The Beach Boys Today!

Fun fun fun!

Help Me Rhonda was a constant spin on the jukebox my parents had won at a charity auction.

Some really great songs! Some pretty good songs.

cooli musig:) tönt eif alles biz ähnlich..

i woke up in a good mood and also it’s sunny outside so i’m giving this 4☆

stone temple pilots cover of she knows me too well is better

Love me some classic beach boys

I have started to listen to the Beach Boys albums a bit recently. The songwriting and harmonies are so good. This is a good record so far. I listened to the whole thing which is rare for me in this list.

Nice harmonies and catchy songs. A good listen

Enjoyed 3.9

I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting - I thought this would be more of the early garage-rock/surfin' all the time vibe and actually could hear in the music where this leads into Pet Sounds and what Brian was trying to do later on. The instrumentation seemed much more ornate and you can hear the "wall of sound" influence from Phil Spector that makes it sound huge. It actually feels like more of an album rather than just a collection of songs and I actually liked the back half a lot more with the slower songs (which I think was intentional in terms of the album structure). Not in the realm of "masterpiece" like I'd consider Pet Sounds and Smile, but a lot to like about this for me.

All Beach Boys is good Beach Boys, but this one is probably lower ranked for me. Its early, they're young. They're wearing sweaters? I think what stands out to me is how clear Wilson's composition comes out, even in silly pop rock songs. The songs kind of how this sleigh ride boogie vibe to them. It feels like a movie soundtrack.

Fun classic Beach Boys songs. Not much to complain about here, clocks in at less than a half hour. Wilson’s compositions are classics. I prefer the single version of Help Me Rhonda more than this album take, though. It’s more refined.

They've got better in their locker but this is still one good pop hit after another

Ótimo disco. Bem confortável. É simples, porém, é muito bem feito. As harmonias são muito agradáveis, as vozes são lindas, as letras são banais, claro, mas não vejo muito problema nisso. Ainda é gostosinho de ouvir e se imaginar nos anos 60 tomando um milk-shake com uma mulher de cabelos escuros e lindos olhos. Fica claro que Beach Boys é sobre isso, uma obsessão sobrenatural com garotas e com a curtição de prazeres simples e momentâneos. E eu apoio a causa. Gostei de todas as faixas, mas admito que o álbum falta algo. Um elemento inominável mas que está ausente aqui. Acho que anos lendo discussões a respeito de uma suposta competição entre Beatles e Beach Boys acabou por distorcer minha visão dessa banda e do trabalho deles. Uma pena! Mas um ótimo disco de qualquer maneira, e eu gostei muito da faixa final do álbum, que não é uma canção mas sim um áudio vérité da banda no estúdio, comendo hambúrgueres e discutindo sobre uma turnê, e a forma com que Brian nunca cometeu um erro na carreira. Brilhante. 4/5

From slipknot one day (horrible) to The Beach Boys the next day. YEA BEACH BOYS! what a difference a day makes. Music I can listen to - and sing along!

twink album

Distrayant

Beach Boys captured a vibe. An era. Fun melodies from a range of beautiful voices and instruments. Music for optimists or possibly the spoonful of sugar to light up a curmudgeon.

Love the beach boys

groovy

Probably the best beach boys album I’ve heard so far. I won’t go back to listen to it again without a real reason but I can see how this captured the zeitgeist of when it was written and the sound paints a wonderful picture

Not really my style

Me niego a pensar que esto sea azar. Pongo mis certezas en decir que fue el algoritmo que, sabiendo que ayer falleció Brian Wilson, hoy me recomienda éste álbum de los Beach Boys. Disco que comienza a plantear una bisagra en el trabajo de esta banda, sobre todo con Brian Wilson y su artística tan particular. Saludo al cielo. Seguimos ya la semana que viene, persona espectral.

they were building the ground for the pet sounds. awesome, but just a bit not enough for me

OK

Dope

i'm familiar with some of Beach Boys's discography but not this album Do You Wanna Dance? - 3/5 Good To My Baby - 4/5 Don't Hurt My Little Sister - 3/5 When I Grow Up... - 5/5 Help Me, Rhonda - 4/5 Dance, Dance, Dance - 5/5 Please Let Me Wonder - 4/5 I'm So Young - 4/5 Kiss Me, Baby - 5/5 She Knows Me Too Well - 3/5 In The Back Of My Mind - 4/5 Average score: 4/5 i don't think this is my fav of their albums, but still pretty good RIP Brian Wilson

Beautiful, especially the ballads.

They're iconic.

Some great songs and some lesser ones but even the lesser Beach Bous songs are still pretty good. Nothing in their catalog stands up to Pet Sounds but this is still pretty decent. The last track is a throwaway though.

No es Pet sounds, No es Surf´s up, No es Surfing USA.. pero es una gran coleccion de temas

Some more Beach Boys. Good stuff.

How can you not like The Beach Boys, they just play happy music.

RIP Brian Wilson. Felt extra special today, but not one of my favorite beach boys records. Still 4 stars

4- Stars (10/15)

RIP Brian Wilson. This album doesn't have many of my favorite Beach Boys songs, but still a great listen. Hard not to have a smile on your face and imagine yourself in surfing in SoCal when listening. Standouts: Do You Wanna Dance?, Help Me, Rhonda, Rating: 4.25/5

It cannot be a coincidence that this album arose in the stack on the day Brian Wilson died. If it was or if it wasn’t, that’s pretty fucking sick either way. You start to hear Brian moving the band toward more sophisticated and complex songs and leaving the surfer fluff behind. More introspective and layered. Anyway I’ve been playing Brian all day, so thanks for an excuse to just keep on lisrening.

Good surf rock. Yeah!

The Beach Boys departed from their previous albums with Today!, released in 1965, it has more orchestral sound and the subject of the songs and arrangements made it to be one of the first concept albums. The first side consists of uptempo songs while the second side consists of ballads which remind me quite a bit of Pet Sounds. The vocal harmonies and the production are top notch. It's not quite there as some of their later albums but it's a great listen.

Got this the day after Brian Wilson died--great album, even if it doesn't have the same power as what they were able to do on Pet Sounds.

5/10, klassischer Beach Boys Sound aber bis auf „In the Back of My Mind“ nichts soooo besonderes.

4th album and 4th album I’m gonna lazily give a 4 to. The first part of the album is really catchy and fun, I really like the songs “don’t hurt my little sister” and “dance dance dance”, but often it felt a bit clean for my taste, and some of the vocals feel over enunciated to me, not a real criticism. Although I prefer the moodier ballads on the second half, like “please let me wonder”, and “in the back of my mind” which sound more emotional. Overall I think I preferred listening to it than Slim Shady LP, not to dunk on slim shady lp, I think it’s probably the better album. But this album being shorter and once again, more refreshing than what I am used to, worked in its favor. I’d probably give it a 7/10 for me. But I don’t wanna put 3/5 hahahhahahahaha

RIP Brian. Not my favorite Beach Boys LP, but “She Knows Me Too Well” is an underappreciated track in their catalog.

Increasingly sophisticated production and songwriting. Early hints of where Brian Wilson was heading as a composer. Still retains the exuberance of the early recordings. Transitional.

