New Brian Wilson compilation, Sept 22

As much as I love me some solo Brian, 2 CDs would have been crazy overkill for a patchy career that has only produced 10 albums (unless the second disc was a dedicated rarities/outtakes comp).

 

I respectfully disagree, but there is heaps of stuff Brian has done not on those albums that are
worthy of inclusion. Perhaps it's a good primer for a new fan, but that's not a good enough reason
to put on two unreleased tracks when us die-hards already spend the big bucks on previous releases.
Those two should have been saved for a more designated project than an 'anthology' release.
I hate record companies, they wonder why 'bootleggers' do what they must

 

I'm still bummed we didn't get "Daddy's Little Girl" on Rhino's BW88 reissue...

 

Can anyone describe the 2 "new" songs...

If I read correctly one of them is a new recording of a Pet Sounds outtake ? An unreleased 60s tune... Have people heard the original version ? If so could you describe it ? I believe it says Matt Jardine sang back ups on the new recording to get that vintage B.Boys vibe going on ?

I love the old sound, no problem with Matt Jardine, but since Al Jardine & Brian are on good terms & have worked on 2-3 recent albums together, why use Matt but not Al ? Because Al still sounds great, at least as of a year or two years ago when they sang on No Pier Pressure.

Now the 2nd new song is what ? From what era ? Is it also a new recording ?

Digressing for just a second, I vaguely remember 1-2 new Wilson songs from the live " At the Roxy" album, I remember it was good, but I remember thinking " gee that's great Brian, but I'd rather get a chance to hear a studio version with this great band you have now"

So is the 2nd new song a studio version of one of those new Live at the Roxy tunes ?

I can't remember what the song or songs were, but I remember it was quite good.

Honestly on Wilson's last 2 studio albums, The Beach Boys 2012 reunion LP & the more recent Pier Pressure, as well as the oddball non LP tracks like "Don't Fight The Sea" or the non LP "Do it again" 2012, I cherry pick all the good stuff like Pacific Coast Highway, Summer's Gone, Sail Away, Do it again 2012 & just make a stunning BB comp album....

I appreciate Wilson wanted to, or was advised for commercial reasons to do duets with young artists on Pier Pressure, but for me I cherry pick this latest stuff... & Make a bonus disc of the rest...

Please details of the 2 new tracks, I've skimmed the whole thread, but don't see much info on the new tracks..

Wilson has done some brilliant stuff circa 1998-2017
But it's also spotty with some tracks that have Wilson singing badly with a shot voice, or occasionally a terrible song,,,, conversely he has some great little tracks relegated to bonus tracks & other non LP status...

After you excecutive produce & re-edit some of Wilson's recent albums, redoing the tracklists & such, there is a great body of work there. Weirdly sometimes like the closing Pacific Coast Highway & Summer's Gone Wilson sounds great with incredible songs & other times it's Speed Turtle, Friend Like You.

 

The first unreleased track, "Some Sweet Day", dates from the mid-90s sessions produced by Andy Paley that produced a slew of tracks. Some were later released in other versions, most have remained unreleased. No word on whether this a straight issue of the 90s bootlegged version or a different, updated version.

Run, James, Run is a track that was recorded in 2013 during Wilson's tenure with Jeff Beck. The title comes from the working title of Pet Sounds (title track), but besides the title, there are no other links musically. According to Al, it's a early Beach Boys-esque number about Jeff Beck's car collection. I believe Al and Matt are on the recording - with a Brian lead.

 

Wasn't the (instrumental) track 'Pet Sounds' originally called 'Run James Run'?

 

Hi (first post for me!)

The two songs you're referring to are This Isn't Love and The First Time. They're both excellent and both on the compilation. I hope they're studio versions.

 

I'd really just like a cleaned up version of "My Little Red Book" that Bri laid down around the Friends era

 

Yep, although I believe the only link is the name? I suppose it could be like "Somewhere Quiet" off No Pier Pressure, which added lyrics to the "Summer Means New Love" instrumental.

 

I'm so happy to see "Lay Down Burden" included, one of my favorite Brian songs. Sincere.

 

Yes it was. They recycled the title for some reason. No other connection. An entirely new song. Rock and roll car song style.

 

And I've always been a big fan of "Cry". A wall of Brian harmonies. Really excellent track. Can't wait to hear it on vinyl.

 

This would have been the place for the Bacharach co-write.

 

I think "I Loves You Porgy" would have been a good addition. I think his voice is excellent on that song.

Also, for me, SMiLE material belongs in 1967 with the other boys, regardless of how important it was to Brian to complete in 2004 and the success of the tour.

 

Hey man, I've gotta say: I love your avatars, but I hate your signature.

 

Same goes for the three original songs on the Christmas album-- They just sound like Brian songs and would've fit.

 

The low-key cover art kind of reminds me of one of those old Starbucks CD compilations, although even they might have come up with a better track selection and sequence. Disappointing because who knows when another Wilson solo compilation will be released?

