Reviews (page 7 of 8)
I love The Beach Boys but how do they evolve and can they stay relevant in the late 70s? Didn’t Surfs Up kind of wrap this all up? Yeh, this is still a good listen, enough talent and interesting experimental stuff to deserve a spot on this list.
I was not familiar with Dennis Wilson but after listening to this I think I should be. It was a good listen and contained a bit of everything I like. There was a point though where I was like "is this done soon" so while it was good I'm knocking off a star for length.
This album is interesting in how divergent it is from The Beach Boys, but I wasn't particularly impressed during my first listen on speakers. I was about ready to write it off as a loss, but as fan of the Beach Boys's early works with brother Brian Wilson, I did a little reading and several sources indicated that one really needs to listen to this with headphones. They were correct. While not amazing musically or lyrically, the arrangement and pacing of these generally short tracks is attractive, and the album offers a generally interesting soundscape; rich, full, complex, and layered. It's energetically dark for most of the album. At times, it feels like previews of what's to come from Dire Straits. It feels ahead of its time—there was more than once where the thought passed through my mind, “Wait, was this in a episode of Miami Vice?”
This one just struck me as bland. It's not bad. The musicianship is fine. I don't actively dislike it. I just found it to be relentlessly mediocre, so I gave up after 19/33 songs on Spotify's deluxe edition. To be honest I probably would have given this a "This was fine, I guess" 3 if it was only 10 songs, but the more I listened to it the less I liked it. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for this. 2.5.
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.
Randy Newman meets Bruce Springsteen in slow motion, and worse than the sum of their parts. Snoozefest.
4.75
Didn't care for this one. The title track was alright. Will I listen to again: 0%
groovy. 3 stars.
Not as bad as I have anticipated. Enjoyed skipping into the madness a bit.
Not sure why this album is considered such a cult classic...nothing special about it at all. Probably the 3rd time I have given it a go in my life. 2/5
Not really my jam. Friday Night is a banger. The rest is too much rich white rock star living in California whining because he did way too much cocaine and befriended Charles Manson.
Meh
3.5 I hadn’t heard of Dennis Wilson before. This was completely new but felt vaguely familiar at the same time due to the Beach Boy pedigree. I liked it.
Wow, that's a lot of songs. Overall, I can hear how skilled he is as a composer and musician. Admittedly, I wasn't very interested in most of the tracks -- nothing wrong with them, just not my thing -- but there are some good musical moments sprinkled throughout.
Sja. Dit is er vast weer zo een die je aandachtiger moet luisteren, of vaker. Maar voor nu vind ik er niet bijzonder veel aan. Maar het is ook niet slecht. Toch blijf ik bij de eerste ingeving: 2 sterren.
This didn't mesh with me today. It was okay, somewhat groovy, a decent rock and pop album from '77, but nothing really got my attention. Don't think I was much in the mood for this kind of album today, but honestly don't know if I'll be in the mood for it any time soon. Also the version on Spotify includes the Bambu sessions. I didn't fully get through that because I couldn't stay awake, it's just too drone-y and ambient for today. Favourite: River Song
Isso é som tchê
Can't stand it
Not for me
Eh
Rock, pop, muy agradable. No tiene nada que ver con el estilo conocido de The Beach Boys.
5 star wiki; 2 star album.
An interesting album in that I can hear a mix of 60s, 70s, and 80s influences, which would make sense given how long Dennis Wilson had been in the biz when he recorded this. I actually like his voice, even if drugs and alcohol supposedly ruined it. I don't dislike this, but I doubt I'll listen to it again.
Some of this is kinda interesting but overall impression is boring. 2.5
Hey - it's my third favorite Beach Boy! So, the band breaks up and Dennis decides he wants to cut out on his own and do like a Pink Floyd meets Joe Walsh kinda album. Spoiler alert - it didn't work.
I'm not sure why I was surprised that an album from a former Beach Boy had such exquisite vocal harmonies. Maybe it's because the true crime-rot in my brain has me associating Dennis Wilson more with Charles Manson than with the Beach Boys. I will say that the vocal harmonies also start off strong, and then the album starts to feature his voice a lot more. Some parts of this album were really stunning in their beauty and soulfulness, though some of them sounded more like normal 70s soft rock. 3/5, though this one was very close to being a 4
If this album was only 40 mins, it would have been 4 stars, but this thing overstayed it's welcome twice.
Cool! Pretty good ballads on this one. I Mike the closer particularly. Fun to listen to!
This is an okay record. There are some good moments but it is pretty much the dad rockification of the beach boys. He has musical talent and good arrangements/production but there is something that is missing for me that lets me connect to it. There is almost too much going on. Layers that sound pleasant but just every instrument/random piece he can think of thrown in.
Wow, what a long album. But, enjoyable! Some decent tracks on this album and some got the 👍.3.5⭐️
Dad rock: very polished, soft rock which features treats of blues, funk, etc, has tons of instrumentation that goes nowhere and makes you feel nothing. See Pacific Ocean Blue 4.0/10
You know what? Liked this better than Brian Wilson’s Smile
Nebola to zhoda :D Samozrejme, 33 skladieb :DDD
- actually not bad, some songs I’d listen to again - reminds me of Billy Joel but more laid back and country - some jazzy/funky elements - I just realized, is this hippie music? No I guess not…
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.
Some familiar sounds and well crafted instrumental mastery. Maybe if I spent more time with the lyrics I would want to revisit this but it just isn't compelling to me and I doubt I would ever listen to this again.
This is more of a diary entry than a review. I've noticed that the more you get of similar stuff, the harder it is to remark on it after just one listen, which is typically what I manage in a day as an average. So, I can tell you this sounded alright, any extra value (positive or negative) that might be gained from an understanding of the lyrics is beyond me at this point.
