Music
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best Of 2009
Best Of 2008
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
Best Of 2004
Best Of 2003
Best Of 2002
Best Of 2001
Best Of 2000
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
62
50 Cent
70
AFI
65
Air
70
Alice In Chains
53
Kris Allen
78
Amerie
79
Annie
76
Anti-Pop Consortium
86
The Antlers
75
Arctic Monkeys
68
As Tall As Lions
82
Atlas Sound
77
The Avett Brothers
67
Backstreet Boys
59
Bad Lieutenant
68
Devendra Banhart
71
Lou Barlow
88
Baroness
69
Basement Jaxx
81
David Bazan
72
Beak>
72
Brendan Benson
84
Biffy Clyro
72
The Big Pink
95
Big Star
46
Billy Talent
75
The Black Crowes
72
The Black Heart Procession
68
Blitzen Trapper
75
BLK JKS
53
Bon Jovi
76
A.A. Bondy
65
Boys Like Girls
76
Brand New
73
Tyondai Braxton
83
Brother Ali
72
Ian Brown
75
Michael Buble
77
Built To Spill
61
Colbie Caillat
78
Califone
69
Mariah Carey
81
Brandi Carlile
72
Julian Casablancas
83
Rosanne Cash
71
Castanets
65
The Cave Singers
82
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
64
Exene Cervenka
79
Vic Chesnutt
75
Choir Of Young Believers
81
Circulatory System
67
The Clean
84
The Clientele
72
Cold Cave
85
Converge
71
Eric Copeland
76
The Cribs
79
Cymbals Eat Guitars
62
Dashboard Confessional
71
Datarock
59
Dead By Sunrise
76
Dead Man's Bones
77
Del The Funky Homosapien & Tame One
88
Destroyer
73
Do Make Say Think
63
The Dodos
77
Drive-By Truckers
67
Bob Dylan
58
Echo & The Bunnymen
61
Electric Six
44
The Entrance Band
69
Fanfarlo
71
Jay Farrar And Benjamin Gibbard
63
Felix Da Housecat
68
Fink
66
Orenda Fink
79
The Flaming Lips
66
Flight Of The Conchords
79
Florence And The Machine
67
John Fogerty
83
Fuck Buttons
71
Nelly Furtado
47
Gary Go
68
Ghostface Killah
79
Girls
69
Gossip
62
David Gray
66
David Guetta
65
Calvin Harris
79
Richard Hawley
74
Mayer Hawthorne
66
Headlights
79
HEALTH
77
Joe Henry
67
Hockey
67
Whitney Houston
80
Hudson Mohawke
68
Imogen Heap
59
Jack Ingram
79
Islands
74
Jamie T
65
Jay-Z
51
Jet
68
Daniel Johnston
76
Norah Jones
77
Karen O And The Kids
72
Toby Keith
69
Kid Cudi
75
Kid Sister
66
Kings Of Convenience
62
Sean Kingston
64
KISS
63
Mark Knopfler
73
Kris Kristofferson
68
KRS-One & Buckshot
76
La Roux
85
Miranda Lambert
72
Ledisi
71
Sondre Lerche
56
Juliette Lewis
62
Leona Lewis
82
Lightning Bolt
74
Little Dragon
44
Pixie Lott
83
Patty Loveless
73
Lyle Lovett
79
Lucero
75
Baaba Maal
77
Madness
84
Madonna
85
Manic Street Preachers
61
Maps
73
Mario
55
Massive Attack
57
Matisyahu
62
John Mayer
67
Reba McEntire
66
Tim McGraw
65
Brian McKnight
79
Mew
75
Mika
68
Amy Millan
76
Mission Of Burma
75
Molina And Johnson
80
Monsters Of Folk
66
Morrissey
85
Mount Eerie
76
The Mountain Goats
62
Múm
72
Muse
66
Willie Nelson
82
Nirvana
96
Nirvana
80
No Age
71
Noah And The Whale
75
Noisettes
79
Nudge
64
OneRepublic
47
Dolores O'Riordan
74
Os Mutantes
78
Osso
67
Alec Ounsworth
81
Owen
73
Paramore
78
Pastels And Tenniscoats
54
Sean Paul
80
Pearl Jam
69
Jemina Pearl
72
Jack Penate
65
Phish
82
Pissed Jeans
61
Pitbull
79
A Place To Bury Strangers
79
Polvo
72
Porcupine Tree
72
Port O'Brien
79
Q-Tip
79
R.E.M.
88
Raekwon
69
Rain Machine
70
Ramona Falls
75
Dizzee Rascal
74
The Raveonettes
79
Real Estate
76
Jay Reatard
81
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
66
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
78
Russian Circles
69
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions
78
Say Anything
61
Sally Shapiro
78
Shudder To Think
70
Simian Mobile Disco
58
Simple Minds
72
Six Organs Of Admittance
80
Slayer
61
The Slits
78
Soulsavers
77
Speech Debelle
58
Spiral Stairs
58
Squarepusher
55
Steel Panther
75
Sufjan Stevens
52
Rod Stewart
68
Joss Stone
83
Barbra Streisand
77
A Sunny Day In Glasgow
74
Susanna And The Magical Orchestra
79
The Swell Season
80
David Sylvian
83
Taken By Trees
80
Tegan And Sara
68
The Temper Trap
78
The Dutchess & The Duke
71
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
74
Them Crooked Vultures
72
Themselves
82
They Might Be Giants
67
Third Eye Blind
66
J Tillman
69
Times New Viking
57
Tokio Hotel
67
Trey Songz
73
Frank Turner
71
The Twilight Sad
60
Carrie Underwood
56
The Used
68
Various Artists
69
Various Artists
77
The Very Best
70
Kurt Vile
65
Vivian Girls
71
Volcano Choir
73
Rufus Wainwright
78
Wale
57
Weezer
81
White Denim
76
Why?
