Pacific Ocean Blue

Sounds an awful lot like The Beach Boys to me. Which is fine in small doses. I do not want almost 2 hours of it. 3.00

Production is good throughout and downright lush in places, and I loved when a song would randomly drop a brass section or a gospel choir on you. That said large stretches of this really dragged for me, and I'm left wondering would this album be on anyone's radar if it weren't made by a Beach Boy who died before his time? It has its moments but never quite becomes more than the sum of its parts. Honestly, his Wikipedia page gives the album a run for its money. Favorite Tracks: River Song, Dreamer, Thoughts Of You, Time, Farewell My Friend

Never heard of this before, but it just comes off as generic 70s rock to me.

Meh.

This could be condensed into a ten song masterpiece of a record. Ten is the scientifically proven optimum listening experience after all. However, if bloated it be, one must give it a three.

Ihan ok soololevy The Beach Boysin rumpalilta.

una buena ramificación del estilo de los Beach Boys, que por momentos es muy destacable y por otros no tanto 6,5/10

good liked it

This is a good album. It feels a lot like something my dad would have listened to, and maybe I'm turning a bit into my dad. But a day after listening to it, I will admit I don't remember much of it aside from enjoying it.

Decent. Not sure it’s a slam dunk to be on this list, but it’s probably close. The middle child of a famous family has it rough. I’ll give him 3 stars.

Not bad. Some pretty great recording and mixing throughout but became numb to the album after awhile. 3/5

I wasn’t expecting this to be any good, but it was pretty good.

Good background music. 3 / 5

Wanted to find this great but found it good and couldn’t quite connect with a lot of it. Brilliant production and musical craft outweighed much of the actual underlying songwriting for me.

Super chill and interesting. Definitely liked this better than Smile

The first thing I should say is - do some research before you slag an album off for being 2 hours long. This album is actually 37 minutes long if you shave off all the extras and 'bonus' tracks, which I always do. It's very Beach Boys in places. Of course it is. Has a melacholy vibe and surprisingly good songs. I'm only surprised as I was led to believe that Brian was 'the talent' and the other brothers were just in the band to keep the parents happy. One criticism is the number of poor fade outs. It seems our Dennis could write songs but wasn't great at endings? It's not an album I think I'll play again, but it has certainly shifted my opinion of the Beach Boys' family tree.

chill, carina

Ehh it's pretty chill. Dennis Wilson is a -wild- figure, though. Phew.

It shows that this was the only beach boy who actually surfed. I have to go back and knock those down a point. I had more enjoyment out of this album than the supposedly legendary band. The special editions are of course way too long but the original version contains a nicely produced mix of melancholic 70's rock. The voice is good, there's even a nice guitar solo and punchy drums here and there. Pretty good.

Standouts Holy Man - Instrumental Mexico Time for Bed Piano Variations On Thoughts of You

ganz gut, doesn't bother me aber ah net outstanding

Okay

I'm not real

While it didn't really wow me in any particular way, Dennis is still a respectable songwriter. Sucks that, like Brian, he also had a pretty fucked up personal life. 7/10.

I haven't listened to much of the Beach Boys but the sound here still feels like a significant departure, for better or worse. It doesn't exactly miss but I never really felt I had to listen that hard. Favourite track: Time.

At first this didn't really jump out to me, but after listening through it a couple times, I actually really enjoyed it. I wasn't familiar with Dennis Wilson, but this album does have a bit of a Beach Boys vibe, so it makes total sense!

Good, albeit generic rock. There’s not a bad song on this album, but there are so many songs that sound similar to these but better. I was not compelled to listen to the 75 MINUTES of bonus tracks that I initially thought were part of the main album. I was relieved to learn it wasn’t that long, and that’s a bad sign.

Its OK, kind of boring.

Washed over me like Pacific waves. Way too long and uninspiring.

I love the idea of this one more than the execution. There are some sublime moments, but the songwriting is a bit lacking. I find myself enjoying it and then completely forgetting what I heard. Still, he's cool.

He had me until School Girl.

I enjoyed this more than I had expected. It’s a subtle folky rock album that has a dark cloud hovering over it. There are some cool musical moments that caught my attention, the opener of Dreamer for example was super rad. Farewell My Friend also had a near sonic sound going on also, that song is sad. Interesting to note that Brian Wilson couldn’t listen to this album as he couldn’t handle it emotionally after his Brother passed. I think I need more time with this one. Listened a few times today and enjoyed but for now it’s 3 stars

Yeah it was ok. I couldn't really hear why it was so special until I read up on who it was.

Almost every song teases you a little bit with the first minute or so sounding promising a good song but then would somehow end up like a David Gilmour knockoff that had a baby with a Leonard Cohen clone. Let's just stick to the Brian Wilson stuff, folks. I didn't hate it but it just didn't sound like necessary listening. I did like End of the Show and Only With You though. 2.5

No more happy music, very melancholic album by an Ex-Beach-Boy.

Enjoyed more than I thought I would, but overall just okay. I’m a bit over 70’s soft rock right now.

It's really sad that one half of this album is excellent, and the other half is boring slowrockslop.

I listened to most of the first disc and had enough. I was never a fan of The Beach Boys and this is only marginally better.

Pretty decent album. You can definitely hear the Beach Boys sounds in there, but also some funky stuff. Even more interesting was to read the Wiki on Dennis Wilson's tragic life. It's a shame he only ever made one album.

Some good, some bad. Quite warm, but not interesting enough to keep me interested.

experimental which i like! brass sections are quite powerful.

