If You Could Choose One Post Pet Sounds Album For A New Listener To Check Out...

[Outtasight!]

I introduced my partner to The Beach Boys the other day by showing him stuff from Adult/Child. He loved it.

He may be an exception though, he loves Dean Martin people like him.

To a regular music listener, probably Holland for progressive fans or BB85 for pop/rock fans (The 85 album is a strong pop album to anyone less critical discerning than Beach Boys fans, I've turned a few people on to them using this one)

Do not play BB85 to anyone, unless you want to get rid of them!

what about getcha back? or i do love you? those are good

They're average songs and they sound horrible and the rest are well below par, though I do enjoy Male Ego. That album is unlikely to entice anyone into the wonderful world of the BB's.

male ego is so scary and sounds so un-cool and "old" i can picture a great grandfather singing it on the balcony or something smh

I can accept that, there's nothing remotely cool about BB 85. I still listen to Male Ego though occasionally and enjoy it. The rest I'll pass on.

I Do Love You is one of the best bb songs to ever be recorded...harmonica by stevie wonder and carl singing his heart out..how could you not love that?

"One of the best", c'mon I could name 100 better than that. If you like it though I can go with that. Enjoy!

[hypehat]

Male Ego rocks - Carl's backing part is amazing and thee track kicks off. I'd also rep for It's Getting Late off that record too, Carl's vocals are amazing on that. The rest of the record,  well, eh.

I'd pick Friends myself. It's such a charming album.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

You should try K. 504... or K. 626... or K. 581....

Don't worry, I understood.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

I've turned my brother, sister and several friends into BB fans via Surf's Up. Yeah not every song works (I'm thinking of you, Student Demo Time) but the album shows the BB's at their experimental, daring best and songs such as Feel Flows and Lookin at Tomorrow and Long promised Road are, I think, revelations for those (such as my bro, sis and mates) who'd previously considered the band a good-time pop group only. My brother in particular is now a fanatic, having even forked out for the SMiLE boxset.

[Outtasight!]

Yeh got to agree Surf's Up's probably the best album for getting people into the band. It's got it all. It was the one that got my brother into them. Failing that I tend to think Brians solo debut or BWPS might be gateway albums. A couple of people I know have worked their way back from those into the BB's work.

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

I was thinking over this question yesterday, and I would like to suggest Carl & The Passions-So Tough. It kicks off with a rockin', guitar heavy song, goes into the early 70s vibe of Here She Comes, has the rollicking He Comes Down, the always fun and funky Marcella. Hold On Dear Brother has an Exile on Main Street-type sound, very stirring for me, followed by a very representative, powerful  Dennis ballad with Make it Good. All This That has vocal excellence and a mellow feel. Finish up with comforting, haunting romanticism of Cuddle Up.

I never skip any tracks, and don't consider any of it to be filler. It's the Beach Boys at their most versatile and least trite (although He Come Down has the hokey religious stuff, the chorus makes up for it). It fits in well with the period it was released in, and is very accessible. Might be my favorite BB album of all time, actually.

[Amanda Hart]

Male Ego rocks - Carl's backing part is amazing and thee track kicks off. I'd also rep for It's Getting Late off that record too, Carl's vocals are amazing on that. The rest of the record,  well, eh.

I'd pick Friends myself. It's such a charming album.

I agree with everything here, Hypehat. Male Ego and It's Getting Late, along with Where I Belong are the only songs I like to listen to from BB85. I also was just talking with a friend who knows a little about Smile, and I played him Friends, he totally loved it. I'm hoping to ease the rest of catalog on him bit by bit.

[drbeachboy]

Male Ego rocks - Carl's backing part is amazing and thee track kicks off. I'd also rep for It's Getting Late off that record too, Carl's vocals are amazing on that. The rest of the record,  well, eh.

I'd pick Friends myself. It's such a charming album.

I agree with everything here, Hypehat. Male Ego and It's Getting Late, along with Where I Belong are the only songs I like to listen to from BB85. I also was just talking with a friend who knows a little about Smile, and I played him Friends, he totally loved it. I'm hoping to ease the rest of catalog on him bit by bit.

