The Beach Boys

Submitted by rudolf55 on Fri, 09/29/2006 - 04:48
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  • Surfin' Safari (1962)


  • 1. Surfin' Safari: 9.5
  • 2. County Fair: 6.8
  • 3. Ten Little Indians: 5.8
  • 4. Chug-A-Lug: 4.6
  • 5. Little Girl (You're My Miss America): 5.4
  • 6. 409: 6.0
  • 7. Surfin': 4.1
  • 8. Heads You Win - Tails I Lose: 4.9
  • 9. Summertime Blues: 5.1
  • 10. Cuckoo Clock: 4.4
  • 11. Moon Dawg: 4.6
  • 12. The Shift: 5.5
  • Song Average: 5.5
  • Score: 49%
  • Comment: Besides the classic title track, Surfin' Safari doesn't really seem like the debut of a classic band. The songs aren't interesting, the band sounds tired and bored already and whenever it seems like it might get interesting, it throws in some useless background vocals. Nothing here seems to work and it just raises the point that if they hadn't gone on, they would've just become another one-hit wonder.

  • Surfin' USA (1963)


  • 1. Surfin' USA: 9.5
  • 2. Farmer's Daughter: 8.4
  • 3. Misirlou: 8.0
  • 4. Stoked: 6.5
  • 5. Lonely Sea: 9.0
  • 6. Shut Down: 8.7
  • 7. Noble Surfer: 9.1
  • 8. Honky Tonk: 7.1
  • 9. Lana: 9.2
  • 10. Surf Jam: 7.8
  • 11. Let's Go Trippin': 7.3
  • 12. Finders Keepers: 8.7
  • Song Average: 8.2
  • Score: 80%
  • Comment: After the disappointing Surfin' Safari, the Beach Boys just tried again and came with, what appears to be, some sort of sequel. And again, the title track is the main event, but this time, the rest of the tracks fit in too, and their enthusiasm finally shows. The only strange thing is the high number of instrumentals (there are 5 here and that's almost half the record), but they don't disrupt the flow.

  • Surfer Girl (1963)


  • 1. Surfer Girl: 9.4
  • 2. Catch A Wave: 7.8
  • 3. The Surfer Moon: 7.6
  • 4. South Bay Surfer: 5.1
  • 5. The Rocking Surfer: 4.6
  • 6. Little Deuce Coupe: 8.3
  • 7. In My Room: 9.5
  • 8. Hawaii: 9.1
  • 9. Surfers Rule: 5.7
  • 10. Our Car Club: 6.1
  • 11. Your Summer Dream: 7.2
  • 12. Boogie Woodie: 6.5
  • Song Average: 7.2
  • Score: 67%
  • Comment: The Beach Boys were apparantly trying to make it their trademark that the title track was always the best song on the album. This one, however, breaks with that unwanted tradition, by introducing a song named In My Room, a lovely ballad which is easily one of the best early Beach Boys songs. The rest of the album hovers somewhere between Surfin' Safari and Surfin' USA. The quality of most songs never gets that high, bar a few exceptions, but it never gets quite as bad as on their debut. A fair attempt, though. But it was obvious already that they just should've slowed down.

  • Little Deuce Coupe (1963)


  • 1. Little Deuce Coupe: 8.3
  • 2. Ballad Of Ole' Betsy: 7.2
  • 3. Be True To Your School: 8.6
  • 4. Car Crazy Cutie: 6.1
  • 5. Cherry Cherry Coupe: 6.4
  • 6. 409: 6.0
  • 7. Shut Down: 8.7
  • 8. Spirit Of America: 5.8
  • 9. Our Car Club: 6.1
  • 10. No-Go Showboat: 4.9
  • 11. A Young Man Is Gone: 4.8
  • 12. Custom Machine: 7.9
  • Song Average: 6.7
  • Score: 61%
  • Comment: It's a bad sign when the best songs on an album had been released before. The Beach Boys were working too hard, bringing out several albums each year, and it shows that they couldn't take it. They are creative, but creativity does have its limits and they had apparantly reached theirs.

