What studio album is the third pillar?

[Disney Boy (1985)]

It seriously bugs me when the early albums get written off. Yes, Surfin' Safari is far from great (although they were basically kids when they made it don't forget...) and Surfin' USA has too many instrumentals (although the non-instrumentals are all great), aside from that i'd say they're all terrific albums.

Surfer Girl - aside from the throwaway Surfers Stomp, from start to finish a great album, with a solid 3 or 4 outright classics

Little Deuce Coupe - all of the new material is at the very least pleasant, and often fantastic (Custom Machine, Spirit of America)

Shut Down Vol 2 - aside from some occasional obvious filler, an album most bands would kill for: Fun Fun Fun, Dont Worry Baby, In The Parkin Lot, The Warmth Of The Sun, Why Do Fools..., Keep An Eye On Summer. And Carl's songwriting debut rocks!

All Summer Long - John Stebbins is right: one of their best!

The problem for the BB's is that their very best material is SO good that everything else gets overlooked!

Um, what copy of Surfer Girl do you have?

I was going to pretend i had a special limited edition must-have edition worth hundreds, but no - i meant South Bay Surfer, not Surfer's Stomp.

[mammy blue]

My personal 3 pillars would be Smile, Pet Sounds and Friends.

In terms of the general musical listening universe? Let's be honest here. It's probably All Summer Long, Today! and Pet Sounds. Smile is a great "what if" that didn't become an official, tangible release for the majority of the general public until 44 years after the fact.

Or, we could do it this way. Don't limit me to studio albums, and let's look way into the future, post 2011. Make it Endless Summer (or a better, all intensive early years comp that covers the same bases), Pet Sounds and Smile.

[Puggal]

In terms of the general musical listening universe? Let's be honest here. It's probably All Summer Long, Today! and Pet Sounds. 

I'd say for the general listeners, the "pillars" are Pet Sounds and a decent hits compilation like Sounds of Summer. The Beach Boys are considered a "one (good) album wonder" by most people, it seems.

My three favorites would have to be:
Pet Sounds
Smile (2004)
Smiley Smile

[The Heartical Don]

U2 matters not...


the answer is Love You.

I tend to agree. It is so out there... it's their punk/garage/minimalist album, and one of  the few albums ever made where the flaws actually make it greater than the sum of its parts.

Can't think of a similar trick pulled off by any other one of the biggest bands.

Beatles? Stones? Byrds? Nope.

[Newguy562]

U2 matters not...


the answer is Love You.

I tend to agree. It is so out there... it's their punk/garage/minimalist album, and one of  the few albums ever made where the flaws actually make it greater than the sum of its parts.

Can't think of a similar trick pulled off by any other one of the biggest bands.

Beatles? Stones? Byrds? Nope.

their satanic majesties request ..