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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2019 8:18:13 GMT
This week's album is M.I.U. Album: |
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Post by B.E. on Oct 10, 2019 10:13:57 GMT
Following SMiLE? Tough break!
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Post by kds on Oct 10, 2019 12:30:41 GMT
I'm actually giving MIU a 7. While there really are few true standout tracks, I think the overall listen to the album is good, and an improvement over the previous two albums 15 Big Ones and Love You. My Diane, Winds of Change, Kona Coast, Sweet Sunday Kinda Love, and Pitter Patter are among my favorites. I like Belles of Paris, but I prefer the Christmas version
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Post by Kapitan on Oct 10, 2019 13:15:52 GMT
Oof. It's a professional album, anyway. But it really lacks any spark of the genius of this band. It has tolerable moments, occasional pleasant or soothing moments. Not a single truly exciting, inspiring, or touching moment (that I can feel, anyway). Not to be cruel, but you can tell Brian was on autopilot and things were in Mike's and Al's competent--which isn't exactly a compliment in this case--hands.
EDIT - should note, I gave it a 4 for now. I might change my vote a little one way or the other as I think more about it and read other people's arguments.
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bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
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Post by bellbottoms on Oct 10, 2019 16:04:22 GMT
MIU sounds nice and slick on the surface, but it’s pretty much devoid of any nutritional value. Probably my second least listened to BB album. I forget about it most of the time, but then the times when I do listen to it, I’m all oh hey, this is alright. But then I promptly forget about it again. When I’m listening to it, it’s a 6.5. when I’m not, it’s 5. Rounding it to 6.
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Post by B.E. on Oct 10, 2019 17:21:21 GMT
M.I.U. Album - 6/10
I agree with the views expressed here. It's a mostly competent, listenable album, but seriously lacking in inspiration and excitement. My favorite tracks are "My Diane" and "Come Go With Me". Those are legitimate standouts for me. I also like "Winds Of Change", "Sweet Sunday", "Wontcha Come Out Tonight", and "Pitter Patter" (in that order). Depending on my mood, I may enjoy "Match Point Of Our Love", but that's more of a curiosity and is elevated by Brian's decline in productivity and lead vocals during the era. The rest of the album is largely problematic for me and torpedoes my appreciation for the album. If I stick to the songs listed above, I find myself feeling sympathetic towards the album. As a whole, though, I can only confidently state that I prefer it to two other Beach Boys albums: Still Cruisin' and Summer In Paradise.
This is one of those albums where my expectations were SO low (based on fan reviews) that I was fairly shocked to discover such a listenable album. For quite a while, I would have defended it as being underrated. But, as the years go by, and the newness wears off, I find myself reverting to the mean. All things considered, it's a subpar Beach Boys album. (Fortunately, for the Beach Boys, I'm such a big fan that even MIU earns a "6" from me.)
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Oct 11, 2019 12:55:47 GMT
Sentimentality has always gotten in the way of my evaluation of the M.I.U. album. I was a newbie in 1975-76, and while I was enjoying discovering the vast back catalogue, my main concern was Brian Wilson's recovery. When 15 Big Ones was released, I was happy to hear that Brian could still produce. When Love You was released, I was happy to hear that Brian could still write and arrange. That was two down, one to go - the voice. Things were trending upward, and I couldn't wait for the next release.
That would have to be another year and half, which believe it or not, seemed like an eternity in those days. When I eventually bought the M.I.U. Album and brought it home and dropped the needle - to be met with Brian Wilson singing in a clear falsetto on "She's Got Rhythm" - I was literally ecstatic. It still remains one of the all-time high moments in my Beach Boys' fandom. I, like several other Beach Boys' fans at the time, had serious doubts that we would ever hear Brian sing...that respectable...again. I have read some criticism about Brian's vocal on this song, but I find it perfectly fine. Onto the rest of the album...
Brian's outstanding vocals continued on with "Wontcha Come Out Tonight", "Match Point Of Our Love", and the tag on "Winds Of Change". Where did this come from? I didn't know but I wasn't complaining! It set the tone of the album for me, a positive tone. Al also sounded great, coming off his worst lead vocal ever on "Honkin' Down The Highway" to his BEST EVER lead vocal with "Peggy Sue" (yes, that's what I said; give it a good listen). Mike was strong, too, sounding less nasal and actually very good on "Kona Coast", "Wontcha Come Out Tonight", and "Pitter Patter".
Where was Carl and Dennis? Very sad, sad that in-fighting and lifestyle choices could directly affect a Beach Boys' album, especially at a crucial time in their career. Dennis wasn't exactly a team player (see the Surf's Up album and now this album) was he? Embarrassing actually. We didn't know all of the behind the scenes happenings at that time, but now that we do, it does detract from the vibe of M.I.U.
The songs? The biggest criticism of M.I.U. through the years has been the lightweight nature of the material. I guess that criticism has to do with the music because the lyrics weren't any more lightweight than Friends, Wild Honey, or Sunflower. Yeah, M.I.U. ain't Pet Sounds or SMiLE. But there is a smattering of horns and springs. There's the ever present oldies and I don't mind "Come Go With Me" and "Peggy Sue". Good old Mike did his thing with a BB retread ("Kona Coast"), plenty of boy/girl fun ("Wontcha Come Out Tonight", "Kona Coast", and "She's Got Rhythm"), and trying to be cute ("Belles Of Paris"). I always found "My Diane" to be overrated; there were better songs in the can but I guess they needed a Dennis lead. What what the infatuation with "Hey Little Tomboy" (shakes head)? "Winds Of Change" wasn't a complete success but I give them some credit for going outside the box. The tag is incredible.
