Reviews (page 5 of 9)
an album you enjoy without remembering a single track
Just not pet sounds
Lyrically this record has not aged well. Thankfully, Brian Wilson’s melodies are timeless.
It's a classic, was probably revolutionary at the time, but it sounds really dated, unfortunately. Doesn't even have Surfin USA on it.
I mean, I appreciate the Beach Boys for what they were... fun pop stylized to appeal to the masses. I'd take the more experimentation in Pet Sounds any day, but this is still worthy of a 3.
Hit or miss on the songs. I’ll rock out to Dance, Dance, Dance but then other songs are *yawn*.
Beautifull record capturing a lot of great qualities of the early beach boys. Maybe not their best, but has a nice collection of songs. 1. Help me Rhonda 2. Do you wanna dance 3. Dance, dance, dance
Classic beach boys tones and vibes. I really don't have much for this. As expected.
I assume its good, and parts of it were good. But it was hard to hear it as its own music -- their sound is just so much a part of the zeitgeist that it was hard to hear them as anything more than "oh yeah, thats the Beach Boys".
You can tell, this is the warm-up to Pet Sounds, their best album by far. They abandoned songs about cars and surfing and started to get serious.
I feel kind of bad about not liking The Beach Boys very much. I felt obligated to give Pet Sounds 5 stars, but that was a special case.
Is it really 12 songs, or just one with a change in lyrics? Hearing a Beach Boys song on a warm day is fun. Hearing two is okay. An entire album? That got boring fast! Nothing is annoying, if you are doing anything else, you wont even notice its on. 2.67, rounded up since I live 3 miles from the Gulf of America
4->3 for the misogynistic lyrics (why was every song about age...?)
I'm reminded of college days walking in the winter morning sun. It's always so bright, casting bold shadows on the trees when angled that early in the day. There's a space it creates. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's this album.
This feels like Rubber Soul. Top of their game before things got weird. The harmonies on Do you Wanna Dance? - are you kidding me? And then after 28 minutes of high school hymns... you're done. And so's the album. 3.5 stars.
this was fine, i liked other beach boys albums much more
1965. I was 10, too young for the 'love' songs, but cool with the simplesh melodies and harmonies and instrumentation. Didn't sound like it was playing in stereo, so sounded a little tinny through my headphones. Best of all, this has no effing synthesizer or Britpop angst. Thanks for the break. ⭐⭐⭐
"Bull Session with the Big Daddy" AYOOOOOOOOOOOOOO which one of the beach boys is the bull 👀👀👀
Ok
Surprisingly short, though it had some decent songs on it.
It was a solid enough album, only a couple of tracks really got me singing along. A lot of their "hits" weren't on it which is fair enough, but they started to sound the same after a while. Nothing wrong with it, sure it was great at the time, but doesn't set my world on fire!
It’s ok but not essential .
Fine
Decent.
Songzeile: They say our love is (So young) Just a teenage affection But no one knows (So young) Our hearts' direction Musste einmal nachschauen wie jung sie wirklich sind, weil sie so drauf rumreiten. Sie sind 24, 23, 23, 21, und 19. Fazit: sie übertreiben.
Incredible vocal harmonies and melodies. Clear influences from The Ronettes and other groups of the time. Some classic songs. Very reminiscent of their Christmas album. This version of Help Me Rhonda has fantastic depth and natural quality. Such a fun listen, but missing that unique and interesting character that set Pet Sounds apart from the rest. Too much Mike Love on this!
Love the Beach Boys!!
shut up im so excited a lot of these songs kinda sounded the same but it was still a vibe favorite song: bull session with "big daddy"
The building blocks for Pet Sounds are definitely there, but never reaches those heights. Help Me, Ronda is catchy as hell.
It has always been hard to take the Beach Boys seriously, especially as a lifelong Beatles and Dylan fan. By the time this album of teenage love songs was released, “Beatles for Sale” had already found the Beatles in far deeper waters. “Bringing it All Back Home” and “Highway 61 Revisited” by Dylan were both released within months of this Beach Boys album. By year’s end “Rubber Soul” would be in record stores. But the Beach Boys were good hit makers. And Brian Wilson tried to keep pace with innovation as well: They found their way to “Pet Sounds” eventually. But I think it was just hard for them to dig deep, talented as they were. It’s interesting that at the end of the year the Beach Boys would release (same time as Rubber Soul) an album that included three covers of songs by the Beatles and one by Bob Dylan. Anyway, I’m talking more about the Beatles and Dylan than today’s album.
Genial wurd's leider erst später. Plätschernder 60s-Gitarren-Pop der gute Laune macht.
la la lee la
It probably deserves a much better objective rating, but I’ve never liked Beach Boys. This record doesn’t make me feel anything. I don’t even like Pet Sounds very much. The fault is mine, not theirs.
A short and sweet album with fun songs. The harmonies are absolutely beautiful. While some of these songs feel a bit juvenile, there are moments throughout where Brian Wilson shows what a brilliant songwriter he was. Favourite tracks: Do You Wanna Dance, Good To My Baby, Help Me Rhonda, Dance Dance Dance, Please Let Me Wonder
I like it but I would say it’s my least favourite beach boys album
They did me dirty to give me this in January.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Huh. This project has certainly changed how I feel about The Beach Boys. As a kid I remember listening to what must have been a greatest hits album of their surfer songs and really enjoying it. A few tracks from this album are all we got from that era of the band on the entire 1,001 list; no Kokomo or Surfin USA or I Get Around or Barbara Ann. This album at least has Help Me Rhonda (although even that was apparently a re-release). Maybe the problem is they just released a ton of short albums in the early 60's every time they hit 10 songs rather than waiting until they had 10 good ones, so their hits were spread too thin. Just another weird choice by the author on what to include or not. I get that some people are really into their later stuff and apparently Pet Sounds is a seminal album, but much like Radiohead or The Beatles the later BB stuff doesn't work for me personally. Different strokes for different folks. Honestly I don't think this album holds up terribly well, but the harmonies and "Rhonda" are enough to get it to a 3 for me. I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed. 2.7
Interesting how they put the album together with side 1 being all more up-tempo songs and side 2 being all ballads. Definitely more mature both musically and lyrically than their earlier stuff. I enjoyed listening to it.
