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Poll
Question: Rate Friends
5 - 106 (54.4%)
4 - 67 (34.4%)
3 - 18 (9.2%)
2 - 2 (1%)
1 - 1 (0.5%)
0 - 1 (0.5%)
Total Voters: 182

Pages: 1 ... 4 5 6 7 8 [9] Go Down Print
Author Topic: Friends  (Read 120055 times)
Mr. Wilson
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« Reply #200 on: January 16, 2014, 09:06:55 PM »

Oh I wouldn't take off Little Bird Or Busy Doin Nothin BOTH Gems.. I'd take off Diamond Head.. Anna Lee  + Transendental Meditation off and replace those 3 then you would have perfection..IMHO
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« Reply #201 on: January 28, 2014, 10:59:37 PM »

****
Best track: Wake The World
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« Reply #202 on: March 08, 2014, 12:09:33 AM »

Friends is the chill-out relax album of The Beach Boys. It's just simply cool to listen too.

Meant For You: Great opener. Makes the listener feel welcome.
Friends: Let's Be Frieeeennnndddssss!
Wake The World: Great Song. I like the infinite loop thing at the end.
Be Here In The Morning: Groovy tune. Kinda sounds like a young Michael Jackson. Like it a lot.
When A Man Needs A Women: Innocent little tune. Good song. Love the "when the two get together huh huh huh huh huh huh" line. Hilarious.
Passing By: ..................Sorry I was daydreaming. Nice little instrumental thing.
Anna Lee, The Healer: Love the groove of this.
Little Bird: Denny's big break. One of my favourites on this album.
Be Still: Love the simplicity of this.
Busy Doin' Nothin': Another genius tune by the genius.
Diamond Head: The only song I don't really like on here. Maybe It'll grow on me.
Transcendental Meditation: Wait... Mike doesn't sing this Shocked Maybe Brian was just trying to embarrass TM. :D Cool tune though.

Overall it's a nice easy listening album.

5/5
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Rocket
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« Reply #203 on: July 21, 2014, 03:28:39 PM »

Call me crazy, but I think this album has surpassed Pet Sounds for me as my favorite album ever.

It's so relaxing, just puts me in a chill mood no matter what I'm doing or thinking about.

5/5 for me, no doubt. Every song is awesome, even Transcendental Meditation.

Plus, I'm a sucker for short albums!
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« Reply #204 on: August 23, 2014, 12:04:01 PM »

Friends is perfect except for Transcendental Meditation. This song is so bad it nearly destroys the mood of the album. But just nearly. Still 5/5.
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« Reply #205 on: August 23, 2014, 04:56:50 PM »

4/5. Not really that into the last couple songs. I like that this is the only Beach Boys album (that I've heard anyways) that sounds super bossa nova-y. Super chill.
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« Reply #206 on: August 23, 2014, 04:59:42 PM »

Bossa-nova is a style, and the only song on the record in that style is Busy Doin' Nothing...

but it is a perfect relaxed summer afternoon record
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« Reply #207 on: August 23, 2014, 05:52:51 PM »

Bossa-nova is a style, and the only song on the record in that style is Busy Doin' Nothing...

but it is a perfect relaxed summer afternoon record

True. Even when it doesn't sound super Brazilian, the chord progressions on it are really unique and don't really seem to pop up much in their other work ("Passing By" and the verse on "Friends" stick out for me).
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« Reply #208 on: February 02, 2015, 01:27:45 PM »

5/5

This album is remarkable for its juxtaposition of playful Brian Wilson-penned tracks, sensitive Dennis Wilson compositions (his first on a Beach Boys album) & member to member collaborations. An album of pure bliss, the title track -"Friends" has a wonderful melody, with great simply (happy) lyrics. "Be Here in the Morning" is just fun to sing along to. "Busy Doin' Nothin'" gives actual directions to Brian's house, it has a wonderful melody & arrangement. "Little Bird" (one of favourite BB/Dennis tracks ever)is Dennis Wilson showing that the messed-up middle brother has a soul, his incredible talent and what a hooky' bass line! Mikes influence and going on's at the time, formed a great tune called "Transcendental Meditation", while a great edition to fit was "Diamond Head". A surfer's heaven to chill-out.

