Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin

Last updated
Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin
Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin.jpeg
Studio album by
Brian Wilson
ReleasedAugust 17, 2010
RecordedOctober 2009 – February 2010
Genre Traditional pop
Length39:04
Label Walt Disney
Producer Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson chronology
That Lucky Old Sun
(2008)		Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin
(2010)		 In the Key of Disney
(2011)
Singles from Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin
  1. "The Like in I Love You"
    Released: August 2010

Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin is the eighth studio album by Brian Wilson, released on August 17, 2010 by Walt Disney Records as part of the Disney Pearl Series. The album consists of covers of ten George and Ira Gershwin songs, bookended by passages from Rhapsody in Blue , along with two new songs completed from unfinished Gershwin fragments by Wilson and band member Scott Bennett.

Contents

The cover artwork is an homage to the album cover for the 1958 jazz LP Sonny Clark Trio by Sonny Clark.

Background

In the summer of 2009, Walt Disney Records approached Wilson about recording his own arrangements of songs from Disney films; however, Wilson first wanted to record an album of Gershwin covers, which the label agreed to support. [1] He and band member Paul Mertens picked the songs to record based on Wilson's vocal range, and which ones he thought he could sing "appropriately." [2]

In addition to the covers, the Gershwin estate granted Wilson access to over 100 unfinished Gershwin songs and fragments for the project to use for new material. Two songs were completed by Wilson and Scott Bennett (who provided lyrics) mainly based on two fragments: "Will You Remember Me", which was originally written in 1924 for the musical Lady, Be Good , was completed as "The Like in I Love You", while "Say My Say", which was unfinished by the Gershwin brothers in 1929, was completed as "Nothing But Love". [2] [3]

Recording of the album began at the start of 2010. [1] Wilson served as producer, with Mertens writing out the arrangements as well as the linking pieces between tracks. The instrumental tracks were produced using his backing band, who also supplied backing vocals; however, the Rhapsody in Blue harmonies that bookend the album were done entirely by Wilson. [4] According to Mertens, Wilson would spend eight hours a day in the studio perfecting vocal tracks. [1] Elaborating on Wilson's role as arranger, Mertens said:

I tried to prepare the band as much as possible for the songs by writing skeletal arrangements from my meetings with Brian. The band tracks were cut live in the studio. So the band would start playing and get the song up and walking around. Then Brian would start to do his thing. He’d hear what people were doing and say, "Can you play that up an octave?" Bass drop out here…That’s how he works best. Or he has it completely done in his mind. He’s done that too, where he has come to a sound check and goes, "Here’s your vocal part, you play this." Since the Gershwin music was new material it was helpful to have the song in front of him so he could manipulate and move things around the way he wanted. [5]

Mixing took place in the spring. [6] Walt Disney Records' reaction to the final product was positive, though they hired recording engineer Al Schmitt to remix the original tracks prepared by Wilson. [1]

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 66/100 [7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Billboard Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Entertainment Weekly B+ [10]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
PopMatters Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Slant Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [16]
Spin 8/10 [17]

On June 28, 2010, "The Like In I Love You" was released for streaming on Wilson's website in advance of the album's release. The album was released on CD on August 17, 2010, while a limited edition vinyl version of the album was released on August 24, 2010. [18] Upon its release, it charted at number 26 on the Billboard 200, falling to 53 in the second week. It also reached number 1 on Amazon.com and the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.

Critical reaction was generally positive. [7] Adam Gershwin, George Gershwin's great-nephew, stated that "[the songs on the album are] unlike anything I’ve heard before, but I would expect nothing less from Brian." [19] Rolling Stone described the album as "lovely, weird, subtly psychedelic symphonic lounge music." [15] In particular, the album's arrangements were praised for their uniqueness. Allmusic's John Bush wrote, "As usual, Wilson's musical instincts are impeccable, and with a full orchestra lending additional weight to these songs, it's easily the best production on a Brian Wilson record since 2004's SMiLE." [8] Certain songs, such as "I Got Rhythm" and "They Can't Take That Away From Me," were noted for their Beach Boys' influences. [20] The new songs completed by Wilson and Bennett were also generally well-received; GQ described "Nothing But Love" as "suitably celestial". [21]

