Sunday, April 17, 2005

BRIAN WILSON - "ADULT CHILD"

I'll be gone for week, so I made a whole album available here:

Brian Wilson "Adult Child"

Brian Wilson had been removed from the Beach Boys after 1966's "Pet Sounds" album due to his mental problems, but he never stopped writing and recording music. This unreleased album was recorded in 1976/1977.

It's a thrilling, if bewildering work. Wilson appears to be a complete innocent, as the album title would suggest, and says exactly what is on his mind, relating to the listener the most important things in his life without a trace of show-biz affection, as in the jaw-dropping opening lines to "H.E.L.P. Is On The Way," a song named after his favorite health-food store. But then he'll offer lush orchestral versions of oldies like "On Broadway," and "Deep Purple," a funky version of a folk song ("Shortnin' Bread") and Beach Boy Mike Love will join him to sing the creepy "Hey Little Tomboy." However, the concluding song, "Still I Dream Of It," a gorgeous ballad that did see eventual release, shows a skilled tunesmith completely in control of his songwriting facilities, even if his mental ones were questionable.

Although "Smile," the album that was meant to be the follow-up to "Pet Sounds," did eventually get a re-recording and release in 2004, "Adult Child," as well as another Wilson solo album "Sweet Insanity," remain unreleased. Capital Records no doubt considers them to be too eccentric for the mass market. There's no sign they'll be coming out soon. Still, I dream of it...

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Killer...I've got this sucker somewhere, but better to drag it kicking and screaming to my desktop now...just in case. Any Brian is good Brian..saw the guy at Walt Disney Center, will catch him on his swing back at Hollywood Bowl (Sept 2005) - Be true to yer school - KB

Anonymous said...

Darn! I only got two tracks downloaded, and they shut your site down for bandwidth exceeding...
Cheers,

-dana

Eric Aussudre said...

A primitive genius, that's what he is ! Thank you for giving us that long-sought album !

Brian said...

Just saw yer blog.

Not sure it's accurate to state that Wilson was "removed" from the BBs ... perhaps more accurate to state that he removed himself (the fateful aircraft flight on which he had a breakdown).

I remain of the view that Wilson is the epitomy of a tragic tale. Both (very talented) brothers now dead. Ongoing feuding with his now irrelevent and buffoonish cousin, Mike Love. Fluctuating tensions with the very talented remaining BBs (Jardine and Johnston). Possibly the most gifted musician of his time - but nonetheless just doesn't seem to have "nailed" any recent work (an "unfulfilled promise" theme). Smile was good (parts were incredible - other parts were forgettable), but there lingered the promise of more ...

Give me more of Wilson and Van Dyke Parks ("Orange Crate Art" was close to promise-fulfilling). McCartney loves the guy - imagine a truly cooperative album from the two of them (albeit that the album "Gettin' in Over my Head" was absolutely horrid - notwithstanding the involvement of McCartney and others)!

Thanks for remembering and posting on the guy - a real talent. I hope his true talent manifests itself before it's too late ...

Anonymous said...

The cigarette butt when you throw it in the water, goes pfffft

Anonymous said...

could you please re upload it??? PLEASE!!!!

Mr Fab said...

Hi anon, looks like you can get it here:
http://albumsthatneverwere.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-beach-boys-adultchild.html
and a better quality copy than mine, at that.