|
Post by The Cincinnati Kid on Jan 1, 2019 13:53:22 GMT -5
Released in 1985, this album received generally poor reviews. It did manage to have a minor hit in Getcha Back. Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by ian on Jan 3, 2019 10:21:10 GMT -5
This album just doesn’t do much for me-probably the least played bb album I own (I no longer have a copy of summer in paradise)
|
|
|
Post by Beach Boys Fan on Jan 3, 2019 20:32:23 GMT -5
Many fans admit it's travesty. I say it's good by the 1980s standards. It's amazing that The Beach Boys, despite the many difficulties, factions, disagreements, didn't lower the standards in terms of singing/ building harmonies. They dealt with it professionally. In addition, there's many a good song. Maybe the least popular thing to say but "California Calling" is good fun-in-the-sun song. Perhaps it isn't good as the early 60s fun-in-the-sun but let's not compare, shall we?
7.5-8.
|
|
|
Post by kds on Jan 4, 2019 22:54:43 GMT -5
Many fans admit it's travesty. I say it's good by the 1980s standards. It's amazing that The Beach Boys, despite the many difficulties, factions, disagreements, didn't lower the standards in terms of singing/ building harmonies. They dealt with it professionally. In addition, there's many a good song. Maybe the least popular thing to say but "California Calling" is good fun-in-the-sun song. Perhaps it isn't good as the early 60s fun-in-the-sun but let's not compare, shall we? 7.5-8. I actually enjoy California Calling, and I think its one of the better sounding songs on the album. On a side note, I've never understood the negative opinions of later songs with a beach theme, as if there was some sort of law that they were no longer allowed to do new sun/fun songs after 1965. Back to the album at hand, I really enjoy BB 85. I think Getcha Back is great. There are a lot of great Carl vocals on the album. And I kinda like the 80s production. For my money, the 80s was the last decade pop music was listenable. 7
|
|
Departed
Former Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2019 11:52:56 GMT -5
7/10.
BB85 has grown on me. My initial impressions were not good overall, and had I rated this album based upon those impressions, I probably would have given it a 5. Getcha Back was an instant favourite, of course, as was California Calling and It's Just a Matter of time.
But I have to say, with the exception of Passing Friend and Maybe I Don't Know which I still consider to be the album's low points, I've really come to enjoy the rest of the songs. I give the Sirius XM Good Vibrations channel of last summer all the credit for that. Hearing many of the BB85 songs in rotation on Sirius XM put them into a different context for me, now what used to be a slog trying to get through that album has become much more enjoyable.
Crack At Your Love and I'm So Lonely went from zero to hero, for me, which I find kind of amusing.
|
|
Departed
Former Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2019 3:29:16 GMT -5
Well, this is their last post-Today! studio album I've gotten to. End of an era.
Getcha Back is not my cup of tea at all. It sounds like someone trying to imitate a Beach Boy song as opposed to the real thing. The harmonies that were once so wonderful now sound blaring and obnoxious. Mike's nasal twang has become a parody of itself.
It's Getting Late is a lot of the same, just throwing those old harmonies around almost like a lifeline to try to beef out an otherwise unremarkable track. Not much to say, just a typical late-80s and beyond Beach Boy album.
Crack at Your Love is more of the same, it almost sounds like Wham's Last Christmas at first. (Or is it just me?)
Maybe I Don't Know is at this point a merciful change of pace. I liked the intro if for no reason than it doesn't begin with those blaring backing vocals. They come in eventually, but at least in this track they don't drown out everything else.
She Believes in Love Again is a decent power ballad. A little cheesy even beyond the demands of its genre though.
California Calling, if it were made by any other artist would be called a shameless theft just skirting the line of plagiarism of Surfin' USA. Shame it's nowhere near as good as its predecessor though.
Passing Friend By is blessed with a nice beat and interesting arrangement. The vocals still overpower everything as with most tracks on this album, but the backing track by itself is pretty good. Unfortunately it kind of overstays its welcome and goes on too long. Around 3 minutes in I was checking the clock, and there were still almost 2 minutes left to go for some reason.
I'm So Lonely is Brian's usual shoddy lyrics but without any of the charm or brilliant musical composition that made Busy Doin' Nothing or Love You work in spite of their simple turns of phrase. In BDN it felt honest and unpretentious, this feels pedestrian.