Good

Lots of beauty here, just dragged on

Not my kind of thing, but pretty good

Sonically great, lyrically pretty rough. Has the potential of someone if they could have hung on in life a bit longer could have made great music. It’s also just pure uncut 70s.

Great background music for work

beachy man not really my vibe so i zoned out a bit but it was good to do work while listening to

6/10 – Decent

reminds me of latter period pink floyd, in a not so flattering way.

I wanted to like this album more, but Dennis ain’t Brian. There were some good jams on here that I thought could have bumped it up to 4 stars, which were followed by snooze fest after snoozefest. Overall, kinda a bummer.

I honestly loved River Song and I do really enjoy Dennis Wilson’s voice but nearly 2 hours of anything is gonna eat away at the experience. I wouldn’t return to the album but I would return to some of the songs. If I just consolidated this into what I consider are my favorite songs on this album, maybe 10-12 songs, I wouldn’t have probably enjoyed this a lot more (I know that could be said for like any album but I do think I feel that here quite a bit)

It's fine although I probably won't be adding it to my playlist. A solid three stars.

it was nice ! had the 70s sound i enjoy, just nothing that special

For some reason I am very judgmental when it comes to music so when the first song came I was like “I’m probably not gonna like this album”. I compare the music I usually like with the albums and then decide if it’s good or not. That limits my ability to expand my music taste and it turns out I actually thought this was a good album. Not because it something I would listen I again but because I like the emotion that comes with the music and how the instruments builds up in the songs. Sooo I really need to stop being to narrow minded.

01) River Song - 6,5 02) What's Wrong - 6,5 03) Moonshine - 6,5 04) Friday Night - 6,0 05) Dreamer - 6,5 06) Thoughts of You - 6,0 07) Time - 6,0 08) You and I - 7,0 09) Pacific Ocean Blues - 6,5 10) Farewell My Friend - 5,5 11) Rainbows - 5,5 12) End of the Show - 5,5 TOTAL: 6,17 (62/100) Current ranking: 622/827

lovely record, not heard before

3/12, 25%

Tough one to score. Funkier and more bluesy than most of the Beachboys output in the mid to late seventies. River Song is excellent and I also like Time and Only With You. Would I listen to it as a whole album again? Probably not. Beautiful in parts, but not consistent enough to demand repeat plays. Didn’t listen to the Bambu sessions.

It was ok enjoyed some of the tracks, others did not impress.

fine 3 stars for me

Nice soft rock sounds, interesting instrumentation, and great production. Really liked the opening gospel-tinged "River Song" but many of these kind of floated by in a cannabis haze. There are some earnest and moving love songs on here and a little bit of a 70's Jesus people vibe. The album closer, "Mexico," is gorgeous and one of those songs I swear I've heard before somewhere. This one is probably better than almost all of the later period Beach Boys albums.

Beach boy Dennis Wilson, I can appreciate the way off and doing his own. I believe it was decent album created but nothing outside norm for current comparison.

Et hyggeligt album der fungerer godt som baggrundsmusik

Es un disco al que le tenía muchas ganas porque había leído muchos elogios. Suena a Spector más que a Beach Boys, al menos a los que a mí me gustan (los del mejor Brian). En verdad era el único Beach Boy de verdad, el único surfista y surfer. Tampoco pudo evitar sus adicciones, que le lastraron durante años hasta su prematura muerte antes de publicar un segundo disco. De la pandilla de sinvergüenzas que se aprovecharon de sus debilidades mejor no hablemos. Así que lo que nos queda es sus escasas aportaciones a los BB y este debut. Y las referencias a su magnetismo y personalidad. Thoughts of you que tiene un poco de su otro gran éxito (no acreditado: You Are So Beautiful), y la cosa sigue bajando en melancolía con Time. You and I sí que tiene un poco de Beach Boys. En realidad es un disco muy setentero, íntimo, bien compuesto e interpretado con mucha fuerza. Sin embargo no me cubre mis altas expectativas.

It was solid and enjoyable, but suffers from the same thing that band members often suffer from when they go solo. It's lacking that extra pizzaz that the full Beach Boys had.

Very different than the beach boys.

A pleasant listen, would probs listen to again

Really enjoyed this!! River Song and Only With You were my favourites. Too long tho, disc two wasn’t very memorable.

Who knew that one of the other Wilson’s was alright? It was decent enough and I think I might listen to it again. I did my research and avoided the extended version. I am not getting burnt again like I did with Kid Rock.

3.25

It's good but I wasn't feeling it, sorry bro

too long for me, didnt listen to all of it but sounds good

Pretty good album. I liked it more than Surf's Up.

Smooth listening

Creo que ya escuché alguna vez este disco, pero no me acuerdo. Es interesante, pero disperso. No es un grandísimo disco, pero podría conservarlo.

Interesting interpretations and production of standard song formats. There are some stronger tracks and some weaker tracks, and it’s probably worth another listen. A 3 for now.

Can't say I've ever looked into the solo works of the other Beach Boys (non-Brian Wilson at least). You hear hints of that Beach Boys-esque production, but Dennis Wilson's voice was more gruff than I was expecting, yet somehow still soulful. It's an interesting pairing that allows this album to sort of venture into experimental territory with some tracks that were funkier than they had any right to be.

Not my thang

Interesting - I'd listen again

Really like this. 2 hours though 2 HOURS

Sure, it’s not The Beach Boys. But this is a lovely little album, and one I’ll probably give more time to in the future

It's interesting. There are some songs that I think are really cool, and others I find boring. I think it deserves another listen, because there are some details I found worth exploring. However, it was too long. 2 discs? Didn't expect that. 3,4/5, pending review.