Good but aren’t most of these covers??
I realize what the Beach Boys mean to music (well Brian Wilson for sure). However it is music I just can't get my head around too much. It is a lovely sound for sure but not my vibe as much as I can get into it. This record has some songs on the recording that I can get behind but not enough to earn more than average.
Solid album. Nothing stands out too much tho.
Not my favorite Beach Boys album, but you can't deny how catchy their songs are
What a wholesome album. I wish music was innocent again like this, I feel like no one makes music that just asks a girl to dance anymore. When I think of The Beach Boys, I think of my mom because she loved them.
Another Beach Boys album! Waow!
Cute and easy listening. Help Me, Rhonda is probably my favorite but other than that there were no real standouts
Not a massive fan of the beach boys and this one is definitely not the best thing ever but there is some somewhat solid songs here
3.5/5
Good ol iconic Beach Boys... but that's about it. Lyrics aged a little poorly and did not take the risks that would produce something like Pet Sounds.
Fine harmonies. Some catchy songs. Just never my thing. 3/5
Lame as hell but you simply can't hate it
The Beach Boys are overrated in my opinion. Not terrible, but it’s such early 60s pop. Very perky and most of the songs are about girls. A big shrug for me
The Beach Boys always sounded “old” to be - even listening to them just 10 years after the album was released. A couple of songs were good but the rest was just forgettable to outright bad.
If you ever wanted to know what a 60's school dance actually sounded like, I guess this is the album.
Hints of Pet Sounds creeping in. You can feel a shift in this album. Slighter Beach Boys as they build to something bigger.
Good
This album, in isolation, is fine. Nothing too special. But listening to it after Pet Sounds is actually quite cool. You can hear the pull of Brian Wilson towards the experimental, deeply emotional writing. But the majority of the band and the songs remain in the early Beach Boys sound. A very fascinating transition from old to new. 3.5/5.
Unlike beatles fans, beach boys fans can recognize when they make a stinker of an album. There are highlights which show how great brian wilson is and his genius (When i grow up, help me rhonda) but as a whole, this feels more like a warm up or practice session for brian wilson’s song writing chops.
Crazy to me that by 1965, the BBs were putting out their 8th studio album. This is significant as a stepping stone, a precursor to the world altering Pet Sounds. You can begin to hear the shift away from the car/surf sound into a more lush, emotional tone. None of the songs really stick out to me but as a whole it is an enjoyable listen. Not going to be top five BBs albums for me but Brian Wilson is such a weird, alchemical songwriter that it compels the listener no matter what and obviously the players are top tier.
Damon Albarn
Na dan pereza Los Playus
hui das isch viel hall. es isch soooo happyclappy mann. lyrics sind scho recht basic aber d vocal harmonies sind cuuute. help me rhonda baaaanger. he herzigi songs aber eis vode beste albe ever? nai. ich check beach boys liebi glaub nöd ganz.
Ok
Lovely early Beach Boys album.
This isn't the Beach Boys of yesterday, no sir.
B side is much better, anything that got us to the point of pet sounds I can’t be too down on
I always thought The Beach Boys were gonna be hotter tb h
when I say I love listening to the beach boys, this is not the album I mean Also, "you stepped on my french fries :( " 3.25
Hm, I was excited when I saw Beach Boys but this album was just ok. Pet Sounds is so much better and introspective in my opinion. And I was surprised to learn this is their 8th album because it still sounds sophomoric. I guess it was their kickstart to making albums with more depth but I wouldn’t consider this a top album.
Dont hurt my little sister....when I grow up to be a man...I'm so Young, come on! this is next level cheese. Ironically, I prefer this version of Help me Rhonda. I found the album pretty mid. Nothing really stood out. 3 stars
I liked it, though I find most Beach Boys stuff sounds kinda the same ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Quite a "beach boysy" album. 'Dance, dance, dance' was the only song I recognized from this album. Sounds a bit like a mix between american The Beatles, circus music, and something you'd expect to be played at a high school ball dancefloor in the 60s. Got to give them that they sure know how to make interesting vocal harmonies when they want to. One thing that really annoyed me by the end of the album is how most songs are just about juvenile romance. Not really anything unique to this album, but somehow it just stuck to me, and I can't shake that feeling. Overall a decent album I guess, but I've concluded that I have a hard time appreciating The Beach Boys for much else than their absolute best work, i.e. their most known hits. Weak 3.
It's a Beach Boys album before they really got their sound down. All components of a great Beach Boys album is there, from the harmonics to the vocals, but the last catchy hits are missing. We have had two later Beach Boys albums on this list and both of the have catchy hooks that make you impressed. The most impressive song on this album is “Do You Wanna Dance” which is an ok but standard 60s pop song. Maybe it works as an historical document where they were heading in later albums. Weak 3.
The beach boys are still not my favorite, but this was mostly ok. Except the last track.
Nice album, but the audio seemed poorly optimized. The highs were prioritized on one song, and then the kick drum drowned out the vocals in another.