83
Wild Beasts
80
Wildbirds & Peacedrums
69
Robbie Williams
59
Andrew W.K.
65
Wolfmother
84
The xx
79
Yo La Tengo
83
Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band
52
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson
59
Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Gettin' In Over My Head
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 14 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 16 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Rhino
Release Date: 22 June 2004
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rock, Pop
Summary
These thirteen tracks mark just the third solo disc for the former Beach Boys songwriter, and include songs that Wilson has written over the past two decades. Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton and Elton John guest. (Sorry, no Snoop Dogg or Missy Elliott.)
Also By This Artist: SMiLE That Lucky Old Sun
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Billboard
An unexpected but dazzling return to the top form of the later Beach Boys years.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
He has rediscovered the knack of making Beach Boys records again. And make no mistake, in sound if not personnel, this is a Beach Boys record. [Aug 2004, p.119]
Uncut
A valuable addition to his catalogue: the most consistent and sympathetically constructed solo album he's made. [Jul 2004, p.96]
Los Angeles Times
Too many lyrics are more serviceable than insightful or inventive. [20 Jun 2004]
Rolling Stone
Perhaps it's best to think of Gettin' In Over My Head as Wilson's celebrity children's record.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
Although the musicians here understand how to convey complex emotions in a pop song, Wilson and his co-songwriters obviously don't, and it's with them that the blame for this record lies.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
It's probably safer to view "Gettin In..." as the sound of an old man lying back in the ocean with well-deserved drink. A straight-up collection of rock n roll songs that he probably enjoyed playing on as much as anything else in his bizarre life.
Read Full Review >E! Online
His voice is rough, the melodies fall flat, and there's even a guitar solo by Eric Clapton.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle
If you've followed Wilson's treacherous saga, it's heartening how upbeat Getting' in Over My Head sounds, even with a fair number of tracks misfiring.
Read Full Review >Blender
He's labored, bombastic and pitch-challenged.... The lyrics are embarrassing. [Aug 2004, p.143]
cokemachineglow
It's not so much that he's over his head as much as just past his prime, and though his love of creating music that aims to communicate a very simple and honest message is respectable, he's ultimately unconvincing and awkward with tepid melodies, gimmicky guest spots and subpar lead vocals.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express
Wilson's voice is a sorry wisp of what it once was. [19 Jun 2004, p.57]
Stylus Magazine
The evidence now seems indisputable that Wilson is completely, totally, finally spent as a creative force—as it is, we’re treading dangerously close to “How many failed collaborators does it take to produce a half-decent Brian Wilson album?” territory (answer: you can’t count that high).
Read Full Review >The Guardian
Everyone wants Brian Wilson's story to have a happy ending. 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.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 7.2 (out of 10) based on 16 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Seamus S gave it a6:
I, as many die hard Brian Wilson fans, can recognize his genius from his fun stuff. This is fun stuff, straight up. There's not alot of depth to it. It's got a nice feeling and gives you (somewhat) of an Idea as to what he's going to do on smile. There's some humor and some beauty. Not enough beauty to be a masterpeice though.
Victor Victor gave it a 4:
I am one of the longest Brian Wilson Fans- I grew up around the corner from Brian, and loved each and every work he produced. I am 53 and follow him from my youth. He is a genius- things happen and this album sucks. I think it should be renamed, "Get Those Other Folks Outa My Life" I could not even finish listening too it. Brian is still there and one one wonderful, but this is not him- odd, I kind of knew it before I got the album, really odd, it sent off a vibe- I am just listening to the album now, and it took me a long time to come to it. Some wrong management seems to be around Brian- Smile, while having nice pieces was released(i got it too!- my son sent to to me for my birthday- he a Marine in Iraq-and you can listen to it- and it was never complete, which was why brian never released it. The fact that is was released now, tell us more about people who want money than who is controlling the art- gets me to wondering. Yes, the album sucks, if left alone Brain can produce wonderful works still, he just needs the time, place and peace.
sally l gave it a 10:
a really good album dont care that much for the freind like you song
jim ray s gave it a 10:
one othe best of the year
al k gave it a 10:
i really love this album!!
Jim A gave it an 8:
These songs that people are calling weak are better than 90% of music that has been released by anyone in the last 10 years. Shame on all of you for thinking that the 24yr old Brian Wilson still exists, he's still tremendously gifted and still can produce beautiful music. Lyrically its obviously simple, but so what... he's one of the all time greats, when is the last time Paul McCartney or the Rolling Stones had a good album?? He's still incredible.
Adam G gave it a 2:
As a die-hard Wilson/Beach Boys fan for over 25 years, it tears me up to realize that this is one of the five single-worst Beach Boys-related albums ever released. That makes two (1998's 'Imagination') bad albums in a row. The ONLY saving grace is the duet with Carl on "Soul Searchin'" and even THAT was better on bootlegs with The Beach Boys' backing vocals.