3.5/5
This had some cool tunes and I wasn’t familiar with this album.
I thought one Wilson was enough
Another Beach Boy going rogue. Brian Wilson was more sophisticated, concept rock, this one feels more ordinary, classic rock. There's an edge, a gruffness here that the Beach Boys never really had. I like it, it's a good album. Favorite tracks: River Song, Dreamer, Tug of Love. Album art: Just a close-up of surely Dennis' face. Would've never guessed he was a beach boy. Usually I wouldn't much enjoy a cover like this but it's striking and effective. WILSON. 3.5/5
Vraiment bien fait, super bon a écouté. mais 1h35 c'est long donc sa dilue le style. Je metterais nimporte quand pour une journée tranquillo . 4
the good brother is Brian
So i’m not sure how I feel about this album honestly. I think it’s exactly what I was expecting, nothing more or less, just there. Neither over nor underwhelmed, just yeah.
Hard to get a handle on this one. I'd never heard any of it - certainly on the surface it's nothing like the Beach Boys' typical faux-happy-go-lucky singalongs. On the other hand, there's a sneaky underlying lushness to almost every one of the tracks (I stopped at 12, "End of the Show" which comprises the original album) that even without much of the (often cloying, if impressive) vocal harmonies* made notable by the family band has revealed a bit more from most songs upon repeat listens. *notable exception right off the bat with the excellent first cut "River Song." The downside is there's a bit of sameness to the overall mood which is frankly more than a bit depressing. At the risk of obviousness maybe that was the intent. Or simply unavoidable given the life and personality of Dennis Wilson himself. Still although it's an uneven listen I still think after a few listens it's worthwhile as I keep finding really nice little nuggets throughout most songs. Is that hedging? I'll hedge. Highlights: "Friday Night" "Thoughts of You" "River Song" Mood record (and not for every mood), but it sounds great and I can definitely see coming back to this one. Could be a sneaky slow build. 6/10 3 stars
Omg I love this. Not what I expected and I got quite emotional times. A lovely 5 star surprise
Rock, pop, muy agradable. No tiene nada que ver con el estilo conocido de The Beach Boys.
Slow. Good for relaxing.
Fun listen
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Moonshine
The inevitable Beach Boys comparisons don't exactly favor this as the compositions fall significantly short of Brian Wilson's intricate orchestrations. On the other hand, there is a welcome rough edge of genuine grit on this - darkness and anger - where his brother could only really achieve a kind of melancholy dismay when reaching for pathos. Hard to separate this from Dennis' troubled later life and sad early demise.
Back when K.O.L. were still decent
i wasn't expecting much from a solo album from a beach boys member that was not brian wilson. i assure you, i didn't. i'm thrilled my misgivings were absolutely wrong. and i sure am glad dennis got a chance to create his own music and shine by himself on pacific ocean blues. while this is a solo album, the album's title track and album title are reminiscent of the beach boys! this album was varied! i don't think it's fair to consider this album only part of rock and pop history, because oh my gosh so much of this album was full of delightful funk. the song "time" began using some sort of jazz/funk combination halfway through that was absolutely astonishing. the uses of orchestral music were so well placed; the tuba on "dreamer" and the piano on "moonshine" were creative, inspired choices. his voice is utilized well, in particular on the softer songs where his voice comes across so tender. as the main singer of this album (with carl joining at times), wilson was able to showcase his voice so well. "you and i" might be the best example of that. or sometimes his voice is grittier, rougher on a harder rock song like "friday night." i appreciate the range he had on this album, which depended on the song's genre. the beach boys' early music can be described as bubble pop, like almost mindless pop without much substance. i think those vibes are on this album in some ways. i wouldn't describe these lyrics as beautifully written, or wilson and gregg jakobson as brilliant songwriters, but there's an art to creating lyrics that are easy to digest. the duo hit the nail on the head. "rainbows" is a good example--because it's rather simple but remains enjoyable. that being said, pacific ocean blue, like many beach boys' albums, is incredibly easy to listen to.
I will admit, when I saw a solo album from a Beach Boy, I was expecting grabs at fame using the Beach Boys sound. After all, they were one of the most successful recording bands of all time, why not milk it for some more? Well, say what you will about "Pacific Ocean Blue", but a Beach Boys copycat this is not. Dennis Wilson actually does make every effort to do his own thing here. This is some easy to digest pop-rock music, but with a soulful, funky, and slightly folky flair. He uses his gravely voice here to amplify this style. What is found here is, surprisingly, quite varied and unique compared to a lot of the other pop and rock acts of the time. I don't know if this is necessary required listening, but it was a pleasant and unique surprise from someone I expected to just rest on his band's laurels and not offer anything meaningful. Not quite a 4, but pretty close to a 3.5 for me!
I'm sure this record will get stronger with me over time. It's a pretty wild ride and some moments I'm really digging everything about it, particularly the experimental dark production of it. Pretty cool! Other parts I was put off and not impressed but I like it overall!
Hidden gem. Like if the Beach Boys put out a cooler album.
3.5 Album. Album titled song and final song were good. Good background music.
I was more than a little amazed at the production value of this record. I guess I shouldn't have been. Wilson was involved in some of the most important and groundbreaking production evolutions of all time, so why wouldn't his first and only solo effort bring some of that to the table? This sounds timeless. But boy, outside of the literal sound of the album, the songs are a serious bummer throughout. There are a few highlights like the opener (honestly one of the more dated songs, but still great), or Pacific Ocean Blues. But there's a pretty depressing tone to the rest of it. The "troubled genius" trope is on full display, and given the right mood, you could easily sink into this record and be completely at one with your emotions.
