I can't believe there's even any kind of debate about which band sounds better on Pet Sounds material. Brian's band blows The Mikesters out of the water on that kind of material, and the number of people in his band is pretty much the single greatest reason why they do so.  If your talking about voices, Brian's, even with some flubs, is more enjoyable to my ears than Bruce's ANY day. Bruce has no personality in his voice. At all. It's a nice voice and he sings well mostly, but it's bland and boring, in my opinion. But the bands, yeah, Mike's doesn't hold a candle to Brian's, and I don't even think that's subjective, really.

Rubbersoul, you didn't study the art of debating or anything, did you?  You seem to be out of you element slightly (or not so slightly).

No Taylor Mills?

I'd love a live box set...4-6 discs of nothing but officially unreleased live stuff. Even if it's stuff that's been heavily booted, like Carnegie Hall '72 or Paramount Theater '93, it'd be great to have quality sounding, official releases of this stuff with a nice booklet and everything.

Thanks everyone!  Her name is Mary Elizabeth, but our other little girl has christened her Molly, so I think we're calling her that 

Fun, Fun, Fun
Little Honda
Little Deuce Coupe
Hey Little Cobra
Shut Down
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Drag City
Little Old Lady From Pasadena
Our Car Club
409

Someone move this if it isn't cool to post it here....

5 hours ago my second daughter was born...5 minutes ago I used my laptop to introduce her to The Beach Boys.

She can always say the first song she ever heard is the greatest song ever written 

It is my opinion that the Beach Boys are the greatest and most important musical group in American music history.

"Help You, Rhonda" on disc 6...Is that a typo or am I missing something?

I Get Around
Surfer Girl
Dance, Dance, Dance

vs.

This Whole World
The Night Was So Young
'Til I Die

I think the earlier set wins, barely.

Caroline, No is grating. I skip it on pretty much every album it's on that I listen to.

And, while I'm not really defending it, Rock and Roll Music is on so many compilations because it was a top-5 single. Seems kinda obvious.

Jimmy Webb is indeed a genius, but "MacArthur Park" is a really rancid piece of crap song.

Except for GV, Cabinessence, H&V, and Vegetables, I prefer the BWPS songs over the original Smile recordings.  

Hmm... interesting.  What still blows my mind, is how amazing BWPS actually is.  There's no way it should have been this good.  There's too many reasons.  No Beach Boys.  It's not 1966.  And Brian's voice is nothing what it was... yet I don't even notice it on BWPS.  The focus is squarely on the music.

The original recordings sound stony and mystical.  Adventurous and new.  Groundbreaking.  BWPS however, has a nice polish to it - an upbeat and positive sheen.  It feels joyful.  Clean.  But not in a "sanitized way."  It had 37 years to bake (no pun intended), but to re-record it and "finish it" so many years later -- it had more reasons to be bad, weird and to just plain miss the mark.  But it was awesome.


Both are fantastic.  But I can see one preferring the sprite, sparkly -- and more finished, BWPS.


This. I agree with this completely. I would add that for me, 2004 was a pretty important year for me in a lot of ways (graduated college, finding myself, relationships, etc.) and when I think of BWPS I remember a lot about who I am and where I've been. It just takes me back to an exact point in my life and stands as a pretty important artifact of that year for me.

Also, this thread will easily be 10 pages by tomorrow morning

I'm not into picking sides in the Beach Boys story, but I LOVE this from Al. While I've never been a Mike Love basher, I am pretty disappointed that he chose not to let the C50 thing continue.  I love the candidness and the cockiness from Jardine....the cockiness in the band's history has usually come from other sources, so it's time Al Jardine got his.

This is a fun thread to read...here's my likely unpopular opinions (the first is certain to be unpopular)...

