Reviews (page 2 of 7)
4.5 - Really loved listening to this
River Song
Increíble. El único disco como solista lanzado por Dennis Wilson, y me pareció una absoluta obra maestra. 33 tracks que me hicieron repensar mucho de cómo estaba repartido el talento entre los Beach Boys. Todos son geniales, claro, pero Dennis fue una verdadera revelación.
Most of this is amazing, setting the template for post-prog electro-tinged 80s rock. A little bit of it sucks, but let's not talk about that.
I thought it was brilliant. 5 stars for me. It was lush and cosy but still varied and interesting. I'll come back to this a lot
I am almost halfway through listening to every entry in 1001 Albums To Listen To Before You Die and while it is an absolute slog, moments like loading up a Beach Boys solo album and finding out that actually heroin was only the second biggest influence on Spiritualized’s whole deal make it worth it. Five stars.
This is a phenomenal album. It reminded me of Dion a bit. Pretty much the entire second side of the album consists of ballads. This album is deeply reflective and it’s a shame Wilson didn’t make another one.
Beautiful album - that I had never heard before. Great stuff.
Love the album art. Twinkly piano, harmonies. Chill and happy. 70s pop. Some songs sound like Peter Gabriel. Some really interesting songs. Very vibey. Very chill California. I want to put this on in Malibu, sitting on a terrasse, watching the sunset over the Pacific, nice drink in hand. A Beach Boy and I prefer this solo record. Sounds like Eric Clapton. Sadly passed 6 years later at 39. Beautiful instrumentals. Bluesy.
Second favourite B Boy. This gets better every listen. Not every track is a winner but the winners win by miles.
This blew me away. Listened to it twice. His voice reminds me of Roger Waters. It’s trippy and airy and dirty and dreamy and gnarly all at the same time.
Took a look at this and thought "HOW long??" - but actually it worked really well as a whole experience. The Dark Beach Boys continues to be one of the main new discoveries from albumfest. Really well-structured, a rewarding listen
Really great— who’s the better Wilson?
Really nice album. I didn’t realize he had a solo album. Kind of has a Harry Nilsson vibe.
Wilson’s vocals are fantastic and the instrumentals only match them. It’s such a varied album that has a lot of different yet interesting sounds. He deserves to plaster his name on the album cover.
Loved every bit.
Desconocía las turbulebtas vida y obra de este genio detrás de los beach boys. Grata sorpresa.
Good smooth rock n roll
Really good 70s vibe
This album is nuts. Each song is 10x better than the last, and there's a LOT of great songs here. The intro to "Friday Nights" alone would have made me give 5 stars, but then "Thoughts of You" blew the previous song out of the sky, and so on and so on with this album. "Farewell My Friend" stuck with me, I wonder if it's about a pet because it sounds like a dog was barking through a walkie talkie at the bottom of the ocean
I'm very glad to have been shown this album. Solid melodies voice and instrumentation
River Song is truly a monstrous joy bomb. This is just a great album. And I only discovered it in my early 30s I think, despite growing up reading music papers and magazines all the time. So I can only infer this went criminally under-mentioned in the 90s. Mojo probably rescued a lot of albums from this crime. The brass in Dreamer is fabulous. Look it's just all great. Even the weaker tracks maintain the hot and hazy mood. Goes a bit Peter Gabriel on Thoughts of You but it's still great. Time is gorgeous, and sad. Before it explodes into brilliance. Farewell My Friend, sigh. Rainbows just another example. Would really stand out in another album but here it's surrounded by so much beauty. Other standouts from the extra tracks and the unfinished Bambu - Album Tag Song, Tug of Love, 2nd half of Its not too late, and Love Remember Me. School Girl is a banger and lyrically wrong as fuck.
Oh, so this was super cool to be introduced to! Why did I not know about this album before now???
A thousand albums and what seems like a thousand years ago, we heard The Beach Boys' Surf's Up. Pacific Ocean Blue is similar in tone and style and also likewise makes me angry that I've lived so much of my life without it. It's gorgeous.
It's just very good music. I don't even know how to name it. Everything is at its place. Every part sounds great. One of the hidden pearls from the list.
Such a rich and pleasant surprise
Love this album, one of my favorites.
This album was really great and the horn production creates a super out-there soundscape that's unique and especially so for the time this came out but more importantly this album gets a bunch of bonus points for making me find out about Dennis Wilson's connection to charles manson and his murders that shit is crazy
5/5. A healthy mix of blues rock and upbeat pop. Every song stood out as unique and what a change of vocals from the Beach Boys. The instrumentation was beautiful, soulful with horns and choruses. Feels like I am drifting out on the ocean, heading to shore, but comfortable if I did end up passing away. There is not really a faulty song on here, beautiful and calming despite the dark undertone, just like life. Best Song: River Song, Dreamer, Pacific Ocean Blue
A surprising treat. The songs on this album feel transcendental, all at once joyful and melancholy which depicts the time and space in which they were written.
Dennis Wilson: An utterly unique album that's touching in a way only a Beach Boy is capable of. From the jump, we are WAY more in rock land than any beach boys album has been. Echoes of the Stones, more bluesy, more obviously big rock storyteller energy. But the first track certainly makes you feel like that's going to be the abiding energy of the album... it is not! There's so much more beneath the surface... waves of obvious angst, grief, loneliness. The kind you quickly pick up on after a few spins of a Brian Wilson record. My radar's going off, in a big way, Some of these songs have an unbelievable sense of emotion and hurt. I feel like Dennis is more in touch with that side of him than on any Beach Boys record I've heard... it's more raw, more honest in some ways. Amidst this texture of Haleakalā blues, the real pet sounds, in a way that only a Beach Boy could do. It's an intimate and deeply personal version. It's got less of the childlike, and wide-eyed naïveté of Brian Wilson, it's more mature, but no less... hurt. He's spilling his heart out in a way only he can do. I love it, but I also want to cry. 5/5
It was a incredible album, I loved it! 5 Stars!
so i just went down such a good little rabbit role from his wikipedia and it is all so interesting, but i think even more than that, the most interesting thing is that i love the beach boys and without realising who he was, thought ‘oh this reminds me a bit of the beach boys’ on the first couple songs, but overall, it’s just a really good album in my opinion. so is the unreleased one. i really really like his vibe, i would give it a 4 but there’s actually two albums in one technically, and i really like both of them, so, it’s gonna have to be a 5.
I didn't know much about Dennis Wilson before today. Especially if you compare it next to how much I knew about, say, Brian Wilson or even stupid Mike Love, it's pretty much nothing. Hell, the only thing I really DID know about Dennis is that he was the only true surfer in The Beach Boys and that, ironically, he'd drown in 1983. That's always been the framework I've viewed this album through, then: that it was the only solo project he released while he was alive. And going in, I felt that was kind of unfair to Dennis. Like, come on, this album should mean more to me than what its relation to the fact that he passed tragically young. I mean, hell, in my mind it always feels to me like they happened closer together than six years apart like they really did. I should be trying to see what this album provides on its own, seperated from all that. However, that turned out to be a lot more difficult than I'd thought. There's just so many moments in there that remind me of it. "Moonlight", in how it sounds to me, evokes that kind of "lost someone you love" melancholy, even if the lyrics probably have nothing to do with that. Though, speaking of lyrics, "Thoughts Of You" hit me especially hard with the part that goes "All things that live one day must die, you know." On my first liste that was the only lyric I picked up, and, gawd, I felt like it could have destroyed me if I were in a worse place. That's not even to mention "Farewell My Friend", which I found out was played at Dennis's funeral. And I tell you, learning more about Dennis and his life surrounding this album's recording certainly didn't make anything better. Knowing all that context just makes this a very sad album to me. It was never meant to be that, but looking back on it nearly 50 years later and considering all of that context... Hell, even Brian Wilson has said at point that he hasn't listened to it because there's too many sad memories for him relating to it. But then, that's still one reason why this album touched me so much. As much as I hate to admit it, it's because the album ends up being so sad that pushes it over for me from just being really good late 70's rock n' soul. It can even make me look past that one farty instrument on "Dreamer", though that break it has in there probably could've done it, too. Don't get me wrong here. If you're a big, BIG fan of The Beach Boys, and post-SMiLE Beach Boys especially, this might not do it for you. Luckily for me, I dig that stuff a lot, even if I don't necessairly think this album comes as close to SMiLE as that comparison implies. I just wish he'd had the chance to do more; see BAMBU through to completion, at least. But for what he's done here, as "End Of Show" fades surrounded by applause, for the people who know, he's really made something that'll last forever. And besides, it's better to view this album like I just did than through his relation to Charles Mansion. Wouldn't even make sense; Charley there didn't even have anything to do with this album!
