No. 380: Sunflower

Band: The Beach Boys
Album: Sunflower
Why Rolling Stone gets it right: Criminally underrated due to Brian Wilson's absence, "Sunflower" is a well-written and well-produced album that doesn't really sound like the Beach Boys.
Why Rolling Stone gets it wrong: The record is a little unnerving, as it doesn't really sound like the Beach Boys. It makes for an odd listen.
Best song: "Our Sweet Love" is beautiful.
Worst song: I don't love "Deirdre."
Is it awesome?: Not really, but it's better than I thought it was.

This is the Beach Boys?

The harmonies of songs like "This Whole World and "Cool, Cool Water" sound like the Beach Boys we all know, but the arrangements sound like something out of the catalogs of Love or The Zombies. "Even the vocals on songs like "This Whole World" are nowhere as sweet as earlier Beach Boys records.

Nevertheless, the album shows that the Beach Boys weren't all just surfing and cars without Brian Wilson. "All I Wanna Do" is a hauntingly pretty song. "Forever" is a straight up ballad with a well-rounded arrangement.

"Pet Sounds" is probably overrated and "Sunflower" is probably underrated.

No. 270: Today!

Band: The Beach Boys
Album: Today!
Why Rolling Stone gets it right: The first real mature Beach Boys record, "Today!" has Brian Wilson thinking about growing up, self-sufficiency and things that are not surfing and/or hot rods.
Why Rolling Stone gets it wrong: Well, it's the Beach Boys and it's not "Pet Sounds," so it sounds really dated.
Best song: "Help Me Ronda" and the band's version of "Do You Wanna Dance?" are fantastic.
Worst song: "In the Back of My Mind" isn't really good.
Is it awesome?: It's pretty good.

The Beach Boys are good when they're doing songs about sock hops, surfing, chicks and hot rods. On "Today!," there isn't much of those things, though that's where the best songs remains.

This was the first "Brian Wilson won't tour" album and the Spector-esque production on the album shows that. But, really, it's the Beach Boys. I'm not totally impressed. We all know the songs; That doesn't mean they're applicable today.

I just can't get worked up over a Beach Boys record.

No. 2: Pet Sounds

Band: The Beach Boys

Album: Pet Sounds

Why Rolling Stone gets it right: “Pet Sounds” is beautifully melodic and shows a marked departure from earlier car song nonsense. Harmony-wise, it's hard to beat; Only Simon and Garfunkel really did anything close. The production is amazing and featured sounds not totally heard of in rock and roll.

Why Rolling Stone gets it wrong: It's not that good. They did a lot of things, production-wise, but it's still just a whole lot of four-part harmony with no real edge.

Best song: “Wouldn't it be Nice”

Worst song: “Pet Sounds” Why have an instrumental song when you have such great singers?

Is it awesome?: Eh. I'm not on the “Pet Sounds” train.

Supposedly, “Pet Sounds” was written and recorded in response to “Revolver.” That's all good and well, but I clearly don't get it. I'm 26 and my music fandom is steeped in the Beatles, as that's all my parents played around me as a kid. I like the big two songs “God Only Knows” and “Wouldn't it be Nice?” are great love songs, but I guess I'm immune to the production nonsense that makes this record so important, I guess. I've heard more impressively recorded records than this one. Sorry.

To be honest, I think the love for the record comes from two things:

• It was such a departure for the Beach Boys
• We all love a troubled genius

Brian Wilson essentially went nuts making this album and I think people like to think the record is great because of that. Troubled=great, in a lot of people's minds, I guess. Well-adjusted people don't make great records, I guess (see Cobain, Kurt for an example).

Yes, it's wonderful, but it's not the second-best album of all time. Sorry.