Is The Beach Boys '85 Underrated?

[Gertie J.]

is bb'85 underrated?? hell, no.

[NHC]

I was really disappointed with "It's Just A Matter Of Time" after having heard a live version of it a couple of years earlier that our very-much-missed friend Les Chan gave me.  Brian sang it and it just rocked. The album version was like "huh"?  What the heck happened? What is this?"

[Paul J B]

It's among the worst they ever did. Getcha Back even sounds bad because Mike was in the peak of his bad whiney voice.  California Calling sounds like Beach Boys impersonators. The whole thing reminds me of the real downward spiral they took, and the self parody they became that turned a lot of people off. After '85 flopped, even they must have feared they would never have a decent album again. That's why the great parts of TWGMTR are even better than we think they are. Beaches in mind is one of the weaker tracks and it blows California Calling to smithereens. This whole last year from the boys has been a gift beyond belief. A great album, the tour, Mike sounding good again, David Marks  being back...............wow.

[Sheriff John Stone]

The Beach Boys 1985 is a lot like every Beach Boys' album before or since. It's overall merit is based on Brian Wilson's contributions, or lack of. When the dust settled after Dennis' death,  the focus (again) was on Brian returning to the fold. He lost a lot of weight, looked great, had Landy advocating for him, and, unfortunately to me anyway, came up with this new singing style.

What we got were boring songs, the first of his shouty vocals, and, extreme disappointment because we waited so long (5 years, which was long in those days) for songs like "It's Just A matter Of Time", "I'm So Lonely", "Male Ego", and whatever. To me, this was the biggest drop in Brian's quality of output. The magic was gone. Maybe it was taken away...

   

[Awesoman]

I was sitting in study hall today (I know, I'm young guys.) and I had filled my iPod with all the Beach Boys music I own (basically, all of it haha)

So I was listening to Getcha Back, and I let the album play, I'd never really listened to it before, I know the story with The production and all that jazz (thanks 50 sides!)
and I was very surprised with the quality of the songs! I mean, with the exception of California Calling, Just A Matter of Time, and maybe Crack at Your Love, the songs are very well written.
Sure, the production is, well, cheese nowadays, but I kinda like it in some cases (Maybe I Don't Know is a great example!)
Carl's voice was, IMO, at one of it's best stages here. The voice is smooth as wine, and very heartfelt, I love it!

So, for the most part I really enjoyed it! Much more then some of the earlier albums from the period! If this had had Dennis on it, maybe 2-3 tracks, it'd be a favorite!

If by "underrated", you are implying that The Beach Boys has undertones of greatness, then no, this is not an underrated album.  The problem is the band has produced material that *is* great, and this album is nowhere near that level.

I suppose the best case you could make for it is by taking it for what it is: an ok guilty pleasure of 80's pop cheese.  I actually don't mind the album; Carl in particular shines nicely, and "Getcha Back" is a decent minor hit for them.  But considering this is the same band that released Pet Sounds, Today, Sunflower, etc., there is nothing "great" about this album.

[guitarfool2002]

The songwriting wasn't up to par, the production style didn't fit the band although the producer himself had done some excellent productions for groups like Culture Club (some of those are 80's classics, no doubt), and it is a shame because the song Getcha Back was a good single and a good song for the band. That single has actually stood the test of time, at least to my ears. It's too bad the other cuts on the album weren't as strong.

Can others hear the band sounding forced on vocals throughout this album? Their working methods didn't jell with the way hits were being recorded in the early 80's.

[Steve Mayo]

i liked it when it came out. still like to listen to it's getting late. but those damn videos!!!! what were they thinking? i am still haunted by them every time i listen to this lp.

[Jim V.]

There's a danger for the obsessive fan in BB85--not especially different from the danger of the solo or peripheral material. There is greater capacity to hear than to create, and the listener's expectations don't change proportionate to the creators' inspirations. The resulting vacuum fills up one way or the other. One wants more great Beach Boys music, one finds it. Alternate takes, live shows, unreleased tracks, or the inevitable "underrated gems."

