L.A. (Light Album)

[Beach Boy]

I like this album but KTSA and MIU are better. "Good Timin'", "Lady Linda" and "Angel Come Home" are great, and I like "Sumahama" and "Here Comes The Night" too. "Shortenin' Bread" is okay. I like the cover too, maybe it's the most important back cover of any beach boys album 

[Smilin Ed H]

I'll stick with replacing Here Comes the Night with Santa Ana Winds (original version), Lookin' Down the Coast and California Feeling.  No-one would listen to the album then and just come away with the sound and length of Here Comes the Night in their head.  Hell, I could even put up with Sumahama (though I'd prefer to skip the spoken Japanese - in fact, there are probably other Mike tracks from around that period that could've been included.  Wasn't a version of 10,000 Years recorded around then?).  And, yeah, stick IABD on.  Its not great, but it does have some energy.  I guess Shortenin' Bread would have to go and probably Goin' South, too.  Full Sail is just about tolerable.  Now all we need is Winter Symphony saved from the aborted Christmas album and you have not only the last decent album they did (which it more or less is anyhow) but an excellent album to call it a day with!

[Rocker]

I feel certain that is not Mike.  I think it has to be a Wilson -- probably Dennis, maybe Brian.  It sounds like the bass vocals on River Song to me, that's why I thought it was Denny.

Yep, it is in fact Denny singing the bass part. The last time he would be heard on a new Beach Boys album.

Wasn't a version of 10,000 Years recorded around then?

This is from the great Dennis Wilson-Dreamer site :

10,000 YEARS -  Written by Dennis and Mike Love, this track originated around the time of the Beach Boys' 15 BIG ONES sessions and was tweaked intermittently over the next seven years (perhaps as separate works by both authors). No vocals have ever surfaced, but lyrics were written for this funky excursion-- the theme being man's inability to treat his fellow man with compassion over the course of ten thousand years. It's interesting to note that this is at least the fourth composition co-written by Dennis and Michael. For two individuals supposedly often at odds with one another, they often seemed to put aside their differences when it was in the best interest of their music. (A revealing 1976 radio interview of Dennis and Mike on WLS radio Chicago shows off the pair as positively chummy with one another, with Dennis praising Mike's "Everyone's in Love with You" as "the most beautiful song I've ever heard.") 

Of course Mike re-recorded the song for his new solo-album

[I. Spaceman]

I feel certain that is not Mike.  I think it has to be a Wilson -- probably Dennis, maybe Brian.  It sounds like the bass vocals on River Song to me, that's why I thought it was Denny.

Yep, it is in fact Denny singing the bass part. The last time he would be heard on a new Beach Boys album.

 

Vocally, that is.

[MBE]

Hmm everyone seems to concur that this is the last really decent Beach Boys album. It's a Beautfull Day sounds more like KTSA to me but it was a fairly good song.

[Rocker]

I feel certain that is not Mike.  I think it has to be a Wilson -- probably Dennis, maybe Brian.  It sounds like the bass vocals on River Song to me, that's why I thought it was Denny.

Yep, it is in fact Denny singing the bass part. The last time he would be heard on a new Beach Boys album.

 

Vocally, that is.

Right. He played percussion on "Endless harmony"

[drlandy]

Album: 2 1/2
Cover: 5

[adamghost]

Count me as a LIGHT ALBUM supporter...lotsa Carl and Denny, not so much of Al and Mike, no surfing lyrics, a modern, slightly edgy production, and great vocal textures (most of them by Carl with Dennis and Bruce).  And I've always loved HCTN although I agree that a shorter edit would have been appropriate, and adding "California Feeling" (though the recorded version was fairly lifeless) or IABD would have helped the record.

Interesting fact:  according to Alan Boyd Brian was not involved with "Shortnin' Bread" at all.  He apparently was at Brotman at the time and Carl and Dennis did it without him based on his '77 era demo arrangement.  Brian actually RECUT "Shortnin' Bread" in 1980!

