Customer Reviews

That Lucky Old Sun

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

That Lucky Old Sun is a work of pure genius. This isn't Wilson's best solo work, the honor still goes to Smile, but it is close.

Conceptually (not sonically) it calls to mind Days of Future Passed and John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band. The concept and the mixture of spoken words and music call to mind The Moody Blues' Days of Future Passed.

On Lucky Old Sun, Brian Wilson speaks directly to the listener and shares what is going on in his life just as John Lennon did on songs like Mother. There is a tremendous honesty here. The message is that Brian is back, mentally as well as physically. When he first started touring again he didn't looked very rigid and it was clear he wasn't entirely comfortable. The video in the deluxe package shows Brian smiling, animated, and looking fully engaged. It is miraculous and joyful.

This is a very emotionally powerful work. I was touched by his memories of his brothers:

I had this dream
Singing with my brothers
In harmony, supporting each other
Tail winds, wheels spin, down the pacific coast
Surfin' on the A. M., heard those voice again

and by his description of his own struggles:

At 25 I turned out the light
Cause I couldn't handle the glare in my tired eyes

This is a beautiful release. Very highly recommended. It is worth purchasing the Best Buy version with three bonus tracks including a duet with Carole King on I'm Into Something Good. King co-wrote the Herman's Hermits hit with Gerry Goffin.

The deluxe version contains a DVD with a 19 minute making of feature (I think this is identical to the special broadcast on VH-1 Classic) and two live performances in the studio. The making of film and the live performances are interesting but probably essential for casual fans.

Brian Wilson is a man with a large reputation to live up to-- to be fair, taking the next step for the guy who wrote, arranged and produced arguably the greatest album of his generation (the incomparable Pet Sounds) must have been exceedingly difficult, and with resistance from the band, it took 37 years for its followup, the magnificent SMiLE, to surface. But Wilson's career during that 37 year window was largely hit or miss-- while Beach Boys fans, myself included, will speak lovingly of many of the later Beach Boys records, many of them were true group efforts, and Brian's "comebacks", 15 Big Ones/Love You and his debut solo album Brian Wilson, while endearing and engaging, were uneven and at times felt propped up. In recent years, as his solo career took off, barring the completion of SMiLE, Brian's records have sounded like forced attempts at adult contemporary-- much as I enjoy Imagination and Gettin' in Over My Head, they've felt like someone else's idea of how Brian should grow old.

Enter "That Lucky Old Sun".

My expectations were a bit low, I figured on either a continuation of the adult contemporary sound or a thoroughly retro record. What I got instead is what I'd hope it'd be-- Brian Wilson getting older gracefully. Conceived as a thematic suite, "That Lucky Old Sun" is a meditation of sorts on the life of Brian Wilson in Los Angeles. Like his best records from the old days, it's full of swagger (the superb "Going Home") and melody ("Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl"), with subtle arrangements and fantastic vocal harmonies. Ably executed by an ensemble largely drawn from Brian's touring band, the album is quite engaging and entertaining and while it feels more mature than, say, "Surfin USA" or "Wouldn't It Be Nice", it doesn't feel forced.

So is this another Pet Sounds)? Not really. There's some many tracks that just didn't engage me at all ("Mexican Girl"). But is it really, really good? Definitely. And certainly, it's got some of the best songwriting that Wilson's done in a long time.

This album is also available in a deluxe CD with bonus DVD edition-- for the few extra bucks, the DVD is worth checking out, it contains an entertaining, brief documentary and a couple live in the studio pieces.

Bottom line is-- "That Lucky Old Sun" is a fun record. It's not the best of the best of Wilson's catalog, but it's a fine followup to SMiLE, about as high praise as I can offer.

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!

After listening to the album That Lucky Old Sun by Brian Wilson I am reminded of a brighter time and an optimism that filled my world of the 60's and 70's. I am also more of the opinion that Brian Wilson was the heart and soul behind the Beach Boys as we came to know them; a point many believe but some argue with. The naysayer's need to hear this music! Listening to the songs on That Lucky Old Sun is like listening to the Beach Boys of years ago and yet there is something new here; something richer than before. Perhaps the music on this CD reflects a life full of creativity and full of pain. This music just makes you feel good.

One aspect of this CD that I truly like is the short narratives that run less than a minute each. They add an interlude in the flow of the music, though they are musical also.

The additional DVD provides information on the making of the album along with two live performances. A great one-two punch!

I'm hoping that some of these songs get picked up for "air play" on the radio though stylistically this CD is from another era. "Venice Beach", "Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl," and "Mexican Girl" are my favorites. The short narrative "Cinco de Mayo" is wonderful with the Latin beat. Ah, forget it. The whole CD is a treat.

Recommended without reservation.

Peace forever.

Saturday morning A&E ran a Beach Boys bio from several years back, surely hoping to pick up a little bump from the all the media surrounding the release of That Lucky Old Sun. As usual, I couldn't switch the channel even though it covered old ground. The insiders interviewed all said the same thing, running along the lines of 'good to see Brian beating back the demons', 'Brian's finally found some peace', etc. Except for one guy, and this is what he said (paraphrased):

"The Brian you see now, the Brian that smiles and talks about how he's finally found his way - that's not the real Brian. That's the tamed Brian. They've tamed him, or he's tamed himself, but what you're seeing now is not the real Brian Wilson."