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« Reply #209 on: February 09, 2015, 10:06:43 PM »

Yet another flawed late Sixties/Early Seventies Beach Boys album. Like so many others, there's moments of beauty but it's muddled by bad stuff and leaves me with a mixed bag. This truly feels like the perfect blend of Wild Honey with what they had been doing before that and Smiley kinda faltered their momentum. I think between WH and this, there's an absolutely stunning album worthy of following up Pet Sounds and the SMiLE fragments in there somewhere. I think some ambitious fan ought to edit together a best-of compilation of those two and you'd get something greater than the sum of its parts. As Friends stands now, I give it a 3/5, with at least one star taken off for that awful finale.

Mike, Mike, Mike...what are we gonna do with you? You're passionate about something. It's nice. And you want to express that passion in your music. Also nice. But did we really need like 3, 4 different songs about TM?? Seriously? I guess this is the wrong place to complain about this because it was the first time, but this is the last one I've gotten around to listening to so I'll do it here. Stop trying to make TM happen. It's not going to happen. I dont mean to squash the man's dreams, but thats really what someone should have said to him back in the day. Especially after the second TM song. It's one thing if you were to write about it obliquely/metaphorically. But Mike wasnt subtle or talented enough to do that. So he just says the damn two words that sound SO unharmonious again and again. That's not the way to convert people, Mike. Be creative. Be...musical. C'mon man. C'mon.

Ok. Had to get that off my chest, cause that really was the most overwhelming thought I had when the music stopped. That one song absolutely ruins the flow of the album and leaves it on a terribly sour note. Anyway, let's work our way backwards then, shall we?

Diamond Head is a nice, calming little instrumental. Not one of their best, but very soothing and laid back so it fits well enough. Especially for something allegedly done off the cuff in the studio, its really good.

Busy Doin Nothing is maybe my favorite song on the album. The lyrics are kinda substandard in parts, but the beautiful vocal performance and melody more than salvage it. Gorgeous.

Be still. Well, it's certainly serene and a pleasant listen. But overall it's pretty short and maybe not well placed on the album.

Little Bird is another highlight. Good guy Dennis, just coming in outta the blue and writing one of the best songs the Boys did since the aborted SMiLE material. The Child horns fit it well, too.

Anna Lee the Healer...this one I'm not too big a fan of. Simple as that.

Passing By is a decent instrumental. But this is coming from the guy who wrote Fire, Pet Sounds (the song) and Let's Go Away for Awhile. And it falls very, very short of ALL of those. It just doesn't really go anywhere. It comes on, drones on and ends before it really leaves any kind of impression or takes us anywhere.

When a Woman Needs a Man...I'm not really a fan. Rhyme unintended.

Be Here in the Mornin and Wake the world kinda blend together and, again, I dont particularly care for either song.

Meant for you going into Friends is a really nice opening. Friends itself is a really nice song but maybe wasnt the best choice for a single. I like it, but can see why it did little to turn the tides after Smiley and Wild Honey torpedoed their studio album's successes.

So yeah, once again, 3/5. Very cohesive in terms of feel and instrumentation. But very mixed in terms of actual song quality. Once again I say, If Wild Honey and Friends' best songs were put together on a single album, I think you'd have an impeccably brilliant work of art on par with Pet Sounds and possibly even what SMiLE promised to be. Instead, we got two flawed albums when the group desperately needed a knockout to salvage their reputation when Smiley rubbed people the wrong way.



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Here are my SMiLE Mixes. All are 2 suite, but still vastly different in several ways. Be on the lookout for another, someday.

Aquarian SMiLE>HERE
Dumb Angel (Olorin Edition)>HERE
Dumb Angel [the Romestamo Cut]>HERE

& This is a new pet project Ive worked on, which combines Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis (1927) with The United States of America (1968) as a new soundtrack. More info is in the video description.
The American Metropolitan Circus>HERE
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halblaineisgood
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« Reply #210 on: February 09, 2015, 10:26:02 PM »

If Wild Honey and Friends' best songs were put together on a single album, I think you'd have an impeccably brilliant work of art



Wild Honey is an impeccably brilliant work of art as is. Them's just the facts, son.

