By Bill Milkowski | Published January 2022
Given our collective memory of Beach Boys tunes from the 1960s, it’s not an exaggeration to say that (for those of a certain age) they are deeply ingrained in our DNA. To hear them rendered in such succinct and poignant fashion by the composer himself on solo piano is, as one friend and die-hard Wilson fan put it, “a benediction.”
Some of these familiar melodies have the simple, almost naive feel of Chick Corea’s Children’s Songs, though they are also effective earworms that burrow deeply into the memory banks. One of the earliest gems of the collection, “In My Room” from 1963’s Surfer Girl, has a calming, “Pachelbel’s Cannon” vibe to it while “You Still Believe in Me” from 1966’s Pet Sounds sounds here like a heartwarming Christmas carol. “California Girls” from 1965’s Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) carries the loping bass line from Roy Rogers’ “Happy Trails,” the theme song for a 1940s and 1950s radio program that Wilson no doubt grew up with, while “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” from Pet Sounds carries some intricate, harmonically moving bass lines that suggest an interest in Bach. And “Friends” is clearly influenced by Satie’s “Gymnopedie No. 1.”
By far the most interesting and eclectic track here, aside from sparse recreations of favorites like “God Only Knows,” “Good Vibrations” and “Don’t Worry Baby,” is “Sketches Of Smile,” a medley of four songs from the legendary unfinished concept album Smile, Wilson’s collaboration with Van Dyke Parks.
At My Piano: God Only Knows; In My Room; Don’t Worry Baby; California Girls; The Warmth Of The Sun; Wouldn’t It Be Nice; You Still Believe In Me; I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times; Sketches Of Smile; Surf’s Up; Friends; Till I Die; Love And Mercy; Mt. Vernon Farewell; Good Vibrations. (48:07)
Personnel: Brian Wilson, piano.
Ordering Info: decca.com