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I consider this the last solid BBs album. Not great, but solid.

[mikeyj]

I gave this a 4. I actually really like this album. I think people underrate this album.

Good Timin - a brilliant song. The backing track is also pretty good and made me appreciate it more. I love the group vocals on this one
Lady Lynda - although a rip off of a Bach composition I still like it
Full Sail - I like this song a lot too despite a lot of people not liking it.
Angel Come Home - great to hear Denny's passionate lead vocal. I do agree with someone who said a while ago that the backing vocals do sound a bit strange but a really nice song nonetheless
Love Surrounds Me - a brilliant song. Just gets better every time I hear it. Wasnt the best when I first heard it (as with a lot of this album, but it has grown on me since)
Sumahama - Mikes best composition (although of course he hasnt had many where he composed the music)
Here Comes The Night - ignore this one and the album aint as bad as people make out. The vocals on this song though are pretty impressive although the disco feel is not good for my liking
Baby Blue - another great song. I love the contrast between Carl's beautiful voice and then Denny's passionate and rough voice. Brilliant use of contrast. And then Brian add some high notes after Denny. Some brilliant singing.
Goin South - not the best. I agree with some people when they say that Carl sounds sleepy on this one. Still by no means bad
Shortenin' Bread - a bit of harmless fun.

[Mahalo]

Jesus, no...

 

[Beach Boy]

I like it, it's nothing special but it has some great songs.

"Good Timin'" is one of the best songs ever from the Beach Boys, "Angel Come Home" is awesome and I like "Lady Lynda" too, the intro is beautiful. "Shortenin' Bread" is a good rocker and Carl is powerful on "Here Comes The Night" but why so long? The Dennis' songs are just decent and the other Carl songs are good for relaxing. "Sumahama" is a track which I like sometimes and on another day I don't. I love "It's A Beautiful Day" from that era which is a hidden gem. Good that Dennis and Bruce are back but Mike is right, this album sounds more like a bunch of different solo albums.

[thomasogg]

I think this album, if released around the early '70s, would be seen as a big disappointment. However, coming after the likes of 15 Big Ones and MIU, it's a minor miracle. 'Good Timin' is absolutely gorgeous - whenever compiling BB CDs for friends and hope-this-lands-me-a-shag girls I always have it as the opening track (well, either this or Dennis' 'River Song' - both however guaranteed to make the listeners sit up and listen!!) 'Lady Lynda' has some nice harmonies but is so lightweight sometimes you don't even notice it's there (and it was a hit single?? Whereas 'Long Promised Road', 'Sail On Sailor' etc failed to chart? The public are idiots!!) Anyway, 'Full Sail' is gorgeous! Carl's vocal more than makes up for the slight melody. 'Angel Come Home', despite the somewhat Bee Gees-like backing vocals on the chorus, is a beaut! Cracking lead from dennis, and great vocals that'll really hit home with anyone who's ever loved and lost. 'Love Surrounds Me' is a great tune, badly produced. Check out the Bamboo demo instead. Much better! 'Sumahara' - what's with people rating this track? The melody is ok i suppose, but that cheesy production? And Mike singing in Japenese never fails to have me reaching for the bucket! The man has no sense of irony or taste! What a prick! Talking of pricks, Bruce's disco production of 'Here Comes The Night' guarantees that this otherwise pretty damn good album will always have a shoddy reputation. 'Baby Blue' rescues Side 2 however, being as it is an absolute masterpiece! Carl's 'Goin' South' is another slight melody with a great vocal, but this time the melody is just a bit too slight to be rescued by his fantastic voice. Sorry Carl! 'Shortenin' Bread' is crap, obviously, but let's all pretend it's great coz Brian did it. Sorry, but by now Brian had, very sadly indeed, utterly lost his mojo. This song is just plain stupid - compare it to his brothers contributions, then think how the sane, clear-thinking Brian of 1966 would've felt if he'd known THIS was the kinda stuff he's be considering decent releasable album material just 12 years later... Damn shame! Overall then, under-rated, deeply flawed album, with shocking lows and incredible highs! Bye

