Brian's musical greatness is hardly restricted to his Beach Boys catalog! Observe:
Brian Wilson (1988)
- Hugely emblematic of Brian's life after his recovery, Brian Wilson begins with "Love and Mercy", his simple, tender, socially-conscious ode to The Power of Love. Ladies and gentlemen, Brian's back! Brian's social media outlets tend to post this song, along with a personal message from Brian, when a tragic world event occurs.
- "One for the Boys". If you thought Brian had lost his ability to create powerful, complex harmonies while he was "away," you've got another thing coming! As he has demonstrated countless times before, Brian can bring out the emotions of a song without nary a word.
- "There's So Many" feels like it was left off the Boys' Love You album, which is venerated as one of their last dynamic moments as a group. Brian's long-held love of synthesizers was never more on-point than on this album, and this is the absolute clincher. The chorus' gradual build-up of vocal momentum is truly sublime.
- "Rio Grande"—Brian's Epic Rocking Genre Roulette patchwork of a grande finale—brings to mind the days of Smile in terms of sheer textural experimentation. Thematically, it captures Brian's sense of existentialism as well as anything he'd done for decades, and some of the sections are on par with his finest work. Deserves special mention for including "Night Bloomin' Jasmine", an exceedingly rare minor-key composition.
Sweet Insanity (unreleased; 1991)
- Brian hits ya straight in the guts with the fearless lyrical confrontation with his overwhelming mental anguish that is "Water Builds Up". And there's enough Lyrical Dissonance to go around, what with his catchy carnival organ arrangement.So many times I've had that helpless feeling / Where no kind of booze or medicine helped at all / I'm drowning in too many contradictions / I'm about to lose all my self-control...
- "I Do" (a.k.a. "Do You Have Any Regrets") is one of the catchiest uptempo numbers Brian's written in years, with driving tropical-style percussion, and Brian bringing out many classics from that old vocal hook playbook of his.
- "Thank You" (a.k.a. "Brian"). He just bares the pain of the worst days of his life for all to see... but through it all, he's always had the music. Though pained, his delivery is serene and powerful. The alternating soft and powerful chorus-verse form really helps drive it home. No, Brian, thank you, for continuing to live brave instead of dying.
- "The Spirit of Rock 'n' Roll". Brian's "could have been a Beach Boys hit" Power of Rock anthem never quite got the exposure it deserved. Just like in "Add Some Music to Your Day", Brian enunciates the live-saving importance music can have. Once it's in your blood, you won't be the same no more...
I Just Wasn't Made for These Times (1995)
- The new version of "Caroline, No" is certainly as sore and heartfelt as the legendary, original Pet Sounds recording. That extensive flute solo has to be one of the most beautiful instrumental tracks Brian' devised in his solo career.
- "Melt Away" was always a great song. But, stripped of the lavish production of the original 1988 version, it's like it's a wholly different song altogether. Simple and organic... pure Brian.
- Brian's new reading of "Wonderful" is beautifully flawed; in retrospect, a harbinger of the resurrection of Smile that was to come. Though older in body, the young dreamer that envisioned a "teenage symphony to God" shines through for two minutes that seem much longer somehow.
- Taken from the archives, "Still I Dream of It" is a haunting snapshot of Brian at his lowest, his voice hoarse and cracked. Resigned to his room with naught to look forward to but the next meal and the one after it, and on and on it goes... but even through all that pain and misery, his spirit could never be extinguished, and his music never lost its touch. Putting something like this on an album that has probably been heard by thousands of people around the world, takes some real courage.
Imagination (1998)
- "Your Imagination" is a pleasant nostalgia trip that crystallizes the sound of Brian's solo career from that point on, drawing heavily from his Pet Sounds arrangements. It also, for the first time, showcases the rejuvenation of Brian's singing voice; though not as versatile as once it was, his trademark mixture of joy and melancholy shines through. The a cappella version really shows that Brian's voice, and his vocal arrangements, have lost none of their efficacy.
- The inclusion of "She Says That She Needs Me" marked the end of an over three decades long journey for that song, first written in 1965 (then as "Sherry She Needs Me")... and boy was it worth the wait! With a lush arrangement, and a somewhat discordant, staccato lead-in to the chorus, it's about the closest Brian's come to his legendary Pet Sounds in his solo career.
- "Keep an Eye on Summer" is a wonderful reimagining of the underrated Beach Boys classic. And its message has only become more relevant and timeless over the years as we've all grown older. Brian sings like a man who's truly gone through what he's singing about.
- "Cry" is a somber tune with a hypnotic guitar line and one of the best modulations Brian's made in years. And just when you think it's done, that electric guitar keeps weeping for minutes more.
- "Lay Down Burden" is a heartfelt (and heartbreaking) tribute to brother Carl, who passed away earlier in 1998. That intro is one of Brian's strongest and most powerful moments as a vocalist, ever. And that, right there, says a whole lot. Rest in peace, Carl Dean Wilson.Just remember the way I held you / It's always in my heart...
Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE (2004)
- The entire album is Awesome Music from start to finish. Very much living up to the mythical status Brian's unfinished project had amassed over time (though perhaps not surpassing the original session tapes that would be released later), it seemed for years as if its completion would never happen. Haunted by his self-described failure for decades, it took all Brian had to tackle the monstrous task of piecing together his masterwork. And complete it, he did... to everyone's surprise, and subsequent delight! All three movements of Brian's musical journey through America, from Plymouth Rock to Hawaii, are filled with love, joy, sadness, humor, poignancy, and even the occasional bit of Nightmare Fuel. And his voice displays a range not heard since the '60s; it's obvious he was able to tap into strengths perhaps not even he knew still had. Brian went all-out on this one, and it's deservedly viewed as the best moment of Brian's entire solo career.
