Pacific Ocean Blue

It is messy, and way too long and repetitive at times. But there are feels, ambition, things to say, and I didn't mind all that much. I wasn't interested all the way through, but cant say I was displeased

I really enjoyed this! It’s like the Beach Boys version of Michael McDonald!

Lovely album. I've never heard it before today.

Wow. I never knew this album existed. I heard Rainbows in Project Hail Mary and thought it was a cool song. I had no idea it was Dennis Wilson.

it absolutely blows my mind that mike damn love was keeping songs like this off beach boys records. what the hell? nobody talks about this album. it’s really great. a very grand and vast album. well done. a gem. this is exactly why i’m doing 1001 albums is to find this stuff.

Boring as bat-shit...

A little Peter Gabriel, definitely very 70s.

P

Can’t deny that the lesser Wilson is indeed a musical genius, but for the most part this album does not hit for me. More of a collection of cool ideas than an album. The song rainbows for instance, you can practically here lil D stop the tape and yell, hey you know what we haven’t broke out yet, let’s get some mando on this track! There is one track that is will certify as an essential jam in Pacific Ocean Blues, if the whole album had that vibe, could have been a 4 or 5, but it’s a 2 to 3 but it gets a 2 considering Denis’s rejection of Charles Manson is essentially what led him to do all those things that Brad Pitt and his dog stopped in the once upon a time in Hollywood. 2 stars 5.7 out of 10.

