Which albums have a perfect flow and/or have no filler at all?

[Nicko1234]

I think the first album not to have any intentional filler is Pet Sounds. All of the albums from then until Holland I think the band members actually tried their best on (apart from Brian maybe). After that, you could argue that including songs from 1970 on Love You and 15BO constitutes filler. From MIU to BB85 I don't think there's anything too fillery (lots of bad songs though) but I think Al has been quoted as saying that Santa Ana Winds was seen to be just that. SC obviously has the oldies whilst SIP, despite its naffness, doesn't have any songs intended just to take up time I think.

[MaxL]

SIP, despite its naffness, doesn't have any songs intended just to take up time I think.

I'll second that. In addition I also think SIP flows quite well (except for maybe one song that shall remain nameless). I actually enjoy SIP. Now, providing people aren't getting ready to brandish pitchforks and torches, I'll continue.

I think Holland is rather filler-less, but it's flow (to me) is compromised somewhat by Leaving This Town. Doesn't detract from the album though. Are we counting S&S? Oh I do wish more people would count S&S (seriously, torches away). Though in S&S's case it's not really so much about filler as the choice of songs.

I honestly don't think 20/20 has any filler and it flows well for me, variety is always nice.

[Mike's Beard]

SIP, despite its naffness, doesn't have any songs intended just to take up time I think.

Hmmmm. Does raise the interesting question as to what type of song could be classified as filler on an album that is basically shite from start to finish?

[drbeachboy]

SIP, despite its naffness, doesn't have any songs intended just to take up time I think.

Hmmmm. Does raise the interesting question as to what type of song could be classified as filler on an album that is basically shite from start to finish?

Why does every single conversation here denigrate to this level of response?

[hypehat]

I saw nothing wrong with that? It's hardly a controversial opinion to have!

[drbeachboy]

I saw nothing wrong with that? It's hardly a controversial opinion to have!

Well, I did. We're talking flow and filler, and all he adds is his last five words. Those five words add absolutely nothing to the topic.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Pet Sounds
Friends
Sunflower
So Tough
Holland


Today - except Big Daddy session

Summer Days - except Then I Kissed Her and Bugged at my old Man

Wild Honey - except Mama Says

Surfs Up - except Take a Load off and Student Demo

Love You - except Ding Dang

LA Light - except Shortnin Bread

Keep the Summer Alive

I'm just wondering: Do you mean these LPs would flow perfectly without those songs, or that those songs are filler? 

I meant that they are filler. 20/20 is full of good songs, but it doesn't flow well. Summer in Paradise, 15 Big Ones, and BB85 all have a better flow. A flow of low quality. I should have also said TM on the Friends album.

[Mike's Beard]

I saw nothing wrong with that? It's hardly a controversial opinion to have!

Well, I did. We're talking flow and filler, and all he adds is his last five words. Those five words add absolutely nothing to the topic.

Sorry if I offended you Mr. Stamos.

[hypehat]

Now THAT'S offensive 

[drbeachboy]

I saw nothing wrong with that? It's hardly a controversial opinion to have!

Well, I did. We're talking flow and filler, and all he adds is his last five words. Those five words add absolutely nothing to the topic.

Sorry if I offended you Mr. Stamos.

What a dickwad! Stay on topic, thanks.

[bgas]

I saw nothing wrong with that? It's hardly a controversial opinion to have!

Well, I did. We're talking flow and filler, and all he adds is his last five words. Those five words add absolutely nothing to the topic.

Sorry if I offended you Mr. Stamos.

Wow, That's cool!  John Stamos is posting as drbeachboy ? 
Who else might be using a nom de plume here,  to say things for which they might otherwise be castized?

[Mike's Beard]

I saw nothing wrong with that? It's hardly a controversial opinion to have!

Well, I did. We're talking flow and filler, and all he adds is his last five words. Those five words add absolutely nothing to the topic.

Sorry if I offended you Mr. Stamos.

What a dickwad! Stay on topic, thanks.

That's a tad harsh. I'd love to share your view on Summer In Paradise, but alas, I can't get my head that far up my backside.

