My Beach Boys marathon!

[TheLazenby]

I recently decided to "relive" (despite the fact that I was born in 1987) the Beach Boys' entire career as a group by listening to their catalog from start to finish. :-)  I'm writing detailed reviews for each one, so I thought I would share them here.  So far, I'm up to "Smiley Smile", and I'm waiting to get a copy of the Hawaii concert so I can have a stand-in for the MIA "Lei'd In Hawaii" album.

But, without further ado, here's where I've been so far!  Just remember... these are just my opinions; no need to start a flame war over something I said. :-)

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SURFIN' SAFARI (1962)

First, I feel it necessary to point out here... THE BEACH BOYS WERE NOT SURFERS. That fact alone makes the first batch of Beach Boys albums particularly irritating, but it's forgivable once you realize that they obviously had a great talent for writing songs on the subject. The real irritation with this first album, though, is the fact that the songs all basically sound the same - same harmonies, same "TICK-a TICK-a TICK-a TICK-a" drumbeat from Dennis. While it's mandatory to give the album some credit for the hits it produced ("Surfin' Safari", "409"), the Beach Boys' first attempt at a long-playing commercial product just comes off as juvenile and childish. There's a song about trying to win a doll at the county fair, an ode to cold root beer, and a surf-style version of "Ten Little Indians." The only real lyrical gem is the gambler-slang filled "Heads You Win, Tails I Lose"; otherwise, the album just seems tame and a little embarrassing by the standards that the Beach Boys would eventually adopt. I suppose, as their debut album, it works as a curiosity item; it's just not particularly entertaining.
MY SCORE: 5/10


SURFIN' USA (1963)

In just a short time, the Beach Boys managed to turn out a considerably superior product than their debut. Of course, there are the obligatory, stereotypical Beach Boys hits ("Surfin' USA" and "Shut Down"), but it's the more obscure tracks here that come off as the most attractive; and Brian certainly deserves the most credit for bringing these to life. "Stoked" is a great instrumental piece, while "Lonely Sea" shines as perhaps the earliest example of the direction in which Brian was heading that would eventually lead to the creation of "Pet Sounds." "Farmer's Daughter" is another hidden beauty, displaying the best of the Beach Boys' trademark falsetto, and even the silly pun-filled "Noble Surfer" manages to stand out thanks to a unique, uncharacteristic celeste solo. Only two tracks manage to be a disappointment - the weak cover of instrumental surf classic "Misirlou", and the silly "Finders Keepers." These two tracks, however, certainly don't prevent "Surfin' USA" from being a genuine classic.
MY SCORE: 8/10


SURFER GIRL (1963)

The Beach Boys continue to improve their vocal and musical skills (despite their insistence on sticking with the "we love surfing"/"we love cars" songs), though unfortunately, these skills are not consistent throughout this album. Thankfully, the album manages to pack in a number of classics such as the signature tune "Surfer Girl," one of the finest examples to date of the Beach Boys' golden harmonies, and Brian's deeply personal "In My Room." "Catch A Wave" and "Little Deuce Coupe" also make their debuts here - and I must admit that, having never liked "Catch A Wave" before, hearing it in stereo for the first time was an incredible experience that drastically improved my opinion of the song. The now-obligatory instrumentals are also a delight, particularly the instantly memorable "Rocking Surfer." However, there are too many low points - "South Bay Surfer", a surf-themed parody of "Swanee River", naturally comes off as a far too cheesy idea; "Surfers Rule" is just another entry in the long line of Beach Boys surf-rock tracks (which seem to be getting less and less creative); and above anything else, Mike's nasal vocal on "Hawaii" is honestly one of the most grating things I've ever heard. Overall, the album has some absolute gems, but it also has some truly awful songs mixed in.
MY SCORE: 6.5/10


LITTLE DEUCE COUPE (1964)

