Twofer polls #2: Sunflower vs Surf's Up

[buddhahat]

Round 2! Apologies to those overdosing on vs threads at the moment. Just a bit of fun, eh?!

I've chosen a 70s twofer again, purely because I suspect this has the potential to be another close call.

My vote goes to Surf's Up. Along with Pet Sounds it was one of the albums that reintroduced me to the group as arty music that was ok to like as a teenage Velvet Underground fan (I'd loved Made In The USA as a kid but kind of forgot about the Beach Boys in my early teens). When I first met my step dad he loaned me SU, along with Innervisions, Black & Blue and The Beatles blue box and a few others and they're all albums which hold particular sentimental value now.
 
Much that I love Sunflower, SU has a mellower, more subdued vibe (maybe bolstered by the brooding cover art) that never tires for me. I think the non BW tracks easily hold their own, with Carl and Bruce delivering their greatest imo.

I think I prefer the Brian songs here over Sunflower too, even if there are less of them. I love the melancholy of Till I Die and Tree, the latter probably my favourite from the album. The only downsides are the absence of Dennis songs, and Student Demonstration Time. Swap that for Sound Of Free and you'd have solved both these problems and created a masterpiece at the same time, but you can't have everything.

My prediction: 55% in favour of Sunflower ...

[Ovi]

Both very good albums, but I prefer 'Sunflower' myself. If some of Dennis' contributions were included on 'Surf's Up' and a longer version of 'Til I Die' would've been used, this may have been a lot harder for me to decide.

[Alan Smith]

Much that I love Sunflower, SU has a mellower, more subdued vibe (maybe bolstered by the brooding cover art) that never tires for me. I think the non BW tracks easily hold their own, especially Carl's Long Promised Road and Feel Flows which are his greatest imo. Similarly Bruce just nails it with Disney Girls.

Well said; I share this affinity for SU and find the mood well captured and consistent across most tracks.

I think SU is better sequenced, whereas TITM and OSL slow Sunflower side 2 down a bit.

[Ziggy Stardust]

I'm not gonna vote cause it's just impossible for me to decide: they are both on the same amazing quality, only difference is that they have an opposite feeling/vibe/emotion to each other.. and so that depends on my mood, sometimes i'll be more Sunflower and then my mellow side would digg more Surf's Up.

[Shady]

Although both are terrific albums,  For me Sunflower takes the cake..

The Second Dennis opens the album it's non stop magic from there..

Also, vocally this is my favorite Brian era, also possibly production wise

[shelter]

That's an easy one for me. Sunflower is my all-time favorite album. Surf's Up has some very good songs as well, but I can name at least four songs from that album that I like less than my least favorite song on Sunflower.

[EgoHanger1966]

I like the idea of polls here. I chose Sunflower. While there are songs on Sunflower I don't think are special, but it's a pretty even listen. There are a lot of songs on Sunflower I absolutely adore: This Whole World, Deirdre, All I Wanna Do, Forever, Our Sweet Love.

Surf's Up has a couple songs I really like: 'Til I Die, Disney Girls, title track....and I think the two Carl tracks are good. The rest I could live without. I know Tree is something of a classic around here, I just can't get into it with those vocals.

[buddhahat]

My prediction: 55% in favour of Sunflower ...

Well at this early point (even if fleetingly) my prediction is spot on  

[Shady]

I like the idea of polls here. I chose Sunflower. While there are songs on Sunflower I don't think are special, but it's a pretty even listen. There are a lot of songs on Sunflower I absolutely adore: This Whole World, Deirdre, All I Wanna Do, Forever, Our Sweet Love.

Surf's Up has a couple songs I really like: 'Til I Die, Disney Girls, title track....and I think the two Carl tracks are good. The rest I could live without. I know Tree is something of a classic around here, I just can't get into it with those vocals.

The last minute makes up for the so-so vocals, especially Al at the end

Very powerful coda

[buddhahat]

I like the idea of polls here. I chose Sunflower. While there are songs on Sunflower I don't think are special, but it's a pretty even listen. There are a lot of songs on Sunflower I absolutely adore: This Whole World, Deirdre, All I Wanna Do, Forever, Our Sweet Love.

Surf's Up has a couple songs I really like: 'Til I Die, Disney Girls, title track....and I think the two Carl tracks are good. The rest I could live without. I know Tree is something of a classic around here, I just can't get into it with those vocals.