[Jeff]

I had to take exception to some of this list - filler, no chance!

I count at least 66 filler tracks, just thru '73


Noble Surfer (The first true Beach Boys song)

The Rocking Surfer (That B3 bass line is the most fantastic thing ever recorded, what a vibe)


Ballad Of Ole'Betsy (Those harmonies)

Pom-Pom Play Girl (Contains some of the Greatest chord changes ever)

And Your Dream Comes True !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, I know it's all about personal choice, but why are you even a fan?

I'm a music fan, and the Beach Boys made some of the best pop music ever.

But they also put out a lot of really bad music, and I don't think that being a fan of the good stuff requires being a fan of the bad stuff.

The thing is Jeff, for a lot of us, many of those bad music filler tracks are not bad at all. Actually, you even have a few 45 single songs on the list, and in the correct definition of filler, fail the test. I know that most of your list is your own opinion, but I feel bad for you that you must suffer through so much insufferable music. You must have wasted a considerable fortune when buying albums, with all that filler on them. Hopefully, the 45 will make a comeback.

I think the only post-1962 A-side on my list is Bluebirds Over the Mountain.  I suppose you're right that it isn't really filler ... but IMO it's barely listenable except for the short tag.

No need to feel bad for me, because while all of the two-fers contain filler, most of them also contain a number of good songs.  I actually bought several of them twice (1990 version and then 2001 version), so I knew what I was getting the second time.

And of course, with the magic of CDRs, Squeezebox, etc., it's easy to create homemade comps that weed out the filler.

[Jeff]

And, to be honest I hate to admit that I've tended to consider I'm Waiting For The Day and I Know There's an Answer on PS as filler, though, I guess in comparison to GOK, DT (PYHOMS), WIBN etc. its easy for them to seem inferior.

Hey Jeff, if you fancy compiling a list of filler tracks from post '73 I'd love to see it! 

Post-73 is a lot tougher for me, because IMO the band changed what it was trying to do.  Other than Love You and a few other interesting songs, they started going for the quick 'n easy hit like Rock and Roll Music, which I think is terrible, but reached No. 5.  And post-1980, it was more Beach Boys Tribute Band than Beach Boys, but you can't really call Kokomo filler.

As for what I like: Had to Phone Ya, Just Once in My Life, My Diane, Everybody Wants to Live, Baby Blue, Angel Come Home, Good Timin', Love Surrounds Me, the demos of It's Over Now and Still I Dream of It, and all of Love You except Love Is a Woman.

[punkinhead]

And, to be honest I hate to admit that I've tended to consider I'm Waiting For The Day and I Know There's an Answer on PS as filler, though, I guess in comparison to GOK, DT (PYHOMS), WIBN etc. its easy for them to seem inferior.

Hey Jeff, if you fancy compiling a list of filler tracks from post '73 I'd love to see it! 

Post-73 is a lot tougher for me, because IMO the band changed what it was trying to do.  Other than Love You and a few other interesting songs, they started going for the quick 'n easy hit like Rock and Roll Music, which I think is terrible, but reached No. 5.  And post-1980, it was more Beach Boys Tribute Band than Beach Boys, but you can't really call Kokomo filler.

As for what I like: Had to Phone Ya, Just Once in My Life, My Diane, Everybody Wants to Live, Baby Blue, Angel Come Home, Good Timin', Love Surrounds Me, the demos of It's Over Now and Still I Dream of It, and all of Love You except Love Is a Woman.

that'd be one hell of an album.

[smile-holland]

I saw nothing wrong with that? It's hardly a controversial opinion to have!

Well, I did. We're talking flow and filler, and all he adds is his last five words. Those five words add absolutely nothing to the topic.

Sorry if I offended you Mr. Stamos.

What a dickwad! Stay on topic, thanks.

drbeachboy, if we have to filter out all replies that are (partly) off-topic, then we'd have a 24/7 job here. And may I remind you of certain rules regarding name-calling? Totally unnecesary; I'm sure you're able to find better words to express you don't agree.

