35th Anniversary of M.I.U today....

[bluesno1fann]

2 words. My Diane. Wow.

I love "My Diane," but in terms of M.I.U., it seems to be the song that breaks the curve.  The Beach Boys and Summer in Paradise are both worse albums than M.I.U.

"The Beach Boys 85'" worse than "M.I.U."? That's a joke, right?

While I like MIU for what it is, I think it was the first blatantly bland album the group released ... and the first of their albums that was not controlled creatively by the Wilson clan. I think these are the reasons it was so hated at the time (and still is by some). And it set a certain standard for what was to come later (beach/summer-themed lyrics, Brian Wilson involved but sterilized for mass consumption, etc.).

I think it has aged well, however -- possibly because it's better than anything the group has released since (as a group or solo artist).

Although it's pleasant, there's just very little artistry in the album. It really just sounds like Celebration with better songs, more character and some magic BB dust.

I'll take the L.A. (Light Album) over that album in a heartbeat.

Same 

... no love ... (My Diane excepted) ... its a train wreck in motion ...

Sums up my feeling as well

MIU has grown on me. I like Pitter Patter and My Diane. And Matchpoint Of Our Love has a chilled-out thing about it which I like. I like it better than 15 Big Ones actually.

As much as I don't like M.I.U., I'll have to agree that it's a lot better than 15 Big Ones

[Please delete my account]

For me, M.I.U. is a guilty pleasure, or the half of it I listen to is.

[chrs_mrgn]

I always think of M.I.U. as L.A.'s slightly more handsome brother.

[smilethebeachboysloveyou]

2 words. My Diane. Wow.

I love "My Diane," but in terms of M.I.U., it seems to be the song that breaks the curve.  The Beach Boys and Summer in Paradise are both worse albums than M.I.U.

"The Beach Boys 85'" worse than "M.I.U."? That's a joke, right?

Well, that's a difficult thing.  I definitely think The Beach Boys is a worse album: whereas M.I.U. has one standout track ("My Diane") and two tracks I kind of like ("She's Got Rhythm" and "Come Go With Me") The Beach Boys doesn't have anything on it that I particularly like.  Most of the tracks sound the same and are clear attempts to make the Beach Boys sound current in 1985, which consequently makes the album sound far more dated than any of their classic albums, and indeed even more dated than some of their previous cynical cash-in attempts like M.I.U. or Keepin' the Summer Alive.  In addition to that, it has one of my least favorite songs, "Passing Friend," which I think is worse than anything on M.I.U.

[MBE]

MIU is so-so, 85 I never liked at all.

[chrs_mrgn]

She's Got Rhythm is such a great song. I love everything about it. Especially Brian's LAAAAAAAAAAST

[CenturyDeprived]

M.I.U. is underrated. There. I said it.

[bluesno1fann]

2 words. My Diane. Wow.

I love "My Diane," but in terms of M.I.U., it seems to be the song that breaks the curve.  The Beach Boys and Summer in Paradise are both worse albums than M.I.U.

"The Beach Boys 85'" worse than "M.I.U."? That's a joke, right?

Well, that's a difficult thing.  I definitely think The Beach Boys is a worse album: whereas M.I.U. has one standout track ("My Diane") and two tracks I kind of like ("She's Got Rhythm" and "Come Go With Me") The Beach Boys doesn't have anything on it that I particularly like.  Most of the tracks sound the same and are clear attempts to make the Beach Boys sound current in 1985, which consequently makes the album sound far more dated than any of their classic albums, and indeed even more dated than some of their previous cynical cash-in attempts like M.I.U. or Keepin' the Summer Alive.  In addition to that, it has one of my least favorite songs, "Passing Friend," which I think is worse than anything on M.I.U.

I guess it's your opinion. But i find "the Beach Boys" to be their most underrated album, and I love a majority of the tracks. Getcha Back, Maybe I Don't Know, She Believes In Love Again, Where I Belong, It's Gettin Late, even the guilty pleasure track I'm So Lonely I love. The only real clunker to me is the sh*t California Calling. With M.I.U. there's only really My Diane.
I don't mind the 80's sound of the album at all, in fact I really like it. At the same time, I can understand why some people may not like it. But still it doesn't deserve most of it's bad ratings and bad reputation. To me at least, "The Beach Boys" is so, so much better than 15 Big Ones, M.I.U., KTSA, Still Cruisin, SIP, and Stars and Stripes. I still don't fully understand why a lot of people like it, but I will defend it when I get the chance, somebody has to lol.

[Lonely Summer]

WTF is up with all the praise for "My Diane"? Do people love it just because it's Dennis singing? The song is nothing special, much like the rest of the album.

[Micha]

I actually like it better than both Love You and POB, but I think that's largely because my expectations were low--so I ended up being blown away by it. 

Same with me!

No one's celebrating.

You're wrong. I am. Three cheers for MIU! 

Pitter Patter must be one of their most underrated songs ever. It's such a clever tune. Those harmonies are amazing.

I love Pitter Patter too. THAT should have been the single. I've listened to the album lots of times, but I listened to "Peggy Sue" about three times at most.

For me, M.I.U. is a guilty pleasure, or the half of it I listen to is.

Delete "guilty", and I'm 100% with you!

