Customer Reviews

Gettin' in Over My Head

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(37)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Before anything let's forget that Brian Wilson is one of the latter 20th century's most influential songwriters and producers ever in popular music. Let's forget that he is a living legend, the man who wrote and produced "Good Vibrations" and masterworks such as Pet Sounds and the then-unreleased Smile. And let's definitely forget all that media-hyped unflattering imagery that accompanied his career for almost thirty years.

What we have left is a solid effort for a guy who was considered way past his prime.
For me, Getting' In Over My Head is indeed a real solo project. 1988's Brian Wilson had guru shrink Eugene Landy as his chief collaborator and co-producer (add profiteer) while 1998's Imagination had Wilson collaborate with ex-pro wrestler Joe Thomas. However, with this most recent effort Wilson is in sole control, entirely produced and arranged by himself. But he has lots of company and support.

The trademark harmonies, the dense orchestrated backgrounds are still there. Unfortunately today's advanced digital recording methodologies leave some of the productions with sterile-like quality, unlike his classic monaural recordings of the 60's. Some of the blends are thin, but still very enjoyable and listenable. But let's face it. No one wants to sit and do 25 takes of the same song, building and recording it "live" until perfect; that can be a long, tedious (and expensive) process by today's standards.

As far as the material goes, Wilson didn't have to take that much of a creative stretch; half of it was culled from past projects that never got off the ground. Two of the songs, "Make a wish" and "Don't let her know she's an Angel" are remnants from his unreleased second solo album Sweet Insanity. These songs were re-recorded and new backing tracks were made. The end results sound a helluva lot better than the originals.
Other songs, "Saturday morning in the City", "Desert Drive", the title track and "Soul Searchin'"(which features an absolutely stunning vocal performance from the late Carl Wilson) come from the Wilson/Andy Paley sessions that took place in the mid nineties.

The "new" songs-"How could we still be dancin'" featuring lead vocals by Elton John; "City Blues" with an instantly recognizable guitar solo by Eric Clapton and a duet with Paul McCartney on "A Friend like You" are all middle-eight, commercially-hooked songs that succeed in intending to grab the listener. All the elements are there, although not as expansive as one might have thought it could've been. Wilson's vocals are competent and although weathered, still has that raw emotion that transcends his age.

The rest of the material- "You've touched Me", "Rainbow Eyes", "Fairy tale" and "The Waltz" shows Wilson still in control of his production chops and creative juices. "The Waltz" in particular is old-fashioned Brian Wilson humor at it's best. ("She had a body you'd kill for/You hoped that she'd take the pill for") The song would have fit thematically on the Smile album if it were then available. All in all, Wilson tries his best to recapture the formula of the innocence of lost and found love-and he almost does it.

It would be unfair to compare this effort to his sixties masterworks. Unfortunately he has the dubious distinction to be measured to those seemingly immeasurable standards. We the public desire a visionary with a new standard and fresh musical appeal to quench our unsatisfied expectations. That'll never happen because in general, we're all too conservative. That's a shame for this is really a good -shy of great- project that Wilson manages to offer us.
In the albums liner notes David Leaf sums it up perfectly:

"What makes us all happiest is that Brian Wilson, whether onstage or in the studio, is once again making music that makes him happy. Does anybody deserve that more? Does anything else really matter?"

I couldn't agree with him more.

I can't believe how harsh some of the reviews have been, especially by people who claim to be fans of Brian's. Nobody expects McCartney to do another Sgt. Pepper or Revolver, but people still expect Brian to do another Pet Sounds or Today, as if somehow he can go back to being a 22-year old ambitious, but angst-ridden genius who seemingly had a direct connection to God, making uniquely spiritual music. Brian is 62 now and after years of chain smoking and drug abuse is damaged goods, and that blew much of the spirituality away. But the fact that he can produce his own music again, and do it quite well, is cause for celebration. And the songs are all well-written, musically, and are performed excellently. Brian is in the best voice he has been in for years. Of course he can't sing as well as he did when he was 22. But his background vocals are still outstanding. And nobody arranges voices like Brian can.

