Brian Reimagines Gershwin

[Andrew G. Doe]

Read as a whole, the review is positive on maybe a 60/40 level... and what can you say of a reviewer who doesn't like the "anachronistic patois" of "I Loves You, Porgy" ?  Them's the lyrics, dipstick !

[TdHabib]

Peter Carlin:

Earlier, catching up with the band a few minutes before they trooped out to intro the album with a live performance of the "Rhapsody" opening, Brian perched on a sofa and looked, well, wonderful. His hair shaggy, his eyes full of sparks. Remember when he'd seem like the world's least happy zombie when he had to stand (let alone perform) in front of audiences? Last night he was raring to go, and delighted to be there. He walked up to Leaf at one point and said, 'This guy is magic! You walk into the room and I just feel great!"

Brian's music, the good stuff, anyway, makes me feel the same way. Everyone has peaks and valleys, and some BW releases are mixed bags - some tunes feel inspired, others feel a little more laboredt. But here's a great and unexpected twist: "BWRG" is the real thing, end to end. It's the heart of BW, interpreted by Himself, and seemingly unfiltered. It works on levels I can't even describe yet. Too soon, I need another ten or 20 spins to really get the hang of the songs, to grasp the connections, to trace the journey between young BW's primal bond to "Rhapsody in Blue" through the length of his own life and work, to this masterpiece of cultural/musical synthesis/imagination/artistry.

[Wirestone]

Well, that's more than cautiously positive, true.

I'm just shocked at the skeptical tone that some press folks have taken. Apparently, making a standards album is riskier business than I imagined!

[Wirestone]

So I posted way too soon, it seems. A 4/5 from Spin:

http://www.spin.com/reviews/brian-wilson-brian-wilson-reimagines-gershwin-walt-disney

And a blog covers the NY listening session:

http://poisonivyjones.blogspot.com/2010/08/brian-wilson-celebrates-gershwin.html

With a fun photo:

[Myk Luhv]

I wish Brian would wear something other than tablecloths.

[Ron]

That photo DOES look fun, lol.  The look on Brian's face has officially reached "dirty old geezer".  I hope I get there someday, right on Brian! The chicks still dig you!

It's hard to find an unbiased review of the album... I haven't read a review yet that I was really satisfied with.  The people that like it, are obviously big Brian Wilson fans because of the things they mention.  The people that critique it, obviously don't know much about the situation because they make stupid assumptions or just say totally off the wall stuff.  I haven't read a review yet that's A. by a casual fan, and B. a fair evaluation from 'new' ears. 

Not that i'm saying I would do it any different, i'm a big fan so I'd give it big marks, but I wonder what 'normal' people think of the album?

[hypehat]

Didn't you know? Plaid shirts are very 'in' with the yoof and stuff. Brian's dressing hip! 

[jeffcdo]

This is the absolute most moronic argument I've ever read.  You do realize you're complaining that he recorded more music than you wanted him to, right?  Think about how stupid that is. 

This little spin you're putting on the debate continues to annoy me.  Nobody here is complaining about the quantity of Brian's output, they are complaining about distribution methods.

[LostArt]

"Off in a corner, David Letterman's bassist Will Lee was grinning like a mad man."

This is all the review that I need to read (well, this and AGD's ).  I'm stoked now. 

[Shady]

Brian talks about the album....

http://www.livestream.com/aplive?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=aplive

[RONDEMON]

Has everyone watched this interview above? There's some hilarious moments where they have to stop the interview because Brian closes his eyes too much - it's a MUST see haha.

[jeffcdo]

Woah.  I hope it's never my job to interview Brian, unless I'm hosting a cooking show in the 1980s.  They shouldn't have even posted the first portion, until he's called out for not keeping his eyes open.  This is Brian on an "off day" unfortunately.

[Ron]

Has everyone watched this interview above? There's some hilarious moments where they have to stop the interview because Brian closes his eyes too much - it's a MUST see haha.

I would like to float the idea that Brian is doing this merda on purpose.