Started off intriguing, started to blend into the background. Didn't grab me.

I think a lot of people's affinity for this comes out of the Dennis Wilson's tragic life. I'm ambivalent about both.

There’s some Beach Boys in here, but the album does move away from those sounds too. There’s a lot of ambient textures going on. Notable tracks include Dreamer, Thoughts of You, Time, You and I.

beachy vibe with some rock.

3 out of 5. Not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't too bad, got funky in parts.

6/10 - чувство как будто бы слушал, но нет. ЕБАНУТО ДОЛГО 2 ЧАСА АЛЬБОМ

Pleasant enough, but very much of its time and hardly very original. Also sounds a lot like the collection of sketches it is rather than a cohesive album.

Messed up Beach Boys sung with a messed up voice. Title track especially messed up. I like it.

No strong feelings. Nice for background music.

It's OK.

Solid but I think he went on to be better

Lyin’ in Bed just like Dennis Wilson did

Quite good.

The first song was really enjoyable and the next few don’t feel like they were fully ready to be committed to tape. Then comes the song Time which immediately sounds different and interesting and makes me want more. I love that there are several sides to Mr Wilson on offer here but while some tracks trail off before they’ve reached their destination, others are allowed to go on perhaps a bit longer than they need to.

John Lemon 2

Its okay but soooo long !

Nicht der gewohnte Beach Boys Sound

I expected more from a guy hanging out with Charles Manson haha Nothing wrong with this album. Just not remarkable or memorable.

Good relaxing background music but the album is an absurd length

166/1001 Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❓ There's still elements of the Beach Boys on this album, but Wilson goes down a more bluesy, funkier route with a number of these songs. It doesn't settle in one place for too long and is experimental in a solid way.

A few songs are pretty good but overall the album felt long to me (and I didn’t even listen to disc 2).

Interesting. I’ve never listened. I think maybe a repeat listen or two might get me really into it. But it is a three for now.

For sure parts of this that I liked a lot but (and yes I feel like I’ve had this comment six times) this is just too long and proves the point that there is often no call for a double album. Undoubtedly parts here that could be trimmed and you’d have a really solid single album outing.

An interesting album- it has sounds/themes that seemed way ahead of its time (some of the use of vocal synth-like effect is akin to more modern music). A lot of talent but also seemed to drone on a bit. There were multiple points I thought the album could have ended, but it continued. Overall- interesting album

Some good songs, I wonder what Dennis would have been able to grow into had he lived longer. This was a drag of an album though, the sound was so similar throughout. Easy listen, nothing to rave about.

Good album

I really enjoyed this.really well written piano ballads

Some of this this sounds like a proto John Grant, some of it like a proto Wilco. Pretty great in moments

A few interesting moments in an a diverse album.

Weirdly good actually. It’s nice that it’s not a total psychedelic rock fest, but that it’s chill instead

Balding men without musical talent might want to steer clear of this album, or risk an acute bout of jealousy. Pretty enjoyable listen overall.

This was actually pretty good, but I got that in less than two hours.

Mellow and chill but couldn't get into it

Bland 70s rock.

By the opening seconds, you know this is a Wilson/Beach Boys–related recording. The Wilsons’ angelic voices never fail to touch your heartstrings. However, Dennis Wilson can sound like a fallen angel (akin to Robbie Roberston of The Band), when his voice is on the verge of breaking (esp. in the middle section of the album comprising Thought of You & Time). What was surprising to me when I heard this album for the first time was how often one stumbles upon straightforward Rock elements (see What's Wrong, second half of Time). Dennis Wilson took the formula of the main band and opened it to more conventional structures here and there, which, as it turns out, was a smart move. Sometimes, the sound is extremely punchy, and that fits Dennis’ voice just great. As one can expect, the songwriting is versatile and - in the most positive sense - unpredictable. The (reissue) opener, The River, shape-shifts so much that it takes a few listens to get a hold of it. Regardless, you can simply approach Pacific Ocean Blue for a quick dopamine rush, too, because the hooks and choruses are simply beautiful. Also, the sprawling, opulent Thoughts of You caught me completely off guard: the way the whimsical, fragile piano led ballad transitions to the psychedelic, nearly drone-like arrangement is nothing short of stunning. Released eleven years after Pet Sounds, this ranks among the finest works in the Beach Boys cosmos - even if the slow-paced tracks in the second half do not manage to hold up the initial excitement one feels when listening to the A-side.

I’ve never listened to any Beach Boys and was unaware of their history. Learning about Dennis Wilson and his eccentricity left me excited to explore his sole record. The album itself is ethereal, bluesy, and dramatic. While I appreciate these qualities, the album didn’t fully click with me.

Not sure what I expected from a Beach Boy member but it wasn't this. Melodic and rocking in equal measure. Favorite track: River Song

Not bad!

some really full and interesting rock songs

You and I is great, and Pacific Ocean Blues is pretty good, but the rest of this is kind of a slog.

Not really what I expected from a Beach Boy maybe? It's OK. Doesn't do a whole lot for me. The keyboards are kind of interesting at times.

Yeah you know. Pretty enjoyable, but nothing stood out

It was okay.

These are some beautiful songs from a Wilson I didn’t realize struck out in his own. Clearly the talent ran deep in that family.

