What was your biggest influence while making No Pier Pressure?

Thank you for everything!

My copies of Friends and Love You came in the mail yesterday, and I'm not much of an audiophile but they both sound a whole lot better than my old CD/mp3 copies. Friends in particular is a revelation, the difference in sound quality is huge. It may take some getting used to, since the lo-fi audio is part of the album's charm for me, but I love it. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

No Please Let Me Wonder OR This Whole World? Those were two of my absolute highlights! Can't complain too much though, that's a pretty good track list overall.

This was really, really difficult.

13. Sloop John B - Mainly because it just doesn't fit in on the album as well as all the others. That being said, it's still a fantastic way to close Side 1.
12. Pet Sounds - Great instrumental. I love the percussion especially.
11. Here Today - Ugh this is where it gets difficult haha. The instrumental bit's one of my favorite moments on the album.
10. I Know There's An Answer - I think I prefer Hang On to Your Ego, but still excellent.
9. I'm Waiting For the Day - The strings towards the end blow my mind every time.
8. That's Not Me - Love the lyrics, and one of Mike's best vocals.
7. Let's Go Away For Awhile - Easily my favorite instrumental.
6. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times - Can't believe I'm putting this so low.
5. You Still Believe In Me - That melody. That ending.
4. Caroline, No - Incredibly beautiful, and some of my favorite lyrics.
3. Don't Talk - Extremely underrated, and gorgeous.
2. Wouldn't It Be Nice - Perfect in every way, and never fails to cheer me up.
1. God Only Knows - My favorite song, period.

Wow, really? I don't recall reading about someone liking Surf's Up album. The song - maybe, but not the entire record. Anyhow, thanks for the info, I. Spaceman! That's very cool to have the same musical preference (even if it's minor) with the famous artist since I also like that album.

I saw him with Crazy Horse earlier this week, and one of the shirts at the merch table has the Surf's Up cover art on it, so I can confirm this. I bought it of course. There's a picture of it here.

Long time lurker, first time posting! This board has always been the only place I can turn to for my Beach Boys obsession, since the only person I know who’s really into them is my dad. I figured this is as good a time to actually join as any, and here's my review fwiw. Hi everyone.

Think About the Days – Beautiful song, but it just seems out of place on the album – TWGMTR would’ve made a fine opener, and the transition between the two is a bit rough. It should’ve opened the ending suite instead. 8/10

TWGMTR – This one’s really growing on me, and feels the most like a classic Beach Boys song on the album. I still don’t care for the bridge though. 7.5/10

Isn’t It Time – I love this song. It reminds me a lot of Love You, in the best possible way. One of my favorites from the album. 9/10

Spring Vacation – I love the melody on the verses. Other than that, it’s about what I expected – boring, unimaginative and too much cheese. 4/10

The Private Life of Bill and Sue – I had high hopes for this song, both from the praise Brian gave it as one of his favorites and especially after I heard Brian wrote it about reality stars – seemed like such a perfectly quirky Brian concept to me. I was completely let down though, it sounds too much like Jimmy Buffett for my liking. 3/10

Shelter – I can see this one growing on me. I keep humming the chorus, but like others I just wish Carl could’ve sang it. 6/10

Daybreak Over the Ocean – Love the “bring back my baby” refrain, dislike almost everything else. 4/10

Beaches in Mind – Just terrible. 1/10

Strange World – Decent enough, but kinda boring and I feel like I’ve heard it before. 6/10
From There to Back Again – Easily the best track on the album, and infinitely better than anything I could’ve expected from it.  Sounds exactly like I want 21st century Beach Boys to sound, with a perfect balance of melancholy/joy, and oh God that second half. 10/10

Pacific Coast Highway – I love it, but I know that it’s incomplete – I see it as part of a larger whole, and I really hope we get to hear that whole sometime soon.  9/10

Summer’s Gone – The first couple times I heard this I just couldn’t get into it – it was too long and repetitive.  After more listens and some thought, though, it’s really growing on me and it’s a very fitting and heartbreaking end to the album. I especially love the strings around 3:30.   8.5/10

Overall, it’s easily the best album since Love You. Much better than I expected, and I can even recommend it to people! (With the exception of a couple of tracks)   7.5/10