I found this more contemplative, downbeat departure from the classic Beach Boys surf-pop sound by one of the band’s founders to be rather refreshing.
It's pretty hard to evaluate this. It's a strong album with a recognizable quality while still sounding like a Beach Boys B-Side, which is definitely something good, but it also takes off one star from my evaluation for the lack of personality (I'm afraid to be very unfair in this last sentence).
I thought today's album was a poster for that movie Castaway, where Russell Crowe gets stranded on a island and befriends a volleyball named Wilson. Turns out Dennis Wilson is one of the three Wilson brothers who created The Beach Boys. So after learning that, I wasn't looking forward to what I assumed would just be more watered down Beach Boys garbage. Thankfully though, it's like folk pop/blues rock. Don't get me wrong, there is some shitty love ballads on it, but some straight up bangers too. Like Pacific Ocean Blue. A real dirty blues rocker. Overall, this album was fine, but far too long. 1hr 52mins is just way too long of a runtime for this record. Favourite songs: Pacific Ocean Blues, What's Wrong, Friday Night, Dreamer, Under the Moonlight, River Song, Holy Man - Taylor Hawkins Version Least favourite songs: Tug of Love, Thoughts of You, It's Not Too Late, Cocktails, I Love You 3/5
Wow... a 2 hour double album... It was interesting. I can hear a lot of things in this album from Ozzy to Tom Petty. I don't know if I love it yet when I realized I'm halfway through the first album but there is a lot on it that is pretty. The longer this album went on the worse I felt about it. My god it is long.
Not great but some bangers such as time, actually the thing I got the most was this guy was really interesting to read about with all the manson shit. But the album itself 3/5
Three songs in and I have no idea what to expect from the next one. Beach Boys to late-Pink Floyd in 6 mins. Okay it didn’t get great. But I liked some of it.
Kedeligt
based on the original 12 song album, not bad - nothing special -- 2 star. Continued through 2-disc edition of Pacific Ocean Blue & Bambu - CD Deluxe Legacy Edition (3 extra tracks for disc one, and another disc).
very nice diverse album, with many different types of songs from soul like folk to pink floyd esque experimental vibes
Surprised by how much I liked this. I don’t like The Beach Boys, but this better
Oh I know Brian was MAD
Ebb and flow rock. Tons of grand ideas, and plenty of instruments, lacks any real motive. Just kind of dull background rock. There are songs with that spacey backing voice, reminiscent of Pink Floyd, which then fades to soft piano mono-audio singing.
Although clearly an accomplished musician and producer, it seems like Dennis Wilson must have lived in the shadow of his more famous brother and former bandage, Brian. This album puts aside most of the experimentation of the Beach Boys and shows that he could craft a mature, well produced album.
Sounds like he was quite a character, tragic that he died so young. A few of these songs piqued my interest, and certainly show promise had he had the chance to continue his solo career.
A more soulful, slightly rougher Beach Boys. This is better than anything The Beach Boys did from '72 onward. Though I adore Brian, it kinda makes you wish Dennis could've taken the reins around that point in their career and moved the group in a more compelling direction than where they ended up going.
It's fine. Just seems like b-tier Beach Boys to me. Dad rock 100%.
Mikä tätä albumin pituutta vaivaa, oikeestiko sulla on näin paljon asiaa, Dennis? Parempaa kuin Beach boys ainakin aluksi, mutta puuduttaa sitten nopeasti. Vaikkei ole lahjaton tyyppi, hänelle on tässä annettu vähän liikaa aikaa.
Opittua äänimassaa vuodelta 77.
Never heard of him, but quite a good album. Worth a 2nd listen
Not my thing.
Not a bad sound but expecting people to listen to it for 30+ songs is taking the piss.
It was ok. I think I like his beach boys stuff a lot more.
Enjoyable extension of the Beach Boys sounds into some different music.
The context of an ex-Beach Boy finding his own way gave this some intrigue, but the music itself made little impression on me. It threatened to get interesting every now and then but never really got beyond 'somewhat pleasant.'
So-so. Surprisingly gruff voice for a Beach Boy. Songs were varied mix of 70s rock and pop - nothing cheesy, but nothing amazing either.
This album had next to no affect on me, positive or negative. Just ok which given the ton of nonsense that makes up this 1001 list, is a nice compromise. 5/10.
It was pretty good on the first listen, I've got a feeling I'll enjoy it more in subsequent listens though.
So derivative, no hooks, nothing.
above average but not exactly shining. does capture the beach boys sound without just sounding like a inferior version; dennis is able to bring in his own personality. best tracks: moonshine, you and I, pacific ocean blue
This is gonna be a beach boys side project for sure. Yeah not too bad, nothing special but it didn't piss me off. 3/5.
Yea pretty good and varied.
I've always meant to try this one. It's really nice. The height of sophisticated cocaine rock. Part beach boys, part Nillson, part something of its own. Will buy this I think.
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.
Herbeluisteren toch 3?
It's alright
Fine. Did not listen to deluxe two hour version
Didn't bother listening to the extended version, it's hella long. Had it's moments
Sad he only got to finish this one album. Would love to have heard what would come later. Nice listen.
Ho-hum 70s MOR
I found this quite interesting a big range that was interesting at times. With 33 tracks it's hard to keep track of favourites but River Song, Holy Man - Instrumental, and All Alone at the top of my list.
Hmmm, bit nonplussed about this. I appreciate the studio wizardry and it definitely sounds very swish, but doesn't really grab me. Fave track - "Dreamer" for the didgeridoo sounding.... thing.
Good
This was a great surprise. Incredible arrangements and production value. 1hr 50 is too long for me though.