I thought that was an odd thing to say, maybe even a little cruel. But...listening to That Lucky Old Sun, I think I might know what he means. Wilson hasn't lost his arranging touch, his ability to manipulate the elements (although his partner and producer in this production played a large role), but...and I don't like saying this...there's almost none of that inventiveness that used to take my breath away. 2004's 'Smile' was really 1967's 'Smile', as far as originality goes, and the last thing I really, really liked by Brian was 'Imagination', from some years back. That one had some of the old magic.

At his best, Brian conjured up incredible musical ideas - gorgeous melodies, rich, compelling vocal tracks, combinations of instruments that defied not only convention but even common sense and made it seem (like all good art) perfectly inevitable. Like it had been lying there for anyone to see, and all he did was just pick it up and show everyone. It's just not apparent, in my opinion, on That Lucky Old Sun. Well...'Midnight Is Another Day' gets partway there, and 'Southern California' is fun.

I'm truly happy for the guy. If he's found peace, if he sleeps at night and looks forward to the next day, well, he has that right. He doesn't owe me anything, and I'll be happy to listen to the old stuff. Listening to That Lucky Old Sun feels to me like a letter from one of my daughters, saying "Dad, I know I'm not doing what you think I should, but I'm happy."

I'm not complaining - I'll take whatever he's offering, and gladly. I just want one more "Let Him Run Wild".

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.

So, today I finally got my grubby hands on it.

After all the talk about it, I was expecting the mastering to be horrible, instead it's just as bad as in all the other Cds in creation (yes, including classical music, and believe me as I have quite a lot of them). That means that if you are accustomed to that kind of sound as you probably are by now, it won't trouble you.

In any case, actually opening a package, putting a physical disc into a slot and pressing PLAY feels so much better than listening to streams!

As for TLOS itself... I already knew the piece from said streams, but my first Cd listen has been actually better than I had expected. I don't know (nor care) how it compares to Pet Sounds and SMiLE... but the simple fact that it's COMPARABLE to them is an absolute miracle.

TLOS has "genius" stamped everywhere.

I am a 'younger' fan of Mr. Wilson and this album grows on me with every listen. To be honest, the first time I heard it I was put-off by it's near-terrible overly-produced sounds and the so-tight-it's-almost-corny musicianship (Phew that's a lot of hyphens). What made me want to listen to it more and more were the small things I didn't pick up on the first, second, or even third time I had listen to it. The harmonies are incredible, as they should be, and the songs are so lighthearted that it reminded me of what it was like to listen to music that actually makes me happy (I am not a fan of my generations need to create bleak music). Artists nowadays are too busy trying to find that new sound or make something so pretentious that they fail to create that seemingly simple quality that all good music should have: the ability to make it's listeners feel something (other than detached or put-off). No he isn't the same singer that he used to be, but when I listen to songs like Good Kind of Love or Forever My Surfer Girl, I just feel happy. The songs are so well written and Wilson has that ability to make you believe in every note and harmony he writes. He can also operate on the opposite side of the spectrum as shown in his song Midnights Another Day, where you can feel his isolation to the point that you just want to reach out to him. It is reminiscent of his genius work Surf's Up (my all time favorite song). This is an incredible narrative that seamlessly brings you from track to track with Brian as your guide. As if he is some psychedelic ghost of California past, showing you bits of his life growing up and coming of age. The best way to enjoy this album is to let go of any sort of expectations (Brian will always suffer from a sort of Salinger syndrome) and let go of that insecurity that our generation seems to have with 'happy' music and just enjoy yourself. I recommend this album for every Brian Wilson fan or anyone who never truly got into him yet. He is one of the few true musical Geniuses of the 60's and I hope that musicians today take notice and learn something from the master.

"That Lucky Old Sun" is a wonderful return to form for Brian Wilson. Aside from "Brian Wilson Presents Smile", it is the finest achievement of his solo career so far. The songs, the lyrics, the production, his voice, the vocal and instrumental performances from his band, the overall feel of the album are all first-rate. For some reason, reviews in the media have been mixed, with some reviewers loving this record and others being disappointed. If you've ever enjoyed the music of the Beach Boys or any of Brian's solo work, you will enjoy this record. Just give it a few listens -- a first impression may not reveal everything that's going on here. Repeated listening will be well-rewarded. Even the spoken interludes are enjoyable and enhance the experience. This is truly a Brian Wilson record and for that I am extremely grateful.

well i have just listened to That Lucky Old Sun and all i can say is WOW! The songs are marvelous and the flow of the album is superb. Brian has captured his vision of Southern California in beautiful fashion. i feel as if Brian died and went to heaven, only to come back to tell us of his miraculous visit.
i just recently visited Los Angelos for the first time , perhaps that experience has helped me identify with this album. yes i saw first hand the grime of the city but i also saw the magic. brian only sees the magic and wonder of this fine city.
i have read some negative reviews on the album. brian does not have the voice of his early beach boy days, but his voice still sound fine. his harmonys and music overlays are vintage- maybe even better. the backup singers far out do any i've heard today.
like elvis i did not grow to appreciate either he or the beach boys until my later years. in my 50's now i have gone back to older catalogs to re-appreciate the music i shunned as a boy. this album is not the beach boys totally so don't think it is. however, the sheer genius of brian wilson is ever present. i only hope this is a timepiece record as i'm gonna be selfish and hope brian has more left in the tank