Haven’t finished it yet but it’s just proto pet sounds in a good way. Catchy songs you can’t go wrong with

1001 ALBUMS YOU MUST HEAR BEFORE YOU DIE #10 For the new 1001 Albums Generator album, I honestly don't think I have that much to say about The Beach Boys album "The Beach Boys Today!", it's a good album, there isn't really anything I dislike about it, but there is nothing I loved. The harmony's we're great, and the band played well, the songs are catchy, but that is about all I have to say. Overall, not that noteworthy, to me at least. It works, I don't hate it, I enjoyed it. Overall Score: 80 / 100 Favorite Tracks: Do You Wanna Dance?, Dance, Dance, Dance, Please Let Me Wonder, She Knows Me Too Well.

Best Song: Help Me, Rhonda This is my first experience with The Beach Boys from beginning to end. Of course, I have heard some of their songs over the years. As a 50-year-old, my child's mind associated The Beach Boys with, "old people music" when I was young and it kind of stuck with me which is a damn shame, this album was great and a lot of fun to listen to. A couple of filler songs which brought it down to a 4 but good nonetheless!

Classic!

Classic beach boys sound. Rip Brian Wilson (just yesterday). 4/5

Wonderful and very apt it came up on June 12th 2025 RIP Brian Wilson This album 28 minutes of magnificence

This was just the ramp up to their real 5 star album. It's still great nonetheless, vocal harmonies are unmatched. This music pairs great with reorganizing and decorating your house.

Summer Baby.

This album sounds like a bridge between the Surfin' Usa Beach Boys, which were a fun sounding, but formulaic band and the Pet Sounds Beach Boys which were a revolutionary musical and recording boundary breakers at the time rivaled only by The Beatles. You can hear the genius of Brian Wilson here that would make Pet Sounds ehat it is and I think this is a great introduction point for them. On the other hand, the negative aspect is that sometimes the songs sound the same and the lyrics are very similar, which is a detriment. All in all, this is a good album. It's not perfect and I'd rate 3.5/5 (so basically 4/5)

how fitting that this is my album of the day on the day of brian wilson's passing. like many, i'm only familiar with pet sounds; a deep dive into their legendary discography is long due. the album is impressive, especially for its harmonic complexity, but it's sadly standing in the shadow of pet sounds, which is the fully realized version of the sound brian wilson was going for in this record. (also, what's with that unnecessary last track?) absolutely mad that this was recorded on a 4 track. RIP Brian Wilson - your legacy will be forever bright.

RIP Brian Wilson. Thank you.

what the hell I literally got this album the day Brian Wilson died 😭 rip goat

Brian ❤️

Old goldies

Before the acid, before the breakdowns, before Mike Love turned into Mike Evol. Early Wilson magic: sun-soaked harmonies, teenage heartbreak and hooks that basically invented the Ramones. Simple, catchy, irresistible.

Favorites: Do You Wanna Dance?; Help Me, Ronda; Please Let Me Wonder Oh so wonderful. A great precursor to The Beach Boys's opus, Pet Sounds. It's quite lovely and very underrated! Rest in peace, Brian. Your legacy will live on forever.

Wonderful. Can’t give it 5 because it’s not Pet Sounds. However it’s a great listen

Æ vet ikke om Help Me, Rhonda egentlig e en bra sang om man e feminist, men den e catchy, og sannsynligvis min favoritt fra albumet, som ellers høres akkurat ut som man forvente at et Beach Boys-album skal høres ut. Ikke dårlig, men ikke veldig interessant.

J - 4/5 Best Track - "Help Me, Rhonda" F - 3/5

This is the first Beach Boys album I've listened to. I've been hearing Beach Boys songs my entire life - I was 1 when this was released, but never listened to an album, not even 'Pet Sounds'. The 'American Beatles'? I'm sure someone has called them that before now, but that’s where I'm at with this. Their music is almost as much a part of the fabric of life from the 60s on as the Beatles and this has some of the threads of that fabric recorded right on it.

Features some great classics. Quieter songs aren't as good but show potential.

9/10!! This was just a really pleasant listen and put me in such a good mood. Rest in peace Brian Wilson

Rip

8/10 Well, what a coincidence that this album comes up today, the day Brian Wilson passed away. The Beach Boys are a core pillar of pop music and when the songs on this album are good, they are very, very good. The music and harmonies are immaculate - you can feel it defining what pop is and what it can do. At times, it is a bit weak and a bit wet, they feel like they are so desperate for girlfriends that they are a bit pathetic. And it is so short - the last track is nonsense, so it is 11 songs long at about 25mins! But it didn't need to be any longer. Hats off to Brian Wilson, a true legend.

Simple but effective. Great harmonic pop.

145/1089 - RIP. This album is kind of a proto-Pet Sounds. There's something missing from this and I'm not sure what exactly. The interview at the end was unnecessary. Overall a good album.

I enjoyed this! The B-side felt like a departure from traditional beach boys but I loved it! This was also my album the day after Brian Wilson had died.. so it was a good listen and felt more meaningful

Lot of lovely slow ones I hadn't heard before: Please Let Me Wonder I'm So Young Kiss Me, Baby She Knows Me Too Well LOVED the BTS insight in the final track! Such a cool thing to include

A very uplifting and charming collection of short songs, specially the first half of the album, as the second one takes a slower pace approach, having the songs almost feel like ballads (one even could considere them as such).

I enjoyed this it, an album with quite a few songs I recognised

# Album Name: The Beach Boys Today! # Artist: The Beach Boys # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Has the iconic BB sounds but there’s something missing to take it to the highest levels. Few cracking tracks. # Top Tunes: When i grow up / Do you wanna dance / Help me rhonda # Would I listen to it again? Maybe

This album still carries that sunshine pop feel, but it steps away from the surf style the Beach Boys were known for up to this point. It leans heavily into baroque pop, with orchestral arrangements and harpsichords adding depth to the mix. Overall, I enjoyed the album, even though I’ve never been the biggest Beach Boys fan and probably never will be. That said, it’s clear they were evolving, and this record marks an important step in the right direction that would lead to albums like Pet Sounds.

Beachy! Nice afternoon at the cottage album.

rip :(

No such thing as coincidence and all the better for it.

RIP Brian Wilson, composer of teenage symphonies to god.

Pretty solid

We're all getting Beach Boys today (although we aren't all getting Beach Boys Today today). Yes, it's very good stuff, a lovely little mid-point between the fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun sun boys and the serious artists that the Beatles convinced them to become (citation needed). The better known songs - When I Grow Up and the peerless Help Me Rhonda - do quite a lot of the heavy lifting really, but overall, it's very good stuff.

Enjoyable, like dance dance dance a lot. RIP big man

Perhaps it’s because Brian Wilson died the day before I got this album, but I think I’m giving it a higher score than I usually might. There isn’t as much experimental stuff as there was on their following album, but it’s here in small doses if you look for it. Beautiful vocal harmonies, good production and instrumentation, arrangement was a little wonky, but I enjoyed it. a lot. 4/5

Until I was in my 20s all I knew about The Beach Boys was from cameos in bad movies, the "golden oldies" station and "Kokomo." I bought "Pet Sounds" after seeing it referenced for the 500th time by either a critic or musician as an example of a perfect album. After listening I agreed. This is my second Beach Boys or Beach Boys adjacent album after Dennis Wilson "Pacific Ocean Blue." While I thought that was interesting musically it was not at the level of The Beach Boys best. This album is not at the level of "Pet Sounds" either but it is closer especially the second half. I had never heard "She knows me too well" and have heard the Ramones version of "Do you wanna dance?" more than The Beach Boys version. While the latter song is very much in the vein of the music I heard by the band on the "Golden Oldies" station the former is a much more modern song for the time and sounds like a song from "Pet Sounds" or a Beatles album. This album isn't a 5 but it is a solid 4 and I will listen again.