Interestingly, I don't enjoy listening to the celebrated My Diane. That drags, I don't like the arrangement. I wouldn't say it was bad, it's just not an enjoyable listen to me. Many others say it's the only song they like on MIU.

[bluesno1fann]

WTF is up with all the praise for "My Diane"? Do people love it just because it's Dennis singing? The song is nothing special, much like the rest of the album.

To me, the fact that it's Dennis Wilson is singing My Diane is irrelevant. It's how great he did it is what matters. And yes, he did a brilliant job on that song!

[phirnis]

Unlike 15 Big Ones this one hasn't grown on me at all. I like Tomboy and My Diane and some of the other tunes are fairly decent. Not a bad album but painfully mediocre for a group like that. Despite the lack of BW involvement I like the Light Album WAY better than this.

[Ovi]

WTF is up with all the praise for "My Diane"? Do people love it just because it's Dennis singing? The song is nothing special, much like the rest of the album.

Nah, it's a gorgeous song, full of emotion. Definitely in my top 15 Brian Wilson compositions. In fact, I think it's so good that it's almost out of place on MIU.

[Smilin Ed H]

Charmless album. Some listenable songs, like most BB albums post-Holland (Love You, POB and BW88 being the obvious exceptions because they're better). I much prefer LA, which, at least, seems like a whole album, even with HCTN.

I like My Diane, Pitter Patter and, to a lesser extent, Winds of Change and Woncha Come Out Tonight, but I don't like any of them as much as the songs I like on LA.

[Fire Wind]

Not mad on Brian's 'She's Got Rhythm' vocal.  Love Mike's parts to that song, though.

[RangeRoverA1]

What's up with all the praise for "My Diane"? Do people love it just because it's Dennis singing? The song is nothing special.

I for one think that it's one of the worst performances by Dennis, too gritty to my taste. Give me his youthful 60s vocals any time. That being said, I don't think that if Brian or any other Beach Boy had sung "My Diane", it would've been any more better. So yes, the song itself is nothing special, regardless of whom.

Now, let me join in & congratulate this jolly enjoyable record & wish it to become a timeless classic soon. M.I.U. to the masses!

[bluesno1fann]

What's up with all the praise for "My Diane"? Do people love it just because it's Dennis singing? The song is nothing special.

I for one think that it's one of the worst performances by Dennis, too gritty to my taste. Give me his youthful 60s vocals any time.

While I agree that Dennis was a far better singer in the 60's and early 70's, I think that his vocals actually suit My Diane very well

[MBE]

Yeah My Diane is a Dennis vocal from later I really like, even though I too like his pre 1974 voice the best.

Interesting that 1985 connects so much with you. I listened to it half a dozen time and I just don't get anything from it. "Getcha Back"/"Male Ego" is a cool 45 though.

[Smilin Ed H]

Not counting Love You, Brian's good (released) stuff from post Holland, up to and including KTSA: My Diane, California Feelin', Winter Symphony, Had to Phone Ya, Back Home - and I do like the instrumental Why. Not knocking his contributions to other stuff, but I get the feeling that, for example, Santa Ana Winds - which I love - is more Al than Brian and isn't Good Timin' largely Carl's work?

[bluesno1fann]

Interesting that 1985 connects so much with you. I listened to it half a dozen time and I just don't get anything from it. "Getcha Back"/"Male Ego" is a cool 45 though.

You know, you're right. What I don't understand is why it can't connect to many people 

[pixletwin]

Strangely, MIU was always my least favorite BB album until just recently. It's just starting to click with me.  "She's Got Rhythm" is really fun to sing in the car driving home from work.Brian sounds great.  I love Pitter Patter and Match Point. The only song I get bugged by anymore is Belles of Paris because I can't hear it anyother way than Bells of Christmas.  

[SloopJohnnyB]

Played the heck out of "She's Got Rythm" when it first came out. It was nice to hear Brian and Mike sharing the lead vocals on that one and others.

Nice album. 'Come And Go With Me" would become a top 20 hit in 1981.  Not too shabby.  

[Ram4]

I only recently got M.I.U. and my expectations were really, really low.  The only track on it that I had heard was Come and Go With Me, so I was expecting the worst.  Also with Carl and Dennis all but AWOL, how good could it be?  But I was impressed.  I like the mix, I like the overall feel, and there are some decent songs on it.  As someone said earlier, Pitter Patter has got to be one of the most underrated BB songs, I love it.   

[37!ws]

So it was 35 years ago an album was released that was cobbled together from some "highlights" of new material and filled out with some 15 Big Ones-era recordings, ranging from ho-hum to just plain creepy, despite having some dynamite material in the can that could have made for a much better album.

Oh well...at least Al had the good sense to use the slightly-not-quite-as-creepy version of "Hey Little Tomboy."

But to me, MIU Album is what Summer In Paradise would have sounded like had the Beach Boys used actual instruments.

Happy birthday, MIU Album. Jai guru dev. And shave your legs, now, for your first time.

[ThyRavenAscend]

It seems that a number of people's opinions of M.I.U. were influenced by their expectations (obviously there are still other, important factors--but it's worth noting).  If expectations do affect our initial and overall opinion of an album, maybe we could learn our lesson and expect the worst for Brian's upcoming solo album!