But certainly if it had been up to me, I'd have pushed for it to be Brian's first solo album. I mean, it's an issue of semantics, it doesn't really matter at this point. The one song they did play on is pleasant, but probably the weak link on the record, and I'm not sure it'd be terribly missed had it been put away for a later LP. That's certainly how I think about it, and probably why I love it so much.Ĭertainly the other members dutifully did their jobs and sang their parts well, but they were basically session singers on their own album. Having said that, I agree a "Beach Boys" record should be written and played primarily by "The Beach Boys," and certainly if the situation was different and there was precedent for concurrent band and solo activity (that didn't really become a thing until the 70's with Roxy/Brian Ferry in mainstream pop/rock, I don't think), and there was a desire to present the album accurately, I think the album should have been released as a Brian Wilson album. The album wouldn't be what it was without those musicians. (And they actually played on some of the songs as a band.) As recently as Beach Boys Today, they seemed invested in a more interesting and inclusive vocal split and all those songs still sounded like The Beach Boys. The album is credited to The Beach Boys, but half the group contribute only background vocals and nothing else.That’s more bothersome to me than session musicians. Al suggested the song Sloop John B to Brian, but didn’t get to sing any of it. Bruce’s ‘mini feature’ at the end of God Only Knows is more than Al and Dennis get on the whole album. Initially Brian was planning to sing God Only Knows before giving Carl a chance. Pet Sounds comes very close to being a Brian Wilson solo album - Brian is the only Beach Boy to appear on the song Caroline No, which lead to it being released as a single under Brian’s name alone. I don’t mind the use of session musicians at all, but to be honest what does bother me is that Brian didn’t share more vocal opportunities with the guys. I love the Beach Boys, love Brian, love Pet Sounds.
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