I love The Beach Boys. Their music seemed simple, yet was so well done. Their vocals and harmonies were incredible. The diversity within the songs with tempo and chord changes just don’t happen today. 5

Small slices of juicy pop hits. It's upbeat & unashamed

You can definitely hear the new directions and the experimentation going on in this album that would really be there subsequently on Pet Sounds. It’s interesting to hear Brian Wilson’s processes. The Beach Boys is one of those bands where it would be fun to go through the discography and enjoy the journey

Yeah yeah I know Brian Wilson is a genius but I just don’t dig The Beach Boys. Have tried many times to get converted and maybe I will one day, not Today!

This was a pleasant surprise. No surf songs. Spectoresque in its production at times. But as the 1001 book says "...containing what is easily the worst track in this entire book ..", at least in the modern era we can block a track. Definitely an album I'll come back to. RIP Brian.

I definitely enjoyed this one more than I expected.

In The Back Of My Mind was a beautiful way to close the album, who is "Big Daddy"???/

I wish there was a 10 minute song on this album :/

I thought the second half of this album was better than the first. Although the first few songs really capture the beach boys "sound" at first listen they felt a little shallow and would probably get better the more you heard them like most pop music. The second half I thought showed the real creativity of these guys with so many layers of sound.

Maybe not something to listen to in the background

Fint med detta album denna dag. Inte deras största hits men bra vibes!

Cool album

Album that was a bit more thematic than previous and one step closer to Pet Sounds - RIP Brian Wilson

Honestly, some of my favourite beach boys songs so I can't rate this below a 4. That being said, not all of them hold up. 100% nostalgia and sunshine fueled rating

They created Psych rock

Sounds decent

I’ve always loved the surf, sun, and hot rod themes of the beach boys music. (As an aside, I firmly believe that Jan and Dean are the superior group as far as that genre goes) This Beach Boys record is a stark contrast to their earlier work though, and I found in interesting to listen to. I already knew and liked the song “Help Me, Rhonda” but I’m not sure I’d ever heard any other tracks on this record. I found the first half of this album to be a lot more enjoyable than the second. For some reason, in my mind, the Beach Boys shouldn’t be singing sad, downtempo ballads. Not to say the second half is bad in any sort of technical sense, it’s incredibly well written, recorded, and produced. Nevertheless, the first six songs are really a top tier selection, and I would gladly pick up a copy of this record just to listen to side A. Side A:5* Side B:3* So we’ll meet in the middle at 4*

In the mid-to-late 19th century, naturalists who had accepted Darwin’s concepts of evolution and the origination of species had begun to turn these ideas onto humankind, as we are wont to do. If more complex life forms arise from competition and natural selection among simpler organisms, where did we come from? While primates were generally accepted as the ancestors, there were competing schools of thought on how we got here. Darwin himself believed our humanlike ancestors came “out of Africa”, while German scientist-philosopher (things were different back then) Ernst Haeckel adamantly argued his “out of Asia” hypothesis. To settle this argument set off a paleontological scavenger hunt across all continents that continues to this day for the “missing link”—fossil evidence of an intermediate species between something like a chimpanzee and us, the bipedal, hairless, taxpaying, hot sauce-eating descendant. As we have since found out, there are several “missing links”—missing links between the missing links—and the concept kind of falls apart when evolution happens in a fractious, inefficient ratchet rather than an elegant and linear process as Darwin envisioned. There are many other scenarios, however, where one might look at something incredibly complex and sophisticated and compare it to the rather simple thing you’re told it came from, and wonder how it is we got here. One such case is the evolution of The Beach Boys from singers about surfing, cars and girls to the architects of ‘Pet Sounds’, one of the unique, iconic, unclassifiable pop records the world had ever seen at the time of its release. But in this case, the evolution does follow a fairly linear trajectory, and the missing link is ‘The Beach Boys Today!’. When this album opens, we get three songs that are fairly upbeat and straightforward, one about dancing and another about my baby, very much in line with their earlier work. The third is a little more thematically varied but sonically similar. These songs do, to their credit, have some very nice vocal harmonies. The fourth song on the album, “When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)”, is the first sign that we’re going off book a bit. To begin, it just *sounds* different - there’s not really a verse-chorus-verse structure and the chord progression is strange. Lyrically, the narrator contemplates his future—will I be a good husband? Will my kids think I’m cool? Will still like joking and having fun? Will I be proud of the life I’ve led? It won’t last forever… All the while, the background vocals keep time as they count off the years: sixteen, seventeen… thirty, thirty-one… This is a track that could never have conceivably been part of any prior Beach Boys record. It’s far too interesting, musically and lyrically. Next is “Help Me, Rhonda”, one of their most popular songs, and “Dance Dance Dance”, another track cut from the cloth of their earlier catalog. “Help Me Rhonda” is a good song but I’m mostly going to skip it because I want to talk about the second side of this album. In the latter six tracks of ‘The Beach Boys Today!’, the mood and sound is entirely different. Rather than a simple guitar-bass-drums setup, we’re met with beautiful Phil Spector-esque arrangements that are lush and layered and rich and have essentially an entire orchestra of session players credited in the album liner notes. Rather than puppy love songs about sun-drenched affection, the lovers in these songs are paranoid, jealous, and quarrelsome (“Please Let Me Wonder”, “Kiss Me Baby”, “She Knows Me Too Well”, “In the Back of My Mind”). There is a level of self-awareness of maturity that’s leaps and bounds beyond anything they had released before. All of this over sublimely beautiful, intricate compositions that show the evolution of Brian Wilson’s creative genius. The last song (as in, actual song, not counting the yap session final track) “In the Back of My Mind” is possibly the strangest and most remarkable song on the album—fitting that it ends this collection of songs that shows their evolution from beach rock to ‘Pet Sounds’. Like a pristine fossil captured in amber, ‘The Beach Boys Today!’ is the missing link that shows us how the miraculous evolution from “Fun Fun Fun” to “God Only Knows” came to be. Rest in peace Brian Wilson.

It had been one day since Brian Wilson's death when the algorithm cruelly served this up. 1 star to the algorithm.

Style over substance on this one - lyrics aren’t anything super memorable, but the harmonies and “CA vibe” elevate it to a 4

The harmonies hit as always!

Not a huge beach boys fan but damn Brian Wilson just died this week and this is pretty solid.

I feel like if I got this album anyone other day I would have given it a high 3, but I don't know. I was never really a Beach Boys fan, but after Brian's death it kind of recontextualizes this sound. It has this strange mix of nostalgia and melancholy and some really great harmonies. RIP Brian Wilson Mid 4.

One or two big hits. A couple lesser hits and and a handful of songs I have never heard. Now help me Ronda is stuck in my head, help. 8/10

This is a precursor to the greatness of Pet Sounds, especially on side 2. In fact I think you could Please Let Me Wonder on that album without it feeling out of place. Brian's arrangements are starting to show a maturity that wasn't there in previous Beach Boys releases. A very strong four. RIP Brian.

