Noel Copiaco, Lansing, Michigan
I’ve been a Brian Wilson fan for a long time and certainly very grateful for the music he gave the world since Surfin’ Safari. The man penned some of the most beautiful songs in contemporary American popular music. Some of his loyal followers will not like what I have to say here.
Let’s face it, not many aging vocal music icons retain the brilliance of the singing voice of their youth, just ask Bob Dylan or Mick Jagger. Furthermore, many critics have said in the past that rock and roll is the voice of the young. I’m not sure I totally disagree with that argument. Whether you like it or not, Brian Wilson’s voice will never sound like it did on the original 1962 recording of Surfer Girl again.
His latest release Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin is rather perplexing. Sure, the superlatives are flying all over the place from many music critics but in my humble proletariat perspective this offering fails to satisfy. As you may guess, this is an album of Gershwin classics including two unfinished songs which Brian completed. Although the production is state of the art, it pales compared to Smile and Lucky Old Sun. The bright spots on this album includes the samba inflected S’wonderful where his voice is relaxed and right on pitch. I also like I get Rhythm, where he morphed the Beach Boys’ lesser known classic Farmer’s Daughter in the fadeout. That was refreshingly delightful despite of Brian’s off-putting lead vocals. The completion of the unfinished Gershwin songs The Like in I Love you and Nothing But Love are also noteworthy. The instrumental I Got Plenty of Nuthin’ is a fun ride which reminds the listener of what Brian can do instrumentally particularly during the Pet Sounds era.
Then there are songs that should’ve never been included and difficult to listen to like I Loves you Porgy (he should’ve let Taylor Mills sing that one). The surf tinged They Can’t Take that Away from Me started out nice until the bridge where Brian sounded awkward. And I don’t really care to hear yet another version of Summertime coming from anyone. The rest of the album would’ve been better if they were done in full choral arrangements without the lead vocals.
And that is one thing I wish Brian Wilson would do. I wish that he would focus more on tying vocal harmonies with his instrumental compositions. Why not an instrumental album layered with his choral arrangements? Maybe next time he’ll do the whole Rhapsody in Blue, not just the intro. God knows he has the band and personnel to do it. I wish he’d be a band leader, a conductor, a director, a playwright, anything but a lead singer because he will never regain the sparkling falsetto of his early Beach Boys days.
That said, I will continue to be interested in anything Brian has to offer musically particularly if it’s done with his superb group of musicians. At this point in his life though, he should focus more on being the impresario than a lead singer in the band. He has such a talented array of musicians working for him who could play and sing almost anything. He should use them to really bring out the genius in him.