Wanted to sound like Tom waits, but came off more like Randy Newman. Some good musical ideas tho

I'd never heard (or even heard of) this one before! It was a pleasant surprise. The vocals are much more gruff than anything in the Beach Boys but I feel that it really works for the songs which seem much more personal. Great production and a really nice sonic palette all around, with some shades of George Harrison thrown in there. The tracks are maybe a little uneven, but the standouts are great.

found myself really wanting to get into it - but it was so long and all over the place that it didn't really stick with me.

Dennis Wilson's expression mirrors how I looked while listening to the album. Nah, I'm just joking: this one was a good-enough listen but nothing to write home about. Lots of production talent and I liked the varied soundscapes between the tracks. I'm not super well-read on the Beach Boys discography though so I'm probably the wrong person to ask. fac tracks: Dreamer, You and I

Ik heb dit iets liever dan de Beach Boys of dat Brian Wilson album, maar zo gruwelijk veel scheelt het nou ook weer niet. Het is best een aardig album maar ik verveel me gewoon wat. De koperen blazers maken me niet extra enthousiast en het is niet zo mooi dat het prachtig te noemen is. Het zit er allemaal een beetje tussenin. De kwaliteit staat buiten kijf maar qua luistergenot blijft het steken op een 3 voor mij.

This is very solid

I liked it then I didn’t then I did again now I’m like ok

Some fine moments

Didgeridoos and horns and songs about rivers, Whimsy guitars that give you the shivers, Heavenly harmonies over ethereal strings, These are a few of my tolerable things...

Not so memorable imo

Decent album. Very interesting WIKI read - especially Dennis' personal one. I'll say 3.5 round down.

Pretty nice. Good music, some of it got real melancholy which I don't mind.

It was good but kinda sad and weird.

This was ok

Sounds ok

This is an odd one. Might need another listen to really get ahold of it. Lots of variation in the sounds of the individual songs, but most songs themselves feel a little directionless. Maybe just needs another listen.

3 I always mix these brothers up. Is this Wilson the godfather of emo, Charlie Manson’s bestie, or the one that was just kind of there? Ah, the Manson Beach Boy. Cool, cool. Anyways, I feel like I wrote off The Beach Boys for a good chunk of my life as this goofy, gimmicky pop rock group that made a living writing songs about surfing, and it’s really only been in my more recent years that I’ve learned the group grew to have a lot more complexity to them than I had previously given them credit for. I’m sure I’ll get into that more later on with this list, but that’s to say, for an album that’s titled “Pacific Ocean Blue” and written by a Beach Boy, there wasn’t a hint of surfing or even beach vibes at all to be found. In fact, this album was borderline haunting at times, especially on tracks like Thoughts of You… and it mostly worked for me. The production on this is fantastic and comes across as very grandiose and theatrical without ever really feeling overdramatic, almost like it’s surrounding you at times. If I didn’t know any better, I would have guessed this came from the emo Beach Boy (though that’s not to say Dennis didn’t have his own fair share of problems). And just as importantly, his voice pairs incredibly well with the music - it has this unique sort of gravely sound to it that I really liked, though something about it kept reminding of another vocalist I couldn’t quite put my finger on. After a few listens, I’m thinking Peter Criss of KISS? Though, if you listen to the full 2 CD Deluxe Legacy Edition of this on Spotify (which features an entire separate album of his that I’m not factoring into my review), you’re greeted with a version of Holy Man as performed by Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters (and Alanis Morrissette) fame, and there are some striking similarities between the two of their voices as well. Guess it’s just something about rock drummers ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Regardless, I thought this album was pretty good overall, and I can’t say I thought it was lacking in any way, but I also didn’t really feel like it needed to keep going or that I needed to pay any one song an immediate revisit. While very nice-sounding, there aren’t really a ton of highlights, so this album is just kind of vibes at best. That said, I’ll take this over Surfin’ USA any day, and I definitely feel more compelled to check out the Boys’ later work than I was previously. This also sent me down a deep dive into the Dennis Wilson/Charles Manson saga, so it has that going for it too. Did you know that Dennis inadvertently introduced Manson to the Tate home? I didn’t. RIP bud, it wasn’t your fault - hope you found peace.

Nice

Good

3.0 - Ok

Fellow Beach Boy Al Jardine once said the this was “better than anything we've ever done” and having never been a huge Beach Boys fans, I’m inclined to agree with him! You can still hear them in this, in fact I didn’t know who he was when I put the record on but I instinctively guessed during opener _River Song_. That distinctive California sound is in there but this is moodier, at times funkier and certainly has much more levels to it than the music he was involved in with in his day job. In the right mood, probably a summer one, I’d probably revisit this for the vibe.

I actually really liked a lot of stuff on here despite the absurd length of this. Would have been much more enjoyable without like 70% of the songs...

Wilson who???? there are some real gems in here from the lesser known wilson. I had no idea Dennis was quite the talent! this is fun, experimental, groovy, and cleary shows where some of the beach boys got their mojo. I enjoyed growing through this. Pacifc Ocean Blues is a jam

Ehhhhn there isn't really anything I'd come back for. It has just enough flavor for me to keep it above a 2, though.

This had some pretty cool stuff on it, from the very first song! Worked really well as plane listening!

This was fun, I'll have to check it out again!

Not my style but very chill summer vibes

Mostly fine-minus, a few moments of fine-plus. There's a musician in there, with a low ceiling set by circumstance and what seems like a lot of personal trouble. Obviously nothing remotely Must about it.