  • Shut Down Volume 2 (1964)


  • 1. Fun, Fun, Fun: 10
  • 2. Don't Worry Baby: 9.5
  • 3. In The Parkin' Lot: 8.6
  • 4. Cassius Love Vs. Sonny Wilson: 0.0
  • 5. The Warmth Of The Sun: 9.1
  • 6. This Car Of Mine: 8.0
  • 7. Why Do Fools Fall In Love: 7.8
  • 8. Pom Pom Play Girl: 7.7
  • 9. Keep An Eye On Summer: 9.0
  • 10. Shut Down, Part II: 6.4
  • 11. Louie Louie: 6.0
  • 12. Denny's Drums: 5.5
  • Song Average: 7.3
  • Score: 71%
  • Comment: A good first half, a weaker second half and what was the point of Cassius Love Vs. Sonny Wilson? That's the one that brings this album down and I just can't understand why they included it. Did they think it was funny? Besides that, it's actually not bad. It has some of their better early songs (though there's always at least one good one) and it flows better than it might appear. You just have to ignore the weaker last few songs and it's alright.

  • All Summer Long (1964)


  • 1. I Get Around: 10
  • 2. All Summer Long: 9.7
  • 3. Hushabye: 9.1
  • 4. Little Honda: 9.6
  • 5. We'll Run Away: 8.6
  • 6. Carl's Big Chance: 7.6
  • 7. Wendy: 9.0
  • 8. Do You Remember?: 9.3
  • 9. Girls On The Beach: 9.4
  • 10. Drive-In: 8.4
  • 11. Our Favorite Recording Sessions: 0.0
  • 12. Don't Back Down: 8.5
  • Song Average: 8.3
  • Score: 84%
  • Comment: Again, what was the point of Our Favorite Recording Sessions? Besides that one, the album is a great one, very fun and not a single weak track (ignoring Carl's Big Chance. Nothing much to say about this one.

  • The Beach Boys' Christmas Album (1964)


  • 1. Little Saint Nick: 7.4
  • 2. The Man With All The Toys: 6.8
  • 3. Santa's Beard: 6.4
  • 4. Merry Christmas, Baby: 5.5
  • 5. Christmas Day: 6.1
  • 6. Frosty The Snowman: 6.0
  • 7. We Three Kings Of Orient Are: 7.1
  • 8. Blue Christmas: 5.2
  • 9. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town: 6.4
  • 10. White Christmas: 6.9
  • 11. I'll Be Home For Christmas: 6.3
  • 12. Auld Lang Syne: 6.7
  • Song Average: 6.4
  • Score: 61%
  • Comment: The Beach Boys stayed busy, bringing out several albums a year, but their songwriting (Brian Wilson's songwriting) seemed to be evolving, getting more focused. This was obvious in All Summer Long, but instead of going along with that, they decided to make a Christmas album. And even though their performance was good, it's a bit of a problem that there is no original material on here. Even for me, someone who had never heard over half of these songs, they seem old and dry. Maybe I'm just not a big fan of christmas...

  • The Beach Boys Today! (1965)


  • 1. Do You Wanna Dance: 9.4
  • 2. Good To My Baby: 8.6
  • 3. Don't Hurt My Little Sister: 7.7
  • 4. When I Grow Up (To Be A Man): 8.4
  • 5. Help Me, Rhonda: 9.5
  • 6. Dance, Dance, Dance: 9.1
  • 7. Please Let Me Wonder: 9.2
  • 8. I'm So Young: 9.4
  • 9. Kiss Me, Baby: 9.1
  • 10. She Knows Me Too Well: 8.5
  • 11. In The Back Of My Mind: 9.0
  • 12. Bull Sessions With Big Daddy: 0.0
  • Song Average: 8.2
  • Score: 86%
  • Comment: There is nothing new to say here. It's a continuation of the quality set by All Summer Long, with another useless track (Bull Sessions With Big Daddy, this time).

  • Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) (1965)


  • 1. The Girl From New York City: 8.2
  • 2. Amusement Parks USA: 8.5
  • 3. Then I Kissed Her: 9.0
  • 4. Salt Lake City: 7.8
  • 5. Girl Don't Tell Me: 8.0
  • 6. Help Me, Rhonda: 9.4
  • 7. California Girls: 9.7
  • 8. Let Him Run Wild: 8.6
  • 9. You're So Good To Me: 7.5
  • 10. Summer Means New Love: 6.7
  • 11. I'm Bugged At My Ol' Man: 5.4
  • 12. And Your Dream Comes True : 6.4
  • Song Average: 7.9
  • Score: 72%
  • Comment: No useless talking tracks, but an unusual amount of filler. The first few songs are pretty good, Help Me Rhonda is still great, maybe even better here, California Girls is fun, but after that, it goes down and it goes down hard. But the reason for that is obvious: it's a slightly more experimental album. The Beach Boys were trying to get somewhat away from their image is happy-sappy fun-rockers. Most of the tracks are still like that, but differences can be heard, as they were trying to work their way up to Pet Sounds.

  • Beach Boys' Party (1965)


  • 1. Hully Gully: 7.6
  • 2. I Should Have Known Better: 8.3
  • 3. Tell Me Why: 8.0
  • 4. Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow: 5.8
  • 5. Mountain Of Love: 7.2
  • 6. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away: 7.9
  • 7. Devoted To You: 7.4
  • 8. Alley Oop: 7.6
  • 9. There's No Other (Like My Baby): 5.9
  • 10. Medley: I Get Around/Little Deuce Coupe: 3.1
  • 11. The Times They Are A-Changing: 6.8
  • 12. Barbara Ann: 10
  • Song Average: 7.1
  • Score: 64%
  • Comment: The concept of this album is simple: a bunch of cover songs, allegedly recorded in front of a live audience (but in reality, recorded in a studio). The concept never really comes through enough, as it always sounds like a studio album, but that doesn't matter. The songs themselves are often solid covers. The only problem is that they don't do anything new with them. And another problem is that the only song that is actually theirs is just a botched up version of two previously great songs. It could've been better. And Barbara Ann could've been on a better album.

  • Pet Sounds (1966)


  • 1. Wouldn't It Be Nice: 10
  • 2. You Still Believe In Me: 10
  • 3. That's Not Me: 9.3
  • 4. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder): 9.1
  • 5. I'm Waiting For The Day: 9.7
  • 6. Let's Go Away For Awhile: 8.5
  • 7. Sloop John B: 10
  • 8. God Only Knows: 10
  • 9. I Know There's An Answer: 10
  • 10. Here Today: 9.5
  • 11. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times: 10
  • 12. Pet Sounds: 8.2
  • 13. Caroline, No: 10
  • Song Average: 9.6
  • Score: 96%
  • Comment: Am I overrating this? Probably, and so are thousands of other people. But in all fairness, this is just...well, Pet Sounds, an album that manages to use complicated structures in simple songs, and make it work. Even if the two odd instrumentals seem a bit out of place (I think all instrumentals sound out of place, but that doesn't matter) don't stop this from being a brilliant record, and the Beach Boys' best.

  • Smiley Smile (1967)


  • 1. Heroes And Villains: 9.3
  • 2. Vegetables: 8.3
  • 3. Fall Breaks And Back To Winter: 5.7
  • 4. She's Goin' Bald: 5.6
  • 5. Little Pad: 7.2
  • 6. Good Vibrations: 10
  • 7. With Me Tonight: 9.1
  • 8. Wind Chimes: 7.9
  • 9. Gettin' Hungry: 6.5
  • 10. Wonderful: 8.5
  • 11. Whistle In: 9.0
  • Song Average: 7.9
  • Score: 72%
  • Comment: After Pet Sounds, The Beach Boys kept experimenting. They had been working on the Smile project, which was supposed to be a revolution, but that never got finished. Instead, they released Smiley Smile, with snippets of the Smile album, but also a lot of filler. It's experimental, that's for sure, but it went a bit too far. The structure of the songs is generally very loose and disorganised and it doesn't make them any better. In fact, besides Heroes and Villains and the classic Good Vibrations, it's a step backwards for the Beach Boys.

