The misconceptions of the 1972-post output...

[kookadams]

Its been said before and makes sense to me- Holland really was the last real Beach Boys album, and this is why- Holland had equal contributions from every member- Brian with Sail on Sailor and Funky Pretty, Mike and Al with CA Saga, Dennis with Steamboat and Only with You, Carl with Trader and Chaplin/Fataar with Leaving this Town.

When they returned with 15 Big Ones even tho it was a newly recorded album, only half if reflected new material while the other half was  an homage to their roots with renditions of classics. With it being Brian's return, the success of Endless Summer and the record company actually promoting them decently for once the album made it in the top ten and going gold.

Love You was originally intended to be Brian's first solo album but due to their contract it was a Beach Boys album, even tho Brian wrote, composed and did a good amount of the instrumentation himself from what I've read.

MIU was done when they were simultaneously on 2 labels and half of the material was from older sessions, and/or re-worked songs from the 2nd unreleased xmas album- Come Go with Me and Peggy Sue were from the 15 Big Ones sessions and other songs were from the unreleased Adult Child sessions.

Light Album was the result of older sessions as well as material Dennis intended for his 2nd solo album Bambu; with the exception of Good Timin and Dennis' songs the rest of the album was a sham. Dennis wasn't even involved with Keepin the Summer Alive and that album just like the Light Album was produced by Bruce and as was seen his production talents were nowhere near what they were in his early days with Terry.

I'm anticipating reaction here///

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

20/20 was a collection of oddities, as was So Tough.

In contrast, BB85 was all new material.

[Please delete my account]

Its been said before and makes sense to me- Holland really was the last real Beach Boys album, and this is why- Holland had equal contributions from every member- Brian with Sail on Sailor and Funky Pretty, Mike and Al with CA Saga, Dennis with Steamboat and Only with You, Carl with Trader and Chaplin/Fataar with Leaving this Town.

 

I'm anticipating reaction here///

My reaction: If having "equal contributions from every member" is the test of a "real Beach Boys album", that wipes out everything before at least "Friends" or "20/20". pity, I was quite partial to some of that stuff.

[SonicVolcano]

After Holland it went downhill, in my opinion. Hardly any creativity left, although Love You is definitely the exception. I love that album. Mike's nasal voice came back, as did the cheesy lyrics and surf/beach/sun songs. The Carl-led period is probably my favourite. Their live shows were amazing as well.

[kookadams]

After Holland it went downhill, in my opinion. Hardly any creativity left, although Love You is definitely the exception. I love that album. Mike's nasal voice came back, as did the cheesy lyrics and surf/beach/sun songs. The Carl-led period is probably my favourite. Their live shows were amazing as well.

Well put, very well put.

[MBE]

After Holland it never was the same to me. BTW Love You was never vetted as a solo album. Meaning Brian never made a move to not include the others on it or go truly solo at that point. He may have considered it briefly or made a retrospective comment, but it was always going to be a Beach Boys album.

[jawilsh]

Its been said before and makes sense to me- Holland really was the last real Beach Boys album, and this is why- Holland had equal contributions from every member- Brian with Sail on Sailor and Funky Pretty, Mike and Al with CA Saga, Dennis with Steamboat and Only with You, Carl with Trader and Chaplin/Fataar with Leaving this Town.

 

I'm anticipating reaction here///

My reaction: If having "equal contributions from every member" is the test of a "real Beach Boys album", that wipes out everything before at least "Friends" or "20/20". pity, I was quite partial to some of that stuff.

In reading the OP, this is what struck me.  "Equal contributions" is not what defines a Beach Boys album.  Their best albums are when there is not "equal contributions".

[SMiLE Brian]

I think "love you" could have been a hit if they had somebody like Tony Asher to smooth out Brian's lyrics. But it wouldn't be the album we all love today.

[bonnevillemariner]

Kookadams, what exactly are the misconceptions of the post '72 output? 

The democracy aspect is way over-praised.  I could care less who contributes which songs-- I just want them to sound good.  And precious few post-60's songs sound good to me.

RE: Love You, I've been listening to this album over and over again for a week and I still have no clue why anybody, anybody likes that album.  I really am trying to keep an open mind about this period and Love You in particular, but I feel like y'all are trying to convince me that a turd is a tootsie roll.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

RE: Love You, I've been listening to this album over and over again for a week and I still have no clue why anybody, anybody likes that album.  I really am trying to keep an open mind about this period and Love You in particular, but I feel like y'all are trying to convince me that a turd is a tootsie roll.

Here we go again.......next will come the idea that we must be pretending to like it to be trendy 

[bonnevillemariner]

Here we go again.......next will come the idea that we must be pretending to like it to be trendy 

Actually my next idea was the it's-so-bad-it's-good theory, but that doesn't even hold water.  I'm inclined to accept that a turd is a turd and leave it at that, but it seems like every day somebody here is praising that album.  Since I really do respect most peoples' opinions around here, I figure there must be something to all the 'Love You' love.  I just haven't figured it out yet.

[SMiLE Brian]

I think its just a really polarizing album. Your not alone in disliking it, Mike Eder (BBs expert) isn't a fan either.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Here we go again.......next will come the idea that we must be pretending to like it to be trendy 

Actually my next idea was the it's-so-bad-it's-good theory, but that doesn't even hold water.  I'm inclined to accept that a turd is a turd and leave it at that, but it seems like every day somebody here is praising that album.  Since I really do respect most peoples' opinions around here, I figure there must be something to all the 'Love You' love.  I just haven't figured it out yet.

