Search - Brian Wilson :: That Lucky Old Sun

We are all lucky to be able experience new and fresh music f

George Dionne | Cape Cod, MA | 09/03/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Good

The legendary Beach Boys songwriter is back after the success of his comeback (and long-lost) album Smile. Wilson continues his flair for conceptual albums with his 2008 release That Lucky Old Sun. "Morning Beat" is an upbeat track that praises life in Los Angeles and how lucky it is to be in the middle of it. "Good Kind of Love" evokes a lot of the peace, love, and harmony that late 60s and early 70s music put forth. "Surfer Girl" seems a little out of place today, but captures the classic Beach Boys sound perfectly. "California Role" has a new wave feel as it tells the story of trying to find out your place in the vast fish bowl that is California. "Midnight's Another Day" is a piano heavy ballad in which Wilson pours out his heart and soul. "Going Home" has a great rock edge to it.



The Bad

Nothing notable



The Verdict

I thought Smile was a one-shot deal for Wilson, but he's surprised me that he still has more music in him. There's no doubt that the songs that make up That Lucky Old Sun were taken right out of the pages of Brian Wilson's life. Wilson delivers ten short tales of his life on the West Coast set to some of the catchiest, emotional, and fun musical backgrounds. Even the narratives that connect one story to the next are interesting. Wilson has another masterpiece on his hands with That Lucky Old Sun, and we are all lucky to be able experience new and fresh music from a musical legend."

Surprisingly Awesome!

Padre Pete | Alexandria, VA | 09/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I LOVE this, but it was not always so....the day this came out I listened to it a few times on my online music service and thought..."okay, but not worth buying" and am not sure if I listened to it again the following 11 months... Then with my online movie service I received the dvd version of this including the "making of" documentary, and that made me go back and listen to the cd...not just as music with words, but as the songs...carefully and as I took in the whole piece I could not help but be captivated at it's materful artistry.

I cannot say enough about this, and kick myself for not falling in love with it sooner. I was very critical of "Brian Wilson's 'Smile'" (and I still believe that is nothing more than him taking back and making money off of the bootleg versions floating out there as opposed to the "definative vision" which even he said does not exists), but "That Lucky Old Sun" is his first, in years, attempt at making a cd, and not only nice songs but Pet Sounds-like stringing them together to make a complete work. I highly recommend this!"

A Brian Wilson Classic...

Alexander | Va, USA | 01/07/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD with very little hope it would be a knockout. I listened to the song samples and wasn't too impressed, but I bought it anyways hoping that listening to the album in its entirety would change my mind.



I put the album on my surround sound and just listened...



The first song, 'That Lucky Old Sun', reminded me of 'Prayer/Gee' from BW's 'SMiLE' album...a very subtle but powerful harmony kicks off the CD...



'Morning Beat' is the first real song on the CD. It is an upbeat song about a morning in LA. It isn't the best song on the album, but it adds to the fun of the entire CD.



The narratives that are placed throughout the album are great. I found them to be a little odd at first, but they really set the scene (which is, of course, LA). 'Room with a View' and 'Venice Beach' are my favorite narratives from the album; full of wonderful imagery describing the Southern California life.



'Good Kind Of Love' is my favorite upbeat song on the whole CD. The instrumentals in the second chorus are amazing. This song shows the genius of BW involving instrumentals and harmonies. The lyrics are great...it is a very moving love song.



'Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl' is a song reminiscent of 'surfer girl'. It is not as fun or touching as 'surfer girl' but in its own merit really adds a Beach Boys sound to the album.



'Mexican Girl' is another of my favorites. It reminds me of the song 'South American' from BW's 'Imagination' album. Again, the instrumentals are great. The lyrics are fun...it is all around a great song.



'Midnight's Another Day' is my favorite song on the album. The chorus' are amazing. The lyrics are some of the most touching I have heard from BW. I don't know if he wrote the song, but he is amazing at singing it.



'Southern California' closes out the album. It is a subtly beautiful ballad that really sounds like a Beach Boys song. The lyrics are amazing and the harmonies are in classic Brian Wilson form.



In the end, I loved this CD. As with most Brian Wilson solo albums, the audio quality is excellent. The instrumentals and harmonies are top notch. Even on the cloudiest/rainiest day this CD will make you think of the sunny and warm California beaches. With imagery laden narratives, touching ballads, and fun/upbeat songs, this album should be in every BW/Beach Boys fan collection.



5/5"