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Post by Kapitan on Dec 31, 2021 14:27:12 GMT
I should publicly correct myself about something from my first post in this thread. I said that "I'm Broke" was going to be a new version of the Paley-era song. But the version we got was not a new recording.
I'm not sure why I wrote that, to be completely honest. I think it popped up in the documentary--which I really ought to watch a second time!--and I thought it sounded redone. Anyway, I'm not editing that first post, but mea culpa.
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 11, 2022 16:14:42 GMT
Here is a relatively recent review (about a month old) of the Long Promised Road soundtrack from American Songwriter. They gave 3.5/5 stars, which I'd say is actually a bit generous, myself.
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Post by kds on Jan 12, 2022 20:38:07 GMT
I'm finally giving this another listen for the first time since I first listened to it on the release date.
I have to say that the tracks with mid 90s (or so) vocals really stand out, and not really in a good way. I much prefer the vocal style Brian settled into around the time of Imagination, which he's pretty much used ever since.
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Post by B.E. on Feb 19, 2022 22:15:33 GMT
I like this soundtrack. I've already listened to it more than I thought I would (at least a half dozen times in full). The new tracks are decent-to-good. I like pretty much everything about "Right Where I Belong" except that unseemly vocal moment in the intro section on "is". Later in the song, that part sounds a little better, so I'm thinking it was a production issue that made a bad vocal take much worse. Anyway, I really like the song itself, including the lyrics and the "Don't Go Near The Water" reference, the arrangement, and the falsetto vocal. And, frankly, I even like Brian's lead, for the most part. And that's true of most of Brian's leads on the new tracks. While entirely imperfect, I get a kick out of Brian's lead on "It's OK". He's into it. "Rock and Roll Has Got A Hold On Me" is pretty darn good. He's not slurring or out-of-key (to my ears), but it does sound like he might struggle with breath support/technique. What I like about the vocal production is that these are pretty natural-sounding leads. They sound mostly single-tracked and unfutzed with (either by excessive reverb, EQ, or autotune). I appreciate that, and they fit with the relatively pared-down backing tracks. "Honeycomb" mostly fits in that same category, but here Brian's enunciation is more of an issue. Then there's "The Night Was So Young" which is flat-out BAD. It's marred by autotune. This is easily my least favorite track on the album. As for "Long Promised Road", I think I might actually like Brian's lead best of the bunch! (I have mixed feelings about the track overall - it's OK, but not a highlight for me.)
Having high quality versions of the Paley material is great. Tracks that I had been lukewarm on, I like much more now (e.g. "It's Not Easy Being Me" and "Slightly American Music"). I'm no audiophile, but I still find the difference between the average bootleg and a proper release night and day. "I'm Going Home" is new to me. I really like it. Nice arrangement touches and a pretty good vocal for the Paley era. I just dig it. It's fun. And it reminds of "Rio Grande". As does "Slightly American Music", but in an entirely different way. That one hadn't really left much of an impression on me before, but now I'm very impressed with it! And, I don't know what they did to "I'm Broke", maybe they just tucked that vocal into the mix perfectly, but now I can enjoy it without reservation. As for "Must Be A Miracle", I've always been a big fan of that one. The circa '99 vocal is an improvement. This might be one of his best post-60s songs! Then there's the live version of "In My Room". As I posted earlier in the thread, I think Brian sounds great on it.
I can't explain exactly why, but I think the pairing of the Paley era with these new recordings circa 2016, and also the featuring of both in the documentary, just works much better than you'd think. I think there's some similarities between the two eras - which provides continuity. For one thing, Brian is struggling. He's certainly struggling vocally. These are arguably Brian's two weakest periods as a singer. The sequencing, though, is VERY good. I think that helps the listening experience. And the approach to give a live-in-the-studio feel throughout works very well and I think is very appropriate of these recordings. These are unfinished and imperfect projects. But, there's plenty here to like and enjoy, I think. At least, there is for me. It's freeing, in a way, that this isn't a "proper" studio album but a soundtrack or compilation. You can leave the expectations and comparisons at the door and just enjoy the fact that there's some new (and some not-so-new-but-better-sounding-than-ever) Brian Wilson music to hear.