It was fascinating to hear all the the musical elements that would feature heavily on the following year's acclaimed Pet Sounds album coming together, in earnest, on this. This is the transition album. As such, there are some great stand out moments. "When I Grow Up to Be a Man" with its harpsichord, and bass harmonicas and Phil Spector style arrangement was a harbinger of things to come. This is "Wrecking Crew" at their peak powers. But, the expansive "Kiss Me, Baby" and "She Knows Me Too Well" take things to the next level. It's painfully obvious Brian has graduated from this group. In an alternate reality this is where he begins to enjoy solo projects and songwriting for and with other artists. Instead he suffers in an effort to fit all his creativity into the Beach Boys box. There are some great numbers sung by Dennis Wilson on here, including my favorite on the album, "In the Back of My Mind." The lush arrangement is just sooooo good! Not a perfect album but a darn good listen!
A solid 60's vocal pop record. All of this sounds great but it doesn't compare to their later records for me by a mile.
Definitely at the cheesier end of the beach boys spectrum.
I listened to a lot of Beach Boys as a young kid. It's still a reasonably enjoyable listen now. I think they were a bit advanced for the time, which is interesting, considering how poppy they were at first.
Jovial and playful, I liked Pet Sounds more though. :)
I enjoyed it. I’ve heard it several times before. I definitely appreciate it’s importance.
Koselige vibes
Pretty decent, always a fun listen with these boys
not the best beach boys classics, but some nice decent songs
Great album
A few classic songs like Goid Vibrations, gets this to a 3. I'm not a fan of high pitched singing, whether or not it's harmonized beautifully.
This was what I expected from a Beach Boys album
Solid beach boys record. Fun listen. (Would give 3.5 stars if I could)
This just feels more like a satire of itself than an acclaimed album. I guess ya had to be there (1965).
An okay album. Sounds mostly the same and doesn’t have the hit songs that other albums have. Harmonies are good. At least it was brief. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
A fun album, but it having the one great single in "Help Me Rhonda" should not have put this album on the list. 3.25 / 5
makes me want to dance
The thing I've found with Beach Boys' records (bar Pet Sounds - what an album!) is that they were generally written, recorded and wrapped in pretty quick succession. So, you're given a single or two, a few catchy covers and some originals that fall short. This album follows the format. I enjoyed parts of it. Their 'Do You Wanna Dance' isn't as good as the Ramones' version. 'Help me, Rhonda' is an absolute banger (even with the false ending, I always hated that part). 'When I grow up' is a bit wimpy. There's some decent harmonies, but also a few risks have been taken in certain songs, and the effect isn't always as pleasing/refined as they got later in their career (which was only like a year away if I'm right!). A fun little jaunt, but not enough to warrant a place on this list. 3 Stars.
An old man sits in an armchair in the lounge at his retirement home. There are about 15 other residents sitting around him, and morning tea is being served by two lovely Filipino nurses. There is some concert music playing on a tv in the corner, to break the silence. The man happily drifts off into a daydream, remembering back to his youth when it was all surf trips and pub lunches. My God he was a womaniser back then.
Good tunes with questionable lyrics.
As an introduction to the beach boys this was alright. I know they have better to come
Not their best but still nice
I respect the beach boys but its really never been my thing.
Enjoyable - pleasant simple songs, not the more sophisticated sound of Pet Sounds
Not their best
Solid but boring. Lyrics sound like a different, more boring time.
The Beach Boys with their signature-sound. But for me in total sounds a bit dated. Just because of "Help Me, Rhonda" I give it the weak three stars. 2,5
it was pretty good, very old sounding i wish it had modern quality.
Beautiful pop songs as would be expected from The Beach Boys. I find their pre-Pet Sounds stuff slightly one note though. Still lovely to listen to, but doesn’t have as much of a lasting impact.
Great harmonies, arrangements and songwriting. You can hear the growth that will eventually lead to Pet Sounds. I will say some of the vocal and vocal arrangements sounded different than versions I remember, but that could just be my age, haha. Highlights: " Help Me, Rhonda" and "Dance, Dance, Dance"
Hey, I listened to The Beach Boys today Oh great, which album? The Beach Boys Today Yes I know that, BUT WHICH ALBUM Fantastic harmonies, glorious production but............ this hasn't evolved much from earlier efforts. It's not a bad thing, but why the inclusion of this album specifically?
lite mindre spännande än jag hoppades på, men fortfarande beach boys
Big fan post pet sounds. You can hear the potential here, but it is not yet achieved
Fun
Great representations of The Beach Boys creativity with pop music and extremely good melodies. Help me Rhonda was one that stood out
Rolling Stone 466 The first half of this album is peak Beach Boys the beginning of their more ‘interesting’ period. The second half more mellow and slow dancey really lags and all kind of sounds the same.
Today! falls into the “goofy” category. Help Me, Rhonda, Do You Wanna Dance? and When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) continued to get radio play into the 70s and we’d all sing along. But The Beach Boys still sound like a barbershop quintet to me. The album is 1001 Must Hear List worthy, but Brian’s breakdown helped get it there. (2.7*s)
She Knows Me Too Well is creepy as hell - “I’m jealous and abusive but she understands that I only act like that because I love her so much.” Yikes. Other than that, this is a fun midpoint between the early singles and the more ambitious Pet Sounds.
My favorite track was the last one where it was just a recording of the fellas opening their burger order and talking. The rest of the tracks were fine, just exactly what you'd expect from the beach boys.
I know The Beach Boys get better (God only knows), but I’m not sure if they get more iconic.
Oh Ronda! The apple of everyone's eye! This isn't the best beach boys album but I wouldn't turn it off if it came on.
