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Post by B.E. on Jun 18, 2023 13:11:56 GMT
For now, we're sticking with the tracks released at the time. In this case, simply 15 Big Ones and Love You. If a track has two versions (e.g. "Rock and Roll Music"), each voter may choose which version to vote on.
Voting is open!
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Barco
Denny's Drums
Posts: 41
Likes: 72
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Post by Barco on Jun 18, 2023 17:40:41 GMT
I think I've said it before, but I haven't really listened to any post-Surf's Up album in their discography. I'm a tiny bit familiar with Love You but not enough to vote confidently on this top 10. So I'll take this opportunity to really get to know both of these records over this week and then chip in.
How about top 10 songs of 1967-1968 next? Smiley Smile, Wild Honey and Friends combined would give us 34 songs to vote for.
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Post by B.E. on Jun 18, 2023 18:13:35 GMT
I think I've said it before, but I haven't really listened to any post-Surf's Up album in their discography. I'm a tiny bit familiar with Love You but not enough to vote confidently on this top 10. So I'll take this opportunity to really get to know both of these records over this week and then chip in. Being that you're not familiar with these albums, I'll be extra interested to see your picks and/or hear your first impressions. You could love these albums or hate them, and I wouldn't be surprised either way! How about top 10 songs of 1967-1968 next? Smiley Smile, Wild Honey and Friends combined would give us 34 songs to vote for. Sounds good to me. I had three poll ideas for this week and that was one of them. I might tweak the lineup, though, possibly including 20/20 as well, while omitting the core Smile tracks (H&V, GV, CE, OP) in order to save them for a 1966 poll. We'll see. I'm still sort of mapping out the best way to proceed regarding the song polls.
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 18, 2023 20:46:41 GMT
This one is really hard for me! Unlike a few polls, this is an abundance of riches for me. I love the arrangements of this era, and the material of Love You in particular. What's more, I like the Sunflower-era "Susie Cincinnati" and "Good Time" (and the not-long-after "Had to Phone Ya"). Now, let's be clear, I'm not saying this stuff competes with the best of 1964-71 in most cases. But there is a lot here I just really, really love. Is it my fascination with Brian himself, with his situation at the time, with the time when I discovered this music (this, for me, was the first stuff I dug into after Pet Sounds/Smile and the hits that were the background of growing up)? I don't know.
I've voted, but I don't want to post my list yet because I actually suspect I'll change it. There are probably 4-6 songs I absolutely hate not having voted for, but I can't imagine cutting nearly so many from my current picks.
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Emdeeh
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 520
Likes: 532
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Post by Emdeeh on Jun 19, 2023 4:11:31 GMT
I suspect I'll be the one with the fewest votes for LY tracks...
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Post by lonelysummer on Jun 19, 2023 4:37:23 GMT
I suspect I'll be the one with the fewest votes for LY tracks... No, that would be me. I know I am allowed to vote for up to 10 tracks; but this is one time when I probably won't.
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Post by jk on Jun 19, 2023 10:28:37 GMT
Haha, well I've just withdrawn my four Love You votes as not befitting what I consider to be an outsider album.
My remaining four are for "It's O.K.", "Susie C", "ITSOTN" and "JOIML".
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 19, 2023 11:11:10 GMT
In order, but subject to change; they're very close:
1. It's OK - it's an all-timer to me; I never get tired of it, the feeling
2. The Night Was So Young - love it; I'm still touched by it
3. Roller Skating Child - very underrated song; this song rocks; Brian's croaky tag is the only flaw
4. Palisades Park - a great production; doesn't get enough respect; I think it's better than Rock And Roll Music
5. Back Home - great song; I wish Brian wasn't so hoarse but I still like his enthusiastic vocal
6. I'll Bet He's Nice - I'm still fascinated by Brian's "chirping" synthesizer arrangements
7. Let Us Go On This Way - I like the feeling of this song, Carl's vocal especially; they were trying hard
8. Johnny Carson - spooky, funny, very Brian
9. Airplane - another fascinating Love You song; a little fuller, better production would've made it better
10. Honkin' Down The Highway - a fun song; Brian could still (always!) write fun rock & roll songs
Almost: 11. Had To Phone Ya - a nice song that suffers from some very shaky vocals, especially Brian's tag
12. Chapel Of Love - this one almost gets there; it's still fun and...happy (ah bow bow bow)
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 19, 2023 11:43:26 GMT
I suspect I'll be the one with the fewest votes for LY tracks... No, that would be me. I know I am allowed to vote for up to 10 tracks; but this is one time when I probably won't. KDS isn't a Love You fan, either. I think we've got market corner on "Beach Boys fans who aren't Love You fans" on this board. (Not me! My list definitely skews toward LY.)