Chad. 4.5

Not as familiar with this one as Pet Sounds or Smile or Surf’s Up - but The Beach Boys - and especially Brian Wilson - are brilliant here too.

Не лучший альбом, но это бич бойс, фирмачи, сразу хочется улыбнуться и даже в пасмурный день почувствовать дуновение калифорнийского ветра

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1001 Albums- # 59 The Beach Boys EVERYDAY! 🏖️☀️🎹 Is it just a coincidence that I received this album to listen/review today… R.I.P Brian Wilson 1942-2025 To dedicated fans and admirers of this iconic band, we all know their music extends well beyond the one note beach tunes they are commercially known for, which this album provides a gateway to delving within. The Beach Boys Today! is a pivotal album in the band’s catalog, marking a significant shift in their musical direction and laying the groundwork for their later masterpieces. The album is notably divided into two contrasting halves: the first side features upbeat, rock-oriented tracks, while the second delves into introspective ballads. This division not only showcases the band’s versatility but also reflects Brian Wilson’s growing ambition to craft cohesive artistic statements. 🎧 Classic Track: Help Me Rhonda 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: Kiss Me Baby 🎧 Personal Favorite: She Knows Me Too Well 🎧 Memorable Standout: Please Let me Wonder Brian Wilson’s production on Today! is a precursor to the lush arrangements of Pet Sounds. The album incorporates unconventional instruments like harpsichords, vibraphones, and orchestral strings, creating a rich sonic tapestry . This innovative approach to pop music was groundbreaking at the time and influenced the development of baroque pop. Prior to this release, The Beach Boys were largely seen as the kings of California surf-pop: catchy tunes about surfing, girls, and hot rods. But this album represents the first major shift toward introspection, complex arrangements, and emotional depth. Brian Wilson, influenced by Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound,” was experimenting heavily in the studio: layered vocals: Multi-tracked harmonies, often 5-6 vocal parts deep, unusual instruments; Harpsichords, timpani, reverb-heavy guitars, orchestral strings and complex chords and modulation, unorthodox for pop music of the time. 🖼️ Album Artwork: Handsome fellas minus Asshole Mike Love Lyrically is where the album really shines in hindsight. Unlike the band’s earlier records, which mostly focused on fun and freedom, Today! explores: Adolescence and growing pains, Romantic vulnerability, Self-doubt and insecurity. Wilson begins to infuse personal anxieties into the music, a rare move in mid-60s pop and a direct precursor to the emotional honesty of Pet Sounds.

Good music in a 28 minute package

It's the Beach Boys, they're always great. Harmonies are one of my favourite things in music. You can sense the musical growth here from their earliest stuff.

A good bit of fun, plenty of charm. I really like the vocals and harmonies, instantly recognisable and iconic It does sound a bit dated in some ways but I'll let them off with that, not much from the 60s that doesn't sound dated nowadays. It's probably quite easy to underestimate how ahead of their time the Beach Boys were in the way they wrote their songs. The lyrics are a bit crap but ah well, I never pay too close attention to them anyway I listened to the mono version on Spotify which is definitely the best one. The production is so cavernous on the remaster and stereo version, it doesn't suit the style of music at all. The kind of thing you'd hear on an early Melvins or Swans album Highlights: She Knows Me Too Well

Pretty good. A little samey but obviously unique to them. Never been anyone else like them and no ones even tried. Help me Rhonda is an all timer

I love how this album covers a transition in the Beach Boys sound.

Great Beach boys album but missing some of the experimentation as a pet sounds.

How am I not surprised that this popped up literally the day after Brian Wilson died? A perfectly fine Beach Boys album. There are better.

Really enjoyed this album. It’s interesting to listen to these now and reflect on how many cover songs were involved in the music business in the 1960s.

Old schoo;. Not all songs are good. Not favorite BB album.

“Do You Wanna Dance?” is such an incredible song and an amazing way to open an album. It’s such a sad song, but the sadness is all subtext. Lyrically it’s a teeny bopper asking a girl to the hop and musically it’s upbeat, but something about The Beach Boys’s treatment of it just breaks my heart. The Ramones and I don’t often see eye-to-eye but they were onto something when they covered this song. I’ve also always loved “Help Me Rhonda” because I sang it in chorus class when I was in elementary school. That’s the only song on the album that’s more than three minutes long, and the album clocks in at 28 minutes total, which I fully support for all pop music. I gave Pet Sounds - the album that all music critics never stop hyping - four stars, but I think I may give this album the same. It doesn’t have anything to equal the three all time great songs that Pet Sounds does but as a complete album I may prefer this. RIP Brian Wilson. Sensitive artists like you and I just aren’t made for this world, much less these times.

wow. had never heard this one before. Thoroughly impressed. Pet Sounds is still the better album, but I was surprised by this album.

Got this 2 days after Brian Wilson passed. One of the best to ever do it.

RIP Brian :( This album showed his maturing as a songwriter with Side 2 4.5

It's OK but I don't love that the sound is kinda repetitive

Ohhh this is such a fun album, love it. Mind you is it a coincidence that the singer for this one like just died yesterday? Wacky doo

Un álbum para escuchar en carretera

Mostly very good

This was what I pulled the day after Brian Wilson's passing. Appropriate, I suppose. It is not their most Iconic album by a long shot but it is still The Beach Boys and you would have to be pretty cynical not to enjoy it.

Decent album. I liked the interview at the end. Kinda brought a fun element to the whole thing. Major complaint comes from all the songs kinda sounding the same, which the sound is fine, but wish there was some variation in the sound a little bit.

Ojalá ser un beach voy pero en Madrid no hay playa. Me ha gustado, gracias a este álbum he descubierto que I Dont wanna dance de los Ramones, es una versión de una canción de este disco

Classic beach boys

Amazing album, not quite Pet Sounds but great, yet unfortunate timing with the passing of Brian Wilson.

An interesting album. Initially it seems very poppy until the broader instrumental canvas appears. And it is pop - proto-chamber pop. I'm not sure (on a few listens) whether the two sides approach really works, as the first side is probably too saccharine, and the second side too sentimental. A dry run for Pet Sounds obviously - all the ingredients are here but just not fully developed!

Too early…

Good

Interesting harmonies and a couple of neat studio tricks. Otherwise exactly what you’d picture from a beach boys record

Great album. Love the harmonies and sound

Love this album, I used to listen to a lot of the beach boys when I was a kid but never really listened to this album or any of the songs on it. I forgot how fun they are as a band to listen to. There's really nothing groundbreaking or distinctive sounding about this album compared to their other earlier works, but that's okay in my mind. The Beach Boys found a formula for making hits, with a talky, kind of nasally lead singer accompanied by a harmonizing chorus, over some catchy, simple and easy going instrumentals. It just works, and it doesn't really get old.

Still can't believe how great their harmony was for a pop band. Really enjoyed it from start to finish.

Beautiful harmonies

Noch kein pet sounds, aber schon überraschend vielschichtig und weit weg von schlichter Strand-Mucke. 7/10

Great. Some songs I didn't know already.

