The M.I.U. Album

[Sheriff John Stone]

Been listening to MIU lately, and a couple of the songs have some of the best lead vocals by Al, Mike, and Brian in the entire 70's. Listen to 'em...

"Peggy Sue" -  Yes, the song is a cover, and the arrangement isn't the liveliest, but Al nailed the vocal; he sounds so clear and young; he had fun with it.

"Wontcha Come Out Tonight" - The lyrics are juvenile and the arrangement is simple, but Mike sounds great. He's not nasal at all, he's smooth. And his bass vocal at the end (Why don't cha come out tonight) is excellent.

"Matchpoint Of Our Love" - This is simply Brian's best lead vocal of the post 1974 years; clear, relaxed, and "normal". I really thought he was coming back. How can people love "Been Doin' Nothin'" and not even like this song? The lyrics aren't that bad...

15 Big Ones had 15 songs, Love You had 14, and MIU dipped to only 12.  There were two songs just sitting, "Good Timin'" and "Our Team", that could've improved MIU by a whole grade. This is my alternate MIU:

Side A
1. She's Got Rhythm
2. Peggy Sue
3. Wontcha Come Out Tonight
4. My Diane
5. Come Go With Me
6. Hey Little Tomboy
7. Sweet Sunday Kinda Love

Side B

8. Good Timin"
9. Kona Coast
10. Belles Of Paris
11. Pitter Patter
12. Matchpoint Of Our Love
13. Winds Of Change
14. Our Team

[Daniel S.]

What a piece of merda. Not just normal merda, this is soul less merda. Evil.

The same goes for L.A. and Beach Boys 85.

Keepin The Summer Alive is a definite improvement. At least L.A. has Good Timin on it.

[Jason Penick]

What a piece of merda. Not just normal merda, this is soul less merda. Evil.

The same goes for L.A. and Beach Boys 85.

Keepin The Summer Alive is a definite improvement. At least L.A. has Good Timin on it.

You think "My Diane" is soulless?

[matt-zeus]

Keepin The Summer Alive is a definite improvement.

Are you crazy?!! Thats the worst BB album of all (Apart from SIP)

[Exapno Mapcase]

If there's anything good to be saud for this album, it's because of My Diane and a couple of other songs - and Jardine's production papering over the cracks.  Oh yeah, and I like the pictures on the front and back...

We'll have to agree to differ on Matchpoint.  "Matchpoint... Matchpoint... Matchpoint..."  Crap.

[the captain]

I listened to this and LA again today,as I try to do every few months, just in case I was wrong.

I wasn't. There's a lot of sh*t on this album. It continues in the trend from 15BO (aside from LY) of being worse than anything prior, but better than anything after.

[Beach Boy]

Keepin The Summer Alive is a definite improvement.

Are you crazy?!! Thats the worst BB album of all (Apart from SIP)

What? KTSA is great! Objective it's better then all post Love You albums. For me personal it's one of my favourite.

[Exapno Mapcase]

I actually think LA is better than MIU by virtue of the fact it's got four decent songs (Angel..., Good Timin', Love Surrounds Me and Baby Blue) and one or two passable ones; MIU has three (My Diane, Pitter Patter and Winds of Change) and a couple of passable songs in the retro grrove.  On the other hand, LA does have Here Comes the Night, which weighs heavily (and considerably, when you take the track time into account) against it.  I actually prefer the production on MIU to that on KTSA, an album with a few passable tracks rather than good ones.  For me, the best tracks, Santa Ana Winds and Goin' On, are ruined by the syrupy production.

[thomasogg]

Utter Bollocks! (I like 'My Diane' though..)

[the captain]

You like the song Dennis sings? How shocking and utterly unlike you.

[thomasogg]

Thanks, I have got great taste I know! Having read some of your opinions of some of the BBs albums however I'm afraid I can't return the compliment..

[the captain]

Just fucking with you, man. Relax.