The least known of the Wilson brothers (and first to leave us sadly) gives us a solo record for the ages. It's clear that there was an insane amount of talent there. Glad we got at least this one testament to Dennis' artistry as a standalone songwriter.
Didn't even know that Brian Wilson had brothers that were in the beach boys. This album was an absolutely dreamy surprise. I wouldn't say that any of the writing struck me as particularly top-notch (through 3 listens). But the orchestration/arrangement/feel for each song is all so different and perfectly walks the line between complexity and instant grokkability. At any given moment in each track it feels like there are 5 or 6 different things you can focus on. I love the layering in Time that happens after the trumpet solo when the keyboard (or perhaps prepared piano??) comes in. Great album!!
One of my favorites I’ve listened to yet. Hoping to grab this one on vinyl!
What a lush, tightly produced album. Just imagine what Dennis might have accomplished had he lived.
Beautiful melodies and incredible production that the Beach Boys were known for from Pet Sounds.
Rough vocals from rough living, a Beach Boy with real substance (abuse issues). Wow, what a story Dennis had. The middle child and focus of his father's wrath, living in the shadows of his brothers as the 'untalented' Wilson he was reduced to play basic beats on the drums, but then he makes this incredible album. Pacific Ocean Blue embodies everything that the Beach Boys weren't raw, open, experimental and real. It would be nice to believe that the creation and release of Pacific Ocean Blue gave Dennis redemption and freedom, but then maybe it wouldn't play the same or be as poignant.
I don't know what instrument is playing at the beginning of DREAMER, but it is amazing. Between that instrument and the song THOUGHTS OF YOU this record is earning a permanent place on my shelf. It is albums like this that make spending 4 years listening through a book well worth it.
Isso é som tchê
i am a huge beach boys fan, so of course, i was pleased to give this one a listen again, as it had been a while. pacific ocean blue is, in my opinion, one of the pinnacles of the beach boys, and is the climax of dennis wilson's rise to, undoubtedly, the best songwriter in the group. and what's more, it doesn't sound like a beach boys record, it sounds like its own thing, which is something I don't think any of the other beach boys really accomplished on their own. overall, i really love this album.
Omg I love this. Not what I expected and I got quite emotional times. A lovely 5 star surprise
Hidden gem. Like if the Beach Boys put out a cooler album.
Oh I know Brian was MAD
A wonderful mix of genres and styles, tied together by a silky smooth voice and a consistent sort of vague 'feel' - which is hard to quantify! Much more interesting and textured than most of his band's early saccharine pop efforts, while (obviously) not to the height of their best stuff. A tragic tale too, which doesn't hurt the mythos of the album. I had only heard a couple of songs before, but now struggle to pick a favourite track.
This was a great surprise. Incredible arrangements and production value. 1hr 50 is too long for me though.
This was a such a good album with a very chill, and sometimes somber and introspective, atmosphere. Dennis Wilson paints an intimate picture of love, loss, and gratitude with an expertly crafted and performed set of songs. I feel like this album influenced a lot of different musicians. If you don’t know anything about Dennis, please read up on him. He was an interesting character who led an interesting life.
Not only is it an amazing record song-wise, but I'm absolutely astounded by the clarity of the recording and mix here. It just SOUNDS excellent, before you even get to the equally excellent songs themselves.
LP
Brilliant album
so after all these years where we were led to believe brian was the musical genius in the beach boys and he wasn't even as good as his brother on drums. didn't know anything about him so read up a bit; was done over by charles manson and his cult, met some of them and then before you know it they've squatted in his house he's ended up moving out and they've sold all of his belongings. did the famous recordings of charles mansons music and when asked for the recordings as part of the investigation he said he'd destroyed them because in the most california surf dude way possible - "the vibrations connected with them didn't belong on this earth"
This is the perfect example why I'm doing this. This is a masterpiece, however I've never heard about it. Background story of Dennis Wilson is also interesting (and sad).
Spectacular album. Wilson's vocals combined with great arrangements and production make this a 5/5 for me. I cannot believe I had never heard of this record.
Lang album maar wel goed! Veel verschillende stijlen door elkaar. Wel een legendary vibe.
Классный альбом! Неожиданно. Он звучит как прог-рок, но при этом на прог-рок 80-ых не сильно похож. А где-то даже напомнил Дэвида Боуи и Криса Риа.
that was a lot better than I was expecting the diversity here was honestly crazy, several times listening to this, I thought this was a compilation of different artists songs but apparently these all came from one guy super beautiful album, crazy to think he’s one of the beach boys, this is a 10/10
NICE
This blew me away, then I read the back story and wiki
Classic
Brilliant Album.
Haunting and beautiful in conveying the depths of Dennis Wilson's talents. The drummer moves to the forefront and the results are huge!
I discovered this album about five years ago and I fell in love with it instantly. Dennis Wilson was a man in the midst of self-destruction in the wake of his abusive upbringing and the excesses of fame as a member of the Beach Boys. He was not known as a sensitive man, but for his drunken escapades which eventually culminated in his death by drowning. His voice was rapidly deteriorating which can be heard here and in subsequent live performances of this material. Here, Wilson is concerned with environmental devastation and love. In 'River Song' the opening track, he confronts the claustrophobia and smog of LA, opting instead to champion a cleaner, more natural environment. In the title track, 'Pacific Ocean Blue,' penned alongside cousin and bandmate Mike Love, Wilson laments the destruction of ocean wildlife. This is an album very close to my heart both for its lyrical and musical value, but also because it gives us an insight into the enigmatic and broken person that was Dennis Wilson.
Great.
Been meaning to listen to this for years. Definitely the soulful Beach Boy. Really liking this
Damn, this is good stuff
Brilliant, peaceful and polished.
a
A masterpiece. You never regret going back to this one!
For some reason I had over-looked this album - probably because I'm not too much of a Beach Boys fan beyond their hits - but I found "Pacific Ocean Blue" to be a well written, arranged, produced and performed album. The tracks are sequenced nicely. It's quality discreetly crept up on me - more for how I felt after listening to the whole album rather than possessing a clutch of stand-out 5 star songs that wowed me. I suspect that this album would grow on me even more with repeated plays. Four stars. Side one 1 "River Song" (4/5) 2 "What's Wrong" (3/5) 3 "Moonshine" (3/5) 4 "Friday Night" (4/5) 5 "Dreamer" (4/5) 6 "Thoughts of You" (4/5) Side two 1 "Time" (4/5) 2 "You and I" (3/5) 3 "Pacific Ocean Blues" (4/5) 4 "Farewell My Friend" (4/5) 5 "Rainbows" (3/5) 6 "End of the Show" (4/5) Total - 44 Average - 3.7 372/1001 198/372 albums reviewed were new to me.
This album is a treasure! It has some Beach Boys elements, a wide variety of other influences, a healthy dose of melancholy, and a gritty weariness. I really liked it.
I'm not familiar with this album, and I don't think I recognize any of these tracks by title. This is my first time listening to this album. I was anticipating something more like the Beach Boys, and this was unexpected and pleasant.
Who would say that one of the beach boys would sing so softly. Amazing listen and very haunting especially knowing his tragic death…
Loved what I heard, but couldn't get through the whole 2 hours. As another commenter said, it was experimental in all the right ways. The melodies were unique, or took clear inspiration from mainstream songs and made it their own, and the blending and weaving of genres was done seamlessly. Loved his work on the Beach Boys, and this -- though different in sound -- was also loved.
Wow, it wasn't what I was expecting at all given the cover, but this is fantastic! It's so eclectic and the songwriting is quite good, even the soft piano ballads were songs I fell for. I'm not mad that this is Dennis Wilson's only album. It's short, sweet, and it has everything that a fan of the Beach Boys would want. I'm behind on my reviews. I gotta keep this short.
first time hearing this, very decent! found it enjoyable and quite fresh
Lovely album and unmistakably a Wilson brother. Reminiscent of the softer moments of the BB but with a twist. Really enjoyed it
Opens up extremely strong with River Song, which I thought was fantastic. After that, it's pretty solid. Thoughts Of You, Farewell My Friend, and End Of The Show are probably the ones I enjoyed most, but River Song is easily the standout here. Worth listening for sure.