 

Here's how I would have done it personally, although I understand its quite hard to make a 1 disc comp of such a long and varied solo career.

1. Love And Mercy
2. Surf's Up
3. What Love Can Do
4. Southern California
5. The Like In I Love You
6. Don't Let Her Know (She's An Angel)
7. Melt Away
8. Soul Searchin (feat. Carl Wilson)
9. Heroes & Villains
10. They Can't Take That Away From Me
11. Lay Down Burden [Live]
12. Whatever Happened
13. Your Imagination
14. Orange Crate Art
15. Midnight's Another Day [Demo]
16. Colors of the Wind
17. One Kind of Love
18. It's Not Easy Bein' Me
19. Live Let Live [Alternative Version]
20. Rio Grande

 

So, is Jeff Beck's contribution going to remain in the mix? If one of the Beck/Wilson songs surfaces, it will make this release completely essential to this fan.

 

I actually think the track listing ain't half bad, if your goal is to give an overall survey of the albums he's released. Would I do it differently? Of course, as would anyone. Here is how I would have compiled it. I tried to represent each album (except Pet Sounds Live), and included many of the non-album tracks. This playlist would fit on one CD, assuming "Run James Run" is no more than ~5 minutes long.

1. Love And Mercy
2. Melt Away
The two most iconic, and probably the best, tracks from the debut solo LP. Rio Grande is great but it takes up too much space.

3. Do You Have Any Regrets
Sweet Insanity definitely needs representation, and this is a solid composition and a not-too-terrible production.

4. Do It Again
From the Don Was album. This one has moved me to tears.

5. Orange Crate Art
Would love to also include San Francisco, but it gets chopped for time.

6. It's Not Easy Bein' Me
7. Some Sweet Day
I love the Paley sessions, and feel they warrant two tracks, especially given the interest to collectors. It's Not Easy... is a killer song, but the only problem is the strained, shouty vocals. I say bring in Joe Thomas (kidding...kind of) to coax Brian into delivering a newly-recorded, sweet, smooth vocal, and release this gem.

8. Lay Down Burden
I do like Cry too, but it takes up a lot of space and one track is more than enough to represent this MOR-fest of an album.

9. The First Time
Wish there was a studio version, but this is half decent I guess. I definitely think including both this one and This Isn't Love is overkill.

10. Heroes And Villains
Smile (the original recordings that is) is my favorite music of all time, but I was tempted to leave BWPS unrepresented entirely...it's a square peg that belongs to another era. In the end I just chose the most central track.

11. Getting' In Over My Head
It was tough choosing one from this album, and I feel weird about my choice, given it's a 1998 Joe Thomas recording. I guess I could live with City Blues or something else here instead.

12. Rodney on the ROQ
God, I love this one.

13. What I Really Want For Christmas
Solid song, wish it got more play around Christmas.

14. Live Let Live
From the Arctic Tale soundtrack. Great collaboration with Van Dyke.

15. What Love Can Do
Love this Bacharach collaboration.

16. Believe In Yourself
I assumed there was no chance this would be on my tracklist. Then I listened to it. Got a huge grin on my face, and remembered this has happened before. It stays.

17. Good Kind Of Love (feat. Carole King)
18. Midnight's Another Day
That Lucky Old Sun definitely deserves two cuts, as it's his best album (not sure how that is even debated). I'll take the album versions over the demos (I know many disagree). I chose the Carole King version of GKOL (one of my favorites of Brian's solo career) mainly because it has a proper ending that doesn't flow into the next track. Plus, it's fun to hear them sing together. I would have loved to include even more songs, like Southern California or Goin' Home.

19. The Like In I Love You
Only room for one track from this wonderfully-recorded album, and this one had to be my choice. I would have liked to include another, probably Love Is Here To Stay.

20. Stay Awake
Had to include one from Disney, and this was the shortest.

21. Run James Run
22. One Kind Of Love
I have mixed feelings about including two tracks from what to me is a weak collection of songs, but RJR is an outtake (which I'm dying to hear), and OKOL makes a fitting end.

 

I'm gonna pick this up for sure.

 

Would've like Just Like Me And You, Live Let Live, Don't Worry, Somewhere Quiet, Christmasey, On Christmas Day, What I Really Want For Christmas on this one.

 

I think they easily could have filled a second and even a THIRD CD with some more rarities, live tracks, 4 tracks from his current tour, demos and things that have been mentioned, such as the cool "Orange Crate Art" and "Your Imagination"!! also YEAH That Lucky Old Sun seems really under represented!!

Uh this is Brian Wilson we're talking about!

 

Why wouldn't he use the versions of "Melt Away" and "Love and Mercy" from the I Just Wasn't Made for These Times documentary film? Those are way better than those drum machine laden and DX-7 sounding recordings from 1988.

 

Isn't it great that we can all just make our own compilation? If anyone can come up with a better album cover, please share. I just hope the "new" songs are worthy of my/your comp.