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Post by kds on Jun 19, 2022 0:49:07 GMT
Somewhat quietly, the LPR Soundtrack got a tangible release yesterday.
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Post by The Cincinnati Kid on Sept 19, 2022 15:49:39 GMT
From Nelson Bragg on Facebook regarding the record store day release of Long Promised Road:
Long Promised Road Soundtrack. The dream has come true. Brian's (possibly) last solo album is coming out and it's the SDTK to Long Promised Road. I have wondered (wandered) so far, in vein for a final statement from Brian. When I heard this soundtrack last year (only streaming/download) I knew this was it. But I refused to acknowledge this without a formal physical product release (including vinyl...CD's apparently came out in April and are impossible to get.) Now that LP is coming on RSD Nov. 2022. The dream is here....the Brian solo album we've been waiting for since his last great *ORIGINAL* statement: "That Lucky Old Sun" 15 years ago....the real Brian... unfiltered....and untarnished by AOR amateurs trampling his legacy. Long Promised Road is the real deal people. Go here and remember the date: November 25th. xo N
If this is true, I might have to grab a copy come November despite my apathy for the album itself.
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Post by kds on Sept 19, 2022 16:07:13 GMT
While I respect Mr. Bragg, and have said that Brian's band could use the energy he used to bring to it, I would not put TLOS and the LPR soundtrack in the same sentence.
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Post by Kapitan on Sept 19, 2022 17:01:11 GMT
I get his point with respect to what's obviously meant as a jab to Joe Thomas et al., but be it more raw and unfiltered or not, LPR is mostly either old songs or remakes of old songs that aren't anywhere near as good as the originals. It's a great example of why authenticity, or to use his terms, raw and unfiltered, isn't necessarily a good thing. Both TWGMTR and NPP are far better, Thomas and others twiddling the knobs or not.
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Post by kds on Sept 19, 2022 17:05:26 GMT
I get his point with respect to what's obviously meant as a jab to Joe Thomas et al., but be it more raw and unfiltered or not, LPR is mostly either old songs or remakes of old songs that aren't anywhere near as good as the originals. It's a great example of why authenticity, or to use his terms, raw and unfiltered, isn't necessarily a good thing. Both TWGMTR and NPP are far better, Thomas and others twiddling the knobs or not. I couldn't agree more. I actually hate the idea that I may have to overpay on the secondary market to get a tangible copy of LPR for my collection.
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Post by lonelysummer on Sept 19, 2022 20:24:35 GMT
I never thought I would disagree with Nelson Bragg, but LPR is nothing more than a grab bag of tracks from various sessions. I was never high on NPP, but I may have to give it another listen. I think it's going to sound quite good - despite the presence of younger artists I have no interest in - compared to LPR.
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Post by kds on Sept 19, 2022 20:28:29 GMT
I never thought I would disagree with Nelson Bragg, but LPR is nothing more than a grab bag of tracks from various sessions. I was never high on NPP, but I may have to give it another listen. I think it's going to sound quite good - despite the presence of younger artists I have no interest in - compared to LPR. Despite the varying styles of some of the guest artists, I really think NPP offers a glimpse of what a follow up to TWGMTR might've sounded like.
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Post by The Cincinnati Kid on Sept 19, 2022 20:30:49 GMT
Well, you guys are downers, maybe I won't get it after all. That said, I agree that NPP and TWGMTR are far better than LPR.
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Post by kds on Sept 19, 2022 20:35:51 GMT
Even though I'm pretty lukewarm on LPR, I do still want to get a physical copy. I'm holding out some hope that they do an additional run of CDs at some point. It's crazy that there aren't even any on Ebay right now.
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Post by carllove on Sept 20, 2022 0:30:20 GMT
Well I’ve enjoyed listening to it on Apple Music and the packaging looks really pretty - so I’m going to ask for the morning off on Record Store Day, I have several stores close to my office, so I’m going to give it a shot. I hope it’s not a wasted morning.
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Post by B.E. on May 27, 2023 23:56:00 GMT
Well I’ve enjoyed listening to it on Apple Music and the packaging looks really pretty - so I’m going to ask for the morning off on Record Store Day, I have several stores close to my office, so I’m going to give it a shot. I hope it’s not a wasted morning. So, did you end up getting a copy?
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