Brian Wilson - That Lucky Old Sun
Brian Wilson is easily one of my favorite artists of all time. There was a period of about six months in college where all I listened to was the Beach Boys and all I read were books on the making of Pet Sounds and the techniques of 60s pop producers. It became a bit obsessive. It made sense to my friends that were spread out across the States. I was the California kid, the surfer. I even rocked that flock of seagulls/abomination haircut in high school with the sun bleached tips (actual sun used) and often had a wetsuit rash wrapping around my neck (which always got pawned off as some casual hickie). My obsession just seemed an obvious a way for me to strengthen the knot that binds me to my California heritage.
Knowing that Brian Wilson’s London-commissioned opus, That Lucky Old Sun, was a nostalgia tripping, 60s pop hat-tipping, celebration of the Southern California lifestyle made me wonder if this new record could go head to head with the religious inducing worship that I had experienced under the influence of Smile. In short, even on its tiptoes, That Lucky Old Sun is a heaven’s leap from measuring up eye to eye with Smile. But that doesn’t exclude That Lucky Old Sun from being an eager attempt, which often succeeds, at trying to respark that musical wonder and merriment that was omnipresent throughout Wilson’s greater work. Some of the songs (”Forever My Surfer Girl”, “Live Let Live”) have the ability to almost sample some of Wilson’s early masterpieces, the most noticeable being the focal point of “Surfer Girl” and the prechorus swell of “Let Him Run Wild”. Fortunately, this isn’t an annoyance as Wilson has always seemed able to rehash old chord arrangments and melodies into something fresh enough to listen to anew. Just make a medley of “Surfer Girl”, “In My Room”, and “Warmth of the Sun” and try to imagine them being remnants of the same song. Fairly easy, huh?
Its also easy for any Beach Boys fan to find something to fall in love with on this new record. Where Smile seemed to alienate the inpatient listener or those not well versed in early Beach Boys’ mythology, That Lucky Old Sun is a more easily accessible entrance into the brilliance of Wilson’s twilight years.
[stream] Brian Wilson - Midnight’s Another Day
Also, check out Brian Wilson’s performance for the Sundance channel’s Live From Abbey Road series.
Tags: Brian Wilson
