Most overrated and underrated BB's Albums

[Dave Modny]

Sunflower has as many cooks as 20/20 but no one ever dismisses it as the disjointed hodgepodge many people call 20/20.

As I've always said...

If 20/20's "cobbling".........cobble away!


I also think the record was much more highly regarded in the 1970s, say, when the Priess book first came out, than it is today. For some reason, the whole "patchwork thing" back then was either not recognized by as many folks, or simply not as big a concern.

[bluesno1fann]

To the general public:

Overrated: None. No other Beach Boys albums is well known to the general public, besides Pet Sounds (which deserves all the acclaim it receives).
Underrated: Smiley Smile. A brilliant album full of brilliant melodies and experimentation. Essential listening.

On this board:

Overrated: Holland. Continues the creative freefall set into motion by Carl and the Passions. Just a heap of boring songs (besides Sail On Sailor, which is amazing). However, it is at least less self consciously roots-rocky and has a lot more of Beach Boy identity than the former album.

Underrated: None. People here seem to love absolutely everything Brian, Dennis, et. al. touched.

It's actually meant to be personal opinion, not opinion of a group of people, or the general public

[runnersdialzero]

And you hit the nail on the head with 20/20. Sunflower has as many cooks as 20/20 but no one ever dismisses it as the disjointed hodgepodge many people call 20/20.

I frequently forget 20/20 exists and I'm not exaggerating when I say that. It comes dangerously close to being an odds and ends compilation or something - the new nostalgia single(s?), two Smile leftovers, a Wild Honey/Redwood leftover, a Brian Friends leftover, three (actually four!) cover tunes, a couple other recent tracks they had lying around that just needed some polishing and a few new songs. It really shows, too.

You also get the sense that it was kind of put together more to finish out their contract than to release a grand, focused statement. Don't get me wrong, the songs have a lot of care put into them and there's a lot of good stuff, nor am I accusing the band of tossing something off to get out of a contract, but it is indeed a mixed bag. Sunflower is worlds more in the direction of a cohesive statement as varied as its sounds and styles are.

I wouldn't ever call it "overrated" or anything, I certainly don't hate 20/20 by any means and like every single song on it, but I do literally forget it exists on occasion and can see why some folks say it's a somewhat confusing, inconsistent experience.

[Nicko1234]

Overrated - Love You
Underrated - 20/20 or M.I.U. (not because it's good but just because so many people talk about it as if it's the worst album in history)

[phirnis]

How is an album like Love You "overrated" when even some of the most hardcore fans on BB message boards such as Smiley Smile don't like it? That record's actual fan base is still incredibly small as it's not even a particular fave among rock critics. I don't get it.

I think there's just as many critics that think of it as a near-masterpiece (e.g. Christgau..."A" rating, etc). Or..as it says in Wiki: "positively received by critics both then and today."

That, and I think it's sort of become the de facto point, by most, in terms of stating: "What's the last great BBs album?" or "So-and-so is their best album since Love You."


It may be controversial, but I still think it's pretty highly regarded.

All the better.

But it's still pretty much a cult classic and it won't make the Rolling Stone top 100 anytime soon. Somehow it seems to rub some people the wrong way, which I've always attributed to the album being as non-"classic rock" as it gets, i.e. no "deep" lyrics, no "relevant" topics, no "real" instrumentation (by rock standards anyway), no impeccable performances... the list goes on. Some have compared it to punk, maybe in an attempt to make it seem as cool to outsiders as they personally feel it is.

I could still be wrong with all these assumptions, of course, they're just a way of trying to make sense.

[Cam Mott]

Over: SMiLE

Under: Surf's Up

[Sunflowerpet]

Most Overrated: None Beach Boys has been ever overrated
Most Underrated: M.I.U ALBUM

[MBE]

Considering that Do It Again, I Can Hear Music, Bluebirds, Be With Me, All I Want To Do, Nearest, I Went To Sleep, Cottonfields, and Never Learn Not To Love are all new recordings and that Time To Get Alone is a new track if not song, the rep this LP gets is confusing. Most of it was done together over the second half of 1968.

[Dave Modny]

How is an album like Love You "overrated" when even some of the most hardcore fans on BB message boards such as Smiley Smile don't like it? That record's actual fan base is still incredibly small as it's not even a particular fave among rock critics. I don't get it.

I think there's just as many critics that think of it as a near-masterpiece (e.g. Christgau..."A" rating, etc). Or..as it says in Wiki: "positively received by critics both then and today."

That, and I think it's sort of become the de facto point, by most, in terms of stating: "What's the last great BBs album?" or "So-and-so is their best album since Love You."


It may be controversial, but I still think it's pretty highly regarded.

All the better.