Legendary album by the goats. Easy listening for sure! 8.8/10

Lovely pop music, but it feels like listening to early Beatles – you know better was coming soon.

This was an apropos album following the death of Brian Wilson. The Beach Boys were one of the sounds of my childhood, and not long after I finished art school I rediscovered Pet Sounds. You can hear Brian getting there with this record. The songwriting is magical and the arrangements are huge. There is an obvious Phil Spector Wall of Sound influence on this record. It is an album that truly put The Beach Boys in the category of artists, not just a rock & roll and surf band. Highlights for me are "Do You Wanna Dance", "When I Grow Up To Be a Man", "Help Me, Rhonda", and "Dance, Dance, Dance".

Lyrics are questionable, composition is great

Enjoyed this album on first listen, definitely need to do more beach boys. Great production and harmonies.

Pretty good! I enjoyed the upbeat first half of the album more than the second half.

At first, it felt surreal to receive this album today, following Brian Wilson's passing. But after a quick check of the r/1001AlbumsGenerator subreddit, I realized that this was a special occasion. The generous host of this site, who goes by the Reddit username SidledsGunnar, decided to treat everyone to either a Beach Boys album or Brian Wilson Presents Smile if they haven't gotten all of those already. This will be the last Brian Wilson-related work I need to cover for my journey. Without further ado... By 1965, the Beach Boys had been moving away from songs about cars or surfing and into more complex arrangements, spurred on by Brian's desire for musical perfection amidst a growing jealousy towards Phil Spector and the Beatles. In the case of The Beach Boys Today!, most of the songs featured more orchestral instrumentation and a greater number of ballads in the second half, while lyrically exploring more vulnerabilities, insecurities, and mature perspectives on relationships. From the anxiety of coming adulthood on "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" to the one-night stand of "Help Me, Rhonda", to the attempt at repairing the relationship on "Kiss Me, Baby", to the unfound suspicions that the narrator's relationship will dissipate someday on "In the Back of My Mind", there's a profound emotional range that this album covers from an admittedly simple scope. Pair that lyricism with well-produced compositions that utilize more unconventional instrumentation for rock music at the same time, such as the harpsichord on "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" or the wide range of percussion on "Dance, Dance, Dance", and the experience feels a lot more elevated. My only complaint is that the Beach Boys were still confined to their doo-wop beginnings and needed to go that extra step. These notions extend to both covers of "Do You Wanna Dance" and "I'm So Young" that feel indebted to previous renditions, as well as closing the album on the spoof interview "Bull Session with the 'Big Daddy'", which came off as the boys goofing around with each other. Overall, The Beach Boys Today! is a solid record that helped set the tone for what would come a few records later with Pet Sounds. It was a pleasant listen. Rest in Power, Brian.

Yep it’s exactly what you would expect. Seems to me this album generator is not completely random considering this popped up the morning after Brian Wilson’s death. I guess I’ll give it 4 stars but wasn’t that awesome. But killed a lot of the other threes I have given.

I always liked how the Beach boys blend doo-wop music and the early infancy of pop music. A good album if you want to listen to some Beach Boys.

A nice album. I think with TBB I need to listen multiple times to get the vibe, because on the first listen I just hear the very cheesey lyrics of the time lol

7/10 I think the overwhelming feeling I have when listening to this is awe at the absolutely stunning vocal harmonies that are just all over the album. They elevate some good little pop songs into something much more special. It’s a bit of a mixed bag and definitely an album that works on vinyl more than other mediums as it’s very much an album of two sides. I think the cover tracks do stick out a bit. Listened to in context with the rest of their work, I’d say the quality of this could be a little overlooked. It’s no Pet Sounds, Friends, Surf’s Up or Smile, but what is? Assessed on its own terms, it’s a solid effort. I feel like the lyrics are maybe one aspect that lets things down as they’re fairly ‘lyrics by numbers’. Brian’s work is often elevated when collaborating with a separate lyricist to refine his lyrical intentions. I do love some of the choices Brian makes with his compositions though. He doesn’t always pick the more obvious chord changes and I love that. Best one we’ve had so far to me. Do You Wanna Dance? - Neat little pop song opener. It’s a cover, but the harmonies are a nice addition. Good to My Baby - Bit of a filler track for me. Nice enough, but nothing standout. Don’t Hurt My Little Sister - Fairly routine early Beach Boys fare, but lovely harmonies. I absolutely love the pre-chorus. When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) - Interesting twist on more classic Beach Boys love songs with the less standard instrumentation. Has beautiful moments. Help Me Rhonda - A brilliant, brilliant pop song. Great momentum and the harmonies are so lush. Dance, Dance, Dance - Another great pop song. Please Let Me Wonder - Quite an introspective ballad. Brian is starting to open his soul and it’s a sign of what’s to come. I’m So Young - Another cover. Nice enough, and elevated by the vocal arrangements. Kiss Me, Baby - That moment when the group vocals come in… Ooof So good. A little bit too on the nose as a ballad, but still lovely. She Knows Me Too Well - This is a proto ‘Don’t Worry Baby’. Lovely, but a little basic from a structural point of view. In The Back Of My Mind - There’s something Beatlesy about this. Some of the background percussion is also _very_ Pet Sounds. Nice little introspective closer. Bull Session With “Big Daddy” - They must have had time to fill. Pointless.

Like a lot of beach boys albums of the time, this is a fun, short album. Has some bangers like “When I Grow Up” and “Help Me, Rhonda.” I didn’t need any help from Rhonda or anyone, getting into this groove. Kneecrest out.

Very pleasant to listen to. Superbly well made.

As a huge fan of the Beach Boys, it was a cool experience- even if it is not my all-time favorite album from them. I had only heard two or three tracks before listening to the whole album, so a lot felt fresh. Definitely had the signature Beach Boy vibe, classic harmonies. Even if it didn't totally blow me away, I still enjoyed it overall.

Idk how to feel about the beach boys. Theyre very interesting and incredible vocally but at the same time dont lure me in really

Solid album. Genuinely find a lot of Beach Boys songs a bit too vanilla.

Broken record but the back half is so much belter than the first imo. First half smacks of whiney austin cold plunge boys (shoutout e) , second half instrumentation is really good. Should take inspo from iglooghost and be 15m long

Some fun, catchy songs on the front half, and a few gorgeous slower cuts on the back half.

Holy shit. Brian Wilson just died yesterday. Coincidence? I think not. I don't hate listening to the BB and am often quite impressed by them. They're not my type of music either.

Damn that one at the end where they’re all just chatting about sandwiches and stuff made me sad. Good album though. Specific rating - 4.3 Fav song- help me Rhonda Least fav- in the back of my mind

Jotenkin tosi sympaattinen levy, jonka biiseistä tulee paremmalle mielelle. Soundiin on hitusen purrut ajan hammas, mutta se ei omaa kuuntelukokemusta haitannut.

Very cool, I like!!!! 4

Side one of this album includes the faster (radio friendly) tracks, while side two includes the slower tunes, plus a track with the band talking. I liked this album better than Pet Sounds, which we just heard.

Lovely.

