 1966. The exception is the title track which I think is an improvement! BWPS was great when it came out and my favorite concert ever, but since the Smile Sessions box came out I hardly listen. GIOMH is better produced than Imaginations but not as well as the 90s Payley sessions IMO. Highlights for me include Dance the Night Away. The bridge of Make a Wish and Waltz. A Friend Like You is an embarrassment considering 2 geniuses are on it.TLOS and Gershwin are the height production wise in his touring years IMO. TLOS is probably a top 5 album that he has EVER done IMO where he was the promonent songwriter/producer!! Disney and his work on TWGMTR are a step down production wise IMO. Though the last 3 or 4 tracks on TWGMTR are very good. NPP is the most modern sounding album he has done in his touring years and some inspired moments. Al Jardine, Blondie Chaplin and formerly David Marks added nicely to his concerts. I can't say enough about the vocals of Al and Blondie!

So these are a few of my thoughts. And I believe that we will look back at this with more appreciation 20 years down the road or when Brian has passed on!

[KDS]

I think if you look at Brian's solo career in terms of songs rather than albums, there's a lot to like.  Heck, even in The Beach Boys' glory days, many of the LPs were a song or two short of great.  I think his solo albums sort of follow that pattern.  With the exception of TLOS, I dont think he has any albums without skipable tracks.  But, taken over those records in 30 years, you could make a really solid playlist of great songs

[phirnis]

In a parallel universe somewhere Brian continued to contribute the best of his compositions to Beach Boys albums done in the way Sunflower/Holland/BB85 were done, i.e. largely democratical with everyone throwing in their material and most of Brian's stuff being among the highlights.

I'm a big fan of BW88 and I like the way he did something that didn't just feel like revisiting the past on Orange Crate Art with VDP.