Gettin' in Over My Head

[pixletwin]

Well it does have that going for it... It at least used live musicians. 

[Aegir]

I just heard this album in full today. I was expecting alot worse from what you all say. Soul Searchin' is amazing. Desert Drive and A Friend Like You are pretty cool, too. Nothing on this album offends me, though I can say I like Richie Sambora's version of City Blues better. I don't know what you guys are saying about Brian's voice, I think it sounds pretty nice on this album. The Waltz, arrangement notwithstanding, sounds like it could've been on Love You.

3/5

[kookadams]

I'm not too big on the album really. I think Imagination was way better; just better sounding songs. Although I dig 'Desert Drive' alot.
-Josh

[Alex]

I like How Could We Still Be Dancin', City Blues, and Soul Searchin', though the original from the 90s was better. The original versions of all the Paley and Sweet Insanity tracks were better.

[the captain]

If Brian had used his band to sing backgrounds and had tried to, you know, sing on tune occasionally, this album wouldn't have been too bad. That's my (oft-stated) opinion, anyway.

[Amanda Hart]

While the album isn't great, it is nowhere near as bad as it's reputation seems to be.  There are some bright spots, I like City Blues, Desert Drive, The Waltz and parts of others.  I find it hard to believe that some people think that these tracks are worse than the Sweet Insanity versions.  SI (both versions) was just awful and the tracks from that era that appear here are slightly better.  The arrangements are mostly good and it is nice to hear real instruments.

There are some pretty disappointing moments (A Friend Like You) and a few cringe-worthy ones (Rainbow Eyes) but overall is just an okay album that is enjoyable but probably won't get a lot of playing time in your CD player.

[lance]

It is flawed, but I like it for the most part. I think there are moments of real brilliance and some bland parts, but I honestly dont hear anything horrible. I am used to Brians old man voice; he coulda done better, but whatever. To me, I guess the album sounds just a bit unfocussed, as if it wasnt quite finished. Yes, having the band do the vocals and just a few more lead vocal takes and it would have been really good...as it is, it reminds me of 15 Big Ones in a way--there is something there, it just never falls into place.



Not as good as the Paley sessions I have heard that it pilfers, the songs from Sweet Insanity are better than the originals, though... but I think you all underrate it a bit. Ill give it a 3,5 or 4.

[The Heartical Don]

I don't like the sleeve art.

[lance]

Yeah, the cover is sucksville, for sure.

[Aegir]

I've been listening to this some more. I don't get why everyone hates this album. There's plenty of good songs, or at the very least, okay songs. The main verse part of Fairy Tale is awesome. I hate it when Brian does his own backing vocals.

The only really bad song on this album is How Can Be Still Be Dancin'. Whenever I read about Brian saying he wants to make a "rock album", I imagine 12 tracks of How Can We Still Be Dancin'.

[variable2]

I really like the outro to You've Touched Me.  I'm a sucker for Brian's multi-part interweaving vocal.. things.

[Jason]

How Can We Still Be Dancin' is quite...tacky. Total p*ssy rock. Like what you'd expect a drug-addled, brain-damaged Tiny Tim to belt out 35 years after his heyday.

[phirnis]

Have to admit that GIOMH got me all excited when it came out in 2004. I had only just become a BB/BW fan in 2000 or 2001, so this was a first chance at being there when something new was being released by the man himself and since Smile had just turned out such a triumph on stage he sure wasn't going to fail - or was he? Today this record is about in the same league as Keepin' The Summer Alive for me, which means I hardly ever feel like listening to even the standout tunes. For a short period of time in 2004 however I really enjoyed it, most of all The Waltz (which I thought was hilarious), You've Touched Me, Saturday Morning In The City, and City Blues, but even then I had a hard time trying to convince myself of the greatness of Desert Drive, Make A Wish, and Fairy Tale, which especially in terms of lyrics I still think is among the absolute low points in Beach Boys history, down there with Smart Girls and Summer of Love. Brian's come a long way since then, really. Say what you will about TLOS's (very occasional) weaknesses or Brian's voice not being in the best shape imaginable, only four years ago it was GIOMH we were talking about, wondering why one would feel so underwhelmed after listening to A Friend Like You.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Just listened to the album all the way thru for the first time in a few years. Now, I'm just going by music contained within, not letting anything associated with the non-music aspects color my judgment.

