Surfer Girl trumps A Hard Days Night?

[lance]

I think Hawaii is an ok track, although the chorus is a little grating. Like the double drums and the verses.

[Ron]

Two tracks are "trad. arr. B. Wilson". Clearly there's a lot of filler on there whereas AHDN has eight or nine quality songs.

South Bay Surfer aside - where's the filler? The two instrumentals are absolutely great, especially the Rocking Surfer.

I even like South Bay Surfer.  I think it's a fantastic album you can listen to from beginning to end, it's very moody and bounces around a bit, it's a really, really great album. 

About the 'first pop masterpiece' or whatever that the Beatles are credited with, I dont' think it's important, that's just something somebody created to try to explain why they like the Beatles so much.  I used to hear all the time that "In My Life" was the first pop song with a harpsichord on it too, but Brian beat them on that one as well. 

[pixletwin]

Two tracks are "trad. arr. B. Wilson". Clearly there's a lot of filler on there whereas AHDN has eight or nine quality songs.

South Bay Surfer aside - where's the filler? The two instrumentals are absolutely great, especially the Rocking Surfer.

I even like South Bay Surfer.  I think it's a fantastic album you can listen to from beginning to end, it's very moody and bounces around a bit, it's a really, really great album. 

About the 'first pop masterpiece' or whatever that the Beatles are credited with, I dont' think it's important, that's just something somebody created to try to explain why they like the Beatles so much.  I used to hear all the time that "In My Life" was the first pop song with a harpsichord on it too, but Brian beat them on that one as well. 

But In My Life doesn't have a harpsichord. It's George Martin playing piano with the tape sped up.

[Ron]

... exactly. 

[Runaways]

i'm a big fan of Surfer Girl.  by far the best pre-today album

[Mike's Beard]

I think Surfer Girl (and Surfin' USA for that matter) are perfect records.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

There are only two early Beach Boys albums I have issues with.

Firstly, Little Deuce Coupe, because it uses songs which had just been released on Surfer Girl. This was the labels fault I think for rushing Brian for product.

Secondly, Shut Down Vol. 2. What a fantastic album this could have been. This could have been as good as Today! and Pet Sounds. Different title, lose some of the filler, and we could have a had a classic. Again, the labels fault for the pressure. I remember reading somewhere that Brian wanted to pull the album  back prior to release so he could rework it, but Capitol refused. (It may have been in Tod Gold's book though, nuff said)

[harrisonjon]

On the post-Pet Sounds albums, I'm not sure you can say that Smiley Smile to 20/20 have the quality of Beatles albums of that era. This is not a pissing contest comment (I'd agree that the best tracks on any BB album compare to the best on an equivalent Beatles album) but a view about depth and consistency.

I also feel that the DIY home studio production on those albums reduces them sonically compared to what George Martin was doing. They didn't utiliize the best technology or musicians unlike PS and Smile.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

On the post-Pet Sounds albums, I'm not sure you can say that Smiley Smile to 20/20 have the quality of Beatles albums of that era. This is not a pissing contest comment (I'd agree that the best tracks on any BB album compare to the best on an equivalent Beatles album) but a view about depth and consistency.

I also feel that the DIY home studio production on those albums reduces them sonically compared to what George Martin was doing. They didn't utiliize the best technology or musicians unlike PS and Smile.

Beatles never came close to Smiley Smile and Wild Honey, and I think on the White Album and Let It Be that's exactly the sound they were going for. The Beatles were always at least a year behind Brian.

But it is all about opinion. Here's some of mine.  I think Srgnt Peppers is the most over rated pile of crap ever. The White Album has a few lovely songs but the rest is utter drivel. Let It Be is a disaster from beginning to end. The only one I'd say has the depth and consistency you are talking about is Abbey Road.

But this is a Beach Boys site, so funnily enough you are going to find people on here who rate the Beach Boys work a lot higher than the Beatles!

[Nothgual]

The Rocking Surfer is definately filler.  I'm pretty sure that melody came from ice cream trucks that used to drive around Hawthorne.  Boogie Woodie in my books is filler, but I could see people liking it so I won't say that it is objectively filler material.  That said... Surfer Girl's a fantastic album and I do agree that All Summer Long wins over Hard Days Night.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

The Rocking Surfer is definately filler. 

How can anything with that organ pedal bass be filler? How can anything with that wonderful interplay between the leads be filler? How can anything with drums sounding like that be filler?

You're filler!

[Liamo]

It trumps the Four Seasons too. You better believe it!

[Ron]

The Rocking Surfer is definately filler. 

How can anything with that organ pedal bass be filler? How can anything with that wonderful interplay between the leads be filler? How can anything with drums sounding like that be filler?