Æ vet ikke om det e juks eller ikke å bare høre på den opprinnelige sporlengden, så sjøl om æ likte det æ hørte e æ også ganske glad for at æ ikke treng å lytte på to timer med det, men bare en drøy halvtime. Fin lengde, fint album, veldig av sin tid, men no shade no shame på akkurat det.
Rating: ★★★★ Some nice songs here, surprised I'd never heard of this album. Really liked Pacific Ocean Blues, Dreamer, and Thoughts of You. Thoughts of You kind of reminded me of an early Coldplay song, which I am a big fan of. Overall solid. There were a couple points on the album where I found myself waiting to get to the next one, one example being Time. The wikipedia article on Dennis Wilson is interesting, but I don't really take any of that into my rating of the album.
Favorite track(s): River Song, Dreamer, Thoughts of You, You and I, Rainbows Pleasantly surprised by how good this ended up being. Shouldn't have doubted a Beach Boy that isn't Mike Love.
A mixed bag. Very Beach Boysesque which is to be expected. The highs are super high though
All the feteing of Brian and this boy was forgotten and slept upon. Pretty good stuff - and I think he contributed a lot to the happy trails one, also good, mostly sans brian. Tragic life, and maybe he deserved it re: manson shits? Still a soulful ass album and sad.
Gin-soaked ode the the Pacific Ocean and west-coast underbelly of feelings. The darker opus of the brighter Wilson brother. I had a friend from LA way back and this was one he always loved. It’s a good spin despite it getting a little heavy with vamped production.
There exists, on this album, one absolutely astonishingly beautiful song - Farewell My Friend. It's surrounded by a sea of quite nice songs that don't really shift the emotional dial in much of a way. But still, it was good to find a gem like that! Also, nice to get caught up on some Beach Boys lore, you can see the through line really clearly.
A decent effort and certainly up there with some of the beach boys output
wow this was so lovely and great. some of the intros sound a lot like some Beatles melodies. What a time for music! It is always sad re-reading of the ultimate demises of the Wilson brothers.
I very much enjoyed this. There's quite a lot of different shades and tones running through it. You can hear a little bit of the Beach Boys in here, but mostly it's quite expansive in terms of the sound. I like the variety of instruments, the explosions in brass, and the kind of dreamy, ethereal sections with great use of synths. 3.5 rounded up.
Can't quite place my finger on why, but I liked this album. I've always felt a bit sympathetic toward Dennis Wilson for spending the a lot of his career Brian's shadow. Even his brother Carl Wilson was widely seen as more musically gifted than Dennis. And of course, who could forget Mike Love (that egomaniac doesn't want you to forget him, either). All of this on top of his tragic ending, there's a lot to feel sorry about with Dennis. But given all of his imperfections, this album is a really solid piece of work. There's hints of the 70's Beach Boys in here and some fun tunes.
The coolest Beach Boy for my money. He was the only one who could actually surf and he lowkey sucked at drums but damn, he had some soul and that was something I think most of the Beach Boys lacked, especially when they were just getting started. If only he wouldn't have picked up those Manson girls.... I'm glad Pacific Ocean Blue made the list. The title track and Dreamer are both heaters
First half I wasn't really a fan, but the back half really picked up and won me over.
A really pleasant surprise
I don't know what would move this to a 5, but I'm teetering on a full 5. He swung for the fences with every song and by golly did he nail it.
What an interesting album. The first few songs really threw me off - it moved across genres quickly.
Review - this should be getting a lot more popular these days - it's a certified yacht rock classic, but with a gruffer voice which makes it stand out. Score - 7.5/10 Need to listen? YES
This is sad. But sad in a good way. It's a melancholic album by the late Beach Boys drummer. In some bits it sounds like Nilsson, and other bits sounds like a mature and depressing Beach Boys album. This is beautiful.
Better than most of the Beach Boys output
When to listen: Driving down the PCH. I enjoyed the first 3/4 of this album a lot but it kind of faltered at the end. Cool influenced and cool sound. I love the Beach Boys too so this all tracks.
Prefer to beach boys. Max came over for dinner last night. Francisco
more strong evidence you should be listening to your drummer, cos honestly this blows the Beach Boys out the water 7 / 10 Best track/s: The Dreamer, River Song, Time
Very pleasant surprise considering I'm not a beach boys fan. Looking him up, kinda skeezed out that he married his cousin's daughter. Then a bit better that it was unknowing that it was his cousin. Then back down when it turns out the cousin was fellow beach boy, Mike Love. Then worse when I saw he's a Trump supporter. But, the album is good though! Loved "Time"
A rich California guy on the downside of his career trying to convince us that the party songs here aren’t sad while the sad songs sound like hitting rock bottom. It’s really beautiful in its way and a must for anyone whose appreciation for the BB goes beyond the songs.
Très mauvais début. Pour autant, des Dreamers / Thoughts of You ça part dans une direction complètement différente. Intéressant. Fin du 1er CD. Franchement cool, ça innove ça sonne pas tout le temps si vieux. Non c’est cool
Friday Night was a treat! Fantastic song. The entire album is great but that’s to be expected from Brian Wilson. The album is way too long, otherwise it’s solid.
First listen seemed like a solid but not brilliant 70s album, but got into it more the second time round. Never reaches the heights the Beach Boys did, but there a few tracks that stand the test of time. Revised 3 stars up to 4.
Very cool album which I wouldn't have come across before. Cool mix of classic rock and blues, with brilliant production throughout as you'd expect from a Beach Boy. My favourite song by a distance is Time - the moment the horns hit and the song pivots hits different. But also really loved Dreamer and Rainbows. 8/10
Great mix of wall of sound loveliness and sleazy funk. Definitely saving this one to listen to more
Have never heard this Dennis Wilson record before. It started off and it seemed like so-so Beach Boys stuff but after the fourth track Friday Night I really began to get into it. It's best when it's a bit more pounding but the piano led tracks sounded better once I had tuned into the rather laid-back vibe. It's probably a 7 out of 10 for me but I want to go back and listen to this again to see if some of the less immediate songs work on repeated listens so I'll round up to a 4.
A very pleasant listen. Just nice and pleasant. Unfortunately ‘nice and pleasant’ can never ever get 5 stars. Too pleasant.
“river song” and “pacific ocean blues” are perfect
i enjoyed this album. its very good. but i did not like the banjo.
What a way to open a record! But a double album, really? A&R needs talking to.
Surprised not to find this on "Yacht or Nyacht" to be honest, definitely felt like it would fit in that genre. The opening track is a delight, with echoes of the Beach Boys harmonies, with other gems sprinkled throughout. Didn't quite sustain it over the full 16 tracks, but another one in the "genuinely delighted to have it brought to my attention" pile
# Album Name: Pacific Ocean Blue # Artist: Dennis Wilson # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Honestly, id hate to be the brother of the beach boys. I mean how can you compete with that. Nice vocals. Good album. Took a few listens but you can tell the potential is there. # Top Tunes: River song / friday night / dreamer / time / U and I / tug of love # Would I listen to it again? Yes
I have never heard this album before but really enjoyed it! Exactly why I am doing this project. To find hidden gems like this.
Quite rich sound wise he definitely had the nice tools
Pretty cozy and nice.
That was really pretty, groovy and happy all at the same time, wouldn’t expect less from a Beach Boy. My standouts gotta be River Song, Thoughts of You and You and I.
85
Ah, Dennis. What a sad story. I think the early 70s Beach Boys records (especially Sunflower) and this record might be the last bastion of beauty and hope in the story of the Beach Boys, even if things went pretty sour not too long after this. A really great record.
Didn't realize this was Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys. This album was way better than I anticipated. Most of my favorite bands are very Beach Boy's heavy on influence (Animal Collective mainly Panda Bear, MMJ, Grizzly Bear) and I always thought that was Brian's influence. I get way more Panda Bear & Animal Collective from Dennis Wilson actually. He covers a ton of sonic ground and had some very interesting sounds.
