Even though his voice is deeper and huskier, the vocals (and the music) shine like the morning sun on Brian Wilson’s new album. It makes me feel good just like the Good Vibrations of the Beach Boys in the sixties.
‘That Lucky Old Sun’ just sounds like the Brian Wilson we all know and love. Some songs take me back to the ‘Pet Sounds’ album, like “Forever She’ll Be My Surfer Girl.” “Good Kind of Love” was inspired by Carol King, another awesome songwriter. And what a great muse to have, too.
The soaring harmonies and amazing instrumentation are still there, thanks to a great band…
Jeff Foskett (who also toured with the Beach Boys as a sideman, among many other projects)
Darian Sahanaja (who formed the L.A. pop group The Wondermints with Nick Walusko. Members Probyn Gregory and Mike D’Amico joined later for live performances)
Scott Bennett (who’s worked with Liz Phair and the Flaming Lips)
Probyn Gregory (a veteran of the Brian Wilson Band, he’s also performed/recorded with Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, and Billy Joel)
Nicky Walusko (another veteran of Brian’s touring band and also a former member of The Wondermints)
Taylor Mills (who recorded on Wilson’s SMiLE project, and also performed with Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Neil Young)
Paul Mertens (who also performed on SMiLE and toured with Wilson, and has performed/recorded with Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, and Elton John, and is currently a member of Poi Dog Pondering)
Nelson Bragg (who’s worked with Farmhouse and Brian Maes, and also a member of The Wondermints)
Mike D’Amico (currently Brian’s drummer and has performed with Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Elton John and Heart)
Todd Sucherman (the drummer for STYX for the past twelve years, he’s also recorded and performed with Peter Cetera, Spinal Tap, John Wetton and Tommy Shaw)
Brett Simons (bassist, producer, composer and songwriter who has recently worked with Peter Himmelman and Michael Brook)
The Stockholm Strings ‘n Horns orchestral ensemble also performed and recorded on That Lucky Old Sun, as well as Wilson’s SMiLE project. They also performed with Arthur Lee and Love during the Forever Changes tour.
Brian Wilson’s ‘That Lucky Old Sun’ is available on various media; audio CD, vinyl LP, and a limited edition CD/DVD package…Release Date September 2nd, 2008.
CD/DVD (Limited Edition)
Product description from amazon.com:
A musical love letter from Southern California, That Lucky Old Sun continues the awe-inspiring concept album journey that Brian Wilson first began with The Beach Boys’ 1966 classic, Pet Sounds & has continued to evolve during his solo career, highlighted by his 2004 critically-acclaimed Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE. The four transitional narratives, co-written with Van Dyke Parks and spoken by Wilson, offer cameos on life and the heartbeat of Los Angeles which propels the album’s musical story.
Limited Edition CD/DVD features exclusive “making of” with bonus video content.
(DVD total run time: 26:00)Bonus DVD includes:
Chapter 1: Making Of The Album 19:14
Includes interviews and behind the scenes footage
Chapter 2: Live Performances From Capitol Studio A
Good Kind Of Love 3:22
Forever She’ll Be My Surfer Girl 2:54
ON TV:
Sept. 2nd: VH1 Classic and VH1Classic.com will exclusively premiere Brian Wilson’s new music video for “Going Home.” VH1 Classic will also premiere a new 30-minute program titled “Brian Wilson: That Lucky Old Sun,” which shows Brian Wilson at work and in performance with his band at Capitol Studios and explores Wilson’s creative inspirations and the development of That Lucky Old Sun (8pm ET/5pm PT).
Sept. 3rd: Brian Wilson and his band perform a song from That Lucky Old Sun on NBC’s “Tonight Show with Jay Leno”
