It might be generous to say that Brian Wilson's solo albums have been uneven. Each is interesting in its way, but it's not the kind of stuff I would recommend to someone who isn't already a fan. So, frankly, I almost didn't order Brian Wilson Live At The Roxy. I figured, if Wilson can't get it together in the studio, how could he do it in front an audience? The man invented stage fright!

Another reason I didn't get this cd right away was the fact that it was only available at Brian's Wilson's website, www.brianwilson.com. I decided it would be extra expensive, like a concert t-shirt, so I put off checking out Brian Wilson's website.

Eventually curiosity got the better of me and I saw that Live At The Roxy was $22, which was even more than I expected. It took me a while to realize that it was a double cd, and that the $22 price included shipping, very reasonable. So I ordered it, but not without misgivings.

Turns out I had nothing to worry about. This is easily Brian Wilson's best solo album.

The first song on the set is "The Little Girl I Once Knew." It seems like an ambitious choice, not the easiest tune in the Beach Boys catalog, complicated vocal harmonies and lots of stops and starts in the arrangement. But they get that (and that cool 12-string intro) exactly right, and the quality of the recording is so superior to the 1965 original. It's like crystal.

Equally impressive is "This Whole World." Brian's was just a voice in the mix of "Little Girl" but on "This Whole World" he sings lead, and he sounds great. This man is 60 years old!

The backing vocals are first-rate, provided by Jeffrey Foskett, who used to sing the high parts in the Beach Boys once Bruce Johnston couldn't anymore, and by the Wondermints (Probyn Gregory, Darian Sahanaja, Nick Walusko, Mike D'Amico), who are "big in Japan" as they say. They ought to be big here, too. It should be mentioned that Foskett sings several high parts that Brian Wilson sang on the original recordings. It's a little jarring when Foskett sings the line "Can't remember what we fought about" from "Don't Worry Baby" instead of Wilson, but it is seamless in songs like "I Get Around" and "In My Room," where Brian actually sings the low parts.

The opening sequence of the second disc is worth noting. There are a thousand ironies at play hearing Brian Wilson sing "And if you wanna find me I'll be out in my sandbox" on the Barenaked Ladies song Brian Wilson (the chorus goes "Lying in bed / Like Brian Wilson did."). The incredible event of Wilson covering a song that touches on what must be such a personal time in his life is only topped by the song into which Brian Wilson segues, the soul-baring "'Till I Die." What Beach Boys fan ever thought he or she would live long enough to hear Brian Wilson sing ''It killed my soul" in front of an audience? The instrumentation by the way is perfect, a Hammond-sounding keyboard and vibes.

Wilson introduces "Darlin'" as his favorite Beach Boys song. I really never thought about the tune as an R&B song as he suggets, but I guess it is - it rocks! Brian's vocals are flawless here. This leads into the two instrumental songs from Pet Sounds, "Let's Go Away For Awhile" and the title song "Pet Sounds." The Wondermints nail these challenging arrangements down to the last detail. When Wilson asks the audience "Aren't they great? Aren't they great?" you can tell he's really impressed. "They're great!" he says.

Perhaps the most amazing revelation on a set full of revelations is the fact that Brian Wilson is so at ease and relaxed. There isn't a trace of his famous stage fright. A woman in the audience shouts out, "We love you, Brian!" and he just says "Thank you," and keeps going. When some Visigoth in the audience (inevitably) shouts "Rock & roll!" during the quiet intro of "Caroline, No" Wilson justs laughs and asks, "Are you making fun of us? Don't you think this rocks?"

The man exudes confidence on this recording. He introduces no less than two new, unheard songs ("The First Time" and "This Isn't Love") when he could have goosed the crowd a little and played "409" or "Fun Fun Fun." He's at ease dedicating the song "Lay Down Burden" to the memory of his brother Carl.

There is a moment where Brian Wilson stops the band right at the top of a song that is a peek into the man who produced Pet Sounds. He takes such control of the musicians; he holds the baton easily. The band has such respect for him.

Despite the fact that it is his favorite song of all time (as he says introducing the song), I find it amazing that Brian Wilson does the Ronette's "Be My Baby" on stage. Phil Spector used to be one of Wilson's major freakouts. He even thought they put Spector in the film Easy Rider just to flip him out. When the Beach Boys presented the Grammy for record of the year to producer Phil Ramone, Brian accidentally said "Phil Spector" and had another nervous breakdown. Brian Wilson now faces his demons in public.

I can't say enough about this album. Wilson is at the top of his form. It is indispensable for a Beach Boys fan and it's the first Beach Boys-related album in years that I would actually recommend to non-fans. It tops any live Beach Boys show I've ever heard.

Brian Wilson is currently on tour with this same backup band plus strings, performing the whole Pet Sounds album, down to the last bicycle horn, along with several of the songs that are presented here on Live At The Roxy. It's gonna be amazing!

Brimel Records 1001

Track Listing:

Disc One (48:59)

1. Little Girl Intro 2. The Little Girl I Once Knew 3. This Whole World 4. Don't Worry Baby 5. Kiss Me Baby 6. Do It Again 7. California Girls 8. I Get Around 9. Back Home 10. In My Room 11.Surfer Girl 12. The First Time 13. This Isn't Love 14. Add Some Music To Your Day 15. Please Let Me Wonder

Disc Two (45:47)

1. Band Intro 2. Brian Wilson 3. 'Til I Die 4. Darlin' 5. Let's Go Away For Awhile 6. Pet Sounds 7. God Only Knows 8. Lay Down Burden 9. Be My Baby 10. Good Vibrations 11. Caroline No 12. All Summer Long 13. Love & Mercy

Brian Wilson: vocals & keyboards Jeffrey Foskett: vocals, guitar Bob Lizik: bass Jim Hines: vocals, drums Scott Bennett: vocals, keyboards, vibes Probyn Gregory: vocals, guitar, french horn, tannerin Paul Mertens: saxophone, flute, piccolo Darian Sahanaja: vocals, keyboards, vibes Nick Watusko: vocals, guitar Taylor Mills: vocals Mike D'Amico, vocals, percussion, guitar

Produced by Brian Wilson