[Aegir]

I like it when the Beach Boys try to sound modern. The Beach Boys, as a whole, are a lesson in history and pop culture through the years. Though no one thought they were cool after '67, they followed every trend and did it well. Good Timin' is great. Lady Lynda is good but Al doesn't fit the mood of this album, despite Bruce's best efforts at production. Full Sail is pretty but doesn't stick in my memory too well. Angel Come Home is great. I love the vocals in the chorus. Love Surrounds Me is too ambitious.

Sumahama. I could go on and on about Sumahama. When I first heard it, I enjoyed it but figured it was one of the many Mike Love tracks that I loved but everyone else thought was crap. But then I was playing it on acoustic guitar, which is how I imagined Mike composed it, as it's the only instrument besides the sax that I'm aware of Mike knowing how to play. Anyhow, the chords under the chorus made me respect Mike Love so much. I also love the line "years have passed and tears have long since dried". The Japanese lyrics are pretty cool, I love the live version of this where they sing it completely in Japanese.

Here Comes the Night is to 1979 as Heroes and Villains is to 1967. And I love Heroes and Villains. The screeching monkey is classic.

Baby Blue's rather nice but nothing special. I like Goin' South alot. Shortenin' Bread is funny, but I would've prefered Do You Like Worms?. Especially a 1979-esque Do You Like Worms?.

I don't know what to rate this album. Maybe a four, maybe a three.

[TimeToGetAlone]

L.A. has some great moments for me, but also poor tracklisting in the second half and 2 or 3 tracks that really don't do it for me at all.  A few of the songs are deja vu of the early 70's democratic albums, and it would on that level if you took the best half of the songs IMO.  I don't have a problem at all with trying new things, but I will base it on my listening enjoyment as I always try to do.

Good Timin' - 5/5
Lady Lynda - 4/5
Full Sail - 4/5
Angel Come Home - 4/5
Love Surrounds Me - 4.5/5
Sumahama - 3/5
Here Comes The Night - 2/5
Baby Blue - 4.5/5
Goin' South - 3.5/5
Shortenin' Bread - 2/5

I'm giving L.A. a 3 as well, giving HCTN a credit of 2 songs considering its length (which ironically is also the biggest problem with it).  If you shortened that song keeping in the best bits down to about 4 minutes my enjoyment of it would grow considerably.

[Aegir]

They did shorten Here Comes the Night. It gets rid of all the cool vocal parts, though. I like the long one much better.

[TimeToGetAlone]

They did shorten Here Comes the Night. It gets rid of all the cool vocal parts, though. I like the long one much better.

True, but upon listen I think it would be possible to get down to at least 6 minutes for those desirable vocal parts.  The song takes a good two minutes to even get to when the real singing begins, and then there's another one similar around the 8 or 9 minutes mark if I recall.  The sax solo I actually quite like so I wouldn't take that away unless I had to.

[kookadams]

It's not a bad album, it's just weak. The Light Album and Keepin' the Summer Alive proves that Bruce wasn't too good at producing the Beach Boys, he was a good team with Terry Melcher but not on these albums.

[the captain]

It's not a bad album, it's just weak. The Light Album and Keepin' the Summer Alive proves that Bruce wasn't too good at producing the Beach Boys, he was a good team with Terry Melcher but not on these albums.

While I do despise his production, it's not like he was given Pet Sounds to produce, either. The material was pretty fucking weak.

[Dr. Byrds]

Light, breezy and fun album. By no means a heavy piece of work. Dennis' 'Love Surrounds Me' is funky as hell, sounds like  a sleeker POB cut. His 'Baby Blue' is also pretty fantastic. 'Angel Come Home' is a perfectly fine soul-ed out rocker from Carl.

