Brian Wilson

Latest Articles

Gruff Rhys | Hotel Shampoo

OVNI/Turnstile (2011)
Gruff Rhys has gone into extracurricular overdrive. In the past five years, he's released more solo albums and side projects than he has discs with his long-time band Super Furry Animals.
By ZETH LUNDY | February 09, 2011

Brian Wilson | Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin

Disney Pearl Series (2010)
George and Ira Gershwin's music may have been the pop music of its day, but — like much of the Great American Songbook — it was more sophisticated than most of the pop of the '50s and '60s.
By JONATHAN DONALDSON | August 18, 2010

Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby | Two-Way Family Favorites

Southern Domestic (2010)
This is a sweet tearjerker of an album disguised as a lowly covers set.
By BRETT MILANO | June 24, 2010

Spose: It's all a joke

Sibilance
It’s every band’s dream, really: DEAD SEASON have secured a JAGERMEISTER sponsorship.
By PORTLAND PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | April 08, 2010

By | January 01, 0001

Providence Fall Preview Listings 2009

Music, theater, art, festivals and more in the coming months
A page of listings for local music, theater, art, festivals and more this fall.
By PHOENIX STAFF | September 17, 2009

Please please me

The Leftovers are ready and eager
For pure output, not many local bands can top the Leftovers, who next week drop their fourth full-length album, Eager to Please , with Oglio/Crappy Records, since 2005's debut, Stop Drop Rock & Roll (and they had an EP before that). And we won't even take away points because "full-length," for them, doesn't quite reach 40 minutes.
By SAM PFEIFLE | May 13, 2009

Guilty pleasure

A.C. [Carl] Newman talks pop and the making of his new album
A.C. Newman is on fire. One of indie rock's most prolific songwriters and performers, Newman has six albums to his credit this decade...
By MICHAEL ATCHISON | March 10, 2009

All a-Twitter

Seven microblogging books worth scrolling upward for
Seven microblogging books worth scrolling upward for
By MIKE MILIARD | January 14, 2009

Going on sale: September 19, 2008

Breaking news from the concert ticket trade
Barbara Morgenstern, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Los Straitjackets and more.
By GOING ON SALE | September 17, 2008

Brian Wilson

That Lucky Old Sun | Capitol/EMI
Brian Wilson and his karaoke-smooth backing band the Wondermints have instead given us something on par with 1970s Beach Boys.
By DEVIN KING | September 02, 2008

Nobody

Blank Blue: Western Water Music Vol. II | Ubiquity
It’s the Monkees’ “Porpoise Song” (a track Nobody has covered) expanded into a full-blown stoner opera.
By GUSTAVO TURNER | June 03, 2008

Un-Unbusted

The Billionaires escape from the island
Unbusted. If that name rings a bell, chances are you were around Boston three years ago.
By MATT ASHARE | April 22, 2008

Cold remedies

Stephin Merritt warms up on Distortion
One suspects all colds are terrible in the world of Stephin Merritt.
By MATT ASHARE | January 07, 2008

Celebration of sound

Kris Hansen’s Left Hand Band; plus, New Year’s Eve options
Despite living in a world that is seemingly rotating off its axis and just plain miserable, there are, believe it or not, many reasons to give thanks.
By BOB GULLA | December 26, 2007

Rock and roles

Dewey Cox and Rufus Wainwright
A good number of the jokes in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story are available for your amusement right now, well ahead of the film’s December 21 theatrical-release date.
By MIKAEL WOOD | December 04, 2007

Heart

Dreamboat Annie Live | Shout! Factory
Heart are fast becoming the world’s best classic-rock cover band.
By BRETT MILANO | October 22, 2007

The erstwhile Beach Boy

A download tribute to Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson may have spent a few years in bed, but he’s been up and about for the last few years.
By BRIAN E. KING | September 18, 2007

Pop secrets

The New Pornographers explore the quiet zone
This confounding of rock orthodoxy simply happened.
By SCOTT FRAMPTON | August 21, 2007

Something for everybody

This summer, New England’s music calendar offers everything from Neil Sedaka to Lez Zeppelin
As that great philosopher Brian Wilson once observed, summer means fun.
By BRETT MILANO | June 11, 2007

Bad mothers

Angeline kick out the folk-rock jams
It’s often been said that inside every punk-rocker is a hippie scratching to get out.
By BRETT MILANO | May 29, 2007

Jeff Murphy

Cantilever | Black Vinyl
From Zion, Illinois, the Shoes were an odd combination of romantics and gearheads, combining classic-model pop songwriting with pristine sonics.
By BRETT MILANO | February 26, 2007

The Apples in Stereo

New Magnetic Wonder | Simian/Yep Roc
Interviewing Robert Schneider is one of the toughest gigs in music journalism, and not because the guy’s anything but a perfect gentleman.
By MIKAEL WOOD | February 13, 2007

Portland scene report: February 2, 2007

Sibilance starts now
Sara Cox is near to setting a date for the release of her much-anticipated follow-up to 2003’s Arrive.
By PORTLAND PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | January 31, 2007

Hanging ten or hanging on?

Brian Wilson: Dead on survival
This article originally appeared in the April 26, 1977 issue of the Boston Phoenix.
By GREIL MARCUS | November 14, 2006

Tales of the Rat Fink

A tale sure to satisfy Big Daddy
Pop-culture chronicler Ron Mann’s animated documentary is a playful tribute to the late Ed “Big Daddy” Roth (voiced by John Goodman), whose eccentric automobiles and monster caricatures helped shape Southern Cal’s “Kustom Kulture” craze in the ’60s. Watch the trailer for Tales of the Rat Fink
By IAN SANDS | October 11, 2006

Flashbacks: October 6, 2006

The Boston Phoenix has been covering the trends and events that shape our times since 1966
These selections, culled from our back files, were compiled by Dan Peleschuk, Ian Sands, and Eva Wolchover.
By PHOENIX FLASHBACKS | October 04, 2006

Do what they mean

Loverless are a lean Fighter machine
When 2006 wraps up, it’ll be hard to think of another show as fun as the Big Easy’s stage for the Best Music Poll Festival back in May, with Cosades and Loverless opening for Rock Kills Kid.
By SAM PFEIFLE | September 20, 2006

Going on sale: September 22

Breaking news from the concert-ticket trade
Alice Cooper, G. Love, Brian Wilson, and more.
By | September 18, 2006

Cause for pause

American dreams could be deeper
The Ogunquit Playhouse’s final show of the season is a musical for the ages — for the ages, that is, of about 45 to 60.
By MEGAN GRUMBLING | September 06, 2006