As is my preference, I'm listening on head phones


1)How Can We Still be Dancin'- Slightly wonky intro sets the tone for the rest of the album. Sounds very much like the period immediately post Imagination reject cut it is. That said it is a fun song, Elton's overwrought vocal  (for some reason it reminds me of Carl in the late 70s,which I wasn't big on anyway) and Brian's "hey everybody" part aside. The instrumental section is mixed WAY too loud. -   2/5

2)Soul Searchin'- This was originally one of my highlights during my first listenings, but now... most of Brian's parts kill the song for me, although there are some flashes of brilliance. The bridge is again too loud, and Brian sounds mechanical there. 3/5

3) You Touched Me- VERY wonky intro. The high part isn't so bad, but it doesn't blend well. The double-tracking again makes Brian sound robotic, and in one instance he doesn't match the pitch at all, and it sounds bad (1:47, I think). The "fiddles" are annoying in parts, and the whole thing sounds paint-by-numbers. I liked "So Long" better. 1/5

4) GIOMH- Another cut dating from the immediate post-Imagination period, and a remake of the Wilson/Paley cut. The original vocal & track are superior, but this one's actually quite good. What little has surfaced has shown the Joe Thomas followup would have been superior to Imagination. Best vocal on album by far. 4/5

5) City Blues- A remake of a "Cocaine Sessions" cut, featuring Eric Clapton on guitar. I don't care for the horns that much, and again the double-tracking and type of reverb used make Brian sound like C3PO. I do like the synth part, and there's a nice bassline buried under the Wall of Sludge. Some well needed energy finally arrives. 3/5

6)Desert Drive- For all its reputation as a more "organic" production, I don't know what's up with Brian's vocals. He shouldn't sound like a freakin' Autobot, yet he does. That said, this is a FUN song that is great live, and it's one of the highlights. 4/5

7)A Friend Like You- A guilty pleasure. The harp sounds like the intro to the older Final Fantasy games, and the Pet Sounds-ish bass at the beginning is completely needed. Yet...I actually like this cut, although the same issue with Brian's lead persists. At least it's new (despite the Landy-level bad lyrics)...but what's up with the digital clipping on Brian's backups?! 3/5

8)Make A Wish- MUCH better production than the original SI version, but my God some of Brian's backups are really bad. It also goes on WAY too long and it gets repetitive quickly. 2/5


9) Rainbow Eyes- The original SI version was much better vocally. Horrible mix, and bizarre production choices, coupled with Brian sounding like a deranged Muppet make this one of those songs that make me want to bash my own skull in with a titanium mallet.  1/5

10) Saturday Morning in the City- The same cut as the Wilson Paley track, with some added backups if I'm not mistaken. Brian was in terrible voice during that time period; him just recently having (re-)quit smoking  had a lot to do with it. That said, this is one of the best songs on this disc, despite the distortion at 2:22 on the left speaker. 3/5

11) Fairy Tale- Another remake of a SI song, which is a bit better production-wise than the original. There's an interesting story regarding David Foster's co-credit. Vocally, though, he sounds like Ozzie Osbourne taking it up the rear from Jack Nicholson holding a lawn dart. Oh, I take back an earlier comment...the part right before "I was deceived" is the worst vocal Brian has ever given. Yes, auto-tune was used on the album, which makes me wonder how the raw tracks must have sounded.  Worth listening for grins, though. 0.5/5

12) Don't let her know she's an angel- Intro sounds like something from a knock-off of a Pam Grier film, and again Brian sounds computerized (I'm quickly running out of adjectives...somebody hand me a thesaurus!). Still, I've always liked the song itself...but Brian sounds like Ozzie again at the end.  4/5

13) The Waltz- aka hear more compression  used than thought humanly possible! Brian sounds like he's taking the piss (to use a friend's description), and his backups...yikes. But "Bee bop...buh durrr" is one of the most unintentionally hilarious vocals ever. I think the song is somewhat tongue in cheek, at least I hope so. Makes me smile though, which is more than I can say about much of the other material.  3/5

Final thoughts... This album has a special place in my heart for reasons I'll go into later (personal) but needless to say it's not for musical merits. Brian's worst solo album bar none, but if you look at it as more of an "official bootleg", you'll appreciate it more.

