Twofer polls #14: Friends vs. 20/20

[Letsgoawayforawhile]

Every time I'm in a rut, I pop in Friends, and instantly, I'm riding a unicorn through an enchanted forest. Friends is that cool.
20/20 is great, but compared to Friends, it's like riding my puppy through a paper forest.

[hypehat]

Friends. One of the great 'albums' they made, everything vibes and fits together neatly.

[smilethebeachboysloveyou]

I'll have to go with Friends.  20/20 has some great music, too, but there are a few too many songs that I'm indifferent to on it ("Bluebirds Over the Mountain," "Cotton Fields," "I Went to Sleep").  Friends has great songs and none that I don't love, at least in the context of the album.

[EgoHanger1966]

Not that this makes one album better than the other, but just an opinionated observation - Friends' songs (for the most part) work better together. 20/20's tracks have more of an impact seperately. I don't think there is any perfect sequencing of 20/20 - it is a very good album that shows of the talents of each band member, but because each band member was so different at that time, you get what seems like a hodge-podge (but really isn't!).

[Youre Under Arrest]

20/20 just won it. Friends is a great album but is let down by the last two tracks. 20/20 is a great collection of songs but has absolutely terrible sequencing which is why I sequence the tracks differently and it makes the album much, much better. Also, Be Still gets on my nerves. Hurry the hell up. But I love Dennis. I even love Make It Good which this board seems to hate. 20/20 is a fantastic album with great inclusions from everyone.

[veryape]

friends=the best 60s Beach Boys album...

its soooo under-rated  thats its a crime in music.

[Jukka]

So 20/20 is a hodgepodge? So is Sgt. Pepper, and they say it's one of the greatest albums ever! I just can't understand, what people have against variety...

[runnersdialzero]

So 20/20 is a hodgepodge? So is Sgt. Pepper, and they say it's one of the greatest albums ever! I just can't understand, what people have against variety...

For me, I could probably sit down and write out the tracklist for Friends with a fair amount of ease. 20/20, it might take some time to remember a few specific songs being on that album and I'd go through hell trying to get the tracklist right. I think that's what people are getting at more so than attacking variety, which I'm always a fan of.

The album has this slight "compilation" feel to it, too, probably because it borders on being one in that several of the songs weren't recorded specifically for it and were a few years old at the time. I'm not one of those dummies who complains about a band putting out songs that are a little older than the rest, just sayin' that when done to the extent it is on 20/20, it does contribute to the hodgepodge nature of the album.

[Letsgoawayforawhile]

Is anyone here a big fan of All I Want To Do?
I always end up skipping it.

[rab2591]

So 20/20 is a hodgepodge? So is Sgt. Pepper, and they say it's one of the greatest albums ever! I just can't understand, what people have against variety...

Sgt Pepper has variety but it sounds cohesive. Likewise with Friends: you have a waltz, you have bossa nova, hawaiian tunes, a song whose sole instrument is the organ...THAT is variety but the album sounds cohesive. There was a vision when making Friends....20/20 lacks a vision....thus people find the hodgepodge variety to be overwhelming....at least I do.

[Freddie French-Pounce]

Is anyone here a big fan of All I Want To Do?
I always end up skipping it.

I must be the only one....

It's good fun to drum along to too.

[Youre Under Arrest]

Is anyone here a big fan of All I Want To Do?
I always end up skipping it.

One of the best BB songs, shows how musically diverse they are. Makes 20/20 great.

[Pet Sounder]

Friends is better.  My favorite is Wake The World.  I love the tuba part with Brain's vocal.

[sockittome]

Is anyone here a big fan of All I Want To Do?
I always end up skipping it.

One of my least favorite BBs tracks.  It's a rockin' little tune, but it comes off as really pretentious IMO.  Like they were trying to do something different and edgy, but not quite nailing it, like they would later on with tunes like It's About Time, etc.

[TimeToGetAlone]

Cabinessence
Time to Get Alone
Little Bird
Be With Me
Busy Doin' Nothin'
Friends
I Went to Sleep
Be Here in the Mornin'
Diamond Head
Never Learn Not to Love
I Can Hear Music
Anna Lee, the Healer
Wake the World
Do It Again
Our Prayer
Transcendental Meditation
When a Man Needs a Woman
Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song)
The Nearest Faraway Place
Meant For You
Passing By
All I Want to Do
Bluebirds Over the Mountain
Be Still

It's close, but mathematically anyways 20/20 is the victor.  I was torn on this one because Friends is quite obviously the more cohesive album.  They're on the complete opposite of the spectrum in that regard.  20/20 is more of a mishmash but contains some superb baroque pop and showed their return to more polished production.  Ultimately I suppose it's appropriate that 20/20 is my final vote given my username here.

[Phoenix]

Is anyone here a big fan of All I Want To Do?
I always end up skipping it.

One of my least favorite BBs tracks.  It's a rockin' little tune, but it comes off as really pretentious IMO.  Like they were trying to do something different and edgy, but not quite nailing it, like they would later on with tunes like It's About Time, etc.

My thoughts exactly!

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Is anyone here a big fan of All I Want To Do?
I always end up skipping it.

One of my least favorite BBs tracks.  It's a rockin' little tune, but it comes off as really pretentious IMO.  Like they were trying to do something different and edgy, but not quite nailing it, like they would later on with tunes like It's About Time, etc.

I get how people might not like All I Want To Do (though personally i love it - Dennis seemed to be the only member at this point making an effort to try to keep the band hip/relevant) - but pretentious? Totally the wrong critisism to throw at it. I'd say there's literally nothing even remotely pretentious about it whatsoever. Totally the wrong choice of word entirely.

[sockittome]

Is anyone here a big fan of All I Want To Do?
I always end up skipping it.

One of my least favorite BBs tracks.  It's a rockin' little tune, but it comes off as really pretentious IMO.  Like they were trying to do something different and edgy, but not quite nailing it, like they would later on with tunes like It's About Time, etc.

I get how people might not like All I Want To Do (though personally i love it - Dennis seemed to be the only member at this point making an effort to try to keep the band hip/relevant) - but pretentious? Totally the wrong critisism to throw at it. I'd say there's literally nothing even remotely pretentious about it whatsoever. Totally the wrong choice of word entirely.

.....said the guy with absolutely no handle on how to make a quote!     Just kidding, brother! Just pointing out that you don't hafta take my opinion as an insult.

It's not a wrong choice of words because I do find the song to be pretentious, at least for the BBs.  Not a bad song; just not a BBs song.  The Doors probably would have been right at home doing this song.

[I. Spaceman]

Thinking All I Want To Do is pretentious is in fact extremely pretentious.

[sockittome]

Thinking All I Want To Do is pretentious is in fact extremely pretentious.

No, not really...

[I. Spaceman]

Thinking All I Want To Do is pretentious is in fact extremely pretentious.

No, not really...

Yes, it is. Hush now.

[Freddie French-Pounce]

Thinking All I Want To Do is pretentious is in fact extremely pretentious.

No, not really...

Yes, it is. Hush now.

Quiet now

[sockittome]

Thinking All I Want To Do is pretentious is in fact extremely pretentious.

No, not really...

Yes, it is. Hush now.

Quiet now

Um, yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and say no.

[bossaroo]

fascinating stuff here.

so it looks like FRIENDS is the winner. hands down. 

[bluesno1fann]

20/20 for me. I've always preferred it over Friends.

Be With Me, All I Want To Do, Never Learn Not To Love, I Can Hear Music, Cabinessence, etc. You can't go wrong! (except for Do It Again, and I Went To Sleep)