The Smiley Smile Message Board

The Beach Boys obviously have a fantastic discography, be it a classic like Pet Sounds, or a gem like Wild Honey and many other great albums that do not get the respect they deserve outside fan communities (looking at you Today!).

If you're a super fan like most people on this forum you probably have guilty pleasure albums (I sure do!).

In that case, what is your "Desert Island" sub-par album? (i.e. less than three stars according to All Music)?  Please explain your choice.

I personally enjoy most of their supposed "sub-par" albums and wouldn't mind being stuck with even one "crappy" BB album forever.  Half the time, it seems, they are bad because of rush jobs, inner-band issues, or simply not caring.  Even then, what is considered even "bad" by The Beach Boys still has the ability to move us, or have our toes tapping. 

It's hard to say that for a lot of other groups.  Supposed 3-4 star album for a new artist ends up being atrocious in my eyes... and now it's customary to release an album once every 1-2 years!  These are supposed to be grand works and they still end up falling flat.

Here is the list. I know All Music isn't always loved here, but just for the sake of this question, we will use their ratings as the standard:

Surfin' Safari     
Little Deuce Coupe
Beach Boys Concert
Stack-o-Tracks
Holland
15 Big Ones
Beach Boys '69
M.I.U. Album
L.A. (Light Album)
Keepin' the Summer Alive
The Beach Boys
Still Cruisin'
Summer in Paradise

I mean from that list it's gotta be Holland. Surprised that's considered "sub par" as everyone here seems to love it and it was even acclaimed during its release (according to the Rolling Stone reviews I've read).

Interesting topic.

If I had to pick just one, I'd take Holland.  Holland is, IMO, the best of the short lived Blondie/Ricky era.  Brian contributes Sail On Sailor.  Carl has The Trader.  Dennis brings Steamboat and Only With You.  Mike probably writes his finest non car or surf lyrics with California Saga with some help from Al.  Leaving This Town is my favorite Beach Boys song that sounds absolutely nothing like The Beach Boys.  Funky Pretty is alright, but not one of my favorites. 

But, other than Holland, I'd gladly take Surfin Safari, Little Deuce Coupe, MIU, LA, and Still Cruisin, along with the live albums on my desert island.   

LA for Good Timin' and the Dennis-written and sung tracks, especially Baby Blue.

^^^^^

According to All Music, I just noticed that That Lucky Old Sun scores a 2.5.

So, I'll definitely add that one to the desert island list. 

Holland? Seriously? Who are these lunkheads? One of my favourites.

Otherwise, LA.

I second taking TLOS over any of those.

 If not....Holland probably, but even then that's because I don't like it after a few listens, but I reckon if I devoted some time to it I would enjoy more of it...

I'm caught between Little Deuce Coupe and 15 Big Ones.

I think the former has a lot of energy and I like the crunchy guitar sound. There are a few duds here and there but I don't really tire of it upon repeat listens. It also has all my favorite car songs and a few gems like  "Custom Machine, and "Cherry Cherry Coupe."  Oops! I can't forget the killer "Our Car Club." Isn't the drum/guitar combo just killer plus Mike and Brian's standout vocal performance? This song really rocks.

The latter I love the "Brian's Back"/IDGAF attitude that permeates the tracks. The production is stellar for a guy not really "there" anymore. "Blueberry Hill" really is amazing when everything kicks in. Well done Brian!

I also think Carl sings great on the album ("Talk to Me" has one of my favorite Carl vocals), and hell, Brian is pretty good despite the damage to his voice. "Just Once" has a great Brian vocal especially when he chimes in with "and baby...". You can tell that he's at his vocal maximum just uttering those lines as evidenced by his voice cracking. So punk!

Stack-O-Tracks is my guilty pleasure. I have it on the 2fer with Party!, which I never play (the 45 version of "Barbara Ann" is all the "Party!" I need).

"Salt Lake City" is worth the price of admission alone. But every track is a gem, varying from uncut to finely polished.

Holland shouldn't even be on this list, but I'll take it. If Holland was left off this list like it should have been, than I would take Light Album

I'll have to agree with you on Stack-O-Tracks. The instrumental tracks are a great "motivator" while at work since the lyrics aren't there to distract when I'm needing to just get focused. "Catch a Wave" kicks ass as an instrumental.  I love the bass and drum combo.

