10 most pure Brian albums

[Magic Transistor Radio]

This is not a list of the best, but the MOST Brian albums if that makes sense IMO. Feel free to agree/disagree/discuss/delete/print/dance.

1. Love You (wrote/produced all songs and played much of the instruments)
2. Pet Sounds (wrote all but Sloop John B/produced all, but used wrecking crew mostly)
3. SMiLE (wrote all but a few traditional songs/produced all but used wrecking crew mostly, perhaps less influence on        lyrics then Pet Sounds)
4. Today (wrote most tracks/produced all)
5. Summer Days/Nights (Allowed Mike control of lyrics)
6. Surfer Girl (first album he produced)
7. Brian Wilson 89 (only question is how much outside influence. Very Brian moments and some not)
8. Lucky Old Sun (very Brian, but how much arranging was done by his band?)
9. Gettin in Over My Head (same as LOS)
10. Imaginations (seems to be least Brian of solo albums. Few flashes of Brian magic. Mostly Joe Thomas production?)

[rab2591]

I choose to dance.



You've got a good list. I too would love to know the process of arrangements done for Lucky Old Sun......I think Wirestone knows a bit about it.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I'd put Friends on that list. He doesn't necessarily have credit on all the songs but it was a big Brian album, and I think an important one to him at that time too.

[bossaroo]

Friends is about as Brian as it gets. and Wild Honey comes close to that.

[Wirestone]

I loves me some solo Brian, but I would not have 9 or 10 on there. Friends and Wild Honey would be better.

[MBE]

I think we can safely say the LP's from Surfin Safari to Friends are Brian's most involved sustained period of work. He did a lot on Sunflower, 15 Big Ones, and Love You though with more imput from the others than in the pre 20/20 period. Of course he did his solo albums too though it is really hard to say what he did and didn't do and if he had to do with the direction of the albums.

[Wirestone]

Of course he did his solo albums too though it is really hard to say what he did and didn't do and if he had to do with the direction of the albums.

Yes, if you"re willfully ignorant, it is really hard to know those things.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

This is not a list of the best, but the MOST Brian albums if that makes sense IMO. Feel free to agree/disagree/discuss/delete/print/dance.

1. Love You (wrote/produced all songs and played much of the instruments)
2. Pet Sounds (wrote all but Sloop John B/produced all, but used wrecking crew mostly)
3. SMiLE (wrote all but a few traditional songs/produced all but used wrecking crew mostly, perhaps less influence on        lyrics then Pet Sounds)
4. Today (wrote most tracks/produced all)
5. Summer Days/Nights (Allowed Mike control of lyrics)
6. Surfer Girl (first album he produced)
7. Brian Wilson 89 (only question is how much outside influence. Very Brian moments and some not)
8. Lucky Old Sun (very Brian, but how much arranging was done by his band?)
9. Gettin in Over My Head (same as LOS)
10. Imaginations (seems to be least Brian of solo albums. Few flashes of Brian magic. Mostly Joe Thomas production?)

As for Brian allowing Mike to have control of the lyrics for "Summer Days": it might be a good idea to point out that the credit breakdown works the same for "Today" as well. At least via Wikipedia: 8 tunes on each album are credited to Brian Wilson/Mike Love. The rest being credited to Brian alone or are cover tunes.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Of course he did his solo albums too though it is really hard to say what he did and didn't do and if he had to do with the direction of the albums.

Yes, if you"re willfully ignorant, it is really hard to know those things.

well considering the story changes depending on who you ask, it certainly can be.

[MBE]

Of course he did his solo albums too though it is really hard to say what he did and didn't do and if he had to do with the direction of the albums.

Yes, if you"re willfully ignorant, it is really hard to know those things.

[Ron]

Why a list of 10?  That's like half of them!

[Eric Aniversario]

Love it, like it, hate it...but I think GIOMH is VERY Brian...no one else could put out an album like that, for better or for worse.

[Andrew G. Doe]

1. Love You (wrote/produced all songs and played much of the instruments)
- final mix and polish by Carl with Brian nowhere in sight: Brian's original mix is oddly dull.

2. Pet Sounds (wrote all but Sloop John B/produced all, but used wrecking crew mostly)
- no argument here.

3. SMiLE (wrote all but a few traditional songs/produced all but used wrecking crew mostly, perhaps less influence on lyrics then Pet Sounds)
- ineligible: no such album was ever released.

4. Today (wrote most tracks/produced all)
5. Summer Days/Nights (Allowed Mike control of lyrics)
6. Surfer Girl (first album he produced)
- again, no argument here.

7. Brian Wilson 89 (only question is how much outside influence. Very Brian moments and some not)
- no such album in my extensive collection.

8. Lucky Old Sun (very Brian, but how much arranging was done by his band?)
- excellent question.

9. Gettin in Over My Head (same as LOS)
- Brian really didn't want to do this, as the vocals and mix shows.

10. Imaginations (seems to be least Brian of solo albums. Few flashes of Brian magic. Mostly Joe Thomas production?)
- Brian lite.

[Nicko1234]

9. Gettin in Over My Head (same as LOS)
- Brian really didn't want to do this, as the vocals and mix shows.

I think it still shows a definite side to Brian. In that when he is backed into a corner like that he is still willing to half-heartedly record terrible lyrics in one vocal take and get the recording finished as quickly as possible.

[Nicko1234]

Of course he did his solo albums too though it is really hard to say what he did and didn't do and if he had to do with the direction of the albums.

Yes, if you"re willfully ignorant, it is really hard to know those things.

There has only been one ignorant post in this thread thus far.

[MBE]

Of course he did his solo albums too though it is really hard to say what he did and didn't do and if he had to do with the direction of the albums.

Yes, if you"re willfully ignorant, it is really hard to know those things.

