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Jason
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« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2006, 05:08:50 pm » |
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9. A great album, the best of Brian's career, bar Smile.
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Lee Marshall
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« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2006, 10:24:16 am » |
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Gave it an 8. Liking it more and more with each passing year. Since it was re-released with the bonus tracks...it's actually an 8.5.
Now if we could get Sweet Insanity...we'd have another excellent solo effort.
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"No Wilsons...NO Beach Boys." I find it impossible to argue with THAT.
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Ed Hemingway
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« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2006, 01:01:54 pm » |
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His best apart from SMiLE. Okay, so the production's dated and his emphasis is occasionally awkward, but, hey, this has got a stronger group of songs than any of his subsequent albums have (barring BWPS): Rio Grande, Melt Away, Love and Mercy, Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long, One For The Boys, There's So Many and Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight - and the others are generally okay.  |
Not even if it helps the space programme...
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Synthesiser Patel
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« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2006, 05:09:01 am » |
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Generally a strong album. Especially if you include Being With The One You Love and Poor Old Body within the equation.
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British polo hero, stud hoss, avid collector of Archies memorabilia, drifter who rides into town one day, wins a gunfight with the evil land baron and his hired pistoleros, claims the heart of the mayor's daughter, then rides off again, aloof and alone.
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Lonely Summer
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« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2006, 01:49:48 am » |
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Okay, maybe the production is just a little too synth heavy, but hey, it was the 80's, everybody's records had too many synths on them unless they were a rockabilly/rootsy band like Los Lobos. Listen to the Beach Boys 1985 for confirmation. Brian's album has much better songs that BB85, though, and his voice sounds much better than it did in the - cough, cough - late 70's. Melt Away is in my top 10, Rio Grande is a masterpiece, Meet Me in my Dreams Tonight and Let it Shine are very catchy, Love and Mercy and There's So Many sound like prayers from Brian, I love this album. Also love the bonus tracks on the Rhino CD.
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Laughing Gravy
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« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2006, 05:55:07 pm » |
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9, and it ages well.
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Conspiracy Jim
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« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2006, 11:04:18 am » |
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Too much sugar? Yes indeedy.
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Are you telling me you don't see the connection between government and laughing at people?
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topgazza
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« Reply #8 on: September 25, 2006, 08:26:56 am » |
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No commercail value at all...too sugary as CJ points out. But I have a soft spot for this album. Like a lot of BW solo stuff it has/had potential but not realised.
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AGD
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« Reply #9 on: September 28, 2006, 02:19:45 am » |
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Why is it that, whenever this album is discussed, it gets knocvked for having 80's production values ? Or that the production sounds dated ? Personally I think the production style of Pet Sounds sounds very sixties.
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Lonely Summer
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« Reply #10 on: September 28, 2006, 02:27:27 am » |
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Just a guess, but I think most Brian fans are more in tune with 60's production values, like having a large group of musicians in the studio playing the music together, instead of the 80's practice of overdubbing. I think the intent with this album was to update Brian's sound for the 80's. Gary Usher spoke in a BBFUN interview of introducing Brian to modern stuff like MIDI keyboards, believing this would enable Brian to make a comeback like that of Steve Winwood. It didn't quite work out that way, did it?
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TdHabib
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« Reply #11 on: June 10, 2007, 01:29:03 pm » |
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Really good, actually the best work Brian did from 1978-the Paley sessions, and shows that Dr. Landy didn't really damage Brian's musical talents. All of the songs have good melodies, hooks, and I can't complain at all about Brian's singing. Yeah, some bad synths here and there, but some productions actually are pretty good. "Melt Away" and "Let It Shine" are tasteful. I prefer these songs to the limp 1995 IJWMFTT remakes.
A 9, maybe a bit generous but "Love and Mercy" makes up for it...
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Conspiracy Jim
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« Reply #12 on: July 01, 2007, 08:39:40 am » |
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Gave this another spin last night- Let It Shine is the outstanding track.
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Are you telling me you don't see the connection between government and laughing at people?
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Jason Byzewski
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« Reply #13 on: October 08, 2007, 07:33:20 pm » |
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BW 88 is a pretty good album, a lot of people complain about the dated sound and sterile production, so what its a great record that aged well. I recently watched an old clip of Brian performing Night Time on Letterman, he looked great and gave a really good performance. This is my favorite brian album. 8.5/10.
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trfesok
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« Reply #14 on: November 08, 2007, 09:37:26 am » |
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Favorite songs: "Rio Grande", "One With the Boys", "Walking the Line", "Meet Me in My Dreams Tonight", "Night Time"
Actually, I don't have that many problems with the music. Sure, the synths and drum machines date the sound, but they're not as nearly overwhelming as on the 1985 BB album, and Brian did say in an interview at that time that he wanted to do a solo album with digital technology.
I actually have a bigger problem with the lyrics. Although they aren't as downright embarassing and chidish as "Love You" (except for "Little Children" -- was that orignally a demo for "Love You"?), most of them are rather awkward and clumsy, sounding like they were written by an adolescent learning his songwriting craft. And although Landy's credits, I would bet, were removed for strictly legal reasons, I'm sure that he's a big part of the reason for that.
Still, most of the time, the music compensates for the weakness in the lyrics, and i agree that Brian's voice continues to sound better than in '76-'77. "Walkin' the Line", "Meet Me in My Dreams Tonight" and "Night Time" are fun, upbeat pop songs. But it's no coincedence that the two best songs are "Smile" throwbacks -- "One for the Boys" ("Our Prayer") and "Rio Grande" ("Cabinessence"). "Rio Grande" is the standout here, really --definitely the most interesting lyrics and music on the album. It's also emphasizes "real" insturments and keeps the keyboards low key, sounding more like classic BW. I'd personally love to see Brian and his band do it live, but fat chance of that!
Bob
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