"surfs up" and then "smile" |
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I'd go for Sunflower over Surf's Up. These is no official BB release entitled Smile, however the Brian Wilson's Smile is excellent as is his Pet Sounds Live. |
Friends/Surf's Up/Holland/Sunflower/Wild Honey/Carl&The Passions/20-20...Get some pot, you're gonna wish you had it. |
Amateur record reviewers John Alroy and David Bertrand Wilson's Beach Boys page offers some often-excellent guidance.
http://www.warr.org/brian.html
While some might disagree with certain of the reviews -- note, for example, the largely negative take on "Surf's Up" -- the page overall is quite helpful. I used it as a guide when first looking to branch out from "Pet Sounds" and was very happy to have had it. |
I have all original pressings of the Beach Boy albums and my most played is Surfer Girl.
Not only is this the first album that Brian fully produced but the sonics (at least my copy) are simply astonishing and the best of any Beach Boys album.
YMMV
It's also the last cover showing David Marks who was replaced by Al Jardine before the album was released. |
I'd go for Wilson's Smile next but I'm just going by personal experience. I am no expert but I love that album. If you are diggin' those harmonies you'll love this album. |
Holy responses.I found Sunflower kind of interesting as well. I was going to order it on the new vinyl series through AS or MD. Not sure about the sound quality on these though. My local record emporium was (even though normally fairly stocked) hurting in their Beach Boys section. Thanks a bunch, and keep them coming in. |
Go ahead and get the "Today" album. It's the album they made right before "Pet Sounds". Next to "Pet Sounds" it's my favorite Beach Boys album. |
Hopefully, I can get some feedback on how the new remastered LP's sound, and start there. It certainly seems like the BB's catalog is deep enough to explore it further. The price on the BB's Lp's are not bad at around $18, but only if they sound good. Cheers ! |
Today is a great record too. It contains the original version of Help Me Rhonda with Brian singing the lead. The 45 featured a more rocking arrangement with Al Jardine taking the lead vocal. The live 2 disc set, The Beach Boys In Concert is a great document as well. They could dazzle a crowd with that singing, while the rough and tumble arrangements showed their rock chops...Good Vibrations in concert was just one example of a band that truly among the most unique of their time...embrassing their roots, while bravely changing with the times...pure magic. |
Thanks to all so far. I figured Audiofeil would send me one of his originals since he has them all. Since he didn't, I just ordered "Today" on the new remaster Capitol LP. I am looking forward to it, but am honestly leaning on the pessimistic side as far as how the sound will be. Sorry Jaybo, but I was only able to take half of your advice. Maybe I will watch the movie Up in Smoke before playing the Lp though. One of my favorite scenes: Cheech: " Hey man, am I driving ok". Chong: "Hey man, we're parked man". BTW- also thinking about just grabbing the newer CD, that has Sunflower/Surfs Up on one CD. Even to listen in the car when we're parked, man ! |
The sonics of the sunflower/surfs up cd's are very good. The songs are great as well. Like the Beatles, the Beach Boys trveled a long way in less than a decade. The contributions of the entire group are incredible on those 2 releases, and no one does harmony like they do. |
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If you ever come across an album by Dennis Wilson called "Pacific Ocean Blue" you should get it. Despite Wilson himself claiming the album had "no substance", Pacific Ocean Blue performed well critically and continues to maintain a cult following. The album was out of print and difficult to obtain for more than a decade, but has been reissued. |
Yes, the Dennis Wilson: POB was reissued by sundazed if I am not mistaken. I may order the Sunflower/Surf's up while I am waiting for the Today LP. The shelves in Borders & Barnes & Noble are pretty sparse, so I will have to wait a bit for this one. I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when I saw a very large selection of LP's on the Barnes & Noble website though. I ordered the Dire Straits S/T LP, and the new Neil Young: Dreamin' Man live '92. This is the one that is essentially a live Harvest Moon. Back on the Beach Boys. FWIW, there were two Compilation Cd's at Borders. Sounds of Summer and Warmth of the Sun. I am mentioning these because both are HDCD CD's. |
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I would strongly second "Surfer Girl" - that's an album I think you're more likely to love than a lot of the others. And of course there's "Smiley Smile," if you're into the weirder side of Brian Wilson. Going deeper still, you can find the old bootleg tapes of the "Smile" sessions, which are rather fascinating, albeit disturbing in parts (e.g. - Dennis Wilson's collaboration with Charles Manson). |
Thanks, FWIW I started by first buying a used first pressing of Today. It was a real snap-crackle-pop copy, that I immediately retired. So as I mentioned previously, I picked up the the Capitol reissue. I only mention this because, as many of us know, new does not mean better. So I will tip toe in to this, by first hearing the reissue when it arrives. The BB's used vinyl does not seem plentiful, certainly not in the two vinyl shops I have checked out. |
He odds of finding nice original bboys vinyl are slim to none. Even the later day caribou stuff is collectible. |