Where I Belong is pretty good. On any other album it wouldn't stand out too much, but here it's a step above its peers.
I Do Love You is a really great backing track; it's got a catchy beat and the vocal harmonies are restrained. The lead vocals get the job done, but I feel like another artist would have done this song better justice. Maybe I'm alone in thinking this, but in a good number of the 80s and 90s beach boy tracks, they feel like they're shouting as opposed to singing. In tracks like this which would be better carried by a softer, gentler lead vocal it becomes more noticeable.
It's Just a Matter of Time is nice but not particularly remarkable.
Overall...it's okay. Not completely unsalvageable as Still Cruisin' and SIP are. But those undeniable high points which were still there as late as LA, MIU and even (to a far lesser extent) KTSA are gone completely. Each of those last three had at least a few tracks I liked enough where I could see coming back to them. (Even KTSA had Santa Ana Winds and Endless Harmony). I can't say that about '85. And yet, unlike SC or SIP, I don't find it offensive to my ears either. I wouldn't go out of my way to put it on, but if I somehow walked into a room and it were playing I wouldn't shut it off either. That's as nice as I can be towards this one.
3
|
|
|
Post by Jason (The Real Beach Boy) on Mar 28, 2019 11:35:37 GMT -5
7.5. Brian's material is pretty regrettable stuff, but Getcha Back and everything with Carl's lead vocal redeem this one greatly. Where I Belong belongs on compilations.
|
|
atree
Grommet
Posts: 24
Likes: 10
|
Post by atree on May 3, 2019 13:22:45 GMT -5
Strip out Passing Friend and I Do Love You as I've done and you get a pretty decent album. Male Ego sounds like a bonus track though.
|
|
|
Post by drbeachboy (Dirk) on May 3, 2019 13:31:13 GMT -5
Strip out Passing Friend and I Do Love You as I've done and you get a pretty decent album. Male Ego sounds like a bonus track though. That's cause it is.
|
|
atree
Grommet
Posts: 24
Likes: 10
|
Post by atree on May 3, 2019 14:09:33 GMT -5
Strip out Passing Friend and I Do Love You as I've done and you get a pretty decent album. Male Ego sounds like a bonus track though. That's cause it is. Yeh, knew that!
|
|
|
Post by Al S on May 3, 2019 19:49:57 GMT -5
A sweet innocent 14 year old, I waited with keen anticipation for this to arrive at my local record store; my enthusiasm buoyed by the small victory of Getcha Back replete with at least one showing of the accompanying video clip on a local Saturday morning video clip show.
In record time my hopes were dashed as the level of quality (even though my high standards and levels of quality had already been compromised by years of dreadful ‘80s music) fled from the grooves with each subsequent rotation of the LP.
Side 2 started with a small turnaround of this misfortune befallen me, yet the side quickly careened evermore into the abyss, as the surviving band members and their producers de jour slipped on the various stylistic banana peels strewn between the lead-in and lead-out grooves.
While some modern or new listeners and tragic reappriasers now look back with love and retcon the whole affair, I can assure you that in 1985 this LP was as disengaged and distanced from any contemporary music genre nameable in much the same way as how the back picture depicited a disparate collection of Hollywood business men, dressed by their second to third wives and hair technicians, gathered for a group coffin measuring session; instead of a representation of a significant and influential rock act returning from the wilderness.
Any high scores for Getcha or California are negated by the career nadir to date of Passing Friend.
3
|
|
|
Post by E on May 4, 2019 4:51:57 GMT -5
I think I'll go for 5 for this. There is some decent stuff on it, if lyrically trite at times.
In descending order:
Where I Belong It's Gettin' Late She Believes in Love Maybe I Don't Know Male Ego Getcha Back It's Just a Matter of Time I Do Love You I'm So Lonely California Passing Friend Crack
With huge gaps between 3 and 4, 6 and 7, and 7 and 8.
|
|
|
Post by lonelysummer on May 17, 2019 21:56:52 GMT -5
It surprises me that so many Beach Boys fans have a hatred for 80's pop. I grew up with the Beach Boys of the 80's, so I didn't expect they were going to go heavy metal or punk, I knew what their place was in the musical landscape of the 80's - as a fun band that makes people feel good. Now, granted, some of the 80's production tricks haven't aged all that well - this was that era where suddenly real live drummers weren't good enough for recording, oh no, we gotta bring in them bloody drum machines! - but I think they made a very good contemporary album for 1985. Getcha Back, It's Gettin' Late, Maybe I Don't Know, Where I Belong, I Do Love Go and I'm So Lonely all get repeat plays by me. Interesting, too, that Carl's songs on this album get generally good reviews, and it was the last BB's album he wrote any songs on. Sad.