2.57 out of 5 (final Score)

[Keri]

This is a strange album, in a way it was doing something similar to BWPS in that it was putting out a whole lot of unreleased material but this time from Brian's solo career. Mainly Sweet Insanity and Paley Sessions, the cover is a Peter Blake Montage and it matches the montage of disparate songs inside.

I really like this album, to me it is one of the quirkiest BW releases and perhaps the most personal, with strange song writing Brian doing so much of the vocals, it really makes me smile. The album has the touch of real Brian Wilson arrangements, there is always something going on, great changes.

I love the opener Elton's vocals and piano pounding are great, sound is a lot like Carl and the Passions and I absolutely love the line "How could we still be making music after MTV" very funny.

Soul Searchin' finally gets release great to hear Brian and Carl singing this track, classic Brian.

You've touched me, some great fiddle and bass harmonica. love the vocal rounds at the end.

City Blues I'm not sure about, but its OK, desert drive is a pretty cool throw back.

A friend Like you - I think this is true sentimentality from Brian, I can't help smiling hearing Paul on this with his one liner refrain, great pauses and is that harpsichord or harp? This song gives this album a real heart.

Make a Wish and Rainbow eyes both rescued from Sweet Insanity. Taken out of that context their strange romanticism shows its appeal, Brian for a better world. Nice arrangements too, love the drums across the "One big global vision" section.

Then Saturday morning in the City. This is one of my very favourite Brian Wilson pieces, a playful everyday story song with plenty of sections, pauses change in texture and great whistles and pops. Fantastic!

Then Fairytale and again for me this strikes to the heart of what Brian Wilson can be, over the top romantic, an amazing musical ascent. It's not a wonder the man that cut this song wanted to do a Disney album.

Don't let her Know she's an angel, angels and dreams, great plucked strings. Another song saved from SI.

Finally "The Walttz" this is one out of the bag, funny with a great production, amazing fiddle, nice to see Brian teaming up with Parks to do something completely different ending the album on a high note.

So this album has a special place for me in Brian's catalogue, his most personal and eclectic late period album, woefully under appreciated.

[TimmyC]

Just got into this album. Oooo, it's rough. These are the only good tracks (IMO):

City Blues - very cool
Make a Wish - awesome
Fairy Tale - love it
Don't Let Her Know she's an angel - very good

The rest of it.... ugh... it's brutal and plodding, and some of it makes me cringe (how could we still be dancin and saturday morning in the city)

[EgoHanger1966]

Just got into this album. Oooo, it's rough. These are the only good tracks (IMO):

City Blues - very cool
Make a Wish - awesome
Fairy Tale - love it
Don't Let Her Know she's an angel - very good

The rest of it.... ugh... it's brutal and plodding, and some of it makes me cringe (how could we still be dancin and saturday morning in the city)

Funnily enough, all the tunes you've listed are ones that make me cringe!!

When I started collecting Brian Wilson solo on CD (which wasn't very long ago), I had read all the reviews for this album, but heard some of the samples and thought to myself, "It can't be that bad." Ordered the disc and realised everyone was right!

I like "Soul Searchin'" (although in retrospect, it should have been saved for a Beach Boys package with Carl's vocals intact completely), "Gettin' In Over My Head" (nice Pet Sounds instrumentation), and "You've Touched Me" (despite the dreadful wall-of-Brian harmonies at the very beginning). The rest, well.....

[punkinhead]

I've always liked the cover art. I have the puzzle of it from the BW concerts

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

DLHKSAA Is one of my new favorites from brian's solo career.

