Disco de Brian Wilson: “That Lucky Old Sun”

Brian Wilson is a man with a large reputation to live up to-- to be fair, taking the next step for the guy who wrote, arranged and produced arguably the greatest album of his generation (the incomparable Pet Sounds) must have been exceedingly difficult, and with resistance from the band, it took 37 years for its followup, the magnificent SMiLE, to surface. But Wilson's career during that 37 year window was largely hit or miss-- while Beach Boys fans, myself included, will speak lovingly of many of the later Beach Boys records, many of them were true group efforts, and Brian's "comebacks", 15 Big Ones/Love You and his debut solo album Brian Wilson, while endearing and engaging, were uneven and at times felt propped up. In recent years, as his solo career took off, barring the completion of SMiLE, Brian's records have sounded like forced attempts at adult contemporary-- much as I enjoy Imagination and Gettin' in Over My Head, they've felt like someone else's idea of how Brian should grow old.

Enter "That Lucky Old Sun".

My expectations were a bit low, I figured on either a continuation of the adult contemporary sound or a thoroughly retro record. What I got instead is what I'd hope it'd be-- Brian Wilson getting older gracefully. Conceived as a thematic suite, "That Lucky Old Sun" is a meditation of sorts on the life of Brian Wilson in Los Angeles. Like his best records from the old days, it's full of swagger (the superb "Going Home") and melody ("Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl"), with subtle arrangements and fantastic vocal harmonies. Ably executed by an ensemble largely drawn from Brian's touring band, the album is quite engaging and entertaining and while it feels more mature than, say, "Surfin USA" or "Wouldn't It Be Nice", it doesn't feel forced.

So is this another Pet Sounds)? Not really. There's some many tracks that just didn't engage me at all ("Mexican Girl"). But is it really, really good? Definitely. And certainly, it's got some of the best songwriting that Wilson's done in a long time.

This album is also available in a deluxe CD with bonus DVD edition-- for the few extra bucks, the DVD is worth checking out, it contains an entertaining, brief documentary and a couple live in the studio pieces.

Bottom line is-- "That Lucky Old Sun" is a fun record. It's not the best of the best of Wilson's catalog, but it's a fine followup to SMiLE, about as high praise as I can offer.

After listening to the album That Lucky Old Sun by Brian Wilson I am reminded of a brighter time and an optimism that filled my world of the 60's and 70's. I am also more of the opinion that Brian Wilson was the heart and soul behind the Beach Boys as we came to know them; a point many believe but some argue with. The naysayer's need to hear this music! Listening to the songs on That Lucky Old Sun is like listening to the Beach Boys of years ago and yet there is something new here; something richer than before. Perhaps the music on this CD reflects a life full of creativity and full of pain. This music just makes you feel good.

One aspect of this CD that I truly like is the short narratives that run less than a minute each. They add an interlude in the flow of the music, though they are musical also.

The additional DVD provides information on the making of the album along with two live performances. A great one-two punch!

I'm hoping that some of these songs get picked up for "air play" on the radio though stylistically this CD is from another era. "Venice Beach", "Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl," and "Mexican Girl" are my favorites. The short narrative "Cinco de Mayo" is wonderful with the Latin beat. Ah, forget it. The whole CD is a treat.

Recommended without reservation.

Peace forever.

The range of reviews for this album are really staggering. Some think Brian's in great voice. Others suggest he should give up singing entirely, and on it goes, the disappointment and the worship. My initial response to That Lucky Old Sun was predominantly one of disappointment, although as I was experiencing that, my awareness of some really great moments coexisted with the feeling of Brian and band having come up somewhat short. Obviously this was meant to be a Big One, yet its best moments are those that are found furthest away from the "Wonder of L.A." theme, which seems a bit contrived and loosely conceived. Of particular disappointment is the set of monologues by Van Dyke Parks, who has written much better, spoken by Brian, who is hopelessly out of his element in this format.

All that aside, there is plenty to love about TLOS. The song that jumped out at me first and remains a major highlight is Live Let Live, which brings together Brian and Van Dyke, but in a style much more reminiscent of Sail On Sailor than the Smile material. You can really hear the meshing of writing styles here, the end result being a classic, which I'd not be surprised hearing along with its predecessor in concert.