How can you not at least LIKE this. It is such comfort music. What do you hate? Perfect harmonies and fun rhythms?? Wtf...my high school band director HATED the Beach Boys and I don't get it. RIP Brian Wilson. I get it...it is super repetitive and simple, but it is so fun. "Help Me, Rhonda" is an absolute classic and "Do You Wanna Dance?" is soooo good. I love this! Solid 3.5 Liked Songs: "Do You Wanna Dance?" , "Don't Hurt My Little Sister" , "Help Me, Rhonda" , "Dance, Dance, Dance" , "I'm So Young" , "She Knows Me Too Well"

RIP Brian Wilson Now THIS is the Beach Boys I wanted. Their previous two albums I had were not so great (Pet Sounds was decent and Surfs Up was weird). But this was a blast through and through. The first few songs are fairly nice, but then Help Me Rhonda hits oh so good, love it. After that the album really hits its stride, the next few songs are great. Dance Dance Dance, Please Let Me Wonder, and I'm So Young are a lot of fun. Wonderful album. Best song: Help Me Rhonda

Lots of hits. Brian Wilson died yesterday.

Might be a philsitine take, but I like this just as much as Pet Sounds. It’s just as interesting to listen to from a sonic quality perspective, and has equally good songs. It struck me listening to this how influential the song writing stylings of beach boys have been for pop music in general. Example is the pop punk craze of the late 90s (blink 182 etc) has way more in common w The Beach Boys, from a songwriting perspective, than it does punk or hard rock.

Nice stuff from the boys

I really enjoyed this. The Beach Boys have such a unique sound. Happy and upbeat yet the vocal arrangements and harmonies sometimes have tension and a sense of melancholy to them. This stuff sounds like a lot of thought and planning went into it.

Rounding up. These songs are meticulously written, performed, and recorded. Definitely bonus spooky factor that we received this album the day after Brian Wilson passed.

cute

RIPBW

Such a good summer album.

It's probably heresy to say, but I enjoyed this a lot more than Pet Sounds. They should have left the last track for some documentary. That random recording of studio noise adds no value on the album.

Fantastic surf rock, classic Beach boys

Good stuff, a little lighter and more Phil Spector/wall-of-soundy than their later more mature albums. But it's hard not to like the energy pure all-American pop vibes.

A taste of things to come. The lyrics are still lacking the seriousness that would come but the hints are there. Musically, ideas are being explored that begin to distinguish the Beach Boys from their silly surfing peers. It's still a ways away from what we would eventually get with Pet Sounds but the light begins to show.

Maybe it's because it is beach season right now as I listen, but I can't get enough of these boys

Not the heavy hitters but The Beach Boys are always a vibe

I have always enjoyed the Beach Boy sound and harmonies.

I understand why people say every song sounds the same which is fair. However when you listen to them as a child, it sticks with you, and you enjoy it more.

How sadly appropriate. RIP Brian Wilson.

Ok so this is their rubber soul to pet sounds revolver. Rubber soul was always better. This I'm not sure, but lots of girl group spectorish production on tight beach boys harmonies and songs works well and hints at the deep ambitions and talent there. Young boy was powerful fixated on youth and marriage.

Great stuff. The output of music by the Beach Boys between 1962-66 is staggering to state the obvious. A little dated and teenage-y for me to truly get into but definitely appreciate the work. RIP Brian Wilson.

a pleasant listen, would listen to on the beach with some boys

Ah, the first album not all about surfing. Some classics on here. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5

Great harmonies. No bad songs, but some are off the charts good.

songs about surfing, girls, and surfing girls. whats not to like

Good fun

I'm guessing that the algorithm has been tweaked, so we get this the day after Brian Wilson died, but it's still a little uncanny. Another time I might have compared this to Pet Sounds a little harshly, but today just playing it loud and enjoying the hell out of it. Rest in peace, Brian Wilson.

no way we got randomly assigned this album the day that Brian Wilson died

Pretty good. Today! RIP Brian Wilson. Also: lunch time with the boys.

Liked this

AM Ramones

De Beach Boys zijn op hun achtste album nog steeds met thema's bezig waar alle onzekere pubers mee ziten: wil dat meisje met me dansen, ben ik wel lief genoeg voor haar, en hoe krijg ik haar bh los? Natuurlijk, een aantal nummers is best aanstekelijk, met Help me Rhonda ga je vanzelf meedeinen. Maar heel veel klinkt hetzelfde. Best hoor, als je van de Beach Boys houdt. Maar we hadden al twee albums van deze strandknapen gehad, was deze heel hard nodig? Misschien om wat punk- en rapmeuk te compenseren met zoetgevooisde samenzang. Dus vooruit.

I have a soft spot for this era of pop music, I think. I tend to prefer this to something later like Surfs Up. This album was fun. 3.5/5

Give me the Phil Spector “wall of sound,” but… with The Beach Boys. That’s what this record sounds like. 60s surf-rock melodies and chord progressions at its best.

How can you hate the Beach Boys?

p76. 1965. 4 stars. Protype "Pet Sounds" and an almost perfect example of mid 60s West Coast Surf rock. What sets it apart from the rest of the pack is the evolution of Brian Wilson's songwriting from cars and girls to lyrical vulnerability. Point deducted for the inane chatter that is the final "track". Sometimes, too much pot is not a good thing, guys.

A lot of fun! When rock was innocent! You know the songs! enjoy!

Good ol' beach Boys

Do You Wanna Dance! What a banger. I never knew the Ramones version, but this was just as good.

I live The Beach Boys sound

I love Beach Boys but I only really know their big hits (plus Pet Sounds, my beloved). It's really hard to believe that this came out only a year before Pet Sounds. They really found their sound and matured in Pet Sounds because this is like the Beatles "Love Me Do" early career albums - it's fun but very "hey toots, wanna go get a milkshake at the sock hop?" Also kind of weird with tracks such as "Don't Hurt My Little Sister" and "Bull Session With 'Big Daddy'"(????). Pet Sounds has the beautiful "Wouldn't It Be Nice" that reflects the frustration of being young and in love perfectly, while this album has "I'm So Young" which is like "Wouldn't It Be Nice" if it just wasn't that good. "In The Back Of My Mind" was a really cool, slower treat that is so different from the rest of the album. I really liked it and it stood out. I did in fact roll my eyes at the pure goofiness and immaturity a few times tho I fear. Also "Bull Session," despite its gag-worthy name, was a pleasant surprise because I'm such a sucker for a behind-the-scenes candid conversation like this. Not for everyone, but for me lol. As corny as this album is, there are some bangers still. "Help Me, Rhonda" is amazing. "Please Let Me Wonder" has some really cool synths and steel guitar (I think) that were ahead of their time and a lot of fun. Also, Brian Wilson can do no wrong in my head so I still had a lot of fun listening to it. His voice is so iconic and they've always had such a distinct SoCal teenager summertime vibe no matter how cheesy they are. They have a chokehold on me. Most people would probably disagree (idk I haven't looked at the other reviews yet so idk if I'm allowed to like it) but I'm giving this a 4 based on how much fun I personally had listening to it. Standout tracks: Help Me, Rhonda Dance, Dance, Dance In The Back Of My Mind

Great sound from the early Beach Boys. Nice vocal harmonies and production plus one or two really good songs.

Hearing this makes me think of a simpler time.

Any album on this list that is 12 songs and 28 minutes should be an instant 5. Something beautiful about how quick and to the point this album is. Good to my baby has got to have gotten some guy laid by him going “this is so us”. When I grow up is a blink-182 song. Do need Brian Wilson to stop singing about how hard the test was when he’s 25 at this point. Bull session was probably the best behind the scenes look into their lives the fans could get so I’ll excuse it.