Legendary melodies
the most a beach boy has ever beach boyed on a beach boy album
Enjoyed it, not sure if I LOVED it but a couple of standout songs
The Good: It is only for today The Bad: what if we like it and want to listen to it tomorrow? The Ugly: listening to them yesterday… If there is anything to learn from this album then it is to show the importance of choosing a good name for your band… If Elvis Presley could have recorded any style of music, people would’ve accepted it. The Beach Boys should stick to beach kind of music… not that ‘50s rock n roll classics are beach worthy, just not what one thinks about… Also, note that I am not a beach boys fan. I listened to the album. Appreciated the fact that it wasn’t too long, while bobbing along to several tracks. That’s it. Probably will not play that album again… and if the album that is going to presented to me now is not pleasing, I will go and listen to The Idiot by Iggy Pop again, which is quickly becoming a top-10 all time favorite for me… 3*
Pretty good but lacked a consistency
A start that got better.
I think I prefer the uptempo Beach Boys more than the ballads but whichever the song you can’t knock those harmonies.
This is their 8th studio album? It sounds like a debut written around the campfire after a fun day of surfing by a bunch of kids. No sound or drug experimentation for these guys. It’s full of catchy simple songs and is an enjoyable listen.
Harmony porn.
3.2
Nice 60s pop
3.4 - Alles in Allem sehr unterhaltsam, aber auch viel Gedudel dabei
The Beach Boys are obviously fantastic, influential, and talented. It’s just before my time and hard to relate to or click with. A bit too “happy go lucky” of a sound for me to be able to really relate to or be in the moment with. My favorite off of this album was “Dance, Dance, Dance.” It was good (obviously), especially the rhythms and vocal layering/harmonies, just not relatable and not very interesting to me unfortunately.
Will my kids be proud or think their old man is really a square?
I get that they were trying new things, but this did not grab me. But it was short!
they just didn't really have it yet
They were good. A lot of teenage angst but in a different time
Them and The Beatles were the thing in the 60s. It was all about these 2 bands. Because they were different. Was it that good? No, but everyone copied them. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
I liked this album. A lot of the songs had a nice vibe. I really liked dance dance dance
Not the best I’ve heard from the Beach Boys but not bad
Yeah it's not bad, pretty mid.
Album has great harmonies. Must be early stuff because they talk about high-school and growing up to be a man. It's kind of charming because they aren't being all machismo. Typical beach boy sound but not many previously known hits. I liked Dance, Dance, Dance and Do you Wanna dance but most songs are okay and deserve a listen. Don't care for She knows me to well, but it might just be the topic. Like the last "song" at the end where the guys eat and chat. Not music but slice of life sort of.
I enjoyed this album. I knew a few songs and those were the ones that stood out to me. I definitely prefer the later beach boys albums more, when they were experimenting with new sounds.
Not a fan
I know, and all that, but this era for some reason hasn't aged well. It's not bad, it's just so cheesy now. You can taste the corporate influence like sugary breakfast cereal. It's still good in the moment, but you know you're not getting a rounded meal, and you're not going to talk to your friends about the great bowl of Cap'n Crunch you had today. Still, Cap'n Crunch is delicious, and this is still fun. I also know I'm selling it short, because the music here is clearly deeper and more interesting than, say, the Archies or the Monkees, but it still feels disposable. And yet I know many of these songs. I don't know how much of a point I have here, but the stars are not about it being important, or interesting, or even good. It's how much I want to hear it again. And, on this listen, it's fun but hollow.
6/10
The Beach Boys is definitely not a typical pop rock band. They put way more effort into production than most bands in the genre, and their songs end up sounding noticeably more detailed and polished. That being said, I still find their music too safe and unimpressive. It might be a little vague, but I don't think most people would disagree if I called their output "summer music." Their music is always bright and optimistic, and I'm just not into that vibe. I mean, it's an album. I listened to it. Didn't particularly hate anything about it, but I didn’t really like it. A bit short, but it's aight.
I felt like this was a solid and enjoyable Beach Boys album. Short and nothing groundbreaking but very Beach Boys. I would listen to this album again depending on my mood!
God gammel pop. Helt ok, men helt unødvendig på denne lista.
The Beach Boys: The Beach Boys Today!: Its the Beach Boys. They have one sound, its pretty solid, but its just good and really samey. I doubt I would ever go out of my way to listen to this, but it was enjoyable and brisk, so it didn't get super repetitive. It was still a little samey, though. It just isn't all that special imo, and the last two songs are not good. The production is pretty shakey too, but not enough to really hurt the album a ton, especially given how old it is. 6.75/10
It was okay. Pet Sounds still the best.
Iconic sound, amazingly delivered, but not an album I would reach for often
Trop court et il manquait de ligne directrice dans l’album on dirait plus une playlist de toune qui rentrait pas dans les autres album.
Assez standard Beach Boys, cool skit de fin.
Un album ensolleillé. Belles harmonies tout au long mais c'est dur de pas comparer aux Beatles, que je trouve plus intéressants.
Side A is more fun, Side B is more beautiful, but overall I could take it or leave it for a lot of this. A bridge between The Beach Boys earlier surf pop rock and later orchestral sophisticated balladry. Getting more personal, vulnerable, honest, and emotional lyrically. Getting more complex and full musically. Harmonies are glorious (as always) and arrangements thoughtfully constructed (as always). Brian Wilson is on the path to a major breakthrough…but you must shed more of your past to get there.
Look, I get why people like the Beach Boys — the sophisticated harmonies, the wall-of-sound production, the increasingly ambitious arrangements. There’s a lot to admire. They do have a lot of great songs, they are a great singles band, but their albums, even their better ones are hit and miss. They are mid. ‘The Beach Boys Today!’ is no different. It’s pleasant but uneven. My favourite tracks and highlights are “Do You Wanna Dance?”, “Help Me, Rhonda”, “Dance, Dance, Dance”, and “In the Back of My Mind.” The rest for me I can take or leave.
