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Post by The Cincinnati Kid on Jan 1, 2019 14:28:47 GMT -5
Love You would turn out to be last album with Brian Wilson fully in charge when it was released in 1977. While it only reached #53 in the US, the album has since gained a cult following and many consider it one of the band's best albums. Attachments:
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Departed
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2019 7:39:34 GMT -5
The great - chord progressions, production including buzzing synth bass, wicked keyboards, sparse but powerful drums, vocal harmonies.
The good - vocal melodies, rhythms, guitars
The bad - lyrical content of most songs, strained lead vocals
The atrocious - Love is a Woman
Overall score: 8/10. An intriguing experimental album with moments of divinity (the night was so young, I’ll bet he’s nice) and moments of dispair (again, Love is a woman). A noteworthy exploration in the bb catalogue and one of the better post-60s releases
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dumbchops
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Post by dumbchops on Jan 2, 2019 7:55:38 GMT -5
I absolutely love "Love Is A Woman" except for the SNL performance. 10 out of 10 for me, an album I reached out to during a time of despair. It's one of the few that's really great from start to finish in my opinion. Much better than what was to come.
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Post by kds on Jan 2, 2019 8:22:28 GMT -5
4/10 for Love You.
I've listened to this album many times over the past several years, waiting for that "ah ha" moment, but I actually like the album less with each listen.
There's some good moments here - Mona, Honkin, The Night Was So Young, but overall, I think the album is a drag, and a tough listen, and I rate it darn near the bottom of The Beach Boys catalog. In fact, 4 is the lowest grade I gave to any of the BB studio albums, so yes, I'll be giving Love You the same rating as Summer in Paradise. In the past, I've gone as high as six, but yeah, it's a four in my book.
Sorry folks, I just don't get the infatuation, and I never will.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2019 12:39:05 GMT -5
7/10
My feelings about this album have changed. A year ago I probably would have given it a 9, but I think I loved the idea of it more than I loved the reality. I think it has some fantastic songs, and it’s definitely one of their most unified albums in terms of the overall sound from song to song. It’s mostly good, but when it’s bad… well it just goes to places I don’t want to go. To the point that I rarely bring myself to listen to it from end to end. I think the reason I still give it a 7 is because I admire what Brian was trying to do, and even though his voice was rough, his enthusiasm for creating these songs is evident.
I’m probably one of the few people who thinks that Mona and Johnny Carson are among the best songs on this album. I like Good Time a lot, but it feels out of place here though.
Highlights: The Night Was So Young, Honkin’ Down the Highway, Mona, Johnny Carson, Airplane, I’ll Bet He’s Nice
Lowlights: Solar System, I Wanna Pick You Up, Love is a Woman, Let’s Put Our Hearts Together
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2019 14:47:51 GMT -5
I was actually expecting to hate this one, but I finally checked it out in the spring of '15 and it blew me away. It's now my third favorite Beach Boy album after SMiLE and Pet Sounds, and honestly I think I listen to it more often than them as well. As amazing as PS and SMiLE are, sometimes their emotional depth and intellectual musings (respectively) are just too much for me. Sometimes I just want to put on something quick, harmless and fun to pass the time. In that regard, Love You is one of my go-to's.
But that's not to say I don't have a significant emotional connection to this album either. It reminds me a lot of when I was at my worst point in life and just finally stopped caring. I stopped living how my parents and society expected and just did what felt right to me. I always saw this music as Brian doing the same thing, just making fun music he wanted to make without worrying over the public's approval or topping Pet Sounds.
10
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Love You
Jan 13, 2019 9:12:19 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2019 9:12:19 GMT -5
Ooohh, it took me a while to come to terms with this album, let alone love it. Ir was only once I realized that this was Outsider Music par excellence that it began to make sense to me. Like TWGMTR, but for completely different reasons, I can't compare it to other BB albums, It's the path not taken, if you like. There are no weak spots--Outsider Music simply doesn't have them. I'll join "Leni" and give it a ten.
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Post by Jason (The Real Beach Boy) on Mar 28, 2019 11:22:28 GMT -5
9.5. Just like Smiley Smile, one of the greatest "fuck you" statements in rock music. Rougher around the edges than bismuth and it's all the better because of it. You either get it or you don't. More punk than most punk.