Really surprised by this, had no idea he had a solo album, it was quite different than I expected! A solid 4 star album here that I might re-rate and come back to
This was a pleasant surprise. It reminded me of 70s Elton John. Bluesy and funky at times. "Thoughts of You" gets dark and trippy and is probably my favorite track on the album. Better than anything The Beach Boys have put out since "Good Vibrations". 4 stars
A nice listen on a sunny day, but didn’t revolutionise anything,
7/10 The highs here are very good (Moonshine, Dreamer and Only with You) but a lot of these songs didn't interest me all that much.
I really loved this. I've got a general thing for gruff voices, and so adding in the sensibilities of the Beach Boys meant this was always going to be a winner. Never been a huge fan of the Beach Boys' solo work, apparently, except for this one.
I really enjoyed this. Wilson's vocals seemed deliberately buried in the mix, pretty much trhoughout the record, but the compositions and arrangments and offbeat compostions work — and the production is of its time yet executed to excellent effect.
Interesting album, more creative vitality than I expected, with some really interesting arrangements and instrumental bits. Better than it needed to be tbh. I’m gonna have to give this another listen.
I didn't want like this--am not a huge Beach Boys fan, although they're growing on me as i get older--but this contains some true gems. Funkier than expected, nice arrangements including horn sections. Worth listening to on repeat for a while.
Weirder, darker, and noisier than I was expecting. At some turns it sounds like an Elton John song is playing, other times he’s giving vocal performance that reminds me of Springsteen, sometimes there are Pink Floyd-y freakouts, other moments you can hear the Beach Boys in there. I don’t mean to compare this much, but a lot of what I heard reminded me of something else. That’s not to say there’s nothing special about it. The use of vocal effects is interesting and I appreciate the use of horns, particularly the trumpet on “Time”. I thought I was getting a throwaway solo album and got something actually unique.
Prekvapko! Celkem dobry
Some really good stuff on here. This is one of the few albums I have come across here that I feel belongs in this list that I was not already familiar with. Too bad he didn’t put out more solo work.
First time listen I liked this quite a bit, expected some kind of folksy type music going off of the rugged handsome man on the cover but this had a bit more of a pop sound than I expected. Didn't clock this was the guy in the Beach Boys initially, definitely wouldn't have picked up on it based on his sound alone. Wild Wikipedia read too Favorite Tracks: Time, River Song Least Fav: Rainbows 4/5
Im giving this a 4 because i was in a rush and I stopped for moments and thought 'ooh this is pretty good!'
Surprised not to have heard of this before.
We enjoyed this a lot - a pleasant surprise. Made a good soundtrack for an early morning drive into work.
Even an album by just one member of the Beach Boys can be great. It's a shame that "Pacific Ocean Blue" is Wilson's only album before his death. I know that "Bambu" exists, but it's not a finished album. It's hard to believe that "Pacific Ocean Blue" is almost 50 years old. Most songs on the album could be single material. 4 stars for "Pacific Ocean Blue".
Sehr solides Album. Ganz unerwartet, von einem Beach Boy. Mit Pink-Floyd-Vibe.
After 69 love songs this was a very welcome album. Nice layered harmonies, funky instrumentation and chill songs. At parts it sounded like the beach boys/Brian Wilson on other parts it was very reminiscent of Gerry Rafferty. Overall a nice album
Some of the comments offered by others are quite frankly, silly. Too long you say, focus on just the original album. Better than his brother Brian, that's not silly, that's just stupid. On it's own, this was a really strong effort by Dennis, and for me, while I am very familiar with some of the individual songs he did that ended up on Beach Boy albums, this was both a surprise and a real treat.
Very different album. Seems fairly experimental almost as though he got out of a contract and could now do some of the weird projects he had stored up. Some good songs, some not as good, but overall an interesting listen throughout.
Completely different to the album I was expecting. Very good.
Really impressed with the arrangements on this one. Lyrically not super special, and Dennis Wilson's voice was kinda shot by 77 it seems. But its a gorgeous album from an instrumental and sonic POV. I love the strings and keys and brass and harmonies all over it, just sounds fantastic and I instantly wanted to hear it again.
A pretty good album, I liked Rivwr Song and Time the most.
a wistful, nostalgic, occasionally funky sound that has this blurry and sad character. somehow I want to give the guy who made this a big hug
the lone solo studio album from this cofounder of the beach boys, and it does not disappoint. fantastic album.
The sole solo album by former Beach Boys member Dennis Wilson is a great pop-rock album, it's melodic, intricate and original with lovely production. I also like that it doesn't overstay its welcome. It's really sad what happened to him a few years later. He also looked so sad on that cover picture. RIP Dennis.
Not what I was expecting at all. Based on his background and history I was expecting a lot more intricate melodies and harmonies but this was often a much more straightforward rock album with blues and funk inspiration. That said, it seemed to blend a number of inspirations and had some really nice songwriting in and found it was a strong album from start to finish. Ended up listening to the extended edition which didn’t add much to it, but when treating the original album as ending on ‘end of the show’ it’s a really nice closer.
I really dug a few songs here. He never did get out from the shadow of his brother, but he was talented in his own right. Worth a listen
I was absolutely shocked by how good this album I'd never heard of was; would definitely pick it up if I ever found it in the crates. Also, all the Manson Family stuff is absolutely wild - "OK, uh, you can have my house. I'm just gonna go now."
𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘖𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦 feels like the great unexpected triumph in the extended Beach Boys universe. Dennis Wilson’s rough, soulful voice and his surprisingly intimate songwriting give the album a depth that none of the other solo Beach Boys projects quite reach. The arrangements are warm, weathered, and quietly ambitious — full of pianos, horns, and that sense of California melancholy he carried so naturally. It’s easy to see why this record is often called the best Beach Boys solo effort: it has heart, character, and a lived-in sincerity that lingers long after it ends.
Some will consider this album to be the last great Beach Boys-related project (barring Brian Wilson's official release of "SMiLE" in 2004), and as much I hate saying it, they might be right. Reminds me of the wacky stuff Brian was doing on "The Beach Boys Love You" around this time, but with much more accessible songwriting. Instead, the songs Dennis creates are closer to blues rockers and singer-songwriter balladry, with the occasional addition of horns, strings, and peculiar synth presets. If you're a fan of his contributions to an album like "Sunflower" ("Forever," "Slip On Through," etc.), this project will show itself to be a beautiful, uplifting continuation of the forgotten Wilson's musical style. Standout Tracks: River Song, Thoughts of You, Time, Pacific Ocean Blues, Rainbows Score: A-
I actually really liked how different this was from Beach Boy projects - his choice of instrumentals and rough voice were something I enjoyed.
For my tastes, far more interesting than anything the Beach Boys put out. I get it that the individual songs were better, but as an album/an artist, this was far and away better suited to my tastes. The Beach Boys stuff is banal. And starting with Mike Love, they were just horrid individuals. This I will definitely listen to many more times before oblivion. 4 off-key stars.
It's so good but way too many songs
Ok… this is a long ass album. First impressions, it’s aight. There’s a good groove to it and I like the piano. The horns add to the production and the vocals, well, aren’t really my thing, but fit the style of music nicely. Moonshine is a lovely sounding song. It just has a really nice vibe to it. I could fall asleep to this song in a good way, but ain’t a good thing right now because I’m jet lagged as hell trying to get some work done. Moving on, Friday Night continues on with the cool vibes. The musicianship on this album is honestly awesome so far! Each song flows into the next nicely. The piano in Thoughts of You is beautiful. I’m finding a lot of the songs are very melancholic. I don’t mind this, it’s just the album is 2h long and while it’s very musically interesting, it’s not holding my attention in the way I’d like it to. Tug of Love gave me alien vibes and Holy Man - instrumental was a really cool instrumental track. I really enjoyed the guitars. Mexico — all I can say is those horns were gorgeous. Right back into the groove with Under the Moonlight! I think the layout of that was perfect. I loved Common. I think I’m liking all the instrumental tracks haha! They’re just so good. I also liked Constant Companion! I thought it was a fun track. All Alone was a lovely closer and really summed up this album. The vocals were actually enjoyable in this song and everything came together. Overall, I think I have to give this album 4/5 ⭐️. I was so prepared to not enjoy it going in, mostly because of the fact it’s a double album and I didn’t know if I could listen fnaf closely for that long. It didn’t end up being a factor. The music is amazing and while I don’t love the vocals, there is so much to get behind here. I see why it was on the list! I’m not going to do favourites for this one as I feel this album was more an experience rather than single tracks. 7/1089
Suprised me this one. Was expecting a country album from the (cool looking) front cover but was pleasantly surprised it was a classic 70s rock album. Nothing stuck in my head after I listened but I would deffo listen again. This is what this project is about for me.