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Barco
Denny's Drums
Posts: 41
Likes: 72
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Post by Barco on Jun 19, 2023 18:40:45 GMT
Just finished my third listen of Love You now. So far my opinions are mixed, I should say. While there are some songs and sounds I can dig, there are a lot of weird things going on. Brian's lyrics are, I don't know, regressed? Some of them feel either really creepy or extremely childish if you are aware of the writer's age. This would obviously be more broadly acceptable if this album was written and recorded by really young men as opposed to grown adults. I can't say where I stand on the matter because at the same time it's constantly weird and mad, some of it is pretty charming. Knowing what I know about Brian Wilson's story and mental state at the time, however, it makes total sense that he would come to write material like this.
Some quick thoughts:
Roller Skating Child - pretty infectious and has a couple of funny one liners Mona - an old favorite of mine, the only song I knew before those three listens Good Time - one I liked, the synths sound great Ding Dang - what? Solar System - charming, but it drags. could've been so much better if it ran shorter. Say about half its original length The Night Was So Young - sounds like something that could be on SS or Friends. I like it. I Wanna Pick You Up - God no
Overall, I think it's OK. Not great, not atrocious. Most likely I'll not go back to this record once this top 10 is over, though.
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Post by carllove on Jun 20, 2023 1:18:36 GMT
This is going to take me awhile … and yes Ding Dang will get a vote! Fun song and Roger McGuinn!
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Post by carllove on Jun 20, 2023 1:20:10 GMT
Just finished my third listen of Love You now. So far my opinions are mixed, I should say. While there are some songs and sounds I can dig, there are a lot of weird things going on. Brian's lyrics are, I don't know, regressed? Some of them feel either really creepy or extremely childish if you are aware of the writer's age. This would obviously be more broadly acceptable if this album was written and recorded by really young men as opposed to grown adults. I can't say where I stand on the matter because at the same time it's constantly weird and mad, some of it is pretty charming. Knowing what I know about Brian Wilson's story and mental state at the time, however, it makes total sense that he would come to write material like this. Some quick thoughts: Roller Skating Child - pretty infectious and has a couple of funny one liners Mona - an old favorite of mine, the only song I knew before those three listens Good Time - one I liked, the synths sound great Ding Dang - what? Solar System - charming, but it drags. could've been so much better if it ran shorter. Say about half its original length The Night Was So Young - sounds like something that could be on SS or Friends. I like it. I Wanna Pick You Up - God no Overall, I think it's OK. Not great, not atrocious. Most likely I'll not go back to this record once this top 10 is over, though. Took one for the team! That’s the way I feel every time I listen to Love You 🤣
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 20, 2023 11:24:20 GMT
Just finished my third listen of Love You now. So far my opinions are mixed, I should say. While there are some songs and sounds I can dig, there are a lot of weird things going on. Brian's lyrics are, I don't know, regressed? Some of them feel either really creepy or extremely childish if you are aware of the writer's age. This would obviously be more broadly acceptable if this album was written and recorded by really young men as opposed to grown adults. I can't say where I stand on the matter because at the same time it's constantly weird and mad, some of it is pretty charming. Knowing what I know about Brian Wilson's story and mental state at the time, however, it makes total sense that he would come to write material like this. Some quick thoughts:
Roller Skating Child - pretty infectious and has a couple of funny one liners Mona - an old favorite of mine, the only song I knew before those three listens Good Time - one I liked, the synths sound great Ding Dang - what? Solar System - charming, but it drags. could've been so much better if it ran shorter. Say about half its original length The Night Was So Young - sounds like something that could be on SS or Friends. I like it. I Wanna Pick You Up - God noOverall, I think it's OK. Not great, not atrocious. Most likely I'll not go back to this record once this top 10 is over, though. Keep listening, brother! You're on your way. That's 4 1/2 out of 7 that you already like, and I don't see "Honkin' Down The Highway", "I'll Bet He's Nice" or "Airplane" on your list...yet.
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 20, 2023 11:37:20 GMT
I'm a huge Love You fan, but you won't see "Airplane" on my lists, either!
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Post by kds on Jun 20, 2023 13:30:07 GMT
As Kap mentions, I am definitely not a Love You fan. I don't know if I would consider it "outsider music," but it's not my cup of tea. It might actually be my least favorite BB album (I honestly think I like more tracks from SIP, slightly). But, the Brian's Back Era is also my least favorite BB era, so in order to fill out a list of ten, I do have to include three LY tracks.
It's OK Palisades Park Everyone's In Love With You Rock and Roll Music * Susie Cincinnati Blueberry Hill * In the Still of the Night *
Mona Honkin Down the Highway The Night Was So Young
Even my least favorite BB album has some redeeming quality, and I do very much enjoy these three songs, even if I still find some of the vocal work to be pretty weak by BB standards.
* These three covers are more for the quality of the songs themselves. I don't think the BB versions are particularly strong, but again, IMO, this is a weak era for the band.
Edit - When I say that Love You is my least favorite Beach Boys album, I didn't factor in Stars and Stripes, as I honestly sometimes forget that's technically considered a Beach Boys album.
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