6/10. I think that this album was "noted for outselling the Beach Boys' contemporary efforts" is more a reflection on the Beach Boys' contemporary efforts than on the quality of this album.
Genuinely good. Had that warm and full production that I always appreciate and just enough variety to stay pretty fresh but consistent. 8/10
This album started very generic, and I was ready to just put it in the background as just another 70s rock album, but the more you listen the more it gets interesting. I ended up enjoying the entire thing. Some songs are really good, others are just OK but it's worth a listen.
Really enjoyed this, wasn’t aware of Denis solo work, the extended CD was too long but will add the original album to my permanent rotation
*Listening notes* as of when this was written, this album is available to listen on spotify as part of a double album with his Bambu. This album has the beginning sounds of the early 80s solo light rock that became so prevalent.
I liked Pacific Ocean Blue, it's straight down the line 70s Dad rock stuff with a swagger and a style at times, and then a bit more stripped back and considered at others, 3 for sure.
A pleasant surprise - I was expecting a worse Beach Boys album but this is something different and intrinsically more interesting (if not as catchy). Drink and drugs had changed his singing voice, making it much throatier and giving it a bit more edge. Leans a lot more into funk, jazz even. Well worth a listen, but still lacks something to take it to a high score, so it's another high 3.
Rock melódico bastante moñas. Alguna canción más movida. Ni fu ni fa.
Rock, pop, muy agradable. No tiene nada que ver con el estilo conocido de The Beach Boys.
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.
I think I wanted to enjoy this more than I did. I appreciate the artistic sentimental feeling that he is going for, and it has some hints of the Beach Boys' style throughout. I probably should relisten someday
Wow, very pleasantly surprised by this album. Kind of thought it would be something silly coming from a former Beach Boy but I hear his influence in so many future artists here. Very enjoyable
Ok album, songs had some beauty to them, but I didn't connect with the album. Enjoyed the listen, but it ended up being background noise to me. Rated it a 3.
The songs on this album are very nice, just a very calming album that can be put on in the background while cooking.
Yeah it was ok.Fun in Parts.
Wasn’t a huge fan of it. His voice wasn’t great for me, and a lot of songs were boring musically. I did like “under the moonlight” though.
Supposedly the least musically gifted Wilson brother, Dennis nevertheless recorded an excellent collection of ballads and interesting pop songs. Every track is drenched in sound, which combined with his tormented sounding vocal, lends the record an emotionally vulnerable and sad air. In places it is extremely raw and touching. It's tragic that 'Farewell My Friend' was played at Dennis' funeral before he had the chance to record a follow up. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: River Song Date listened: 06/06/23
It’s like it tries to be so grand. I don’t like the horns in this, or the piano, or his voice.
Now this is the kind of thing I was expecting to get from this list. Relatively obscure album that I never would have heard of otherwise (as have most of the population judging by the fact his 5th most listened song has less than 750,000 listens). Started off slow but really peaks in the middle. Can hear the Beach Boys elements but some of it so dark and heavy. Reading up on him afterwards...Jesus. Crazy life. Interesting and enjoyable album anyway. 3.5*
terrible. I didn't finish
I'm sure this is full of talent and musical ability and yes, it is well produced, but holy hell this is boring. I mean, it's Taylor Swift level beige. And dear gods, it's long. Well, actually not. Only look at the original pressing and you're on 12 tracks. It just feels like several decades of your life you won't get back.
Very much not a Beach Boys album, Pacific Ocean Blue is a moody and sometimes hard-edged performance that sounds at times like Elton John and Joe Cocker together. The result is not unpleasant but lacks a musical flow, many of the songs sounding incomplete, or in need of some co-writing. Nonetheless, this is an album of emotions laid bare with depth that emerges after a few listens.
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.
Kind of a sorrowful and nostalgic album, reminded me a bit of If I Could Only Remember My Name
I'll admit, I wasn't too stoked to draw this one given how much I disliked Brian Wilson and didn't vibe with Pet Sounds but was pleasantly surprised with this one. There were a few songs that didn't land for me but all in all, I enjoyed it. "Dreamer" was my favourite.
Not my favorite, to be honest. This feels like the kind of music I'm only going to enjoy when I turn 45 years old.
This is definitely not a Beach Boys album! Thankfully! It is FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC! My third Listen. This is one that definitely has gotten better each time. I went from a 3/5 to 3.5/5 and now I think I am easily ready to give this a 4/5. I would have never heard this if it wasn't for this crazy list. It has become a favorite of mine. I'll keep it in my playlist in the future. Standouts: Thoughts of You, Farewell My Friend, Time, You and I, River Song, Friday Night, End of the Show I LOVE the songs: Thoughts of You, Farewell My Friend, Time and You and I. There are also several others that I think are better than average as well. 4/5
3.5 stars. Solo Beach Boy album that really would've been good if it lasted only 1 disc. What started out as an enjoyable mix of piano ballad, pop rock, funk, and good singing became a slog. Standouts are title track and "Rainbows."
Inget vidare faktiskt.
A perfectly unoffensive and otherwise fine album. Just... boring mostly. 3.5
I can't see myself listening to this again.
Should have tried harder to get Brian out of bed.
dennsi wilson var venn med charles manson 3.5
Interesting
I didn't get this. Like I don't get Pet Sounds. It's just too safe. Too FM radio. It feels old. And not in a good way.
