[in the '80s!]

And this strain of Brianista will defend anything and everything Brian farts out as pure genius while declaring that other folks who have contributed mightily to music history are "done" ....

I'm so sorry they don't hand out awards for message board blathering.

Bah doom-boom on me who enjoys music that put several kids through college because a couple angry nerds think it somehow hurts precious Brian...... Pathetic.

You honestly think Bruce Johnston has anything left to offer creatively in 2013? Come on Pinder. Dude hasn't released a new solo song since the '70s. There hasn't been a new Beach Boys song written by him since 1992. And even though he had a few "new" compositions on a Doris Day album a year or two ago, they were recorded in the '80s! And his offering for the latest Beach Boys album was a rerecording of a song of his from the mid '80s.

So yeah, maybe he has a bunch of sweet songs tucked away at home, but I sure doubt it. He hasn't been creatively active in over 20 years. So yeah, creatively I'd say he's done. Finished. Love to see him prove me wrong though.

And Mike, well...he did record a bunch of solo stuff earlier in the '00s. But only three songs from that project have come out. If he's so proud of his work he should release it, even if that means pressing up some copies to sell online and at shows, and having a download version. He's not gonna get a solo deal with any label that matters. But yeah, I hope he puts some new stuff out. I'll get it in a second. He also mentioned First Love. I'd buy that too. Even if they put Looking Back With Love I'd probably get that too.

See the thing is yeah, Brian is by far my favorite Beach Boys and he obviously still has the most to offer creatively, by far. But if Mike and Bruce wanted to show they are still creatively relevant they should do something about it.

Well, ya know, Brian has the name which he has earned, which people prop up to the detriment of anyone else who happened to be in the same band.... If Mike or Bruce had teams of "caring" people who would carry them into the studio and stand back in awe at any three or four chords they managed to paw out as "pure genius" it would probably motivate them to do something about it, but instead they have oceans of assholes tearing them apart 24/7. If I were in their shoes I'd do nothing whatever other than exactly what I could to piss these people off to no end.

I don't get exactly what you're trying to get at here. Are you suggesting that Brian didn't earn his reputation, because from where i'm sitting he pretty much continued to contribute really great material to the band throughout his entire tenure with them, or are you suggesting that a guy with a long history of mental issues shouldn't be allowed to be in a somewhat "safe" (for lack of a better word) environment while he's working. Both of those seem pretty unreasonable. I mean Mike did some great stuff with the band too, but he also was responsible for Summer In Paradise as well, so it's not like people don't have legitimate reason do dislike a lot of the work he's done in more recent years.  

I mean what exactly has Brian done since the 70's that is so freaking genius? Nothing! He has one somewhat decent solo album, a couple embarrassing albums, a re-tread of old material, and one other somewhat decent album, and a compromised attempt at a proper Beach Boys album.... And this is a guy who has everyone rooting for him: all the goodwill in the world.... I love Brian as much as anyone else, but I will not sit here and pretend he's laid golden egg after golden egg over the last 30 years just so I can feel better about bashing Mike and Bruce...

I think you and I may have slightly different tastes in music.

Brian Wilson was indeed a mixed bag, with several  fantastic tracks but with several pretty awful ones as well.

I wouldn't call imagination embarassing, since its main sin is just being boring.

GIMOH has a few good tracks on there even if the thing really doesn't work on the whole

and TLOS, Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin, and In the Key of Disney are all really solid albums.

1. Sail on Sailor
2. Susie Cincinnati
3. Fun Fun Fun
4. Little Deuce Coupe
5. Back Home
6. Funky Pretty
7. You Need  A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone
8. Got to Know the Woman
9. Roller Skating Child
10. Shortnin' Bread 

in no particular order mind you, but those would be the ones I'd choose

My Top 10

1.  Pet Sounds
2.  Smiley Smile
3.  Holland
4.  The Smile Sessions
5.  Shut Down Vol. 2
6.  Sunflower
7.  Today
8. Surf's Up
9.  Pacific Ocean Blue
10. Love You

Matchpoint of our Love - 1/5 (I'm sorry but I cringe every time i hear the lyrics to this one. I even tend to enjoy a lot of their sillier songs, but this is just too much).

So you gave it 1 out of 5 because of the silly lyrics? Or you don't like the melody as well? Good to see you like Come Go with Me, Pitter Patter & Wontcha Come Out Tonight, though. Those 3 are my most played tracks off the record.

Oh the music is fine, but much like wantsomecorn said, the lyrics override everything else in this case. This is especially odd for me since i tend to like their sillier songs as I said in my first post. Glad I gave the album as a whole another shot though because there are a few killer tracks in there.

Yeah, put me down in the pro-Love You camp as well. On the whole it's a very solid album, with the exception of Let's Put Our Hearts Together (which is a well written song with awful vocals), and I wanna pick you up (which just creeps me out every time I hear it).