[thomasogg]

Just curious, but why is it this site censors the words 'f***' and 'sh*t', but not the much more ruder word 'c***'? Anyway, I was joking too.. But for the record, yeh from about 1968 onwards Dennis was the only BB who was a guarantee of a quality track. Before that it was Brian (who incidentally wrote 'My Diane', Dennis just sang it). And isn't My Diane quite obviously the best track on MIU by far? I mean, name a better one...?

[the captain]

As for the swearing, I'm not sure. I've often wondered, myself.

I don't really like MIU at all, including My Diane. But I guess it's up there as the best of that bad album. There are people who like demos of it more than the eventual release, but I'm just not a fan of the song in general. Impassioned vocal, but not necessarily all that good.

I know we've had the post-68 discussion before, you and me, and I don't agree with you. I think Dennis obviously did some really good work in those years. But I don't believe he topped Brian's (increasingly limited) output for almost another decade, when Brian resorted almost wholly to throwback nostalgia music (as is found on MIU, for that matter).

[thomasogg]

To save me typing it again, please read the post I've just submitted on the 'Good Vibrations Boxset' as way of a reply. Cheers

[the captain]

I read it, and I recalled your opinions from some similar previous posts. Like I said, we don't agree. Anyway, we've both got music we want to listen to.

[thomasogg]

Look at that, you can get away with writing 'fanny batter' as well.

[the captain]

I'd have no idea what it means if I did, though... Fanny batter? Gotta be a UK thing.

[pixletwin]

This "fanny batter" tangent would be better served in the Love You thread, me thinks.  

[the captain]

Clever lad that I am, the meaning of the aforementioned has come to me. Yes, I'm very smart...

[thomasogg]

It's a UK thing. Look up 'Roger's Profanisarus' on the 'Viz' magazine website. It's an alternate rude dictionary i.e. 'two asprins on an ironing board' (meaning small boobs) or 'taking Captain Picard to warp speed' (meaning.. oh, i'm sure you can guess...) Anyway, enough of such vulgarity. I also have a secret liking of 'Pitter Patter', but for the love of God please don't repeat this to anyone..!! It's that twangy guitar sound that kicks in over the fade.. Does anyone else have an obviously appalling BB track that they actually really like?

[thomasogg]

Oh, and on the subject of MIU, considering how bad most of what went on the album was, why on earth did they choose not to include the actually catchy and quite good 'Our Team'?

[TimeToGetAlone]

Well I thought I should give my thoughts on what surprisingly the first Beach Boys album I heard upon purchase (I had PS on CD already).  I know this thread hasn't been replied to in a long time, but this does seem like the official review place so I think it's okay.

M.I.U is not an  al bum I have a problem listening to.  The idea that the Beach Boys did much better than this doesn't mean much cosidering the peaks they achieved.  This is pleasant enough with the biggest concerns being the production for me.  There are notable highlights and considerable lowlights.  I figured I'd rate each track...

She's Got Rhythm - 4/5
Come Go With Me - 3.5/5
Hey Little Tomboy - 4/5
Kona Coast - 3.5/5
Peggy Sue - 2.5/5
Wontcha Come Out Tonight - 4/5
Sweet Sunday Kinda Love - 3/5
Belles of Paris - 2/5
Pitter Patter - 3.5/5
My Diane - 4.5/5
Match Point Of Our Love - 4/5
Winds of Change - 2.5/5

Overall it averages out to a 3.

[the captain]

It is indeed the right place to post about this--these threads never die.

But your scores actually averages out to a 3.4666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666etc.

That is, unless some songs count for more than others.

[Jason Penick]

If anyone gives a fig, here's how I rate it.

She's Got Rhythm - 3.5/5
Come Go With Me - 3/5
Hey Little Tomboy - 4/5
Kona Coast - 3/5
Peggy Sue - 4/5
Wontcha Come Out Tonight - 4/5
Sweet Sunday Kinda Love - 3.5/5
Belles of Paris - 3.5/5
Pitter Patter - 4/5
My Diane - 4.5/5
Match Point Of Our Love - 4/5
Winds of Change - 4/5

Overall Score: 3.75

Sounds about right... One really outstanding song, a lot of good ones, a few mediocre and none too terrible.  Hey, what can I say?  I likes me some MIU!