It’s tough to put into words how listening to Dennis Wilson’s one and only solo album made me feel. It really captures a certain version of 1970s L.A., even if that version was pretty messy and fueled by excess, much like Dennis himself before his tragic early death. Like the rest of The Beach Boys, he had a real knack for layering vocals and harmonies, and that skill shines throughout the record. There’s also this hazy, lonely, late-night vibe running through the whole thing that makes it feel intimate and a little haunting. It’s a shame his wild lifestyle kept him from making more solo albums, but I’m glad we at least got this one.
I had only ever really heard of Brian Wilson. I started listening and was curious how something of this obscure (to me) had this production value. Then a little digging and.. oh he’s a beach boy. The bio didn’t stop there and I tried not to let it taint the rest of the album for me. He has some brilliant moments here. There are pandering moments as well, but all told this is a surprise good album.
This is far better than I first expected! A Beach Boy with the annoying elements removed and replaced with something more interesting, deeper, and varied. I honestly don't think there's a bad minute on this thing. Really great instrumentation throughout. While not insanely varied, there are some solid players doing interesting things. His voice is fine. I like the raspy bits that some folks complain about. It lends depth and emotion. Absolutely worth a listen for everyone. (Especially if you dislike the Beach Boys. Give this a shot!) I'd give t a 4.6 if I could (This list should be 1-10 for better granular ratings!) But because it's not life-changing or musically influential, I have to go with the 4.
This was a long one, but enjoyed most that is on it
Caveat: I only listened to the original track listing, like I usually do for these albums that have gigantic anniversary editions full of extras. I think I expected something different here, certainly more beach boys-y, but I was surprised that this is a “regular” 70s pop/rock/jazz album. The high points for me are “River song” and “Dreamer” which are really great fusion jazz tracks with great vocals and instrumentation. Dreamer in particular has a great breathy (on purpose?) saxophone low end where the person playing it lets the reed slip. I can’t tell if it’s intentional but I really like it. There are a ton of great genre mixing elements in this and as one would expect there are quite a few multi vocal track harmonies which are great. This sounds like a mix of all the great 70s style pop albums with a tinge of the less commercial stuff that would become commercial in the 80s. I liked this more than I thought I would.
Ok, Dennis, maybe chill a little bit. Almost two hours of songs? But then I realized that I was listening to the 30th anniversary edition, the one withnthe sessions for the follow up album that never came to be. both are actually quite good. this is a good finding
Really dense, rich album with rock, funk, and piano driven ballads. I love the instrumentations and richness
Pretty fun background music
Despite being a fan of the Beach Boys I wasn't looking forward to this one. I guess I thought Brian Wilson was the sole creative force, and any other solo album would be a Beach Boys-lite cash grab. However, this album really surprised me - it was enjoyable from start to finish.
**Pacific Ocean Blue – Dennis Wilson (1977)** An in-depth review of the only solo album by the Beach Boys’ drummer—raw, oceanic, and haunted. --- ### 🎧 **Music & Production** - **Sound palette**: analog keys (Fender Rhodes, Mellotron), tuba, harmonica, ARP synths, massed gospel choirs, sleigh bells, sax/trumpet, and Dennis’s own sand-papered voice—often double-tracked or soaked in slap-back echo. - **Arrangement style**: baroque pop meets swampy L.A. funk. Songs pivot mid-track—"Dreamer" drops its boogie for a bell-laden “let the wind carry your blues away” dream-sequence; "Time" implodes into a Smile-style horn maelstrom . - **Studio craft**: co-producer Gregg Jakobsen (who worked with the Stones and Leon Russell) lets every instrument breathe; drums are dry, horns are crisp, reverb is oceanic rather than surf-pop bright. The mix is dense yet never muddy—headphones reveal hidden vocal layers, Moog bubbles, distant seagull-like screams . --- ### ✍️ **Lyrics & Themes** Dennis’s writing is almost anti-poetic: short, repetitive lines, heavy use of the word *love*, and a child-like directness that makes the confessions hit harder. | Song snippet | Core theme | |--------------|------------| | *“It breaks my heart to see the city”* – “River Song” | Ecological lament; California Eden paved over . | | *“I’ve never seen the light that people talk about”* – “You and I” | Spiritual numbness; self-loathing of an addict who doesn’t believe in redemption . | | *“Cuddle up to me / keep warm”* – “Cuddle Up” | Cry for intimacy; the tenderness is desperate, not seductive . | | *“It’s no wonder the Pacific Ocean is blue”* – title track | Eco-guilt plus personal melancholy; the sea is blue because it’s bruised . | Recurring motifs: water vs. concrete, homes that can’t be reached, friendships already gone, nights that will not end. The album is a slow walk through the wreckage of the California dream, told by the one Beach Boy who actually surfed. --- ### 🌊 **Influence & Legacy** - **Immediate**: ignored on release, but Prince, Spiritualized’s Jason Pierce, and The Flaming Lips have name-checked it; “You and I” is covered by My Morning Jacket & Wilco members live. - **Sonic seeds**: the cracked falsetto + synth-bell coda of “Dreamer” pre-dates 80s Kate Bush and 90s Mercury Rev; the eco-gospel of “River Song” anticipates Green-era R.E.M. . - **Mythic status**: Dennis’s 1983 drowning turned the Pacific he sang about into a tomb, making every environmental line feel prophetic—impossible to separate art from death . --- ### ✅ **Pros** 1. **Emotional immediacy** – no art-school filter; every chorus sounds like last call at a seaside bar. 2. **Arrangement ambition** – sudden key changes, tuba bass lines, reverse-reverb vocals; a one-man *Smile* made on bourbon and grief . 3. **Genre breadth** – swamp-funk, gospel, piano hymn, yacht-rock ballad, eco-blues—yet hangs together via Dennis’s ravaged voice. 4. **Production warmth** – tape-saturated, pre-digital; you feel the room size, the wood of the piano, the stick-shred on the snare. 5. **Historical uniqueness** – still the only solo album by a Beach Boy that feels like a fully realized personal statement rather than a side project. --- ### ❌ **Cons** 1. **Lyric naïveté** – heavy reliance on “love,” “blues,” “home”; few couplets reward close textual analysis . 2. **Vocal limitations** – the gravel is expressive, but pitch wobbles; some listeners hear “off-key” where others hear “raw.” 3. **Pacing lull** – mid-album ballad cluster (“Time,” “You and I,” “Farewell My Friend”) can feel samey if you’re not in a reflective mood. 4. **Over-long deluxe issue** – 2008 reissue adds 21 *Bambu* out-takes; the original 12-track LP is the focused masterpiece, the rest is archival homework . 5. **Darkness without relief** – almost every song is in a minor key or turns melancholy; no “Surfin’ U.S.A.”-style escape hatch—can feel oppressive on sunny days. --- ### 🏁 **Verdict** *Pacific Ocean Blue* is the sound of a man trading surfboards for shipwrecks. Its flaws—half-written lyrics, frayed voice—are inseparable from its power: you witness Dennis Wilson patching together last-ditch beauty before the tide takes him. Few records capture addiction, ecological grief, and romantic ache in such an aurally gorgeous way. Dive in, but keep a life-jacket handy.
I’ve heard about this for a while and thanks to the list now I’ve heard it. And it’s really good! Very similar to 70s Beach Boys, just missing the rest of the Boys.
This was a very surprising listen. Lots of variety in sound and genre throughout. It’s probably pretty hard to disassociate from his Beach Bros. given how popular they were, but he does a really good job of it with this ambitious effort. And of course, there’s that whole Charles Manson association that is nothing short of bizarre.