And as far as Mike's offputting tendencies to let the TM lifestyle intrude upon their music--that didn't begin to become a nuisance until "Everyone's In Love with You" . 


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Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard
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« Reply #211 on: February 09, 2015, 11:01:14 PM »

If Wild Honey and Friends' best songs were put together on a single album, I think you'd have an impeccably brilliant work of art



Wild Honey is an impeccably brilliant work of art as is. Them's just the facts, son.

And as far as Mike's off-putting tendencies to let the TM lifestyle intrude upon their music--that didn't begin to become a nuisance until "Everyone's In Love with You" . 


I'm afraid I disagree. It's a nice enough little album. So is Friends. Obviously it's pointless to try to rewrite the past, but I can't help but feel like the high points of both, when combined, would have combined to make an album just as great as Pet Sounds.

I conceded that it may not be appropriate to complain about the TM songs on a review of this particular album. It's just that this happened to be the album I listened to (out of chronological order, admittedly) where it really made me facepalm and ask "WHY?!?!" to no one in particular.
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Here are my SMiLE Mixes. All are 2 suite, but still vastly different in several ways. Be on the lookout for another, someday.

Aquarian SMiLE>HERE
Dumb Angel (Olorin Edition)>HERE
Dumb Angel [the Romestamo Cut]>HERE

& This is a new pet project Ive worked on, which combines Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis (1927) with The United States of America (1968) as a new soundtrack. More info is in the video description.
The American Metropolitan Circus>HERE
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« Reply #212 on: February 10, 2015, 08:06:25 AM »

Interesting, I never thought about Transcendental Meditation as really connected to Mike or Al, as I know both have writing credits on it, but musically, it is a Brian song through and through. Actually, I only hear Brian singing, as well. I don't really care who else was involved with it, it is a terrific discordant jazz track. On Friends, it is the ironic jolt back to reality. Brian does have a great sense of humor, for sure. Wink
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The Brianista Prayer

Oh Brian
Thou Art In Hawthorne,
Harmonied Be Thy name
Your Kingdom Come,
Your Steak Well Done,
On Stage As It Is In Studio,
Give Us This Day, Our Shortenin' Bread
And Forgive Us Our Bootlegs,
As We Also Have Forgiven Our Wife And Managers,
And Lead Us Not Into Kokomo,
But Deliver Us From Mike Love.
Amen.  ---hypehat
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« Reply #213 on: February 11, 2015, 10:51:55 AM »

Interesting, I never thought about Transcendental Meditation as really connected to Mike or Al, as I know both have writing credits on it, but musically, it is a Brian song through and through. Actually, I only hear Brian singing, as well. I don't really care who else was involved with it, it is a terrific discordant jazz track. On Friends, it is the ironic jolt back to reality. Brian does have a great sense of humor, for sure. Wink

I mean, he has a writing credit and he's written like 4 other songs on the subject, all of them similarly terrible (imo.)

I don't think Friends needed a jolt to reality at the end. What's unrealistic about the rest of it? It's just a nice, laid back album about friendship (for the most part.) TM just kills that musical and thematic flow. Maybe TM should have been a standalone single in place of Friends. And they should have finished Cant Wait Too Long. If not for WH, then for this. It's one of the best songs they ever did, I'd say.
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Here are my SMiLE Mixes. All are 2 suite, but still vastly different in several ways. Be on the lookout for another, someday.

Aquarian SMiLE>HERE
Dumb Angel (Olorin Edition)>HERE
Dumb Angel [the Romestamo Cut]>HERE

& This is a new pet project Ive worked on, which combines Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis (1927) with The United States of America (1968) as a new soundtrack. More info is in the video description.
The American Metropolitan Circus>HERE
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« Reply #214 on: February 11, 2015, 11:24:59 AM »

Interesting, I never thought about Transcendental Meditation as really connected to Mike or Al, as I know both have writing credits on it, but musically, it is a Brian song through and through. Actually, I only hear Brian singing, as well. I don't really care who else was involved with it, it is a terrific discordant jazz track. On Friends, it is the ironic jolt back to reality. Brian does have a great sense of humor, for sure. Wink

I mean, he has a writing credit and he's written like 4 other songs on the subject, all of them similarly terrible (imo.)