Yep, the Beach Boys *definitely* recorded for Capitol - home of the famous American line of rip-off Beatles albums. That mentality is shown here - an album rush-released just a month after "Surfer Girl", shamelessly featuring FOUR songs rehashed from old albums. (Yes, even a couple from "Surfer Girl," which makes it that much more disappointing.) Thus, there's not a whole lot to review here; the songs that are actually new are basically just similar, repetitive slow numbers, usually discussing cars - take for example the unintentionally humorous "Ballad of Ol' Betsy," which finds the boys moaning about their beloved car which sadly (*cough*) is getting older. "A Young Man Is Gone" also finds the Beach Boys at their maudlin worst, being a surprisingly morbid acapella tale of James Dean meeting his end among "screaming tires and flashing fires." Spare me, please. Even the original version of "Be True To Your School," one of the several Beach Boys songs that would become a hit single in a totally different form, is painfully unimpressive and weak. The only thing saving this from a terminally low score is "No Go Showboat," which boasts a pleasantly complex melody and unique, ear-catching harmonies. Otherwise, this cheesy, cobbled-together album just doesn't deserve a listen.
MY SCORE: 4/10


SHUT DOWN, VOLUME 2 (1964)

First, I suppose the bizarre title requires some explanation - not long before this, a couple Beach Boys tunes were included on an all-car compilation called "Shut Down." For whatever reason, when Capitol Records decided to put out a follow up, they just had the Beach Boys record the entire thing. That's the best explanation I can come up with. (Of course, since that one included their song "Shut Down", they tried to be cute by including a song called "Shut Down Part 2" on here... which doesn't really have any resemblance or relation to the first one.) Content-wise, the album is another mixed bag; but thankfully, there are a number of highlights that definitely deserve a listen. "Fun Fun Fun" and "Don't Worry Baby" are obviously very representative of the group's hit-making ability, while the slower "Warmth Of The Sun" and "Keep An Eye On Summer" offer the album's token harmony-filled ballads. The inclusion of a "Louie Louie" cover has the potential to raise a few eyebrows, but it manages to be fairly entertaining, though obviously lacking the power of the Kingsmen's classic version. (Hey, at least the Beach Boys kept the lyrics clear and understandable!) I must admit that, while other fans tend to look down upon the spoken skits that appeared in a few of the Beach Boys' early albums, I happen to find this album's "Cassius Love vs Sonny Wilson," a staged argument that presents Mike and Brian berating each other over their vocal styles, particularly hilarious, because it's no secret that I'm not a huge fan of Mike's nasal voice. On the whole, "Shut Down, Volume 2" isn't necessarily the best album for a hardcore fan, but it would make a good introductory album for someone just getting into the group. Just make sure they turn it off before the awful "Denny's Drums," or else their first impression of Dennis's abilities may not be very pleasant...
MY SCORE: 7/10


ALL SUMMER LONG (1964)

What, more surfing and car songs? Okay... but we're getting very close to the end here. Obviously, the most important tracks on this album are those that became genuine Beach Boys classics - "I Get Around," "All Summer Long," and "Little Honda" (which I somehow didn't even realize was the Beach Boys until hearing it on this album). Like its predecessors, though, this album suffers from sounding considerably dated - "Drive-In", the subject of which should be obvious, sounds like it would've been dated at the time, with its very-Fifties tales of activities such as sneaking your buddies into the drive-in via your trunk (remember "Grease"?); and, dare I say it, "All Summer Long" has lost its innocence thanks to the passing of time, because nowadays it's just hilarious to hear the Beach Boys sing their praises of "a pair of thongs." (See children, back then, that word had a different meaning...) Surprisingly, the slower songs were the ones that caught my interest the most (though "The Girls On The Beach" comes a little too close to "Surfer Girl" to be truly noteworthy), with the cover of the Fifties hit "Hushabye" being the most powerful and beautiful of the group. In the end, while "All Summer Long" is an entertaining album, it's just not a stand-out casualty of the Beach Boys' now very, very tired formula.
MY SCORE: 6/10


CHRISTMAS ALBUM (1964)