Yes, in the end the biggest flaws of M.I.U. are probably the lack of "heavier" material and the absence of Carl Wilson. Um, yeah, ehh, I don't know... The subject matter IS all over the place. Some of the songs are picturesque. It's not a bad listen, if that could be considered praise. Brian WAS involved. OK, this is the bottom line for me. While I like M.I.U., it is another in a long line of frustrating releases. More woulda/shoulda/couldas. This group absolutely did not know how to make the best possible album. First, they went from 15 songs on 15 Big Ones, to 14 songs on Love You, to 12 songs on M.I.U. Why? They were recording like crazy. Where was "Winter Symphony" (yes, it would've fit on M.I.U.) and "Our Team"? Why not finish "Mike Come Back To L.A."? Why not snatch a song or two from the aborted Adult Child project? Did they even ask Dennis for a song? Or Carl? If you add two or three songs to M.I.U. you improve the album by one full grade. This could be considered nit-picking but I have to think the album title, M.I.U. Album, was not exactly an asset. And even more nit-picking, in addition to the bland front cover, they couldn't even come up with a more recent photo of the group than the 1976 one they used on the back cover?
For a grade I'm wavering between a 6 or a 7. It's hard to go with a 7...maybe on a good day. The album did have a hit single with "Come Go With me", albeit a few years down the road. "Match Point Of Our Love" is an all-timer with me. I would love to hear what Brian Wilson thinks about this album, but I'll chalk that up to something else that I/we'll never hear. I'm stalling here. OK, a 7. 
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Post by Kapitan on Oct 11, 2019 13:15:37 GMT
Brian Wilson singing in a clear falsetto on "She's Got Rhythm"
A clear falsetto? I beg to differ.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Oct 11, 2019 13:21:35 GMT
Brian Wilson singing in a clear falsetto on "She's Got Rhythm"
A clear falsetto? I beg to differ. I guess I always heard Brian's vocal on "She's Got Rhythm" differently than others do. I don't think it sounds forced. I do think it's on key. It's slightly shouty but the song called for that. He sounds enthusiastic. Considering where Brian's voice was just a year earlier it's quite incredible actually. I just always liked it.
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Post by Kapitan on Oct 11, 2019 13:29:17 GMT
It's on pitch, but it also sounds to me VERY pinched, rough-throated, and thin, but overdubbed and with reverb added to help thicken it. Everything he's done with falsetto thereafter, frankly, sounds to me either similarly pinched or hollow. It's why the idea of a Beach Boys-only project just isn't feasible without a falsettoist.
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bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 727
Likes: 202
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Post by bellbottoms on Oct 11, 2019 13:30:16 GMT
A clear falsetto? I beg to differ. I guess I always heard Brian's vocal on "She's Got Rhythm" differently than others do. I don't think it sounds forced. I do think it's on key. It's slightly shouty but the song called for that. He sounds enthusiastic. Considering where Brian's voice was just a year earlier it's quite incredible actually. I just always liked it. I like it, too. He definitely sounds different, but not necessarily bad. I quite enjoy all of Brian's vocals on MIU.
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Post by Kapitan on Oct 11, 2019 14:35:50 GMT
I like Brian's lower register singing through the album. That's where I do think he was in improved voice.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Oct 11, 2019 14:56:57 GMT
Where I do think Brian's falsetto sounds a little forced and thin is on the harmonies. Brian's voice is very obvious as the high part on the harmonies, but sometimes it sounds a bit shrill or off-key (the Christmas album sessions are worse). I give Brian - and Al - credit for "going for it", though. It adds to the charm of M.I.U. for me.
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Post by Kapitan on Oct 11, 2019 18:21:11 GMT
While we're on the album, I want to give a shout-out to one of my favorite songs on the album, a song that doesn't get much love from what I've seen: "Sweet Sunday Kinda Love."
It's not a great song, by any means. It's about as down-the-middle as you can be, almost a prototypical girl-group style of song. But I like it. Not for any special genius or anything. Just because it's a nice little song.
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Post by kds on Oct 11, 2019 18:34:41 GMT
While we're on the album, I want to give a shout-out to one of my favorite songs on the album, a song that doesn't get much love from what I've seen: "Sweet Sunday Kinda Love."
It's not a great song, by any means. It's about as down-the-middle as you can be, almost a prototypical girl-group style of song. But I like it. Not for any special genius or anything. Just because it's a nice little song.
Sweet Sunday Kind of Love actually manages to sound like a lazy summer Sunday. It's also sort of The Beach Boys kinda doing yacht rock, which they did more of on LA Light. Now, I can't recall if yacht rock was a derogatory term coined by critics, or an actual genre, but I think The Beach Boys could've done well with more songs of that ilk.
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Sept 30, 2024 19:53:42 GMT
Sept 30, 2024 19:53:42 GMT