That was okay.

nice enough. way too long

A very 70s sounding album with a bit of experimentation. I don't think this would be terribly notable if it wasn't a Beach Boy or if he hadn't died young. But it was OK.

Highlight: Dreamer. In a nutshell: Dennis- all grown up. Did Dennis listen to a lot of Fleetwood Mac, The Band, Lindsey Buckingham songs and all of Dark Side of the Moon before recording this album? Cos that's what it sounds like. And it's good. Perhaps better than his brother Brian's solo album, Smile. Dennis created a good mix of the pop melodies we know from The Beach Boys with yacht rock, a choir backing, horn arrangements and more. Very 70s. No wonder it's a cult hit. Overall: 5/10

It's fine, smooth listening but nothing that really stuck with me.

Never heard of this album or the music on it. It feels like a cross between Beach Boys and Pink Floyd. A very classic 70s sound.

A good listen, some real quality tunes and arrangements - if seventies California singer-singerwriter was more my bag I would even consider a purchase. As it's not, 3.5 rounded down.

Sounds like someone who left either The Beach Boys or The Eagles, or both, and couldn't decide what to do. Soft rock, not particularly inspiring. Didn't hate it. Didn't love it.

Easy listen, nothing to write home about

great vibe!

If I had been fucked by this album my summary would be something like “It wasn’t bad … just the kind of casual experience that fades from memory almost as soon as it’s over. All that I remember now is that he looked a bit like Robert Redford as Jeremiah Johnson.”

Bra röst men sångerna e lite tråkiga

Álbum bem variado musicalmente. Rock melódico muito bom. QoA Vesper.

Wasn’t expecting much going into this one, but it was decent, and a lot better than the beach boys of its time

Meh, I prefer the river

Never listened to him before. Very good. Lots of styles and sounds. Song writing is solid. Why are there so many songs on this double album!?! 33!? It started to drag the overall rating down the more I listened.

This was a pretty good album, technically a two for one but I enjoyed it, didn't sound much like the beach boys but it was good!

3.5/5

This is nice.

Wow, that man has a really hairy neck!

I think this guy listened to the Eagles alot. Which is cool, I like the Eagles too. Way more than I like The Beach Boys. So, I ended up liking this album much more than I expected! But it is pretty derivative. It brought me right back to the 70s stylistically (yep I was alive then), so it does represent an era in that sense. But none of the tracks charted. I had never heard any of these songs before, and yet they all felt familiar because they sounded so much like other songs. Not convinced it belongs on this list.

Mejor de lo que yo pensaba

A decent escape from his Beach Boy roots, with some stuff that shows a clear influence from all that early-70s Topanga Canyon renaissance. Kind of surprising that he never really followed this up.

This is like a guy in his early 40s taking his wife and two young children on a holiday to Fiji. There is a group of 20-somethings staying at the same resort, and they are getting stuck into the rum most days. The man’s children long to join in on the fun, but the wife doesn’t let them as they are still too young. The man smiles to himself at the whole situation. Instead of being angry at the rowdy group, he fondly remembers the times where he was getting drunk with his friends. He also smiles knowing the fun times that his children will experience in a few years time. As well as all of that, he is filled with a sense of accomplishment, knowing he has been through those times and come out the other side. He looks at his wife and his children, and takes a moment to appreciate everything that he has.

Was alright. Started strong but like many, dragged a bit.

This was an adventure. Not what I expected from a solo BeachBoys-album, but it was actually kinda nice. It also was forgettable, it doesn't have the magic of any good Beach Boys song or album.

Visst finns det lite Beach Boys, och det är inte dumt. Några fina melodier.

Time ruled. Wasn't blown away by much else. Just a quick folky, singer-songwriter album. Didn't realize he was in the Beach Boys. Didn't ever get a hint of that.

Solid, very interesting composition.

Chill rock ig

The first few tracks were pretty fun - very much vintage Beach Boys stuff. This one lost me about halfway through when it went to mostly ballads and more experimental stuff.

There was some good stuff here. Not really what I was expecting. I feel like I could use another listen.

No está mal, pero no es comparable a los Beach boys.

I have no strong feelings, good or bad, about this album. River Song is pretty good, Thoughts of You has a Pink Floydish feel, and Pacific Ocean Blues sounds like it could have been sung by Joe Walsh. Otherwise, there were times where I would have sworn Randy Newman was singing, weird. This is not bad album, but it's not great either. If you're listening to this on Spotify, the original album is just the first 12 tracks.

Interesting album, has a couple of highs and a lot of lows for me, wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it again. Highlights: Rainbows, Pacific Ocean Blues

I cannot comprehend that this man is a member of the Beach Boys. Went down a Brian Wilson wiki rabbit hole, made me sad but was VERY interesting I only listened up to the song Mexico as this was where the original recording ended (and how the 1001 book was intended) Fav songs: Time, Pacific Ocean Blues, Rainbows

An album by Beach Boys co-founder. This is a Pop / Rock album, not a Surf album, although occasioinally there are hints of the Beach Boys, and sometimes it gets a bit Funky. It's OK, but not great.

Dennis Wilson's music is almost as interesting as the person himself. Pacific Ocean is an album that feels much more like a singer-songwriter album than a beach boys album, although the influence of that group is felt. It's pretty interesting, has its moments, but also some flat out misses and as whole probably isn't as profound as Dennis Wilson thought it was.

The Wilson brothers were an amazing force, but never really held my attention. This is right on par with their stuff.

an unexpected surprise that I enjoyed

A very well crafted pop-rock album with lot of layers and details with great execution and production. If this is sound as one of the most generic reviews ever, is because I don't really have anything to say about how this record affected me emotionally. It is good but didn't do anything special for me.

