Best general recommendation for the first-time listener...

[ThyRavenAscend]

A little set-up before posing the question:

For people who are interested in reading the Bible for the first time, the Gospel of John has often been considered to be the best general recommendation.  The Gospel of John reads beautifully and it gets at some crucial doctrines in the process.  However, many have reevaluated this recommendation, opting instead for the Gospel of Mark.  This gospel reads much easier and still gets at some crucial doctrines (as do all of the gospel accounts).  Where John is lengthy in discourse, Mark is light; where John is lacking in action, Mark is in abundance; where John is confusing, Mark is often clear(er); John is lengthier overall, Mark is shorter overall.

If I've set this up clearly, you can see that lots of things needs to be considered when making a single and effective general recommendation for first-time readers: presuppositions, common knowledge, reading level, attention span, cultural differences, etc.  The goal is to give a recommendation that the first-time reader can understand, connect with, and that cultivates a desire for continued reading/exposure.


Now, thinking about people who have never heard any Beach Boys' songs, apply that thinking to this question:

Which Beach Boys' album is the best general recommendation to give to first-time listeners?
(Remember the goals: give 'em an album that they can understand, connect with, and that cultivates a desire for continued listening/exposure!)



(To further clarify: I'm looking for a single answer--so I'm not looking for multiple recommendations to fit specific types of people (e.g. "I'd pick 'Sunflower' for the musically illiterate and 'Pet Sounds' for the musically literate.").  Choose just one album that you would consider to be the best general recommendation--there's no right/wrong answer here!)

[Gabo]

Pet Sounds
It's the most impressive, cohesive, consistent...

[Ron]

I'm going to respectfully disagree with the entire premise.  Nothing turns people off to music quicker than someone who's really passionate about the music trying to get them to listen to it and notice every little thing that's great about it. 

The best approach, if you were attempting to get a friend to get 'more' into the Beach Boys, is to talk to them about songs of the Beach Boys they already like.  If they claim they don't like one, ask them about Good Vibrations or Little Deuce Coupe or something. 

If you get pedantic with it, you're going to turn them off (unless you have some power over them, like it's your children... or a woman who's in love with you and willing to put up with your B.S.). 

So if they show any interest in it, give them that BAD ASS Sounds of Summer greatest hits.  Then if they find a song on there that they like, get them that particular album, they'll hear all the other stuff that they did around that time frame, etc. 

Depending on the person, too, you could play them some of their really horrible songs too, and laugh about the contrast.  I've found this could endear people to the band, how in the hell could the same guy do Wouldn't It Be Nice that did "Help is on the way" or whatever

[slippingonthrough]

Get them Summer In Paradise if that person annoys you.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Definitely not Pet Sounds - which takes at least a few listens to initially get into.

For me, it'd be All Summer Long. A perfect introduction to the world of the Beach Boys. Who couldn't be hooked after the opening I Get Around/All Summer Long double whammy?

[Ron]

Definitely not Pet Sounds - which takes at least a few listens to initially get into.

I've mentioned this before, but I grew up a fan of their singles like everybody else.  I saw Mike live in concert in the 90's, and the next day bought Pet Sounds because I heard it was so great. 

I couldn't get into it!  It sounds very dreary at first listen.  I think everybody on this board would be oblivious to that because you're so familiar with the music, but I literally thought the entire album sounded depressing as hell the first time I heard it.  I put it away for a year or two, and really enjoyed it when I went back to it. 

[Gabo]

Definitely not Pet Sounds - which takes at least a few listens to initially get into.

I've mentioned this before, but I grew up a fan of their singles like everybody else.  I saw Mike live in concert in the 90's, and the next day bought Pet Sounds because I heard it was so great. 

I couldn't get into it!  It sounds very dreary at first listen.  I think everybody on this board would be oblivious to that because you're so familiar with the music, but I literally thought the entire album sounded depressing as hell the first time I heard it.  I put it away for a year or two, and really enjoyed it when I went back to it. 

I would have laughed The Beach Boys off if I heard All Summer Long first.

Pet Sounds all the way.

[Ron]

Oh.... so you're one of those snobs who doesn't like the earlier stuff?  We need a scarlet letter to put in everybody's signature that's.... that's... like "that". 

Saying "I would have laughed off the Beach Boys if the first thing I heard was All Summer Long" is like saying

"I'm stupid"

 

[Gabo]

Oh.... so you're one of those snobs who doesn't like the earlier stuff?  We need a scarlet letter to put in everybody's signature that's.... that's... like "that". 

Saying "I would have laughed off the Beach Boys if the first thing I heard was All Summer Long" is like saying

"I'm stupid"

 

I like the early stuff better than the "Smile fallout stuff" by and large. I just think Pet Sounds is the band's masterpiece and people would respect them/like them more if they heard that first.

A lot of people dislike precisely because of the square surf-car image. Being exposed to Pet Sounds would help dispel that image and it's not as uneven as later albums.

