If Brian wants to make another Beach Boys album, bring it on.

I've noticed you and many other reviewers have criticised the use of steel drums on Bill and Sue, however I can't hear them. I hear drums, timpani drums and vibraphones but no steel drums. Does anyone agree or have my ears packed in?

The first album I checked out by the Byrds was "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" and well i've been a fan ever since. I love their Folk/Country sound..Gram Parsons transformed them from this folk group to country Superstars.

Notorious Byrd Brothers, Younger Than Yesterday, Fifth Dimension - Folk??? Mr Tambourine Man and Turn Turn Turn, folk rock perhaps if such a thing ever existed. But folk

so they aren't folk rock? wow my ears have tricked me :/

The first 2 albums could be classed as folk rock, if you think that phrase means anything beyond being a marketing tool. However from Fifth Dimension onwards there's no way their music could be called folk rock.

The first album I checked out by the Byrds was "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" and well i've been a fan ever since. I love their Folk/Country sound..Gram Parsons transformed them from this folk group to country Superstars.

Notorious Byrd Brothers, Younger Than Yesterday, Fifth Dimension - Folk??? Mr Tambourine Man and Turn Turn Turn, folk rock perhaps if such a thing ever existed. But folk

This album is the best BB's album since Surf's Up. Love You is just as good but comes from a different universe. It is also up there with Lucky Old Sun and the Gershwin alum. I rate it that highly at the moment. It's getting better with each listen. I would have changed the sequencing but have no real gripes other than Daybreak is average. I actually enjoy the production and really can't hear the comparisons to Imagination, it's streets ahead of that album in terms of song quality and production. Love it.

Best since Surf's Up- I agree.

I haven't listened to the new album yet, is it really that good? Better than Holland? I'd say that Holland straight through is near perfect, the only way to make it better would have been to make it a double LP with live tracks like Untitled by The Byrds. But as is, it's probably my favorite BB album besides Friends. Is TWGMTR that good? I'm getting more and more interested in listening to it, but I'm worried that the praise may be a little hyperbolic.

Opinions will differ. For reference my favourite album is Friends followed by Love You. I love Holland and there is no comparison with TWGMTR in terms of sound, performance, mood, songwriting and production, they are entirely different, but for my money I just enjoy TWGMTR more. One thing to note is that Mike Love sounds as good on TWGMTR as he did on Holland. His vocals sound great, there is none of that grating nasal singing which has been in evidence for years.

I have profoundly mixed feelings toward Imagination. There are some great things about it -- Your Imagination is arguably Brian's best solo single -- and some terrible things.

I never understood the "Brian didn't do anything on Imagination" chatter. Yeah, the studio footage was staged. Yeah, he may have lost interest in the instrumental tracking at a certain point. But Brian has lost interest in worse (and better) records. A clear, objective listen to the album shows that he clearly contributed to the instrumental arrangements, even if that contribution is far greater on some songs than others.

In terms of vocal arranging and his own vocal performance, the album is excellent. Not as good as Gershwin, some 11 years later. Not as natural sounding as TLOS. But the vocals on it really sound like the Beach Boys.

The big minuses for me are the tracks where the AC arrangements go over the top -- Dream Angel is a particular offender -- and the song selection overall. What's with the two cover versions? And the remake of the 1965 tune? We now know that Brian was sitting on lots of fabulous songs he'd written with Joe, not to mention the Paley material. None of it's on the record.

Finally, the sound of the record is terrible. It's incredibly trebley and tinny. There's too much spotlighting of the infamous nylon guitars and other "pretty" instrumental effects. This is one huge area where TWGMTR stands heads and shoulders above Imagination. It sounds like it was mixed by humans.

That sums up my views on Imagination exactly. I couldn't have expressed them any better.

