Twofer polls #11: Keepin' The Summer Alive vs. The Beach Boys (85)

[rogerlancelot]

I wonder if on a Chicago message board somewhere, they are doing a Chicago 18 vs. Chicago 19 poll.

Nothing "does it" for me after Chicago XI personally. After Terry Kath was gone, why bother?

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I voted on KTSA because I like the overall sound of it better. I enjoy about half of the songs. I don't like the 80's sound on '85 (I was born in 1972 and grew up in the 80's but didn't listen to the current pop music then) so it gets little to no play for me. No apologies.

[punkinhead]

How about this for a hypothetical BB85 alternative:

1] Chasin' The Sky [Always thought this was album worthy]
2] Getcha Back [Obviously has to be here]
3] It's Gettin' Late
4] Crack At Your Love
5] Maybe I Don't Know [I don't care, I love this one  ]
6] She Believes in Love Again
7] Oh, Lord [If Brian had finished the 1984 recording of it]
8] And I Always Will [I don't know what state of completion the 1985 recording of this is in, but I'm sure it could have been done]
9] Where I Belong
10] California Dreamin'
11] Are You Real [Yeah, the Dennis song, I think this could have been either remixed and tidied up by the boys, similar to how George Harrison remixed "That's The Way It Goes" for the 12" of "When We Was Fab", or re-recorded as a tribute to Dennis]

The remaining six tracks could be spread across B-Sides and version exclusive releases.

And I Always Will was written that long ago?

[TimeToGetAlone]

Coming off a fresh listen of both of these, I had to give the vote to the Beach Boys '85.   The production on both is questionable at best, but I think '85 has a higher quantity of enjoyable songs.

Where I Belong
Goin' On
Getcha Back
It's Gettin' Late
Male Ego
Endless Harmony
I Do Love You
Livin' With A Heartache
Oh Darlin'
Santa Ana Winds
Keepin' the Summer Alive
Maybe I Don't Know
California Calling
Sunshine
Passing Friend
I'm So Lonely
It's Just a Matter of Time
When Girls Get Together
She Believes in Love Again
Crack At Your Love
Some of Your Love
School Days (Ring! Ring! Goes the Bell)

[Matt H]

How about this for a hypothetical BB85 alternative:

1] Chasin' The Sky [Always thought this was album worthy]
2] Getcha Back [Obviously has to be here]
3] It's Gettin' Late
4] Crack At Your Love
5] Maybe I Don't Know [I don't care, I love this one  ]
6] She Believes in Love Again
7] Oh, Lord [If Brian had finished the 1984 recording of it]
8] And I Always Will [I don't know what state of completion the 1985 recording of this is in, but I'm sure it could have been done]
9] Where I Belong
10] California Dreamin'
11] Are You Real [Yeah, the Dennis song, I think this could have been either remixed and tidied up by the boys, similar to how George Harrison remixed "That's The Way It Goes" for the 12" of "When We Was Fab", or re-recorded as a tribute to Dennis]

The remaining six tracks could be spread across B-Sides and version exclusive releases.

Anyone know the status of the Carl song "Down By The Pier" from this era?  Was it ever finished?

[bluesno1fann]

The Beach Boys 1985 hands down!!!

Maybe I Don't Know, Getcha Back, I Do Love You, She Believes In Love Again, It's Gettin' Late, etc. All great songs!

How Keepin' The Summer Alive is ahead I'll never understand.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

The Beach Boys is light years ahead of Keepin' the Summer Alive - it's so blatantly obviously a better album in every single respect, how is it 2nd??

[bluesno1fann]

The Beach Boys is light years ahead of Keepin' the Summer Alive - it's so blatantly obviously a better album in every single respect, how is it 2nd??

Agreed. So underrated it makes me sad.

KTSA has the title track, and maybe Endless Harmony.

The Beach Boys on the other hand have so many great songs, including the brilliant Maybe I Don't Know!

[bluesno1fann]

I like or love every song on BB'85.

With the exception of It's Just A Matter of Time, me too.
Some albums go well with repeated playings, I think this is one of them.

In case of my ears - with the exception of Passing Friend, though I respect that you (and some others) like it. As for your 2nd sentiment, I liked BB85 at 1st play after finding this record, not after repeated listens.

I loved Maybe I Don't Know and She Believes In Love Again from the first listen. The rest of the tracks I currently like or love, it came with repeated listens

[Tony S]

I'd go for '85 easily, one of the last great Beach Boys tracks in Where I Belong....Carl and Al both shine, and why it's never been included in any Best Of or Box Set compilation is beyond me.

[Lowbacca]

It's 51 vs. 52 votes right now..!
To me, it's clearly The Beach Boys. Great songs on there. Theoretically one of their best post-late60s/early70s, regrettably marred by the horribly dated production style. Still, an enjoyable LP. More so than KTSA - at least to me.

[startBBtoday]

I picked '85, but I actually think that album could have used another Mike Love song, as crazy as that sounds.

"She Believes In Love Again" is one of my favorite Bruce songs. I think I like it because his voice isn't as syrupy, sugary sweet as it usually is. It's more like those "raw" sugar packets.