On of my other favorites on BB85 is Maybe I Don't Know. I know it is a little slick musically, but Carl's vocal is terrific and I like the way he changes how he sings the chorus each time through.

[Jimmie_R]

yeah you shoulda gone with Wild Honey or Friends. or both!

i might've made a mistake by going with sunflower huh?

No, I guess she just doesn´t like The Beach Boys..

[phirnis]

I was thinking over this question yesterday, and I would like to suggest Carl & The Passions-So Tough. It kicks off with a rockin', guitar heavy song, goes into the early 70s vibe of Here She Comes, has the rollicking He Comes Down, the always fun and funky Marcella. Hold On Dear Brother has an Exile on Main Street-type sound, very stirring for me, followed by a very representative, powerful  Dennis ballad with Make it Good. All This That has vocal excellence and a mellow feel. Finish up with comforting, haunting romanticism of Cuddle Up.

I never skip any tracks, and don't consider any of it to be filler. It's the Beach Boys at their most versatile and least trite (although He Come Down has the hokey religious stuff, the chorus makes up for it). It fits in well with the period it was released in, and is very accessible. Might be my favorite BB album of all time, actually.

CATP is one of my favorites and giving it to someone as an introduction should be rather interesting! It may seem like a rather untypical album but when you think about it it reflects the individual group members' personalities quite well (as does Holland, which even has Brian working on a more avantgarde project apart from the other guys' plans).

[MaxL]

I was thinking over this question yesterday, and I would like to suggest Carl & The Passions-So Tough. It kicks off with a rockin', guitar heavy song, goes into the early 70s vibe of Here She Comes, has the rollicking He Comes Down, the always fun and funky Marcella. Hold On Dear Brother has an Exile on Main Street-type sound, very stirring for me, followed by a very representative, powerful  Dennis ballad with Make it Good. All This That has vocal excellence and a mellow feel. Finish up with comforting, haunting romanticism of Cuddle Up.

I never skip any tracks, and don't consider any of it to be filler. It's the Beach Boys at their most versatile and least trite (although He Come Down has the hokey religious stuff, the chorus makes up for it). It fits in well with the period it was released in, and is very accessible. Might be my favorite BB album of all time, actually.

CATP is one of my favorites and giving it to someone as an introduction should be rather interesting! It may seem like a rather untypical album but when you think about it it reflects the individual group members' personalities quite well (as does Holland, which even has Brian working on a more avantgarde project apart from the other guys' plans).

CATP was the third BB's album I heard in it's entirety, after Pet Sounds and MIU. My introduction to the band was strange.

[phirnis]

I was thinking over this question yesterday, and I would like to suggest Carl & The Passions-So Tough. It kicks off with a rockin', guitar heavy song, goes into the early 70s vibe of Here She Comes, has the rollicking He Comes Down, the always fun and funky Marcella. Hold On Dear Brother has an Exile on Main Street-type sound, very stirring for me, followed by a very representative, powerful  Dennis ballad with Make it Good. All This That has vocal excellence and a mellow feel. Finish up with comforting, haunting romanticism of Cuddle Up.

I never skip any tracks, and don't consider any of it to be filler. It's the Beach Boys at their most versatile and least trite (although He Come Down has the hokey religious stuff, the chorus makes up for it). It fits in well with the period it was released in, and is very accessible. Might be my favorite BB album of all time, actually.

CATP is one of my favorites and giving it to someone as an introduction should be rather interesting! It may seem like a rather untypical album but when you think about it it reflects the individual group members' personalities quite well (as does Holland, which even has Brian working on a more avantgarde project apart from the other guys' plans).

CATP was the third BB's album I heard in it's entirety, after Pet Sounds and MIU. My introduction to the band was strange.

Indeed it was! What did you think about those two (MIU and CATP) initially?

[Liamo]

mmm.. must check out I Do love you again.
It's not my favourite post Pet Sounds album but the one that seems to make the best impression on non Beach Boys fans is Carl & The Passions. Not sure why but it's been my experience.

[MaxL]

CATP is one of my favorites and giving it to someone as an introduction should be rather interesting! It may seem like a rather untypical album but when you think about it it reflects the individual group members' personalities quite well (as does Holland, which even has Brian working on a more avantgarde project apart from the other guys' plans).