Congratulations to Joe on writing a superb set of songs with Mr Wilson and creating a great album. He deserves our thanks because we know that without him there would be no new Beach Boys album. The album has great commercial pop songs, some quirky songs and arrangements, an introspective suite of songs and a sprinkling of cheese, in short it's the Beach Boys. I also love the production which serves the songs. Thanks Joe.

can comeone plz tell me what's so good about surf's up besides til i die and surf's up?

No I cannot tell you whats so good about it. I just listen and feel it. To point out the obvious, it's all amazing songs, beutifully played and sang with great production. My analysis ends there.

This album is the best BB's album since Surf's Up. Love You is just as good but comes from a different universe. It is also up there with Lucky Old Sun and the Gershwin alum. I rate it that highly at the moment. It's getting better with each listen. I would have changed the sequencing but have no real gripes other than Daybreak is average. I actually enjoy the production and really can't hear the comparisons to Imagination, it's streets ahead of that album in terms of song quality and production. Love it.

OK so I bought the album this morning, but have had the sh*ts all day and didn't want to listen while my guts were like this because I thought it might compromise my first listen.  Watched the Queen's jubilee concert instead, but roll on tomorrow, I hope I feel better then.

That jubilee concert would give anyone the shits!

Have listened to the album for a couple of days now, and while virtually every criticism I've heard has some merit, they're missing the point. This isn't music for putting on headphones and listening to intently, this is for playing while you're driving around or just hanging out...much like the early BB catalog. I can't recall the last album by anyone that has these qualities...

IMO, the Beach Boys haven't changed as much as we have.

Nah, no-one intentionally makes background music and the last 3 songs are definitely for sitting down and listening to carefully. Listen, listen, listen.

I just got in from a particularly shite day. Poured a very large whiskey and listened to Isn't It Time. Know what, I fucking love that song. It's cheered me right up. So very Brian. Thanks to all the Beach Boys!

Recorded by Joe Thomas
Recording and mixing engineer: Frank Pappalardo

Sorry to rear my ugly head back into this thread, but ...

Several folks (including AGD) confirmed that Joe Thomas was credited as the engineer. In fact, there was a heated discussion that pointed out how people are confusing engineering with production. I understood Thomas to be primarily a producer (I cannot find any releases in which he was credited as soley an engineer), so I was confused by the supposed engineer credit. Since Pappalardo is listed as the actual engineer, Thomas is given the mysterious 'recorded by' credit.

What does this mean in this situation exactly?

Not sure, seems a bit undefined. Did he just press the record button? It probably means co-producer.

So far, apart from buying the single, I've managed to steer clear of you tube and amazon clips. Just found out I get next Tuesday off for the Queen's Jubilee. Nice I can spend the whole day listening to the album. God bless you maam!

The Paley tracks to my mind would have been the best BW solo album he's done, period .

...because it's unreleased.  If TLOS was unreleased, you'd be saying IT'S the best album he ever did.

quote]

......or maybe I just prefer the Paley sessions, personal taste n'all that. I love TLOS it's a damned fine album.

The Paley tracks to my mind would have been the best BW solo album he's done, period . I'd prefer an official archive release as is though rather than further recording and a release as a new BB's album.

The difficult truth is that Brian had less involvement with many Paley sessions tracks -- as songwriter and producer -- than he did with his solo work before or after that time. People simply prefee Paley's impression of BW than BW's actual creations.

To me it's not a question of assessing how much Brians involved, just how good or rather how much I like the album.

The Paley tracks to my mind would have been the best BW solo album he's done, period .

...because it's unreleased.  If TLOS was unreleased, you'd be saying IT'S the best album he ever did.

quote]
......or maybe I just prefer the Paley sessions, personal taste n'all that. I love TLOS it's a damned fine album.

The Paley tracks to my mind would have been the best BW solo album he's done, period . I'd prefer an official archive release as is though rather than further recording and a release as a new BB's album.

and Bob Dylan haven't recorded a song in many decades that can even hold a candle to the worst one on this album.

Have another listen to Modern Times.

and Love and Theft!

To me, 'Village Green Preservation Society', 'Arthur' and 'Muswell Hillbillies' are their three masterpieces. Though very different, they are all incredible pieces of music that I could listen forever to.

