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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 17, 2019 13:24:22 GMT
It's hard to believe that Brian Wilson has been a solo artist for over 32 years, with "Let's Go To Heaven In My Car" starting the whole thing off in 1987. Brian has been a solo artist much longer than he was a Beach Boy! He is now frequently being introduced as ex-Beach Boy Brian Wilson. I think when viewing Brian's career as a Beach Boy, there is much more agreement or common opinions than when viewing his solo career. Or maybe not...
Seriously, I think there is a wide spectrum of thoughts and opinions on Brian's solo recordings, his performances, and just the way his career has unfolded. For this thread specifically, we'll just focus on the recordings, and more specifically, his best and worst. What do you think are Brian Wilson's best solo albums, best solo songs, and conversely, his worst solo albums and worst solo songs?
Best solo albums 1. No Pier Pressure 2. Imagination 3. In The Key Of Disney
Worst Solo Albums 1. Pet Sounds Live 2. Orange Crate Art 3. Gettin' In Over My Head
Best Solo Songs 1. Lay Down Burden 2. Love And Mercy (from BW1988)
3. Sail Away
Worst Solo Songs 1. Surf's Up (from BWPS) 2. Silent Night 3. Night Time
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Post by kds on Apr 17, 2019 14:08:59 GMT
Best Solo Albums
1. That Lucky Old Sun 2. What I Really Want For Christmas 3. No Pier Pressure
Worst Solo Albums
1. Gettin In Over My Head 2. Orange Crate Art 3. Songs in the Key of Disney
Best Solo Songs
1. Sail Away (NPP) 2. Southern California 3. Midnight's Another Day
Worst Solo Songs
1. Runaway Dancer 2. Night Time 3. A Friend Like You
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 17, 2019 15:23:42 GMT
Best Solo Albums: 1. TLOS 2. BWPS 3. NPP Worst Solo Albums: 1. GIOMH 2. PS Live 3. Disney (Not counting OCA since it’s really a VDP album with BW vocals; if I were, it would be very competitive on this list) Best Solo Songs: I don’t think I can rank a top three, but here are some I really like a lot. I’m talking more about the songs than the recordings/production. Midnight’s Another Day Morning Beat Oxygen to the Brain Your Imagination Lay Down Burden Saturday Night on Hollywood Boulevard Sail Away (NPP) Desert Drive Gettin’ In Over My Head Saturday Morning in the City Love & Mercy Walkin the Line Melt Away The Like in I Love You What Love Can Do Speed Turtle Worst Solo Songs: 1. The Waltz 2. A Friend Like You 3. Make a Wish
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Post by kds on Apr 17, 2019 16:08:04 GMT
You're right about OCA, as it's really a VDP album. If we're going strictly BW released, I'd probably swap out OCA for Gershwin.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 17, 2019 16:17:00 GMT
Funny, as Gershwin is probably next on my list of favorites!
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Post by kds on Apr 17, 2019 16:30:34 GMT
Funny, as Gershwin is probably next on my list of favorites! Yeah, it's very much a fan favorite, but it's pretty far down on my list. I also didn't really take BB remakes or live albums into account with my list, so that leaves out IJWMFTT, Live at the Roxy, Pet Sounds Live, BWPS, and Brian and Friends. Taking out OCA, there aren't a ton of true BW solo albums to chose from.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 17, 2019 17:09:17 GMT
Remove covers albums and it’s worse! You’d be down to five, right? ‘88, Imagination, GIOMH, TLOS, and NPP.
You’d be removing IJWMFTT (kinda live, self covers), Roxy (ditto), PS Live (ditto), BWPS (self covers), Xmas (mostly covers and self covers), Gershwin (covers), Disney (covers), & Friends (live self covers).
Not a great ratio...
