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Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin

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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.

Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin
Studio album by
Brian Wilson
ReleasedAugust 17, 2010
RecordedOctober 2009 – February 2010
GenreTraditional pop
Length39:04
LabelWalt Disney
ProducerBrian 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

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

Background

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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

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic66/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [8]
Billboard     [9]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[10]
The Guardian     [11]
Los Angeles Times    [12]
Mojo     [13]
PopMatters          [14]
Rolling Stone     [15]
Slant Magazine     [16]
Spin8/10[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

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Rhapsody in Blue/Intro"George Gershwin1:07
2."The Like In I Love You"G. Gershwin, Brian Wilson, Scott Bennett3:20
3."Summertime"G. Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, Dorothy Heyward, Ira Gershwin3:13
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

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  • Brian Wilson – lead vocals, backing vocals
  • Jeffrey Foskett – backing vocals
  • Darian Sahanaja – piano, electric piano, clavinet, Moog, vibraphone, tack piano, glockenspiel, organ, harpsichord, backing vocals
  • Scott Bennett – vibraphone, piano, keyboards, xylophone, drums (track 13), backing vocals
  • Paul Von Mertens – clarinet, celeste, harmonica, bass harmonica, saxophone, flute, alto flute, backing vocals
  • Probyn Gregory – guitar, Tannerin, banjo, trumpet, wah wah guitar, acoustic guitar, baritone guitar, slide guitar, nylon string guitar, backing vocals
  • Nick Walusko – guitar, backing vocals
  • Nelson Bragg – percussion, glockenspiel, timpani, backing vocals
  • Brett Simons – electric bass, acoustic bass, baritone guitar, 6-string bass, Tic-tac bass
  • Gary Griffin – organ, piano
  • Taylor Mills – backing vocals
  • Todd Sucherman – drums (tracks 3–12)
  • Mike D'Amico – drums (track 2)

Charts

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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

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "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. ^ a b "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. ^ a b Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin at Metacritic  
  8. ^ a b 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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b 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.
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