Very neutral on this, as three as they come

Little brother going for the big sound! I enjoyed the big sound songs on this album like the song "Time". Overall, it felt like he couldn't really pin down a specific style, vacillating between honky tonk blues, funk jams, and orchestral ballads. They're all very interesting but felt sort of, desperate? Like this was his one shot to stand out from the Beach Boy brothers so he had to throw everything at the wall and hope sumething sticks.

Liked the sound and style.

Sounds like a 70s album but definitely a lot better than the average 70s album.

Pretty long with 2 hours. Pretty chill album that can run in the background.

It’s a bit long but it’s still alright

Some really interesting stuff here, just a bit much by the end

La voix me fait penser à quelque chose entre Elvis Costello et Randy Newman. J’ai trouvé ça un peu long, pour être honnête

Boomer critic bait. Is it just me, or does everything of this generation that puts in modicum of effort get blown out of proportion as a masterpiece?

Oh gosh, this is so very 70s. I can't decide if that's the good or the bad part about it. At times it's proto-yacht rock, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's a bit long for my liking, but I might just not be in the mood for this sort of music right now. Overall: Mid.

This was better than I expected, all the Charles Manson stuff was a wild read while I listened. Overall, I enjoyed this, but not enough to go searching for it again.

Some very nice songs there by this Beach Boy, but unfortunately some average ones too (incl. the opener) and the 2nd song (What's Wrong) showcases why I'm not a fan of (this kind of) Rock and Roll. But overall, a nice feel, but not fabulous and not "must hear" material I'd see. All in all, the Beach Boys have the better songs but you can't really compare.

Mid.

Enjoyable. Starting to realise that I might be a blues fan.

It was good but a bit boring. A few too many slow ballads for my liking. River Song is pretty good though.

It's got that lush 70s production style but I always want the songs to be more impressive.

Decent singer songwriter album from the 70s. Harmonies sound beautiful (obviously) and some interesting instrumental arrangements here and there. I don't think this would be as well regarded as it seems if a beach boy wasn't involved but it was a nice rainy day driving around album.

Album messed up on iTunes after the first few songs. Thought the first song was really good, next two were meh.

For a guy associated with two of the craziest families ever (Wilson, Manson), Dennis made some nice-sounding rock music

Ok album, don’t see why it needed inclusion

very long album. i liked the vibe for the most part tho. would probably have given it a 4 if i listened to the whole thing.

Bit of a selection box here. Guy seems like he was having fun (between all the divorces and being a mad drunk).

I didn't expect his Joe Cocker-like vocals, but I kind of dug it. It was a pretty slick production; had a bit of Beach Boys feel but also it's own flavor. That flavor was a bit like Steely Dan at times. Back then it might have been innovative but now it just feels like yacht rock, which seems fitting for a Beach Boy. It was better than I thought it might be but I was still ready to listen to something else after a couple plays of the album. I'll give a shout out to River Song, Friday Night, Thoughts of You, and the title track.

some nice tunes

Started quite well with a piano that could have been played by an early Elton John, but went a bit downhill from there. The album is not bad per se, but it rambles too much in 60s and 70s Rock tropes, without too much original ideas. 3/5

The production was great. Interesting sonically. Too many boring songs.

Don’t really know what I think of this one. It’s definitely underrated. There is a good variety of tracks, some chill, some melancholy. Not all songs are for me, still very Beach Boys (naturally) and it’s a bit long.

Started well but I soon lost interest.

I really like the synthesizer and arrangements. Wilson's voice is great but lyrically there isn't much to recall. 2/5

I knew the name was familiar and after listening realized this was one of those Beach Boys. Pretty good listen, nothing outstanding but still good. 6/10

One of those albums that I forgot immediately after listening to it

I didn’t hate it like I thought I would. It’s a decent album. Cool harmonies on The River. 1001 album worthy: yes - 81/145

I read a brief overview of his life while listening to this album which made it perhaps more melancholy and sad than it really is. A few standout out tracks and a bunch that blend together.

No strong feelings

I like the scale of it. He can pivot been a single voice with a piano, right into a huge orchestration or a chaotic synth soundscape. But ultimately the songs just don't do much for me. I'll give it another shot at some point to see if it grows on me.

Sounds like Beach Boys meets Randy Newman...

I don't get it

Interesting album and very different from beach boys. Not mind blowing but interesting change and fresh sounds

The first track was pretty good, I enjoyed the choral arrangements, everything else was just okay. There were some cool moments here and there like the digeridoo (or whatever) on Dreamer. But not too much of this was very memorable. Some of these songs just sound like generic 80's songs (Dreamer, Thoughts of You, You and I, etc.), so I guess it's cool that this was made in 77, but it still sounds a little generic. FYI: since Spotify only includes the deluxe edition, the last song on the original album is End of the Show. Mid 3.

This didn't catch me at all. I'm not sure why I find it so bland, there's a lot of the ingredients I would normally go for. The end result was just boring.

Solid 70s rock album. Nothing super great but a easy listening album all the way through.