I don't think Friends needed a jolt to reality at the end. What's unrealistic about the rest of it? It's just a nice, laid back album about friendship (for the most part.) TM just kills that musical and thematic flow. Maybe TM should have been a standalone single in place of Friends. And they should have finished Cant Wait Too Long. If not for WH, then for this. It's one of the best songs they ever did, I'd say.
The album is very mellow and lulls a person into a very relaxed state of mind. Then the jolt happens. I think it is genius. Also don't you find it ironic that a song about TM is so loud and discordant? The music is the complete opposite of what TM is all about. Brian got the perfect effect that he was going after.
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The Brianista Prayer

Oh Brian
Thou Art In Hawthorne,
Harmonied Be Thy name
Your Kingdom Come,
Your Steak Well Done,
On Stage As It Is In Studio,
Give Us This Day, Our Shortenin' Bread
And Forgive Us Our Bootlegs,
As We Also Have Forgiven Our Wife And Managers,
And Lead Us Not Into Kokomo,
But Deliver Us From Mike Love.
Amen.  ---hypehat
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« Reply #215 on: February 11, 2015, 11:43:16 AM »

Interesting, I never thought about Transcendental Meditation as really connected to Mike or Al, as I know both have writing credits on it, but musically, it is a Brian song through and through. Actually, I only hear Brian singing, as well. I don't really care who else was involved with it, it is a terrific discordant jazz track. On Friends, it is the ironic jolt back to reality. Brian does have a great sense of humor, for sure. Wink

I mean, he has a writing credit and he's written like 4 other songs on the subject, all of them similarly terrible (imo.)

I don't think Friends needed a jolt to reality at the end. What's unrealistic about the rest of it? It's just a nice, laid back album about friendship (for the most part.) TM just kills that musical and thematic flow. Maybe TM should have been a standalone single in place of Friends. And they should have finished Cant Wait Too Long. If not for WH, then for this. It's one of the best songs they ever did, I'd say.
The album is very mellow and lulls a person into a very relaxed state of mind. Then the jolt happens. I think it is genius. Also don't you find it ironic that a song about TM is so loud and discordant? The music is the complete opposite of what TM is all about. Brian got the perfect effect that he was going after.

I've often wondered why Transcendental Meditation was such a loud song with those chaotic chords. Just what you said...it's the complete opposite of what it's really about.
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« Reply #216 on: February 19, 2015, 11:30:26 AM »

I just listened to the entire album for the first time ever today, so I don't have any attachment or real track history with these songs.  I had previously listened to "Friends", "Little Bird" and heard the instrumental to "TM" on the Made in California box as well as the long version of "Meant for You".

"Meant For You": Very beautiful, melancholy, touching, and evocative (for me).  Reminds me of special people who are no longer in my life for various reasons. 5/5  

"Friends": I like the bridge to the song but for whatever reasons I don't really like this song that much even though it's a quality composition and pretty well executed. 4/5

"Wake The World": Great Song. I love the verses which are simplistic but are the reasons why I love Brian's writing/singing so much. He can make something not complicated and push your buttons emotionally or catch your ear in a way that's tough to explain. The verses I could see myself singing along to.  I also like the chorus and the high falsetto at the end of it. Really trippy.  5/5

"Be Here In The Morning": I see that Al sings the verses but they sound 100% like Brian to me but Al's voice can be easily confused for Brian's like on "I Know There's an Answer."  I can see myself listening to this song in bed with a great woman and feeling the bliss running through my body. 5/5

"When A Man Needs A Women": I really like how this song opens and I love the guitar riff running through the entire song.  I'm a sucker for cheesy organ playing for some reason and I love the organ fill which adds to the quirkiness and child-like feel to this song. I agree that there's something kind of missing to it but I honestly like this song more than "Friends" but I don't think it's a four star song so I'll say 3.75/5.