[drbeachboy]

And what if I took being called John Stamos as the ultimate insult? What if I just happen to be John Stamos and my name is used to insult people? I/He sang on that fabulous album.

[MBE]

I think the first album not to have any intentional filler is Pet Sounds. All of the albums from then until Holland I think the band members actually tried their best on (apart from Brian maybe). After that, you could argue that including songs from 1970 on Love You and 15BO constitutes filler. From MIU to BB85 I don't think there's anything too fillery (lots of bad songs though) but I think Al has been quoted as saying that Santa Ana Winds was seen to be just that. SC obviously has the oldies whilst SIP, despite its naffness, doesn't have any songs intended just to take up time I think.

I think Brian tried his best during that 67-72 time but by 1972 he couldn't do what he had as recently as 1970. Look at it this way he was a full time studio Beach Boy through Friends. 20/20 half there, Sunflower 90 percent there, Surf's Up about 80 percent there (if not nearly as active writing wise) and around a third there for So Tough and Holland. I see it as Brian controlling if and when he would work with the group. By 1976 it seems like things were forced out of him and then I think in terms of The Beach Boys he wasn't always giving it his best from 1976-96 in the studio or on stage. Before that it was just his slowly worsenening depression, mental issues, and drug addiction. Certainly they all played a role later (a much bigger one as they got worse) but I feel in a way Brian kind of gave up after his dad died. He's done some great work since then but I think when he lost his voice something special was gone forever.

[Nicko1234]

I think Brian tried his best during that 67-72 time but by 1972 he couldn't do what he had as recently as 1970. Look at it this way he was a full time studio Beach Boy through Friends. 20/20 half there, Sunflower 90 percent there, Surf's Up about 80 percent there (if not nearly as active writing wise) and around a third there for So Tough and Holland. I see it as Brian controlling if and when he would work with the group. By 1976 it seems like things were forced out of him and then I think in terms of The Beach Boys he wasn't always giving it his best from 1976-96 in the studio or on stage. Before that it was just his slowly worsenening depression, mental issues, and drug addiction. Certainly they all played a role later (a much bigger one as they got worse) but I feel in a way Brian kind of gave up after his dad died. He's done some great work since then but I think when he lost his voice something special was gone forever.

I guess it depends on what is meant by the term, 'trying one's best'. Within the contraints of the mental problems that he had he probably did try his best. But with something like Smiley Smile I don't think that many could claim that he was genuinely trying to record those songs to the best of his ability. It actually sounds like an album rush recorded in order to appease the label and you could claim that there is more filler on that album than on something like SIP. That has nothing to do with song quality but everything to do with the idea that Brian was hurrying to complete songs to get any old album out.

[MBE]

Yes Smiley is far from their best LP but I have a 1968 Brian interview with J. Marks and he talks about how much fun these sessions were for him and the group. Listen to the outtakes and you really do hear a nice upbeat vibe. Granted I do feel they wanted just to get an album out, but I think right or wrong it really was what Brian wanted to do with the songs at that point.

[bgas]

And what if I took being called John Stamos as the ultimate insult?

I think Mike Love would take sue you!

[punkinhead]

Smiley would be perfect up to Good Vibrations which blows everything outta the water on SS...If the GV rehearsal from Lei'd in Hawaii were in the single version's place on SS, then SS would have the perfect album flow.

[Mike's Beard]

And what if I took being called John Stamos as the ultimate insult?

I think Mike Love would take sue you!

How could calling someone John Stamos be regarded as an insult? I love John Stamos. He's easily my ninth or tenth favourite Beach Boy.

[drbeachboy]

And what if I took being called John Stamos as the ultimate insult?

I think Mike Love would take sue you!

How could calling someone John Stamos be regarded as an insult? I love John Stamos. He's easily my ninth or tenth favourite Beach Boy.

I said "What If", not that I was, though I could've been. You and I both know how you meant it, don't we? Also, my apologies to you for calling you a name. Sometimes this place just gets me all riled up and I overreact.

[Mike's Beard]

No worries, I've been called worse.