Website Comments and Review

The Disney two-record deal has given Brian Wilson a chance to go back to the very earliest awakenings of his love affair with music. Just as much as Rhapsody In Blue must have been an inspiration, so would the those Disney cartoon classics that have been a staple of many children in America and worldwide since the 1930s. So this record is both a second part of going back, as well as the children's record that Brian has often said that he wanted to make -and possibly had extra inspiration with his five adopted youngsters.

The Gershwin album had two 'new' songs, but mostly showcased Brian Wilson's arrangement skills. Here, with the album entirely consisting of cover songs, these arrangement skills are even more to the fore. As always, they are backed with brilliant musicianship from Brian's great bands, and some very solid lead vocals from Brian, allaying fears that this would be a weakness of the album

One has the up-tempo songs like You've Got A Friend In Me, We Belong Together and I Just Can't Wait To Be King that showcase Brian's ability to turn anything into a surf rock classic comes to the fore. And the Heigh-Ho/Whistle While You Work has the humor, Americana and otherworldliness that comes together as an appetising taster for the imminent SMiLE box set. However, as with so much of Brian Wilson's work, it's the aching slow songs where genius and emotion seep through; Baby Mine, Colors Of The Wind, Can You Feel The Love Tonight?, Stay Awake and most of all, When You Wish Upon A Star -an encapsulation of Brian's dream and inspiration, that of children, and ultimately of all of us.

This was never going to be a major opus for Brian Wilson, but one feels that it is something that he needed to do, and he has done it well. One's selfish wish is that may inspire another round of great new Brian Wilson songs, but as a stand-alone, it's another credit to a solo career that surely now can be called brilliant.

RATING: 7.5 out of 10