'Face To Face', 'Something Else' and 'Lola' are very good, too, but, IMO, not in the same league as the three mentioned above.

I'm still working on their other albums. Is anyone familiar with their post 'Sleepwalker' work? Is there something worth checking?

I love Misfits and all their 80's stuff (though I struggle with Think Visual)!

Their initial 80's run is awesome, to my ears, and there are so many serious gems (Art Lover, National Health etc etc) to be found!

Yup Misfits is even better than Sleepwalker. Give the People What they want is a great rock record.

[didn't]

A question to the OP:  when was the last time The Beach Boys actually did anything that didn't make you squirm?  I have no idea how you could've expected this Celebration tour to be limited of some of the things you've apparently grown to despise (surfing songs, car songs, surfboards in pictures)?  The Wal-Mart deal?  Who the hell cares?  It's not like they're releasing the actual album directly though Wal-mart..it's some promo magazine with a sampler CD.  Big whoop.  

They nearly made the Paley sessions into an album. Retro sounding music that was still artistically interesting. Soul Searching and YSAM are pretty good. I like the live version of Summer in Paradise. I like the Stars and Stripes version of Caroline, No. I like Don't Fight the Sea.

I love the band.

And I don't hate the surf or car songs. I do, however, see them as only a chapter in the lengthy life of an ambitious and confounding band. And a compelling tour could embrace the hits and the arty stuff and reap the band both money and acclaim. And the fact that the band doesn't seem to be seeing it that way is sadly telling.

Yeh man, the big hits made them money but they only account for 3-5 years of their career, I want them to visit all worthy areas of their music, I hope the reunion covers much of their history, hit or no hit. Most of their music has artistic value (the 80's excepted). Not wanting the surf songs revisiited at the expense of everything else seems entirely reasonable to me.

My "Big Four" Stones albums would be:

1. Sticky Fingers
2. Exile On Main St
3. Some Girls
4. Tattoo You

Goats Head Soup is my personal fave though......

I agree with your top 3 but Tattoo You is one of their weakest, but hey I rate Undercover and Voodoo Lounge so what do I know.

one of their weakest? what?!

It just doesn't work for me I'm afraid. Sterile production, weak songs,  by numbers performances. It sounds like an album of outtakes, which it is.

My "Big Four" Stones albums would be:

1. Sticky Fingers
2. Exile On Main St
3. Some Girls
4. Tattoo You

Goats Head Soup is my personal fave though......

I agree with your top 3 but Tattoo You is one of their weakest, but hey I rate Undercover and Voodoo Lounge so what do I know.

Eels Blinking Lights definitely, I forgot about that one!

I liked Daisies more than Blinking Lights, myself. Granted, I've got a bias against double albums. I did like Blinking Lights, though. (I like Electro Shock Blues most, but that's the last century.)

Daises and Electro Shock are amazing albums, Eels produce the goods every time. He's a cant do wrong for doing righter!

You know, I disagree on that. I think he had a great run from Electro- through Blinking Lights, but the albums since then have been really hit and miss...and mostly miss. Some cool songs here and there, but I think he's been mining similar sounds and territory that, frankly, seem exhausted. I've still been getting every new release, but with one I ask myself whether I'm going to get the next one. One of these times, I won't.

(That's where I am with Flaming Lips and Magnetic Fields, too. Like they're on their last chance again and again.)

I take your point he has mainly been covering old ground since blinking lights but I love Hombre Lobo and the others are solid enjoyable albums despite not breaking new ground. Have you heard his MC Honky album, worth a listen.

EELS: my 2nd favourite band/artist after the Beach Boys. But okay, that's another thread.

(By the way, wouldn't you love to hear Mr Everett tackle some Dennis Wilsons songs? Little Bird seems like an EELS track, anyway. And I could think of some more.)

Motherf*cker owe's a huge debt to Dennis. I can hear him singing that one.