I can see how Brian Wilson needed to establish his own identity outside of the Beach Boys and this album presents not a hint of that past life. Everyone is entitled to their personal catharsis and I like to believe Wilson got his here. Whatever opinion of the music I or others express is irrelevant to that process. RIP

Adequate

This album had its highs and lows, but I’d say the highs definitely outweigh the lows. Dennis Wilson, a founding member of The Beach Boys and their drummer, took a different path with this album. It’s a mix of soft rock, art rock, and singer/songwriter vibes. You can tell this album is a more personal and introspective reflection of his life and struggles. While The Beach Boys had that bright, sunny daytime feel, this album dives into a darker, nighttime atmosphere. It’s soulful, with a dark, orchestral vibe. In some ways, it’s a departure from The Beach Boys, but it still carries a lot of their signature traits, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. But one of the biggest downfalls is the length, it’s a two hour long double album, and that’s just way too much. It definitely drains you and starts to wear on you by the end. Overall, it’s an intriguing album that was worth the listen, but I’m still on the fence about how much I truly enjoyed it.

River Song and Moonshine were the highlights. I can see this one growing on me over time.

Interesting album. There are some tracks that have that lush, orchestrated (and sometimes psychedelic) pop sound I expect from a Beach Boy. But it’s also much grittier. There are some nice 70s rock songs. Dennis Wilson’s voice definitely has grit and texture. Sometimes he even sounds a little pitchy, but the performances come off as vulnerable and raw.

A beautiful and at times sprawling and big album that offers a wide range of instrument / layer ideas and an edgier singing voice than his brothers Brian and Carl. To me he's kind of like the John Lennon to Brian Wilson's Paul McCartney. I really enjoyed this and will definitely give it more listens soon.

First reaction; Is this the guy from Beac boys? (Yes it is.) I'm not really getting beach boys vibes though. Which I suppose isn't all that odd. Decent flow and feeling. But at the same time, kinda meh. 3/5

I was a bit terrified by the cover, expecting an utter MOR snooze-fest. Then I realised it was a Beach Boy, and what's more, probably the most "troubled" of an undoubtedly troubled family. Saying that, I didn't have huge expectations, as I'm not a fan. But this did give me a sense of an artist; I'd describe him as a "sensitive rocker" at this point. There's sleaze and drama: several tracks, including Friday Night, would have sounded perfect in a Miami Vice episode. It has some enjoyable moments of guitar, synth and lazily-paced piano, all wrapped up in that marvellous late-70s production. There's truth, sensitivity and vulnerability. I ended up feeling very sad that his life went the way it did.

Seems okay based on one listen, could be a grower.

просто без понятия.....ни хорошо, ни плохо нет слов, пацифик оушен блюз

I think it was maybe more interesting at the beginning and then the quality slowly dropped off. I couldn't tell if it was 70s cool or 70s lame. It was like the Beach Boys without being catchy.

George Harrison energy. Similar standing in the pecking order of his old band.

Not sure why this album is in the list. But oh well. Harmless.

I never really got this album. It's not as good as a real beach boys but sounds like it but is just kinda there. Eh not for me

3 estrelas

Pretty chill, pretty smooth. I thought Time was the standout track

Here’s the thing about this one. Is he of the beach boy lineage? Yes. BUT I think he busts through that ruler which may have been holding him back. Not every song was a hit. All kind of a 70’s ballad style in their own way. Stand outs were: Love remember me and moonshine.

Another album that was not bad, but did not need to be so long. There were some uptempo songs cushioned by ballads and instrumental pieces. Not objectionable, but not thrilling.

Interesting album, the writing was very good and some of the songs had a nice sound although a little dated. Standout song for me was “Dreamer” “Pacific Ocean Blues” “Under the Moonlight” .

Not bad.

Overlong? Indulgent? Sure. But Wilson has a gift for creating songs that reflect his dreamy yearning as an artist. Some beautiful melodies here; it reminds me a little bit of Brian’s work.

This has crazy high production value

If this is the only album of note of post- Beach Boys solo work I’d to hear what the rest of them came up with

Listened to the whole two-hour deluxe, though the rating is only for the actual album, which is decent.

it’s a decent album. It’s just not something I would seek out regularly to Again

this to me was a bit of a let down with how much I love The Beach Boys. It was alright but nothing special.

Pretty good. Not as good as The beach Boys or Brian Wilson's stuff but still

Definitely influenced Peter Gabriel. Not sure I'll be coming back to this much, though.

Enjoyed this a lot and will definitely listen again. It may well become a 4.

3.3

It's got a little bit of everything in here. Starts off with an absolute ripper in River Song. Pacific Ocean Blues is the first track I ever heard off of this - probably about 5-10 years ago at this point. Its a little all over the place - but then you peel it back and realize this is his only album....of course you're gonna have a little bit of everything in there. Some ballads, some bops, some jams. Overall definitely into it - but i wish it were a little tighter and more succinct

Gear: Aür Audio Aurora Artwork: 🧔🏻‍♀️🌊🔤 Production: 🧈😊👌 Music: 🎻🎺🎤🦣🌅🍃 Rating: 🧭🧭🧭/5

The problem with these long double albums is it’s hard to keep the interest going, especially when a lot of the songs sound very similar. However this was interesting in places and not the worst listen. Was expecting it to be more like the Beach Boys than it was. Certain songs felt a bit bland but some were ok.

Never heard of this one, and on the surface it is a fairly run of the mill, uninspiring, uninteresting meander of an album. However, there is some good variation of style and solid songwriting.

High 3. The highs were great but the lows were meh

This was an alright album that didn't really impress much - but I am not sure it needed to. It is competent and listenable.

Solid 3.5/5

This was ok. Enjoying mellow

Good 3.5

a long album that spans a number of genres that all are tastefully done and show the wide range of musical interests that this former beach boy likes.

Rigtig god produktion! Stor 3er!