  • Wild Honey (1967)


  • 1. Wild Honey: 8.3
  • 2. Aren't You Glad: 9.7
  • 3. I Was Made To Love Her: 8.6
  • 4. Country Air: 9.1
  • 5. A Thing Or Two: 7.8
  • 6. Darlin': 9.8
  • 7. I'd Love Just Once To See You: 9.4
  • 8. Here Comes The Night: 9.0
  • 9. Let The Wind Blow: 8.3
  • 10. How She Boogalooed It: 7.9
  • 11. Mama Says: 8.0
  • Song Average: 8.7
  • Score: 85%
  • Comment: After the confusing Smiley Smile, they tried again with Wild Honey, which took a step back towards Pet Sounds and even some of their earlier records. The result is satisfying and much better than the previous experiment. There are wonderful songs on here, and thankfully, no real weak moments. It could even be considered one of their better albums. If only All Summer Long and The Beach Boys Today! hadn't had those talking tracks...

  • Friends (1968)


  • 1. Meant For You: 9.0
  • 2. Friends: 9.1
  • 3. Wake The World: 9.5
  • 4. Be Here In The Mornin': 9.2
  • 5. When A Man Needs A Woman: 9.4
  • 6. Passing By: 7.2
  • 7. Anna Lee, The Healer: 9.0
  • 8. Little Bird: 9.6
  • 9. Be Still: 8.7
  • 10. Busy Doin' Nothin': 8.3
  • 11. Diamond Head: 3.9
  • 12. Transcendental Meditation: 5.7
  • Song Average: 8.2
  • Score: 83%
  • Comment: They had something here, a chance to get back on top. Wild Honey was a great attempt, and this started out as a better attempt. So what happened? Why the last few songs? They screwed up a potentially much better album. It's still pretty good, but the end will always be bad.

  • 20/20 (1969)


  • 1. Do It Again: 8.3
  • 2. I Can Hear Music: 9.1
  • 3. Bluebirds Over The Mountain: 8.1
  • 4. Be With Me: 9.0
  • 5. All I Want To Do: 7.1
  • 6. The Nearest Faraway Place: 7.6
  • 7. Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song): 8.3
  • 8. I Went To Sleep: 9.0
  • 9. Time To Get Alone: 9.3
  • 10. Never Learn Not To Love: 8.4
  • 11. Our Prayer: 7.0
  • 12. Cabinessence: 9.1
  • Song Average: 8.4
  • Score: 82%
  • Comment: By this time, they were back to trying to emulate the sound of Pet Sounds and in a way, that's a good evolution. They were back on track again, not quite making the classics they used to, but at least making great songs again. The few weak ones keep this from touching its full potential, but it's another step in the right direction.

  • Sunflower (1970)


  • 1. Slip On Through: 9.0
  • 2. This Whole World: 7.9
  • 3. Add Some Music To Your Day: 9.1
  • 4. Got To Know The Woman: 7.6
  • 5. Deirdre: 9.2
  • 6. It's About Time: 8.4
  • 7. Tears In The Morning: 9.6
  • 8. All I Wanna Do: 9.5
  • 9. Forever: 9.2
  • 10. Our Sweet Love: 9.0
  • 11. At My Window: 9.1
  • 12. Cool, Cool Water: 6.9
  • Song Average: 8.7
  • Score: 86%
  • Comment: Definitely underappreciated, and one of the great Beach Boys albums. Besides the final song, this is an album filled with beautiful ballads and just plain fun. Nothing more to say here.

  • Surf's Up (1971)


  • 1. Don't Go Near The Water: 9.3
  • 2. Long Promised Road: 9.6
  • 3. Take A Load Off Your Feet: 9.0
  • 4. Disney Girls (1957): 9.2
  • 5. Student Demonstration Time: 7.5
  • 6. Feel Flows: 8.5
  • 7. Lookin' At Tommorow: 9.2
  • 8. A Day In The Life Of A Tree: 8.1
  • 9. 'Til I Die: 9.0
  • 10. Surf's Up: 9.1
  • Song Average: 8.8
  • Score: 90%
  • Comment: Severaly underrated. Scandalous. That is all.

