Rank the Beach Boys 70s albums

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I've been fairly obsessive about their 60s stuff for most of my life, and have everything up to Surf's Up. thanks to the kindness of a certain ILMer, I now also have Dennis Wilson's "Pacific Ocean Blue" - but what should I sandwich between these two bookends? "Holland" I assume? Carl and the Passions "So Tough"? "15 Big Ones" looks like shit. skeptical of "Love You". what's the consensus?

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:11 (twenty years ago)

I love them...

I'd go with:

1. Love You (the last great BB album)
2. Sunflower
3. 15 Big Ones (this one has grown on me, still don't like the covers that much, but the originals have their charm)
4. Holland
5. L.A.
6. M.I.U.

Apart from "Love You," Dennis' album seems to me to be the best thing any of them did in the '70s, and probably the best thing any of 'em did since "Wild Honey."

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:16 (twenty years ago)

1. their disco single
2-infinity. everything else

(seriously though "love you" is pretty fun, albeit a bit disturbing, and both "holland" and "so tough" have their moments)

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:16 (twenty years ago)

i like the overwrought dennis wilson stuff on those last two, but i'm weird.

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:17 (twenty years ago)

I do really dig the Dennis album, btw. it drags in spots, but when it's on its quite stunning. "Friday Night" is insanely funky.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:19 (twenty years ago)

1. Surf's Up
2. Sunflower
3. Holland
4. Love You
5. Carl And The Passions
6. 15 Big Ones
7. LA
8. M.I.U

The first two are lightyears better than the rest

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:23 (twenty years ago)

1. Surf's Up
2. Sunflower
3. Holland
4. Carl And The Passions/So Tough
5. The Beach Boys Love You
5a. Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue
6. The L.A. Light Album
7. 15 Big Ones
8. The M.I.A. Album

Nothing shocking.. though I think The Beach Boys Love You is overrated, and The L.A. Light Album is underrated.

I, too, fall for the really overwrought Dennis stuff.. part of why I rank L.A. Light the highest is "Baby Blue"... (also "Good Timin'", "Sumahama" -- OMG, a Mike Love track that doesn't totally outright suck! -- , and "Here Comes The Disco", of course)

Ironically, Dennis's own record is far more mediocre than his contributions to the BBs albums from this period... excepting the excellent "River Song".

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:24 (twenty years ago)

That said, all of these albums completely smash their 80s output... "Kokomo" is the only decent track from the 80s, and that's saying something.

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:25 (twenty years ago)

hahaha, "The M.I.A. album". Donut Done Gun!

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:31 (twenty years ago)

"Kokomo" is the only decent track from the 80s, and that's saying something.

Hardly that one either.

However, the same year "Kokomo" was a hit, Brian Wilson released a quite decent solo debut.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:31 (twenty years ago)

haha yeah I have Wilson's first solo album, and while some of those 80s synths really don't do his sound justice, there's some definite bright spots (the a capella stuff, Rio Grande - I think he cribbed a phrase from Dennis Wilson's "River Song" in there somewhere). "Love and Mercy" should be much better than it is.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:35 (twenty years ago)

Love You
Pacific Ocean Blue
Surf's Up
Sunflower
Holland
Carl & the Passions/So Tough
15 Big Ones/MIA/LA Light Album = 3 way tie for last

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:37 (twenty years ago)

Agree that the production on "Brian Wilson" sounds a bit dated today. Extremely late 80s. Still great songs and great harmonies though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:38 (twenty years ago)

I blame Dr. Eugene Landy. And Lenny Waronker. And Christopher Cross. And whatever other third-tier celebrity hacks contributed to that record...

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 12 April 2005 22:41 (twenty years ago)

Holland would've ranked neatly beside Surf's Up if only its second side were as strong as its first.

Dennis' finest 70s moment was his Jack Rieley collaboration on "4th Of July", apparently an outtake (!) from the Surf's Up sessions. Ethereal, stunning and not at all cloying, as with a lot of his other songs from the era. This one's most easily available on the Good Vibrations box.

― doug watson (solid air), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 23:07 (twenty years ago)

The entire "California Saga" was indeed classic. But the rest of the album is extremely weak.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 23:08 (twenty years ago)

No one's mentioning In Concert, which is a great document from when they still were a worthwhile live act.
1) Sunflower
2) In Concert
3) Holland
4) Surf's Up
5) Love You
6) L.A. Light Album
7) Carl and the Passions/So Tough
8) Adult Child (unreleased)
9)15 Big Ones
10) MIU

― Allen Baekeland (Allen Baekeland), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 23:54 (twenty years ago)

The entire "California Saga" was indeed classic. But the rest of the album is extremely weak.

Am willing to part ways with Geir on "Steamboat" but I can't accept "Sail On Sailor" as being at all weak.

― doug watson (solid air), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 00:56 (twenty years ago)

yeah, "Sail On Sailor" is really their last great pop moment...

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 13:33 (twenty years ago)

What about 'Lady', which is on the Super Furry Animals Under the Influence album by Dennis Wilson and Kongo or something. I have a poor quality bootleg of this song and wonder whether it is worth £12 to upgrade to the Super Furries thing.

I don't suppose I will though, until it's £3.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

Post Surf's Up Beach Boys - C/D S/D
Post Surf's Up Beach Boys - C/D S/D

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 16:08 (twenty years ago)

The entire "California Saga" was indeed classic. But the rest of the album is extremely weak.

Ahem-hem - Listen to one The Trader.

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 16:15 (twenty years ago)

Surf's Up
Holland
Love You
Sunflower
Carl & the Passions
MIU
LA
15 Big Ones

― Dominique (dleone), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 16:19 (twenty years ago)

1. Surf's Up
2. Sunflower
3. Holland
4. Love You
5. Carl And The Passions
6. LA

The others aren't worth rating. If we're counting Pacific Ocean Blue, I'd put it in the 3 slot.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 16:34 (twenty years ago)

Surf's Up
Love You
Holland
Sunflower
LA
Carl & The Passions
MIU
15 Big Shits

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 16:41 (twenty years ago)

I'm listening to "The Trader" now, and am thinking how the second half of it basically invents Rumours.

― Dominique (dleone), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 16:46 (twenty years ago)

Did Rumours have a bonus fairytale 7" about a magic transistor radio?

― donut debonair (donut), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 16:51 (twenty years ago)

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