I like this. It's really melancholy. But it's WAY too long, even without the bonus album content. It sometimes has some Pink Floyd vibes to it.

This album is undeniably pleasant, showcasing Dennis Wilson’s impressive talent as a multi-instrumentalist and his ability to craft heartfelt, atmospheric songs. However, while it has moments of beauty, I found it lacking the spark that would make it truly memorable. The songs are solid, and you can feel the passion Wilson poured into this solo effort, but none really stood out enough for me to consider it a must-listen. It’s an album I respect more than I love—worth exploring for fans of The Beach Boys or anyone curious about Wilson’s solo work, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression. Standout Song: None particularly stood out for me. Score: 3/5

liked it more than my first listen, but not by much

Hay calidad pero tampoco me volvió loco. Todo lo que es Beach Boys me aburre un poco, pero hay buenos arreglos.

The lost album of Dennis Wilson which was better than that eras BB stuff. It's good but not great.

It’s fine. Just fine.

This was a nice listen, but really not that different from other 70s rock. Which, in my opinion, this list has too much of.

Enjoyed this one. Deserves another listen.

Dad rock

My initial thought when seeing this cover pop up was, man, Robin Williams (RIP) totally could've played him in a biopic (they definitely both had the same epic chest-hair sweater haha). It didn't immediately dawn on me that this was one of the Beach Boys. Then I pressed play on the album, and 10 seconds into the first song I was like, wait a minute. This album felt like a pretty ambitious project. The first couple songs are very in line with the Beach Boys' style — lots of 60s bluesy surf-pop riffs, lots of harmonies, the same kind of airy lyrical themes. The opening track, "River Song" has a very cinematic scope like some of the stuff off of Pet Sounds. But around "Moonshine," the album takes a turn toward weightier songs with a bit more gravitas. The lyrics and the music get darker and heavier. "Friday Night" is something I'd more expect to hear from a band like Dire Straits than the Beach Boys. "Dreamer" has a Parliament-Funkadelic vibe to it. Parts of the album are definitely a little overwrought — the bridge with the Christmas bells on "Dreamer" is a bit much. "Thoughts of You" starts as a stripped-down piano ballad and builds into a melodramatic Pink Floyd-esque piece that doesn't quite work. There's a lot of brass on "Time," though I kind of dig the banger it turns into on the way out. "You and I" is a cheesy mid-tempo soft-rock ballad that has echoes of "Kokomo" — the Beach Boys at their worst, in my opinion. "Pacific Ocean Blues," is reminiscent of a bluesy Bill Withers bop that teeters right on the edge of going over into cheesy territory. I liked "Rainbows" more than I was expecting to. It's another song that hovers right on the line of cheesy, but I'm a sucker for jangly guitars and harmonies. This album was a mixed bag. I think on balance I liked it more than I disliked it, though there are definitely some misses. But I respect the swing he took on it, and it shows that Brian Wilson wasn't the only talented member of the Beach Boys. I only listened through "End of the Show" as that's where the original tracklist ends. But I might come back and finish out the bonus tracks and Bambu at some point. Highlights: Moonshine, Dreamer, Time, Pacific Ocean Blues, Rainbows 3.5/5

3.5 stars-pretty enjoyable-yacht rocky

This was a weird album for me. I though it had really solid and compelling songs with a lot of unique elements, but also a lot of what felt like filler tracks that didn't do anything. Would have been much better as an EP, too much fat on an already shorter album. Top tracks: River Song, Dreamer, Farewell My Friend

I kept waiting for that one standout song, turns out they all stood out equally, by being forgettable.

Decent classic rock, with the addition of horns here and there. His voice is nice, and the instrumentation is interesting. Nothing grabbed my attention though.

Like the Peter Gabriel album this week, I gave this a couple of listens because I wasn't really getting it, but in this case, I still don't really get it. Mark says it's really good so I feel I must be missing something. It sounds... fine. A bit middle of the road. But there's some interesting instrumentation and the songs seem.. fine. It's fine. I don't know what I need from it to like it more. Maybe it's just the turnover of 1001 albums that means I don't have time to develop a relationship with the music. Maybe it's just a bit ballad-y for me. I don't hate it. Maybe I'll come back to it. I don't know. Oh, I have to point out that there's a chord change in "Mexico" that sounds just like a King Crimson song, "The Court of the Crimson King" from their first album in 1969.

This was fine, but I wouldn't listen to it again.

Difficult to rate, as I’d never heard of him or known any of these songs. Epic yet failing. Maximum studio production meets minimal lyrical talent. Overindulgent yet pretty.

Post Beach Boys Dennis Wilson reminds me of pot Beatles Paul McCartney. You can hear where he’s coming from, but he tries to incorporate some more modern influences. As far as an almost 50 year old record can be modern. Favorite song: thoughts of you

3☆/5 11.20.2024

Beachboy Dennis Wilson sluit zich op in het oude strandhuis en komt naar buiten met een enorme baard en een soloplaat. In alle eerlijkheid vind ik het niet spectaculair. Als je ziet wat er in de jaren zeventig op het gebied van rock en singersongwriter is gepresteerd, en wat de Boys eerder zelf hebben neergezet, steekt dit maar bleek af. Hij probeert wat, maar gaat er nooit echt voor. Da's nou net niks.

I feel like I should have enjoyed this more but it didn't speak to me.

There was an expectation of more Beach Boys sound. Seemed strong enough to stand on its own

Why is this two discs? It’s fine and the lyrics are nice but…. 2.5