This is such an odd album. About half of the material on the album is solid, but the other half is complete and total garbage.

Guess if I had to break it down track by track it'd look something like this

She's Got Rhythm - 3/5 (would be a 4 if Brian's falsetto here didn't hurt my ears)
Come go With Me - 4/5
Hey Little Tomboy - 2/5 (Not nearly as good as the version from Adult Child. The spoken word section really makes the song)
Kona Coast - 1/5
Peggy Sue - 1/5
Wontcha Come Out Tonight 4/5

Sweet Sunday Kind of Love - 3/5
Belles of Paris - 2/5
Pitter Patter 4/5
My Diane 5/5
Matchpoint of our Love - 1/5 (I'm sorry but I cringe every time i hear the lyrics to this one. I even tend to enjoy a lot of their sillier songs, but this is just too much)
Winds of change - 3/5

After numerous listens, I've come to the conclusion that Adult Child is a solid album with absolutely abysmal sequencing that somehow manages to somehow bury all the best material (save Still I dream of it) and emphasize the worst songs on the album. Honestly I feel it'd be a much better album if went like this instead

Side 1
1. Life is for the Living
2. H.E.L.P. is on the Way
3. Hey Little Tomboy
4. Deep Purple
5. Games Two Can Play
6. lines

Side 2
1. Shortnin' Bread
2. It's Trying To Say
3. Everybody Wants To Love
4. It's Over Now
5. On Broadway
6. Still I Dream of It


this way you have a really emotional song followed up by an incredibly silly one with almost nonsense lyrics, the album ends on a solid core of emotional songs, with On broadway sandwiched in there, since in my opinion it's biggest sin is being boring and unremarkable rather than painful, so it'll make it look slightly better if it's in the middle of a pack of much better songs.

For me it'd probably actually be Angel Come home. I absolutely LOVE Dennis on that track.

I bought Today! in vinyl at a record store in my hometown for 18 bucks, newly pressed and in mono.  I was really surprised to see it...it was sitting right next to a vinyl Pet Sounds!

@ the author, I love the blog by the way.  I feel bad for the harsh criticism you've gotten here, being sixteen and constantly struggling to convince my "musically oriented friends" to embrace the Beach Boys leads me to sympathize with your cause.  So many people my age, and into their twenties, who may even call themselves fans, simply know nothing of the beautiful albums the Beach Boys created.  It's really a shame some of the older members on this board jumped at you so quickly.  Personally, knowing your intention to inform the "outside" world of some of the Beach Boys work and exposing the modern record buying public to the music, I think your choices are great.  I'm looking forward to seeing Surf's Up, do you think you'll end up writing about that one?

Thanks Zach. It does seem unfair that these albums weren't 'canonised' in the way that, say, The Beatles' back catalogue has been (not that that didn't deserve to). Each album is quietly monumental in its own different way, none more so than Surf's Up which is indeed on the list. In fact I'd wager that most on here would be able to predict the remaining choices quite easily!

By the way, in a totally non-patronising way, well done for having such fine taste so young Think I'd have been closer to 18 when I first ventured past Pet Sounds and started listening to Sunflower/Surf's Up. I remember I was doing work experience at a book publishing company, photocopying, that kind of thing. The work was stultifying but the music makes that week strangely significant in retrospect (it's when I first started listening to Pixies as well).

This reminds me that I was likely switched onto Sunflower/Surf's Up after seeing them mentioned in conjunction with my favourite band at the time (and still one of them), Super Furry Animals. Anyone else here a fan?

You can't compare any beach boys albums to beatles albums. The only ones that can stand up to what the beatles did are pet sounds,smile sessions & today.

You mad? I say even the best songs on Pet Sounds are not in the same league as timeless classics such as "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", "All Together Now" and "Within You Without You".

I happen to quite like Maxwell's Silver Hammer

I'd like to see a joint reunion of the Beach Boys and Van Halen at the Grammys.  Doing the tribute to Amy Winehouse.  Then everyone can be happy.  

I can't decide if that would be the best or the worst thing ever.

[Speculation is mounting that a tribute to Amy Winehouse could be in the offing, while the ceremony could also mark the 50th anniversary of the Beach Boys with something special.]

Good news, The Beach Boys are pretty much being mentiond in all the grammy articles for last night, one example

Speculation is mounting that a tribute to Amy Winehouse could be in the offing, while the ceremony could also mark the 50th anniversary of the Beach Boys with something special.

I'm so excited, February 12th is going to be amazing...unless they pull out again

http://www.clashmusic.com/news/adele-kanye-west-gain-grammy-nods

Ooh, now I'm getting quite excited. Hopefully I'm not getting my hopes up for nothing.