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>> LEGENDARY EX-BEACH BOY PROMOTES HIS LATEST ALBUM AT WASHINGTON'S WARNER THEATRE POP GREAT BRIAN WILSON GETTING AROUND AGAIN

November 13, 2008 12:36 am

BY BOBBY McMAHON

FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR

In the pantheon of modern musicians, few compare to Brian Wilson.

With the Beach Boys, Wilson composed some of the most enduring songs of the 1960s, penning hits like "I Get Around" and "California Girls"--and, in the process, creating a soundtrack for the surf-crazed California of that era.

He peaked creatively in 1966 with the Beach Boys' release of "Pet Sounds." Featuring classics like "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows," the album is arguably the finest in the history of pop music.

After splitting with the Beach Boys, Wilson withdrew from the public eye in the decades that followed-- largely because of his well-documented struggles with drugs and mental illness, as well as just plain erratic behavior (including moving his piano into a sandbox).

His recent work as a solo artist, however, has brought him renewed acclaim, particularly with the completion of his once-unfinished magnum opus, "SMiLE," in 2004.

Wilson released his latest album, "That Lucky Old Sun," in August and will appear with his band at Washington's Warner Theatre next Tuesday.

For the new project, Wilson, now 66, found inspiration in an old American standard and went about creating an album with that as it center.

"I found Louie Armstrong's version of 'That Lucky Old Sun,'" he said in a recent phone interview. "I learned it and taught it to the band. Then I wrote 10 really good original songs."

The resulting album is a whimsical joyride through a sun-kissed day in Los Angeles. Rather than simply being a collection of tracks, it plays through as a unified piece of music, a delicately arranged composition complete with instrumental interludes and narration of "poetic images of L.A." that were written by longtime collaborator Van Dyke Parks.

Decades since his time with the Beach Boys, California continues to be a major source of inspiration for Wilson. "Of course I love the beaches and the restaurants--the record stores and stuff like that," he said. "I love L.A."

The new album's songs are well-crafted and overflowing with the fun-loving hooks that populate Wilson's best work. But what most shines on "That Lucky Old Sun" are the ethereal, expansive harmonies. On the track "Can't Wait Too Long," the voices blend with ease and serenity, rising and falling with the beauty of a Pacific Ocean sunset.

"I've always liked harmony," Wilson said. "Harmony is my favorite part of music."

His signature harmonies, which are first conceived on the piano, never come as an epiphany in the middle of the night, he added.

"It never happens at any one time. It just comes to me naturally."

Wilson premiered "That Lucky Old Sun" onstage in London last year--a performance that, years ago, would have been unimaginable considering his legendary stage fright. Wilson now enjoys playing onstage, though--not only because of his current bandmates ("They're great singers and great musicians," he said), but also for the reaction of the crowd.

"I like the applause I get from the audience," he said.

For as much praise as "That Lucky Old Sun" and his live performances have received, it doesn't seem to be the same Brian Wilson anymore.

Gone is the introspection, the sadness of the young man staring into the great, beautiful ocean, wondering aloud if there's somewhere else he'd rather be. The love-driven angst of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and the isolation of "In My Room" and "I Wasn't Made for These Times" have been replaced now with peppy-yet-vacant toe-tappers about Mexican girls and sunny days.

Still, few musicians or songwriters in the annals of pop music can hold a candle to the career of Brian Wilson. For his work, Wilson has been compared with the Gershwins, Mozarts and other monumental names in music's history. Wilson himself doesn't feel that his name belongs in that company, though.

"I feel a little bit self-conscious about that, you know?" he said.

Mozart aside, Wilson's legacy is not in doubt: He could release a record with two hours of train whistles and not tarnish what he has already accomplished.

Looking back over his nearly 50 years in music, Wilson has no regrets about his career and feels comfortable with his contribution to the musical landscape.

"I think I've left behind a lot of nice music," he said. "And a lot of love. There's a lot of love in our music."

For now, Wilson plans to tour behind "That Lucky Old Sun" and is already planning to start a new record soon. There seems to be little else he wants to do.

"Music is my life. It's my whole life," he said.

Bobby McMahon is a freelance writer in Washington. Visit his music blog at crosstownrival.blogspot.com.