There were three things I knew about Dennis Wilson before listening to this record. One, he was the drummer for the Beach Boys. Two, he died an untimely death. Three, he had a magnificent beard. That was about the extent of my knowledge, so I went into *Pacific Ocean Blue* with virtually no expectations, other than the assumption that it would probably sound vaguely like a Beach Boys record. As it turns out, I was pretty wrong about that. The first surprise is Dennis himself. I don't know exactly what I expected his voice to sound like, but it certainly wasn't this. Where Brian and Carl Wilson had those beautiful, clean, almost angelic voices, Dennis sounds like he's been gargling whiskey and cigarettes for breakfast. He's got this wonderfully raspy, soulful rock-and-roll voice, somewhere in the neighborhood of Bob Seger or a particularly weathered John Lennon. Every so often, you can hear traces of that familiar low Beach Boys harmony, but for the most part, Dennis sounds remarkably unlike his brothers. The second surprise, and probably the thing I enjoyed most about the record, is the sheer enormity of the production. This is a *huge*-sounding album. Everything is layered, orchestrated, and arranged within an inch of its life, but rarely in a way that feels excessive for its own sake. There are sweeping strings, choirs, organs, pianos, horns, guitars, and all manner of strange little instrumental flourishes. The music constantly expands and contracts, moving between delicate, almost painfully intimate passages and these enormous, cinematic crescendos. It's an incredibly rich listening experience. The opening "River Song" establishes that aesthetic immediately. It begins with a rolling piano figure that wouldn't sound out of place on Elton John's *Madman Across the Water*, *Tumbleweed Connection*, or *Goodbye Yellow Brick Road*. There's something vaguely "Tiny Dancer"-esque about the piano, but as the instrumentation and backing vocals begin to pile on, the song grows into something altogether different. It's grandiose, soulful, and beautifully arranged, with Dennis's gravelly voice cutting through the whole production. "What's Wrong" follows with a terrific little boogie-woogie rock-and-roll number, and it was around this point that I started hearing a lot of John Lennon in the record. Not Beatles Lennon so much as the Lennon of *Walls and Bridges* and, to a lesser extent, *Double Fantasy*. There's that same combination of rootsy rock and roll, lush studio production, soulful backing vocals, and a singer whose personality comes through every note. As the album progresses, though, the comparisons get considerably stranger. "Moonshine" and especially "Friday Night" sound remarkably like late-'70s Pink Floyd. "Moonshine" has those ominous minor chords, atmospheric keyboards, and a vocal delivery that genuinely reminds me of Roger Waters. It's a strange comparison to make about the drummer from the Beach Boys, but there it is. "Friday Night" takes things even further, sounding like something that could have wandered off *Wish You Were Here*. Foreboding organs establish the atmosphere before these enormous, bending, David Gilmour-esque guitar lines come soaring through the arrangement. There's so much space in the music, and that space is filled by a ripping lead guitar. It's fantastic stuff. Another comparison that kept occurring to me throughout the record was Harry Nilsson. Particularly the lush, eccentric orchestral pop of *Nilsson Schmilsson* and the rougher, more emotionally battered sound of *Pussy Cats*. There's something very Nilsson-like about Dennis's ability to marry beautiful, elaborate arrangements with a voice that sounds as though it's been through the wringer. The music can be almost impossibly pretty while the man singing it sounds anything but. "Thoughts of You" is a particularly striking example of the album's emotional contrasts. It moves between these incredibly fragile, delicate passages and darker sections dominated by sinister organ sounds and that Roger Waters-like vocal delivery. At times, it's downright ominous. I couldn't help wondering whether the song might somehow be about Brian Wilson, whose psychological struggles were already well underway by this point. I don't know that there's any basis for that interpretation, but there's something about the song's uneasy shifts between tenderness and darkness that made me think of him. Interestingly, it isn't until "You and I" that I really started hearing the Beach Boys. Those gorgeous, layered harmonies are unmistakable, particularly in the "no more lonely nights" passages. It's a reminder that Dennis was very much a Wilson, even if he'd spent much of the album sounding like just about everyone else in 1970s rock. "Pacific Ocean Blues" is another terrific track, this time bringing Paul McCartney and Wings into the picture. It's got those funky wah-wah guitars, a buoyant groove, and the sort of elaborate, full-bodied production that wouldn't sound out of place on *Venus and Mars*. Dennis's rough rock-and-roll voice gives it a slightly different character, but the McCartney influence, or at least the resemblance, is hard to miss. The Beach Boys comparisons become much more apparent toward the end of the original album, particularly on "Farewell My Friend" and "End of the Show." These aren't so much reminiscent of the band's early surf records as they are of Brian Wilson's more adventurous work on *Pet Sounds* and *SMiLE*. "Farewell My Friend" is genuinely moving. It's filled with chiming percussion, what sound like xylophones and glockenspiels, sliding instrumental textures, ethereal choirs, and even strange little sounds that resemble birdsong. It has that wonderfully eccentric, almost childlike quality of *SMiLE*, where seemingly unrelated musical elements somehow assemble themselves into something beautiful. But beneath all the whimsical instrumentation is a profoundly melancholy song. Dennis's weathered voice against those delicate arrangements is particularly affecting. "Rainbows" is another great tune, returning to that lush Harry Nilsson territory. It's almost baroque pop, with its ornate arrangements, rich harmonies, and wonderfully full sound. And "End of the Show" closes the original album by returning once again to that unmistakable Brian Wilson musical vocabulary, complete with those gorgeous Beach Boys harmonies and theatrical, *SMiLE*-like production. I listened to the expanded edition, which includes additional material from Dennis's unfinished *Bambu* project, and some of my favorite moments actually came from that material. "Tug of Love" might be my favorite track of the entire listening experience. It's probably the most Brian Wilson-sounding thing here, with those smooth, layered harmonies, unusual, slightly discordant repeating musical figures, and wonderfully intricate arrangements. But then the song starts climbing, and climbing, and climbing, until it reaches this absolutely enormous climax that reminds me less of 1970s Wings than of McCartney at the end of *Abbey Road*. There's something of "Golden Slumbers" and "Carry That Weight" in its sheer scale and ambition. And then, just as suddenly, the whole thing retreats into something tender and intimate again. It's a magnificent example of the dynamic range that makes this music so compelling. "Only with You" is another beautiful song, this time bringing Dire Straits to mind, particularly in its soulful, understated guitar work and easygoing romanticism. And then there's that wonderful key change, giving the whole thing an additional emotional lift. Finally, I loved the instrumental material toward the end of the expanded edition, especially "Holy Man." It's a perfect culmination of the album's musical ambitions, gradually building and building into this enormous, majestic crescendo. Even without Dennis's voice, the music is capable of communicating that same sense of grandeur and emotional weight. What strikes me most about *Pacific Ocean Blue* is how many different corners of 1970s rock it seems to occupy. There's Elton John's orchestral piano rock, Lennon's soulful grit, Nilsson's eccentric baroque pop, Pink Floyd's atmospheric darkness, McCartney's melodic craftsmanship, and, of course, Brian Wilson's extraordinary approach to harmony and arrangement. I realize that I've spent much of this review comparing Dennis Wilson to other musicians, but that's simply how my brain processes music. And in this case, I think the sheer breadth of those comparisons speaks to how surprisingly ambitious and varied this record is. What ties everything together is Dennis himself, particularly that extraordinary contrast between his rough, almost battered voice and the immense beauty of the music surrounding it. I went into this expecting a curiosity from the drummer of the Beach Boys. What I found was a richly orchestrated, emotionally vulnerable, occasionally eccentric, and frequently gorgeous piece of 1970s rock and roll. It's not a perfect record, and not every song reaches the heights of its best moments, but there's an unmistakable artistic vision here that I hadn't anticipated. Dennis Wilson was clearly much more than the guy sitting behind the drums. And he really did have a hell of a beard. 7.8/10