BL: know zilch about Dennis Wilson, he looks cool though, so I will see how it pans out. AL: Apparently Dennis Wilson was a Beach Boy. Album was pretty OK. The type of music you'd see your disillusioned uncle put on in his car, blues and light rock tracks you could imagine a beach boy in his latter years making. Can't say any tracks really stood out at all, maybe I will give it a relisten and see if it changes though. FT: didn't stand out whatsoever rip 2/5
Very cool record! Dennis has some rocking tunes on here as well as nice slower ones. Will be revisiting.
tarttee kyylää. alku oli huono, sitten tuli semmonen 10-15min stintti täyttä kultaa... ajatus oli nelosenmpuolelle, mutta taisin vahingossa seuraava tunti ja vartti laittaa saman biisin uudelleentoistoon...sanat oli vähän erilaiset mutta kuulosti niin vitun samalta.. harmi että ei voi ykköstä laittaa kun rupesi vituttaa sitä tahtia JAAHAS sama pianon plömpytys ALKO TAASKIN.. aivan sama ja ktösdlfgmasgsfköjsdgdflgk scaeröocjdifgva seuraava päivä vittu dreamer
Struggled with how to rate this one. Pacific Ocean Blue on its own is pretty great, but it REALLY didn’t need to be a double album. If you took just the best tracks here you’d have a five-star album but this is two two-to-three star albums
I don't need 33 mediocre folk songs to fill 2 hours of my life.
The opening song is great and got me very excited for this, but unfortunately the rest is pretty mid. There’s some nice instrumental sections here and there (Dreamer was another highlight) but most of it is very generic with naff lyrics
LIke so much of '70s era art, this is ragged and excessive and indulgent. Plus, Dennis Wilson is no better than an average singer with no better than an average voice. But the overstuffed approach yields quite a few interesting and worthwhile bits. "River Song" gets to certain level of ethereality – a choir's worth of backing vocals will do that, one supposes. There's a bit more swampy funk (not really convincing particularly when its about the Pacific Ocean) than feels necessary. Uplifting cuts ("Rainbow") seem more effective and on brand. Still one hears riffs and moments that might have been stolen by Eels and Dawes ("Farewell My Friend"). Editors, while overrating the book generally, are right the whole thing smacks of "rich white guy blues" (or even Rock Star Blues). Or if Paul Thomas Anderson had made movies in Southern California in the '70s, it would have looked much like this sounds. A number of cuts from the expanded edition sound better than the tracks on the original release.
Really good soft rock album. No tracks stand out as being below average. Highlights for me were definitely "Dreamer", "River Song", "Pacific Ocean Blues", "Time" and "Moonshine". The instrumentation on a bunch of these song were really great and that is what really made this album for me. I think though that is was really good but nothing stands out to make it great. 8.5/10
Quase 2h de meh
Solid album. Definitely not a Beach Boys album. Favorite tracks: Thoughts of You, Time, Moonshine, You and I, End of the Show 3.5/5
LP
It was an interesting album, a few different genres throughout. I definitely felt like his voice suited the blues/rock songs better than the slower songs (like "Thoughts of You"). And more overt religious references than I was expecting (or liked)
Knew next to nothing about the middle Wilson other than that he had a tough time and he drowned before he hit 40. I dig the edgier, horn-heavy sound, mixing in the softness of Brian with stuff that reminded me of Elton John and Ry Cooder at times even. I don't know that any of these songs particularly stand out but its listenable and enjoyable and different from my expectations for a Beach Boy. Appreciated the exposure, though I'm finding this list overall is pretty subjective to a particular guy's kind of taste haha. Would love to see more diversity to justify these being albums we need to hear before we kick the bucket. This is really a 3.5 for me in terms of impact, but I'll go 4.
Even though they’re different, this reminded me of the Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter. Both are pretty and create their own little world, but the music itself didn’t move me. Spotify only had the 2 CD deluxe version so I’m not sure how much of this was on the original release so that may cloud my score. Holy Man was by far my favorite and I also really liked the instrumental outro in Time.
This is a very good, but not great album. It is miraculous that Dennis Wilson was able to get this completed at all, given his drug abuse and ravaged voice. But, similar to Marianne Faithful, he uses it to his advantage, a grizzled croon that sounds beyond his years. This is honest music and remarkable under the circumstances. Thoughts of You and Friday Night were standouts for me. It is a shame this is the only solo album Dennis released.
This sounds like what would result if you googled “70s beach boys album”. Those albums had fewer harmonies anyway. Really beautiful and interesting record. I think if o had more time with it it could get to a 5, but it doesn’t have the same magic of The Beach Boys at their peak in my limited listening today.
not a great record IMHO Interesting as a 'solo record by one of the Beach Boys' he's got a nice singing voice really nothing else special about this really though it wasn't offensive
It was alright. Some decent songs.
I like the 70's vibe but there's nothing to make this stand out unless you think 'Beach Boys'. It good for chilling out in the background. Some tracks have a real Beach boys sound. Farewell my friend is pretty good and in retrospect quite poignant.
I can really appreciate the skillful and subtle studio work here, this album is beautifully arranged and orchestrated. But I find the songwriting a bit anodyne and same same after a while. I would give this a 4 if this list were about the musical skill of the accompanying artists, but of course, it's not. For me, this is a 3/5. There are good songs here, but overall it's forgettable for me.
Why are all The Beach Boys so good?
Started off promisingly but then disappeared up its own arse.
