Imagination

by Brian Wilson

Product Description:

Personnel: Brian Wilson (vocals, piano, Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards); Brent Rowan (acoustic, nylon string & electric guitars, sitar, mandolin); Jim Peterik, Greg Leisz, Tom Chaffee (acoustic & electric guitars); Scott Bennett (guitar); Larry Franklin (violin, viola); Paul Mertens (flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto & baritone saxophones); Richie Cannata (saxophone); Chuck Soumar (trumpet, piccolo trumpet); John Larson (trumpet); Jason Trtan (French horn, bass); Joe Thomas (accordion, piano, Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards, vibraphone, tympani, keyboard programming); Bob Lizik, Michael Rhodes (bass); Eddie Bayers, Tom Suchermann (drums); Jackie Bertone (percussion); Jimmy Buffett (background vocals).

This is a DTS CD, which features DTS 5.1 Surround Sound technology and is playable on a DTS-capable 5.1 Surround Sound system.

Personnel: Brian Wilson (vocals, piano, Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards); Brent Rowan (acoustic, nylon string & electric guitars, sitar, mandolin); Jim Peterik, Greg Leisz, Tom Chaffee (acoustic & electric guitars); Scott Bennett (guitar); Larry Franklin (violin, viola); Paul Mertens (flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto & baritone saxophones); Richie Cannata (saxophone); Chuck Soumar (trumpet, piccolo trumpet); John Larson (trumpet); Jason Trtan (French horn, bass); Joe Thomas (accordion, piano, Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards, vibraphone, tympani, keyboard programming); Bob Lizik, Michael Rhodes (bass); Eddie Bayers, Tom Suchermann (drums); Jackie Bertone (percussion); Jimmy Buffett (background vocals).

IMAGINATION includes a remake of the Beach Boys' "Let Him Run Wild" and a Jimmy Buffett collaboration, "South American," that gives "Kokomo" a run for its money. It's only the second album of new material Wilson has made in the 25 or so years he's spent lolling around his swimming pool, and it's a damn shame because at its best, which those two songs aren't, it flirts with perfection.

Beyond the three- and four-part harmonies (handled mostly by Wilson himself) and the dense beds of saxes, trumpets, clarinets and percussion--all of which Wilson fans have long been able to count on--are those classic Wilson melodies. He thrives on little complexities, like the strange modulations in the doo-woppy "Keep An Eye On Summer" and the extra chords in "Lay Down Burden" over which he stretches a stock pop melody. And he can still turn out a deceptively simple pop hook, as on "Your Imagination," and surprise you with his voice, like when he reaches for the lower depths of his range on "Cry."

IMAGINATION includes a remake of the Beach Boys' "Let Him Run Wild" and a Jimmy Buffett collaboration, "South American," that gives "Kokomo" a run for its money. It's only the second album of new material Wilson has made in the 25 or so years he's spent lolling around his swimming pool, and it's a damn shame because at its best, which those two songs aren't, it flirts with perfection.

Beyond the three- and four-part harmonies (handled mostly by Wilson himself) and the dense beds of saxes, trumpets, clarinets and percussion--all of which Wilson fans have long been able to count on--are those classic Wilson melodies. He thrives on little complexities, like the strange modulations in the doo-woppy "Keep An Eye On Summer" and the extra chords in "Lay Down Burden" over which he stretches a stock pop melody. And he can still turn out a deceptively simple pop hook, as on "Your Imagination," and surprise you with his voice, like when he reaches for the lower depths of his range on "Cry."