I'm a Beach Boys sucker. They truly make me believe that the 60s were the best decade. I'm envious of the lifestyle they portray and they make me dream about simpler problems in a simpler world. There were a couple instances in this album that felt a little creepy talking about underage relationships, but, eh? Although I love the Beach Boys, I definitely pick a choose my favorite songs across their discography rather than loving specific albums. Pet Sounds is kinda the outlier. Still I think this is a good 4. Favorite Songs: Please Let me Wonder, I'm So Young (eh?), Do you Wanna Dance?

Way better than I expected for a beach boys album. You can see how Brian ended up at pet sounds after this. You can’t beat their harmonies, truly the best.

The Beach Boys really are incredible. This is orchestral garage rock with multi-part harmonies, they really do make a genre all their own. That being said, I remember some of these songs sounding different? I listened to the remaster on spotify, maybe that was the issue, but the versions I remember as a kid were better? Weird.

Nice Melodie’s as always and some deeper lyrics. A very good record by the beach boys!

endless harmonies

Classic Beach Boys, in their transition from car and surf songs to something greater. You can hear their path to "Pet Sounds," though they aren't there, yet. However, it's still a classic. Classic American Rock'n'Roll songs with a hopping, fun vibe.

Beach Boys - The Beach Boys Today A transitional album of which I enjoy the second half more than the first (i typically enjoy 66-71 beach boys best) but enjoy it all less than the best of what came before and after. Low 4 for me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Who doesn't enjoy some Beach Boys on occasion. Fun album that was easy to listen to. 4/5

This album doesn’t get as much mainstream love as Pet Sounds, but it’s arguably the bridge between their surf pop sound and the more artistically diverse work that was to come. This is where Brian Wilson really came into his own, and the exquisite harmonies sound just as great today as I'm sure they did 60 years ago.

Essential for their later sound, but I think they got their stride after this album. Love ‘em, though.

Album 735 of 1001 The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys Today! (1965) Rating : 4 / 5 I feel like I should like this more than I do. The recording seemed pretty shoddy to me. Maybe it was just spotify. I've always considered them a favorite but was a bit disappointed, for some reason. That said, it is still a fine album.

Better than I thought

Gelungenes aber nichh spektakuläres Beach Boys Album mit den Top Songs „Danc Dance Dance“ und „Don‘t Hurt Me Sister“. Geniesst den heißen Tag am Strand mit Lichtschutzfaktor 50.

Early Beach Boys is still great. Cheesy? Of course, but the harmonies and the songwriting make up for it.

Talk about easy listening, put this on the background and forget it good vibes ahoy.

I once had this dog that I'd had since he was a puppy. Once day, a couple years into my owing this dog he saw a bird and went into a perfect "point" stance, alerting me of it's direction just in case I wanted to shoot it. How did he know how to do this? I'm not hunter. I had not taught him how to do that stance? What I had witnessed was epigenetic response. Somewhere in that dog's lineage was a bird dog that had been taught by a human to point out prey. That somehow got encoded into the dogs DNA for future generations. Really crazy right? We teach a dog how to do something and it sticks with them for future generations. I've often wondered if the reason I like the Beach Boys is because my dad liked the Beach Boys. Was the fondness passed down in my genes? Here I am, a total metal head... And I'm all, "oh yea, give me that doo wop style vocal harmonization."

Fun.

Beach boys, sound of the 60’s. Started the surfer rock craze. Good, fun music. Not their best album, think that would be, Pet Sounds. But, good album nonetheless the less.

I liked this album better than Pet Sounds which felt like The Beach Boys trying too hard to be The Beatles. This felt more like The Beach Boys evolving as The Beach Boys and not trying to emulate someone else's style.

A couple songs didn’t age all that well. Specifically, Little Sister, and She Knows Me Too Well. Although, I don’t know the context of the songs. Maybe Knows Me was meant to be a critique of that type of guy by showing the hypocrisy of his world view. If that’s the case it’s way ahead of its time, but I don’t think it is the case. Anyways, the rest of the album is great! Lots of good tunes on here, Help Me Rhonda is the stand out. One bonus point, the Ramones did a cover of Do you wanna dance that is a rare instance of the cover being better than the original.

A collection of perfect little pop morsels

Love it

Hadn’t heard the first song on the album what a banger

Impressively produced and sang. A bit too pop oriented and teen focused. Similar to super early Beatles. The hangover from the bubblegum era is heard

Ehh... if you're going to go with a pre-Pet Sounds album, there are much better than this. Surfer Girl would probably be the one I'd choose, but there's so many better albums from The Beach Boys. I get that this is a transitional record, but it's honestly not a particularly good or interesting part of their transition. This album is fairly dull and the tracks are fine but not standouts. Pet Sounds and Surf's Up! definitely deserve a place on this list. The Beach Boys Today!... not so much. This record is a 3.5 for me, but I'm rounding up in this case because "Do You Wanna Dance?" and "Help Me, Rhonda" are two of my favorite songs from The Beach Boys, and they're both on this album. But also what the hell was that last track?

Day413 - if you made a list of great american bands the beach boys would be at or close to the top. we all know their sound evolved to what it would be with pet sounds but the harmonies were always there and this us help me rhonda

I wish the warm California sun was shining on me today! I listened to Beach Boys often growing because my parents loved them. They are really their own thing, and they do that thing well. They play surfer music in a nice layered pop way focusing on a really simple life, but they seem to realize growing up might be necessary. Lots of good hits on this one that warm the soul with some happy sunny vibes

The Beach Boys always deliver on the sunny layered melodies. I really appreciate the simple, easy going So. Cal vibe presented here.

This sounds exactly as you would expect, and is perfectly pleasant.

Had to leave off a star for the lack of Kokomo

The Beach Boys really walk that fine line of corniness but the instrumentation and production here is so layered and interesting it cancels it out

Inexplicably enjoyed this quite a bit. Poppy and fun.

C'est une véritable faille spatio-temporelle qui nous emmène dans les années 60 dans le corps d'un adolescent boutonneux mal dégrossi qui a envie de choper, le tout accompagné de très jolies mélodies et orchestrations. C'est pas leurs meilleurs titres, ça manque un peu de variété, mais ça a tellement de charme. Ça marche toujours à fond sur moi.

A whole album of The Beach Boys is hard to take

Classic beach boys music. The squeaky clean love songs are a bit dated by today’s standards but during their time were insanely popular. Very good if you are looking to experience old school music.

Overlooked by Pet Sounds, but great

A quintessential record of the ‘60s. Not quite in the highest echelon but almost as close as you can get

Really good But the last track of them talking in the studio ruins it a bit. The rest of it is top class

Really suprised on how good this album was. Would definitely go back

I'm So Young

I’m a lifelong Beatles fan, and have never really taken The Beach Boys seriously. It proved quite interesting to investigate the nuances of the Beatles/Beach Boys rivalry and place this album, Today!, in context. It made me want to listen to a lot more early Beatles.