And all of a sudden - the Beach Boys COMPLETELY change their style! I'm not usually a big fan of Christmas albums, mainly for the fact that they're corny and just rehash the same songs (with the same arrangements) over and over. So, I was dreading when I had to hear this album in my marathon. Surprisingly, it's nowhere near as bad as I expected - in fact, it's probably a genuine highlight among all the Christmas albums released by popular bands. While a couple songs near the start stick too close to the tired style of their first couple albums (particularly "Christmas Day", which Brian notably referred to once as a "friggin' piece of poopy"), the orchestral tracks that make up a majority of the album are true masterpieces. "We Three Kings" is absolutely brilliant and flowing, and the upbeat and over-the-top "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" breathes new life into a song that has been dreadfully worn out by the hundreds of near-identical versions released since its composition. More than anything, the group pulls off the slower tunes especially well - "I'll Be Home For Christmas," with its bed of lush harmonies, is the best of the bunch. While it's not perfect (ending with Dennis's flubbed spoken message was probably a mistake), this is an album you'll want to revisit the whole year through. (Technical gripe though - I don't yet have the more recent "Ultimate" version, so I had to settle for the old CD edition - and the vocals on "Little Saint Nick" are in horrendous shape, sounding like they came from a badly crinkled cassette. I hope they fixed that on the updated version.)
MY SCORE: 9/10


BEACH BOYS CONCERT (1964)

"Concert" was another album that I wasn't too anxious to hear, for two reasons - one, it's a well-known fact that live albums are usually far from "live"; and two, that this is the first of several live albums I'd have to endure in my Beach Boys journey. To my shock, the album ended up being extremely entertaining. Sure, it has its flaws - the edits are painfully obvious (especially the tacked on ending to "Fun Fun Fun"), and a couple songs are just bad choices (the cover of "Long Tall Texan" sounds eerily close to what Garth Brooks must sound like drunk); but it's best to just take the album for what it is: a time-capsule representation of the Beach Boys at their live best, plowing through their hits with full energy while struggling to hear themselves over the Beatlemania-esque screams. There are, thankfully, enough great tracks to almost completely weigh down the poor ones - "Fun Fun Fun" is a highlight, managing to be a whole lot better than the original album version; and even the totally unnecessary cover of "Monster Mash" manages to keep the listener glued to their speakers with its sheer energy and sense of fun. It can honestly be said that, in their younger days, the Beach Boys truly knew how to keep a crowd on their toes. Shame, though, that "Hawaii" still ends up being a painful, whiny mess...
MY SCORE: 7.5/10


THE BEACH BOYS TODAY! (1965)

1965 marked a very significant year for the Beach Boys, as their music finally started to move in a different direction (despite Mike Love's incessant bitching about "f**king with the formula"), showing their songs to be considerably more personal and introspective - and, dare I say it, considerably more entertaining. "Today!" is a fairly weak start for that era, however, being another messy jumble of varying quality that fits unfortunately well alongside the more unpredictable pre-'Christmas' albums. "Do You Wanna Dance" (a cover - something I wasn't aware of) and "Dance, Dance, Dance" are very similar tracks and sound like rejects from 'All Summer Long', while "Don't Hurt My Little Sister", while certainly good in its intentions, manages to be rather creepy - most notably, the line where the girl's boyfriend is told, by her brother, to "love her like her big brother does." *shudder* This album also notably features "Help Me, Ronda," which is *not* the famed hit of a similar title - just one album later, "Ronda" would gain an 'h' and a new arrangement. This version is alright, but the elements that would bring the hit version to life are notably missing, particularly the lead guitar in the (here rather bland) solo. While none of the aforementioned tracks struck me as particularly bad, because they certainly had their individual merits, the album really shone for me with its wealth of Brian-penned ballads. "When I Grow Up" is particularly striking, being the thoughts of a man who, at a rather young age, realizes that he 'won't last forever.' "In The Back Of My Mind" delves even deeper into Brian's subconscious, presenting his innermost fears about how quickly he feels the positive parts of his life could change. The fact that the song is sung by Dennis, whose life changed rather quickly and in the most negative way possible, gives it an extra air of eeriness. All in all, while it is uneven, "Today!" is a fine album that shows considerable promise for the future. That said, "Bull Session With Big Daddy" (a brief track of the Beach Boys sitting in the studio, eating hamburgers) is completely unnecessary.
MY SCORE: 7.5/10


SUMMER DAYS - AND SUMMER NIGHTS!! (1965)