"This part of that song sounds like it might actually be Brian!" "Carl's voice sounds amazing [on that terrible song]." "Ringo!"

I've had my moments flirting with the likes of BB85. Bad news. Spend precious time on great Beach Boys music or on great non-Beach Boys music.

I can totally dig this. It's the point when it's like 4pm on a nice Saturday afternoon and you're at home listening to Keepin' The Summer Alive or the '85 album. You realize you're in way too far. Or when you've scoured the internet looking for a mid '80s Wilson/Usher sessions outtake you remember where Brian sounding okay. You gotta step back, and realize there are probably better things to be doing with your life.

The Beach Boys 1985 is a lot like every Beach Boys' album before or since. It's overall merit is based on Brian Wilson's contributions, or lack of. When the dust settled after Dennis' death,  the focus (again) was on Brian returning to the fold. He lost a lot of weight, looked great, had Landy advocating for him, and, unfortunately to me anyway, came up with this new singing style.

What we got were boring songs, the first of his shouty vocals, and, extreme disappointment because we waited so long (5 years, which was long in those days) for songs like "It's Just A matter Of Time", "I'm So Lonely", "Male Ego", and whatever. To me, this was the biggest drop in Brian's quality of output. The magic was gone. Maybe it was taken away...

   

I understand what are you are saying about the "magic was gone" as far as Brian seemed with that album. And putting 2 and 2 together, one could hazard a guess that it was Landy's treatment that did it. I don't think that's it however, because I think the first signs of magical BW touch disintegrating were on Keepin' The Summer Alive. Where having a Brian song on an album no longer felt truly 'special' in any way. Songs like "Oh Darlin'" and "Some Of Your Love" strike me in the same way that "I'm So Lonely" or "It's Just Matter Of Time" do. However, for the '85 album I do think there is a lack of "magic" because he was saving his better material for his solo album.. I'm pretty sure he had stuff like "Melt Away", "There's So Many", "Water Builds Up", and others he could have contributed. So that's my take.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Well, Getcha Back, It's Getting late, Male Ego, Maybe I Don't Know, I'm so lonely and Where I belong are all pretty good to me, I'd say that's worth more then the 1-2 stars this album normally gets...

[lance]

I don't think it's true that Brian was gone, at least I don't look at it that way. I think the truth is he had had writer's block and he was coming out of that and so his songs were naturally going to be less than stellar for a while...I think that a similar thing happened with 15 Big Ones, he was rusty and working that out. Same with BB88 only this time the rest of them let Carl put his songs in, which are professional and well-crafted if a bit on the adult contemporary side. And then rounded it all out with Stevie Wonder and Boy George, but I think both of those songs are ok 'lite' 80s style songs.

[rab2591]

If this weren't a Beach Boys album I wouldn't go anywhere near it.

I love the production (yes, I said it), but the songwriting is just dull. Getcha Back is the only hit song on here, everything else is just 'meh'.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Aside from Male Ego (which is great), Brian's songs are dreadful throughout. However, just because Brian wasn't on form doesn't mean anyone should overlook his brother's excellent contributions. As i've said several times before, 'Where I Belong' is arguably the greatest BB track of the decade: gorgeous melody, stunning harmonies, terrific lead vocal. It's one of the most cruelly under-rated songs in their entire catalogue, and it deserves to be remembered and praised far more than it ever is. The same is almost true of 'It's Gettin' Late', another great song - whereas many of the BB'85 material now sounds woefully dated, Carl knew exactly how to put Levine's production techniques to good use, and his songs - though clearly still very much '80's tracks - have dated far better than the rest of the album. 'Maybe I Know' isn't as good, but 'I Do Love You' is brilliant, and again this is almost entirely down to Carl. It's a very good Stevie Wonder song, but Carl's heartfelt vocal really takes it to a whole other level. These three songs alone - I Do love You, It's Gettin' Late, and (especially) Where I Belong - make BB'85 for me, and they're certainly far better than anything, say, Keepin' The Summer Alive has to offer. 

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Oh, and Getcha Back is crap.