The Beach Boys are masters of harmony, and it’s pretty evident throughout this album. That being said, there wasn’t really anything extra here that other BB albums on the list already show. I didn’t particularly enjoy this one but it was fine, 2.5/5
Beach Boys are fantastic
This one is no Pet Sounds, but the classic Beach Boys harmonies are still there.
3’5
Imma just copy paste my review of Pet Sounds into here Average, sounds very 60s
It was ok
It's quite short but a nice beach boys album. but they got better ones.
The Beach Boys have some catchy tunes and a very distinct sound and harmonization. On paper I really should like them — and I do love a number of their songs. But while I'm not usually a lyrics person, there are some questionable, misogynistic, and frankly bad lyrics on this album. So much so that this got pulled down to a 3, when it could have been a 4 or even 5.
6/10. overall, pretty decent. all kind of sounds the same, kinda boring. not mad about it though.
I do love me the Beach Boys, but this album, other than ‘Help me Rhonda’ and “…Grow up to be a man’, is a bit listless. I’m always listening for what will become ‘Pet Sounds’, but there’s little of that here.
Простенько, еще не барокко
Estuvo ok, pero no es Pet Sounds
idk really not my thing!!
Solid album if you're into the surf-rock genre.
Fun Coming of age Chill Worth more listens
RIP
Nice listen in the beginning. But it gets boring, all the songs sound the same to me. Three stars
Gute Laune
Wasn’t my favorite beach boys album. I like the harmonies, but I think this one is definitely far weaker than Surfs Up and Pet Sounds.
I pressed play and immediately said "well, that's definitely the Beach Boys" so points for having a distinct sound but that is unfortunately their only sound.
yay
It's a fun time, but don't think I'd revisit for a while.
not my cup of tea
Spazierfahrt, Nattheim, Deutschland Joa, wie erwartet funktionieren die auf Albumlänge bei mir nicht.
Heard of them. Nice energy on in the background, but not something I'd seek out again.
I liked this enough for a 3, in a good mood.
It's alright. Upbeat. 3/5
I didn’t like this as much as I expected to, but I do understand why they were as popular as they were. It’s a very specific and nostalgic sound that is not easily replicated anymore. RIP Brian 🤍
Whereas I view the Beatles as three-and-a-half savants practising alchemy, I've always thought the supernaturalism of The Beach Boys came more in the form of possession, or perhaps a deal to the devil made by Brian Wilson as he sat on the floor of his room listening to Revolver for the first time. His reward was 12 months and two albums (one of which wouldn't see the light of day in an office capacity for 44 years) of absolute creative dynamism. This record, unfortunately, predates the selling of his soul. This record is, at its best, a sandpit for Phil Spector, whose same wall of sound that so flattened The Beatles on Let it Be makes Wilson et al soar here, particularly on the stunning opener Do You Wanna Dance?, which is a Be My Baby-tier piece of Brill Building architecture. Unfortunately, that daring production can't overcome the teenybop qualities of this record, even when a great riff (Don't Hurt My Little Sister) or an immaculate harmony (She Knows Me So Well) try to provide some much-needed scaffolding. I think you've got to respect the inclusion of Bull Session With "Big Daddy" to cap it off. Its 2:13 runtime brings this album to a respectable, saleable 28:55.
ok. I liked in the back of my mind. last track was pointless.
62/100.
First half was almost hard to get through, it got better after "Please Let Me Wonder", but altogether nothing special.
Tuvieron una aceptación importante, eso recuerdo
PLEASE let me wonder
Disappointing at first as it sounds like a lot of other Brit pop this list is full of , as the album progresses the songs become more layered while maintaining their accessibility
Not as good as Pet Sounds.
Fav: Good To My Baby Least Fav: When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) It’s a one trick pony album, but the trick is…decent. The harmonising is pretty nice but some variety would’ve made it incredible
I'm sure The Beach Boys Today! In 1965 Sounded a lot fresher than The Beach Boys actually Today! It's not bad, but it smells like my grandma's attic
Good vibes only, I guess. It’s like a carefully curated beach picnic. The songs are technically great, but I just didn’t connect with them the way I thought I would. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood, but it didn’t sweep me away. RIP Brian Wilson. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Do You Wanna Dance? - Help Me, Rhonda - Dance, Dance, Dance
Help me ronda
Old beach boys makes it palatable
This album turned up on the list for me on the day following Brian Wilson's death in 2025. I'd thought he'd died before this, but I think that was his retirement. I'm not a huge Beach Boys fan. I do have Pet Sounds in my collection, and I kind of think this short album falls a bit short of that masterpiece of studio composition.
Ok
Obviously a timely album. I've never been a hige fan of the beach boys and I really didn't find this one all that special. But I feel the same about the Beatles so maybe I just don't get that time.
The straightest of the straight forwards surf rock there is! Nothing wrong with it, but got it is boring.
Sorry for brian wilson. I didn't really listen to them before this album. My friend suggested Pet Sounds and it was cool. This one for me didn't pass the "Marco's memories 12 hours later".
Un álbum decisivo en la historia de los Beach Boys, que marca la transición entre los sonidos clásicos del surf y doo-wop de sus primeros LPs y el wall of sound orquestal y exuberante del legendario Pet Sounds. Además, fue muy influyente en el pop en general, siendo uno de los primeros álbumes propiamente dichos, formado por una unión cohesiva de temas propios, y posiblemente el primer álbum de lo que se podría considerar "pop barroco". Musicalmente, destaca la combinación de instrumentos más allá del triunvirato rockero clásico, con la inclusión de timbales, clavecín, vibráfono y otros instrumentos más propios de la música clásica. Las armonías vocales siguen siendo extremadamente agudas y estando inspiradas por el doo-wop de su época, pero encajan muy bien con los arreglos musicales. Por su parte, las letras son en su mayoría las típicas de las baladas románticas de los 60, nada que destacar. En definitiva, un álbum que, aunque personalmente no me emocione demasiado, merece un puesto en esta lista y una buena nota por su influencia en la música popular y su excelente producción.
