Gettin' In over My Head

Gettin' In over My Head is the fourth studio album by American musician Brian Wilson, released June 2004 on Rhino Records. Many of the songs were reworked versions of tracks recorded for the scrapped album Sweet Insanity and the Andy Paley sessions from the 1990s. The album reached #100 in the US during a 1-week chart stay, and #53 in the UK. Critical reaction was mixed.

It features an assortment of celebrity guests such as Paul McCartney, Elton John, Eric Clapton and Carl Wilson (the latter appearing posthumously on "[[Soul Searchin' (Brian Wilson and Andy Paley song)|Soul SearchinTemplate:']]", a rejected Beach Boys song from the Paley sessions). Peter Blake created the cover art and assigned 2004 Brian Wilson Presents Smile artist Mark London to art-direct the rest of the package.

As of 2025, the album is not available on streaming services.

Background

One songwriter who was reached for a collaboration was XTC's Andy Partridge who recalled, "I rang up a lot of people ... and heard quite a few stories that would put off any sane person from getting involved in the Brian Wilson camp ... They said he would call me ... either he changed his mind, or the management changed his mind, or maybe he just forgot".<ref>Template:Cite interview</ref>

Reception

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, Gettin' In Over My Head received an average score of 55 based on 14 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref name="mc"/> Writing in The Rolling Stone Album Guide, reviewer Jackie Wilson wrote, "Wilson is still frighteningly detached from the moment. ... it's best to think of this one as a celebrity's children's record."<ref name="jackie"/> Critic Robert Christgau said that the album's only improvement on Imagination was the absence of producer Joe Thomas.<ref name="christ"/>

John Bush of AllMusic highlighted "Soul SearchinTemplate:'" and the title track in what was otherwise a collection of "weak songs" with "trite lyrics". He wrote, "Whether it's a solo composition or one written with a talented collaborator like Andy Paley, Wilson's songs are uniformly embarrassing".<ref name="bush"/> The GuardianTemplate:'s Alexis Petridis was disappointed with the record's "musical conservatism" – which be believed came out of Wilson's self-described desperation to be considered in league with Sting, Paul Simon, and Bruce Springsteen – and wrote, "The worst thing about Gettin' In Over My Head - far worse than the mediocre songs and the MOR guest appearances - is that it doesn't sound terribly happy."<ref name="petridis"/>

Matthew Weiner of Stylus introduced his review by declaring, "It's time to face the facts: we’re never, never, ever getting another great record out of Brian Wilson again. It's over."<ref name="stylus"/> He added that, given the involvement of the Wondermints and all the other musicians and songwriters Wilson could have potentially collaborated with, "it's impossible to conclude that the utter failure of Getting In Over My Head falls anywhere other than squarely on Wilson himself".<ref name="stylus"/>

Conversely, UncutTemplate:'s reviewer said the album was "the most consistent and sympathetically constructed solo album he's made."<ref name="uncut"/> BillboardTemplate:'s review called it "An unexpected but dazzling return to the top form of the later Beach Boys years."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Track listing

• Tracks 8–9 and 11–13 were originally recorded for the scrapped Sweet Insanity album
• An iTunes bonus track of "Don't Worry Baby" was released with daughter Wendy Wilson on lead vocals.

Personnel

• Brian Wilson – lead vocals, keyboards, piano, producer

Guests

• Eric Clapton – lead guitar on "City Blues"
• Elton John – vocals and piano on "How Could We Still Be Dancin"
• Paul McCartney – vocals and acoustic guitar on "A Friend Like You"
• Carl Wilson – vocals on "Soul Searchin'"

The Brian Wilson Band Template:Div col begin

• Scott Bennett – guitar, bass guitar, percussion, vibraphone, background Vocals
• Jeffrey Foskett – guitar, background vocals
• Probyn Gregory – French horn, guitar, keyboards, trombone, trumpet
• Bob Lizik – bass guitar
• Nick Walusko – guitar
• Paul Mertens – clarinet, flute, harmonica, saxophone
• Darian Sahanaja – keyboards, percussion, piano, vibraphone, background vocals

Additional musicians Template:Div col begin

• Amy Farris – viola, violin
• Jim Hines – drums, percussion
• Sandra Jensen – violin
• Peter Kent – violin
• Greg Leisz – guitar
• Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
• Andy Paley – percussion and background vocals
• Carol Robbins – harp
• Rudolph Stein – cello
• Todd Sucherman – drums, percussion
• Joe Thomas – keyboards