Impressive, varied double album. Loved a few tracks, mostly the instrumental ones, for some reason.

While I'm glad to have heard this, I don't particularly like it very much. It's (mostly) that genre of 70s rock that I simply do not care for. With that said, it's certainly an interesting artifact and a lot of the sounds Dennis put together here do paint a complete picture. It sounds good, and in bits and pieces you can find a life for each of these songs. For instance, love the horns in Dreamer and Time - where'd that come from? And then it's gone. I get the impression that maybe he papered over some deficiencies by adding more rather than stripping down, and you know what? God bless 'im for that. It works and while I think there's an album here that's just a guy with a guitar, I think that I would really hate. Instead, it's 40 minutes of throwing shit at the wall and it sticking.

4/10

Музыка нераздражающая, но довольно скучная. Лучшая песня: Time

2/3

Just like not a single beach boys album matches up to their contemporaries the beatles. It is also the same for the solo albums. Dennis growls and snarls a bit but its largely just inoffensive pap

Meh. It was OK, but nothing substantial. A very middle of the road, "not worth listening to" sort of album. Seepy and mellow with no real substance or heart. Nothing offensive, but also nothing memorable.

Might listen again. Super interesting

A very good album made by one of The Beach Boys, and not even one of the main ones, who'd have thunk? I assume he had been writing these songs for years before he got to record them because the quality control is on point. And then never recorded another solo album again. Key tracks: Thoughts of You Time Farewell My Friend

So pretty. Tambourines, piano, tinny beachy voices, folk, blues, calm, voices in rounds. Harmony.

I continue to be a sucker for a good horn section. I am also envious of this beard. 6 keepers in 12 (50%). 50

just not my thing really.

-yawn- Not my kind of music.

Visst får man bonuspoäng för att vara en Wilson, eller kanske en ovanlig musikalisk begåvning. Riktigt bra platta i någon slags svävande americana, folkrock, singer song writer tradition. Tänk en lugn Bruce Springsteen eller en poppigare Dylan. Men det suger inte tag i mig. För middle of the road kanske. En svag fyra.

firm 3 stars, some decent songs, but long and droning. counted the minutes till it finished

As I see it, there are three great fall-apart-at-any-moment records - three great albums of existential collapse - notably Skip Spence's Oar, Big Star's Third, & Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue. The mind is coming to its end on this release. There's a whole lotta soul on this thing - a whole lot. It yet hasn't the angelic quality of the best of The Beach Boys/Brian Wilson. The only consolation here is a cathartic one, i.e., e'en w/o reading the lyrics, it's just about as dark & broken as anything you'll come across. & then you do read the lyrics, & it's all farewells, goodbyes, see-ya-laters, & it's-been-nice-know-yas: 'Oh I want to see you again / Farewell'; 'Thank you very much / For everything I've ever wanted.' This shit is a mess, a loving mess.

Brian wasn’t the only Wilson who was a genius. Dennis was just a quiet one. The one hiding in the back. I love this album so much. I’m glad its reputation seemingly grows and grows every year. Wilson’s album sounds like, to me, the logical next step in the Beach Boy’s sound - where they probably should have gone in the late 70s and 80s. Lush, beautiful arrangements, but every song is imbued with a sense of sadness. Of childhood lost, of love gone, of a more complex understanding of life than simply surfing and going to the beach. Wilson’s raspy voice is perfect to communicate these new themes. It’s beautiful, but really lived in. He’s clearly been through some shit. Every song is a miniature masterpiece. This is an album that I can keep on repeat, that I could easily get lost in. Let it flow over me, like a river.

nulla di eccezionale, senza infamia e senza lode

daphne would maybe rate it higher

Dennis Wilson’s Pacific Ocean Blue is a decent record. There’s a fair amount of interesting stuff going on musically and lyrically, though I can’t say any of it really connects with me. I do appreciate the effort though. 7/10

Oh, wow

Better than I expected, with just enough Beach Boys to sound like a Wilson without being derivative.

An album for another decade. I can see the appeal of the other Wilson recording an album of pastoral pop songs highlighted by a not so surprising vocal approach. The songs are well produced and are in some aspects a world away from the Beach Boys, but in others reflect the same careful lyrical approach and more symphonic tendencies that Brian brought to the Beach Boys. That said, it’s not a remarkable record. Rather it is pleasant, likeable even, but reflective of the decade of its release. As a late 70s record released the year the Sex Pistols record hit America, this record harkens back to the late 60s and is clearly targeting an audience that is in their mid-life. This is not for angst ridden teens. All that said, there is truly nothing extraordinary about this album and the deluxe edition makes it clear that the best stuff ended up on the record. This is an album that would only appeal to fans. 3/5

This is one of those albums that seemed to get great reviews, a lost gem etc. It is largely soft, adult, American rock with very little emphasis on rock. Denis has a pleasant bit of grit to his voice which is nice when expecting Beach Boys style songs but it is large un-inspiring fair with nothing that would compel a second listen

2h de sous Beach Boys, c'est non

It was alright! Bit long.

I feel like this is an album that was given bigger accolades because the person passed away. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing. I understand the impact this individual had on the Beach Boys and I understand there is a lot of musical talent in his ability to play music, but the rest just felt okay. It is a departure from the Beach Boys and likely would have had a bigger impact in the musical world had he lived, however to me it was just kind of okay and likely would have not been revered if not for him dying tragically.

I have now gotten quite a lesson on this former Beach Boy. I don't even know where to begin in formulating my thoughts on his life as a whole, but that's not why we're here today. The anniversary album on Spotify is at least triple the length of the original released album, so I'm only reviewing the OG version, which I think is pretty fantastic. He sings with the depth of a soul well seasoned in being tortured, and builds layers of backing vocals and instrumentation that make most of these tracks feel very epic. Each song drew me a little deeper into his world and his mind and left me wanting more. Special shout-out to the Loch Lomond nod in Farewell My Friend. I also especially liked Rainbows. RIP, my new friend…

It was ok, not like the beach boys

This album was released in 1977 and is considered rock or soft rock. I really think that this mediocre album wouldn't be on the list if he wasn't Dennis Wilson and had access to Beach Boys resources. His voice his shot and not always in key. The ballads in particular aren't very good. Dreamer is an example of where the arrangements and production are good and make the song. Can't wait to see the reviews on this one. :-)

Rainbows coming in clutch

Tough voice. Even tougher life.

Exhibit D of why 2LP albums should be excluded from this list. The best 12 songs from this collection might amount to a 3-star album. Unfortunately, the additional 21 tracks bloat this to a nearly 2 hour slog fest.

Cool kinda Beach Boys meets smooth 70s/80s yacht rock type vibes on this one. Interesting enough to listen to once, but not sure that there's a lot to make me come back a 2nd time.