But it's still pretty much a cult classic and it won't make the Rolling Stone top 100 anytime soon. Somehow it seems to rub some people the wrong way, which I've always attributed to the album being as non-"classic rock" as it gets, i.e. no "deep" lyrics, no "relevant" topics, no "real" instrumentation (by rock standards anyway), no impeccable performances... the list goes on. Some have compared it to punk, maybe in an attempt to make it seem as cool to outsiders as they personally feel it is.

I could still be wrong with all these assumptions, of course, they're just a way of trying to make sense.

Well, other than Pet Sounds, I don't think *any* Beach Boys album would make the RS Top 100 albums of all time. That really shouldn't be the benchmark for whether some think a BBs album is overrated or not. And, FWIW, RS themselves gave "Love You" a pretty strong positive review when it came out in 1977 (while acknowledging that it still had a few cringe-worthy moments). As they stated: "The Beach Boys Love You is a truly wonderful album, and it is Brian's show from beginning to end."

Furthermore, the fact that it is a "cult classic" only heightens the perception that many people think it's a masterpiece or near-masterpiece. In fact, I can't think of any critic-of-name, offhand, that's ever given the album a truly negative review. Not saying there aren't any in existence, but again, the album seems to be pretty highly regarded overall (e.g. 4 stars on AMG) with many of the critical and even fan masses, while obviously polarizing a good deal of folks as well.



Hence, the claims of "overrated" by some.

[Niko]

Flipping through the "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" book, three Beach Boys albums appeared. Today, Pet Sounds, and Surf's Up.

Surf's Up is not what I was expecting to see.

[Alan Smith]

How is an album like Love You "overrated" when even some of the most hardcore fans on BB message boards such as Smiley Smile don't like it? That record's actual fan base is still incredibly small as it's not even a particular fave among rock critics. I don't get it.

I think there's just as many critics that think of it as a near-masterpiece (e.g. Christgau..."A" rating, etc). Or..as it says in Wiki: "positively received by critics both then and today."

That, and I think it's sort of become the de facto point, by most, in terms of stating: "What's the last great BBs album?" or "So-and-so is their best album since Love You."


It may be controversial, but I still think it's pretty highly regarded.

All the better.

But it's still pretty much a cult classic and it won't make the Rolling Stone top 100 anytime soon. Somehow it seems to rub some people the wrong way, which I've always attributed to the album being as non-"classic rock" as it gets, i.e. no "deep" lyrics, no "relevant" topics, no "real" instrumentation (by rock standards anyway), no impeccable performances... the list goes on. Some have compared it to punk, maybe in an attempt to make it seem as cool to outsiders as they personally feel it is.

I could still be wrong with all these assumptions, of course, they're just a way of trying to make sense.

Well, other than Pet Sounds, I don't think *any* Beach Boys album would make the RS Top 100 albums of all time. That really shouldn't be the benchmark for whether some think a BBs album is overrated or not. And, FWIW, RS themselves gave "Love You" a pretty strong positive review when it came out in 1977 (while acknowledging that it still had a few cringe-worthy moments). As they stated: "The Beach Boys Love You is a truly wonderful album, and it is Brian's show from beginning to end."

Furthermore, the fact that it is a "cult classic" only heightens the perception that many people think it's a masterpiece or near-masterpiece. In fact, I can't think of any critic-of-name, offhand, that's ever given the album a truly negative review. Not saying there aren't any in existence, but again, the album seems to be pretty highly regarded overall (e.g. 4 stars on AMG) with many of the critical and even fan masses, while obviously polarizing a good deal of folks as well.



Hence, the claims of "overrated" by some.

Last year (circa November) on this here little old board, there were 2 polls - one to vote for your favourite BB's offering (tallied by AGD), one to vote for your least favourite offering (tallied by Metal Flake Paint).

Love You came in at number 6 on the favourite, and number 8 on the least favourite.  So perhaps it gets the (dubious) honour of being the most underrated and overrated* BB's album; by the experts and connoisseurs of The Smiley Smile Dot Net Message Board, no less.

(*Although the most overrated BB's album is MIU - when rated by anyone in a positive light, that's clearly an act of obscene overrating)

[Quzi]

20/20 is definitely a stylistic mess, but a few months ago I sourced the Japan Pastmaster version and it was nothing short of revelatory to me. Perhaps it was a byproduct of relative under-exposure to the album, but on first listen I was really impressed with what I was hearing, still messy but a kind of controlled chaos, I didn't expect to respond as well as I did.