Yall know that movie Forgettinf Sarah Marshall? I feel like the Dracula opera took a lot of inspiration from this. Like River Song has a very similar feel on the beginning. This album seemed all over the place but for some reason the breadth of styles worked for me. A very nice surprise. 3.5 but rounding up for giving Dennis some due. RIP
I can only dream of having a beard and hair like Dennis Wilson. Album is quite solid, too. Rounding up based on it being unknown to me. Def needs more recognition. 3.5/5
3.6 I am digging the Wilson Bros albums during their batshit crazy period. Has some pet Sounds styling but not as adventurous as Brian's Smile.
Takes forever to finish, but that’s doable on the saturday morning. Very fresh material with intersting compositions!
Really loved the sound and variation of this album(s).. I also wish I could grow my hair and beard out like the cover art because I identify with the sadness in his eyes.
Damn sweet Like funky with the beach boys noys
Es muy bueno. Instrumentación y coros. Cohetente
cast away
I will not include the bonus tracks or second disc of the 30th anniversary edition for this review. After listening to all the listed Beach Boys albums and Brian Wilson's Smile, it was about time I got the other notable solo release from a Beach Boys member. Brian's brother Dennis Wilson was the drummer for the Beach Boys, gaining prominence as a singer-songwriter for the group towards the end of the 1960s. In fact, it got to the point where Dennis began working on his own solo project, and after a few years, it came together in the form of Pacific Ocean Blue. Now I will start by stating that Dennis had worked on his baritone voice to offer a more deeply soulful delivery, and I think it suited him well. He certainly put in the range alongside the variety of compositions, from the bombastic opening of "River Song" and "What's Wrong" into more delicate ballads like "Moonshine" and "Thoughts of You". I'd say on the whole, the session personnel did a superb job matching Dennis's performative strengths, particularly with some decent guitar playing from his brother and fellow Beach Boys member Carl Wilson. Not to mention the solid production and orchestral swell on tracks like "Time," which offer such a crisp slowburn. Yet, I can't help but recognize that this was Dennis's solo debut, and as such, still has some trouble finding its footing. His lyrics, which delved into the rock star lifestyle and heartbreak, were presented from a genuine place. But the content was repetitive at times as the momentum of the record slowed down in the second half. Also, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I wasn't a fan of the swampy dirge of cuts like "Dreamer" and the title track, especially the former, with the phat bass harmonica pushed to the front of the mix that got pretty grating on my ears. Still, I overall appreciated Pacific Ocean Blue, showcasing Dennis's talent separate from the Beach Boys. Unfortunately, Dennis would be hampered by alcohol abuse to the point where it cost him his life from drowning after drinking all day. I can only imagine what could have been had he sobered up and refined his songcraft.
This was very good. I liked every song on this but my god it was long and at times a bit of a slog to get through, even with how much I liked it. Definitely one to put in and vibe out.
This was a nice surprise. I knew Dennis Wilson released some solo material before he died, but I didn’t realize how good it was. I expected to see Brian Wilson involved with its making when I looked at the credits, but apparently he wasn’t involved and Dennis’ talent gets a chance to shine. River Song kind of floored me. This is one I need to come back to and could see developing into a 5 star for me.
Nice
This was great. I enjoyed the richness and diversity in the song set and the quality of production.
Enchanting, diverse, and strange, it does sound like an album worthy of a Beach Boy; some of the magic has followed the trail here
This album is a great vibe. Like a wave that pulls you without you noticing. A great experience
Momentami klawisze są wręcz rażące, a maniera śpiewania męcząca, ale ogólnie bardzo przyjemny, leśny, lekko psychodeliczny, bardzo melodyjny album, który słucha się jak ścieżkę dźwiękową jakiegoś alternatywnego filmu. 6.5/10 równane w górę.
nichht ganz gehört, aber finds gut bisher
Overall: 8/10 Oh Dennis, I didn't know you had it in you. This is a fantastic collection of rock songs and pretty ballads, with a little bit of funk in there as well! As a minor Beach Boys fan (I like maybe 4 of their albums in total), I never had much thought about Dennis. Seems he lived a very interesting but rough life. None of that really shows in this album though. It sounds like it was made by somebody optimistic and kind. Good stuff, Mr. Wilson. Fav Song: You and I
A great album an under appreciated member of The Beach Boys. It’s a shame we didn’t get more solo music before his death.
Really beautiful. I didn't know Dennis did anything solo, so this was a nice surprise to see, but then the quality exceeded my expectations. There's some fantastic songwriting and so much more of that Wilson arranging magic than I thought existed outside of a couple of beach boys records. 'Time' and 'end of the show' are both particularly beautiful, but the whole thing flows really nicely. The style feels quite ambitious and so it feels slightly strange that most of the songs are quite short. His voice is definitely not in it's best ever condition but I think it's handled beautifully in the context to be really effective. I'll be coming back here.
I remember when Ken Chutney found out Dennis Wilson couldn’t actually surf! It was during a Houmous & Chutney tour. Ken almost got eaten by a shark. Dennis just watched from the beach and cried! No help at all! To think he used that experience to write his most popular solo song 3.6 9/12 Pacific Ocean Blues
Not what I expected from a beach boy
I haven’t liked the Beach Boys, but this guy is a good songwriter. Several really catchy tunes in here.
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. It is very listenable. It provided a nice background while I did my thing.
Didn't finish, but I really liked what I did listen to. So breezy and easy!
I kinda fuck with his raw vocals as described. I kinda wish they came out more in the album Also 2 big artists from this list drowning so far? Weird
He may not be the same caliber of musician as his brother, but this was a damn good album
Legend.
Echt nette Songs, etwas Beach Boys aber dann doch nicht. Relativ abwechslungsreich unf funktioniert irgendwie für mich.
I didn't know who Dennis Wilson was when this album came up. As I listened I started to put together little bits of knowledge and then confirmed that yes, this is a Beach Boy, brother of Brian Wilson. Despite or maybe because of his troubled life, he made a pretty well put together album here. I like the idea of a troubled and weathered man, momentarily escaping or harnessing his past to put all of this energy into the album. Not sure if that's necessarily the truth, but it's how I imagined the album from the cover, tracks, and a bit of back story after the fact. With that in mind, I think it's no wonder the songs that seemed to strike me the most were the emotional songs; "Thoughts of you", "Time", and "Farewell my friend". I really enjoyed this one. Not quite a 5, but I would say it's closer than most 4's.
A delightful collection of soulful and melancholic tunes from one of the finest songwriters in The Beach Boys.
This one took me a few listens to truly warm up to it, but it somehow kept me coming back each time. The arrangements are honestly gorgeous and set a very uniquely melancholic mood -- one that reminds me a lot of Beck's Sea Change album we got earlier in the list (one that I also loved!) One special mention to Holy Man, which despite being a bonus track is one of the most beautiful instrumentals we've had on this list. Go listen to it if you stopped at End of the Show! Standouts: Friday Night • Dreamer • Time • Pacific Ocean Blues • Holy Man
The chorus work is quite nice. Overall quite decent! 4/5
I like this better than Beach Boys.
It doesn’t have the baroque pop feel that Brian Wilson mastered but it’s got soul. A lot of good tunes by a guy with excellent ear for harmony.
Não sabia muito bem o que esperar do disco, então foi uma surpresa agradável. Quando comecei o disco, achei que seria só mais um álbum de singer-songwriter típico, como qualquer outro dessa época, e que sua inclusão nessa lista foi mais pelo fato de Dennis Wilson ser um beach boy. Mas conforme fui progredindo pelas faixas percebi que estava enganado, e que havia aqui uma sensibilidade e uma palheta musical bem mais minuciosa do que eu achei em primeiro lugar. Este disco possui hoje um cult status, e eu até consigo ver o porquê. Mas nem toda faixa é sensacional e progressiva. Algumas das canções aqui são um tanto quanto esquecíveis, mas outras são verdadeiramente ótimas. Não é o disco mais consistente da lista, mas pra mim, o bom ultrapassa o mediano, e nada é ruim. Uma pena que Dennis Wilson não tenha lançado outro álbum além desse, seria interessante ver as suas próximas direções artísticas. Mas por ora, este é um ótimo álbum, e sua inclusão na lista faz todo sentido. 4/5
There's a lurching swagger running through this record that makes it feel almost impossibly cool. Probably cooler than it actually is, but you can already tell just from looking at the cover art that that sums Dennis up perfectly. When it's good, it's fantastic. The rich vocal harmonies (he was paying attention in all those Beach Boys recording sessions), the confident bursts of brass and Brian-esque piano chords, the brooding, breathy lead vocals and blues licks are all hugely enjoyable. Thoughts Of You has a bombastic, almost Pink Floyd-esque dynamic, shifting from vast instrumental walls of sound to a delicate piano backdrop for the ending refrain. For me, it doesn't quite maintain that throughout, though, and it feels a bit phoned-in in places. Reading around the background of this project and Dennis more generally is fascinating. He was clearly quite the character and a victim of the wild LA scene of the time, making some highly questionable choices of who he hung around with but seemingly a guy who was often at the heart of the party. He apparently proudly embodied the adage of 'live fast, die young' but I'm glad he at least had a shot at getting his own solo work out there before his tragic death. This is a great little album that I am glad to have discovered.