Some reviews, however, were less favorable, mostly concerning the quality of the arrangements. Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote, "On an album that feels like a posthumous competition, Mr. Wilson emerges the clear loser." [22] Michael Hann of The Guardian was particularly critical of the covers, describing the songs as being "reconfigured into pastiches of past Wilson classics." [11]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Rhapsody in Blue/Intro" George Gershwin 1:07
2."The Like In I Love You"G. Gershwin, Brian Wilson, Scott Bennett3:20
3."Summertime"G. Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, Dorothy Heyward, Ira Gershwin 3:13
4."I Loves You, Porgy"G. Gershwin, Du Bose Heyward, Dorothy Heyward, I. Gershwin3:38
5."I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'"G. Gershwin, Du Bose Heyward, Dorothy Heyward, I. Gershwin2:45
6."It Ain't Necessarily So"G. Gershwin, Du Bose Heyward, Dorothy Heyward, I. Gershwin3:58
7."'S Wonderful"G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin2:48
8."They Can't Take That Away from Me"G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin2:51
9."Love Is Here to Stay"G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin2:59
10."I've Got a Crush on You"G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin2:41
11."I Got Rhythm"G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin2:43
12."Someone to Watch Over Me"G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin3:06
13."Nothing But Love"G. Gershwin, Wilson, Bennett3:24
14."Rhapsody in Blue/Reprise"G. Gershwin0:38
iTunes bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
15."Let's Call The Whole Thing Off"G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin2:39

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin
Chart (2010)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [23] 95
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [24] 84
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [25] 86
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [26] 44
UK Albums (OCC) [27] 55
US Billboard 200 [28] 26

Related Research Articles

<i>Gettin In over My Head</i> 2004 studio album by Brian Wilson

Gettin' In over My Head is the fourth studio album by American musician Brian Wilson, released June 2004 on Rhino Records. Many of the songs were reworked versions of tracks recorded for the scrapped album Sweet Insanity and the Andy Paley sessions from the 1990s. The album reached #100 in the US during a 1-week chart stay, and #53 in the UK. Critical reaction was mixed.

<i>Keepin the Summer Alive</i> 1980 studio album by The Beach Boys

Keepin' the Summer Alive is the 24th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released March 24, 1980, on Brother, Caribou and CBS Records. Produced by Bruce Johnston, the album peaked at number 75 in the US, during a chart stay of 6 weeks, and number 54 in the UK. It is the group's last album recorded with Dennis Wilson, who drowned in 1983, although he only appears on one song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Gap Band</span> American R&B and funk band (1967–2010)

The Gap Band was an American R&B and funk band that rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band consisted of three brothers: Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson, along with other members; it was named after streets in the historic Greenwood neighborhood in the brothers' hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

<i>Live at the Roxy Theatre</i> 2000 live album by Brian Wilson

Live at the Roxy Theatre is a live album released by Brian Wilson in 2000. After a successful period of touring following the release of Imagination, Wilson decided to record his first-ever live solo album. Accompanied by his supporting band, Wilson recorded the album during a pair of shows at the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood.

<i>What I Really Want for Christmas</i> 2005 studio album by Brian Wilson

What I Really Want for Christmas is the sixth studio album by Brian Wilson and his first solo seasonal release. It was released by Arista Records in October 2005 and features many traditional Christmas songs, as well some of Wilson's originals, including remakes of the Beach Boys' "Little Saint Nick" and "The Man with All the Toys". As a bonus, Wilson elected to include a sampling of seasonal recordings initially available on his website a few years earlier.

<i>Pacific Ocean Blue</i> 1977 album by Dennis Wilson

Pacific Ocean Blue is the only studio album by American musician Dennis Wilson, co-founder of the Beach Boys. When released in August 1977, it was warmly received critically, and noted for outselling the Beach Boys' contemporary efforts. Two singles were issued from the album, "River Song" and "You and I", which did not chart.

