Brian Wilson

This video was intended to accompany the release of Brian Wilson's 1999 album Imagination, but the DVD edition didn't show up until the late summer of the following year. The wait was worth it -- the mix of concert material mostly (though not entirely) devoted to classic songs, including "In My Room" and "California Girls," and behind-the-scenes interviews with the participants (including guest musicians Timothy B. Schmit, Christopher Cross, and Bruce Johnston), plus admirers such as Glen Campbell, the Barenaked Ladies, Elvis Costello, and Stevie Wonder. The video is crystalline in its sharpness, and the audio is a match, though it does suffer from one problem typical of early DVDs -- low volume level -- but the quality is good enough so that it pumps up beautifully. The chaptering covers all of the songs and major interview segments, and the disc opens up automatically to a simple, easy-to-use, single-layer menu. And the full-screen image (1.33-to-1) is gorgeous. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide