Brian’s Brilliant Ode to L.A.: That Lucky Old Sun (2008) – Update

That Lucky Old Sun (2008)

Update: Best Buy is selling an exclusive version of That Lucky Old Sun that includes three bonus tracks, including two wonderful duets with Carole King.  This is the version that I own.  iTunes is selling yet another exclusive version with two different bonus tracks that are not available to purchase by song (album only).  So to get all five bonus tracks, you have to buy two complete versions of the album.  Clever marketing, or just annoying?

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Brian is back — praise God in Heaven, Brian is back.  I love Brian Wilson, and I love this album.

I am not a good enough writer to describe how good That Lucky Old Sun is — or more precisely how good it makes me feel when I listen to it.  The harmonies are achingly gorgeous.  The hooks are catchy and quirky.  The lyrics are fun, funny and sometimes painful.

It is not perfect, but it is a very, very, very good album — by far the most complete collection of great songs that Brian has put together since his heyday.

A lot of the songs are simply pure pop fun (‘Morning Beat’, ‘Good Kind of Love’).  There are some nostalgic recollections of Brian’s youth in Los Angeles and best years with the Beach Boys (‘Forever She’ll Be My Surfer Girl’, ‘California Role’, ‘Southern California’).  The best songs — or at least the most moving ones — deal with years that he lost to mental illness and drugs.  He has never before dealt more directly with this painful topic:

How could have I got so low?
I’m embarrassed to tell you so.
I laid around this old place,
I hardly ever washed my face.
(‘Oxygen to the Brain’)

At 25 I turned out the lights,
’cause I couldn’t handle the glare in my tired eyes.
(‘Going Home’)

Took the diamond from my soul,
and turned it back into coal.
All these voices, all these memories,
made me feel like stone.
All these people,
make me feel so alone.
(‘Midnight’s Another Day’)

Again, this album is not perfect.  The narrative interludes are corny, to put it politely.  His attempt to connect with Mexi-fornia (‘Mexican Girl’) falls flat.

These are minor flaws in an otherwise outstanding work.  This is an absolutely splendid collection of songs from a true pop genius.