In my opinion, the first truly great Beach Boys album; and not just because it features the debut of the Beach Boys' seemingly most popular song "California Girls." 'Summer Days' just has a whole lot going for it - besides the aforementioned concert staple, there's the new and improved "Help Me, Rhonda" (this time, the version that became a hit), there's the flowing and engaging instrumental "Summer Means New Love", there's the Brian classic "Let Him Run Wild"... I could just go on and on. Unlike the previous albums, there is no filler - gone are the spoken skits and the mindless, repetitive surf songs. This time, we get nothing but quality, even if it required revising a song from the previous album. While I could endlessly compliment the merits of the songs from this LP that became certified hits, the lesser-known tracks deserve just as much play. "Amusement Parks USA" is a fun trip through a number of popular American theme parks (what, no Kennywood?!), even managing to throw in a sly reference to the dreaded sledgehammer game from 'Surfin' Safari''s "County Fair." "Then I Kissed Her" is a slightly altered rendition of girl group classic "Then He Kissed Me," which, even as a cover, has the ability to fill the listener's ears with its powerful, Spector-esque sound and keep them completely engaged in its melody. Even the silly track "I'm Bugged At My Ol' Man" stands out, despite its dark back story. The song tells of a pitiful Brian being locked in his bedroom by his father, who boards up the windows and feeds Brian mere scraps. Charming, if it wasn't for the fact that none of these horrendous activities would have actually been beyond the incredibly harsh parenting of Murry Wilson. Still, Brian's sense of humor is *very* evident, and the song becomes a genuine, undiscovered classic. In short, grab a copy of 'Summer Days and Summer Nights' if you truly want to hear the Beach Boys at their Sixties best. Hey, it has "California Girls" - where could you go wrong? :-)
MY SCORE: 8.5/10


BEACH BOYS PARTY! (1965)

"Party" is definitely a unique item in the history of rock, because as far as I know, there has never been another album that attempted a concept like this. The Beach Boys' idea was to create an album that was supposedly recorded at a party, where the boys and their friends engaged in impromptu sing-a-longs. Of course, the truth behind the album is less interesting - the songs weren't as spur-of-the-moment as one would believe, as several takes were recorded of some of them; and the "party" atmosphere was overdubbed onto the album after the fact. Even still, the concept does somehow manage to come off wonderfully, which gives the album a distinctly engaging charm. We hear the boys sloppily rambling through a number of clumsy yet very entertaining Beatles covers ("I Should Have Known Better" does sound rather odd without the trademark harmonica), and even a hilariously bad remake of "I Get Around." The big finale to the album is "Barbara Ann," which, while still entertaining in its original full-length form, was thankfully edited down for the hit single version in order to render an extremely sloppy track considerably more listenable. The only real faults of the album are the songs that break from the "improvised" style and sound far too polished and rehearsed to have been recorded at a party - the cover of the Everly Brothers' "Devoted To You" suffers the most from this, sticking out like a sore thumb among the messy tracks that surround it. Still, the song is so wonderful that the sudden change in style doesn't really matter. "Party" is a great album through and through, and certainly a pleasant half hour's worth of music.
MY SCORE: 9.5/10


COMING UP NEXT...  Goodbye surfing, hello ZOO!  (I'm kidding... I didn't review that.  I was so tempted, though. :-P)

[buddhahat]

I want to start a flame war over your describing I'm Bugged at my old Man as an "undiscovered classic"!!

[lance]

I think "Surfer's Rule" is underrated. I would characterize it more as "dated as hell" rather than truly bad. It's some sort of response by the ultra-competitive Wilson-Love duo to the Four Seasons, just as (I now think) Do You Remember is a direct response to the British Invasion.

actually I have a lot of quibbles with your reviews...but, eh. To each their own. More power to ya.

[Aegir]

Geeze, you're so harsh on LDC. And Party! being a 9.5? Geeze.

[TheLazenby]

What?  I genuinely enjoyed "Party" that much, and genuinely hated "Little Deuce Coupe"!  (Wait till I get to "Still Cruisin'" in a few weeks...)

If you think that was harsh, wait until the next batch... "Live In Michigan" (the unreleased 1966 live LP) is probably the most hostile review I've ever written of music, ever.

[Zander]

Geeze, you're so harsh on LDC. And Party! being a 9.5? Geeze.

Yeah, agree with that. A bit of puzzler! 

[The Heartical Don]

Geeze, you're so harsh on LDC. And Party! being a 9.5? Geeze.

Yeah, agree with that. A bit of puzzler! 