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Hydra
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Love You
Apr 24, 2020 11:22:23 GMT -5
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Post by Hydra on Apr 24, 2020 11:22:23 GMT -5
I fully agree with KDS this album gets worse for me with every listen, really shows where Brian's mental state was at the time and it's actually really sad, terrible lyrics, bad vocals all over the album and this is the Beach Boys, they're whole thing is about good vocals, I would honestly rather listen to MIU or Keepin The Summer Alive over this one. In saying that, The Night Was So Young is very pretty and Let Us Go On and Honkin are decent rockers
Track Ratings
1. Let Us Go On This Way 7/10 2. Roller Skating Child 5/10 3. Mona 6/10 4. Johnny Carson 2/10 5. Good Time 6/10 6. Honking Down The Highway 7/10 7. Ding Dang 1/10 8. Solar System 2/10 9. The Night Was So Young 8/10 10. I'll Bet He's Nice 7/10 11. Let's Put Our Hearts Together 3/10 12. I Wanna Pick You Up 3/10 13. Airplane 6/10 14. Love Is A Women 2/10
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Love You
May 29, 2021 1:19:13 GMT -5
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Post by ohm on May 29, 2021 1:19:13 GMT -5
As amazing as PS and SMiLE are, sometimes their emotional depth and intellectual musings (respectively) are just too much for me. Sometimes I just want to put on something quick, harmless and fun to pass the time. In that regard, Love You is one of my go-to's. That's a good shout. Same here - there's such an uncomplicated, playful side to it, and it's brimming with Brian's enthusiasm in the same way the pre Pet Sounds stuff did. It sounds like somebody just loving being in the studio and making records with his buddies. I long for a nice reissue with the piano demos and live versions all cleaned up. And maybe some Lazy Lizzie tagged on there too.
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Post by dauber on Jun 9, 2021 10:32:10 GMT -5
[my review copied from PSF]
TBBLY is one of my favorites, honestly. I first gave it a really, really good listen probably July 4th weekend 1994, and...it was just plain fun. Yeah, Brian sounds like an ash tray, but still, it's a fun listen. Let Us Go On This Way -- no better way to open the album. (And you can tell that the Wilson-Love credits are accurate: who else would mention ESP?) Roller Skating Child -- lots of fun, great guitar licks, great vocals. Although you have to question the lyrics..."We'll make sweet love until the sun goes down. We'll even do more when her mama's not around." Uhhh...really??? You don't mind Mom watching?? eww. And the "Well, oh my, oh gosh, oh gee" lyrics prove that Brian was the lyricist. Mona -- ehh, I could take either way. And of COURSE there's a reference to "Be My Baby." Why wouldn't there be? Johnny Carson -- truly a fun song. (There's a bootleg concert recording from I think 2002 in which someone in the crowd yells for "Johnny Carson." Brian says, "'Johnny Carson'?!?!? Seriously?") Good Time -- I didn't know much about the album when I first heard it. I honestly thought Brian sounded good on it because it was perhaps that he had just been Landy-ized and therefore away from the cocaine and cigarettes and that his voice had recovered. Ha! Fun song though...way out of place on this album. Honkin' Down The Highway -- Really, Brian needed someone to help him with those gosh-darn lyrics. Fun song though. And I swear at some point during the instrumental part you can hear someone sneeze, followed by someone saying "Bless you." Ding Dang -- I'll never understand why they had to include a partial song on this album. Could have been something if they finished the recording. McGuinn said they actually did write a at least one verse for this song (I know I have a recording of McGuinn talking about it and possibly even singing it); wonder if it was actually ever recorded though. What got me was when Brian and the band were on QVC in 2000 to promote the Live at the Roxy Theater album, someone in the audience asked Brian what his favorite Beach Boys album was. Now...Brian's answer always changes (once it was actually Keepin' The Summer Alive), but on that day it was The Beach Boys Love You. He started talking about one song on the album he loved in particular, and I thought for sure it was going to be "The Night Was So Young." Nope: he actually started playing on his keyboard and singing "Ding Dang." Solar System -- Nope, nope, nope. Can't listen. No how. No way. My wife, who can't listen to any Beach Boys stuff post- Holland (except for a few tracks from That's Why God Made The Radio), once read an article that said if you can get through "Solar System," you'll like The Beach Boys Love You. She couldn't get past the first verse. I hate this song myself. The Night Was So Young -- very nice song. Especially because it's not overrun by farting synthesizers. I'll Bet He's Nice -- the instrumentation is very, very bizarre. But take it away and you have one. hell. of. a. gorgeous. song. Wow. Very well composed. Great melody. Tender lyrics. (man, I'd bet Dennis helped out with it, especially given he sang lead on half of it.) Let's Put Our Hearts Together -- kinda meh. And IMHO, Marilyn should have done another take. I Wanna Pick You Up -- I have kind of mixed feelings about this song...mainly lyrically. But otherwise a nice song. (And you GOTTA hear Darian's version, by the dubs!) Airplane -- classic Brian! And seriously, I can personally identify with "The woman sitting next to me tells me 'bout her guy, and I tell her all about you and I" -- it actually happened to me when my wife and I were long-distance before we got married and I was flying in to see her! To me, two remarkable versions: 1) Largo, Maryland, 1977: I know I shouldn't laugh, but it amuses me how Brian screams his part at the top of his lungs, and 2) the version Jack Madani did on one of the Net Sounds editions; wow, very nicely done -- lots of Spector, some Petula Clark... Love Is a Woman -- fun listen, especially before Mike's first part. I swear I hear someone laughing before Mike starts to sing, and Mike sounds like he's trying to stifle a laugh when he starts his part. I'm wondering if someone in the studio or booth was making a "Mike Loooooooooooooooooove is a womaaaaaaaan..." joke or something. Overall, I love this album. So much fun. And more important: you will never find a more honest, sincere representation of Brian. Gonna rate it 8/10.
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Love You
Aug 6, 2021 7:12:28 GMT -5
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Post by jk on Aug 6, 2021 7:12:28 GMT -5
My review from the first time round still holds up:
"It was only once I realized that Love You was Outsider Music par excellence that it began to make sense to me.
"Like TWGMTR, but for completely different reasons, I can't compare it to other BB albums. It's the path not taken, if you like. There are no weak spots -- Outsider Music simply doesn't have them."
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Post by boogieboarder on Aug 6, 2021 9:09:04 GMT -5
I hate the lyrics and rough vocals, but I love all the Brian Wilson melodies. This album sounds like a collection of demos of fabulous melodies in search of a lyricist. If Landy wrote these, he’s the worst lyricist in the world. If Brian wrote them, they’re OK, excusable because Brian writes such good melodies.
It’s like after my first wife died suddenly, when my sister came to visit me, she said “Your house cleaner didn’t do a very good job.” And I replied “I haven’t hired one yet. I cleaned the house myself.” And my sister said, laughing, “In that case, you did a really good job.”
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Post by jk on Aug 6, 2021 14:44:19 GMT -5
I hate the lyrics and rough vocals, but I love all the Brian Wilson melodies. This album sounds like a collection of demos of fabulous melodies in search of a lyricist. If Landy wrote these, he’s the worst lyricist in the world. If Brian wrote them, they’re OK, excusable because Brian writes such good melodies. It’s like after my first wife died suddenly, when my sister came to visit me, she said “Your house cleaner didn’t do a very good job.” And I replied “I haven’t hired one yet. I cleaned the house myself.” And my sister said, laughing, “In that case, you did a really good job.” Sorry to hear that, bb.
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Post by boogieboarder on Aug 6, 2021 16:30:11 GMT -5
I hate the lyrics and rough vocals, but I love all the Brian Wilson melodies. This album sounds like a collection of demos of fabulous melodies in search of a lyricist. If Landy wrote these, he’s the worst lyricist in the world. If Brian wrote them, they’re OK, excusable because Brian writes such good melodies. It’s like after my first wife died suddenly, when my sister came to visit me, she said “Your house cleaner didn’t do a very good job.” And I replied “I haven’t hired one yet. I cleaned the house myself.” And my sister said, laughing, “In that case, you did a really good job.” Sorry to hear that, bb. Thank you. It happened 25 years ago. I don’t mean to get too personal here.
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Post by E on Aug 7, 2021 5:49:53 GMT -5
Ohhhh ratings. For what it's worth, I think this is a fun, raw album with a lot of charm.