The last minute makes up for the so-so vocals, especially Al at the end

Very powerful coda

Yeah - an absolute knockout..

Rieley's (is it?) vocals are a plus for me - they give the song an unhinged value that ups the melancholy and drama. It really sounds like some wheezy old tree singing it! I think the decision to trick him into singing, if true, was a stroke of genius. I find Brian's Love You era demos equally emotive due to Brian's  rough hewn delivery.

Talking of codas, the ending to Don't Go Near The Water is another highlight from SU, and this seemingly composed by Mike & Al. What a talented bunch of guys they were at this point.

[Jimmie_R]

Although both are terrific albums,  For me Sunflower takes the cake..

The Second Dennis opens the album it's non stop magic from there..

Also, vocally this is my favorite Brian era, also possibly production wise

Amen to that! It´s one one BB album I can listen to over and over again and not get tired of.

[shelter]

My prediction: 55% in favour of Sunflower ...

Well at this early point (even if fleetingly) my prediction is spot on  

That surprises me, I would have expected about 75% for Sunflower.

[Nicko1234]

Talking of codas, the ending to Don't Go Near The Water is another highlight from SU, and this seemingly composed by Mike & Al.

Daryl Dragon...

I slightly prefer Sunflower but they are both quality albums. The only things that let Sunflower down for me are Got to Know the Woman and maybe Tears in the Morning. The former is one of Dennis` weakest songs and there were several better options around at the time.

[The Shift]

Extremely torn between these two… but the closing trilogy on SU swings it… and any album that contains SU '71 is a winner.

[Generation42]

Student Demonstration Time. Swap that for Sound Of Free and you'd have solved both these problems and created a masterpiece at the same time, but you can't have everything.

My prediction: 55% in favour of Sunflower ...

buddha, I looove that idea.  "Sound of Free" is really great.  Oh, and my first thought is that your prediction may just be about right.  As for me, it's a tough call. I'm really back and forth on this one.  My gut says Sunflower, but then damn, we've a really big three to consider from Surf's Up that are each just so affecting.  Have to give the two a listen back-to-back.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Surf's Up should have been better, so I picked it.

Take out TALOYF and add WIBNTLA and take out SDT and put 4th of July and you have the Beach Boys 2nd best album.

[EgoHanger1966]

Surf's Up should have been better, so I picked it.

Take out TALOYF and add WIBNTLA and take out SDT and put 4th of July and you have the Beach Boys 2nd best album.

...but it wasn't that album. The thing you voted for doesn't have 4th of July, but absolutely does reek of Student Demonstration Time. If we were voting for our own personal resequenced albums, polls would be much different (and pointless, 'cuz everyone's track lists would be slightly different)

[buddhahat]

Talking of codas, the ending to Don't Go Near The Water is another highlight from SU, and this seemingly composed by Mike & Al.

Daryl Dragon...

Thanks I didn't know this. What's the story with this, and how come he isn't co-credited?

[Runaways]

yah i'd like to know more on the end of don't go near the water.  I'd known Dragon composed it, but DAMN it's good. 

[Ziggy Stardust]

yah i'd like to know more on the end of don't go near the water.  I'd known Dragon composed it, but DAMN it's good. 

He composed the outro? that's like the best part, and when you think about it, it does feel out of place-i mean it's quite a surprise! wonder what's the story behind it.

[stack-o-tracks]

I like Sunflower front to back, but I can't possibly vote it ahead of the album that has 'Til I Die and Surf's Up as well as two of my favorite Carl songs.

[hypehat]

This is too hard for me.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Surf's Up. Sunflower is a wonderful, strong album, consistently brilliant throughout (except for TITM) - Surf's Up is more patchy, however to me it's highlights are amongst the absolute highlights of the bands entire career: Til I Die, the title track, Disney Girls, Carl's extraordinary, ahead-of-their-time tracks - these are songs of breathtaking quality. So Surf's Up gets my vote.

Now give us Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again already!!

[EgoHanger1966]

This is too hard for me.

That's what she s.....never mind.

[Jukka]

Sunflower doesn't have a single moment that sucks. Surf's Up has a few, but the high points are higher than anything on Sunflower. Those three last songs leave me speechless every time.