Hold on to your hats. I fear the worst. Lazenby is off the deep end by now. It'll be an '11' for 'Summer In Paradise'.
Bring a straitjacket.

[TheLazenby]

Oh, Lord no.  I heard part of *one* SIP track ("Summer of Love") and never listened to it again. 

That was a while ago though, which means I'll end up suffering through the whole thing at one point...

[The Heartical Don]

Oh, Lord no.  I heard part of *one* SIP track ("Summer of Love") and never listened to it again. 

That was a while ago though, which means I'll end up suffering through the whole thing at one point...

We have a right to see you 'experiencing' SIP live. Do install a webcam and a decent sound connection. We want to see you writhing, and finally reaching delirium tremens. It's one of those rare occasions where a fellow is really competing for the coveted Darwin Awards.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Pah. 

Minor league stuff. When I wrote the ComGuide, I listened to each album, solos as well, at least three times on the trot, including the 1992 album. My soul is permanently scarred.

[The Heartical Don]

Pah. 

Minor league stuff. When I wrote the ComGuide, I listened to each album, solos as well, at least three times on the trot, including the 1992 album. My soul is permanently scarred.

I pity you. I bet Al Qaeda had you at gunpoint at that time. There can't be any other reason.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I was being paid to do it.

It wasn't enough.   

[Wirestone]

It was the "Looking Back With Love" listens that turned you into the monster you are today, no doubt.

[buddhahat]

I'm the fan that got up to Love You and had the good sense to say "enough, I have read the s**t reviews of the BB albums post 77 and I need explore no further!" Yet just recently I have felt the urge to seek out all the crap stuff like MIU (although i haven't gone there quite yet). Surely there are some good Brian Wilson tracks nestled in amongst all that late 70s/80s s**t - Going On I know I like so there must be more of the same, right? Or will it just be be bitter disappointment every step of the way?

I have to say, at the risk of losing all credibility on this board, that I quite like Kokomo, so maybe I will be pleasantly surprised?

[Wirestone]

Buddha -- Just go for it. You know you want to. The Denny tracks on LA (I think it's LA) are great, and there are some decent moments. Now, post Still Cruisin' -- that's when things really get hairy.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I'm the fan that got up to Love You and had the good sense to say "enough"...

If you would've gone just one more, you would've come to MIU, an enjoyable Beach Boys' album. Some nice Brian Wilson/Mike Love tunes, a couple of good covers, and some strong lead vocals. A pleasant, if not "deep" album....

[Shady]

I have LA and M.I.U,

Great albums, I really enjoy them, nothing special but fun.

[The Heartical Don]

I'm the fan that got up to Love You and had the good sense to say "enough, I have read the s**t reviews of the BB albums post 77 and I need explore no further!" Yet just recently I have felt the urge to seek out all the crap stuff like MIU (although i haven't gone there quite yet). Surely there are some good Brian Wilson tracks nestled in amongst all that late 70s/80s s**t - Going On I know I like so there must be more of the same, right? Or will it just be be bitter disappointment every step of the way?

I have to say, at the risk of losing all credibility on this board, that I quite like Kokomo, so maybe I will be pleasantly surprised?

M.I.U. and L.A. both have their moments, for sure. Like someone said here, the ballads on L.A. are pretty fine, 'Good Timin'' is a corker IMHO, a typical Brian ballad, somehow related to 'Surfer Girl'. Alas, the inclusion of that 10+ minutes disco track prolly is the most embarrassing moment in their entire career - but you can program a CD machine, you know that?
Likewise, M.I.U. 'She's Got Rhythm' is fun (sadly underproduced, but a great hookline or two). I am quite partial to the much-maligned 'Winds Of Change' too. Granted, lyricwise it's terrible TM-by-numbers stuff; and perhaps the closing line '...won't last forever' is a wrong choice of words - but still, it's a nice slow song to me. And 'My Diane' is completely wonderful. Beautiful changes from minor to major keys and back, and a haunting, descending bridge, evoking true despair.

If it's available with you as cheaply as it is over here, I say: go for it (retail price here translates to $ 10 or thereabouts for a twofer.