River Song is a masterpiece The rest: pretty meh. Some cool compositions, very beautiful and moving at times. Just couldn’t keep my attention or interest.
That version of Fever was anemic lol
Beach boys vibes but gets kinda weird. I liked it
Dennis was underrated. Great listen!
Fav: River Song Least Fav: Friday Night Surprising lack of Beach Boys vibes to it which I appreciate (makes it feel more unique), but most importantly some nice jazz in there. Solid 4/5 for me
8.30, työmatka, koss, qobuz on hyvä! ehkä paras tähänastisista
Amazing album. I didn’t know what to expect but his voice doesn’t sound like The Beach Boys at all. And I mean that in the best way. It’s very unique and gritty. The whole album is really well written and executed, big fan.
Epic and delicate at the same time. Beautiful.
Album 6/1001 Was really pleasantly surprised by this. I mainly just knew Dennis as Charles Manson's best mate (and tbh I think that will still be the case) but he was clearly quite the musician too. Could have seen him going on to have had a very successful solo career if he hadn't sadly lost his battle with addiction only a few years later. Favourite song: Rainbows 🌈 Honourable mention: Moonshine 🌙 River Song 🏞🎵 Pacific Ocean Blues 🌊 Time ⏳️
was not expecting to like this album that much, but it’s genuinely such a good time. definitely a few songs that could be cut, though i appreciate the try. didn’t know the beach boys lore went crazy like that though, so this album really took me on several different journeys and i am a changed person. in the end, i suppose that’s what an album is meant to do.
An easy listening album worth listening to. I was pleasantly surprised by the eclectic nature of these tracks. My Aunt Anna was his kindergarten teacher in Hawthorne, CA. She would be proud.
(4.5) i didn’t know what to expect from the album cover but i properly loved this one
I have been curious about this album, so I was glad to see this one appear on this list. I had no expectations and had no idea what was coming. Well, I loved most of these songs! In reading about the album, it sounds like Dennis Wilson’s voice was pretty well trashed by this point. It’s too bad, because with decent vocals, this would have been a 5 star album for me. And as much as I like these songs and album, it’s sad to think of how much potential and talent wasn’t realized by Dennis Wilson due to self-abuse. Still, I will save and listen to this one some more, despite my issues with the vocals.
Very wide range of sounds and genres.
Dit is de tweede solo plaat van één van de Beach Boys en de vorige was 'm niet. Dit is echt iets unieks, iets los staands, terwijl de soloplaat van Brian Wilson een kopie was van de stijl die de Beach Boys hadden. Cool 70s album dus! 'T was dus een beetje de George van de Beach Boys. 4.3
Very much not a Beach Boys sounding record. You actually get more Elton John vibes from the opening track River Song. Other songs I really liked were Dreamer, Time, You And I, and Pacific Ocean Blues. I probably land at a Low 4 here. Really cool listen on a summer day.
Well this was a supremely enjoyable listen. For the most part calm and spacious with a few more upbeat jams tucked in. Dennis Wilson's vocals and supporting harmonies are soothing to the soul, and the songs themselves are very enjoyable. I was happy to let this play out into the deluxe legacy edition b-sides. For me this comes in at a very high 4. River Song twinkles with piano similar to Tiny Dancer and melodies calling to his Beach Boy days. Really enjoy the ethereal vibes of Moonshine. Friday Night is similarly spacey, but has almost a ZZ-Top like twang about it. Absolutely love Dreamer. Pacific Ocean Blues plays like a mashup between Elvis Costello and ZZ Top and is far better than that combination has any right to suggest.
I liked that album way more than I thought I was going to. Just a really nice listen on a surprisingly chilly morning in August. Just some simple nice strings and piano which hit very nicely. The ending horns in Time were my favorite part. Lower 4 but still gets a good nod
Best Song: Pacific Ocean Blues This was ok, not bad but also not great. It is kind of reminds me of the sound that would be made if ZZ Top sang Beach Boys songs. I enjoyed it overall but don't see myself throwing it on often or picking it up on vinyl or anything. 4/5.
Really nice listen!
Didn't expect to like this going into it. Actually delighted by it. Who knew, more than one Wilson brother had the gift for emotive songwriting.
Lots of soul, beautiful arrangements
I really enjoyed the instrumentals at the end
A very nice album, I'll be playing it again. This was Dennis Wilson's only studio album, he makes up for the dearth here with a recording the length of three ordinary albums. And it's an eclectic mix of styles and genres even dipping into prog rock at times. A little bonkes but a decent album to review for a change....
In some ways I like this record much more than any Beach Boys one, but its too gosh darn long. Fave Tracks: Dreamer, Time, Common 3.7/5
Honestly pretty impressed. Loved the vibes and melodies and atmosphere with this album, good way to be a touch experimental for its time and lean into different genres while staying cohesive. Low 4 but will revisit
For some reason, I’m surprised at how much I enjoyed this. I don’t know what I expected but it wasn’t this. It’s definitely one I need to listen to again to really get under its skin - there seems to be a lot here to unpack. There’s a curious, awkward, inventiveness lurking under its surface - it really feels like it’s holding something back. This is an album I’d like to get to know.
Very good. A bit long.
River Song // Moonshine // Time //
I was blown away by this album and it's honesty, technical ability, variety, everything
This is rated highly by fans and critics. And it’s great. It shows all three Wilson’s were prodigious talents.
Parlant de long album, 2h c’est toujours chaud, par contre celui-là s’écoute très bien en petites périodes d’écoutes, dût aux moult changements de styles exploré a travers les chansons. Sa feel très Pet Sound à plusieurs instances, ce que je suis jamais contre, ça reste le frère de Brian après tout.
Favorites: River Song, Dreamer, Thoughts of You Dennis Wilson, perhaps my favorite Beach Boys member (though it is hard to pit any of them against Brian), has a fantastic solo record that I feel is completely overlooked when discussing the amount of influence The Beach Boys have had over music as a whole. This record is lovely, full of some of the most lush and beautiful songs you'll ever hear. I highly recommend this one!
Sometimes, I wish Dennis Wilson wasn't just remembered as the Beach Boy who hung out with Charlie Manson. I didn't really enter this album with the highest expectations but it actually sounds really nice and soothing record. Dennis was sort of the Beach Boy who didn't really sing at all but this record really showed the untapped genius that was in that band. Even though it is easy to not stand out when someone like Brian Wilson is not only in that band but also your brother too. He is sort of like how George Harrison was with the Beatles except he wasn't as overshadowed as he was. But I really liked this record and would actually listen to it again. This record just feels like you're on a boat on the coast of California in the summer watching a beautiful sunset with your love next to you. Overall, while not as impressive as Pet Sounds or even Smile, it is a very underrated album and would absolutely listen to it again if I ever get a chance. RIP Dennis, Carl, and Brian Wilson; they were true geniuses of rock and roll. Favorite Tracks: River Song, Dreamer, Thoughts of You, You and I, Farewell My Friend Rating: 3.5/5
Interesting rock and roll project, very different from the beach boys work and not really comparable. Didn't grab my interest the whole time, it felt quite long the first time, but not on the second listen. Some songs were very catchy. Not my thing usually but it was a solid 7.5/10
Just a touch away from perfection.
I really liked the variety in this album.
Wow, I wish The Beach Boys took a note from their former member & sounded more like this in the late 70s.
