Website Comments and Review

Brian's first solo was eagerly awaited by fans and critics, and to a large degree, didn't disappoint the expectations of those wondering what one of American music's greatest figures would do when separated from the band that made his name. The album does have Eugene Landy lurking in the background, however much his credits have been excised, but there is also clearly Brian's genius in the melody lines that soar in many of the songs. The production is sometimes another story, with the synths-heavy 80s influence being probably the weak point of the album.

Love And Mercy is the best known here, being Brian's staple closer for his concert resurrection of the late 90s and early 2000s. However, there are many other melodic gems here, including Melt Away, There's So Many and Let It Shine, while Rio Grande deliberately evokes the fragmentary song technique used for SMiLE. Brian may not have been anywhere near completely in control here, but this is still an important and very listenable part of his legacy.

RATING: 8 out of 10