Good Timin' is great, very pretty and evocative harmonies. 'Full Sail' is a really nice breathy ballad, I love the vocals here.

The Kenny G-esque saxaphone in 'Goin' South' is just awful though...Sumahama is...stupid...And I've never listened to the Discofied Here Comes the Night in its entirety (who has?), I've gotten about 30 seconds in and just had to shut it off. And to think, Curt Boettcher, the genius behind the Millennium and Sandy Salisbury's albums produced that sh*t! Lady Lynda is just such cheeseball pop sh*t, but its hard to dislike.

I think you should just go into this album expecting the lightweight.

[Aegir]

Oh come on, man, give Here Comes the Night a chance. There's some cool vocal parts a few minutes in.

[Alex]

Take out Here Comes the Night and Sumahama, replace them with California Feeling, Wild Situation, and maybe Looking Down the Coast.

[elnombre]

Well, lets see.

Good Timin' - I find it a little bit melancholy because its so obviously a half-assed attempt to relive former glories. Make no mistake, it does so admirably. The harmonies are beautiful. Perhaps I'll rephrase that first sentence - its an obvious nod to an era that The Beach Boys built their reputation on, but also one that they know fully well has passed and ain't coming back. Nevertheless a great song, and a good opener.

Lady Lynda - I'm bemused as to why this was a hit. The word 'fluff' springs fleetingly to mind. But pleasant, listenable fluff I suppose. Maybe I've answered my own question.

Full Sail - Very pretty. Forgettable on first listen though - requires some careful listening until it's subtleties are revealed, but more than worthwhile. Beautiful, really.

Angel Come Home - I wish this had been the hit from L.A., because it's really phenomenal imo. Great to hear Dennis and Carl collaborating on this one. It's a mainstream kinda vibe, but Denny's gracefully f***ed-up vocals give it the edge it needs. The chorus is fantastic. Just a really great song.

Love Surrounds Me - An unusual vibe for a Beach Boys song and an area they didn't particularly explore often as a group. Denny sounds great. Ambitious, as others have said, but very rewarding. Kind of a sleeper hit.

Sumahama - 'Listenable' is about the most generous thing I can say about this. Bollocks, would be a more honest opinion.

Here Comes The Night - I almost shat my pants when I first heard the vocoder near the start, or whatever the hell it is. Some great vocal parts, but a stinky steaming heaping helpin' o' crap compared to the almost garagey vibe of the Wild Honey version. Perhaps it wouldn't have been forgivable, The Beach Boys trying to latch on to the disco trend, if they weren't doing it at least two and a half years after it was fashionable.

Baby Blue - Back on track. So subtle, and so gorgeous. A really touching song and really sweet. Shame about the totally unneccessary synth.

Goin' South - Lovely lead from Carl. A slight song, but dreamy. I don't care for the mix - what the f*** is with the high hat? I feel like it's eating away at my brain with every strike. Talk about shattering a mood. The harmonies and sax need to be higher up. Really good stuff, all the same.

Shortenin' Bread - A nice moment of deranged Bri genius to end the album. Sounds like the opener for Wild Honey Part 2. It really does kick some ass.

So, Light Album.

A good album. Not great, but good overall, enjoyable and some moments of real classic Beach Boys. Its a crying shame that this was the last original work they did that was worth hearing, but those the brokes.

[Wrightfan]

4. I really love this album, even more then Hollland!

Best to worst:
Good Timin'
Lady Lynda
Sumahama (Yup. Guilty pleasure  )
Here Comes the Night 79' (Same as above)
Angel Come Home
Baby Blue
Love Surrounds Me
Shortenin' Bread
Full Sail
Goin' South

[the captain]

Your best-to-worst ranking is almost the exact opposite of mine, if I were to make one. Well, more sort of inside-out, as I'd probably start near your middle, then end, then top. But yeah, your favorites are my least favorite.