[buddhahat]

I'm the fan that got up to Love You and had the good sense to say "enough, I have read the s**t reviews of the BB albums post 77 and I need explore no further!" Yet just recently I have felt the urge to seek out all the crap stuff like MIU (although i haven't gone there quite yet). Surely there are some good Brian Wilson tracks nestled in amongst all that late 70s/80s s**t - Going On I know I like so there must be more of the same, right? Or will it just be be bitter disappointment every step of the way?

I have to say, at the risk of losing all credibility on this board, that I quite like Kokomo, so maybe I will be pleasantly surprised?

M.I.U. and L.A. both have their moments, for sure. Like someone said here, the ballads on L.A. are pretty fine, 'Good Timin'' is a corker IMHO, a typical Brian ballad, somehow related to 'Surfer Girl'. Alas, the inclusion of that 10+ minutes disco track prolly is the most embarrassing moment in their entire career - but you can program a CD machine, you know that?
Likewise, M.I.U. 'She's Got Rhythm' is fun (sadly underproduced, but a great hookline or two). I am quite partial to the much-maligned 'Winds Of Change' too. Granted, lyricwise it's terrible TM-by-numbers stuff; and perhaps the closing line '...won't last forever' is a wrong choice of words - but still, it's a nice slow song to me. And 'My Diane' is completely wonderful. Beautiful changes from minor to major keys and back, and a haunting, descending bridge, evoking true despair.

If it's available with you as cheaply as it is over here, I say: go for it (retail price here translates to $ 10 or thereabouts for a twofer.

Thanks everyone for the info. I've heard La Light album actually, and I do like Good Timin but haven't listened to the album much. I think I was pretty non plussed by Lady Lynda and the disco track. I will definitely get the LA/MIU twofer though on the strength of recommendations here, and maybe more of La Light's charms may be revealed! Definitely curious about MIU. That version of My Diane sounds good.

[lance]

They are worth getting, despite the dreck. Between them there is an excellent album. Actually, I think LA is decent and MIU has some excellent moments. I actually think the disco song is OK.

[The Heartical Don]

They are worth getting, despite the dreck. Between them there is an excellent album. Actually, I think LA is decent and MIU has some excellent moments. I actually think the disco song is OK.

Without knowing it, you touched upon my most embarrassing fan's moments... you must know that around the time of L.A. Album, I was in a short but intense 'disco phase' myself. For instance, I wore bright red carpenter's jeans, white leather shoes (barf alert...), and silly Hawaii shirts (long before the climate change made that less stupid in Europe). For some reason I decided that 'Here Comes The Night' was fantastic, and I thought: wow, the boys are totally into the 'now and new' things. I bore half of my family and all of my friends into a comatose state with talking about it, and some of them had to be re-animated after one such 'session'.
Luckily, all that has changed for the better now, thanks to modern medicine and a trustworthy G.P.

[TheLazenby]

Okay, here's the next batch...   Be warned, I hated "Smiley Smile." 

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PET SOUNDS (1966)

As much as I would like to, having not enjoyed it the first time I heard it, I just can't bring myself to say anything negative about "Pet Sounds."  I mean, the fact that it's one of the most landmark LP's in rock history and was a major influence on the Beatles (after having been made in response to their "Rubber Soul") didn't sway my opinion; it was the fact that the second time around, each and every note struck me as beautiful and even haunting.  Each and every lyric struck me as deeply personal and relatable.  There's no better way to sum it up except by saying that "Pet Sounds" is an absolute, unsurpassed masterpiece from start to finish.  Here, spread out over two sides of a vinyl album, is a collection of some of the most elaborate and striking songs ever recorded by a rock band - the classic singalong "Sloop John B," the achingly eerie "Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)," the stunningly beautiful 'suicide ballad' (as some fans believe it to be) "God Only Knows," and the mind-numblingly catchy title track that I guarantee will stay wedged in your subconsciousness for weeks after you hear it.  More than anything though, I felt like this album was made just for someone my age, between the soul-searching lyrics of "That's Not Me," the all-too-true message of "Here Today" (that being 'love is here today, and gone tomorrow'), and the narrator's realistic situation in "I'm Waiting For The Day," in which he waits eagerly for his love interest to recover from the pain of a recent breakup.  Genius lyrics all around... and of course, genius music as well!  Obviously, I can't stop praising this album, so I have to quit while I'm ahead... did I mention that I think "Caroline No" and especially "You Still Believe In Me" (another hugely relatable song) are two of my favorite Beach Boys tracks *ever*?  *takes a deep breath*  Okay, let's give this thing a score...
MY SCORE: 10/10