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Post by kds on Apr 17, 2019 17:17:42 GMT
Remove covers albums and it’s worse! You’d be down to five, right? ‘88, Imagination, GIOMH, TLOS, and NPP. You’d be removing IJWMFTT (kinda live, self covers), Roxy (ditto), PS Live (ditto), BWPS (self covers), Xmas (mostly covers and self covers), Gershwin (covers), Disney (covers), & Friends (live self covers). Not a great ratio... That's very true. For the amount of releases Brian Wilson has put out, the number of originals isn't too high. That's why the prospect of Chinese Democracy.....um....I mean the Rock and Roll Album doesn't really excite me.
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Post by B.E. on Apr 17, 2019 18:02:18 GMT
Nice thread idea, SJS. Lately, I've been slowly working my way through Brian's solo career with fresh ears. I'll be sure to post here when I finish. Remove covers albums and it’s worse! You’d be down to five, right? ‘88, Imagination, GIOMH, TLOS, and NPP. You’d be removing IJWMFTT (kinda live, self covers), Roxy (ditto), PS Live (ditto), BWPS (self covers), Xmas (mostly covers and self covers), Gershwin (covers), Disney (covers), & Friends (live self covers). Not a great ratio... That's very true. For the amount of releases Brian Wilson has put out, the number of originals isn't too high. That's why the prospect of Chinese Democracy.....um....I mean the Rock and Roll Album doesn't really excite me. Personally, I'll take any proper studio albums I can get. I want my studio-to-live album ratio very high.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 17, 2019 18:15:48 GMT
I’d be interested in the RnR album if it were all (or overwhelmingly) originals. Covers, far less interesting to me.
But an album with originals along the lines of Run James Run, Some Sweet Day, Morning Beat, Saturday Night..., etc? I’d be interested.
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Post by kds on Apr 17, 2019 18:33:48 GMT
Nice thread idea, SJS. Lately, I've been slowly working my way through Brian's solo career with fresh ears. I'll be sure to post here when I finish. That's very true. For the amount of releases Brian Wilson has put out, the number of originals isn't too high. That's why the prospect of Chinese Democracy.....um....I mean the Rock and Roll Album doesn't really excite me. Personally, I'll take any proper studio albums I can get. I want my studio-to-live album ratio very high. Like Kap says, if there are a lot of originals, I'll take it, but if it's another Brian Wilson covers album, my interest level would be way down, especially considering it would be his third covers album in his last four studio releases as a solo artist. Frankly, I'd take another Wilson / Thomas album.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 17, 2019 19:05:00 GMT
Best Solo Albums 2. What I Really Want For Christmas Interesting. I had such high hopes for the Christmas album, maybe even a Phil Spector-type recording. Very disappointing. An exercise in karaoke.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 17, 2019 19:08:51 GMT
Worst Solo Songs: 3. Make a Wish I always had a soft spot for this one, though I prefer the Sweet Insanity version. I even liked the lyrics/message, with Brian spreading his hope and good wishes.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 17, 2019 19:13:49 GMT
Funny, as Gershwin is probably next on my list of favorites! Yeah, it's very much a fan favorite, but it's pretty far down on my list. I also didn't really take BB remakes or live albums into account with my list, so that leaves out IJWMFTT, Live at the Roxy, Pet Sounds Live, BWPS, and Brian and Friends. Taking out OCA, there aren't a ton of true BW solo albums to chose from. That's why I added the live albums, re-recordings, and even Orange Crate Art. True, OCA not a real BW solo album in the purist sense, but I felt he made enough contributions to the album to include it in this thread. And, he is credited on the album (cover) as Orange Crate Art by Brian Wilson AND Van Dyke Parks, with Brian's name first. I know, that's bullshit.
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Post by kds on Apr 17, 2019 19:16:00 GMT
Best Solo Albums 2. What I Really Want For Christmas Interesting. I had such high hopes for the Christmas album, maybe even a Phil Spector-type recording. Very disappointing. An exercise in karaoke. I've enjoyed it every Christmas since I starting playing it. It's probably not Brian's finest album vocally, but I think it's one of the best produced of his solo efforts. I think the only real blemish on the album is a paint by numbers version of Little Saint Nick.
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