1. Let Us Go On This Way 8/10
2. Roller Skating Child 7/10
3. Mona 6/10
4. Johnny Carson 8/10
5. Good Time 7/10
6. Honking Down The Highway 6/10
7. Ding Dang 6/10
8. Solar System 3/10
9. The Night Was So Young 10/10
10. I'll Bet He's Nice 9/10
11. Let's Put Our Hearts Together 4/10
12. I Wanna Pick You Up 6/10
13. Airplane 6/10
14. Love Is A Woman 4/10
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Shawn
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Post by Shawn on Aug 7, 2021 8:39:48 GMT -5
I just can’t get past the production - those boxy-sounding drums, the synth loudness in the mix, the overall compression… tough for me to ‘get in to’ the music with these factors.
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Post by Maci Eascra on Nov 11, 2022 13:45:35 GMT -5
4/10 for Love You. I've listened to this album many times over the past several years, waiting for that "ah ha" moment, but I actually like the album less with each listen. There's some good moments here - Mona, Honkin, The Night Was So Young, but overall, I think the album is a drag, and a tough listen, and I rate it darn near the bottom of The Beach Boys catalog. In fact, 4 is the lowest grade I gave to any of the BB studio albums, so yes, I'll be giving Love You the same rating as Summer in Paradise. In the past, I've gone as high as six, but yeah, it's a four in my book. Sorry folks, I just don't get the infatuation, and I never will. Agreed. If released by anyone other than Brian Wilson, this would be considered a weird little album more suited for Dr. Demento than serious listening. But as an insight into the mind of Brian Wilson, late 1976, and all that entails, it's important. Musical genius, no doubt, and some of that can be seen on Love You. But you can also see the mental health issues just as easily, as you can the lack of discipline and the musings of a man-child who is now in his mid-30s. I teach for a living and this seems like a really early draft of an album that needed to get reworked to meet any reasonable standard.
So what I see is a wildly uneven album. I get the "punk" aspect of it as it's rather subversive, and I get the "snyth" aspect, even if it can sound sort of Casio-keyboard at that point in time. It's really an uneven record sonically and overly compressed, much like 15 Big Ones, which Brian seemed to like at that time. He clearly needed to work with a lyricist as it's often rather childish, and while that can often be a compliment, here it's not as it's pretty much a brain dump from someone who is not truly well. Still, you could take these songs, polish up the lyrics, have a more robust, less Casio production, and it could be Pet Sounds, Part II. The Night Was So Young is really a nicely crafted song, I'll Bet He's Nice is as well, and I'm a fan of Honkin' Down the Highway, but have to overlook the production a bit. Ding Dang is, well, there is only one Ding Dang is a 100% positive and 100% negative sense of that phrase. I can't think of a song I love and hate as much all at once, and often hate myself for liking it. Roller Skating Child and I Wanna Pick You Up are disturbingly creepy (soon to get passed in that category by Hey Little Tomboy), Mona is an age-inappropriate vocal by Dennis, the "falsies" aspect of Good Time is just odd, Solar System and Love is a Woman seem like bad jokes, Marilyn can't sing, and it really does have a feel of "who gives a crap, just set Brian loose in the studio and let's get out of our record deal."
Still, it's a fascinating record. And for fans of Brian Wilson and those interested in the arc of his life, it's damn insightful. Compared to other albums that came after, it's certainly not boring. Objectively, I just don't think it's a very good album. I'd go 5/10 simply because it's easily the most interesting thing produced by the band after Pet Sounds. Interesting doesn't mean good, which it's not. But damn, it is interesting.
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Post by jk on Nov 12, 2022 13:42:29 GMT -5
This is what I said on my first visit to these shores and I still stick with it: "It took me a while to come to terms with this album, let alone love it. It was only once I realized that this was Outsider Music par excellence that it began to make sense to me. Like TWGMTR, but for completely different reasons, I can't compare it to other BB albums. It's the path not taken, if you like. There are no weak spots -- Outsider Music simply doesn't have them." So it's a ten from me.
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Love You
Nov 14, 2022 8:08:50 GMT -5
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Post by Awesoman on Nov 14, 2022 8:08:50 GMT -5
Such a bizarre album and that's probably what makes it so fascinating. Brian managed to put out an album so contradictory that it sounds both awful and brilliant at the same time! It's definitely not the album you want to introduce your friends to the band with, unless they happen to be *huge* They Might Be Giants fans.