|
|
jay
Kahuna
Posts: 246
Likes: 153
|
Post by jay on May 21, 2019 3:38:07 GMT -5
I was just listening to this the other night. I give it an 8 overall based on the quality of most of the material. Getcha Back, It's Getting Late, She Believes In Love Again, Passing Friend, and Where I Belong are all great songs. California Calling is quite a bit better than I remembered. Male Ego is quirky and the lyrics sound like they were written by landy, but I like it. I really dislike the overall production of the songs though, and it sounds very dated.
|
|
Hydra
Kahuna
Posts: 222
Likes: 157
|
Post by Hydra on Apr 24, 2020 18:55:57 GMT -5
Not a bad return but not a great one either. This album has a couple of great songs but a lot of weak ones too. Getcha Back, Where I Belong and Its Getting Late are the highlights for sure and other not too bad songs are Crack At Your Love which has some nice harmonies but a terrible arrangement, She Believes In Love Again which has a fantastic Carl Wilson lead vocal but I can't help but cringe a little bit when I hear this one. The bad, Passing Friend is just not the beach boys, It's Just A Matter Of Time is so dated and California Calling is another weak attempt at being the gun in the sun band they once were.
Track Ratings
1. Getcha Back 7/10 2. Its Getting Late 7/10 3. Crack At Your Love 5/10 4. Maybe I Don't Know 4/10 5. She Believes In Love Again 6/10 6. California Calling 3/10 7. Passing Friend 3/10 8. I'm So Lonely 5/10 9. Where I Belong 8/10 10. I Do Love You 5/10 11. Its Just A Matter Of Time 4/10
|
|
petsite
Author/Historian/ Researcher
Posts: 1,956
Likes: 3,200
|
Post by petsite on Jun 13, 2021 23:35:59 GMT -5
Just saw this today. A release from Germany in 1989.
|
|
|
Post by dauber on Jun 16, 2021 15:19:54 GMT -5
My review, again cribbed from PSF:
The Beach Boys is a very "so what?" album for me. It's waaaaaaaaaaay too dated. This was a common problem with '60s acts trying desperately to sound relevant around that time. (Case in point: Pool It!)
It's a shame, because if the songs were re-done with real instruments instead of, essentially, computers, it'd probably be a much stronger album. You can't beat "Getcha Back" as an opening cut.
"It's Getting Late" -- one of the most underrated songs in the catalog, IMHO. It'd be way better without all the synths. Love the riff, and Carl sounds (unsurprisingly) amazing on it.
Then you have the other stuff...
"Passing Friend" -- blah. Look, if Culture Club didn't want it, why should the Beach Boys think they'd do it better?
"California Calling" -- one of the dippiest, most angering songs I've ever heard the Beach Boys do. At this point, Mike brings his "we're an oldies group!" voice out in full swing. I want to throat-punch everybody who was involved in allowing this song to be recorded.
"She Believes In Love Again" -- I know I'm in the vast minority, but...this song bores the heck out of me.
Just a...blah album.
Oh...my favorite experience with the self-titled album: seeing a copy of it on eBay autographed by all Beach Boys -- including Dennis. heh. I'd loooooooove to hear the story (from the seller) about how that's plausible.
|
|
|
Post by Awesoman on Apr 23, 2022 7:31:37 GMT -5
The album is better than it's given credit for; it just pales in comparison to the stuff they were doing in the 60's and early 70's. But if you like cheeseball 80's pop and don't mind the hopelessly dated production, it isn't all that bad. I always liked "Getcha Back" even though it always seemed a little uncooked and it's great to hear Brian singing the falsetto again (even though there has been some debate over whether or not that's actually him singing it). Both "It's Gettin' Late" and "Maybe I Don't Know" are generic pop songs but feature great lead vocals from Carl. "She Believes In Love Again" is a pleasant enough duet between Bruce and Carl. "California Calling" is not a great song, but it's harmless enough and features Ringo Starr on the drums. I rarely if ever listen to "Crack At Your Love" or "Passing Friend". "I Do Love You" is remarkable for being written and produced by Stevie Wonder, even if he's put out much stronger material in his day. All three of Brian's songs are surprisingly forgettable, with "It's Just A Matter of Time" being his best song, and "Male Ego" easily being his most cringeworthy. Ultimately "Where I Belong" is probably the best song on the album and one of the better songs that Carl has written.
