Former Beach Boy Brian Wilson is about to release a new album that pays tribute to Southern California.

Brian Wilson’s latest album, That Lucky Old Sun, is scheduled for release Sept. 2. According to an AP story, Wilson’s new album is a tribute to Southern California and reunites him with lyricist Van Dyke Parks, in addition to his usual touring band and other collaborators.

The story quotes Wilson as being very happy with the results:

"I think the new album is just as good as anything the Beach Boys ever recorded," says Wilson. "Playing these songs live, I feel proud. You know that funny feeling you get in your stomach, like, ‘Oh my God, this is sounding great!’"

The story describes the music as varied and the sound and lyrics as not naively nostalgic or too derivative of the band’s past work:

Songs such as "Forever She’ll Be My Surfer Girl" touch on Beach Boys melodies while "Mexican Girl" adds a dash of salsa flavor. "Midnight’s Another Day" and "Oxygen to the Brain" reference Wilson’s dark days in the ’70s and ’80s, when he receded from the spotlight into isolation, drugs and weight gain.

Wilson calls "Midnight’s Another Day," which skirts on a solitary piano melody, his favorite song, "kind of introspective, kind of how I feel around people."

The album’s last song, "Southern California," reminisces about co-founding the Beach Boys in 1961 with his late brothers Carl and Dennis, and ends the album on an uplifting note. Wilson sings, "It’s magical/ Living your dream."

Wilson still has the strong religious faith he always had even during the darkest times, the story notes:

"When I go to the keyboard, I feel holy, like an angel over my head. I feel very holy. When we did (the Beach Boys hit) ‘God Only Knows,’ I felt holy about that too. A godly something comes through me," Wilson says, motioning with his hand.

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