At least it's not 12 songs about cars and surfing.

Worth revisiting at some point.

Other than "Smile", I haven't heard much of the Beach Boys solo work so I was excited to check this out. He may not be as talented as his brother, but Dennis can undoubtably hold his own. The last minute and a half of "Time" is phenomenal. Favorite track: Time 3.5/5

For some reason I bought the CD of this when it was reissued. I loved the River Song but never really got on with the rest of the album. Pretty much same story today. Love River Song- less keen on the rest of it - lots of ideas - just not enough joy.

Some 70s moody rock. More a rusty barge than a yacht. Vocals similar to Peter Gabriel. Some decent tunes, actually preferred the bluesy-chill of disc 2.

Literally perfect album. This was amazing. Literally not a bad song. The songwriting was so well done, vocals were great, and instrimentals were so good. Liked Songs: The full album

An inoffensive album.

Listen to again. 3 1/2 stars

There’a a lot of beautiful music on this album (which consists of only the first 12 songs). So much better than what the Beach Boys were doing at the time (15 Big Ones, The Beach Boys Love You). Unfortunately, Dennis’ voice was getting pretty trashed by this time. I would give this album 5 stars if not for the generally poor quality of his vocals.

Sorry dude, I'm sure you worked hard on these songs. I can't listen to the whole thing. 3 stars.

Theatrical, dramatic rock

Feels a lot different from the Boys' stuff but the quality is there, with Dennis Wilson's creative input taking the spotlight. There's something heavy there that isn't dramatic.

Not familiar with the singer, so this is my first time listening to the album. Here’s my live commentary: River Song — Starts the album with a bang. I like it. The vocal production is just marvelous with those huge background choir vocals. Great opening! What's Wrong — I dig this. Love the use of instruments here—you’ve got this bouncy piano, deep harmonica, and punchy horns playing together. Very nostalgic. Moonshine — Started a bit rough but got interesting in the middle to the end. I like the repeated "Gone, Gone away"—very good outro with those moody synth waves underneath. Friday Night — All right, loving the long intro—very eerie with that heavy, chugging guitar and bass drive. Love his vocals here. Great job. Wish it could be longer though. This feels like an interlude of some sort, it's too short. Dreamer — Great starting, love the sound effects. But it got really interesting when that funky keyboard and deep saxophone come in. Ohh... it changed pace in the bridge, that was a surprise! Yes, love that brass section part. Thoughts of You — Love the simplicity here on the first half with just the quiet piano. Loving the transitions on the second part, but it gets so loud when the big strings and drums swell, and then it returns to the basic piano on the third part. This one deserves to be longer. I want more. Time — We're getting the same moody, eerie vibe here. Oh! Another surprise change here with those jazzy horns kicking in! You and I — Love it. Love the subtle percussion, light acoustic guitar, and soft bass. Just chill all throughout. My favorite track so far. Pacific Ocean Blue — I'm enjoying this. The background vocals were just heavenly over that steady beat and floating synth sound. Farewell My Friend — Another short track. Why? I want it longer. Where are the extended outros when you need one? (Though that warm organ sound in the back is gorgeous). Rainbows — Great song, but not as impactful as the previous one. Love that faint country-style folk picking on the stringed instruments in the background. End of the Show — Another short song? Why? This is the ending track. Should have been an explosive closing, but this feels like a letdown for an ending. Not gonna review the other additional tracks. This right here is enough. I'm sure the bonus tracks are great. First-Listen Verdict: Oh, I'm speechless after having to experience all that. This deserves a couple of re-listens. Just so many things happening in a song. Man, the transitions were so unexpected! Despite the many short tracks (why does he have to be such a tease?), this clearly is a 5-star album on first listen. What a great bunch of carefully crafted songs! Favorite Song: It's hard to choose. I don't want to think about it. So I'm choosing the simplest song on the album, and that's saying something: "You and I." Will I listen to the album again? Definitely! I'm excited to discover details that I've missed. Will I recommend this album? Undoubtedly, yes.

it’s probably the opus of the second best Beach Boy. much more of a logical conclusion from what they were doing for the rest of the 70s than Love You (granted i like Love You more than this). the one with the didgeridoo is a real gem. deserves to be one of the 1001? i mean it's a cult classic among Beach Boys fans, but it really isn't that relevant on a macro scale. so no, but i do love it anyways.