"Passing By": Interesting little vocal interlude. It fits the mood of the album and is well placed to its credit. I wouldn't skip the track but it's not great either. I'll give it 3.75/5 for placement and execution.

"Anna Lee, The Healer": I love Brian's singing and Mike's voice as well. Very well done and oddly catchy (like lots of post-Pet Sounds songs in my experience). 4.5/5 for sure.

"Little Bird": Songs like this make Dennis such a cool guy in my opinion. I'd play this song for a non-BB fan in a heartbeat and I bet they'd think it was awesome and has a chill groove to it.  I don't the last "Little bird up in a tree. . ." with the mickey mouse singing. I think it sounds out of place and kinda kills the groove a bit. But they do save it at then end with the "little bird. . . so-ong" fade out..  4.25/5.

"Be Still": This album is like Dennis's Beatles for Sale in my opinion. You would never say it's the best but you see where the road leads to and the songs in themselves are good. Again, I'm a sucker for lilting organ songs (or anything organ for the most part) and the simplicity and beauty are transcendent for me.  I'd say 4.25/5.

"Busy Doin' Nothin'": Simple, catchy, odd, frankly a bit bizarre, but well executed and probably one of his best compositions since it fuses world music with Brian's innocent lyrical style with a catchy melody.  5/5

"Diamond Head": It fits the album but not my favorite by any means but I can definitely see myself being in a pool in August in the late afternoon with this song in the background.  4/5 for ambiance and mood.

"Transcendental Meditation": I had heard this on the MIC box in instrumental form and I thought it was oddly really cool. I had played it purpose since I had never listened to the song much less the instrumental version. I had to do a double take when I heard this energetic jazzy instrumental coming over my ear buds with the name of "Transcendental Meditation." I remember semi-thinking to myself that the subject matter probably wouldn't match the instrument track but I still liked it.  Fast forward to actually hearing the finished song, and I think it's endearing, 100% something Brian would do, and I love his voice on it and the "Tomorrow Never Knows" type of drone singing during the verses. I also like the wailing dominant 7th chord (?) during "it's good!"  I tend to agree that it was kind of a joke song Brian had come up with complete with inane lyrics about mediation's benefits. It kind of seems like a slight dig to people like Mike and other people who seemed a bit pretentious with it. Like Brian later said, "it stopped working."  I love the irony and everything about this. Stuck in my head now. 5/5

4/5 overall.

Final thoughts:  I definitely could listen to this album over and over although the "let's be friends" vibe would be tiring after awhile. I think Wild Honey perfectly balances chill, innocence, mysteriousness, with R&B and energy and is non-fatiguing in my experience.

To the commenter who said this is better than The Beatles I just don't see it. Yes, it's a double album and naturally will have filler tracks or not fully-fleshed out songs but Disc 1 is hard to beat and is amazing.  "Back in the USSR" is nearly a perfect rock and roll song in my opinion. It blends parody with a tongue in cheek social statement, with great singing and energy.   The two albums are completely different, however, and a comparison is difficult to make. I think both albums are great in their own right and I'd be in the mood for the The Beatles and not necessarily Friends and vice versa.

Friends wins in the quirkiness department and doesn't sound overly dated and you can see how modern indie bands have been influenced directly or indirectly by it.  The Beatles still sounds fresh and is timeless and in my opinion could be released today and it'd be incredible.
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« Reply #217 on: April 14, 2015, 12:24:57 PM »

I think the best way to describe the Friends album is short and sweet.  Five for me. 

I think I read it on here that Friends is the perfect album to listen to on a hot summer day.  I couldn't agree more.  I love the laid back feel of the album. 

The title track is a thing of beauty.  I also love Wake the World, Meant for You, and Busy Doin Nothin. 

Dennis Wilson starts to emerge out of brother Brian's shadow here with Little Bird (with a little help from Smile's Child is the Father of the Man) and Be Still. 

I also like the two instrumentals Passing By and Diamond Head. 

The closing track TM grows on me a little more each time I hear it. 
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« Reply #218 on: May 21, 2015, 07:38:44 AM »

Friends is the chill-out relax album of The Beach Boys. It's just simply cool to listen too.