Gussying it up with this hi-res cover art probably helped me overcome my prejudice as well, for way too long had I let artwork that look like it has been peed on colour my listening experience  

[Smilin Ed H]

Underrated - LA or CATP
Overrated - 85

OR

Underrated - Surf's Up
Overrated - Sunflower (which I love anyway)

OR

Underrated - the oldies on 15BO - I think they have a certain charm.
Overrated - Isn't It Time on TWGMTR

[Summer_Days]

Overrated: Smiley Smile. I've come to like this album more, but I still think it's a bit overrated here on these boards by many. It is quite a good album, but it's not anywhere as good as Today!, Summer Days, Pet Sounds, the Smile music, Wild Honey, Friends, Sunflower or Holland. Or Love You. Besides, I couldn't think of any other BBs album that I feel is really all that overrated.

Underrated:
I'd say either Surfin' USA or Party!

[Wah Wah Wah Ooooo]

Overrated: Smiley Smile

Underrated: 20/20

[SIP Mike]

ah, that's easy, ps and catp.

I'm with you here Gertie.

[smilethebeachboysloveyou]

I find that Surf's Up, Carl and the Passions, and Holland are simultaneously overrated by fans and critics and underrated by the general public, which makes this difficult.

Overrated: Holland.  "Sail On, Sailor," is good, even if I don't like it as well as some do, and I'm quite fond of "Big Sur" (which is better in Waltz time than in 4/4, by the way).  "Only With You" is pretty good, but I prefer Dennis' ballads from Carl and the Passions, particularly "Cuddle Up."  The rest of this album is dull, though.  I wouldn't call it the band's worst albums by a long shot, but it's not that great, either.

Underrated: L.A.  Not a great album, but it doesn't deserve to get lumped in with 15 Big Ones, M.I.U., Keepin' the Summer Alive, The Beach Boys, Still Cruisin' or Summer in Paradise as one of the band's worst albums, either.  The disco version of "Here Comes the Night" is nowhere near as bad as its reputation (though it is overlong), and I think I like "Full Sail" and "Angel Come Home" better than many of Carl's songs from the early 1970s that get more praise.  Even if it was planned for Bambu, "Love Surrounds Me" sounds great with the backing vocals.  It ends with "Shortnin' Bread," which Brian Wilson has allegedly called the greatest song ever on more than one occasion, and who are you to disagree with Brian Wilson?  Nobody, that's who.

Incidentally, even though I think they are the most over and underrated album, respectively, I consider these two albums to be roughly equal in quality.

[jvcthome]

Overrated: Holland or LA (Light Album).
Underrated: M.I.U. Album.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Over rated: Sunflower

Under rated: MIU

[Summertime Blooz]

Over-rated: Love You
Under-rated: BB 85

[sockittome]

I gotta applaud Bluesno1fann for starting this thread.  Some very interesting answers here.  I don't think I saw any two the same, and that shows that there really is no majority consensus.  And that makes sense, considering that each of our answers are based on how we feel about said albums.  Just after I made my post I realized that I had listed my least and most favorite BBs albums, and I'm sure a number of others did the same.  

I also realized that if this thread were based on the general public's reception of the albums, it would've been a very short thread.  Every answer would have been:

Overrated: None

Underrated: All of 'em!

John and Jane Q. Public generally don't know from Jack when it comes to BBs albums.  All they know is that the group came out with some really cool radio hits over the years.  I guess that's why there are so many best of's.  

[The Dumb Angel]

Overrated: Smiley Smile

Underrated: M.I.U.

[Mike's Beard]

Considering that Do It Again, I Can Hear Music, Bluebirds, Be With Me, All I Want To Do, Nearest, I Went To Sleep, Cottonfields, and Never Learn Not To Love are all new recordings and that Time To Get Alone is a new track if not song, the rep this LP gets is confusing. Most of it was done together over the second half of 1968.

20/20 seems to get it's thrown together rep mainly because 2 of it's 3 singles were released in advance of it's hitting the shelves. If Bluebirds..... had been put out a month later than what it was it would have been viewed as a taster for the upcoming album, not as an old single from the year before. Yeah it has recycled smile stuff as well but so did plently of other BB albums.

[TimeToGetAlone]

Overrated: L.A. (Light Album) -> Pretty much just due to this board.  It's a hit and miss album at best. The best songs are definitely among the best post-Love You, but the lackluster ones seem to go on forever.  One of the strengths of the Beach Boys is that even their weak material generally didn't overstay their welcome, but here not so much the case.  Out of all their albums, it's the one in which I'm most likely to go for the skip button when the good songs aren't playing.  Definitely the biggest spectrum between its good and bad material.

Underrated: Still Cruisin' -> Not because it's a good album, because it's not.  Out of the 7 new songs, there's 3 I like.  However, the weaker tracks I find more unremarkable than they are embarrassing.  When I look at the 80's material of many artists, this really doesn't seem too bad.

[chrs_mrgn]

Okay I'm taking this both ways:

The general public:
Overrated - That's Why God Made The Radio
Underrated - Smiley Smile

Fanatics:
Overrated - Wild Honey
Underrated - Still Cruisin'