Gotta be honest, disc 2 lost me. Good stuff nonetheless. Can't be easy trying to write songs when your older brother is Brian Wilson. 3.76

glaub en unglückliche mensch gsi aber halt en beach boy. s isch huere moody aver no guet? de schluss vo time gfallt mer mega.

What if Randy Newman and Joe Walsh jammed with Spiritualized? Ladies and Gentlemen We're Floating

Meh. Some cool moments but nothing special to me. Favorite Tracks: River Song Moonshine Thoughts of You Time

It's No Wonder The Pacific Ocean Is Blue 1001 Albums Generator 365 (10/6/2026) An album that proves that Brian Wilson wasn't the only good songwriter in the Beach Boys, but he sure was the best one. 3/5. Favs: River Song Moonshine Thoughts of You Least Fav: What's Wrong

Relentlessly bland, intensely boring. No way am I listening to two hours of this shit

I can't help think that this is on the list simply because of the overblown hype associated with the Beach Boys. This is dull at best, and far too long, which is why I skipped each track and didn't linger. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ in part Revisit ❌️ ★★☆☆☆(4/10) Default Total reviewed : 444 Already owned : 99 Purchased : 25 To buy : 1 Nope : 319

Это было очень долго, но слушать было действительно приятно на всем протяжении

it was ok. I am unlikely going to listen to this again. If it was not Dennis Wilson would it have got the same respect?. That said, it was an enjoyable enough listen, but nothing to write home about. Standout song was Time. 3 stars

I'm much less famliar with the solo work of any of the Beach Boys compared to the band's work. This though was pretty neat. Much different from the Beach Boys so its pretty understandable that he would release this solo.

Great 70s pop rock, but it did sound a bit same-y

idk id rather listen to all of the beach boys together and not jus one of them. its alr tho

Ein schönes, salzig‑melancholisches Strandalbum, das mehr Atmosphäre als Substanz liefert. Wilsons raues Timbre trägt die Songs warm durchs Rauschen, doch oft bleibt es beim Mood statt beim Moment.

Недооцененный альбом 70х с красивыми и не скучными аранжировками и неожиданными музыкальными ходами. У Денниса есть схожесть по вайбу с иихим и гениальным Битлом - Джорджем Харрисоном. К этому альбому хочется вернуться.

Mwah, few good songs

Not sure about this. I didn't manage to listen to it all but it felt a bit all over the place, like he was trying to find somthing but couldn't pin it down.

Opener is epic as hell. The album peters out from there into meh Joe Walsh sound-alike rock with better-than-average production, save for "Thoughts of You," a really heartfelt love song. It was a good record overall, however.

Some interesting and varied songs here. Quite enjoyable.

Not my thing.

Ses fréquentations de la famille Manson me glacent le sang. Musicalement, c'est vraiment novateur pour l'époque je dirais, on entend une influence prog rock et quelque chose de proto 80s. J'entends beaucoup le Waters de Final Cut et Peter Gabriel solo! C'est vraiment curieux, j'avais recommencé à écouter Pet Sounds en boucle et j'ai commencé le documentaire The Beach Boys cette semaine, drôle de coincidence!

