Gettin' In Over My Head versus Smile

[Legs]

It's good to see Brian Wilson recording again. Releasing a new solo album, his first in about 6 years, and finishing and releasing the Smile album. Which one do you prefer.

While Gettin' In Over My Head doesn't contain a classing song like the beautiful "Love and Mercy" or "My Imagination" another favourite song of mine, it's a consistant and enjoyable album. I don't there is a bad song on it, at least there isn't a song that I don't like, which was my problem with the other two albums. "Love and Mercy" is beautful but apart from that song, not much else I liked, here I just like everything.

Smile might be more dificult to get into, so far all I can think is, is this an overblown and overrated project or what. But that's is just my first thought.

[Legs]

I might be a bit to hars with my initial reaction on Smile, I'll have to listen to it more. "Child is Father of the Man"/ "Surf's Up" is at least great.

[matt5]

what is up with the rumours of him and macca working together?

[Legs]

What rumours? There aren't any, Paul plays on a song on "Getttin'In Over My Head", which is called "A Friend Like You". Which is a wonderful song btw, not to sweet at all, just simply a wonderful song. He doesn't chew any vegatables on Smile btw.

As it is now I think I prefer "Gettin' In Over My Head". The reason I am mot into "Smile" (yet), is that I feel like I am listening mostly to sound effects, and that there are like 3 complete songs on it "Heroes and Villains" "Surf's Up" and "Good Vibrations" which are all briliant btw. But with the others I think, this song is great it gets cut short and another strange sound effect comes in, and the song itself remains unfinished.

This isn't a critism towards Brian, but towards me for not understanding the album. For still having "Good Vibrations" as a favourite song from the album, while that is one of the songs we already knew and Brian gave us so much more.
I am sorry but I have "Good Vibrations" on repeat, and sometimes I go back and listen to "Child Is Father Of Man"/ "Surf's Up" and "Heroes and Villains".

But the whole album should be played from beginning to end, and no doubt lots of fans will find this fantastic, and the best ever.

[Zep Fan]

SMiLE

[jtal909]

Smile really is best absorbed listening to the entire production at once. The production sound is brilliant, I think better than his solo albums, and Heroes and Villians is outstanding.
I commute an hour each way to and from work and listen to Smile at least once a week on the way home (it's 47 minutes).

Out of the solo albums, I like them all but Gettin In Over My Head would rank 3rd. I'm not crazy about the collaborations especially the Elton John song and even the Clapton song. The McCartney song is the best of the 3 but the pure Brian Wilson songs are the best.

Imagination has good songs and sound quality like Smile and might be the best of the 3 with the self titled Brian Wilson close on the strength of Love And Mercy. As a group I think the self titled Brian Wilson has the best songs but Imagination has a better sound.

[Legs]

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Out of the solo albums, I like them all but Gettin In Over My Head would rank 3rd.

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I don't know, I agree with you on the sound of Imagination and "Love and Mercy" is a masterpiece, one if not the best solo song of Brian. But "Gettin' In Over My Head" is a album I like as a whole. The one I don't really care for is the duet with Elton John. Elton John just doesn't fit in the song, it makes it sound like a bad 80's Elton John record, but the parts where Brian sings sounds like a good Beach Boys record.

[jtal909]

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Legs Posted:
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Out of the solo albums, I like them all but Gettin In Over My Head would rank 3rd.

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I don't know, I agree with you on the sound of Imagination and "Love and Mercy" is a masterpiece, one if not the best solo song of Brian. But "Gettin' In Over My Head" is a album I like as a whole. The one I don't really care for is the duet with Elton John. Elton John just doesn't fit in the song, it makes it sound like a bad 80's Elton John record, but the parts where Brian sings sounds like a good Beach Boys record.

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Good description of the Elton John song.

I listened to Smile in it's entirety today on the drive home.
As a whole it's simply amazing musically.
Some of Van Dyke Parks lyrics don't do it for me, though .

[jtal909]

The last few days, while driving, I listened to the 3 solo records in their entirety, since I haven't heard Gettin' In Over My Head in a while.
I agree it is an excellent record/cd and even in the Elton John song, the Brian parts are on a quality with his best work, which is pretty much everything. Desert Drive is a modern day Beach Boys song and I'd bet Mike Love salivated over that one.
Imagination has the richer production sound and I wish the others were produced the same way.

All 3 are most excellent, the songs are outstanding and I'm surprised they weren't huge hits.

I guess Brian just wasn't made for these times. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif