That Lucky Old Sun

Some perspective on my review: I am 52 years old. I enjoy the old Beach Boys music, but I'n not a fanatic. I don't swoon over Pet Sounds. So, I approached this with modest expectations. I have about 43 bajillion tunes on my PC, and I never have enough time to listen to them all. But I find myself playing this one over and over and over and over again. First, and most simply, it makes me happy. It is bouncy, catchy, well-crafted, fun music. It touches me, too. I know that Brian had a lot of pain, and you can hear the pure joy in this. It is a Beach Boys album for a Sunday morning. All the joy of youth, all the wistful knowing of middle age. Brian invites us into his world and it's a great place to spend time.

I am a great fan of Brian's and was thrilled with his return in the music world. I think he did an exemplary job on Smile and his other live recordings. I am not sure this work really holds up to any of his greats. There is no killer song, no knock-out punch, and ultimately no excitement. I am sorry to say this because I respect this man so much - and I truly love his music. I cannot say in all honesty that this holds up to his peak work. It is interesting - but I will not be playing this that often. I'm glad for his loyal and forgiving fan base - he's done it all. Just one fans view.

MORE POP SOUNDING THAN "SMILE", THIS IS WHAT THE BEACH BOYS WOULD SOUND LIKE IF THEY WERE STILL MAKING NEW MUSIC AND ALBUMS WITH BRIAN WILSON TODAY. IF TOP 40 RADIO WAS STILL AROUND, THIS ALBUM WOULD HAVE SEVERAL ENTRIES INTO THE GENRE. THESE SONGS COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN AND RECORDED FORTY YEARS AGO. NO NEW GROUND BROKEN HERE, BUT IT STILL SOUNDS GREAT. COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT THE NARRATIVES, THO'.

Let's face it, at age 60-something, Brian Wilson isn't going to break any new musical ground at this point. And he doesn't with his new CD "That Lucky Old Sun". But it's still an enjoyable CD filled with feel-good latter-day Beach Boys music. And there's nothing wrong with that. His voice is in fine form (better than his most recent CDs), his readings are energetic, and the arrangements & playing are typically top-notch. So if you're in the mood for a pleasant, upbeat, almost instantly-forgettable sonic experience, this is the CD for you.

Kudos to Brian Wilson for a terrific follow-up to Smile. It isn't as good as Smile but it wasn't 30+ years in the making with classic songs like Good Vibrations, Heroes and Villians, Surfs Up that just can't be topped by anyone.

That being said, I think it is more ambitious than anything any of his contemporaries are doing these days (I do love Ray Davies Workingman's Cafe). There is so much boring music on the radio these days and at the core of so much of it is simply boring songs that all sound the same (no melody writing at all). The writing here is original and memorable especially on the stronger songs.

This is a fully realized concept piece like Smile with personal lyrics reflecting on personal struggles over several decades. It isn't depressing at all but bright and life affirming. The arrangements, performances and harmonies are great. BTW his band is super and should be seen live if at all possible.

The song Southern California is a thing of beauty along with Midnight's Another Day. I like the spoken word interludes and think they add to the piece but I can see if someone wouldn't. The only throwaway on the album is Mexican Girl.

Thanks Brian for touching my heart again!

Brian still comes up with catchy tunes! I would not expect him to write another Good Vibrations....but this stuff here is still fun to listen to! Check it out!!!!!

The best of 2008 so far. And I know that some (or most) of you will not agree, but this one's better than SMILE. Brian's at the top of his game. Long live for the master!

I admit it, I'm a Brian Wilson junky: if he records it I will buy it. That isn't to say that I'm an uncritical listener. In fact, I think a large part of his recent NEW production has been pretty lame. I have really enjoyed his reworking of earlier efforts, notably Pet Sounds and Smile, but "Gettin' In Over My Head" was very forgettable. On first listen so was his new CD. His band is awesome and the production quality quite good, so it never was a bad listen but it wasn't until I'd listened to it a couple of times that some of the subtleties really started to reach me. Now I can say that I genuinely enjoy most of it, though his repeated references to his "former" mental health issues and his recovery are getting a little, well, repetitious. I recommend this CD for BW and BB fans. I wouldn't give it to someone as an introduction to Brian Wilson.

