Always dismissed them a bit previously but theyre dead good arent they. Im conpletely clueless to them though (didnt realise Carl sang Good Vibrations!) And I also didnt realise how much they made. What songs would you recommend aside from the obvious?
Iām a huge fan. I saw Brian Wilson perform Pet Sounds at Austin, Texas a few months ago celebrating itās 50th anniversary. I saw him do it for the 40th anniversary too in London.
Pet Sounds is THE album. God Only Know is their best song for me. (Itās on Pet Sounds.)
5 Likes
best song is the 11 minute disco version of here comes the night
Also from Pet Sounds, I Know Thereās An Answer/Hang On To Your Ego is a sort of non-stereotypical Beach Boys song worth checking out. Basically, check out Pet Sounds.
1 Like
Pet Sounds, Surfās Up and Sunflower are all great albums.
1 Like
Whatās the song Jawbox covered? I like that one! Sound on Sound?
the beach boys are the fucking best (beatles are the worst)
hereās some fucking amazing songs that arenāt the ābig hitsā (Darlinā is top 5 songs of all time for me)
5 Likes
Surfs up may be their best effort (sans student demonstration time). Smile would have been/is a fantastic album, but I was never too into the 2006 version. Smiley Smile is also worth a go, it has Paul McCartney on Celery.
Although Iāve been a big fan of Pet Sounds for years, Iāve really started listening to Beach Boys a lot lately after watching Love and Mercy. Iāve been exploring some of the later albums like Sunflower which Iāve not really listened to before. Love hearing all of the studio outtakes-
2 Likes
<3
3 Likes
The record āTodayā is really good, itās the one before Pet Sounds I think so itās still classic surf pop but it sounds bigger and more ambitious with the arrangements without going full pocket symphony.
Another from Pet Sounds; definitely one of my favourite songs:
2 Likes
Thatās a good place to start if you want to listen to them as album artists instead of a singles band.
Listen in chronological order with the US track listing:
The Beach Boys Today!
Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
Pet Sounds
Then youāre onto albums championed by the hardcore fans. Never been there apart from the singles.
Never listened to an album I think, but the opening chapter of The Dark Stuff is on Brian Wilson and is amazing.
Youāve never listened to Pet Sounds?
I canāt recall. I mean Iām not counting āsomeone had it on while I was at their houseā I mean properly listening to it.
And if I did and I donāt remember that says a lot too. Never really been that bothered about them based on the stuff Iāve heard. Iāll stick it on when Iāve finished Part Chimp IV, though.
Iām not a Beach Boys super fan, but Pet Sounds is brilliant. Also a big fan of Smiley Smile (Smile is good but less so). Surfās Up has a few bits of Smiley Smile as they were obviously kicking around at the time, but overall Iām not blown away by it.
2 Likes
some non-Pet Sounds favourites:
Feel Flows - Beach Boys with fuzz guitar and flute! blossoming psych masterpiece.
Cool Cool Water - constantly lapping at the shores of my unconscious mind
Busy Doin Nothing - Beach Boys do bossa nova and give directions to their house, combo of lyrics and melodicism show the pure beauty in everyday life activities
Sheās Goin Bald - sublime, ridiculous, drugged, best use of chipmunk voice Iāve ever heard
2 Likes
For me, the Smile Sessions version of Smile is considerably better than Smiley Smile as a whole.
Smile also > Sgt. Pepperās fwiw.
1 Like
Yeah, youāre probably right. A friend gave me this just before Smile came out and I absolutely loved it. The piano bit in Rock Plymouth Roll just goes on forever, and I could get lost in it.