Best Brian Wilson solo album

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GoogaMooga
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Best Brian Wilson solo album

Postby GoogaMooga » 22 Sep 2020, 07:11

A few contenders there. BWPS - I don't know if that counts, but if we agree on that, it would be the most obvious one. Another fave is Orange Crate Art, although technically that's a Van Dyke Parks album with Brian vocals.

Brian Wilson '88 - if we discount those other two titles I mentioned.

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ChrisB
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Re: Best Brian Wilson solo album

Postby ChrisB » 22 Sep 2020, 08:31

I refuse to be a vulture, picking on the bones of one of the greatest ever songwriters. Too distressing :(

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GoogaMooga
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Re: Best Brian Wilson solo album

Postby GoogaMooga » 22 Sep 2020, 12:18

slightbreeze wrote:I refuse to be a vulture, picking on the bones of one of the greatest ever songwriters. Too distressing :(


I'm glad you rate him highly, all the more puzzling why you would ignore his solo output. All his solo albums contain tracks of merit, even the unreleased "Sweet Insanity".
"When the desert comes, people will be sad; just as Cannery Row was sad when all the pilchards were caught and canned and eaten." - John Steinbeck

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ChrisB
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Re: Best Brian Wilson solo album

Postby ChrisB » 22 Sep 2020, 15:59

I only own one solo album by him, and it is so awful, so heartbreakingly desperate, that I haven't ventured further. Only the final Judee Sill album comes close to the same demise, especially vocally, of such a major artist.

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GoogaMooga
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Re: Best Brian Wilson solo album

Postby GoogaMooga » 22 Sep 2020, 17:43

What you have posted there is a boot. "Adult Child" is what was at the time a projected BB album, it exists in various permutations on different boots. Gruff-voiced Brian has his charms, but then, I'm a fan.
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Quaco
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Re: Best Brian Wilson solo album

Postby Quaco » 13 Oct 2020, 22:24

That '88 one is actually quite good. Seemed about right for a once-genius later in his years, maybe even a little better than that. "Rio Grande" was great!
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Mike Boom
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Re: Best Brian Wilson solo album

Postby Mike Boom » 13 Oct 2020, 22:54

Quaco wrote:That '88 one is actually quite good. Seemed about right for a once-genius later in his years, maybe even a little better than that. "Rio Grande" was great!


Seconded and “Love and Mercy” is a classic, one of his very best.

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soundchaser
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Re: Best Brian Wilson solo album

Postby soundchaser » 14 Oct 2020, 06:59

Mike Boom wrote:
Quaco wrote:That '88 one is actually quite good. Seemed about right for a once-genius later in his years, maybe even a little better than that. "Rio Grande" was great!


Seconded and “Love and Mercy” is a classic, one of his very best.


And thirded. That debut album had some sparkling moments, especially now we know how how much BW was being controlled.

Orange Crate Art, is a lovely album and I’m glad the two of them were able to put this one together.

I didn’t really follow Brian Wilson’s solo career after that.

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Re: Best Brian Wilson solo album

Postby rorebhoy » 14 Oct 2020, 09:58

I love That Lucky Old Sun. In many respects to my ears it's less a Brian Wilson solo album and more an album by Scott Bennett/Wondermints/BW band. A great run of songs at the end of the album - if that had been the final BW album I'd have been content to end on that note.

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soundchaser
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Re: Best Brian Wilson solo album

Postby soundchaser » 14 Oct 2020, 10:23

rorebhoy wrote:I love That Lucky Old Sun. In many respects to my ears it's less a Brian Wilson solo album and more an album by Scott Bennett/Wondermints/BW band. A great run of songs at the end of the album - if that had been the final BW album I'd have been content to end on that note.


Thanks. I’ll check it out.

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Re: Best Brian Wilson solo album

Postby Spock! » 14 Oct 2020, 23:44

Agree with the eponymous album from '88 and That Lucky Old Sun both being very good albums, and today TLOS just wins out because last time I played the epon one the drum sound grated a bit.
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