★★★★★
There's a reason why the light-spirited mood conjured up by That Lucky Old Sun will bring Brian Wilson's legendary Smile project to mind; he's once again teamed up with lyricist Van Dyke Parks (current Wilson bandmate Scott Bennett also shares lyricist duties). And the results are telling. In contrast to 2004?s lackluster Gettin' In Over My Head (Wilson last new studio album), on this outing Wilson sounds fully engaged as he delivers what's essentially a love letter to California, while...
- www.americansongwriter.com
2013-04-25
★★★★★
Now here's one for the obsessives: while most Beach Boys documentaries focus on their hit-packed, stripe-shirted glory days, here we have an examination of Brian Wilson's music during a period of personal struggle and declining commercial fortunes. Wilson's contributions to Beach Boys albums were scarce in the early 70s, which has given the well-chosen cast of talking heads here the chance to examine individual songs closely...
- recordcollectormag.com
2013-04-02
★★★★★
To some, the idea of Brian Wilson recording an album of songs from Disney movies--on Disney's own label, no less--might be too corny to contemplate. Making a children's record is a clichéd aging-pop-star move, not the kind of thing a bona fide musical genius would do. Except that Wilson has a longstanding infatuation with Walt Disney, whom he's fêted in song before. And Wilson's In The Key Of Disney isn't a completely faithful set of covers...
- www.avclub.com
2011-11-03
★★★★★
Deny the sheer emotive glory of Disney"s finest musical moments all you like, but you"re only lying to yourself. Even errant genius Brian Wilson knows that it"s not the devil who has all the best tunes, but cartoons. Try not to grin inanely as the banjo-led big band play "The Bare Necessities", sob to Wilson"s lounge lizard harmonies on "When You Wish Upon A Star" or find lions sexy during his restrained "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?"...
- www.nme.com
2011-10-27
★★★★★
Have the Beach Boys, or any of the group's illustrious splinters, and Disney really never worked together before...
- www.slantmagazine.com
2011-10-27
★★★★★
If the 1988 solo debut Brian Wilson had been a full-band effort with brother Carl on vocals,it would've been the best Beach Boys album since the '60s. Heck,let's call it that anyway. A Lindsey Buckingham-produced B-sideis best among the 13 bonus tracks; more superfluous are somedemos seemingly included to disprove the rumor that Brian Wilson'svocals were pieced together by producers.
- ew.com
2011-03-03
★★★★★
In the more than a decade since Wilson's career rose majestically from the ashes of a deep catatonic funk, he's been helped along in his journey by various musicians whose clear reverence for the sounds of the good old days has been matched pound for pound by their ability to reproduce it. Unlike many of his contemporaries working the retro circuit, Wilson didn't try to perfect what was already so perfect...
- www.popmatters.com
2011-01-20
★★★★★
In what appears to be a match made in melodic heaven, Brian Wilson takes on a collection of songs written by one of his key formative influences, George & Ira Gershwin. Refreshingly, rather than a series of overly reverential Great American Songbook-style readings, Brian and his band have given the material a subtly Wilsonian makeover. Fans of both will be especially intrigued by two songs worked up from previously unheard Gershwin snippets...
- www.recordcollectormag.com
2010-12-21
★★★★★
In 1967, 24-year old Beach Boy mastermind Brian Wilson, hot off the now-classic release of "Pet Sounds" had composed his "teenage symphony to God" known as the "Smile" album. However, its release turned into a nightmare consumed with label pressure, nervous breakdowns, drugs and personal demons, which would consume Wilson for decades...
- www.soundspike.com
2010-12-20
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