You're filler!

The same way you can say that Sgt. Peppers is overrated crap.  It's opinion.  You're just as wrong as he is.  Actually; his wrongness is just a slight miscalculation.  Your slam on the Beatles is catastrophically wrong.... so it's almost like you're wrong twice. 

Personally though I'm right, as always. 

[Iron Horse-Apples]

The Rocking Surfer is definately filler. 

How can anything with that organ pedal bass be filler? How can anything with that wonderful interplay between the leads be filler? How can anything with drums sounding like that be filler?

You're filler!

The same way you can say that Sgt. Peppers is overrated crap.  It's opinion.  You're just as wrong as he is.  Actually; his wrongness is just a slight miscalculation.  Your slam on the Beatles is catastrophically wrong.... so it's almost like you're wrong twice. 

Personally though I'm right, as always. 

Well now. I stated quite clearly they were opinions, Ron. Using words like "definitely" is not an opinion, that's a statement.

[Ron]

Semantics... you think what you think, I think what I think, he thinks what he thinks no matter which words we use.  So you can't jump on the guy for a slight without allowing me to jump on you for a slight, or you to jump on me for a slight. 

It's all quite cyclical. 

BTW though, i'm right in all of this. 

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I'm gonna jump on you for a fight in a minute Ron(g)

Just as soon as I toss this last Beatles LP on the fire

[Mike's Beard]

Why do so many people consider great surf instrumentals by a band who at the time were marketed purely as a surfing band, filler?

[Disney Boy (1985)]

I'm a huge Beatles fan - huge! - but the Beach Boys music has aged far, far better. Brian's productions still sound so crisp and fresh and clear, and no doubt always will. Abbey Road aside, George Martin's productions frequently sound very much of the time indeed.

[buddhahat]

Love Hard Day's Night. The quintessential early 60s pop album. Sorry, just had to back the underdog in this case!

[I. Spaceman]

I'm a huge Beatles fan - huge! - but the Beach Boys music has aged far, far better. Brian's productions still sound so crisp and fresh and clear, and no doubt always will. Abbey Road aside, George Martin's productions frequently sound very much of the time indeed.

That is just a reflection of American recording techniques vs. British in that era. There is a reason the Stones' best records of that time were recorded at RCA Hollywood. The best sounding British records of the 64/65 era were produced by Shel Talmy, an American. By late 66, Britain in general had caught up.

[EgoHanger1966]

Love Hard Day's Night. The quintessential early 60s pop album. Sorry, just had to back the underdog in this case!

I would go with Hard Day's Night too. It's my favorite Beatles album.
Pet Sounds and (maybe) the TSS version of SMiLE beats AHDN as an album for me. I'm not sure I like any BB album (as a complete whole) more than AHDN.

[pixletwin]

I don't remember where I heard it, but Abbey Road studios up until the late 60's was still using the most ancient of recording equipment, in stark contrast to what was happening in LA.

[Jon Stebbins]

Why do so many people consider great surf instrumentals by a band who at the time were marketed purely as a surfing band, filler?

"Filler" is a term used by people who have no understanding of the context of those releases and what the Beach Boys were compelled to project as a band. Surfin USA = Perfect album. Surfer Girl = Perfect album. All Summer Long = Perfect album. BTW the Beatles were freaking great too...just different.

[Ron]

I'm pleasantly surprised to see so much love for some of those early albums.  Right on guys!  I agree about the instrumental comment too, they were making Surf music. 

I see more filler on the Beatles albums, although as a big fan I love all those tracks as well.  A Hard Days Night is a very heavy album, no need to talk it down to 'prove' how great the Beach Boys were, though. 

I will agree though that the Beatles sound more dated.  Some of the Beach Boys stuff will be timeless, it has an energy and a soul to it that doesn't go in and out of style. 

PART of that, though, is that the Beach Boys are still around, while the Beatles will always be relegated to the 60's.  Although the Beach Boys mostly haven't been successful since the 60's, in the public's perception they're still around, so it helps keep their music more current imho. 

[Disney Boy (1985)]

I'm a huge Beatles fan - huge! - but the Beach Boys music has aged far, far better. Brian's productions still sound so crisp and fresh and clear, and no doubt always will. Abbey Road aside, George Martin's productions frequently sound very much of the time indeed.

That is just a reflection of American recording techniques vs. British in that era. There is a reason the Stones' best records of that time were recorded at RCA Hollywood. The best sounding British records of the 64/65 era were produced by Shel Talmy, an American. By late 66, Britain in general had caught up.

That's true, although i'd say a great deal of Magical Mystery Tour, the White Album and, especially, Sgt Peppers sound very dated. Great, great albums, but often dated.