The Beach Boys Today! review

The eight studio album by The Beach Boys. This is an exciting one to hear, as it's where the Beach Boys start heading towards Pet Sounds-like territory and this record is largely produced and written by the brilliantly, unusually talented Brian Wilson.

Tracks:

1. Do You Wanna Dance?: 7/10 the overly familiar material sends this down a bit. The enthusiasm and joy and unreal harmonies send it back up.

2. Good to My Baby: 8/10 this is already sounding less familiar and more mature than some of the earlier stuff.

3. Don't Hurt My Little Sister: 8/10 how effective and stirring this song is jolts considerably, and you can clearly hear Pet Sounds calling.

4. When I Grow Up (To Be a Man): 8/10 even if the harmonies are a bit overdone, this is another work of genuine depth and intelligence.

5. Help Me, Rhonda: 8/10 repetition aside, it's a really good song.

6. Dance, Dance, Dance: 8/10 this has plenty of joy and glee, although it sits somewhat awkwardly with the album's other tracks.

7. Please Let Me Wonder: 9/10 I've got something in my eye.

8. I'm So Young: 8/10 just because it's simple don't think it won't give you the feels, because it will.

9. Kiss Me Baby: 9/10 sentimental, sappy love songs have rarely ever sounded better.

10. She Knows Me Too Well: 9/10 a deeply human, intense and borderline shattering song. To think this came from that band behind all those happy, light surfing songs!

11. In the Back of My Mind: 7/10 it may feel like an inferior copy of the last few songs, but this is still a song with plenty to say.

12. Bull Session with 'Big Daddy': 4/10 a total waste of track space.

Best song: She Knows Me Too Well
Worst song: Do You Wanna Dance? (The last one isn't a song)

Summary: Brian Wilson is a master. This is the best Beach Boys album to date; a clever, emotionally power and musically wonderful record which combines all the good stuff from the earlier albums and discards nearly all of the flaws. This is an album that will appeal to everyone and while it may be easy to turn one's nose up at it due to its sentimental, light-hearted vibe, it tackles everything with honesty, nuance and believable emotion. A really excellent album and the one where The Beach Boys stop being fun and start being downright awesome.



Final rating: 9/10