  • Carl And The Passions - "So Tough" (1972)


  • 1. You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone: 7.3
  • 2. Here She Comes: 7.4
  • 3. He Come Down: 6.6
  • 4. Marcella: 7.0
  • 5. Hold On Dear Brother: 6.8
  • 6. Make It Good: 6.2
  • 7. All This Is That: 7.1
  • 8. Cuddle Up: 9.1
  • Song Average: 7.2
  • Score: 74%
  • Comment: A strange one. Not quite an experiment, but a lot different. Not bad, but bombastic and sappy at the same time. I wasn't sure what to think of it at first, but now I know: it's good, but not good enough.

  • Holland (1973)


  • 1. Sail On, Sailor: 9.1
  • 2. Steamboat: 8.3
  • 3. California Saga: Big Sur: 9.0
  • 4. California Saga: The Beaks Of Eagles: 5.9
  • 5. California Saga: California: 6.2
  • 6. The Trader: 7.9
  • 7. Leaving This Town: 5.7
  • 8. Only With You: 8.0
  • 9. Funky Pretty: 7.6
  • 10. Mt Vernon And Fairway (Theme): 5.5
  • 11. I'm The Pied Piper (Instrumental): 4.8
  • 12. Better Get Back In Bed: 3.8
  • 13. Magic Transistor Radio: 2.0
  • 14. I'm The Pied Piper: 1.7
  • 15. Radio King Dom: 1.9
  • Song Average: 5.8
  • Score: 56%
  • Comment: Simple. It would have been good if it hadn't been for the Mt Vernon and Fairway bit. It's as easy as that.

  • 15 Big Ones (1976)


  • 1. Rock And Roll Music: 6.3
  • 2. It's OK: 6.0
  • 3. Had To Phone Ya: 6.8
  • 4. Chapel Of Love: 5.9
  • 5. Everyone's In Love With You: 7.0
  • 6. Talk To Me: 6.8
  • 7. That Same Song: 7.4
  • 8. TM Song: 7.2
  • 9. Palisades Park: 9.0
  • 10. Susie Cincinnati: 8.1
  • 11. A Casual Look: 6.9
  • 12. Blueberry Hill: 7.5
  • 13. Back Home: 7.7
  • 14. In The Still Of The Night: 5.6
  • 15. Just Once In My Life: 6.7
  • Song Average: 6.9
  • Score: 66%
  • Comment: Brian Wilson's bick comeback is a strange one: 15 big ones, half of which are cover songs and none of which are actually big. They're just standard Beach Boys fair, which, this time, doesn't really go anywhere. There are no real lows, but no real highs either (ignoring Palisades Park for a moment. Not the worthy comeback Brian deserved.

  • Love You (1977)


  • 1. Let Us Go On This Way: 8.1
  • 2. Roller Skating Child: 9.0
  • 3. Mona: 7.3
  • 4. Johnny Carson: 9.1
  • 5. Good Time: 8.6
  • 6. Honkin' Down The Highway: 8.7
  • 7. Ding Dang: 8.0
  • 8. Solar System: 8.2
  • 9. The Night Was So Young: 9.3
  • 10. I'll Bet He's Nice: 8.9
  • 11. Let's Put Our Hearts Together: 7.9
  • 12. I Wanna Pick You Up: 8.1
  • 13. Airplane: 9.2
  • 14. Love Is A Woman: 9.0
  • Song Average: 8.5
  • Score: 81%

  • MIU Album (1978)


  • 1. She's Got Rhythm: 7.4
  • 2. Come Go With Me: 8.3
  • 3. Hey Little Tomboy: 5.2
  • 4. Kina Coast: 9.0
  • 5. Peggy Sue: 4.1
  • 6. Wontcha Come Out Tonight: 4.8
  • 7. Sweet Sunday Kind Of Love: 5.9
  • 8. Belles Of Paris: 9.1
  • 9. Pitter Patter: 5.4
  • 10. My Diane: 4.6
  • 11. Match Point Of Our Love: 5.9
  • 12. Winds Of Change: 6.2
  • Song Average: 6.3
  • Score: 61%

  • LA (Light Album) (1979)


