As the songwriter responsible for the sounds that all but define several eras of American music,
Brian Wilson is one of the few artists who can return to the highlights of their catalog again and again without it becoming too tedious.
At My Piano finds the iconic
Beach Boys founder reworking some of his best-loved tunes as spare piano instrumentals, with a set list that includes four
Pet Sounds compositions, songs from the
Beach Boys' early surf-obsessed days, and selections from
Wilson's solo albums. Ubiquitous melodies like those from "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "California Girls," or "Good Vibrations" are light and easygoing in stripped-down piano form, peeling back
Wilson's tendency for dense arrangements and allowing the tenderness, joy, and naivete of his songwriting to come to the forefront. Less celebrated songs like "Friends" or the crushingly melancholic "Till I Die" sound great in their somber piano renditions as well, showing how
Wilson's essence as a songwriter was present in his hits and non-hits alike. The main shortcoming of
At My Piano is that even though
Brian Wilson is playing songs that he wrote, the mellow, elevator music style of these versions doesn't sound any more significantly connected to
Wilson than any other session musician or unknown piano player running through familiar tunes as background music at a martini bar would sound. Despite this, it's pleasant to hear these songs in a new form, and to realize
Wilson's depths as an artist when he presents himself at his most minimal, and it's still preternaturally beautiful. ~ Fred Thomas