-I'd rather listen to BWPS than The Smile Sessions just about any day, though I love both.
-Caroline, No is a very weak track. I skip it every time. Also, the instrumentals on PS are utter crap of an almost embarrassing level.
-C&TP:ST is the groups best album of the 70's, followed by Holland, then Love You, Sunflower (overrated a bit), LA, MIU
-Carl Wilson, while a phenomenal singer, producer, arranger, band leader, was a mediocre at best songwriter.
-Bruce Johnston is at once the weirdest, most annoying, and least talented member of the Beach Boys history.
-It's a really good thing the boys didn't perform at Monterrey Pop...would've been beyond embarrassing.
-Still Cruisin' is a really fun record. I enjoy listening to it In My Car (pun intended).

For years, "All I Want Is You" by U2 has been my wife's and my song. It was only about two years ago, while reading the liner notes for "Rattle and Hum" that I learned that the haunting, gorgeous string arrangement was done by Van Dyke Parks.

I will also be making an alternate Surf's Up, but nothing will be removed, even SDT, which despite it's horrible lyrics and the aural assault of the siren, is a really rockin' tune that the album needs. The instrumental and backing vocal track on that song are killer.

Um. Ok.

Out of curiosity, is the guitar in question the one Al is pictured playing on the back cover of the Holland LP?

The award has only existed for less than five years. It's not exactly a "name" award. The people who hand it out have screwy criteria. Paul Simon was the first recipient, and Bob Dylan hasn't gotten one. It's not like these folks have the best of taste.

Taste is pretty subjective...for instance, I think Paul Simon is the greatest songwriter in American music history and Bob Dylan, while I enjoy him, is pretty significantly overrated. I don't see how anyone could possibly not think Paul Simon deserves that award.  So what you mean when you say these folks don't have the best of taste is really "they don't share my taste."

Al would've at least been more in tune

Well, he didn't stop them from releasing 15BO, MIU or KTSA, so I think we're just projecting an angry artistic badass vibe to DW that may not have really existed by 2013, if it ever did.

Very cool...I had a smile on my face through that whole video. Seemed like you guys were having a blast.

Carl's version of "Only With You" is the far superior version, in my opinion. 

Holland is easily in my 3 favorite Beach Boys' albums...and I'd agree that it is one of the coolest, hippest sounding of their records, along with So Tough

Ok. Bought the CD today (after looking at wal-mart, target and two best buys..bought the only copy at the second best buy. WTF?)....

Blasted this sucker on my car stereo and gotta say, the negative over-reactions to this album here are nothing short of ludicrous.

Yes, I agree they sound robotic at times and it's a little too sterile...and, I agree that there's more life and soul in the Chiba and Mermaid recordings, but...to say things like this album will be a PR disaster for Capital Records or that it's the low point in the Beach Boys Career, or that you're boycotting the album....all those things are ridiculous, bordering on asinine.

Is it disappointing they didn't give us a full show DVD or a CD mixed and produced more naturally?  Is it still an enjoyable listen and a decent memento from a great time in Beach Boys' history?  I say yes to both. 
 
Highlights for me...Probably the best Disney Girls I've heard. In fact, it will likely be the only version I listen to (studio version is boring as hell anyway).  David Marks is phenomenal on this album. I dare say this live recording is the highlight of his career as a Beach Boy. California Saga sounds wonderful.

Glad to see you survived all the personal attacks and condescending remarks earlier in the week. Boy, everyone really went for you, but you stuck to your guns, and you've been proved right, the album is great!!!!

It's good to see you're being the big man, and not turning on those who so viciously attacked you. Rising above it, and seeing that yes, everyone's opinion is valid. It's just a shame no one afforded you that courtesy. People like you are a credit to this board.

Actually, I'm glad to admit that the condescension didn't reach the levels I expected it to. I was wrong. Mostly. There has been some, but yeah, even through your snarky, smart ass comments here, what you are saying is true...it's nice to have this board where we can express our opinions.

It's just sad that because of this board, I had very low expectations of this album. It's actually pretty good. It is my opinion that the overreaction is ludicrous, but I never said people can't have those opinions.

You really a smartass, by the way.