Music DVD Review: MusiCares Presents A Tribute To Brian Wilson
Published February 05, 2007
When NARAS (the National Academy of Recording Arts And Sciences) selected the legendary Brian Wilson as it's 2005 honoree for MusiCares person of the year (this year they will do the same for Don Henley), they threw an all-star tribute concert in Los Angeles. Gathering everyone from The Red Hot Chili Peppers to Jeff Beck to Earth Wind & Fire to perform some of Wilson's best tunes. That performance is captured on this DVD.
One of NARAS best charitable organizations, MusiCares, provides financial assistance in things like housing and medical care to members of the music industry who otherwise couldn't afford it. On this night, MusiCares and the academy honored Wilson for his own charitable work with such organizations as the Carl Wilson Foundation for Cancer Research and Neil Young's Bridge School.
Considering Wilson's legacy for creating some of the greatest pop music ever made, the cast of characters assembled here at times seems an odd one. To me at least, somebody like Lindsey Buckingham would have provided a more appropriate bridge to Brian Wilson than say, The Chili Peppers. As much as I dig the Chilis, their opening take on "I Get Around" seems both odd and out of place, with forced and uncharacteristically non-funky sounding harmonies.
Fortunately, from there it gets much better with some excellent and truly surprising performances. Possibly the biggest surprise here is the Backstreet Boys, who with their letter perfect harmonizing, manage to positively nail Wilson's "When I Grow Up To Be a Man." Of all of the performances on this DVD, it is this one which, again somewhat surprisingly, comes closest to capturing the spirit of the Beach Boys.
In the flashy guitars department, Richie Sambora provides ample pyrotechnics on "City Blues." But Jeff Beck positively burns the house down when he shreds his way through "Surfin USA," and then has his guitar crying out the vocal parts of "Surfs Up." Micheal McDonald, whose syrupy pop vocalizing I normally don't much care for, does a fine job on "Don't Worry Baby," with help from the late, great Billy Preston on organ. John Legend turns in a fine take on "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times," while Shelby Lynne's "Surfer Girl" falls somewhat surprisingly flat. Earth Wind & Fire's Phillip Bailey displays his trademark falsetto to excellent advantage on "Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)."
- Music DVD Review: MusiCares Presents A Tribute To Brian Wilson
- Published: February 05, 2007
- Type: Review
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Video, Music: Pop, Music: Live Concerts, Music: Classic Rock and Oldies
- Writer: Glen Boyd
- Glen Boyd's BC Writer page
- Glen Boyd's personal site
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I pre-ordered Wilson Tribute dvd here: total cost, inc. shipping is $17.02
Well thanks Kim...at least I think.
I'm glad you liked the review, but hope that you dont think my praise of BSB's performance on this DVD means that I'll be rushing out to buy their entire catalog or anything. What they normally do isn't really my particular cup of Joe musically speaking. But I did think they really nailed the whole Beach Boys harmony thing here so they get respect for that.
Thanx for the comments.
-Glen
Nice review, Glen. I'd buy anything that involves Brian Wilson, but for this DVD it might just be worth it to hear Jeff Beck play "Surfin USA" and "Surfs Up."
I would've thought Shelby Lynne could've done "Surfer Girl" justice. Dave Alvin does a great version of it on his "West of the West" album, by the way.
But Jeff Beck positively burns the house down when he shreds his way through
Kimasabe, are you proud of getting ripped off, or am I missing something? The album is $9.99 at Amazon, considerably less than the $17.02 you paid.
Maybe it's not too late to cancel that order and order from here!
Not quite sure that your #2 isn't a bit spammy Kimasabe, particularly when that Wilson tribute is only $9.99 at Amazon...
now who's plugging amazon!? go to your local independant record store tomorrow and buy it without shipping costs, for fuck's sake... watch it tomorrow, save record stores, etc.
isn't there enough amazon plugging all over this site without the owners accusing some backstreet boys fan of spamming for the competition?
ok, not owners... maybe not even "employees..." chris, phillip... do you make any money, directly or indirectly, from the amazon ads on blogcritics?
Thanx Gordon for the nice words. Shelby Lynne isn't really that bad on this DVD, it's just that she seems rather listless and flat to me here, something I don't normally get from her. Beck is just outrageous though -- the stuff on "Surfs Up" is particularly good.
Not really sure what the deal was with the BSB fan and the Barnes plug but I do understand the concern. The vast majority of us don't get paid here. What we do is done as a labor of love. But I'm quite sure that the site has it's operating costs and needs to generate some money to stay open.
Anyway, I thank you all for the comments.
-Glen
Yikes, zingzing, I didn't think it serious spam or I'd have simply deleted it. It's still a worse deal than what Amazon offer though.
Why don't you take a moment and think about what running a site like this entails? And costs? I've got no frigging idea but it's totally obvious that the top cats aren't going to win Entrepreneur of the Year. Not this year anyway. Two of the three still have their dayjobs fer crissakes...
Just as there is no shame in earning a living, there's no reason a site like this shouldn't try to break even or better.
Loosen up dude! Capitalism is the new Rock'n'Roll!
On the subject of Mr Boyd's fine article, it's one of my dirty little musical secrets that I love both The Beach Boys and The Backstreet Boys. Damn, now the cool kids'll never play with me.
I'll play Chris. But then nobody ever accused me of being one of the cool kids.
-Glen
At least, Chris, the bad guys will know you and they'll leave you alone...
chris--
i just thought it very strange that someone here would accuse someone of spam whilst plugging away themselves. i wasn't saying you don't have the right... i was just saying it's a strange thing to do so obviously.
it seemed a bit disingenuous, that's all.
really. i wouldn't defend a backstreet boys fan for anything but the thrill of it. n*sync, now...
so don't take too much offense, or think me in need of any loosening up... because that's all i was trying to point out to the two of yous in the first place.
"there is no shame in earning a living..."
oh my.
Tone is always tricky to read, zinger. Here's another shocking admission - I like N*Sync and Justin Timberlake too! God, they'll never let me live this down.
My guilty pleasure is ABBA Chris. Although I guess that's considered borderline "cool" these days. Hey it could be worse though. You could like John Mayer.
-Glen
Wonderful! I have read this article in Weird World (Thank Kimasabe). Thank Glen for your positive article :)
chris--true (on the tone thing). sigh. justin timberlake is a great singles artist. i'll say that without a hint of irony or guilt. it's just true.
hmmm.... for what its worth... Amazon site's glitches preventing my registering there. I tried MANY times. We have top of the line comps here @ work, and I order & post successfully, other places all over the Internet. But, NOT @ AMAZON... so, I wanted this dvd & ordered it where I could.
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MANY thanks to Glen, for giving BSB a chance, by actually listening to their harmonies. Their music is what floats our boat the most! I've posted link to Glen's blog here @ Backstreet's Official Fanclub Weird World, so MORE appreciative comments should be posted soon here.
I've pre-ordered the MusiCares Brian Wilson Tribute dvd & its due to ship tomorrow. CAN'T WAIT!