There has only been one ignorant post in this thread thus far.

Its all cool now.

Actually with the Beach Boys releases I have tried to figure out how much each member did on each album. Brian wasn't always there after Friends but he still did an awful lot of work really.

Brian in charge all the time
Surfer Girl -Pet Sounds

Brian in charge mainly
Surfin Safari
Surfin USA
Smiley
Wild Honey
Friends
15 Big Ones
Love You

Brian as an active participant with some say over the albums
Sunflower
Surf's Up (Read Desper's book as it proves Brian was there most of the timethough more in the background)

Brian as a semi reluctant presence
KTSA
MIU
Stars and Stripes

Brian only partially there
20/20
So Tough
Holland
Beach Boys-1985
Still Cruisin
LA Light (95 percent absent. He may do one or two backing vocals and he did produce part of "Good Timin'" in 1974)

Brian not there
Summer in Paradice.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I would agree about Wild Honey and Friends being very Brian. I would throw Smiley Smile in there as well. I didn't include them because they were produced by the Beach Boys and not Brian. On second thought, Brian probably had more control on those albums then any of his solo stuff.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

This is not a list of the best, but the MOST Brian albums if that makes sense IMO. Feel free to agree/disagree/discuss/delete/print/dance.

1. Love You (wrote/produced all songs and played much of the instruments)
2. Pet Sounds (wrote all but Sloop John B/produced all, but used wrecking crew mostly)
3. SMiLE (wrote all but a few traditional songs/produced all but used wrecking crew mostly, perhaps less influence on        lyrics then Pet Sounds)
4. Today (wrote most tracks/produced all)
5. Summer Days/Nights (Allowed Mike control of lyrics)
6. Surfer Girl (first album he produced)
7. Brian Wilson 89 (only question is how much outside influence. Very Brian moments and some not)
8. Lucky Old Sun (very Brian, but how much arranging was done by his band?)
9. Gettin in Over My Head (same as LOS)
10. Imaginations (seems to be least Brian of solo albums. Few flashes of Brian magic. Mostly Joe Thomas production?)

As for Brian allowing Mike to have control of the lyrics for "Summer Days": it might be a good idea to point out that the credit breakdown works the same for "Today" as well. At least via Wikipedia: 8 tunes on each album are credited to Brian Wilson/Mike Love. The rest being credited to Brian alone or are cover tunes.

There is a difference between getting credit for the lyrics and controlling the lyrics. I get the idea that Brian influenced Mike on topics with Today, but on Summer Days, Mike wanted to do more fun in the sun type stuff and Brian relented. I feel the same was true with Pet Sounds, that Brian had control over what the songs were about, but not as much with SMiLE. I could be wrong.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

1. Love You (wrote/produced all songs and played much of the instruments)
- final mix and polish by Carl with Brian nowhere in sight: Brian's original mix is oddly dull.

2. Pet Sounds (wrote all but Sloop John B/produced all, but used wrecking crew mostly)
- no argument here.

3. SMiLE (wrote all but a few traditional songs/produced all but used wrecking crew mostly, perhaps less influence on lyrics then Pet Sounds)
- ineligible: no such album was ever released.

4. Today (wrote most tracks/produced all)
5. Summer Days/Nights (Allowed Mike control of lyrics)
6. Surfer Girl (first album he produced)
- again, no argument here.

7. Brian Wilson 89 (only question is how much outside influence. Very Brian moments and some not)
- no such album in my extensive collection.

8. Lucky Old Sun (very Brian, but how much arranging was done by his band?)
- excellent question.

9. Gettin in Over My Head (same as LOS)
- Brian really didn't want to do this, as the vocals and mix shows.

10. Imaginations (seems to be least Brian of solo albums. Few flashes of Brian magic. Mostly Joe Thomas production?)
- Brian lite.

Ok then mr Know it All! If I called it The SMiLE Sessions would that work? And once again, I can't believe I got the year wrong on Brian's solo album! 88/89 whatever!   

[Magic Transistor Radio]

In some of these albums that Brian was 'hardly' there, there are one or two very Brian songs. In LALA, Good Timin and Shortnen Bread. In KTSA 'Sunshine'. In BB85 'Male Ego'.

[drbeachboy]

In some of these albums that Brian was 'hardly' there, there are one or two very Brian songs. In LALA, Good Timin and Shortnen Bread. In KTSA 'Sunshine'. In BB85 'Male Ego'.

I know Bruce did the arrangement, but Goin' On is one terrific song by Brian. It far outshines anything else on the KTSA album.

[rogerlancelot]

Smiley Smile and Love You. Wish I could add Adult Child but.....

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

In some of these albums that Brian was 'hardly' there, there are one or two very Brian songs. In LALA, Good Timin and Shortnen Bread. In KTSA 'Sunshine'. In BB85 'Male Ego'.

I know Bruce did the arrangement, but Goin' On is one terrific song by Brian. It far outshines anything else on the KTSA album.

And it is my # 1 favorite Beach Boys song 

[drbeachboy]

In some of these albums that Brian was 'hardly' there, there are one or two very Brian songs. In LALA, Good Timin and Shortnen Bread. In KTSA 'Sunshine'. In BB85 'Male Ego'.

I know Bruce did the arrangement, but Goin' On is one terrific song by Brian. It far outshines anything else on the KTSA album.

And it is my # 1 favorite Beach Boys song 

Goin' On & Good Timin' are by far 2 of the best Beach Boys' songs from the latter part of their recording career. I'd place both in my Top 10 favorite songs.

[Heysaboda]

I know Bruce did the arrangement, but Goin' On is one terrific song by Brian. It far outshines anything else on the KTSA album.

Goin' On is one great, Great GREAT song!  This one really got my attention!