I can't figure out why people are going off on Elton John. Brian knew it was a perfect song for Elton to sing, just like John Lennon knew that "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" was perfect for Elton to contribute to. I've never read anyone criticize Lennon for that, but Brian can't work with his musical buddies? Likewise, Clapton's solo is scorching and helps "City Blues." The song with McCartney is kind of mawkish, but it isn't manufactured sap like "Ebony and Ivory." It is sincere as Paul and Brian are huge fans of each other's work. "Don't Let Her Know She's An Angel" is really pretty. I think it will become some kind of standard.

Okay, some of the lyrics are goofy, but what do you expect from Brian, who is an "adult child"? At least with Brian, the sentiments are straight from his heart, and are about things that normal people can relate to. I guess if you want lyrical sophistication, you can go listen to Eminem or Britney Spears.

Also, it is bizarre to be reading that Imagination was better. The production on that CD was sterile and un-Imaginative. Here we have Brian adding his own unique production flourishes to every song, from using bass harmonicas (as on Pet Sounds) to pennywhistles. We have his band playing the songs live in the studio, so the songs have more energy to them. This album is "up" and "energetic" and for some reason, people want Brian to be serious and artsy all the time. They forget that this is the same guy who made his fame from writing "up" songs like "Fun, Fun, Fun."

Anyway, 4 Stars because Pet Sounds and Today are 5 stars. They will always be Brian's best works, along with some of the Smile stuff. But just because this new music isn't as moving doesn't mean it bites! Come on, people!

Naysayers and critics of Brian's lyrics and vocal quality simply do not get it. No one has ever, nor will anyone ever write like Brian Wilson. If you are looking for timely, flash-in-the-pan, top 10 fluff, you won't find it here. But Brian's musical wit and creativity has transcended the decades. Voice gone? Almost. Lyrics childish? Sometimes. But the music...Ah! the music.

Listen to the chord changes draped with lush harmonies on tracks like "Fairy Tale", "Don't Let Her Know She's An Angel" and the title track. Gorgeous and utterly unpredictable. Are they really much removed from "She Knows Me Too Well" "You Still Believe in Me" or "Til I Die"?

Furthermore, all the pain and loss of his life (child abuse, insecurity, drugs, mental illness, family deaths, manipulation by Landy and others) can be sensed in his ballads. They said no one could "talk a lyric" like Sinatra and that is true. He took the compositions of others and gave them weight and meaning...made them his own. Brian, on the other hand, shamelessly and unselfishly bares his soul in everything he writes. Even to those who have never met Brian, it is obvious that he has not a hint of artifice in his entire being. He has ever been a sweet and guileless soul and when that kind of innocence is blended with his evergreen musicality, the effect can be heartbreakingly beautiful.

He may not score a "hit" from this album, but the ability to bring joy and even tears (to those who will listen) is worth a sight more, in the long run, than a short stint alongside Britney and Ludacris (sic).

As a rabid Beach Boys fan, I am not the most unbiased critic. That said, even I can't fully recommend this album. Brian's voice is not in good shape here (and makes me worry how much his shattered voice will detract from the upcoming SMiLE). He struggles to hit the high notes, and he sings with an utter lack of emotion. Also, as a huge McCartney fan, their duet, "A Friend Like You," was not what I was hoping for. Having loved such McCartney classics as "Back in the USSR" and "Back Seat of My Car," which were obvious Beach Boys tributes, I imagined a song with the two of the them singing in glorious harmony and delivering a song with a knockout punch. "A Friend Like You" is good, but it's not reason enough to own this album. However, this album does contain one knockout punch. "Soul Searchin," sung by the late, great, and deeply missed Carl Wilson. Carl delivers a vocal that Brian used to be capable of: heartfelt, crisp and beautiful. I would recommend downloading that track (legally, of course), and only buying this album if you're a diehard fan.

