Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 3.9 / 5.0

Vote of Confidence:

Any Beach Boys fan would want to rate this CD five stars as a vote of confidence for Brian, but listen to it and ask yourself, how could it, taken as a whole, possibly compare to even the most mediocre Beach Boys' CD? Let alone Brian's "Imagination" six years ago?

The songs simply are not that good ("Soul Searchin'" and "Desert Drive" the notable exceptions) and the laborious, grinding production emphasizes the lack of musicality. This is a strange tribute album -- one without a minor key (the sense of... more info

Gettin' in my two cents:

The opening harmonies on this album are just transcendant. `How Can We Still be Dancing?' with Elton John provides simply some of the best harmonic ideas Brian Wilson has presented us with since the late 70s. It also simply rocks! Next comes Soul Searchin', which, thanks to the sweet, heartbreaking lead from late brother Carl, could easily have fit on Sunflower or Surf's Up. You've Touched Me is a pretty little mid-60s sounding tune with an indisputably lovely a cappella intro and fantastic backing vocals... more info

It Grows On You:

When I first listened to this new CD, I thought "how sad." Wincing through "My Waltz" and a few of the other tracks, I imagined Wilson recorded this while someone held a gun to his head or sitting on the toilet. However, on listening a second, third and fourth time, some of these songs sink in and become highly pleasureable over time.

Sure, it's standard old-guy rock (plodding tempos, embarrassing guest stars, etc.) but I'm an old guy too. The harmonies are fine, maybe not as excellent as prime Beach... more info

Tracks:

1. How Could We Still Be Dancin' - with Elton John
2. Soul Searchin' - with Carl Wilson
3. You've Touched me
4. Gettin' In Over My Head
5. City Blues - with Eric Clapton
6. Desert Drive
7. A Friend Like You - Paul McCartney
8. Make A Wish
9. Rainbow Eyes
10. Saturday Morning In The City
11. Fairy Tale
12. Don't Let Her Know She's An Angel
13. The Waltz

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