Brilliant album
So so
Although there are slight moments of brilliance peeking through - this is an ex-Beach Boy after all, it's coated in the worst possible 70s rock garb that ruins it. What isn't brilliant is basically cliched to a tee.
its like they let some hippie in the studio for a couple hours
Liked this more than I thought I would. Fairly forgettable after listening however
первые пару прослушиваний было одно и то же, но что-то потом заинтриговало, надо перепроверить
Didn't listen to it all the way through, kinda got bored
I was aware of this record before, but I had not taken the necessary amount of time to delve into it. That stretch of songs between "Friday Night" to "Pacific Ocean Blues' is just perfect. It's arresting in the way Gene Clark's *No Other* is. So many evocative moods, sweeping through a vast array of styles. And the bonus CD displaying the unfortunately aborted sessions for "Banbu" has gems too. 4 stars. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: less than 700, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: approximately a half so far (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter
The expanded double version of this album is even better than just the original. This album is a must-listen because it shows what a talented and varied artist Dennis Wilson was. It gets a bit dreary towards the end but overall this is the diary of an artist who probably was never going to be able to pump out an album every other year. It's clear he put a lot into this record.
3?
Les instrumentations sont vraiments intéressantes, mais les compositions sont un peu insatisfaisantes en comparaison. Agréable album mais sans plus.
That‘s again a tough one. Big chunk of work you need to digest like a cow: over and over and over. It can be as well annoying as rewarding. For the claim ‚Records to listen to before you die‘ I can agree.
Vähän pitkä levy. Välillä alkoi ärsyttää, mutta lopussa kokonaisuutena ihan mielenkiintoinen ja joukossa oli erikoisempiakin kappaleita. Pitää osittain kuunnella joitain kappaleita uudestaan
What if Harry Nilsson was a Beach Boy?
Meh, I found this album pretty boring, maybe you had to experience it at the time.
Nothing interesting to me here. Favorite track: Time
this album is so goddamn cool. unfortunately that doesn’t lead to all the songs being good but there are some good ones in there. very very cool overall though
No és l'obra mestra que s'ha volgut reivindicar amb el temps, però el disc en solitari del segon dels Wilson és una petita joia a conservar. Res a veure amb els The Beach Boys, un treball més chill out, tranquil, per deixar passar una tarda d'estiu relaxat mentre es contempla la posta de sol
Excellent work.
Not for me
This started off pretty good but got very very whiny in the middle! Was about to stop it but got slightly better again at You and I, but not great.
Hmm. I was not really feeling this.
Yawn
No thank you
Fort heureusement et contrairement à ce qui a pu être annoncé, cet album n'a aucune accointance avec cet horrible genre musical qu'est la country.
Un album de grande qualité, nous mettant en scène Mike Horn dans diffèrentes scènes délicates ayant eu lieu au cours de ses expéditions: face a face avec un ours polaire, descente en speedboat sur le fleuve Amazone, ou encore mise ne place d'un piège à lapin. Un véritable guide de survie musical.
This was a tough listen.
Although I'm not a fan of the Beach Boys, this was more listenable to me since he's toned down the annoying Beach Boy sound which I’m sure is big brother Brian's influence (vocal harmonies). His voice is a bit gravelly though and I understand that it had begun to deteriorate after a motorcycle accident in the early 70s. As a result, I like the instrumental pieces such as Holy man and Common better. IMO the best song on this very long album is Time, it has a very nice orchestral arrangement and is very different sounding from the rest of the album that basically just blends together for me. He could have just dumped the filler and made this a solid single album. For me, the most interesting thing about Dennis Wilson is his history on Wiki, particularly the Manson section, wow what a trip!
I liked some of the tracks; they struck a sort of rough but laidback pop rock. The rest I felt were too mellow or just bad. Also, listening to this via Spotify, I accidentally ended up listening to the later edition (which I never rate), and boy were some of those added tracks even worse.
This was a nice surprise. I listened twice b/c it's short and will have to revisit the deluxe+Bambu version later. Appreciated the Steely Dan-ish dad rock vibe after having hit a bunch of their albums on this list already. I'm not one who pays attention to lyrics and I think that helps this album out.
Way too long. Decent music though.
Got some NIN vibes on "Thoughts of You". Wonder if Trent Reznor listened to this a bunch
very good, could be a 5 with more listens.
It's... fine, I guess? People worked hard on making this album, and it sounds great. But I will never seek it out again.
its groovin
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"
Sounds like the kind of dude that hangs around with Charles Manson and LANDSHARK, getting up to no good.
Loved it, will give another listen and probably add to rotation. Crazy sound for the year it came out, good psych whatever
So Brian wasn't the only troubled genius in the Beach Boys.
I can see the charm
This album was a lovely surprise. I wouldn't have necessarily thought that Dennis Wilson had this kind of an album in him. It's creative and expressive, with a mature but offbeat pop sensibility and a bit of grit. His sound has echoes of his work with the Beach Boys, but it's very much his own, fitting in squarely with what a lot of singer-songwriters were doing in the 70s. I really enjoyed this. Fave Songs: Thoughts of You, You and I, Pacific Ocean Blues, Time, River Song, Dreamer, Rainbows
Emotional, only solo-album of the artist - Meikä poika hahahha! Päätin alottaa englanniksi... Niikun tässäkin lauleslekallaan... englanniksi.. SUOMESSA OLLAAN..kulluurit assimilointi.. pikku suomi ja Suomen kieli.. Ja se sanottakaan että tässä albumissa kulttuuri.. kulttuuri on vienyt hienouden.. Länsimainen.. Ne likit mitä jossain biisien introissa.. pop kulttuuri.. Leena Vanamo viet itsekontrollin (self-control) jotkut hiljaset piano soolot.. hienot orkestraatiot.. sekä tunne.. pilattu ajallisella.. Se aika on nyt kuollut. R&B Ja muut kultit.. poltettava.. Hyve ei ole kuullostaa joltain.. Hyve onse kun tekee omaa musaa.. 5 Tähteä.. Se oli tulossa.. niiden toiseen maailmaan vievien introjen.. upeiden äänikokonaisuuksien avulla.. Biiisit vastaa toisilleen... Seitsemänkin vuoden takaa.. Siinä hetkessä tämän albumin skaala.. 7 vuotta.. tuntuu pieneltä.. Biisi naksahtaa.. soimaan.. jess.. Kuitenkin neljä... tähteä.. harmittaa... Jaha ne oli kopioinu blind chaneliä.. What's Wrong.. (Do I wanna knoww... I gave up a long taaim agoo.. ) (ei sitä kohtaa onneks..)Kolmeen tippuu plagiostimsisesta.. En siitä tykkää kun jotkut tekee niin vielä nykysinkin NYT LOPPU SE
It was OK.