It's definitely a Beach Boys album. Not as remarkable or musically interesting as Pet Sounds, but still pretty good.
I thought it was good but a lot of basic teen beach, happy, go-getter music. The mature topics did make it more relatable to listen to then other music in this genre.
Its the beach boys. Þough quite forgettable, but you'd definitely know it's þem just from the sound. Þat Mini-Podcast about burgers or whatever—boo! Did not need þat
Première écoute au lendemain du décès de Brian Wilson. Pas de hit (du moins que je connaissais) mais des pièces au son classique BB. La page wiki dit : " (The album) signaled a departure from their previous records with its orchestral sound, intimate subject matter, and abandonment of car or surf songs. Side one features an uptempo sound, while side two consists mostly of introspective ballads. Supported by this thematic approach, the record established the group as album artists rather than just a singles band. Considéré comme un avant goût de Pet Sounds (1966)
Everyone says it's awesome but I struggle to get over the easy listening vibes. Maybe it will click with me some day.
Not for me.
Love The Beach Boys harmonies, but if you’ve heard one record, you’ve kind of heard all of them (Pet Sounds probably being the exception). Their hits are fun, the rest feel a little filler-y.
There’s something to be said about tye 30 minute album. Kinda like it. Not the best Beach Boy album but it has its moments including Help Me Rhonda. Still very doo woppy.
Like it was for many, this was served to me the day after Wilson's death, so it resonated more than it might have otherwise. While this album was significant made a significant contribution to music, it is not my favorite Beach Boys album who is a band on infrequent listening rotation. So lots of respect from me, if not love.
Brian Wilson passed yesterday and while I haven’t listened to a lot of Beach Boy’s music I have listened to Pet Sounds a lot an undeniable masterpiece. So I was excited to listen to another album by the band. While not as great as Pet Sounds Today! Does have the sparks that would eventually start that fire. The final track was my favorite as it’s the band just eating and messing around a captured moment of happiness and companionship between three brothers. May they rest in piece
Too poppy
Rip Brian Wilson, decent fun album.
Gezellig, beetje outdated
Very enjoyable. Not as good as their big singles but I still liked this - even an average Beach Boys album is still very good. Came at a very timely point as well with Brian Wilson’s passing and nice to appreciate his musical genius.
This album is interesting. Clearly inspired by Phil Spector, but an awkward middle point between their original surf rock stuff and Pet Sounds. I liked this, but didn't love it.
C’est sympa mais c’est pas la même magie que Pet Sounds
Ontem li a notícia de que Brian Wilson tinha morrido. O nome não era estranho, mas, quando procurei saber quem é, percebi que realmente não o conhecia. No dia seguinte (hoje, 13 de junho de 2025), o álbum recomendado é este do Beach Boys. Acaso ou não, isso me fez pesquisar mais sobre o Brian e tentar entender o motivo de ele ter sido tão querido por tantos. De qualquer maneira, descanse em paz.
Easy to see why they were so popular. Very easy to listen to.
Some of the top surf rock of the era, but it really wears on you after a while
It's strange. I generally hate sappy late 50s/early 60s doo-wop style albums, but The Beach Boys are pretty good. This album, though, isn't their best. The harmonies are there, but the album is just uneven and didn't really catch my interest other than Help Me, Rhonda. RIP Brian Wilson
Rip Brian Wilson. This is just a fun 29 minute album. Great melody's as to be expected.
Probably peak pre-Pet Sounds Beach Boys, this a catchy collection of simple, hummable summer beach songs, a few of which add minor elements of sophistication that hint at what’s to come. This is not high art and the lyrics can tend toward the sophomoric. But in the right mood this can pair well with a Corona and a sunny day.
Was half expecting a Beach Boys album today, after the passing of Brian Wilson yesterday. This is probably my favourite incarnation of the Beach Boys. It’s likeable, feel good, sunshine rock and roll. A bit of Spector-esque wall of sound orchestration and a lot of layers, so you see how that developed into their future sound. The songs are bit samey, and relentlessness of side one’s uptempo tracks gets a bit wearing. The ballads on side two get a bit wearing too. It would have been nice if there had been more balance between uptempo songs and ballads. Overall a nice summer time vibe.
Me parece admirable el trabajo de grabación para la época, y sobre todo el trabajo de voces. No puedo decir que me guste el estilo, sobre todo de músicas "alegres" como las que hay en la primera parte del disco. Sin embargo, tomaron la interesante decisión de separar el álbum en dos, colocando baladas en la segunda mitad del mismo, que es al menos más de mi agrado, así que pude disfrutar de esa segunda parte, aunque no sea mi estilo de música.
This was their 8th album and it was only 1965. Prolific. Great album
Весёлый бит.
2.5 stars
non come l'altro
Yep, it's The Beach Boys. Very much so The Beach Boys. One of the most important bands who I don't really a give a shit about. This is definitely The Beach Boys, and it's pretty bloody good pop. Fair play Brian, over and out. Favourite tracks: Don't Hurt My Little Sister, Please Let Me Wonder, I'm So Young
I don’t love the beach boys as much as I could, but there is something very beautiful and almost chilling about the contrast between Brian Wilson’s Faceto and his brothers deeper tenor. I didn’t love this album, but they do have a few very beautiful songs
As a Beach Boys fan I can say this album isn’t perfect but it is overlooked for sure. There’s a few “hits” on this album but there is also a lot of filler. I would say that the first half of the album is infinitely better than the second half but I still think this is essential listening if you are a beach boys fan or are interested in getting into them.