[bluesno1fann]

Either 20/20, Sunflower, Surf's Up, CATP or Holland.

In particular the rockers from this period make for an excellent introduction to the Beach Boys. And Surf's Up and CATP in particular have been received quite well with the people I've showed them to so far.

Another thing I do is completely avoid their surf/car stuff. It's bad enough the Boys have been typecast as a Surf/Car band even though less than 10% of their entire discography is actually that stuff. 

[bluesno1fann]

Get them Summer In Paradise if that person annoys you.

I don't care if it's someone I hate with a passion, I would never reccomend them something awful that would make them hate the Beach Boys.

Oh.... so you're one of those snobs who doesn't like the earlier stuff?  We need a scarlet letter to put in everybody's signature that's.... that's... like "that". 

Saying "I would have laughed off the Beach Boys if the first thing I heard was All Summer Long" is like saying

"I'm stupid"

 

I like the early stuff better than the "Smile fallout stuff" by and large. I just think Pet Sounds is the band's masterpiece and people would respect them/like them more if they heard that first.

A lot of people dislike precisely because of the square surf-car image. Being exposed to Pet Sounds would help dispel that image and it's not as uneven as later albums.

For the most part I actually agree with you. But as much as I find All Summer Long overrated, I wouldn't go so far as to say something like I'd laugh it off. It's still a very good album, and it's got excellent songs such as the title track, Wendy, I Get Around, We'll Run Away, etc.

[Please delete my account]

Don't get them to listen to any particular album necessarily. If it has to be an album, it depends what they're into (e.g. if they like druggy stuff or straight stuff).

Make them a compilation or playlist. And if you only have a single song to win them over with- "Surf's Up".

[buddhahat]

If it can't be a compilation then I think Pet Sounds IS a good suggestion. It has 4 very well known and accessible hits but also has deeper stuff too. I can't think of a better album to showcase everything that's brilliant about the group.

[JK]

It all depends on who that person is. (So I agree with Ron's first post on that count.) It's impossible to plan a general "strategy".   

[TMinthePM]

Summer Days and Summer Nights (With The Little Girl I Once Knew at the top of Side 2 {where it belongs} and California Girls moved
to the closing track {where it belongs}

[lee]

20/20 was the album that got me hooked on The Beach Boys. It may be the least cohesive but it has a little bit of everything and I think all the songs are top notch.

[Lowbacca]

Start with a 1/2 disc/s compilation that incorporates some neat 70s stuff. Or create one. Then inquire which stuff that person liked best or found most interesting. Go with original studio albums from there. At least, that's how I usually operate.

[Pacific Coast]

Isn't it obvious? For a first-time listener: SOUNDS OF SUMMER.
:-p

[Mendota Heights]

Surfin' Safari and Surfin' USA.

[Blue2013]

Beach Boys Today/Summer Days & Summer Nights twofer.

[Ron]

Yeah, man, Michaelangelo.  He was the MAN!  What a fantastic artist, he was so hip man.  Now... now you've probably seen the Pieta, ignore that, ignore that man!



That's not really representative of what his work was like, man... he's been typecast by the media.  If you REALLY Want to get into the good Michaelangelo stuff, check out the Pieta he was working on when he died!!!! It took him 14 years to get it to this point, he was so misunderstood, man.

[Amy B.]

Don't get them to listen to any particular album necessarily. If it has to be an album, it depends what they're into (e.g. if they like druggy stuff or straight stuff).

Make them a compilation or playlist. And if you only have a single song to win them over with- "Surf's Up".

Agreed. In the old days of mix tapes, when I wanted someone to hear certain music I'd make them a mix tape. And yes, it depends on what they're into. But I would put a bunch of eclectic stuff in there--avoid cars and surfing, which they've probably heard before. Put in some accessible stuff plus a few more obscure (to most people) songs, like "With Me Tonight" or "Steamboat." Throw it against the wall and see if anything sticks. But avoid preaching. People hate that.

[Lowbacca]

Yeah, man, Michaelangelo.  He was the MAN!  What a fantastic artist, he was so hip man.  Now... now you've probably seen the Pieta, ignore that, ignore that man!



That's not really representative of what his work was like, man... he's been typecast by the media.  If you REALLY Want to get into the good Michaelangelo stuff, check out the Pieta he was working on when he died!!!! It took him 14 years to get it to this point, he was so misunderstood, man.

[Emdeeh]

I agree that the recommendation should be based on the listener's tastes. The Beach Boys have a deep and wide enough catalog, with plenty to chose from.

Example: I'm another one of those fans who find Pet Sounds to be a depressing listen. The difference is that I've come to like half of the songs on the album, but not the entire album. But I love the majority of the BB's catalog.

[joshferrell]

Yeah I think a greatest hits comp would be best that way it covers most of their albums and they'll be blown away how many songs they would recognize from the radio/movies etc...