Sunflower/Surf's Up

I'm not really much of a fan of "Sunflower", but "Surf's Up", is definately one of if not my favorite Beach Boys album of all time. Most of the songs on it are very gentle-sounding and somewhat mysterious. The album's cover is an amazing work of art. I can always get enjoyment out of songs like "Long Promised Road" and "Til I Die". The one song on here that always brings a tear to my eye is "Disney Girls". And, of course, there is always the title track, which is the main gem on this album. The album was released in the 70's, which was not their most popular decade, but strangely, it's one of my all-time favorites.

For a good few years the only Beach Boys album in my collection was Pet Sounds, which is, for most people, the only Beach Boys album that appears to be any good cos it's usually the only one by them that's ever mentioned. So imagine my surprise when i discover that the absolutely gorgeous song playing over the end credits of Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous was a Beach Boys tune! Eager to own a copy of this song, my search led me to this single cd featuring Sunflower and Surf's Up, the latter featuring Feel Flows, the song I was looking for. It was summer the first time I listened to it, and it was a gorgeous day the first time i heard such stunning songs like 'This Whole World', 'Deirdre', 'Long Promised Road' and 'Surf's Up', and they just captured my heart completely. Sunflower is a wonderful, wonderful album and the best overall band effort, while Surf's Up is less consistent, yet host to some of the Beach Boys most extraordinary songs. In fact, while half of Surf's Up is merely okay, half of it is absolutely mindblowing. 'Disney Girls' has a melody and harmonies that are unbelievably beautiful, i don't think I've ever heard a song that captures the bittersweetness of nostalgia better than this. The afore-mentioned 'Feel Flows' is one of the most spiritual things the band ever created, it's transcendent and very lovely. 'Long Promised Road' boasts a middle-eight that utterly hypnotic. 'Til I Die' is really, really beautiful, very sad and very direct. 'Surf's Up' is one of the greatest Beach Boys songs ever. Just listen to it, it's one of the greatest album closers in history. Sunflower's highlights include the absolutely jackpot 'This Whole World', which is just so thrillingly upbeat and melodic it'll brighten up anyone's day, the summery breeze of 'Deirdre', the brilliant 'Cool, Cool Water', and 'All I Wanna Do', which is one of the most romantic songs ever written, and boasts a dreamy, hazy atmosphere that's very intoxicating. After listening to this gorgeous pair of albums, i moved onto to other Beach Boys albums like Wild Honey, Friends, 20-20 and Holland that prove that the band are a lot more than just Pet Sounds. They are simply one of the greatest bands of all time, and these two albums in particular prove that Brian Wilson wasn't the only gifted member in the group.

This double album CD is the best of all the Beach Boys' double album releases. The first album, Sunflower, is one of the four best Beach Boys albums. All of the 12 cuts on Sunflower are great, especially ''Add Some Music,'' ''It's About Time,'' ''All I Wanna Do,'' ''Forever,'' and ''Our Sweet Love,'' and the album concludes with a masterpiece, ''Cool, Cool Water.'' And ''Dierdre'' is pure enchantment. 5 stars out of 5. Surf's Up is not quite as consistent, thanks to ''Student Demonstration Time,'' and there are some odd cuts, such as ''A Day in the Life of a Tree'' and the ultra-fun ''Take a Load Off Your Feet,'' but it has brilliance in ''Feel Flows,'' ''Till I Die,'' and the masterpiece title track that concludes the album. ''Disney Girls (1957),'' ''Lookin' at Tomorrow,'' and ''Long Promised Road'' are also fine cuts. 4 stars out of 5.

Surfs Up, rereleased as part of a double set here, may surprise some fans. This record is sure to gain new exposure with Cameron Crowe prominently featuring FEEL FLOWS over the ending credits of his latest film, ALMOST FAMOUS. Like the Beatles Abbey Road, this collection features a creative group at the peak of their powers, yet struggling with disparate ambitions that tug them in different directions. Different members of the band display their respective talents over a set that shows the band taking great advantage of new technology in recording and in instruments, making heavy use of synthesizers. True to their roots, the harmonies are flawless and hypnotic and lyrical themes evoke water and nature without being cloying or unctious. This is a mature work that never hit commercially, as people who were still interested in the Beach Boys at the time of its original release were still looking for the old surf music and retread hits. CD Format will actually make the collection more listenable, allowing fans to screen out 1 or 2 clunkers without having to get off the couch. A must for any serious collection.

''Surfs Up'' will spin and spin on your machine. It will pop into your day. Infectious. ''Disney Girls'', floats on main street and sweeps away today to yesterday, if you can remeber this will make sure you will not forget. ''Surfs Up'', ''The laughs come hard in Auld Ange Syn'', you will never forget this line. A showcase of what could have been for the Beach Boys, things never fully realized. Even ''Student Denmonstration Time'' a print of a moment. ''Till I Die'' the recognition that we are who we are and always the wave. Listen.