I have always had a soft spot for this album in and of itself. If you judge this album as a standalone 80's pop effort, it's not half bad. It's just that this is the same group that once put out masterpieces such as 𝑃𝑒𝑡 𝑆𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑠 making this one automatically far, far inferior.
|
|
|
Post by boogieboarder on Apr 23, 2022 10:36:50 GMT -5
I saw The Beach Boys with Brian in 1983, where he debuted "It's Just a Matter of Time," and "The Boogie's Back in Town." Why didn't "Boogie" get recorded?
In the late 60s/70s Carl did a pretty good job picking up producer slack from Brian. In 1979, they turned to Bruce, but in my opinion he selected too many ballads on L.A., and the material was weak on KTSA. But then five years go by without a new LP, and eventually this one is released, after Brian was rescued, but then controlled by Landy. In my opinion, the album is over produced, with too many synths and drum machines, but worse of all - the vocals have the life processed out of them. There's an interview with Brian talking about how they tripled and quadrupled the vocals, until it sounds distorted. And brining in outside writers was a mistake too, possibly in an attempt to cover up the weak original material by the band members themselves. Brian's new songs are way too simple compared to his previous work, Bruce's new song isn't that great, Mike and Al's are derivative, Carl's are probably the best - but don't really sound like The Beach Boys. I thought they did much better when they subsequently brought in Terry Melcher, with "Rock and Roll to the Rescue," "Kokomo," "Still Cruisin'," etc.
|
|
|
Post by tomtomplayboy on Jun 12, 2022 12:24:35 GMT -5
Where I Belong is simply outstanding. To my ears, it is comfortably the best thing the Beach Boys released in the 1980s, and it is one of the few post-1979 Beach Boys songs that can truly stand alongside their very best 1960s-70s work.
The rest of the album is much less good, but there are still some enjoyable tracks, not least Getcha Back, I Do Love You and Male Ego (what a mistake relegating it to a B-side upon release). I also rather like It's Gettin' Late and She Believes in Love Again.
Male Ego aside, Brian's songs are poor, and the less said about Passing Friend, the better. One of the worst things the group ever produced.
|
|
|
Post by Maci Eascra on Nov 12, 2022 11:50:03 GMT -5
Where I Belong is simply outstanding. To my ears, it is comfortably the best thing the Beach Boys released in the 1980s, and it is one of the few post-1979 Beach Boys songs that can truly stand alongside their very best 1960s-70s work. The rest of the album is much less good, but there are still some enjoyable tracks, not least Getcha Back, I Do Love You and Male Ego (what a mistake relegating it to a B-side upon release). I also rather like It's Gettin' Late and She Believes in Love Again. Male Ego aside, Brian's songs are poor, and the less said about Passing Friend, the better. One of the worst things the group ever produced. Fair points. Beach Boys '85 is an improvement over the KTSA, LA and MIU period as it seems like they're trying here. Ok, it's overproduced. That's on Levine and the band for embracing the approach of the day as that can often lead to an album sounding quite dated. And that's true here. Modeling yourself on the sound of Culture Club sort of misses the point of what made Boy George a pop star, which was a combination of image and some solid song-writing. The production doesn't get in the way with what Culture Club was doing, but unless you make Mike Love into a non-binary mid-80s pop star, Bruce deserves some blame for bringing in Levine. The band is going for a nostalgia hit in the 80s, just trying to find a way to capture that vision of themselves that they're promoting on tour. A perpetual Endless Summer. They get that hit with Kokomo, but I'd argue that Getcha Back is actually a much better song and deserved more attention. It avoids the cloying calypso island sound that Mike seems to embrace later-on and captures some fine vocal work, including from Mike. It's overproduced, but it seems like a much more honest effort at relevancy.