By the way the questions are always so damn stupid, not just for him but for most interviews like this.  Same questions, over and over and over again.  "What of your songs did you really like?"  "Who else do you like?"

The guy asks him 1 original question (have you ever considered musical theatre?) and since Brian's never heard that, he asks the guy to repeat the question, lol.

I think I could do a much better job interviewing him.  People do this too structured and professionally, it's b.s.  The part at the end where he mentions how his kids love the Beach Boys was the way to go. They should make these interviews with Brian less bullshit and more just a casual conversation, I feel they'd get much more out of him.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Brian was bored. 

[Wirestone]

I think I could do a much better job interviewing him.  People do this too structured and professionally, it's b.s.  The part at the end where he mentions how his kids love the Beach Boys was the way to go. They should make these interviews with Brian less bullmerda and more just a casual conversation, I feel they'd get much more out of him.

That's what's what I thought, too. Until I tried to interview him. If BW doesn't want to give a good interview, no amount of coaxing can tease it out of him.

Although, the one thing I have noticed is that he always does a much better job when interviewed by a younger, attractive woman.

[RONDEMON]

Yeah, same with when I interviewed him. After 5 mins of blasting through like 10 questions regarding TLOS - I just started geeking out and asking him stuff about recording techniques and other die-hard questions. I think he was surprised. I got most of my info from Mr. Linnet and Scott Bennett. Both class act guys who really helped the article.

[Andrew G. Doe]

The David A. Leaf Golden Rule for interviewing Brian Wilson:

Don't ask him anything that can be answered "yes" or "no". Because he will.

[Ron]

Who was the hippie radio guy that had him on his show a few years ago?  I think they played it on XM radio.  THAT was a good interview, because the guy was so laid back and casual some of the questions were stuff like "Hey, man... do you like pot pies?"  And stupid sh*t like that.  Brian seemed much more into it.  There's only so many thousands of times you can expect a Sane man to answer "What's your favorite Beach Boys song?"  I mean why in the hell would anybody ask him about that?  I guess the point of the interview is to promote the album, but why not think up some decent questions? 


BTW, I don't blame the interviewer, he probably has an editor that would have his balls if he didn't ask the basic stuff. 

[RCTID]

Brian did an interview on the Ron and Fez show on SiriusXM radio on the 4th.

i'm listening to it right now, they're playing "I Loves You, Porgy" at the moment.  and i jumped ahead a little and they're playing "They Can't Take That Away from Me."

for those wanting to hear it... there are uh... ways to get it. 

the interview starts a little after the 55 minute mark of the show.  there is some Beach Boys talk elsewhere in the show... but the show is NSFW, just a heads up.

[Wirestone]

I Loves Your Porgy is a monster.

And They Can't Take That Away from Me is truly ... reimagined.

Nice.

[Jay]

Brian talks about the album....

http://www.livestream.com/aplive?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=aplive

Man, that was awkward as hell. If I had been the interviewer, I might have stopped and asked if Brian was actually ok or feeling ill or something. Just watching the interview on the computer made me a little uneasy.

[phirnis]

I don't think it was that bad. Let the guy close his eyes a bit if he feels more comfortable that way. Why not?

[Ron]

... it might actually create more buzz and sell more records, lol.

[Wylson]

This is an absolutely horrible interview to watch - I can't understand how people would find it funny.

Brian looks thoroughly exhausted, he's slurring more than I've heard him in recent years. He looks embarrassed when the woman behind the camera is telling him his eyes were closed. He looks heavily drugged/sedated, or else he is ill or just too old to be doing this.

I really hope that Brian is not being exploited to make records, give interviews, and tour. It is a risk - a lot of peoples livelihoods rely on Brian, and Brian doesn't seem like he would have the willpower to say "that's enough".

[Ron]

Andrew could probably tell us, but I'll bet the woman talking is Brian's manager. 


Look, if it were up to Brian he'd be at home in bed.  He needs a little prodding to work.  It's healthy for him to work, that's not exploitive, in my opinion.  I'm sure there are other opinions, that's just mine.

Also, every old man alive does what his wife tells him to do.  Nothing wrong with that, lol.