Imagination

[Charles LePage @ ComicList]

Discuss, review and rate Imagination, released June 1998.

[Don't Back Down]

Best Brian Wilson solo (imo) before SMiLE. I love mostly all the songs on here. "South American" is my favorite, alogn with the title track. I love the clarinet opener to "She Says That She Needs Me" and the song itself. The two Beach Boys covers don't hold a candle to the originals, but I actually like this arrangement of "Keep an Eye on Summer" better. "Let Him Run Wild" is sort of "eh..." the original by far is better. "Dream Angel" is one of the most catchy tunes on this I think. I don't really care much for "Cry" but it's average and fits in the album well enough. "Lay Down Burden" reminds us of how good Brian makes great ballads. "Sunshine" and "Happy Days" are the most obscure numbers on this one. I do like "Sunshine" with it's "All Summer Long"-ish style sort of. "Happy Days" is an odd way to end the album just by the feel of the song but it ties up the whole "Imagination" very well. I enjoy the sax in the song, which sounds like it's in a minor key with Brian and the news going on in.

I rated this a 5, but if I could change it I'd give it a 4. Definately a must have for Brian fans, imo.

[the captain]

I don't like it much. There are some nice songs on there, but the awful production (so slippery and sparkly) almost ruins them. The title track, She Says That She Loves Me, Lay Down Burden and Cry are all nice, otherwise, and deserved better treatment. Generally speaking, though, I can only bring myself to bring this out a couple of times a year, and generally put it back in its case remembering why I don't listen to it more. Why, oh why, did the'80s have to make an appearance in the late '90s?

[I. Spaceman]

Bravo, Luther.

[JRauch]

The production sucks, but some of the songs are actually really great. "Your Imagination" is catchy as hell, "Sunshine" never fails to make me feel good and relaxed. "Lay Down Burden" is one of the best songs Brian has written in his solo-career. Very beautiful and moving, and Brian´s voice sounds very soft, without the barking he sometimes does.

[the captain]

Oh, and one other thing: Jimmy Buffet? Really? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jason]

A notch below the 1988 album, but it's fun, albeit overproduced. Brian is NOT adult contemporary!

[dogbreath]

It's better than GIOMH. Which is why I gave it one star.

[artie]

A beautiful album - not a blockbuster by any means, but it really grew on me in that summer of '98 and I look back on it fondly. "Your Imagination" is a very good track. The Beach Boys covers are unnecessary. "Lay Down Burden" is so emotional, it is interesting how it is buried deep into the track listing. This is what happens when Brian works with mediocre partners (most notably the former Survivor keyboardist Jim Peterik).

Sweet and syrupy, and the production is a bit bland. The total opposite of BW '88. It would have been nice to find a sound somewhere in the middle of the two.

This is a 4 for me.

[monkee knutz]

Good tunes. Production blows. Don't listen much because of the production. Wonder how it'd sound if his current band had recorded it instead of all the crummy programming. Sigh.

[JoeP]

I don't understand the complaints about the smooth production quality. 88 has a dated 80s synth sound, but this one won't be remembered as having some 90's sound. It is well produced and polished because that is the style of the songs... and there are so many good songs on here - South American, Keep an eye on Summer, the title song, She says that she needs me. 

Brian is NOT adult contemporary

He's a boomer singing lite pop songs.. yep is IS AC. That's doesn't make him Celine or Michael Bolton.  AC is not a bad thing.  In fact, what littel air plaay I have heard of Brian was on AC stations and they should play him more often.

[TV Forces]

I got this when it came out.  It was released a few months after I first got into the Beach Boys and I can't believe the negative reviews it gets.  Look at all these great songs:

Your Imagination, She Says She Needs Me, South American,
Dream Angel, Cry, Lay Down Burden.   6 great songs!

[L Ransford]

All the negative complaints that people have about on the 1988 album should be aimed at this one.
It is pleasant and acomplished but way too generic.

[mike8902]

The Songs are great, the production is crap. What was Joe Thomas thinking? I mean the sound quality is great, but it seems there's definitely something missing, it sounds kind of hollow. An 80's sounding production in 1998? He should've stuck with Andy Paley or gone to Sean O'Hagan. Screw Melinda. 

[I. Spaceman]

Screw Melinda.

And the comedy hour begins.

[Reverend Joshua Sloane]

I've never even listened to this.

I get about 4 seconds in and vomit.

[CosmicDancer]

I say it's a 4.  My favorite Brian solo record other than BWPS.  The production on this one is fucking terrible but I feel that some awesome songs overcome Joe Thomas' awful production.  The title track is a classic!!  South American and She Says That She Needs Me are standout tracks.  I love Dream Angel and Lay Down Burden as well.  The re-makes of Keep An Eye On Summer and Let Him Run Wild are very nice but cant touch the originals.  I think this album had real potential until Joe Thomas got his hands on it.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Worse than the production is the horrible engineering job. The drums sound tinny and weak, the bass more like an electric rubberband, everything is way too "bright"...I heard better mixes in my Audio IV class in college...and we were mixing in Pro Tools also! Very amateurish.

Also HATE the instrumental bridge in SSTSNM.

[Reverend Joshua Sloane]

I've given it a few listens. I like the reworked "Sandy" as "She Said That She Needs Me", the clarinets and Brian's somber voice work great.

[Lorenschwartz]

The Songs are great, the production is crap. What was Joe Thomas thinking? I mean the sound quality is great, but it seems there's definitely something missing, it sounds kind of hollow. An 80's sounding production in 1998? He should've stuck with Andy Paley or gone to Sean O'Hagan. Screw Melinda. 

You got guts,man...right on, brother...
joe thomas will get anally screwed by Lucifer minions in a devils Hell when he get there!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Reverend Joshua Sloane]

I would actually hate hearing Brian produced by Sean O' Hagan. Sean is OKAY as a songwriter/musician/producer/arranger but he's nowhere near the level that Brian Wilson STILL is right now. Brian could fart out better sounds in his sleep. Brian should just be left alone to make all the decisions for his music, since his decisions with the Beach Boys were always the most artistically rewarding ones.

[Lorenschwartz]

I would actually hate hearing Brian produced by Sean O' Hagan. Sean is OKAY as a songwriter/musician/producer/arranger but he's nowhere near the level that Brian Wilson STILL is right now. Brian could fart out better sounds in his sleep. Brian should just be left alone to make all the decisions for his music, since his decisions with the Beach Boys were always the most artistically rewarding ones.

Amen to that

[SG7]

AMAZING! Was the first BW solo record I ever heard. I remember hearing it when it was out because my dad actually brought it. I thought it was Dean Torrence forever but my dad said "no it was Brian Wilson" and when I saw the A & E bio it clicked. I liked the Imagination song forever but when I became a fan, I started to like it even more. Minus Happy Days I dig. I am still on the fence about the covers but they are okay after a while of hearing them.




5

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

My wife & I been listening to all of the BB related releases *in order* for the past month or so. She recently confessed to me that she has always hated the album, esp. the mix. Her worst songs? "SSTSNM", "South American", the horrible instrumental break in "Your Imagination" and esp. "Keep an Eye on Summer", which she said "sounds like graduation music for a school for the severely mentally/emotionally handicapped".

Our consensus is that it is the worst BB solo album. Period. Although, we have yet to hear Bruce's "Going Pubic" and considering how much she dislikes Bruce, that's for the best...

[Andrew G. Doe]

Our consensus is that it is the worst BB solo album. Period.

You've not heard GIOMH yet, then ? Prepare to revise your judgement.