It is a very good album. A variety of songs with excellent mix of melodies and rhythms, instrumentation, harmonies and a great sound. Rock and Roll songs as Morning Beat and Going Home (excellent one), romatic and deep emotional as Forever she'll Be My Surfer Girl, Midnight's Another Day(Excellent), Southern California and the enviromental (about wales), Live Let Live. One song flows into another bridged by the narratives, the melody of TLOS or Maumamayama Glory Hallelujah Chant. It ends with a feeling of I want more, with a fading TLOS melody. I get the impression that this cd was recorded with the intention of playing it Live. Those who attended the TLOS premier in London got the best. A Rock and Roll song that was outstanding during this concert shoud have been recorded and added at the end, "Johnny B. Goode". Because of Brian fragile vocals (definetly listen to Pet Sounds to know the difference), I give it 4 stars, though harmonies are excellent. Have listened to it everyday since I got it on Sept. 8...

IT IS SO GOOD TO HEAR HIM AGAIN AFTER SO MANY YEARS,
HE SOUNDS GREAT. I KNEW HIM IN THE 60'S IN LA JOLLA,
CALIFORNIA AND HE SOUNDS THE SAME. YEA HE STILL IS A
GENIOUS AT WRITING.

Lucky Old Sun is a logical follow up to the mega project that Smile was. It is better than I had expected (based on the string of recordings that preceeded Smile). This recording doesn't take itself too seriously yet rays of brilliance and that feel good BW magic shines through to give the ear some tasty candy indeed. The songs are all embedded with Wilson's Beach Boy/Californa blend that to much of us is pretty much irresistible. Brian's orchestration of the material (instrumentation, vocals) is simply impeccable. The harmonies are as close to being as good as original Beach Boys as you could hope for. Just about every song is the kind you can listen to multiple times(just skip the short narratives, maybe). Although it's not the same caliber as Pet Sounds it does approach some of the stellar qualities of Smile in my opinion. The big question now is what will he do next? Whatever it is it's something we can look forward to.

Brian Wilson is without question a pop musical genius. I throughly enjoyed '.Imagination' and 1988's 'Brian Wilson'and even found some redeeming qualities in 'Gettin' in Over My Head'. In my book, his genius can only be matched with the likes of Stevie Wonder and Lennon/McCartney.

However, this collection of songs comes across as the theme music to a Disney attraction and an annoying one at that. While listening to this CD at work I found myself turning down my computer hoping I wouldn't irritate my fellow co-workers and risk losing my standing among them as a music 'Guru'.

I could look past Brian's 'pitchy' vocals in the past but they've gotten worse over the last few years, usually the songwriting will allow the listener to sustain these tormented vocals. In all actuality, they're a bittersweet reminder of the pain and torment that Brian went through in his earlier years. This time however, not only are the vocals rough but the spoken word portions come across as bad acting from a afternoon soap opera.

Maybe it's time Brian went in the direction of Carlos Santana and bring outside vocalists to sing his songs.

This is just more proof that the real genius of the Beach Boys was Mike Love not Brian Wilson.Just kidding.This album is pretty much flawless and great to listen to all the way thru.It just puts me in a better mood.All the problems in the world in 2008 and here's Brian Wilson inviting you back to the summer of 1961 where he first found true love.If that don't float your boat chances are you are already drowning.The same critics who will surely knock this album are probably the same people who praise "Yellow Submarine" and "Rocky Racoon" as works of art.Five stars all the way.As Bob Dylan once said about Brian Wilson,"He's got to will that ear to the Smithsonian".

How do you even approach a review of Brian Wilson? Do you embrace the present day musician and all of the baggage that drags into the conversation - or - just give into the powerful urge to stare up at rock's Mount Rushmore and forever see the mythic figure who is credited with among other things, "Inventing California" and pioneering production techniques that have informed every artist from the Beatles to Green Day.