<i>Evangeline</i> (Emmylou Harris album) 1981 studio album by Emmylou Harris

Evangeline is the eighth studio album by Emmylou Harris that was composed mostly of leftover material from past recording sessions and which did not fit into any of her other albums. Songs included a remake of "Mister Sandman", "Evangeline", which she had previously performed with The Band, Rodney Crowell's "Ashes By Now", and a cover of John Fogerty's "Bad Moon Rising". Though it received mixed reviews upon its release, the album was yet another commercial success for Harris. It was certified Gold in less than a year after its release. A single release of "Mister Sandman" did well on the charts, though neither Ronstadt's nor Parton's record companies would allow their artists' vocals to be used on the single, so Harris rerecorded the song, singing all three parts for the single release. Rodney Crowell's "I Don't Have to Crawl" was released as the album's second single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Help Me, Rhonda</span> 1965 song by the Beach Boys

"Help Me, Rhonda" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys, appearing first on their 1965 album The Beach Boys Today! and subsequently in re-recorded form on the following 1965 album Summer Days . It was written by Brian Wilson, with additional lyrics by Mike Love. Unlike many other songs by the band from this period, "Help Me, Rhonda" features a lead vocal sung by Al Jardine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Timin' (The Beach Boys song)</span> 1979 single by the Beach Boys

"Good Timin’" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys and the second single from their 1979 album L.A. . It is one of the few songs jointly credited to Brian and Carl Wilson.

"Come Go With Me" is a song written by C. E. Quick, an original member of the American doo-wop vocal group the Del-Vikings. The song was originally recorded by The Del-Vikings in 1956 but not released until July 1957 on the Luniverse LP Come Go With The Del Vikings. The final version was released in the second week of January 1957 and was led by Gus Backus. When Joe Averbach, the owner of Fee Bee Records couldn't handle the demand, he signed with Dot Records in late January 1957; the song became a hit, peaking at No. 5 on the US Billboard Top 100 Pop Charts. It also reached No. 2 on the R&B chart.

<i>T-R-O-U-B-L-E</i> (album) 1992 studio album by Travis Tritt

T-R-O-U-B-L-E is the third studio album by American country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released on Warner Bros. Records in 1992. Five singles were released from the album: "Lord Have Mercy on the Working Man", "Can I Trust You with My Heart", the title track, "Looking Out for Number One", and "Worth Every Mile"; they reached numbers 5, 1, 13, 11, and 30 on Billboard Hot Country Songs. The album was certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA for U.S. shipments of two million copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Then He Kissed Me</span> 1963 song by The Crystals

"Then He Kissed Me" is a song written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry. The song, produced by Spector, was initially released as a single on Philles Records (#115) in July 1963 by The Crystals. The lyrics are a narrative of a young woman's encounter, romance, and eventual engagement with a young man.

<i>Lonestar</i> (album) 1995 studio album by Lonestar

Lonestar is the debut studio album by American country music band Lonestar. Released in 1995 on BNA Records, it features five singles: "Tequila Talkin'", "No News", "Runnin' Away With My Heart", "Heartbroke Every Day", and "When Cowboys Didn't Dance", of which "No News" was a Number One hit on the Billboard country charts. The album has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipping 500,000 copies in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Make It wit Chu</span>

"Make It wit Chu" is the third single by Queens of the Stone Age from their 2007 album Era Vulgaris.

<i>Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)</i> 1965 studio album by the Beach Boys

Summer Days is the ninth studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on July 5, 1965, on Capitol. The band's previous album, The Beach Boys Today!, represented a departure for the group through its abandonment of themes related to surfing, cars, and teenage love, but it sold below Capitol's expectations. In response, the label pressured the group to produce bigger hits. Summer Days thus returned the band's music to simpler themes for one last album, with Brian Wilson combining Capitol's commercial demands with his artistic calling.

<i>In the Key of Disney</i> 2011 studio album by Brian Wilson

In the Key of Disney is the ninth studio album by Brian Wilson, released on October 25, 2011, by Walt Disney Records as part of the Disney Pearl Series. The album is the second release by Disney for Wilson, after Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin. Disney calls it "the album that marries the vision of two men who shaped the image of modern California – Brian Wilson & Walt Disney."

<i>Thats Why God Made the Radio</i> 2012 studio album by the Beach Boys

That's Why God Made the Radio is the twenty-ninth and final studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on June 5, 2012, on Capitol Records. Produced by Brian Wilson, the album was recorded to coincide with the band's 50th anniversary. It is their first studio album since 1996's Stars and Stripes Vol. 1, the first album to feature original material since Summer in Paradise in 1992, their first album to feature guitarist and backing vocalist David Marks since Little Deuce Coupe in 1963, and their first album since the 1998 death of co-founder Carl Wilson.

