Crazy thought: Best Beach Boys album after Pet Sounds is...

[schiaffino]

The drums are some of my favorite parts of Love You. Brian got so much out of so little. Genius drums.

I love the drum sound!!!  And that fat synth bass!!!  This is actually my favorite era of the beach boys -- largely because of those two delicious ingredients. 

Which brings me to my point -- Good Time.  That song kills the mojo for me.  When it's over -- that big drum sound is back -- and I'm all like "yeah."  But that's my point... Love You isn't perfect.  I think Today is more perfect, and probably the best after PS as a result of it's perfection.

But Love You... coming from my favorite era of the Beach Boys... well it's the tops.

Good points! I agree that 'Good Time' seems to break the production homogeneity of the album. But in the context of 'Love You' being an experimental album, it has the same disruptive effect as 'Sloop John B' does in 'Pet Sounds'. At first sounds strange, then you get used to it and in the end it makes sense.

'Today' is beautiful, but there's a rather larger discrepancy between sides A & B. Side B alone is amazing, next to 'PS' in thematic and production qualities. Not sure about side A - I like the upbeat songs, but they sound 'tired' when compared to the serious stuff in the other side.

Anyways...

[Quzi]

Good Time's inclusion feels like a way of Brian saying "this playfulness is indelibly who I am. See, here's a song from seven years ago as proof!"

[kookadams]

I compare Love You to Pet Sounds in the sense that they were both Brian's albums.  Love You was the first time since Pet Sounds where Brian was totally in charge- writing, producing, concept, vision etc.
Some would disagree bout the production part cuz of 15 Big Ones, but 15 Big Ones was only HALF of a new album.
ALSO- many would agree that Pet Sounds was essentially Brian's first solo album, and the same could be said bout Love You. The difference with Love You is that it was literally intended to be a Brian solo album at first (Brian Loves You) and that he didn't have a sole collaborator that worked with him on the songs. And when considering that at the time the Ramones had come along wearing their Beach Boys influence on their sleeves... Love You had some real raw rockNroll on it, almost in a punk vein.

[Please delete my account]

ALSO- many would agree that Pet Sounds was essentially Brian's first solo album, and the same could be said bout Love You. The difference with Love You is that it was literally intended to be a Brian solo album at first (Brian Loves You) and that he didn't have a sole collaborator that worked with him on the songs.

Except Mike on "Let us go on this way" and Roger McGuinn on "Ding Dang". Hope this isn't pedantic.

[schiaffino]

I compare Love You to Pet Sounds in the sense that they were both Brian's albums.  Love You was the first time since Pet Sounds where Brian was totally in charge- writing, producing, concept, vision etc.
Some would disagree bout the production part cuz of 15 Big Ones, but 15 Big Ones was only HALF of a new album.
ALSO- many would agree that Pet Sounds was essentially Brian's first solo album, and the same could be said bout Love You. The difference with Love You is that it was literally intended to be a Brian solo album at first (Brian Loves You) and that he didn't have a sole collaborator that worked with him on the songs. And when considering that at the time the Ramones had come along wearing their Beach Boys influence on their sleeves... Love You had some real raw rockNroll on it, almost in a punk vein.

Agree with you! I see 'Love You' as the sequel to 'Pet Sounds' - story wise

[joshferrell]

I Like "Love you" when I first heard it it sounded so different then the other stuff I had heard from them but I couldn't figure out what was so different about it, until I bought a cd with Bachs Organ Works on it, as soon as I started listeing to it, I got what "Love You" was all about, it was Brian Being Bach and playing the synths like Bach would play the organ...that really put it in perspective for me...try it sometime it's a really cool comparison.

[BergenWhitesMoustache]

it was Brian Being Bach and playing the synths like Bach would play the organ.

Haha...really!

Love You is probably my favourite Beach Boys album, but it's Brian playing bass on a big farty synth because there was one in the studio and he wanted to get out of there and eat ice cream. That's my take on it anyway Saying it's like Bach feels like trying to imbue it with an arty, classicalness that simply isn't there in the boogie woogie influenced bass parts etc

[The Heartical Don]

it was Brian Being Bach and playing the synths like Bach would play the organ.

Haha...really!

Love You is probably my favourite Beach Boys album, but it's Brian playing bass on a big farty synth because there was one in the studio and he wanted to get out of there and eat ice cream. That's my take on it anyway Saying it's like Bach feels like trying to imbue it with an arty, classicalness that simply isn't there in the boogie woogie influenced bass parts etc

Regardless of what one thinks of Love You, this is one of the very best lines (and arguments) in all of Beach Boys lore, IMHO. 

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I think SMiLE is the best album over Pet Sounds. Yes, even before it was released! Love You is one of my favorites, but with weak lyrics. Surfs Up is full of some of the most incredible songs. Could've been the best album the Beach Boys did if 2 or 3 of Dennis songs replaced the weaker cuts. Holland is the most mature album. Friends is beautiful. Smiley is artsy. Wild Honey is great. You know, I have many favorite albums depending on what my mood is. But none of them stand up to SMiLE (finished or not).

[Awesoman]

...Love You.

So, first of all, 'Pet Sounds' is a masterpiece from the first to the last note. It's the best album ever (trust Mojo mag) and hence it is THE BEST album ever by The Beach Boys. Point final.

Love You is truly a paradox: it's a really bad album that's totally brilliant.  That being said, Sunflower is the best album following Pet Sounds.  Great group effort, Dennis finally gets a chance to shine, and just a variety of different songs on the album.