  • 1. Good Timin': 5.8
  • 2. Lady Lynda: 4.9
  • 3. Full Sail: 4.5
  • 4. Angel Come Home: 4.1
  • 5. Love Surrounds Me: 4.7
  • 6. Sumahama: 4.0
  • 7. Here Comes The Night: 2.1
  • 8. Baby Blue: 3.9
  • 9. Goin' South: 3.4
  • 10. Shortenin' Bread: 3.8
  • Song Average: 4.1
  • Score: 38%

  • Keepin' The Summer Alive (1980)


  • 1. Keepin' The Summer Alive: 5.8
  • 2. Oh Darlin': 4.5
  • 3. Some Of Your Love: 4.1
  • 4. Livin' With A Heartache: 4.3
  • 5. School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell): 3.8
  • 6. Goin' On: 4.0
  • 7. Sunshine: 3.6
  • 8. When Girls Get Together: 3.3
  • 9. Santa Ana Winds: 3.7
  • 10. Endless Harmony: 3.0
  • Song Average: 4.0
  • Score: 39%

  • The Beach Boys (1985)


  • 1. Getcha Back: 4.0
  • 2. It's Gettin' Late: 3.7
  • 3. Crack At Your Love: 3.4
  • 4. Maybe I Don't Know: 3.6
  • 5. She Believes In Love Again: 3.5
  • 6. California Calling: 3.9
  • 7. Passing Friend: 3.1
  • 8. I'm So Lonely: 2.8
  • 9. Where I Belong: 4.1
  • 10. I Do Love You: 2.6
  • 11. It's Just A Matter Of Time: 2.9
  • Song Average: 3.4
  • Score: 32%

  • Still Cruisin' (1989)


  • 1. Still Cruisin': 4.5
  • 2. Somewhere Near Japan: 6.0
  • 3. Island Girl: 4.7
  • 4. In My Car: 4.3
  • 5. Kokomo: 4.0
  • 6. Whipe Out: 3.8
  • 7. Make It Big: 4.1
  • 8. I Get Around: 10
  • 9. Wouldn't It Be Nice: 10
  • 10. California Girls: 10
  • Song Average: 6.1
  • Score: 39%

  • Summer In Paradise (1992)


  • 1. Hot Fun In The Summertime: 2.1
  • 2. Surfin': 1.8
  • 3. Summer Of Love: 1.5
  • 4. Island Fever: 2.0
  • 5. Still Surfin': 2.9
  • 6. Slow Summer Dancin': 1.9
  • 7. Strange Things Happen: 2.2
  • 8. Remember: 1.7
  • 9. Lahaina Aloha: 2.3
  • 10. Under The Boardwalk: 1.5
  • 11. Summer In Paradise: 2.0
  • 12. Forever: 1.8
  • Song Average: 2.0
  • Score: 19%
Author Comments: 

Rankings

1. Pet Sounds *****/*****
2. Surf's Up ****1/2/*****
3. Sunflower ****/*****
4. The Beach Boys Today!! *****/*****
5. Wild Honey *****/*****
6. All Summer Long ****/*****
7. Friends ****/*****
8. 20/20 ****/*****
10. Love You ****/*****
10. Surfin' USA ****/*****
11. Carl and the Passions - "So Tough" ***1/2/*****
12. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!! ***1/2/*****
13. Smiley Smile ***1/2/*****
14. Shut Down Volume 2 ***1/2/*****
15. Surfer Girl ***/*****
16. 15 Big Ones ***/*****
17. Beach Boys' Party ***/*****
18. Little Deuce Coupe ***/*****
19. The Beach Boys' Christmas Album ***/*****
20. M.I.U. Album ***/*****
21. Holland **1/2/*****
22. Surfin' Safari **/*****
23. Still Cruisin' *1/2/*****
24. Keepin' The Summer Alive *1/2/*****
25. LA (Light Album) *1/2/*****
26. The Beach Boys *1/2/*****
27. Summer In Paradise 1/2/*****

julesyoung05/27/2008

There is one album released after Summer In Paradise which is "Songs From Here And Back" released in 2006 but only in USA. It does contain 3 new songs and others are live so it would count as an official release and not a greatest hits one. It was only availble at Hallmark Gold Crown stores, for a period of time. Thought you might want to add it to your list.