<i>Live – The 50th Anniversary Tour</i> 2013 live album by The Beach Boys

Live – The 50th Anniversary Tour is a live album by the Beach Boys released on May 21, 2013. The album was recorded during the band's 50th anniversary reunion tour.

<i>Eyes Wide Open</i> (Sabrina Carpenter album) 2015 studio album by Sabrina Carpenter

Eyes Wide Open is the debut studio album by American singer Sabrina Carpenter. It was released by Hollywood Records on April 14, 2015. Carpenter began planning the project in 2014, after she launched her debut EP Can't Blame a Girl for Trying, she wanted to make a full-length LP. All the tracks on that EP were included on the album. The album was recorded from 2013 - 2015 with the majority of the album being recorded in 2014. Musically, Eyes Wide Open is a pop record with folk, pop rock and teen pop influences. Its production consists on guitars, piano, drums and keyboards. In general, the album talks about Carpenter's personal experiences, friendship, love and teenage problems.

<i>Good Times!</i> 2016 studio album by the Monkees

Good Times! is the twelfth studio album by American pop rock band the Monkees. Produced primarily by Adam Schlesinger, the album was recorded to commemorate the band's 50th anniversary. It is the first Monkees studio album since Justus (1996), marking the longest gap between releases to date, and the first since the death of Davy Jones. The album features surviving Monkees Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork, as well as a posthumous contribution from Jones.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Brian Wilson Reimagines Brian Wilson: America's native tormented musical genius keeps it as real as possible". Peteramescarlin.com. 2010-08-17. Archived from the original on 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
  2. 1 2 "Brian Wilson Reaches Back For 'Gershwin' Project". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
  3. ↑ Jones, Kenneth (29 June 2010). "Brian Wilson Crafts "New" Gershwin Songs and Interprets Old Favorites on "Reimagines Gershwin" CD". Playbill . Playbill, Inc. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  4. ↑ "Cover Me review".
  5. ↑ Hoekstra, David. "Boys Will Be Beach Boys". Chicago Sun Times. voices.suntimes.com. Archived from the original on 27 August 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  6. ↑ "Brian Wilson". Facebook. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
  7. 1 2 Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin at Metacritic OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  8. 1 2 Bush, John. "Brian Wilson: Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin". AllMusic .
  9. ↑ "Brian Wilson, "Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershin"". Billboard . August 27, 2010.
  10. ↑ Willman, Chris (August 11, 2010). "Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin". Entertainment Weekly .
  11. 1 2 Hann, Michael (September 2, 2010). "Brian Wilson: Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin". The Guardian. London.
  12. ↑ Wappler, Margaret (August 16, 2010). "Album review: Brian Wilson's 'Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin'". Los Angeles Times .
  13. ↑ Mojo magazine. September 2010, p.93
  14. ↑ Kott, Crispin (August 17, 2010). "Brian Wilson: Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin". PopMatters .
  15. 1 2 Rosen, Jody (August 16, 2010). "Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on August 20, 2010.
  16. ↑ Lanthier, Joseph (August 14, 2010). "Brian Wilson: Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin". Slant Magazine .
  17. ↑ Anderson, Stacey. "Brian Wilson 'Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin'". Spin . Archived from the original on January 5, 2011.
  18. ↑ Breihan, Tom (30 June 2015). "Brian Wilson Announces George Gershwin Covers Album Details". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media Inc. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  19. ↑ Gell, Aaron (1 August 2010). "Beach Boy Brian Wilson takes on his musical hero, George Gershwin". New York. New York Media, LLC. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  20. ↑ "Music - Review of Brian Wilson - Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin". BBC. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
  21. ↑ GQ.CO.UK 16 August 10. "The Ten Best Things In The World Right Now - GQ Editor's Picks - GQ.COM (UK)". Gq-magazine.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2014-07-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ↑ Holden, Stephen; Pareles, Jon (August 15, 2010). "Albums by Brian Wilson, John Mellencamp, Trace Adkins". The New York Times.
  23. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 304.
  24. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Brian Wilson – Reimagines Gershwin" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Brian Wilson – Reimagines Gershwin" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Brian Wilson – Reimagines Gershwin". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Brian Wilson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.