Passing Friend and Crack at Your Love are truly 80s low points as distinct songs, in my view, and the only thing that really elevates the album is Carl's voice. He's in fine form here, but a bit wasted as the production and instrumentation really distracts from what made the Beach Boys. Where I Belong is a great song, poorly produced, but lots of potential, great vocals and a lighter touch would've elevated what they were trying to do. But it stops and goes into I Do Love You, which sounds like a bad outtake from the Arthur soundtrack. Stevie Wonder wasn't handing over his best. The album is a product of it's time and I think it's a honest attempt at a come back. That didn't work. I'd go 3/10 as they're not just going through the motions, and while it's not a good album, not now and not in 1985, I think Getcha Back might be their best 80s attempt at a breakthrough hit. Timing and a bit of luck is everything in the music business.
|
|
|
Post by boogieboarder on Nov 12, 2022 12:15:38 GMT -5
…but unless you make Mike Love into a non-binary mid-80s pop star… Ha! That’s the furthest thing from “California Girls” and “Girls on the Beach” you’ll ever see!
|
|
|
Post by Awesoman on Nov 14, 2022 8:20:25 GMT -5
Where I Belong is simply outstanding. To my ears, it is comfortably the best thing the Beach Boys released in the 1980s, and it is one of the few post-1979 Beach Boys songs that can truly stand alongside their very best 1960s-70s work. The rest of the album is much less good, but there are still some enjoyable tracks, not least Getcha Back, I Do Love You and Male Ego (what a mistake relegating it to a B-side upon release). I also rather like It's Gettin' Late and She Believes in Love Again. Male Ego aside, Brian's songs are poor, and the less said about Passing Friend, the better. One of the worst things the group ever produced. Fair points. Beach Boys '85 is an improvement over the KTSA, LA and MIU period as it seems like they're trying here. Ok, it's overproduced. That's on Levine and the band for embracing the approach of the day as that can often lead to an album sounding quite dated. And that's true here. Modeling yourself on the sound of Culture Club sort of misses the point of what made Boy George a pop star, which was a combination of image and some solid song-writing. The production doesn't get in the way with what Culture Club was doing, but unless you make Mike Love into a non-binary mid-80s pop star, Bruce deserves some blame for bringing in Levine. Never realized it was Bruce's idea to use Levine but *of course* that makes since. You could always count on the guy to come up with some clueless attempts at cashing in on whatever was popular at the time. You'd think the band might be weary of his ideas after he came up with the dreadful disco-fied version of "Here Comes the Night", but clearly that was not the case. I remember in the early 2000's Bruce kept talking up his idea of a new version of "Surfin'" in the style of Britney Spears' pop sound. Did that ever get released? As for Levine, he doesn't actually seem like a bad guy and years later in an interview shared some interesting stories from recording the 1985 album with the band.
|
|
|
Post by Maci Eascra on Nov 14, 2022 10:13:44 GMT -5
Fair points. Beach Boys '85 is an improvement over the KTSA, LA and MIU period as it seems like they're trying here. Ok, it's overproduced. That's on Levine and the band for embracing the approach of the day as that can often lead to an album sounding quite dated. And that's true here. Modeling yourself on the sound of Culture Club sort of misses the point of what made Boy George a pop star, which was a combination of image and some solid song-writing. The production doesn't get in the way with what Culture Club was doing, but unless you make Mike Love into a non-binary mid-80s pop star, Bruce deserves some blame for bringing in Levine. Never realized it was Bruce's idea to use Levine but *of course* that makes since. You could always count on the guy to come up with some clueless attempts at cashing in on whatever was popular at the time. You'd think the band might be weary of his ideas after he came up with the dreadful disco-fied version of "Here Comes the Night", but clearly that was not the case. I remember in the early 2000's Bruce kept talking up his idea of a new version of "Surfin'" in the style of Britney Spears' pop sound. Did that ever get released? As for Levine, he doesn't actually seem like a bad guy and years later in an interview shared some interesting stories from recording the 1985 album with the band. Bruce had some instincts that shouldn't have been trusted, especially in hindsight. They did record an updated Surfin', not in Brittany Speaks pop sound, but that awful early 90s overly produced style complete with I'm Too Sexy drums and John Stamos. I think this debacle is 100% on Mike and Terry Melcher though.
|
|
|
Post by boogieboarder on Nov 14, 2022 10:21:32 GMT -5
Ever hear Bruce’s version of “Pipeline from 1977?”
|
|