What we have here is the first Brian Wilson solo album that really truly SOUNDS like a Brian Wilson production.

For the first time since 1977's The Beach Boys Love You, we have an album that is produced and arranged by solely by Brian Wilson. What this ultimately means is the record evokes the classic sounds of the Beach Boys, from those car songs of '63-'64("Desert Drive"), to the fun sounds of 1965's Summer Days ("Saturday Morning in the City"), to 1966's melancholy Pet Sounds ("Gettin' In Over My Head"), to his strange return in the '70s ("How Can We Still be Dancin'"). It's all here in Brian's full sonic glory, and any fan will find plenty here to celebrate.

True, this album isn't a work of lyrical genius like Pet Sounds (Tony Asher gets credit for that one) or SMiLE (Van Dyke Parks in that case). In fact, Gettin' In Over My Head is among the most light-hearted of Brian's releases. Perhaps it coincides with his being closer to fulfilled than he ever has been? In that regard, one could liken this album to, perhaps, Paul McCartney's post-Beatles work, Bruce Springsteen's Human Touch, or Bob Dylan's work post-John Wesley Harding pre-Blood on the Tracks. In other words, the sounds are top-notch, but the words aren't much to write home about.

So take it for what it's worth -- it's an album of music for music's sake. Nothing truly great, but really, anything from Brian Wilson is worth even a cursory listen. This album is worth a bit more than that, and it will certainly make you crack a smile or two.

Although I'm a long-time fan of Brian and the Beach Boys, I bought this album not expecting too much--Brian's voice isn't what it used to be, and I noticed that a number of the tracks were leftovers from older, abandoned albums--Sweet Insanity from 1991, Beach Boys and Brian Wilson projects from the mid-1990s, and even Smile from 1967.

It's not a bad album, though. Fans of Brian will enjoy it more than the casual listener, and it will appeal to older listeners more than younger ones.

Highlights on this CD include "How Could We Still Be Dancin'," which features a terriffic Brian Wilson arrangement/background vocal and a great lead by Elton John. This wouldn't be out of place on a circa-1974 Elton release. "Soul Searchin'" features a wonderful vocal by the late Carl Wilson--the tape was rescued from an abandoned Beach Boys project, and Brian has reworked the background track beautifully. "You've Touched Me" is slight, but the title track has a very nice mid-1960s Brian Wilson feel to it.

"City Blues" is somewhat generic--Eric Clapton's guitar solo could just as well be on Elton John's early 1990s release The One. I can't get through Brian's duet with Paul McCartney, "A Friend Like You"--the sentimentality wouldn't be out of place on the Beach Boys Love You, but the performances really aren't that impressive. (Paul sounds particularly uninspired.) On the other hand, "Desert Drive" is an excellent upbeat tune that sounds a lot like an adult "409," but with a bit more humor in it.

Several reviewers have said that "Make a Wish" is out of place; I agree. Its message is very much in the vein of two earlier Brian Wilson songs, "Love and Mercy" and "This Whole World," but it's a bit heavy-handed for this album (and with the tune and production, I can't help but recall an early 1970s bubblegum songs--Brady Bunch songs come to mind). "Saturday Morning in the City" is a mid-1990s leftover collaboration with Andy Paley, although in truth it's a good remake of the never-released Smile-era song, "On a Holiday" (to be heard on Brian's upcoming SMiLE release). "Fairy Tale" isn't a bad song--very listenable--and "Don't Let Her Know She's An Angel" is pretty much a return to form for Brian. Perhaps the oddest piece here is "The Waltz," a collaboration with Van Dyke Parks--some have been baffled by it, but I find it to be a hilarious and fun song not unlike what you'd expect from a collaboration between them.

Overall, the Elton John and Carl Wilson collaborations alone make this CD worth owning. Despite a few missteps, flat notes, and hurried vocals here and there, there are plenty of other good songs on this album as well.