You really have to "get" Brian and where his head was at during this time to fully appreciate it. Then you can fully embrace the clunky production, the banality of the lyrics, and the overall unpolished presentation of the album. Because beneath all this there is a depth here that you certainly won't find in other albums from the band that were truly awful. And even still you might walk away from this one scratching your head. Personally I like the album but acknowledge how polarizing it can be.
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Post by radiokingdom on Mar 12, 2023 11:00:51 GMT -5
Love some of it.
"I'll Bet He's Nice" (killer song), "The Night Was So Young" are by far the best tracks. IBHN is better than most songs anywhere, to my taste. Bunch of solid material and some I don't particularly like.
Re: IBHN, I've gone back and forth between
1)thinking the bridge is in the voice of the speaker from a different time (before the girl left: i.e.: "I used to think / say 'Baby, don't you ever tell me that you're leaving...'") (before he was so damaged by the breakup, as shown by the sweetness of Carl's voice there)
2) thinking it's his more intimate voice at the same time as the rest of the song. That is, he knows she's been seeing someone else who's probably better than he is in his wrecked state, but still he thinks in his non-damaged inner voice: 'Baby, don't you ever tell me that you're leaving...")
Killer song on a good album.
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Post by drbeachboy (Dirk) on Mar 14, 2023 19:20:24 GMT -5
Love some of it. "I'll Bet He's Nice" (killer song), "The Night Was So Young" are by far the best tracks. IBHN is better than most songs anywhere, to my taste. Bunch of solid material and some I don't particularly like. Re: IBHN, I've gone back and forth between 1)thinking the bridge is in the voice of the speaker from a different time (before the girl left: i.e.: "I used to think / say 'Baby, don't you ever tell me that you're leaving...'") (before he was so damaged by the breakup, as shown by the sweetness of Carl's voice there) 2) thinking it's his more intimate voice at the same time as the rest of the song. That is, he knows she's been seeing someone else who's probably better than he is in his wrecked state, but still he thinks in his non-damaged inner voice: 'Baby, don't you ever tell me that you're leaving...") Killer song on a good album. I’ll Bet He’s Nice is special too due to the lead vocal being sung by all 3 Wilson brothers.
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alankard
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Love You
Dec 11, 2023 11:24:35 GMT -5
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Post by alankard on Dec 11, 2023 11:24:35 GMT -5
6/10. This is the only BBs album I listen to start-to-finish as initially released -- it's got unadulterated unity of purpose for sure. Also, it seems to be a musical tantrum, which can be quite humorous. It feels like a work whose creator wanted to wreck it, but he couldn't help all the inherent talent that leaked out around the edges.
The "Wooh!" in Honkin' is probably my favorite vocal ad-lib in the BBs catalog. As a sub-hobby, it's fun to be on a road trip with Mrs. Kard and see how long it takes her to identify that song before she shrieks in protest. Don't think she's ever made it past "gosh-darn."
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Post by E on Dec 11, 2023 11:34:45 GMT -5
Ohhhh ratings. For what it's worth, I think this is a fun, raw album with a lot of charm. Hmmmm - new marks in red:1. Let Us Go On This Way 8/10 9/102. Roller Skating Child 7/10 8/103. Mona 6/10 6/104. Johnny Carson 8/10 9/10 5. Good Time 7/10 7/106. Honking Down The Highway 6/10 6/107. Ding Dang 6/10 5/108. Solar System 3/10 4/109. The Night Was So Young 10/10 10/1010. I'll Bet He's Nice 9/10 10/1011. Let's Put Our Hearts Together 4/10 4/1012. I Wanna Pick You Up 6/10 7/1013. Airplane 6/10 7/1014. Love Is A Woman 4/10 4/10
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Post by longtime lurker on Dec 11, 2023 19:08:14 GMT -5
Probably the most polarizing BB album in their entire catalogue. Very few people (and I'm one) say they "like" it....most either love it to death or totally despise it. Yes, the best songs on here should've been redone with better production & vocals, and some of the weaker songs could've been swapped out with FAR better things from the archive, but even with those flaws this holds up as one of their last (though not THE last) truly worthy non-archival releases.
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