While the album sounds dated, its sound is one that has potential to withstand the test of time. Great chorus on the first song; the voice is nice too with the beat highlighting it. The first track ultimately sets the rest of the album, it’s a great rock ballad and is one of my favs right off the bat. Love the jubilant feel so far of the album. She knows me too well is a great song and another fav. The second half of this album is amazing. Initial listen: 9/10 or 4.5/5.

Don’t care for the ballads as much but this album is great

“You know she digs you and thinks you're a real groovy guy” is the most 60s lyric ever.

This album was composed and produced beautifully, though it has a dated feel which may prevent me from coming back to it regularly, especially in the tracks which more heavily feature Mike Love "Good To My Baby" was a personal favorite, and "She Knows Me Too Well" also shines for its sort of proto-emo insecure misogynist lyricism. One could have fun spinning this and the Blue Album back-to-back

Bueno

Great Beach boys album that is a step up in sound from their previous stuff and a hint at what might come with Pet Sounds.

On the cusp of genius

It was excellent but at the same time just not for me. I have never connected with the Beach Boys and thinkI never will

:)

Classic

Has those classic Beach Boys harmonies with some good sounding instrumentation. Really love Help Me, Rhonda. Overall solid rekkid

Interesting to hear how far pop music has come. This honestly still holds up

Nice

I like this more than Pet Sounds. It’s an easier listen but still feels like they are pushing some boundaries.

Front loaded as fuck but still phenomenal 9/10 Fav tracks - Do You Wanna Dance, Good to my Baby, Don't Hurt my Little Sister, When I Grow Up (To Be a Man), Help me Rhonda, Bull Session with "Big Daddy" Least fav - None

An almost sickly sweet album. Beach Boys just before Brian Wilson lost his mind/peaked artistically. When we got the Everly Brothers I complained about the short length at first and then was happy when it ended early. I was not happy when this ended and I needed to give it another spin (or three). No artist ever did harmonies like these guys. Highlights: Do You Wanna Dance?, Good To My Baby, Help Me, Rhonda, Im So Young, She Knows Me Too Well, In The Back Of My Mind

Great album

I find beach boys mesmerising. Enjoyable record, Help me Rhonda is a great song. The coming together of vocals is brilliant and skipping from minor and major really special.

Sounds like the classic Beach Boys I grew up with to me. None of their biggest hits on here though, it's good quality music but not super memorable for me. Maybe a 3.5.

Always considered the Beach Boys to be 'just' a singles band. Of course with the exception of Pet Sounds. Oh and Smile/Smiley Smile which I really like. And then I got Surf's Up and that was really good too. And actually this is packed with gems too. Maybe it's time to reconsider.

A good album from the Beach Boys, I like their style of music. I liked Kiss Me, Baby the most.

It's just a perfect slice of happy-go-lucky pop songs. Under 30 minutes. Right off the bat it gets straight into it. Nice and upbeat and pleasant with lots of really nice harmonies. It's just an enjoyable time. 3.5 rounded up.

Some really good, classic songs.

One of the best harmony bands ever. Brian Wilson was not only a great singer but you can hear the attention to detail on these tracks as their producer as well. It was also a nice expansion of their sound with many more instrumental choices to complement the more complex songs that Brian Wilson and Mike Love had written. This album does have a number of my favorites, including the Bobby Freeman cover of "Do You Wanna Dance", "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)", "Help Me, Rhonda", and "Dance, Dance, Dance".

"I cooked the whole lamb an put its raw head back on." What else does anyone need to say about this record?

Undeniably catchy

Whizzing along at 200 smiles-per-hour

Maybe like a 3.5

Classic, heard lots before

high 4! this one’s like a 4.675

Pre-listening thoughts: 28 min album is CRAZYYYY. I like The Beach Boys so I’m assuming I’ll enjoy this Post/during listening thoughts: The Beach Boys are kind of a blueprint for 60s music but as they went on they became something pretty innovative and unique. This is pretty standard stuff from them though. Their vocal harmonies are just too good. I wish I could give this a 4.5 because I’m not sure it’s a 5 from me but it’s better than a 4. So I’ll give it an 8.8/10 and you’ll have to trust what I mean with my star rating. DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no I think you can hear a few Beach Boys songs and understand their deal, but this is a solid album Fav tracks: Good To My Baby, Help Me Rhonda, Dance Dance Dance, Please Let Me Wonder, Kiss Me Baby Least fav tracks: none

such a fun album, I listened to the Beach Boys before I could speak english

Is it bad or blasphemous or weird that I liked this better than “Pet Sounds”? Maybe it was the lack of hype around this, but I just overall liked the vibes better. They weren’t trying to do too much like they might’ve been on “Pet Sounds” and it just works better. Also, I need to admit something. The Wikipedia article for this album notes that this is the first album to not include songs about surfing or cars, ditching the surf motif in all but their name. I didn’t hear a distinct difference in style or arrangement between this and previous albums. Which made me realize - I’ve so closely associated The Beach Boys sound with surfer rock that I just assumed they were one and the same. So I expected a different sound from this album but didn’t get it. Their sound isn’t necessarily tied to the content of their songs, and vice versa. They exist independently from each other. I was just out here assuming that surf music sounded like Beach Boys music and so if they did something other than surf music, it would sound different. But no. Anyway, I like this enough to give it four stars. Better than “Pet Sounds.” Fight me. Standout Tracks: Do You Wanna Dance?, Help Me, Rhonda, In the Back of My Mind

4/5

3.5/5

pleasant and sounds classic

Ok, this is my second Beach Boys album through the project, after "Surf's Up", which is their almost-anti-Beach-Boys album - and this one is them deliberately stepping away from singing about surfing and cars? I believe the only other album of theirs on the list is "Pet Sounds", so Dimery apparently hasn't included any of their baseline albums?! What a joke! The Beatles and Stones both get their earliest albums included, when they were basically just covers bands, but we don't get a an exemplar of the classic Beach Boys sound!? 😡 Anyway, this is a pleasant enough listen, as one would expect - great harmonies and summery vibes, albeit with slightly gross patriarchal lyrics. Fave tracks - "Help Me, Ronda" is the one I knew going in, and "She Knows Me Too Well" from the less well known tracks....

For 28 minutes and 55 seconds, I felt loved. Then I recalled the impending heat death of the universe. Fuuck

"Ugh, the ending of I'm So Young gives me goosebumps. Beach Boys albums can suffer from songs sounding too same-y, and this one falls into that category. Especially the first half. But you can also hear the development towards Pet Sounds in this album. An expansion of instrumentation. More complex harmonies. And an attempt to get out of the surfing/summer lyrical content rut. My bias bleed through on this rating. I really love the Beach Boys. They just have a really high floor for me, almost exclusively because of their vocal talent. I could listen to them sing harmonies about anything. Favorite Song(s): Help Me, Rhonda, I'm So Young"

Very nice

Some classics on here. Dennis singing Do You Wanna Dance, Brian singing Please Let Me Wonder. Beach Boys are in hindsight a very weird band - intricately orchestrated music behind almost creepily adolescent lyrics sung by angels .

beach boys songs always feel like they should be in a nice coming of age feel-good movie but i cannot honestly appreciate this too much as music in itself. but. it is fun.

C' mon It's classic Beach Boys.. It's a fun listen and very well recorded.

I had to check if this was produced Phil Spector but it was Brian Wilson. Very dense and a good listen with classic and uniquely identifiable Beach Boys harmonies.