Brian Wilson Album: “I Just Wasn't Made for These Times”

In future decades, Brian Wilson will be placed alongside great, timeless American musicmakers like George Gershwin and Cole Porter, while the Beach Boys will probably be seen as an artifact of their era, just like the corny Gershwin and Porter musicals where their songs were first introduced are now seen as charming but dated.

This album is the first step in that direction. Its impresario, Don Was, sets up a great studio band and chorus (including the old Linda Ronstadt hand Andrew Gold) to represent some of Brian's best songs in an almost concert-like setting. The vocal blend on songs like Caroline, No, Warmth of the Sun, and (especially!) 'Til I Die shows that the brilliance of Brian's arrangements transcends the Beach Boys and their particular vocal qualities and cultural iconography.

At some point soon, I hope that the idea behind this all-too-brief selection is taken on the road: Brian with full band and chorus, giving his brilliant songs a full professional presentation, without Beach Boys Hawaii-shirt nostalgia, but instead an acknowledgement that THIS is the man who made this music, and THIS is how it should be heard.

My first review of this was one-star, but I'm thinking that was a bit unfair, and I'm rereviewing it here.

My primary complaint was with the production, its a bit underwhelming, but I've recently been listening to this in context of the previous few albums Brian had been involved with, and I suspect the production value was a response to "The Beach Boys" (1985) and "Brian Wilson" and their overdone production.

The production's somewhat stripped-back nature is really quite unsympathetic to Brian's voice-- his singing seems forced on more than couple tracks ("Let the Wind Blow", "Do It Again" and "Wonderful" in particular). The backing vocals are also a bit unsupportive-- if you're used to the sort of flowering Beach Boys style harmonies, these are a bit too dry, even on the later material where Brian moved in that direction.

On the other hand though, the two songs from Brian's first solo album ("Love and Mercy" and "Melt Away") sound really great in comparison to their previous releases without a wash of synthesizers. An several of the tracks are certainly more than listenable, "Meant For You", "This Whole World", "Caroline, No", and "'Til I Die" are all quite good. The demo of "Still I Dream of It" is gut wrenching, somehow it works, although I prefer the version released in the "Good Vibrations" boxed set.

Its a brief little record (less than 30 minutes), and now that its selling for 7 bucks, its a good value for the money (I originally paid full price for it), but I largely prefer the originals to these versions.

I should preface my comments by saying that, as a veteran songwriter with many years experience in recording studios, I am in all likelihood discerning recordings from a completely different viewpoint from veteran listeners and/or school-trained music critics. Anyone who has been blessed with the gift of musical composition will have nothing less than the highest praise for the innate genius of Brian Wilson. If you can't get past his deteriorating, aging vocal timbre, and recognize his astounding mastery of the soul of a song, his flawless chord to melody choice, his perfect musical phrasing, his ingenius segues between otherwise complex key changes to mention but a few, then my heart aches with pity for you. He had the perspicacity to fearlessly surround himself with some of the most gifted musicians I have heard in decades.

From the haunting dulcet phrases in Love & Mercy to the tinny home demo recording of Still I Dream Of It ( which, as a composer, is an inspirational high point of this album to me) this record is a masterpiece. The music of Brian Wilson is a major and significant contribution to the American Songbook.

Keep writing, Brian!!

Several of the songs on this CD are older Wilson songs from his Pet Sound days, but Wilson has reinvented them with new arrangements. Consider, for example, his remake of "Do It Again" (originally written by Mike Love). The remake features his daughters who supply background harmonies and give the song a new feeling which is much stronger than the original. Wilson's newly found confidence shines through, especially in his remake of "This Whole World" and "Caroline, No" which is even more haunting and even a bit disturbing than the first. Wilson's voice isn't the smoothest, but he more than makes up for this with his well blended harmonies and genuis with minor keys.

This guy really means what he writes and sings. It all seems like its by him, for him. Very personal. Its a strange mixture of a sort of personal suffering and joy. You don't find this with too many other composers. This Whole World is joy - its got an enthusiasm for life that's very energetic and involving. Caroline, no is suffering. I also really like Love and Mercy. Its a sort of message to mankind on behalf of mankind. Still I dream of it is a bit too much for me .. too agonizing. But in their own way, every track is wonderful. He might be slightly unhinged - aren't we all? - but that actually doesn't make any difference to whether you appreciate his music or not. And his renditions have so much emotion in them. I honestly can't understand why this is not the all-time classic it deserves to be. Listen to it, but it, tell your friends.