It is unfortunately Wilson's unique burden that both realities coexist. Against his prolific body of achievement any objective evaluation of his current work becomes distorted beyond any reasonable context - either by magnifying its' importance because he is - who he was, or by creating a sympathetic grading curve that acknowledges the impossible standards, and personal tragedy, that he created for himself.

Maybe it's just easier to keep it simple. That Lucky Old Sun deserves to be experienced in the environment to which Wilson's work is best suited - in the car with the windows down and miles uninterrupted. After a few wind swept turns through the cd my conclusion was inescapable - That Lucky Old Sun is a terrific record.

With the possible exception of Van Dyke Parks irritating and unnecessary spoken narrative the entire effort really sparkles. Wilson's voice is clear and unrestrained, his production is translucent and his band drives the entire celebration of Southern Californianess with a professional sheen - up and down shifting with a fusion of subtlety and power. I was particularly taken by the three songs that close the cd - Midnight's Another Day, Going Home, Southern California - if you are at all worried that TLOS is just another payday for a geriatric icon coasting on fumes - this trifecta of superbly crafted pop songs easily stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Wilson's best work.

Is TLOS better than Pet Sounds? It doesn't matter. Is it a worthy follow-up to SMILE? That's not the point. TLOS is a beautiful record in its own right and that alone makes it worth the drive - even at $4 a gallon.

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.

First off I a big LP fan so I must comment my joy on this being released on this format first. The gatefold cover is wonderful, the special label very in tune with the rest of the artwork. The pressing is fairly quiet and the sound just jumps out at you.

Brian's production is spot on which it has been ever since he started using acoustic instruments again. The songs are well writen, better then most of his solo albums, but outside of "Midnights Another Day" cannot be directly compared to his work of 1961-72. Overall the LP is kind of theatrical, a modern rock oprea. I can honestly see this being done as a play, though like the reworkings of the Who's "Tommy" a lot of the guts would probably be lost. The spoken narrative doesn't seem needed as the songs flow nicely. Brian's voice can never recapture the beauty it had when he was in his twenties, but he seems to be able to use it's reduced range with skill now. Brian's had a great solo band since he begain to tour as a solo act and it's nice to hear him do new material with them. Scott Bennett's work holds up well against the work supplied by long time Wilson co-author Van Dyke Parks. All and all Lucky Old Sun will strongly appeal to those who enjoy Brian's work, but it remains to be seen whether it can win him new fans. With today's market more open to classic acts I think he's got a shot.

This is just fantastic - Brian Wilson is in better form vocally than in many many years (to my ear anyway) - perhaps its that his pronunciation just sounds totally relaxed and unforced. That alone makes this an enormous pleasure to listen to again and again. Now I admit, I'm "programmed" to respond to the sound of that voice with a big smile and feelings of great joy - but it is soooo easy to do so with material as strong as this.

The band is impeccable as always and Brian's music is (not so simply) brilliant (ok , sorry, I'm stating the obvious). The narratives (written by Wilson and Van Dyke Parks) connecting the songs are just perfect and could only have come from the two of them.

To top it off the mastering, engineering and pressing of this first vinyl edition are excellent.

Lucky old me: I'm really in heaven listening to this!

Brian Wilson has come home and I'm glad he's here. The Los Angeles/Southern California setting permeates the entire album. The songs themselves move from the ocean to the beach and even into the Hollywood Hills, among other places both real and imagined. The lyrics are upbeat and clever but also bittersweet, pensive and heartfelt. Some lyrical highlights are: "I am a diver a long line survivor/And man's small whale's all/Body gravity zero" from Live Let Live; and, "Pumps drunk with oil/Dance like prehistoric locusts on the hills to L.A.X." from the narrative Between Pictures. Kudos to Van Dyke Parks. The choruses in both Midnight's Another Day and Going Home are both quite amazing, the former for its lyrical content and the latter for its melancholy delivery. Wilson's backing band is great as always, with wonderful arrangements. Mexican Girl is my least favorite song, but overall, this is a great collection of songs.