This album is ok. A couple of the songs are good, but overall a bit boring. Not much else to say about this album. Favorite song: River song, this song has pretty good energy to it Worst song: Farewell My Friend, was gonna fall asleep listening to this song
Decent album, with some really nice elements. I did enjoy this one.
Honestly, this fucks.
It's a long one, but has a lot of heart. Raw and meandering, it's a bit of a journey, but one I'm glad I've taken.
Yeah nah
BORING
This album reminds me of an old sweater that’s falling apart. Barely held together by a couple loose strings. None of the musicians sound like they’re really into it which is a shame considering the lyrics, chord progressions, and structuring all sound like they’d be great if they were played tighter. Poor execution, but great theory. Makes me sad to think that they were so close to such an incredible album. 4/5
I like it more than The Beach Boys I guess. Pretty generic sounding but there were a few good ones. Long ass album though.
The deluxe edition felt a bit long but definetely like some bits of it
Starting this album, I really didn't get it, as it just seemed like Pacific Rock from the era, and not much more, but the second half of the album, starting with Thoughts of You, really changed the album into something that felt a lot more impactful. His voice seemed like it genuinely meant what it was singing, and the musicality really showed through from that forward. It felt like the first part was like "Yeah, I was the Beach Boys, but these are my true musical abilities. It's a shame that he died so young and couldn't have a flourishing career, I truly think it would've only gotten better.
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).
A hidden gem in Beach Boys canon
Two Beach Boys albums in a row (kinda) I like this whenever it doesn't sound like the Beach Boys
A really interesting and varied album. Definitely glad I got to hear this & I think I'll play it again.
This starts off sounding fairly Beach Boys-like, but then it gradually morphs into something more interesting. Some of it reminds me of Wilco, some of Randy Newman, but overall it's really nice. 4 stars.
Pleasant enough, just didn't really do much for me. Favorite track: "Pacific Ocean Blue"
I didn't really know what to expect with this album given that Dennis was a member of the Beach Boys. It was alright. Not bad. Not great. Just kind of there. I have no desire to listen to it again though.
Perfectly Acceptable
The least likely Beach Boy to have a solo career puts out a mid-70s album that sounds nothing like what you would think. And his songwriting skills shine.
Some decent singer songwriting here, a nice vibe.
Not shabby, I might revisit this at some point. Overall didn't really grab or wow me much though. It's a 3.5 rounded down.
Great to listen to but as a huge Brian Wilson fan comes off as derivative
Listened to the deluxe edition which was very good
At first I thought I liked it but then it became a bit of a chore to finish the album.
Prefs: Riversong, Moonshine, Friday Night, Pacific Ocean Blues, Rainbows Moins pref: Dreamer
boring and uninspired. 2.
This is quite a departure from the Beach Boys sound. Dennis Wilson was a great songwriter; after Brian Wilson, his songs have the best reputation amongst fans. But by 1977 his voice was reduced to a rasp, which is a real shame as he previously had a decent singing voice. Compare the vocals on this album to tracks like Little Bird or Be Still from a decade earlier, the difference is astonishing. But taken on its own terms, this is a good album with a mature sound, and it's certainly got a lot of soul and emotion.
Too long and same-y. Enjoyed a few early tracks but got bored with it
Pants
Rather a nice surprise. Hadn't realised that Dennis Wilson had done a solo album, and it wasn't bad at all
I approve this album
I didn't know Dennis Wilson had done a solo album. I initially liked the artwork, felt bold. Started the album, and reading his Wikipedia page, he had quite an interesting life - had no idea about the Charles Manson association - wild! The album almost became a soundtrack to his Wikipedia page, ha! It was enjoyable enough.
Another 3 all of these are simply ok
Mislila sam da ce biti neki lijepi country album po coveru. NOPE. Ovo je dad rock.
Dosadan album, jebiga. Sve šta ima da Beach Boysima mi očito ne paše. Ne znam.
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.
Amazing album.
Lang album maar wel goed! Veel verschillende stijlen door elkaar. Wel een legendary vibe.
Tsja, weet niet zo goed wat ik hier mee moet. De meeste nummers zijn niet echt uit elkaar te houden, zeker op de tweede disc. Ik vind de paar wat meer funky nummers best aardig.
Didn’t really like it
Didn’t love this. Pretty mediocre and enormous length too but all sounded the same
Not my thing.
Not my cup of tea
Epic ocean blues
Sometimes leaning towards overproduced, while at others having some very inspired production choices. Overall? Cool album
Banger
Good album. Hidden gem.
No me gusta
Solid album. Many very good songs. Didn't realize that the 2nd album linked on Spotify wasn't originally apart of the Ocean Blue release and felt the album didn't deserve to be a double but it was still enjoyable.
Solid
4/5
Not a fan of The Beach Boys so the same here.