It is so refreshing to hear music again! No, Brians voice
doesn't sound like it did in 1965 (who's does?) In fact Brian
himself has said he has lost the timbre that he had then.
But the man can turn a song can't he! Hooks, chords, key changes
these songs have it all. Try "Don't Let Her Know She's An Angel"
and the title song for starters. And he's singing harmony too!
If you would have told me in 1980 when I saw the Beach Boys in
concert with Brian wandering aimlessly backstage that one day I'd
hear this I wouldn't have believed you. Rock on Brian !!!!

Listening to today's Brian Wilson is a surprising and uplifting experience. While the voice tremors a little, and sometime reaches for those notes, his musical sense is still exciting, warm and inventive. I find his work inspiring today becuase he actually survived the last 30 years, versus many of his peers who are now gone, tragically, taking their genius with them. This album has some great cuts on it, and while a first listen may leave you wondering, a second and third listen builds a comfort like a new shoe that just needs a little breaking in. This is a favorite CD of mine, and with some help from Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Elton John and even Carl Wilson, it is a happy keeper. I highly recommend it, and hope he'll release another soon. Brian has a great future, and I want to enjoy it.

I waited until after "SMiLE" had come out to buy this, Brian's previous solo effort, thinking that I would not enjoy it as much. Well, after seeing him in concert earlier this month, and hearing him play three of the tracks from this album (all of which were outstanding), I knew I couldn't wait any longer.

I was pleasantly surprised by this, to say the least. Brian's vocals, are indeed weathered compared to some of his earlier solo efforts (and even compared to "SMiLE"), but that does not take away from the beauty of the music, and some really stellar tracks. The opening cut with Elton is nice, but "Soul Searchin'" with Carl Wilson's glorious lead is a gem, hands down. I have played that track more then any other. Rich, soulful, and beautiful. The title track is another great song, very much in step with "Love and Mercy" and "Caroline, No". Thoughtful and moving. Some of the "rockers" like "Desert Drive" and "City Blues" are also standouts, and the sentimental "A Friend Like You" features a great lead vocal by Brian, but a strangely static supporting vocal by Paul McCartney. Still, it's a nice song.

As has been previously noted, some of the other tracks have been culled from the aborted "Sweet Insanity" album, although, for better or worse, these are rerecordings of those original tracks. Some, like "Make a Wish" and "Rainbow Eyes", are superior in these new versions (although still average songs), while the stunning "Don't Let Her Know She's an Angel" is not quite as dynamic here as in the earlier recording (including some poorly chosen reworked lyrics). It's still a beautiful song, however, and I'm pleased to see it in print.

A few other so-so songs, (like the very Brian-esque "Saturday Morning in the City") round up this album. It's a good effort from him, and enjoyable listening. I didn't expect I would like it as much as I did, but then, it being a Brian Wilson album, I should have known better.

Beautiful recording by Brian Wilson. Some may consider it boring and slow, but I dont. Brian may still be getting his recording knack back and hopefully he will be doing more recordings to enhace his skills. Brians duets with Paul McCartney, Elton John, Carl Wilson,and Eric Clapton are simply splendid vocally. "Soul Searchin" with brother Carl Wilson is my favorite on this cd. "A Friend Like You" with McCartney is a nice classy duet both vocally and harmonically. "Rainbow Eyes" a nice Psychedelic trip back to Brians heyday of the 1960s."Saturday Morning In The City","You've Touched Me" and "Gettin In Over My Head" are all great songs, nicely written and hold up vocally despite Brians older voice. I like every track on this cd and I can't stop listening to it. I admitt Brian could still hold his own vocally. For those who consider this recording boring and slow, I look at it this way, hopefully Brian will make more recordings and excercise his amazing skills for even better music. Highly recommended listening for Brian Wilson fans, Beach Boy fans and music fans in general. WELCOME BACK BRIAN EVERYONE MISSED YOU!!!!!!!!!!!