Brian Wilson Not as Sophisticated as Sting

I came across this review of Brian Wilson's solo record from a few years back. It includes this passage about Wilson's autobiograhpy, which gave me a chuckle:

...on page 361, Wilson still manages to bring the reader up short. He worries that his music compares unfavourably with that of Bruce Springsteen and Paul Simon. Worst of all, it does not offer "the sophistication of Sting". That phrase delivers a horrifying jolt. The composer of Good Vibrations and God Only Knows has somehow come to the conclusion that his work is inferior to that of the man who wrote De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da. Forget the stuff about building a sandpit in his living room: this is categorical proof that Brian Wilson is completely mad.

Make that completely Advanced. Also, this writer is completely stupid. It's always bothered me that people somehow miss the point of "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da." I remember a DJ saying once, " Gee, I wonder how long it took him to write that." Of course DJs also cut off the end of "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" (big enough umbrella), so it's not so surprising that they would look at a song title and figure the songwriter couldn't think up any real words. But for a music writer to do that is...actually not that surprising either now that I think about it. Is there a race of man that understands music less than music writers? Anyway, here's some more amusing stuff about that solo record, "Gettin' In Over My Head":

Wilson subsequently disowned Wouldn't It Be Nice, claiming that it was written by his horrendous former psychiatrist Gene Landy. However, you are reminded of his troubling views on contemporary music by his third solo album, Gettin' In Over My Head. Few artists can match Wilson's level of influence. Famous musicians flocked to the recent live performances of his legendary 1960s albums Pet Sounds and Smile. He could collaborate with any number of groundbreaking young artists who owe him a debt, with potentially fascinating results.Instead, Gettin' In Over My Head opens with Elton John, huffing his way through a song called How Could We Still Be Dancin'? Later on, you are treated to a guitar solo by Eric Clapton and a song co-written with David Foster. If the latter name seems unrecognisable, then his oeuvre is all too familiar: he should be held responsible for Peter Cetera's Glory of Love, St Elmo's Fire by John Parr and many singles by Celine Dion.