M.I.U vs L.A.

[EgoHanger1966]

M.I.U, big time. She's Got Rhythm, Hey Little Tomboy, Sweet Sunday Kinda Love...good stuff! I even like Matchpoint.

I like Good Timin' but the rest of LA doesn't do much for me.

Did you really include "Hey Little Tomboy" under the "good stuff" heading?

I sure did! It mines the same territory as "Love You" did.

Here are the songs that I like off of MIU:
She's Got Rhythm,  Hey Little Tomboy, Kona Coast, Wontcha Come Out Tonight,  Sweet Sunday Kinda Love, Pitter Patter, Matchpoint. I'm tempted to include My Diane - I do like the song, but not a fan of the vocal.

The songs I like off of LA:
Good Timin', Lady Lynda.

So, there's a clear winner for me. Believe me, I've tried with L.A, and will continue to do so, but it's not just there for me. M.I.U's songs, while cheezy and nostalgic, are not overlong, well produced,  and the drums sound awesome for a late 70s record. And, it doesn't have the disco version of Here Comes The Night.

[AndrewHickey]

LA is the last great Beach Boys album. MIU is the first truly bad Beach Boys album (15 Big Ones at least is interesting).

[EgoHanger1966]

LA is the last great Beach Boys album. MIU is the first truly bad Beach Boys album (15 Big Ones at least is interesting).

I would take a mediocre BB original over a good cover any day. That's just me, though. 15 BO, to me,  is interesting for the originals, like Had To Phone Ya and It's OK.

[Mike's Beard]

Most of MIU had no Carl, Dennis or Bruce while most of LA has no Mike, Brian or Al - everyone loses.

[busy doin nothin]

I think MIU is very solid all the way through.  It's one of my favorite albums.  My Diane, Matchpoint, and Sweet Sunday are among my favorite tracks of all time.  The album would be better with more Dennis, of course, but My Diane is one of his best vocals IMO.

On LA, I love Good Timin, Baby Blue, Love Surrounds Me, and Angel Come Home.  I like Goin South and Full Sail.  But the disco Here Comes the Night is a huge unlistenable hole in the middle of the album.  Sumahama and Lady Lynda are weak, and I do not understand Brian's obsession with Shortenin Bread.  

Obviously there is room for disagreement.  

[Mark H]

L.A has some great tracks on it but M.I.U is a more consistent listen start to finish IMO and is therefore a 'better album.'

[Jason]

When I first got heavily into the band, I preferred MIU over LA; I found the former to be much more "tuneful" than the latter. As time went on I began to find the former boring except for a few tracks, and began to love the latter. LA for sure...the last great album the band made. I'd almost have preferred if they ended at LA, rather than TWGMTR.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

On MIU there are imo 7-8 good songs, on L.A. - 3 (LL, ACH, SB). Conclusion: the winner is MIU.

Are you saying, RangeRover, that Baby Blue isn't a good song??

[keysarsoze001]

These are two albums which in my mind are almost required to be combined into one, because that's the only way you can get all six of them fairly represented. Personally it drives me up a wall that "Here Comes the Night" is on there at all. If you're going to do a disco number (which I don't object to, FWIW), at least make it a new song.

[Phoenix]

Easily two of my least favorite albums.  I even like Summer In Paradise and am well aware how bad it is.  For all the faults of Summer In Paradise (and there are PLENTY), the album is consistent (as well as consistenly bad) through out.  Mike and Terry, etc. definitely had a vision and goal.  Both MIU & LA sound like hodgepodges where the band is just going through the motions.  That's just me tho.  You're fully entitled to disagree.

[Exapno Mapcase]

I find MIU more consistent too. Most of it is crap. LA does have more genuinely good songs.

[Aum Bop Diddit]

Whichever one has "My Diane" on it.

[EgoHanger1966]

Whichever one has "My Diane" on it.

I believe that one is on the album "Pet Sounds".

[hypehat]

I wanna say L.A.

But this is like asking which shin you'd prefer to be kicked in.

[adamghost]

It does kind of get us back to if the question of if they had put a shorter version of HCTN on L.A. people would probably hold it in higher regard overall...

[Aegir]

I like "She's Got Rhythm," but the line "last night I went out disco dancing..." Somehow I just can't imagine Brian Wilson in a John Travolta-white disco suit dancing to Donna Summer or The Bee Gees! 

But, can you imagine Mike Love in a disco suit dancing to Donna Summer?

yes. obviously, yes.

he wrote it!

[Newguy562]

Nobody Likes Belles of Paris :/?

[Aegir]

Bells of Christmas is better. that 70s Christmas album is a great album.

[Newguy562]

Bells of Christmas is better. that 70s Christmas album is a great album.

yes i prefer belles of christmas too

[Music Machine]

M.I.U. has grown on me a little but I prefer L.A. for the excellent Carl and Dennis material. If you removed the overlong disco remake of Here Comes the Night and Shortnin' Bread and replaced them with some early 70's outtakes or Adult Child sessions rejects/ rewrites, you'd have yourself an excellent album.

[keysarsoze001]

Bells of Christmas is better. that 70s Christmas album is a great album.

Oh, I don't know about that. Al's stuff was pretty dire on that one. I have a soft spot for "Winter Symphony", though.

[hypehat]

M.I.U. has grown on me a little but I prefer L.A. for the excellent Carl and Dennis material. If you removed the overlong disco remake of Here Comes the Night and Shortnin' Bread and replaced them with some early 70's outtakes or Adult Child sessions rejects/ rewrites, you'd have yourself an excellent album.

I don't normally do this, but I did this. But I would never remove Shortenin' Bread.


Side 1.

1. Good Timin'
2. Baseball (It's Trying To Say)
3. Lady Lynda
4. Angel Come Home
5. Lines
6. Love Surrounds Me
7. Full Sail

Side 2

8. California Feelin'
9. Baby Blue
10. Goin' South
11. Sumahama
12. Still I Dream Of It
13. Shortenin' Bread


Howzat? You've got a album with a strong quirky Brian presence, lots of Carl and Dennis, and Al and Mike get their spots (with strategic Bruce cameo).

[Arturo Bandini]

L.A hands down and its not even close.  Some of Dennis' best and final work.  Him and Carl kill it on the album

[BillA]

LA = Dennis + Carl with limited Mike

MIU = Mike + Al with Limited Dennis & Carl

LA > MIU even with the biggest abortion in BB history

[Aum Bop Diddit]

Whichever one has "My Diane" on it.

I believe that one is on the album "Pet Sounds".

Nope, "Pet Sounds" is the album with "Cuckoo Clock."