Kolejna przeciętna płyta. Tak, jest to przyjemny zespół, jak sama nazwa wskazuje ma letni vibe i kojarzy się ze słonecznymi dniami. Ale kojarzy się też z tymi facetami w dziwnych kapeluszach, którzy muszą śpiewać a capella bo wybuchną. Kiedyś to może było innowacyjne, teraz bywa wkurzające. 6/10
Not sure I really get the BB’s
The was a solid album overall and you can head where Brian Wilson was evolving.
Lovely harmonies
I really just don't like the Beach Boys' sound, but as their talent cannot be denied, I will give the album three stars.
nice enough. rip brian wilson
I received this as my pick on the day after Brian Wilson passed away (June 11, 2025). Not sure if that’s a very odd coincidence or the pick was de-randomized…. In any case, I’ve tried to listen to this album without all that influencing my review. A stepping stone album that sounds equal parts early surf-pop Beach Boys (which is fun but bubblegum) and the sonic experimentation of Pet Sounds, which I think is a marvel and deserves a place scoring very high on this list. Because it’s not really either, it’s just OK. 3⭐️
Not their best album
"I haven't made a mistake yet in my whole career" "Brian, we keep waitin for ya to make a mistake" RIP Brian Wilson, you were a real one.
I will never cease to be amazed by these harmonies sung by young dudes with no formal training.
Ok
6/10…surfer rock-pop
Help Me, Rhonda Please Let Me Wonder
Great use of harmonies but the lyrics are a little too cheesy for my tastes
Interesting listen. Most of the A side is pretty skippable summer teeny-bob songs, but the B side does have some more mature and intricate moments that help make the album more engaging. Doesn't hurt that the runtime is short and sweet. Top tracks: Help Me, Rhonda; Please Let Me Wonder, In The Back Of My Mind
Okay album.
Like it 3/5
01) Do You Wanna Dance? - 9,0 02) Good to My Baby - 8,5 03) Don't Hurt My Little Sister - 7,5 04) When I Grow Up (To Be a Man) - 7,5 05) Help Me, Rhonda - 9,0 06) Dance, Dance, Dance - 7,5 07) Please Let Me Wonder - 7,0 08) I'm So Young - 8,0 09) Kiss Me, Baby - 7,0 10) She Knows Me Too Well - 8,0 11) In the Back of My Mind - 7,0 12) Bull Session with the "Big Daddy" - 1,0 TOTAL: 7,25 (73/100) Current ranking: 311/576 RIP Brian Wilson
It feels a little heretical to admit I’ve never really gotten The Beach Boys. I wouldn’t say I actively dislike them, but outside of specific settings, it’s hard to feel much more than an ambivalent “yep, that’s The Beach Boys.” This album popped up today because Brian Wilson died. With that context, it made the lyrics about youthfulness and the casual chatter at the very end feel more poignant than they would otherwise. I’m glad today he was able to preserve a snapshot of that shining part of his life. Even so, sorry - I’m not feeling more than a 3.
Harmonius
Not giving that guy any stars
The harmonies are next level as expected, it's a fun little listen.
Good album. But when you’re looking down the barrel of Pet Sounds, it just doesn’t compare.
Not my favorite beach boys album but it was fine
I knew Do You Wanna Dance by the Ramones is a cover, but I’d never heard the original. What a delight. Solid album. When I Grow Up (To Be a Man) is an interesting track with the use of all the less conventional instruments throughout.
seminal work, proto Pet Sounds, I get it. However. It is no longer the 60s.
Don’t Hurt My Little Sister is elite tbh
Pop pioneers
Nice chilled out easy listening album. Fairly standard but still good. RIP Brian 6/10
Each song very good, but as an album there is no light and shade. Every song sounds similar and as an album becomes tiresome to listen too.
RIP BW
Some great harmonies but overall not that special
I like the Beach Boys and their sound but only one real familiar song. Decent but not overly memorable.
So easily recognizable, a very distinct and iconic sound they developed. Not something I’m reaching for though
Beach boys erg lekker
Lovely
Probably my bad but I listened to Pet Sounds right after.
Pretty good! It's the first time I've listened to a full record from The Beach Boys, and I got what I expected. I enjoyed the vocals in this record. I feel like the instruments were sparse; it made the vocals shine more. My only ick on this record was the lyrics. Some of the songs felt kind of cringy in the present day. Favourite Track(s): Dance, Dance, Dance, Please Let Me Wonder Least Favourite Track(s): Don't Hurt My Little Sister
Bah c est les beach boys. Donc c'est bien mais pas asser récent je trouve.
Well, I guess I finally have to admit, I just don’t get the Beach Boys. The only reason I’m going to give this another listen or two is because I’m desperately trying to understand what I’m missing. Alright, three listens and it’s growing on me for sure, but still not sure it lives up to the hype I’ve heard surrounding Brian Wilson and the band.
Ironic that this shows up in the rotation on the day of Brian Wilson’s death. RIP. They perfected the surf genre. A few fun hits, but definitely not their best. There’s definitely better from them out there.
If rock n roll was dialed down to a Zero. Still fun and poppy, but almost bizarre after listening to more hard rock and metal.
Obv this is no pet sounds but I love how you can hear how good they were and would become even with this silly beach and surf pop Musique
Good old pop stuff, like pretty good. The songs all had a similar theme of romantic love, so that was a bit bland. It was really nice tho, like I feel like going to the beach in a open top Chevy or something.
Pretty fun listen.