That's cool. I was just teasing with you. I'm the same with such favourites as Holland, and TWJUTA. I  just don't like them despite having tried really hard.

[Mikie]

I think its just a really polarizing album. Your not alone in disliking it, Mike Eder (BBs expert) isn't a fan either.

I'm a "BB expert" and I like it.

In fact, quite a few people here are BB experts.

[bonnevillemariner]

It's all good.  There are a number of post-60's BB songs that I have grown to love mainly resulting from insightful posts on this board.  I think my open-minded approach has backfired in the case of Love You, though.  I probably shouldn't have tried to like it.  

To be clear, I'm not a black and white, 60's-rules, 70's-sucks fan.  My favorite albums are Pet Sounds and Smile, and I ditch about half the tracks on both of these albums when I compile playlists.  I love Still Cruisin' and TWGMTR.  To each his own, I suppose.

[SMiLE Brian]

I am not a big fan of the surf'up-holland period myself. The only tracks I really listen to on those are the BW productions.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

It happens to be my favorite time period. Actually, Wild Honey thru BB 85 are my favorite albums. Yes, including MIU and KTSA, just not LA Light for the most part. That said, as soon as it becomes summer, I pretty much listen to SS through Summer Days exclusively.

[Gertie J.]

I am not a big fan of the surf'up-holland period myself. The only tracks I really listen to on those are the BW productions.

what, even 'feet'?

[SMiLE Brian]

I am not a big fan of the surf'up-holland period myself. The only tracks I really listen to on those are the BW productions.

what, even 'feet'?

Actually no, I forgot about that one since I don't listen to SU that often. The last three songs are the ones I only really like.

[rab2591]

I am not a big fan of the surf'up-holland period myself. The only tracks I really listen to on those are the BW productions.

what, even 'feet'?

Actually no, I forgot about that one since I don't listen to SU that often. The last three songs are the ones I only really like.

I feel like Feet is the 70s version of 'Vega-tables' (with the quirky subject and odd percussion)...it's kinda grown on me through the years.

[kookadams]

Kookadams, what exactly are the misconceptions of the post '72 output?  

The democracy aspect is way over-praised.  I could care less who contributes which songs-- I just want them to sound good.  And precious few post-60's songs sound good to me.

RE: Love You, I've been listening to this album over and over again for a week and I still have no clue why anybody, anybody likes that album.  I really am trying to keep an open mind about this period and Love You in particular, but I feel like y'all are trying to convince me that a turd is a tootsie roll.

Love You is a great album- let us go on this way, roller skating child, mona, johnny carson, good time, the night was so young, airplane... great tunes!

[Shady]

Take away "Let's put our hearts together" and every track is a classic

[the captain]

What are the misconceptions we're supposed to be refuting, here? The original post doesn't seem to list any: it just seems to be saying that post-'72 albums aren't good or aren't "real"; however, it never makes or backs up claims that there are misconceptions stating otherwise. Is there a misconception that all post-"Holland" albums are true and great? Whose misconceptions are they?

If there are misconceptions in the general public about the Beach Boys post-'72 output, it is probably that there was none. Your typical Joe Average likely doesn't realize they put out any new music after the hits of the '60s. I doubt there is some grand misconception out there that MIU is a masterpiece, for example.

[smilethebeachboysloveyou]

After Holland it never was the same to me. BTW Love You was never vetted as a solo album. Meaning Brian never made a move to not include the others on it or go truly solo at that point. He may have considered it briefly or made a retrospective comment, but it was always going to be a Beach Boys album.

In addition to that, I would add that it is nearly impossible to argue that The Beach Boys Love You is more of a Brian solo album because the other members' contributions were relatively minor without saying the same thing about Pet Sounds.

I think that overall the albums of the early '70s are overrated.  Sunflower is quite strong, and the three that followed it each have their essential tracks, but fall significantly short of any of the albums between Surfer Girl and 20/20, and certainly well behind Love You.  I would also agree that the equal distribution of tracks is not necessarily a good thing.  While I don't hate all of Carl's, Mike's, Al's, and Bruce's songs written without Brian, the only one who was a particularly interesting songwriter without him was Dennis.

Regarding their output in the late 1970's and beyond, I frequently find myself wishing that I lived in an alternate universe in which Adult Child had been released instead of M.I.U. Album.  It probably wouldn't have sold very well, but then M.I.U. didn't sell very well either, and was terrible (except for "My Diane.")  What would have become of the Beach Boys happened instead?

[bonnevillemariner]

Love You is a great album- let us go on this way, roller skating child, mona, johnny carson, good time, the night was so young, airplane... great tunes!

Great tunes how?  Musically?  Vocally?  Conceptually?

I think what it comes down to is people like what they like, and don't what they don't.  Aside from material that can be near-universally classified as a masterpiece, there's no logical reasoning with stuff like Love You (and for me, the 70's stuff in general).  It's always amusing to me when people chalk a general distaste for a set of material up to "misconceptions."  You may not be doing that in this post, but this is a common argument when it comes to the BB's later stuff.