J’adore Dennis. Le wilson avec la vie la plus rock n roll

Honestly not a bad album. Takes elements from the Beach Boys but you can see where he veers off and does his own thing. After River Song it drags for like 4 songs before getting back on track. After that, I realy fw it! A deeply sad sad dude. Highlights: River Song, Time

Solid, well-produced, lush 70s pop-rock. Some lovely parts, just yearned for a few more hooks.

i think this is an interesting one, it can be groovy, it can be atmospheric and pretty emotional at times. the piano sounds beautifull. the build up in "time" is striking and catching. "you and i" is very soothing, but things lose me from the title track, although still groovy and then the little bobbly sounds and almost tropical pacificness of the next song regains me. overall, i think i appreaciate a lot of it but don't totally vibe with its identity

boring

Could have been good edited down to 12 tracks

Schlocky and uninteresting

Not bad. If a coworker was playing this at work I mostly wouldn’t mind. Some pretty cool parts. 6/10

Only reviewing the original track listing and not the anniversary edition. I really enjoyed this. Nice and varied, a lot of fun instrumentation. I especially liked the brass sections and the use of the choir in the first song. There were some songs that didn’t work for me as well, but overall I really liked it and could see myself listening again. Fav song: Dreamer Least fav: Thoughts of You

I really enjoyed this album- a lot more than I expected too, it's like a calmer more mature beach boys album. I think I felt for the belief that Brian Wilson alone was the creative "genius" of the band but this album clearly demonstrates otherwise, it's gorgeous and just the right balance of beachy-boyey to feel distinct but not disappointing. Favourite song: Pacific Ocean Blues Least: Thoughts of You

I really enjoyed a few of these tracks like Dreamer and the title track. The slower ones didn’t really work for me.

I have never been a fan of the Beach Boys. I like some of their songs but not so much to put on an album. And this album by Dennis Wilson is similar.It's not that his songwriting or performance is bad. But it's simply not my music.

I didn't necessarily have high expectations for this... Dennis Wilson? The Wilson brother who couldn't even play his instrument? The surfer bro? Charles Manson's buddy? And since the Beach Boys were well past their prime at this point, I didn't see much reason to listen... But there was something about the imaginative harmonies, his unpolished Joe-Cocker-esque vocals, and the sense that he was really trying something new here that won me over. I'll definitely be adding this to the rotation, and I'm glad it's on the list.

Considering that he was a Beach Boy, I wasn't sure quite what to expect coming in, but this felt genuine and soulful. River Song, Dreamer and You And I are all surprisingly good.

Not the best singer. I think he wouldn't have gotten a shot with his vocals if not for his past with the Beach Boys.

Ser jeg har gitt denne 3/5 på RYM. Den smaksdommen står seg. Er Friday Night et feilsortert Pink Floyd-spor?

Husker dette albumet som mye bedre enn det faktisk er. Det er definitivt noe Beach Boysesque ved dette, men uten mye av det som gjør Beach Boys veldig bra. Harmoniene feks. Dennis er vel den svakeste vokalisten i bandet, og det virker det som at alle er klar over, med tanke på hvor langt nedi miksen de har gravd han ned. Alle låtene er litt svake, boogiewoogie-aktige, og det er egentlig bare "River Song" som står seg noe særlig ut.

As a rock/pop album, it didn't stand out to me as rock nor pop. It kind of felt like the only reason he's on this list is because he was in the Beach Boys. Side note: Pretty crazy how he was entangled with the Manson family like that...

Not sure why the Spotify album had 33 tracks vs the actual albums' 12. Rating the first 12 of the original release. Would be lower if I had to include a nearly 2 hour slog. I'd call this a perfectly adequate 70's rock crooner album. The guy likes is bass saxophone a lot. Some nice bits but didn't really grab me much. Don't see myself going back to it. Debating 2 or 3, but since it didn't offend at any point, pushing it to the high side.

This comes across as just another mid-70s AOR rock album.

I thought this album was absolutely beautiful. I'm as shocked as you are that I loved a Beach Boys-adjacent project, but deep down I think I knew at least one of these guys might make something I like (once they got away from the barbershop quartet crap, that is). This toes a lot of lines: jazz, classic rock, funk, and singer-songwriter, and they all flow together seamlessly. Awesome instrumental sections, especially the guitars, and the vocal harmonies were great (unsurprising). 'River Song' and the title track were my two favorites. Brian Wilson's stuff is too experimental for me, but this was perfect. Can't believe I'm saying it: Dennis Wilson earns my respect with a fantastic album and will be my twenty-eighth 5/5.

No idea why this was released. Completely forgettable.