LIVE IN MICHIGAN (unreleased - 1966)

The fact that this album, a pathetic display of the Beach Boys (without Brian) struggling to entertain a Michigan crowd (well, two actually) while obviously *extremely* high, was almost released, is sad.  Believe me - even though it's available as a bootleg (the uncut tapes were released as "The Live Box", alongside a couple other shows), YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS.  Painfully strained falsettos, cracking voices, stoned giggles, on-stage banter that never fails to devolve into meaningless rambling, gay jokes, poop jokes, a criminally bad Beatles cover... God, it's bad.  The renditions of their classics are just slow, boring and listless - though Mike points out that the crowd is "smashed," so apparently they felt the same way about the performances that the Beach Boys did.  It's hard to pick out the worst moment, though the off-key (as in, every member is in a different key) and slightly obnoxious version of "Surfer Girl" in the first show is especially awful.  Did I mention they forget the words to "You're So Good To Me"?  I could go on and on about how horrible this is, I really could.  They just manage to squeak somewhat enthusiastically through "Papa Oom Mow Mow", though, which is a very slight plus.  However, before I wipe this unpleasant experience from my brain, I should note the early live outing of "Good Vibrations" from the second show (the performance in the first show is incomplete) - well, it could've been worse.  If anything, they sound very cautious, and keep it simple; but thankfully, they didn't commit the crimes against this song that they committed against most others in these recordings, at least until the badly flubbed and out of tune theremin ending.  The moral of the story?  Don't do drugs, kids.  This 'album' is a good example of what you might become. 
MY SCORE: 01/10


SMILE (unreleased - 1967)

And now, we reach what was undoubtedly the most significant era for the Beach Boys - the creation and eventual collapse of what was supposed to be the most magnificent and complex album ever released, Brian Wilson's magnum opus "Smile."  It's hard to review "Smile" as an album, because in Beach Boys terms, it never WAS an album; it was hours upon hours of partially finished songs that were intended to be pieced together as a coherent concept album about Americana, childhood, and the elements.  Of course, Brian Wilson gave us exactly that... thirty-seven years later, when he recorded the entire album over again with his new band, the Wondermints.  But for this review, I listened to the closest thing to Brian's 2004 rendition of "Smile" - the reconstruction by web-based bootleg label Purple Chick, which painstakingly assembled the Beach Boys recordings (and some 2004 recordings to fill in the gaps) into something very closely matching Brian's finalized vision.  I do agree with what some critics have said in the past, that given the public's luke-warm response to "Pet Sounds," "Smile" very well could have been a major flop in 1967.  It certainly doesn't come close to ANYTHING the Beach Boys ever recorded before, being a tightly woven group of songs with poetic, puzzle-like lyrics, recurring melodies, and silly sound effects.  And I can also say that, even though I've heard "Smile" countless times before on its own, hearing it in the context of the group's career is a completely different experience; it just seems so alien and strange, yet wonderful to say the least; because the fact remains that the songs intended for the album were certainly genius.  Take for example "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" - Brian wanted to musically represent a raging fire, so he composed a song full of screeching and sliding strings, a thumping bass, discordant chords, whistles, and on one outtake, the sound of crackling flames.  I dare anyone to listen to that song (Beach Boys version or Brian's version alike) and not instantly picture a cacophony of flames and fire engines.  Pure magic through song.  Then of course, there's Brian's miniature cowboy musical, "Heroes and Villains."  (Out of all the versions of that song, I prefer the 2004 version; the 1967 single version was missing far too much, and the much longer version heard on the Beach Boys' boxed set was just far too random and bizarre.)  Finally, last but not least, this album was meant to feature what was undoubtedly the most elaborate pop song recorded up to this point - "Good Vibrations," heard here with different lyrics than what we're all used to.  It's just so hard to describe the high points of this album, or what could have been this album, because it's just one big masterpiece that defies explanation.  What more can one say?  For new fans, the 2004 remake will suffice; but for hardcore fans, hunt down the Purple Chick version (it's all over the Internet) to hear what the original tracks sounded like.  It becomes depressingly clear that much of the album was in fact recorded in 1966-67, and had Brian gotten his head together, he could've put out what had the potential to be the greatest album of the Sixties.  Take that, "Sgt. Pepper."
MY SCORE: 10/10