Of those, either M.I.U. or The Beach Boys 85. Both are in my top 10.

I think there are plenty of gems on there but I think it's more of a 3 star album than a 2.5.  I think the album is a bit too turgid to be great but I enjoy the whole Holland mystique (Brian missing his flight because he fell asleep in the terminal, Jack Rieley's stories, how cool they looked then, and the South African additions).  I also think the guitar solo on "Steamboat" is sublime.  I think they were on the right path but for reason the album falls a little short.  Regardless, I listen to it plenty and it's definitely one of my favorites.

My first impulse is to choose Stack-o-Tracks, but I think I would start to miss their voices after a while. Things start to go downhill with MIU, I would get bored of the early stuff pretty quickly, and 15 Big Ones has the Wilson brothers in rough shape. I hesitantly go with Holland: it doesn't have enough Brian for my tastes, but at least he's still in good voice. On the other hand, Beach Boys '69 has a focus on my favorite Beach Boy material. Maybe that would just me make want the original studio stuff. Perpahs I'll just go with 15 Big Ones so I can have the satisfaction of throwing "Everyone's in Love with You" into the ocean.

I’d take SIP - the threat of having to listen to it would motivate me to make a submarine out of coconut shells & get the hell off that island asap.

Otherwise, Holland - gift horse of the list.

I would also consider Still Cruisin' (wait!) purely for the last 3 tracks (US version).

Can't help but go with be flow and opt for Holland, with LA second and possibly the live 69 album as third. Holland's representative of their second peak, as a rock band. God knows what it's doing on the list in the first place!

Crazy to have Holland on that list; LA is my choice. Remove the extended disco track and it's a strong album.

Holland has no place being on a 'sup-par' list, so I'll plump for MIU.

I think my judgement may have been clouded by what I've been listening to lately, but Holland is a work of art and shouldn't be anywhere near that list. I did say LA, which is robably more than half a good album, but LDC is good all the way through, apart from Be True, a song I dislike almost as much as AGD hates Barbara Ann  ;D
In fact, I wouldn't have LDC on that list either and the 69 concert is way too good for this.

Wasn't Holland even named one of the albums of the year by Rolling Stone when it came out? It's certainly one of my fave records by anyone.

As for the rest, I'll go with L.A. and 15 Big Ones.

Easily L.A. Nice and light for the environment around me.

I mentioned earlier that Brian's TLOS album was rated as 2.5 on All Music. 

Apparently, according to All Music, the Disney album is better than That Lucky Old Sun.   Knowing that, I'm not surprised they rated Holland so low.

My take?

Surfin' Safari ...An oddity.  Not really a Brian Wilson album...but when he started producing/arranging on the NEXT album...  Well...LOOK OUT!!!    
Little Deuce Coupe...An A1 excellent lp.  Their best early album by a country mile with plenty of what was to come located here.  Doesn't belong on this list.
Beach Boys Concert...Not really.  Too much screaming.  [and non live/faked live additions]  And that chatter?  No thanks.  I'd never listen to it.
Stack-o-Tracks...Not for me.  The interest factor isn't there.  I'm INTO the VOCALS and those arrangements
Holland...As stated.  It does not belong here.  Way too good to be included here.  The list maker is a complete and utter dick.
15 Big Ones.  Not enough included to make it worthwhile.
Beach Boys '69...Mike talking with that horrible lisp.  What was he 'thinking'?  Homophobic.  "SHUT UP you ass!!!"  Great performances though.
M.I.U. Album...Some good tunes
L.A. (Light Album)...Some good tunes
Keepin' the Summer Alive...Some good tunes
The Beach Boys...Some good tunes.  Off-putting production though.  Boy George indeed!  Hardly dates it at all. :lol
Still Cruisin'...A few good songs plus some classics tossed in for what reason?  Odd.
Summer in Paradise...Basically crap on a stick. :-[

Add Love You  ::) and Smiley Smile   :o  to this 'iffy list and subtract Holland and Little Deuce Coupe  8).  [Not sure I can choose between these 2 extremely fine albums...so count me out Gilligan...I'm not getting on board your SS Minnow.   ;)]

Little Deuce Coupe. But that shouldn't be on the list. Part of the killer run from Surfer Girl to Surf's Up (discounting the live/party/backing tracks releases).
If it hadn't been on the list then M.I.U.

Out of this particular list, it's L.A. by a country mile