The first Beach Boys album release of the 1970’s was Sunflower. Just by looking at the cover you could tell that change was in the air. The Beach Boys were dressed differently and surrounded by their children. The Beach Boys, for better or worse, had left the surf and cars behind. The exception to all this was Bruce Johnston who was wearing a sweater that looked like it had been recycled from the Beach Boys Today cover shoot.
As Brian Wilson reduced his commitment and participation in the creation of the Beach Boys sound, the other members of the group began to step forward. While the commercial sales from the early '70’s albums were minimal, the creative level was excellent. The Beach Boys would produce two excellent albums (Sunflower and Surf’s Up), one very good album (Holland) and one album that almost defies description (Carl and The Passions).
The first four songs from Sunflower were wonderfully written and produced and when taken as a collective unit are one of the best creations the Beach Boys ever produced.
“Slip On Through” features a good Dennis Wilson vocal but it is the production that shines. Dennis’s voice rides over some complex harmonies and numerous chord changes. This may have been one of Dennis Wilson’s finest hours in the studio. He proves here that he could not only write but also produce quality songs in the Beach Boys style and tradition.
“This Whole World” features the voices of Carl and Brian Wilson. Just the brief harmonies at the end of the song are worth the price of admission.
I have always considered “Add Some Music To Your Day’ as one of the elite songs by the Beach Boys. This group effort is a celebration of music. The harmonies build, ebb and flow with surprises at every turn. It has a symphonic feel without all the instruments. I have always wondered what this song would sound like live.
Article comments
1 - petsoundss66
Sunflower has been my fav album since the first time I heard it in 1975, and to this day it continues to mesmorize me!!!
Again David, thank you for a wonderful review!
When the masses are evaluated, and those that even have the aptitude, both aurally and spiritually, because you have even heard of Sunflower, you hold in your heart the same qualities that we should be quenching for as a candidate to run,,, this fun. fun. fun we call, NO I will call:: I will always adhere to the joy and beauty of Sunflower.,, 'Til I Die!
2 - Ray
Great album. I was attending collge in Boston in 1970. I had just graduated H.S. stashed my board for the winter, crawled off the Jersey shore after a great summer and left the safety of family and friends for the first time. Boy was I in for a surprise. I bought SF in a smelly record store off Kemore Square. I didn't have much money but I was looking for some reassurance of my roots and I thought some new tunes from some old friends would do the trick. Boy was I in for a surprise. I found out me and the BB's had all grown up a bit. It looked a lot better on them than it did on me. This became an album I loved to play for people who stopped by my room. I'd slip it on and not tell them who it was. I was proud of them and what they had accomplished. I played it on my radio show as well and I believe I even sat down one afternoon and tried to figure out how to re-wire my 4 speaker stereo into quad. I belive the instructions were on the album someplace and some of the cuts were actually recorded in Quad. I still have that album and I bought the CD, but it doesn't sound like I remembered the vinyl sounding. All of a sudden the BB's were hip, and not just a top 40 hit making band. They were headed in a new direction, and at the time , I would have followed them anywhere. TARZAN