[runnersdialzero]

Really hope "Soul Searchin'" with the Beach Boys' backing vocals is released sooner or later on a Beach Boys compilation. Honestly, it should have been on TWGMTR, but I'd guess someone in the Brian camp put a stop to that because "But it's already been released!"

I like Brian's version, but it's compromised not only in the absence of the other members, but also because the final result just seems kind of spiteful. "Here's a tribute to by brother Carl. It was originally recorded with the Beach Boys, but I took their backing vocals out (at the urging of my handlers) because I'm told I hate those guys and they don't deserve money, and because I'm the star and I'm the genius and I'm the important one and those other guys don't deserve to be on *my* solo album. Bunch of talentless hack assholes. So yeah, this is a loving tribute to my brother Carl."

"Saturday Morning In The City" is one of those songs that should be great but just never got a decent recording or arrangement.

[Rocky Raccoon]

I don't think the production is that bad.  In fact, I think it's the first Brian Wilson solo album to at least attempt to recapture the Beach Boys sound (besides the two live albums, that is).  The 1988 album and Imagination were collaborations with other producers who were trying to sell Brian as a more contemporary artist.  And as much as I like those albums, they don't really have the sound of a Brian Wilson production.  This one does, good or bad (and I'm not saying it's better than those either).  And I think that adds a lot to it even if the material falls short.  Calling it the absolute worst solo album by a Beach Boy is ridiculous.  It has enough to offer to make it listenable.  Take it for what it is (and hey, at least we got Smile within the year, but I digress).  And "Soul Searchin'" is awesome.

I give it two and a half stars.  The material is uneven, many of the lyrics are mediocre, but this is the album that put Brian back in the producer chair and looking at what he's given us since then, I have to respect that.

[punkinhead]

Some comments I made on editing this album to my liking:

And about the other tracks, there's just spots I'd edit throughout: edit out the accapella intro to You've Touched Me, turn down Brian's vocals when he takes over lead on Soul Searchin, take out Clapton's guitar on City Blues and leave it out or put Scott Bennett's guitar playing over it at a reasonable level, give Paul more to sing on A Friend like You, replace flute solo on Dont let her know she's an angel with original trumpet solo, and keep The Waltz as Let's Stick Together…re-record vocals with original lyrics and re-record Weird Al on accordion for a cleaner version.

Also, add on Walking Down the Path of Life as an intro or outro. And also also, let the band do ALL the backing vocals like Desert Drive.

[Seaside Woman]

I was one of about six people who loved this when it was released.

[Seaside Woman]

I must admit that I find "Soul Searchin'" way overrated. The melody is good, but I'd rather Brian sing it alone, without the help from Carl who imo sounds awful here. After multiple listens, "Don't Let Her Know..." is worn out & now it very bores me. The same can almost be said about "The Waltz", but it's left its charm yet. "How Could We Still Be Dancin'" is cool & I say that not only as an Elton John fan - Brian's signature vocal techniques worked for liking it as well. Btw, speaking of Elton, it's been rumored lots of times that he'd lost the strength of his voice & such, but to my ears, he didn't & still can deliver the best of his vocals like in the old days. As for the title track, arrangement-wise I prefer this new version, vocally - both are nice. "Make A Wish" has rather memorable bridge. The intro of "Rainbow Eyes" is one of my favorites along with that of CalGirls & Little Girl I Once Knew.

In summation, I'll give this record 4. Very solid & good 4.

I was one of about six people who loved this when it was released.

How did you find out such statistics fact? Were you visiting people's homes & asked those who bought GIOMH whether they liked or not?

On the forums at the time of release there were very few of us who thought this was a stellar offering, it was roundly ripped.

The homes I visit don't even know who Brian Wilson is let alone what GIOMH is:)

[Wirestone]

I was one of about six people who loved this when it was released.

Me too. Still do, although I've become much more conscious of its faults. I've come to think that this is the kind of album that should be remixed and resequenced by some sympathetic ears. Perhaps Darian and Scott would do it, and add some replacement backing vocals while they were at it.

It's a bummer, really, because there are some of the best songs of Brian's solo career on that record -- and the overall raw sound, along with the poor track order (and selection), make that much more difficult to hear.