I like to read the Spotify bios and he definitely has an interesting one that added to the experience. I would say most of the songs were good but nothing special, but I loved "Time", especially the intensity near the end. "Under The Moonlight" also had some good riffs. "Are You Real" got me bobbing my head. My personal scale 1 - would not listen to again 2 - if some one played it, I'd probably just zone it out 3 - didn't hate it, didn't love it 4 - saved some songs from the album 5 - would buy the album or already own it
Album had a nice flow. I enjoyed how it made me feel. There were several nice and unexpected moments. I was inspired to listen to it again immediately after finishing it.
A beautiful album. Full of some really surprising pop all the way to somber and melodic pieces. A real shame there aren't any more, but you can absolutely see the influences of other singer songwriters of the time on the work. Some hints of Leonard Cohen, touches of Henry Nilsson. Just a real pleasure to listen to.
4 stars. Definitely expected to not care for this, as The Beach Boys haven’t aged great in my taste. Just my personal opinion. But this was interesting, and had some good melodies.
This was very enjoyably melancholic, and I liked Dennis's slightly ravaged voice. A pretty solid four.
Give me this over the beach boys any day. There's some crazy good songs on this album, well written and performed. Really enjoy the vocal style.
sad. innit
Dark beach music. Good stuff. Need to spend more time with it.
Great album, I especially liked the mellower, melancholic songs on this one
Very nice! I'm happy to get a chance to listen to this one, it's been on my list for a while.
Pacific Ocean Blue is an album that I carried with me for at least 10 years now. I found this record for 1$ and listened to it every year since. It's beautifully melancholic and spiritual. It feels like having an existential crisis while looking at a very blue and wavy sea. Dennis Wilson really did a tour de force here.
Another Beach Boys timely dominate performance by an overshadowed brother finding his own tune.
How have I never heard anything from this album? It's a bit uneven thematically, but it's a really good listen.
affecting. simple lyrics trying to express big ideas, beautiful instrumentation.
Everything i love about 70's music
Epic and emotional, with a real sense of weight behind it. You can feel the haunted history in every note
Fantastic album and production. Would consider revising to 5 star in time
great
4/5
Moody but bright, perhaps reflective of the musician. Or the location and time?
More like 2002 albums, amirite? Because of all of the double albums. This one is ok as a double, there enough variety to almost sustain it but there's still a lot of filler that drags things down. The good stuff is really good stuff tho. Just weird enough to be interesting, just pop enough to be catchy.
Looking at this on Spotify, I saw it was almost 2 hours. I then realized the second disc was just sessions. I am not going to really review it here, but it WAS very demo-y. As for the album ITSELF, I was quite surprised. I was expecting something a bit more like the Beach Boys, and instead is has a very 70s classic rock vibe. Dennis Wilson's vocals can get a little muppet-y at times, but otherwise there are some pretty good tunes on this. One of the songs I liked was "Dreamer", which was very funky. I was a little bothered that when the horns came in and the whole band was starting to rock out, the song faded out. The album really reminded me, for some reason, of Harry Nillsson, although Nillsson was a bit more 70s pop and this is more of a 70s rock album. I would probably give this a 3.5, which does round up, so 4 it is. Top tracks: "Dreamer," "Pacific Ocean Blues," "River Song", "You And I", "Rainbows"
Didn't know what to expect based on a) the cover showing a sad and very 70s looking guy and b) learning that he was the founding drummer of the Beach Boys and brother of Brian and Carl Wilson, and he drowned in 1983. Ok, figuring I'm going to hear some variation of the Beach Boys, who I'm not really a huge fan of (I appreciate them, but never really got into them). Well, I ended up really liking this album. VERY different from the Beach Boys. A lot of the songs have a dark edge, no Beach Boys harmonies (although the chorus singing in River Song is outstanding). Many songs sounded like they were going to be Yacht Rock and then opened up into genuinely rocking tunes. The lyrics are so-so, but the underlying sadness comes through. Wilson's singing is so-so, but authentic. A very good album, and a nice discovery on the 1001. Favorite tracks: I liked pretty much all of them (and also enjoyed the tracks from the unreleased follow-up, Bambu). If I had to pick standouts, I'll go with River Song, Dreamer, Thoughts of You, Time (particularly the end), Farewell My Friend, End of the Show.
I really liked this album! There were a lot of good tracks and I was pleasantly surprised by the piano instrumentals at the end.
GoTG vibe
Beautiful ass album holy shit
There is probably no more tragic story in American popular music than that of the Wilsons - Brian, Carl, and Dennis. Some of the most beautiful music came from them. I'd argue that while Brian spearheaded The Beach Boys and the surf sound (Dennis was the only surfer in the band) if you give The Beach Boys catalog a listen you'll discover some massive hits and lots of filler. As Brian's creativity and mental acuity waned, Dennis stepped in. While Pacific Ocean Blue is a solo album, there's enough help from the core Beach Boys sans Brian for this to have almost been a Beach Boys album - and I'm glad it's not. This is too marvelous to be anything but a Dennis Wilson album. 4/5
Enjoyed this one. Beach Boy drummer nailed it
Enjoyable listen.
This album is a little bit of a miracle
Liked it enough to listen to the full extended edition
Relived to find out it's only the 1st 12 tracks, not the whole double album. Great set of songs overall.
Not a bad album. But wow, poor Dennis Wilson
Hopefully the 2nd disc wasn't necessary because I didn't listen to it. This was a pleasant and relaxing listen with good writing and extra instrumentation that was used subtly but well
Whilst nowhere near a brilliant album, it’s solidly in the ‘really good’ bracket. I’ve always thought the Beach Boys were inconsistent and over-rated - not bad, but not the musical geniuses they were lauded as. This solo effort by the other Wilson brother though is a most enjoyable listen, maybe if he’d picked his friends better, or maybe been a better swimmer, we could have had more.
Great
Enjoyable album. I was not expecting to like it as much as I did.
interesting ex beach boy. better than the other solo careers
I only listened to the original 37 minute album but it’s a sweet one. Very few bad things came from The Beach Boys :)
Maybe too long, but I liked it. PS after reading wikipedia: I've never heard about him before, now I know why. Damn, they really thought Manson was a great guy? I mean, WTF. But still, a good album.
Cool, fun, 70s rock
Hell yeah, Dennis Wilson. These are just good jams.
I liked this far more than I've ever liked a Beach Boys album. This was good as hell. Soulful in the ways I like, with a good range of songs to make the album dynamic. Excellent stuff.
A pretty little record that's neither amazing nor boring.
барабанщик бич бойс, ваще фирмово звучит. околопинкфлойдовские баллады с хорошими партиями и приятными тембрами. просто медленно созерцает реальность
Wowie 4.5/5
Dennis’s killer one and only album stands up with what the best of what The Beach Boys were putting out around that time
Much better than I expected, Brian could learn something from this adventurous album.
This record is thoroughly cool & impressive. I appreciate the murkier, bluesier surf rock sound with a little sprinkling of Charles Manson. Very re-listenable. Standout tracks are “Dreamer”, the title track, and “You and I” Standout
Pleasantly surprised!
I accidentally listened to this monster of an album 1 and a half times. It was really good, though, and I think I’d be willing to listen to the whole thing again. Not a common occurrence for such a long album.
по ощущению альбом всеми силами пытался обогнать свое время, но не задалось, 4/5
This album starts off incredibly strong with River Song. Thoughts of You and Time are two awesome songs. At times, however, the songs become a bit repetitive. His voice here is quite raspy and raw, very different than what I have heard on the Beach Boys' records. This is something I would return to on a warm summer evening, maybe with a beer and some friends, to put on as background music. If I had listened to it on such a day, it might have gotten a perfect score. Of the “bonus” tracks (which make up the majority of the album), I liked the first 4 the most. Wild Situation was a fun listen as well and Are You Real almost sounded like prog at times.
The 70s was just a supremely good decade for albums and this feels accomplished and satisfying if a little long - although the "deluxe" version is the only one available on spotify at the moment. This one seems like it couldndo with a few listens. Maybe I'll find one a little tighter.
This sounds more like early Dire Strait rather than the surf sound. It's quite heavy in places. There was a lot going off in 1977 away from punk. Not all of it can be dismissed. Pacific Ocean Blue sits well alongside the likes of John Martyn and Genesis at the time. Quality.