[guitarfool2002]

'Where I Belong' is arguably the greatest BB track of the decade

Isn't that like saying "Pabst is the best out of all the cheap beers" ?   

[I. Spaceman]

If I want yacht rock, I'll listen to Christopher Cross.

[phirnis]

I think it's nowhere near as bad as Keepin' the Summer Alive and probably only half as good as the Light Album. In terms of overall sound and production I prefer Still Cruisin' over BB85, though the former could've used some more Brian songs of course. The use of synthesizers on BB85 strikes me as tepid and uninspired. Some of the songs are very, very good, though - Getcha Back, Male Ego, Where I Belong, It's Gettin' Late. The rest I think is either nice or downright throwaway. For some reason I have a bit of a soft spot for California Calling.

By the way, Bruce Johnston said at the time it's their best one since Sunflower!

[EgoHanger1966]

Passing Friend is cool. No one mentions Passing Friend, and if they do, it's to say that Passing Friend is terrible.

I Do Love You could be about a minute shorter, but that's a pretty good imitation of the Stevie Wonder sound.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Aside from Male Ego (which is great), Brian's songs are dreadful throughout. However, just because Brian wasn't on form doesn't mean anyone should overlook his brother's excellent contributions. As i've said several times before, 'Where I Belong' is arguably the greatest BB track of the decade: gorgeous melody, stunning harmonies, terrific lead vocal. It's one of the most cruelly under-rated songs in their entire catalogue, and it deserves to be remembered and praised far more than it ever is. The same is almost true of 'It's Gettin' Late', another great song - whereas many of the BB'85 material now sounds woefully dated, Carl knew exactly how to put Levine's production techniques to good use, and his songs - though clearly still very much '80's tracks - have dated far better than the rest of the album. 'Maybe I Know' isn't as good, but 'I Do Love You' is brilliant, and again this is almost entirely down to Carl. It's a very good Stevie Wonder song, but Carl's heartfelt vocal really takes it to a whole other level. These three songs alone - I Do love You, It's Gettin' Late, and (especially) Where I Belong - make BB'85 for me, and they're certainly far better than anything, say, Keepin' The Summer Alive has to offer. 

It's hard to admit it, because he didn't have the material that he deserved, but The Beach Boys 1985 might be Carl's best album vocally. I really think he was peaking vocally between 1979-1989, and he was also spectacular on Summer In Paradise, too.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Agreed, also, 2:21 at "It's Getting Late" is officially one of my favorite beach boys moments, the brass, the vocals... Awesome!

[Alex]

I enjoy listening to BB85, but I feel Where I Belong is the only song from it that could stand up to the Smiley Smile through Holland era.

[wantsomecorn]

"Passing Friend" is odd, because half of the time I can't stand the production and the vocals, but then I'll start getting into it, and then start hating it again. And that's not everytime I listen to the song, it happens about every thirty seconds in the song.

[Sheriff John Stone]

"Passing Friend" is odd, because half of the time I can't stand the production and the vocals, but then I'll start getting into it, and then start hating it again. And that's not everytime I listen to the song, it happens about every thirty seconds in the song.

Maybe "Passing Friend" is about a minute too long.

[NHC]

Passing Friend is cool. No one mentions Passing Friend, and if they do, it's to say that Passing Friend is terrible.

I Do Love You could be about a minute shorter, but that's a pretty good imitation of the Stevie Wonder sound.

Like them both, probably my faves with Getcha Back.

[DonnyL]

Just to balance things out, I think 'Where I Belong' is bad and 'Male Ego' is the greatest BB song of the decade.

[Generation42]

What I think might be interesting (enlightening, even) would be for '85 to receive a more modern-sounding remix, simliar to that of John Lennon / Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy (Stripped Down).

Now, you won't find a bigger Beatles / Lennon fan alive than I and though the original Double Fantasy sounds of its time, I was never one to find fault with its production.  That said, 'Stripped' was, in its own way, a revelation and I'm quite certain a similar treatment given to '85 could yield a bounty.  I think it's a darn shame it won't ever happen.