Album Era Polls: The Sunny Hit Years (1962-65)

[slippingonthrough]

Here's another Album Era Poll!
What is your favourite Beach Boys album from the hit years (1962-1965)?

Mine is Today. Closely followed by Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)

1. Today
2. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
I have only heard some songs from the below albums
3. All Summer Long
4. Surfer Girl
5. Shut Down Vol. 2

Post what your favourite is.

[bluesno1fann]

The thing with my favourite pre-Pet Sounds BB's album is that it's inconsistent. One month it would be Surfer Girl. Another it would be Today!. Another it would even be Surfin' Safari.

I suppose ATM it's Shut Down Vol. 2. Here's how I would rank it from my Least Favourite to my Favourite:

10. Beach Boys' Party!.
09. Little Deuce Coupe.
08. Surfin' USA.
07. All Summer Long.
06. The Beach Boys' Christmas Album.
05. Surfin' Safari.
04. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!!).
03. Surfer Girl.
02. The Beach Boys Today!.
01. Shut Down Vol. 2.

[Ovi]

Voted All Summer Long, if only for Girls On the Beach.

[TimeToGetAlone]

Today would probably win this poll on its second side alone.  Other than a couple tracks, it's pretty much the perfect album and certainly the culmination of this period for the band (assuming Pet Sounds is another entity entirely).  On the other side of things, I'm of the opinion that beyond historical importance, Surfin' Safari is completely disposable.

1. The Beach Boys Today! (1965)
2. Surfer Girl (1963)
3. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) (1965)
4. All Summer Long (1964)
5. Shut Down Vol. 2 (1964)
6. The Beach Boys' Christmas Album (1964)
7. Surfin' USA (1963)
8. Beach Boys' Party (1965)
9. Little Deuce Coupe (1963)
10. Surfin' Safari

[sockittome]

This is really difficult.  It's like trying to pick out your favorite son or daughter!  I chose All Summer Long for the sake of the poll.  That one has a particular feel to it.  It's transitional and it links the earlier surf 'n' car era to Brian's more mature progressive era.  Today and Summer Days would also be list toppers, although I have to be in a certain mood to listen to them all the way through.  The rest, I don't even know where to begin to rank them!

[Ovi]

I have only heard some songs from the below albums
3. All Summer Long
4. Surfer Girl
5. Shut Down Vol. 2

Then how are you able to judge them as a whole and rank them?

[Gabo]

Today is the only album from this era that I find listenable, and it is still not without its flaws.

[drbeachboy]

Today is the only album from this era that I find listenable, and it is still not without its flaws.

Honest question, what do you like? You seem to dislike so much that I would like to know what you actually do like.

[bluesno1fann]

Today is the only album from this era that I find listenable, and it is still not without its flaws.

Honest question, what do you like? You seem to dislike so much that I would like to know what you actually do like.

Aside from Pet Sounds and SMiLE (Which he obviously likes) as well as the aforementioned Today!, he seems to like the Beach Boys albums from Smiley Smile to Surf's Up as well as Love You

[Mr. Wilson]

Top 5 in this order.. 1} Today  2} All Summer Long  3} Surfer Girl  4}  Shut Down Vol 2  5} Summer Days...........

[Gabo]

Today is the only album from this era that I find listenable, and it is still not without its flaws.

Honest question, what do you like? You seem to dislike so much that I would like to know what you actually do like.

I love or like the individual songs on the early records (besides the obvious fillers) but I find the albums themselves hard to listen to.
Too much filler breaking up the flow. Today! is the only record that doesn't suffer from that problem, but I have never grown to like Help Me Ronda. Sounds really undercooked.

[Marcella]

10. Surfin' Sufari - a debut album and it shows--working out the kinks--less inventive BW arrangements as he found his footing
09. Little Deuce Coupe - first concept album and very well done at that, but ultimately 4 repeat tracks and no true standout new track for me
08. The Beach Boys' Christmas Album - I enjoy Christmas music, but it is Christmas music, and when I think BB I don't think of Christmas music first and foremost
07. Beach Boys' Party! - for a throwaway filler album some fun tracks and I like the really cool party vibe they created
06. Surfer Girl - great instrumentals but ultimately too many of them for a track known for its harmonies and vocal arrangements
05. Surfin' USA - really starting to hit their stride here
04. Shut Down Vol 2 - hurt by its ridiculously stupid name, but a great LP that is truly fun, fun, fun
03. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!!) - a step back from Today! but killer nonetheless and the debut of Brian's move towards sophistication (intro to Cali Girls)
02. All Summer Long - underrated classic IMO featuring the best cover ever done by any artist (the lush and gorgeous Hushabye)
01. The Beach Boys Today! - indisputable #1 for me, rearrange the #2-10 if you like but the 2nd side of this album is darn near perfection and makes this easily #1

[Marcella]

Today is the only album from this era that I find listenable, and it is still not without its flaws.

Honest question, what do you like? You seem to dislike so much that I would like to know what you actually do like.

I love or like the individual songs on the early records (besides the obvious fillers) but I find the albums themselves hard to listen to.
Too much filler breaking up the flow. Today! is the only record that doesn't suffer from that problem, but I have never grown to like Help Me Ronda. Sounds really undercooked.

Greta Gabo didn't get the memo that you should actually be a fan of The Beach Boys to post on Smiley Smile.

[The Dumb Angel]

1.) Today
2.) All Summer Long
3.) Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
4.) Shut Down Vol. 2
5.) Surfer Girl
6.) Christmas Album
7.) Surfin' USA
8.) Party
9.) Little Deuce Coupe
10.) Surfin' Safari

[Gabo]

Today is the only album from this era that I find listenable, and it is still not without its flaws.

Honest question, what do you like? You seem to dislike so much that I would like to know what you actually do like.

I love or like the individual songs on the early records (besides the obvious fillers) but I find the albums themselves hard to listen to.
Too much filler breaking up the flow. Today! is the only record that doesn't suffer from that problem, but I have never grown to like Help Me Ronda. Sounds really undercooked.

Greta Gabo didn't get the memo that you should actually be a fan of The Beach Boys to post on Smiley Smile.

Why would I post here if I wasn't a fan?

Perhaps Marcella didn't get the memo we are allowed to express our own opinions on Smiley Smile.

[Phoenix]

Count me as another vote for Today by a wide margin

[The Shift]

I hope Capitol's taking note of Today's runaway popularity and readying the Deluxe package for release already…

[slippingonthrough]

I hope Capitol's taking note of Today's runaway popularity and readying the Deluxe package for release already…

That sentence sounds familiar...

[pixletwin]

The Christmas Album is my favorite... Today! is a close second.

[SMiLE-addict]

Let Him Run Wild is enough to tip my vote to Summer Days.

[clinikillz]

1. Today!
2. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
3. All Summer Long
4. Surfer Girl
5. Surfin' USA

The rest I haven't heard from beginning to end.

[ThyRavenAscend]

It's hard for me to rank this era, but "Today!" clearly stands out on top for me.  It still strikes me as odd how SDSN sounds like it should have come out before "Today!"...

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Summer Days

[chrs_mrgn]

Not even fair to have Today in this list, it blows them all out of the water (pretty telling by the vote count)

It should have only included the first maybe... 4-5 albums.

[JK]

My vote went to Surfer Girl, voteless as it was. The Beach Boys come of age----the first classic BB album.