What I Really Want for Christmas (2005)
- The album leaps out of the gate with a glorious re-imagining of "The Man with All the Toys", doing the Beach Boys classic justice and then some! Aside from Brian nailing it vocally like nobody's business, the energetic, organ-driven instrumentation renders it an entirely different beast altogether. Nothing but pure Christmas joy!
- The title track stands as a modern classic, not just as a Christmas song, but amongst the whole solo-Brian discography. The complex chord modulations and sparse but effective use of harmonies makes this one truly dynamic, magical moment. Touching on the true altruistic spirit of Christmas, beneath the toys and the trappings, it's very much a season-oriented "Love and Mercy". Brian's wish that you let "season's greetings last beyond the festival" is going to stay with you.
- "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is an awesomely rockin' take on the old standard, with a distinctively fuzzy lead guitar turn that sounds like it was transplanted from some old cowboy song like "Ghost Riders in the Sky". Brian's seldom delivered a lead vocal performance this atypically filled with deep tones.
- "The First Noel" is the perfect proverbial Christmas tree for Brian to decorate with his patented vocal harmonies. The man himself also sounds as good as ever on what is a relatively challenging song from a pure vocal perspective. In fact, it's probably one of the best performances he's delivered throughout his solo works!
- "Christmasey" is the second of Brian's original compositions for the album (the regular edition, at least...) and is a peppy, infectious counterpart to the aforementioned title track. Brian's love of the holiday is absolutely palpable as he gracefully glides through the surprisingly rapid-fire vocal delivery of the chorus.
- The bonus track "On Christmas Day" (not to be confused with the Beach Boys song "Christmas Day") opens with a direct replication of the iconic drum beat that opens Brian's beloved "Be My Baby", and only gets better from there. The bridge is an absolute delight as pure melodic contrast and counterpoint.
That Lucky Old Sun (2008)
- "Morning Beat" is as catchy as anything he's done in his solo career, perfectly evoking the hustle and bustle of a town just awoken, ready to face the highs and lows of a new day, with its infectious energy.
- "Going Home" notably contains a contemporary-sounding chorus whose lyrics contain one of Brian's most courageous and heartbreaking summations of his lost years. (It also features a humorously self-referential lyric about Brian "finding his SMiLE.")At twenty-five, I turned off the lights
'Cause I couldn't handle the glare in my tired eyes
But now I'm back, drawing shades of kind blue skies - "Southern California" is a pure, undilated Tear Jerker tinged with regret and nostalgia, yet also not without a sense of optimism and hopes for the future. When a song begins with a reference to Brian's dearly departed brothers, you know it's going to hit any Beach Boys fan right in the feels...
In the Key of Disney (2011)
- Brian's version of "The Bare Necessities" truly gets into that Sherman Brothers groove with his catchy, marimba-driven arrangement. Brian effortlessly captures Phil Harris' bonhomie, and the carefree "look at the wonderful world all around you" vibe really fits in well with Brian's songwriting aesthetics to begin with.
- You might be forgiven for mistaking "Baby Mine" for a re-recorded Beach Boys ballad from way back in their prime, because it fits like a glove! And Brian endows the song with all the love and care of Dumbo's mom from way back when.
- "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" (Don't be silly, Brian; you already are!) is a ridiculously catchy version of The Lion King (1994)'s classic Disney Acid Sequence number. The thumping Bo Diddley beat and crunchy slide guitar makes this one an ear worm you won't easily shake, try as you might. And the original being what it is, this is no mean feat.
- The lyrically dissonant Sherman Brothers classic "Stay Awake" is one of Brian's most intimate moments. The song's distinctive marriage of major and minor tones is, after all, a perfect match for a man who made Pet Sounds. Sweet Dreams Fuel, all the way.
- "When You Wish Upon a Star", which has had a clear influence on Brian's songwriting through the years, is nothing but the album's raison d'être. This is where the vision of two masters of their field—Wilson and Disney—both of whom have put Brian's beloved California on the map in some way, come together in perfect harmony. It seemed almost destined to happen. Those staggering opening harmonies will choke up whomever holds Disney dear to their heart.
No Pier Pressure (2015)
- It's fair to say that this album was not very well received by critics, but nevertheless there are some real gems to be found here:
- "The Right Time", featuring former Beach Boys guitarists Al Jardine and David Marks, is probably the most Beach Boys-esque song on the album and makes you wonder if it was originally intended for the band's 2012 album That's Why God Made The Radio. It features a truly brilliant vocal performance from Jardine (showing that age really hasn't affected his voice at all) and is complimented well by Brian's harmonies and Jeff Foskett's falsetto.
- "Sail Away" which, besides once again featuring Al Jardine, also features none other than Blondie Chaplin, working with Brian for the first time in almost forty years. Blondie's vocals may have actually aged even better than Jardine's, as he still possesses the awesome, soulful vocals that he displayed on "Sail On Sailor" so many years before.
- "One Kind of Love" is a heartfelt and powerful ballad that's accompanied by horns that harken back to the iconic intro of "God Only Knows". It also features one of the best vocal performances that Brian has given in quite some time, with him even getting into falsetto territory, showing that he still has some of his old vocal power left.
- "On the Island" is a soft and relaxing little tune with a very nice performance by Zooey Deschanel on lead vocals. Considering the theme of the song, it makes you wonder if this is Brian's answer to the Beach Boys almost universally despised hit "Kokomo".