CATP was the third BB's album I heard in it's entirety, after Pet Sounds and MIU. My introduction to the band was strange.

Indeed it was! What did you think about those two (MIU and CATP) initially?

I enjoyed them and thought they were very different to PS and the hits, but since I didn't have any other BB albums to compare them to I just assumed they were what was to be expected from the rest of their canon. I was younger then

[Liamo]

Perhaps some people who aren't usually receptive to the BBs are put off by the falsetto harmonies which are so prominent on their other albums. CATP vocals are a bit more understated although still beautiful (All this is that)

[Disney Boy (1985)]

In the process of converting a female friend at work into a BB fan. Her tastes are so SAFE, trying to broaden her mind a bit. Have started with the Today!/Summer Days... two-fer which went down a treat! She requested to keep it for longer for extra listens. Next up Friends/20/20 and Pet Sounds. Then gradually gonna work towards the more avant-garde stuff...

[feelflows]

Y'know, the only full album I would sit a new fan down with is Pet Sounds.  If I'm trying to convert someone to fandom, I don't want them hearing any throwaway tracks, and although others may disagree, I think every post PS album has at least 1 or two of those.

I realize I'm cheating, but I'd edit down the Sunflower/Surf's Up twofer.  Trim the fat, and the better tracks on those two albums represent some of their absolute best material.

[Newguy562]

mmm.. must check out I Do love you again.
It's not my favourite post Pet Sounds album but the one that seems to make the best impression on non Beach Boys fans is Carl & The Passions. Not sure why but it's been my experience.

please check it out it was one of the songs that made me realize the beach boys werent washed up completely by the 80's

[Heysaboda]

Which album would it be?(An over-all album that has a Beach Boys feel to it..to show that even after everything happened they still had it.) I'm about to do an experiment

I suggest The Byrds Notorious Byrds Brothers........ very Beach Boys feel, but psychedelic!

[SMiLE Brian]

Which album would it be?(An over-all album that has a Beach Boys feel to it..to show that even after everything happened they still had it.) I'm about to do an experiment

I suggest The Byrds Notorious Byrds Brothers........ very Beach Boys feel, but psychedelic!

wonderful album that would have godly if the byrds didn't implode.

[Heysaboda]

You should try K. 504... or K. 626... or K. 581....

.... except these aren't post Pet Sounds, Wolfgang being long gone........

[Outtasight!]

Which album would it be?(An over-all album that has a Beach Boys feel to it..to show that even after everything happened they still had it.) I'm about to do an experiment

I suggest The Byrds Notorious Byrds Brothers........ very Beach Boys feel, but psychedelic!

wonderful album that would have godly if the byrds didn't implode.

One of the greatest albums ever made. I don't find it in anyway reminicent of the Beach Boys but it is utterly magnificent in every way.

[Liamo]

mmm.. must check out I Do love you again.
It's not my favourite post Pet Sounds album but the one that seems to make the best impression on non Beach Boys fans is Carl & The Passions. Not sure why but it's been my experience.

please check it out it was one of the songs that made me realize the beach boys werent washed up completely by the 80's

true, a very nice track. Not sure why it passed me by to begin with. Think their 80s stuff left me a little cold - they didn't put out that much good stuff in the 80s but then who did?

[Newguy562]

mmm.. must check out I Do love you again.
It's not my favourite post Pet Sounds album but the one that seems to make the best impression on non Beach Boys fans is Carl & The Passions. Not sure why but it's been my experience.

please check it out it was one of the songs that made me realize the beach boys werent washed up completely by the 80's

true, a very nice track. Not sure why it passed me by to begin with. Think their 80s stuff left me a little cold - they didn't put out that much good stuff in the 80s but then who did?

the only people i listen to that was strong in the 80's were...the smiths,michael jackson,prince,the cure,even a little bit of the rolling stones (my guilty pleasure) lol

[Disney Boy (1985)]

it's one of the four decent tracks on BB 85 - the others being Male Ego, It's Gettin' Late and Where I Belong. The rest, unfortunately, is utter guff. Crazy how much Timothy White raves about BB 85 in his Newest Faraway Place book. 'Almost as good as Sunflower' - methinks not.