Meant For You: Great opener. Makes the listener feel welcome.
Friends: Let's Be Frieeeennnndddssss!
Wake The World: Great Song. I like the infinite loop thing at the end.
Be Here In The Morning: Groovy tune. Kinda sounds like a young Michael Jackson. Like it a lot.
When A Man Needs A Women: Innocent little tune. Good song. Love the "when the two get together huh huh huh huh huh huh" line. Hilarious.
Passing By: ..................Sorry I was daydreaming. Nice little instrumental thing.
Anna Lee, The Healer: Love the groove of this.
Little Bird: Denny's big break. One of my favourites on this album.
Be Still: Love the simplicity of this.
Busy Doin' Nothin': Another genius tune by the genius.
Diamond Head: The only song I don't really like on here. Maybe It'll grow on me.
Transcendental Meditation: Wait... Mike doesn't sing this Shocked Maybe Brian was just trying to embarrass TM. :D Cool tune though.

Overall it's a nice easy listening album.

5/5
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« Reply #219 on: September 26, 2015, 03:56:03 AM »

Meant for you - 5/5
Friends - 5/5
Wake the World - 5/5
Be Here in the Morning - 5/5
When A Man Needs A Woman - 4/5
Passing By - 4/5
Anna Lee, The Healer - 3/5
Little Bird - 3/5
Be Still - 3/5
Busy Doin' Nothin' - 3/5
Diamond Head - 2/5
Transcendental Meditation - 4/5

The most front loaded record the group ever cut. Glad to see the production values are back but some of the songwriting is too lightweight.
Overall 3.5.
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« Reply #220 on: May 02, 2016, 11:46:56 PM »

I think side one of this album is nearly perfect; side two is good, but TM has always grated on me; at first I found Diamond Head pointless, but it has grown on me.  And nobody ever sang wordless vocals better than the Beach Boys  - "Passing By".
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« Reply #221 on: July 30, 2017, 02:46:40 PM »

Meant for you: Beautiful, peaceful little tune and a perfect introduction to the album.

Friends: Catchy, innocent, and I love the harmonies on this, as well as the drumming.

Wake the World: Not my favorite song on the album, but still good. Still, very pretty, oddly haunting at times.

Be Here in the Morning: One of my favorites on the album, such a beautiful melody, great group vocals. I especially like the harmony from Al at the beginning and very end ("Uuuhhhhaaahuuuhhh/It's been a such a long day.....") and everyone together with Murry on "Make my life full".

When A Man Needs A Woman: The first 40 seconds or so are wonderful, great vocals from Brian and a nice, bouncy melody (love how he sings "There's a baby/yes there's a baby/about to be booooorn"). I wish there had been more verses like that. The organ solo is cool, but the rest of the song feels a bit lacking.

Passing By - Lovely, wordless tune that I find myself humming a lot.

Anna Lee, The Healer: Beautiful chorus, I like how Brian or Carl say "You" on "You'd love to feel those healing hands" right before the rest jump in. It just adds a little more excitement, I guess. The verses are alright, mostly because of Mike's sensitive singing. The lyrics throughout are sorta silly, too.

Little Bird: One of my favorite Dennis songs, it's so weird, and beautiful, but sad. Good drumming also, and the bridge take it to another level (especially with Carl's voice).

Be Still: Not as good as Little Bird, but still a good step in the right direction for Dennis' songwriting abilities.

Busy Doin' Nothin': I love these laid back, tender lead vocals from Brian. The way he sings "What a hot sticky daaaaa-yeeee-aaayyy" is so neat. It's not of my top Brian tunes overall, but still really good.

Diamond Head: Nice, relaxing music. You can just picture a beach and beautiful water with the sunset in the background.

Transcendental Meditation: Huh.

Overall, I'd give the album a 4/5. Some of the songs are amazing, and the sound of the album is uniquely peaceful, but some of the tracks aren't very substantial and/or don't develop the way I would've liked. I rank it ahead of Wild Honey and Smiley Smile, but below Sunflower and Surf's Up.
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« Reply #222 on: February 19, 2018, 10:48:15 AM »

I used to paint to this album. It's so relaxing. Friends really has its time and place.
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