Where Do I Start With the Beach Boys?

I get off the boat after Love You, all the albums before are worthwhile.

 

L.A. Light Album and the self-titled album have their merits IMO (particularly the former), but otherwise....

Also, for my money 15 Big Ones is hardly worthwhile

 

Not BS, just other people's opinions. also Pet sounds and SMiLE were recorded in the 60's although SMiLE wasn't released then. There is a reason SMiLE is a critic's darling. It's weird but it's awesome.

 

These 2 are a great place to start,especially if you are interested in sound quality. Another great compilation is Beach Boys Greatest Hits on the Razor & Tie label mastered by Steve Hoffman. Not sure of the availability though. Ten Years of harmony is great for a compilation for their later releases. My favorite individual album is Pet Sounds.

 

What a load of bs.

 

This is the album that did it for me
20 Golden Greats (great 60s overview)
though nowadays I' d suggest the 93 Good Vibrations boxset, it has a few really good outakes not available elsewhere (Our Team, Games People Play, 4th of July, etc.) so, in a year or so, when you'll surely have all the albums, it won't be redundant

 

My introduction was "Friends".Try it and see what you think

 

True about 15 Big Ones, forget how poor that one is since I rarely listen to it. But I do have it since it's a twofer with Love You
I also have the Good Vibrations box to fill in some cracks, I remember Baby Blue being quite wonderful.

 

15 Big Ones has some embarrassingly bad cover songs but also some excellent originals.

 

Also some good cover songs, I.e. Palisades Park, IMHO best Carl's lead vocal years 76-78...and R'n'R Music is growing on me (but they should have released the 'hot' mix)

 

I am a bit surprised at all the positive suggestions for the Endless Summer comp cd. I thought this comp title was considered about the worst sound quality of most of them and the "Made In U.S.A. was the one of the best, outside of the DCC of course.

 

My introduction to the BB was my Dad's copy of Endless summer.



When I added them to my personal collection, this is one of the first CDs I picked up...



Darryl

 

The only thing I dislike about Made In U.S.A. is it's missing 'In My Room'

Darryl

 

Today
All Summer Long
Summer Days and Summer Nights

 

Yes "Palisades Park" is good and "Just Once in My Life" is OK. The rest of the covers are bad to awful.

 

I would have to categorize JOIML as an amazing take on a great song. With a sweeping wall of sound, well executed synthesizers and heartfelt leads from Carl and Brian, there's nothing mediocre or just Ok about it. Very moving to say the least.

 

This was my 'in'.....



....followed by....



After almost wearing these out, I got a tape copy of 'Holland'. That's bloody good too.

 

God Only Knows???? ;-) ;-)

 

Better than Endless Bummer.

 

Endless Summer sold a zillion copies because it is a really good collection of songs. Live (the 1973 set, NOT the 1960-whatever and NOT the "Live In London" and NOT "Live At Knebworth") is a great show or representation thereof. Pet Sounds is a wonderful ALBUM but it is somewhat like listening to Sgt. Pepper's as opposed to "She Love You" yeah yeah yeah. Made in U.S.A. is an alternate collection with a number of latter day hits, and at least original pressings didn't seem wildly compressed.

 

"Surfin' Safari" then keep going and don't look back.

 

An introduction to the Beach Boys in five albums:

-Surfer Girl

-Shut Down vol. 2

-All Summer Long

-Today!

-Pet Sounds

 

I liked The Beach Boys in the 60's but didn't purchase any of their records until Endless Summer in 1974. That got me by until just last year, when on a whim, I purchased one of the AP reissues of All Summer Long and found out that I really liked the deeper cuts. Now I have most all of the albums through 20/20 and I like the complete albums just as much as the hits.

To the OP, what has sparked your interest? a hit? Little St. Nick? If it's the hits you're after, as has been suggested, get one of the boxes and you'll be fine. If you want to go a bit deeper, I would say start with All Summer Long. Most of the songs are really good, but the early albums almost all have some kind of nonsense on them. Studio chatter and whatnot. Obviously Pet Sounds is great, but I found that one to be an acquired taste so to speak. Absolutely love it now, but it took a few listens to get there. If you like that one, get Smile Sessions. You don't need to get the super duper all encompassing set, just the small collection. Not Smiley Smile. Not Brian Wilson presents Smile. Save those for later. At that point, just having fun exploring what the band put out there. It's a heck of a lot more than just beach music!

 

I agree in which Pet Sounds is not the best place to start. It's their best album, a masterpiece, but it takes a couple of listens (at least it took me) to get inside you. I think it's a better idea to listen to some of the earlier albums and follow the progression to Pet Sounds.