Is Brian Wilson a musical genius?

[elperromagico]

Poll question: Is Brian Wilson a musical genius?

[Snoggera]

1. Yes

and a troubled person due to overindulgence in drugs.

There is no doubt he is a genius. Every musical challenge that was given to him in the late sixties, he answered with a bellow.

The Beatles were amazed. What does that tell you?

Of course, I only read, I don't know what people were actually thinking.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

2. "Pet Sounds" is a masterpiece. Inspired "Sgt. Pepper's" if I'm not

mistaken.

[jdsmith]

4. "Pet Sounds" is the gimme

But you need to give a re-listen to the "juvenile" songs about cars and surfin' and girls, too. This guy was good--not as good as the fawning British rock press tries to make him ("PS" is not the greatest album ever, only in the Top Ten), but GOOD.

[Zinfandel]

3. His harmony arrangements are-as so many musicians have stated, pure genius

[NightTrain]

5. Yes, but my reasons for thinking so are different than most people's.

Let's just leave it at that!

[elperromagico]

6. No no, go into detail.

You've piqued my curiosity.

[robertpaulsen]

7. Anyone have a release date for Smile?

The bootleg recorded from '66 to '67 is confirmation of his genius for me. I've heard some amazing reviews of his recent concert in England and I heard the album is finally getting released this fall, but I haven't heard an official date yet.

[mitchum]

8. Somewhat, but he is still vastly overrated

The bulk of his lyrical concerns are just childish (or even infantile) This probably has a lot to do with his horrid upbringing, but still...


On his best day, Wilson doesn't approach the pop genius of Smokey Robinson.

[Enraged_Ape]

9. Brian Wilson is as underrated genius who mostly gets crap over lyrics

most of which he didn't even write.

But his music is just unbelievable. He has an absolutely uncanny knowledge of offbeat harmonies and chord progressions. Many is the story of how the other Beach Boys would gather in the studio and wonder just what in the hell he had in mind, then be in awe when they listened to the playback of their recording.

I personally believe one of the most beautiful songs in the world is "Don't Talk, Put Your Head on My Shoulder" from the Pet Sounds album (of which ALL the songs are great). It has what can only be described as a unquestionably bizarre chord progression, but it is deliriously beautiful. Same thing goes for "Warmth of the Sun", which was actually recorded by Brian and Mike Love as a tribute to John F. Kennedy on the day of his assassination.

Brian Wilson once said that he tried to write great songs because he believed that "music is God's voice". He is the only songwriter who has ever made me believe that.