Beach Boys Wild Honey Is Massively Underrated

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by saborlord123, Apr 22, 2020.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. saborlord123

    saborlord123 "I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard working guy." Thread Starter

    Location:
    U.S.A.
    I absolutely love this record. I can't explain why... I just do for some unexplainable reason. And the stereo mix released in 2017 is marvelous. Really opens the album up and allows it to breath. I also love their rendition of "The Letter" recorded around the sane time as this record. Sometimes I even replace "Mama Says" with it. But that's a different disucssion. This album is just so great, makes me so happy everytime I listen to it. And the song "Darlin'"... I could go on and on and on about this record forever.

    Anyone else agree?
     
    pobbard, omikron, Jana L and 46 others like this.
  2. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    Yes!

    There are a couple of mistakes on the stereo that bug me, but I listen to both versions.
     
  3. Denim Chicken

    Denim Chicken Dayman, fighter of the Nightman

    Location:
    Bakersfield, CA
    I was really unaware of the Beach Boys post Good Vibrations till about 7-8 years ago. All I had were compilations and a couple early albums and of course Pet Sounds. I bought Wild Honey on a whim at a local record store because I dug the artwork. I was more than surprised when I went home and played it. It opened up a whole world of Beach Boys I was unaware of. Soon after I discovered Surfs Up and Beach Boys immediately jumped up into my top 5 favorite groups. Wild Honey is one my go to feel good albums. The Lo-Fi sound fits the laid back vibe. Carl’s vocals are the highlight of the whole thing.
     
    Lee Davis, supermd, intv7 and 26 others like this.
  4. WilliamWes

    WilliamWes Likes to sing along but he knows not what it means

    Location:
    New York
    I think the forum has been saying this for sometime especially when Sunshine Tomorrow came out. I don't think it's underrated on this forum at all but outside yes it is underrated. Yeah it's a great little album but they're coming off of greatness that is usually considered universally excellent and better than this. Hardcore BB fans have it as another great album in a long line but it's never gonna be considered enormously successful - the album's just meant to be a fun time - not re-evaluated like 'Pet Sounds' as an all-time masterpiece.
     
  5. Tim 2

    Tim 2 MORE MUSIC PLEASE

    Location:
    Alberta Canada
    My point.
     
    Mr-Beagle, MitchLT and WilliamWes like this.
  6. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio
    I story I've told on this forum before…

    I had a party for my 16th birthday in 1968. I invited some of my friends, most of whom were pretty hip musically, as I imagined I was.

    But one of them…well, let's just say that he attempted to be hip but didn't quite get there.

    For a birthday present, this guy gave me the Wild Honey album. Now you have to understand just how uncool The Beach Boys were in 1968. Mostly it was a reaction to the Smile debacle — after so much had been promised and (comparably speaking, anyway) so little had been delivered. However unfairly, they were viewed with scorn by my hip friends and me.

    So there was a great deal of behind-the-back snickering at my friend's choice for a birthday present.

    And then guess what? I actually played the album, and had to admit that I loved it! It was a refreshing breath of "Country Air" in an age where things sometimes got a wee bit excessive.

    I still love it, and "Let the Wind Blow" remains one of my all-time favorite Beach Boys songs to this day.
     
  7. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Even though it doesn’t have as many obvious classics as some other BB records, Wild Honey does make for a very enjoyable listen front to back.
     
  8. giantleech

    giantleech Lord of all fevers and plagues

    Love this album. Love the sound and atmosphere that is created by the church basement talent show practice room piano accompaniment on Let The Wind Blow.
     
    Lewisboogie, supermd, BrentB and 8 others like this.
  9. Somerset Scholar

    Somerset Scholar Ace of Spades

    Location:
    Bath
    A good little album that puts a smile on my face.
    Some of the vocals are a bit grating but some great feel good tunes.
     
  10. nick99nack

    nick99nack Forum Resident

    Location:
    Spotswood, NJ
    I can't explain why Wild Honey is as good as it is. But, I love the album. Not a big fan of the stereo mix though - I like my Pastmasters CD!
     
  11. Well, not underrated by Christgau at least:

    Wild Honey [Capitol, 1967]
    It feels weird to call this a great record--it's so slight. But it's perfect and full of pleasure; it does what it sets out to do almost without a bad second (except for "Let the Wind Blow," each of the 11 tunes--total time: 23:54--ends before you wish it would). And what does it set out to do? To convey the troubled innocence of the Beach Boys through a time of attractive but perilous psychedelic sturm und drang. Its method is whimsy, candor, and carefully modulated amateurishness, all of which comes through as humor. Tell me, what other pop seer was inspired enough to cover a Stevie Wonder song in 1967? A+

    Agree about the 2017 stereo mix being a major improvement - I used to have an original Capitol mono pressing, but this blows it away.
     
    pobbard, supermd, Nosferatuz and 11 others like this.
  12. jfire

    jfire Forum Resident

    Location:
    Missoula
    One of my absolute favorites.
     
    eclecticfiend and oldsurferdude like this.
  13. Rojo

    Rojo Forum Resident

    It's a good record -- neither great nor underrated IMO
     
    Woozoom939, Adam9 and TimM like this.
  14. onionmaster

    onionmaster Tropical new waver from the future

    Same, it's one of my faves. It always sounds fresh and Carl really came into his own on it.
     
    Lewisboogie and oldsurferdude like this.
  15. tug_of_war

    tug_of_war Unable to tolerate bass solos

    Probably the Beach Boys album I've listened to the most, really love it. Both mono and stereo versions.
     
    TonyACT, Hamhead, giantleech and 2 others like this.
  16. Scope J

    Scope J Senior Member

    Location:
    Michigan
    To each their own i guess
     
  17. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    It's a terrible, terrible album.

    But I love it so much I play it every week without fail. Precious to me, actually.

    My kids know all the songs by heart, as do I. My kids could actually make a better sounding recording on a cheap cassette deck with built in microphone. But I wouldn't change a thing.

    Find the "MASTERED BY CAPITOL" early 1980s Capitol LP reissue with the puke green label. It is true mono for the first time. Or, the Pastmasters CD from Japan. Flat transfers.

    But it is really a terrible record that I couldn't live a minute without. So there ya go.
     
  18. MHP

    MHP Lover of Rock ‘n Roll

    Location:
    DK
    One of the weaker, in my opinion. Good tracks though, but too scattered. I’m otherwise a big fan of their underrated post-Pet Sounds records, from Smiley Smile to Holland. My favourites are Friends, 20/20, Sunflower and Surf’s Up, though the other records from that period aren’t bad.
     
  19. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    I like it, but terribly underrated?...I don't think so.
     
  20. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    It's probably either their best or 2nd best, IMO.
     
    tug_of_war likes this.
  21. you have the bones of an excellent podcast with this story.
     
    scott palmiter likes this.
  22. steve phillips

    steve phillips Forum Resident

    Location:
    NC
    Love Wild Honey. Just another great BB record. I have an original Stereo copy,
    but it almost sounds like mono. Can anyone shed some light on that?
     
  23. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    It's fake stereo. Dreadful.
     
  24. Pierino

    Pierino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canonsburg
    I think it's overrated. Too short (at 23:58 it's the group's shortest album), some good/very good songs but a lack of great songs, and the sound quality is too muddy and depressing.
     
    Rojo, Pete Puma and FunkFather like this.
  25. So from that can it be inferred that the original Capitol mono isn't somehow true mono? In any case, it sure doesn't sound too great...
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine