This whole world (The Beach Boys) (LP 4175 - 4183)

The Beach Boys  Sunflower (Vinyl and CD, Brother/Reprise Records, 1970) *****  

The Beach Boys  Surf's Up (Vinyl and CD, Brother/Reprise Records, 1971) *****  

The Beach Boys  Feel Flows: The Sunflower & Surf's Up Sessions 1969 - 71 (2CD, Capitol Records, 2021) ***** 

The Beach Boys  Carl and the Passions - "So Tough" (CD, Brother/Reprise Records, 1972) *** 

The Beach Boys  Holland (Vinyl and CD, Brother/Reprise Records, 1973) **** 

The Beach Boys  15 Big Ones (Vinyl, Reprise Records, 1976) **

The Beach Boys  The Beach Boys Love You (Vinyl, Reprise Records, 1977) *** 

The Beach Boys  M.I.U. Album (Vinyl, Reprise Records, 1978) *** 

The Beach Boys  L.A. Light Album (Vinyl, Caribou Records, 1979) **

Genre: Rock, pop 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records; JB Hi Fi, HMV, Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: This Whole World (Sunflower)

Gear costume: 'Til I Die (Surf's Up), California Saga (Holland)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6

Active compensatory factors: It's into the seventies now and the boys get off to a flyer with Sunflower - one of their best albums. Brian is heavily involved, but so too is Dennis Wilson; Bruce Johnson and Al Jardine also chip in with good songs. That democratic, expansion of song-writing results in a quality album that starts the seventies with the band full of optimism, with their unique vocal harmonies again to the fore.

Highlights for me: Add Some Music to Your Day; Slip On Through; This Whole World; Tears in the Morning; Cool, Cool Water; and Forever.

Surf's Up is another classic album that enjoys legendary status. I love everything about it - the cover, Brian's contributions ('Til I Die and Surf's Up are extraordinary songs even for him), Mike's uncool awkwardness (Student Demonstration Time), Bruce Johnston's Disney Girls (1957), and Carl's leadership and songs (and his vocals). The whole album is weirdly effective. As AllMusic says Surf's Up 'Wrapped up in a mess of contradictions, Surf's Up defined the Beach Boys' tumultuous career better than any other album'.

By now the surfing craze was long gone; Surf's Up deals with environmental, social, and health themes. The only thing missing from the album is Dennis. He pulled his songs because he didn't feel they fitted in well - so they were held back for a solo album. In the end they've turned up as outtakes on retrospective box sets and compilations.

Feel Flows (named after Carl's song) is a two CD set to reissue Sunflower and Surf's Up with additional bonus tracks. These include outtakes, session highlights, alternate versions, and alternate mixes. These are interesting for committed fans like me but not essential.

For many reasons The Beach Boys' image is rooted in their surf days. They tried really hard to fit in to the rock world of the early seventies with Surf's Up but really who cares if they were considered uncool, unhip etc. I like that awkward striped shirt surfing band of the sixties and I'm on board full time - not just when they seem cool or relevant or whatever.

Carl and the Passions "So Tough" saw the introduction of two new band members who definitely moved the band into more rocky sounds. Blondie Chaplin (guitar) and Ricky Fataar (drums) came from South African band The Flames. At the same time Bruce Johnston bowed out for the time being. 

All those changes certainly introduced a tougher more rock sound and reduced the harmony aspects. Which is fine to a point but that's not what I love about The Beach Boys. The sweet spot is when they combine the two.

Highlights are Brian's Marcella, and three excellent Dennis songs - the ballads All This Is That, Make It Good, and Cuddle Up. Dennis' vocals are rough by this stage, thanks to his lifestyle, but he uses them to great effect on Cuddle Up.

Holland is a terrific album, in many ways it's their last truly brilliant album. I like the songs for one thing, I love the mythic California Saga and Sail On Sailor is a terrific single. Carl is emerging as the driving force and the new boys are more successfully integrated into the band. Holland is one of my favourite Beach Boys albums.

15 Big Ones came after an unheard-of gap for these workaholics. The success of the compilation Endless Summer meant some years devoted to performing. Although it's solely produced by Brian (for the first time since Pet Sounds) 15 Big Ones is a regressive album with loads of irrelevant covers, which ironically also uses synths for the first time.

Aside from the covers, there are too many other negatives. The vocals by Dennis are now really rough and so are Brian's, the slick production sound is at odds with the material, even the harmony vocals sound off and the whole thing sounds rushed, unpolished, and lacking in inspiration. That's all very unlike The Beach Boys.

While the singing is generally better and it avoids unnecessary covers, The Beach Boys Love You continues the over reliance on synths. Although Carl still sings like a dream, Brian and Dennis struggle to get those smooth sounds of yesteryear.  

It's basically a Brian solo album in many ways, as he writes nearly all of the material and performs most of the instrumentation, including keyboards, synths, and drums.  It's not his finest moment in my opinion (some regard this album as a return to Brian's genius, but I just don't hear it).

Their 22nd studio album, M.I.U. Album issued a new approach - an easier listening one (NOT easy listening) thanks to Al Jardine and Ron Altbach's production values. I really like it! 

The accent on great harmony vocals is back and while the songs may not be up there with their best, there is still a lot to like about this return to basics approach. Even the covers work in this context.

The same can't be said for L.A. Light Album. The presence of drugs and personal frictions meant a poor set of songs and even a late attempt to cash in on the disco market. Here Comes the Night isn't that bad as it happens but, disco? The real bad stuff was Al Jardine's Lady Lynda, Mike Love's Sumahama, and Brian Wilson's Shortenin' Bread.

It was a close call whether 15 Big Ones or L.A. Light Album are The Beach Boys worst albums.

Where do they all belong? They ended the seventies at a low ebb. Next up - the 1980s to 2000s studio albums. Would things improve?