I had doubts about this album due to its reviews. The first song "River Song" surprised me. It was very good! However, as the songs keep going, they only keep getting worse and worse. It was almost like Dennis' voice and energy was dying more and more with each song. I was dissapointed, and ready to give a negative review to this album. And then the first instrumental song, "Holy Man", came in. And it was so good! Then, "Mexico" another instrumental, even more breathtaking than the previous one. And I'm like, that was it! Clearly, Dennis' talent was always more the composition rather than the singing part. I found myself enjoying the instrumental and limited lyrics songs more than the other ones. Unfortunately, the majority of the songs weren't like that. But my opinion of the album definitely improved during the second half. I still have my issues with the album, like it's unnecessarily big length. The whole Beach Boys discography is still better than this album, but that doesn't make it bad at all.
70's dad rock. Good everyday background music.
This was better and more interesting that I thought it would be given the Beach Boys connection. Like the Beach Boys with the annoying elements removed and replaced with something grittier
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.
Interesting listen. Very different from The Beach Boys, enjoyable.
I didn't know what to expect. This album is full of all kinds of different genres I feel. There's some songs I really liked and some I didn't vibe with at all. All in all, solid 4.
Not terrible, but nothing grabbed me.
I feel like I should have a lot to say about this album but I don’t really. I could easily hear the Beach Boys’ influence in this album. As a fan of the Beach Boys, I liked it for that. I did enjoy this album in general but doubtful I would listen again. River Song was nice.
Dennis was the most soulful and moodiest of the Beach Boys. His compositions and voice are hard and feely, sensitive things. The songs on this album are dramatic and expressive and bound to stir your emotions up at least once. To my ears, 'Farewell My Friend' is the most moving.
Yes, that Wilson family and it more or less shows that those Beach Boys documentaries where Brian Wilson is the only true musician is inaccurate.
Really enjoyed it! Awesome horns, typical 70s beach.
Relaxed, pleasant, a little dark, especially in the extended material. In no way matches up with the frenetic human being Dennis Wilson seemed to have been. If Dennis can pull this album out of soul maybe all of us have some Pacific Ocean Blue in us somewhere.
This was a surprisingly cool album, saved one song from it.
Meh
This is no formulaic Kokomo designed for adult contemporary radio. An interesting, melancholic country blues album that is much better than I expected.
I love The Beach Boys. At least three of the songs on this album sound like The Eagles. I hate the fuckin' Eagles, man. "Thoughts of You" kind of reminds me of Eels which was interesting at least.
Jg gillade detta! hade ingen aning om att det var strandpojkarna-killen.
bland. I didn't enjoy. He needs his brothers!
This could be a great album of it wasn't such a freaking marathon that blends together by the end. There's some good stuff in here but nothing that really puts it over the edge for me.
Wilsonnn
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
Dreamer is a cool song. Thoughts Of You follows up and is also really stretches its dyanmic muscles. Decent album but im not really into the Wilson brothers mystique
I've listened to a lot of Brian's solo work, but never that of Dennis. I enjoyed this.
Did not know about this album, quite liked it and will be giving it a second listen. A little darker, Beach Boys comes through a little bit at parts but a good listen.
like this a lot all sorted of different genres and sounds coming out here.
Suggests that Dennis was the George Harrison of the Beach Boys. I actually prefer this over two of the Beach Boys albums on this list. And if you really want to go on a ride, peruse Dennis Wilson's Wikipedia page. That thing is a RIDE! Aside from the entire section on Charles Manson, you get to learn (or recall) that Dennis dated Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie (who claimed Dennis Wilson was "half little boy, half insane"), and often told friends he was raped by a black man. But hell, aren't all of the Wilsons at least half insane?
He looks like a hobo
A solo album by a beach boy. Definitely a different feel that what The Beach Boys normally provide. This is a slower,sadder, more artistic style album. Incredibly long which brings it down a bit. It’s not terrible just slightly depressing which in its own way is ok. 5.3/10
It was okay but the album was too long for me
Genre: Pop Rock 2/5 Dennis certainly ain’t Brian. One of the Wilson's of Beach Boys fame, this one named Dennis, decided one day to make the most boring album he could. He had a little too much money, so he over produced it a bit, rendering it not quite as boring as it could've been, but god damn this is still pretty boring. A lot of strings, a lot of ballads, and one good song (River Song). This hits a lot of the right buttons that you might generally expect from a pop rock album, but with none of the pizzazz. Dennis Wilson did all of this as robotically as one could, with nothing sounding original, genuine, or interesting. Very low energy and another album that exists in this book purely becuase of the fame of the man behind it, and because some editor listened to it way too much. Go hang out with Manson some more, you weirdo.
Sometimes the day makes the album- and I had a Long Beach run and this was the perfect accompaniment
Standard 70's West Coast fare here, it is ok but doesn't grab me as a classic. has some catchy tunes like "What's Wrong" the Title Track "Pacific Ocean Blues" and "You and I". But to be honest the drugs and alcohol (and probably his relationship with Charles Manson) were taking there toll by this time. As I say not a memorable album for me and a bit boring really.
Good music for chillin
Enjoyed fair
Too damn long
NICE
I never heard anything from him or from The Beach Boys before, but I really enjoyed this album! Was expecting something totally different judging from the cover. Favorite tracks: * River Song * Friday Night * Time
Some interesting music but overall did not find this too compelling.
Местами цепляющий и очень умиротворяющий альбом. Что сейчас весьма в тему.
Although Mexico is not on the original album, I'd add a star for it. What brilliant and warm music!
Very good, very chill album. It's very easygoing but that doesn't mean it's poorly made or anything like that. There is certain art to making an album this seamless.
Not really my style
Certaines bonnes chansons, d'autres moyennes. J'ai aimé. Trop long
I thought this would be more interesting / more fun. It’s very much regular 70s rock.
s h i t
This is a hidden gem of an album. Sure, there are some corny parts, but I just kept getting caught in the hooks. This whole album just sounds like someone who is genuinely having a great time making music, and that makes me happy.