My take on Brian's voice is somewhere in the middle. I think he's mostly in fine voice, using a lot of subtlety and emotional range but occasionally falls into lapses of roughness that reflect his age and the life he has lived. But overall, he still sings much more like Brian Wilson than he did on 15 Big Ones or Love You. Jeffrey Foskett has refined the art of seamlessly shadowing him on some of the upper parts.

Another thing I got a kick out of is yet another manifestation of Brian's tendency to work and rework a theme obsessively, a la Heroes and Villains (If you've heard some of the bootlegs of the H & V sessions - or even the Good Vibrations Box Set, you know what I'm talking about.) Some of the most enjoyable moments on this recording are his different restatements of the Lucky Old Sun theme.

Finally, it's nice to hear Brian's personal message coming across with more clarity, depth, straightforward honesty and optimism, all signs of a well-loved man - and for good reason. The "full circle" quality to this album - an ode to sunny California, complete with references to surfing, the year 1961 (The Beach Boys' recording career began that year) and his brothers, the late Dennis and Carl Wilson - causes one to suspect that this may be Brian's farewell. If so, he's ending on a high note. I would prefer to be wrong with my suspicion, however; it always does my heart good to hear more from this remarkable and resilient man.

I am a 'younger' fan of Mr. Wilson and this album grows on me with every listen. To be honest, the first time I heard it I was put-off by it's near-terrible overly-produced sounds and the so-tight-it's-almost-corny musicianship (Phew that's a lot of hyphens). What made me want to listen to it more and more were the small things I didn't pick up on the first, second, or even third time I had listen to it. The harmonies are incredible, as they should be, and the songs are so lighthearted that it reminded me of what it was like to listen to music that actually makes me happy (I am not a fan of my generations need to create bleak music). Artists nowadays are too busy trying to find that new sound or make something so pretentious that they fail to create that seemingly simple quality that all good music should have: the ability to make it's listeners feel something (other than detached or put-off). No he isn't the same singer that he used to be, but when I listen to songs like Good Kind of Love or Forever My Surfer Girl, I just feel happy. The songs are so well written and Wilson has that ability to make you believe in every note and harmony he writes. He can also operate on the opposite side of the spectrum as shown in his song Midnights Another Day, where you can feel his isolation to the point that you just want to reach out to him. It is reminiscent of his genius work Surf's Up (my all time favorite song). This is an incredible narrative that seamlessly brings you from track to track with Brian as your guide. As if he is some psychedelic ghost of California past, showing you bits of his life growing up and coming of age. The best way to enjoy this album is to let go of any sort of expectations (Brian will always suffer from a sort of Salinger syndrome) and let go of that insecurity that our generation seems to have with 'happy' music and just enjoy yourself. I recommend this album for every Brian Wilson fan or anyone who never truly got into him yet. He is one of the few true musical Geniuses of the 60's and I hope that musicians today take notice and learn something from the master.

The fact that Brian Wilson is creating new music after his well-documented past, and that the work is almost as good as "Smile" is worthy of monster musical headlines.

"That Lucky Old Sun" has surprised me. Admittedly, I'm a biased fan of Brian's, so that this work has proven to be so good is truly astonishing. This 66-year old genius, who had avoided the spotlight for the better part of three decades, crippled by drugs, mental illness and insecurities about his talent, has performed the greatest comeback probably in musical history. After performing the legendary "Smile" live in London in 2004, Wilson discovered he and his work were loved, on the same level and dedication as we love the Beatles or Elvis. He was sufficiently revived to record "Smile" with his great band the "Wondermints", release a good solo album "Gettin' In Over My Head", and touring almost incessantly, something Wilson fans could never have expected.

"That Lucky Old Sun" adds another notch in his belt, and the world is a better place for it. The CD is a conceptual piece, much like "Smile" and all the material is new, unlike previous solo efforts that had some new music but older unreleased work as well, not that it made them any worse. What we get is cohesion, making it nearly impossible to break the new work down in separate pieces. There are standouts - "Forever My Surfer Girl", and my favorite, the bouncy yet autobiographically revealing "Oxygen To The Brain", and no cut comes across as filler.

Wilson is a superb producer - one of the best to ever make any album any time, and his work here is without peer. In a world getting seemingly darker all the time, "That Lucky Old Sun", a paeon to Brian's beloved Los Angeles and look at his own life, is a sorely needed ray of sunshine that belongs in every home.