SMILEY SMILE (1967)

How quickly they fell.  Mike Love got tired of singing the strange lyrics of "Smile," and Brian was going through a massive nervous breakdown, fueled in part by his constant drug usage.  Oh yes, and the Beach Boys disappointed the public by announced that their revolutionary "Smile" album was cancelled.  However, to make up for its non-appearance, the drugged-out group hurredly put together this half-hour collection of awkward, stoned tracks.  This is mostly a collection of songs intended for "Smile," but not in their original forms - they've been re-recorded, usually as droning, slow, breathy rambles that come nowhere close to capturing the magic of the originals.  ("Wind Chimes" has to be the worst casualty of the bunch, having changed from a beautiful and playful song to a hazy experimental piece with half-whispered vocals.)  It's not surprising that the only two real highlights are "Heroes and Villains" (heard here without the 'in the cantina' verse intended for the "Smile" version) and the single version of "Good Vibrations" - both of them were recorded before the rest of the album.  It actually seems clear that the songs fall into two distinct categories: "Smile" retreads and boring, repetitive chants.  There's just not a whole lot of variation from those two themes, except perhaps the extremely bizarre "She's Goin' Bald," itself a rewrite of "Smile"-era track "He Gives Speeches."  In short, this album was nothing more than a misjudged experiment that rightfully left fans bewildered.  Don't bother with it.
MY SCORE: 3.5/10


LEI'D IN HAWAII (unreleased - 1967)

Unavailable for review at this time.  I'll come back to it if I can find a copy of its bootleg equivalent ("Aloha From Hawaii")...


WILD HONEY (1967)

This time around, the Beach Boys accomodated Brian's increasingly weak mental state by not taking to the studio, instead recording a loose, demo-like album right at home; and despite the odds given the poor quality of the material presented on "Smiley Smile," they turned out a brief but ultimately very satisfying product.  What we have here is the group at their rawest, choosing to stick with the same basic instruments (piano, organ, percussion) for each track, and putting Carl's unique, cracking vocals at the forefront.  One could almost say that with this album, the Beach Boys discovered soul - evidenced the most in "Darlin'," a high energy track easily reminiscent of classic Motown.  This harder-edged sound also shines through on both the title track, which is brightened by a searing use of the theremin; and my absolute favorite track on the album, the cover of Stevie Wonder's "I Was Made To Love Her" that *easily* far surpasses the original.  (Although, as much as I've heard it, I'm still uncertain why people thought the backing vocals were saying "You son of a bitch"...?)  Nearly every song is a highlight, from the surprisingly naughty punchline of "I'd Love Just Once To See You", to the haunting and instantly memorable "Country Air."  The only song that didn't necessarily stand out for me was the short "Mama Says," which struck me as a little too reminiscent of the repetitive chants from 'Smiley Smile' - but on the other hand, it's nice that they found a good use for the 'sleep a lot, eat a lot' section of "Vegetables" that was senselessly excluded from the 'Smiley' remake.  This truly is homegrown music at its best - I just wish there was more of it, because I could certainly listen to the boys groove like this forever.
MY SCORE: 9/10

[phirnis]

I actually prefer the Smiley Wind Chimes over the earlier version. It features some of the most stellar singing I've ever heard by anyone and I find the little touches of musique concrete to be nothing short of brilliant. It's one of those songs where that whole "Brian is a genius" thing really came alive for me.

[TheLazenby]

Blasphemy :-)

[Chris Brown]

I actually prefer the Smiley Wind Chimes over the earlier version. It features some of the most stellar singing I've ever heard by anyone and I find the little touches of musique concrete to be nothing short of brilliant. It's one of those songs where that whole "Brian is a genius" thing really came alive for me.

I feel the exact same way...I love the creepiness of it.  Brian gives the vocals so much space, and allows them to shine.  The "Whispering Winds" fade is one of the most beautiful vocal performances the Beach Boys ever recorded.

Only a genius could take a nice light song about wind chimes and turn it into THAT.