Glad o peppande musik går aldrig ur tiden, inkl detta! Mysigt men inget jag riktigt kommer sätta på aktivt.
Fun walk down memory lane
This doesn't do much for me. That's probably a controversial opinion, but it sounds like a lot of potentially fun upbeat pop songs that just aren't exciting to listen to. They all feel restrained and I'm not sure if that is because they're trying to accentuate the signature harmony vocals or because the arrangements are so big. It's like they copied Phil spectres approach. Apparently the second half is more introspective ballads, but I've had it on 3 times (I was convinced I must have missed something) and all I remember is the weird bit at the end where they seem to be talking about who is their favourite record executive. Very weird.
Never listened to a lot of Beach Boys. Ok, but i probably was expecting more.
very classic beach boys - who are not always my fave - but this is just light and 60s and summery.
Somewhere in the 3-4 range. Didn’t know any of these songs but very enjoyable all throughout.
It's quite spooky that I get my first Beach Boys album the day after the death of Brian Wilson ... (edit: not spooky at all.. someone flicked a switch and it seems everyone got a Brian Wilson album. A nice touch) ....And what a great producer and studio technician he was. And he wrote some great songs too. Good Vibrations and God Only Knows are brilliant, absolute classic songs. You can include Wouldn't it be Nice, Surfin' Safari, I Get Around in that list. Sadly none of them are on this album. I don't want to diss the guy when he's not yet cold, but if you throw enough mud at a wall then some of it is going to stick. And this is an album of unsticky mud. Beautifully produced mud and, for the early 60s, a great wall of sound, but it's virtually the same song for the whole album. It was a pleasant listen though. But 29 minutes and 12 songs was just about the limit. RIP Brian
R.I.P. Brian Wilson! Pet Sounds is my favourite album ever, which gives any of their other albums a lot to live up to. I love "Help Me, Rhonda," and the rest of the album is fun but flimsy.
TikTok would have loved this if it existed back in the 60’s. Short and sweet and very fun, also rip that member who died :(
You know your average sounding beach boys album, like nothing surprising just good vibes and stuff. Nothing absolutely groundbreaking like that later albums and songs but set a good benchmark for the future.
I really do enjoy this. Something about the Beach Boys that just makes me smile. Nothing too earth shattering on this record per say, but it is a fun one
A pleasant album, definitely, I wonder if it's one of the first examples of this kind of singing style. But as well as that, it's not really too exciting, it's just a bunch of meh songs.
Rip Bangers
A perfect middle point between early and middle Beach Boys, with the predictable structures of their early years filled in with superb harmonies.
I think what a lot of reviewers are missing is the sheer importance of some of these albums. Sure, Sgt Pepper's is probably not at the top of anyone's ranking based on sheer sound – but its monumental impact on popular culture and the Western World in the 60s has to move it up the ladder. Any boomer (or, for that matter, any learned music hobbyist) can attest to this influence, and that the 60s were generally a time of hugely influential releases in the world of music. Many of those releases came from an inner circle of competing rock-pop groups, including, of course, the Beach Boys. Listen to any pop/rock album released before 1965 and you'll realise how much the Beach Boys flipped the script, beginning with The Beach Boys Today! and culminating in Pet Sounds and the Good Vibrations the following year. The "Wall Of Sound" technique pioneered by Phil Spector doesn't work in every setting (see Let It Be, 1970), but dang it, it works here. Do You Wanna Dance? is an excellent opening track that brings out this almost overwhelmingly joyous atmosphere, using brash multilayered vocals, dramatic low-pitch percussion, and sounds ranging from baritone to ultra-high in frequency. It's a euphoric assault on the senses, and it seeps into most tracks on side 1. Dance Dance Dance combines this with classic rock'n'roll basslines and guitar, leading to a Beatlesque track that's the main highlight of the album. Help Me Rhonda is a slightly less polished, but still great, alternative take of the song that would later become the band's second #1 single. Great melodies in some of these side 1 tracks. But the negative reviews aren't entirely off the mark. The Beach Boys' lyrics, prior to 1966, are pretty straightforward, simple lyrics about a young guy falling in love (with either a girl or the art of dancing). One reviewer claimed every song is about sexual assault or rape – I made sure to check, and exactly zero lyrics allude to either one. But I still wouldn't call it poetry. The songs are a little similar, especially on side 2 when instrumental variation kind of gets thrown out the window. And extending a 26-minute album to 28 minutes with the musically barren Bull Sessions With "Big Daddy" is a bizarre choice for a band as popular as the Beach Boys. In addition, the musicianship and singing is quite clumsy, as is the production. Kiss Me Baby includes two very odd fake fadeouts that I have to imagine are production errors. It really makes these guys look unprofessional, something that the punk movement would embrace the following decade. 3/5 Key tracks: Do You Wanna Dance?, Help Me Rhonda, Dance Dance Dance
Classic sound from a classic band the day after Brian Wilson died. No one could do harmonies and layers the way they could. They set a standard that many use as reference.
listening to this the day after brian wilson passed. a strange feeling, ill say. the lyrics really irk me out in most songs, but these harmonies are really pretty. it lacks the certain punch that i thought pet sounds and surfs up had, but that guy actually was something special.
Fun vibes but not my everyday listening
Den samme sang igen og igen men den er god. Deres valg af instrumenter er ret originale og holder det fra at blive kedeligt
RIP Brian! Ikke alle sange her var lige gode, men de var alle sammen ca 2 minutter lange så det går sgu nok. Fed produktion, deres stemmer gør nogen vilde ting
Beach Boys.
you can start to see the transition from singing about surfing and cars to more weighty topics. more experimentation.
Gapping the bridge between the surfer stuff and the non surfer stuff.
A sign of things to come?