One of many great Beach Boys LP:s. Although they're still at it in some form, to me the best years was up to 1973 and the "Holland" album. As all bands with lasting legendary status they managed to move through different genres and styles back then without losing edge or public interest. I'm seeing three major periods in those first twelve years - surf, psych and post-Smile. Checking facts today it's obvious the transitions most of all had to do with changes in Brian Wilson's life - his health and preferences. Prior to this album he'd got married, given up touring in favor of spending more time in the studio and started to smoke pot. It's hard to know exactly how much that meant for the new period they were entering, but whatever was behind it meant a lot. "Today" was the first of three seminal albums, followed by "Pet Sounds" and "Smiley Smile". Even if "Pet Sounds" by most is considered their greatest achievement and "Smiley Smile" a legend, this is the one for me. The songs here are not actually psych by modern standard, yet the arrangements and execution makes it so outstanding for its time that has to be the most appropriate subsumption. All you get from "Pet Sounds" and the civilized parts of "Smiley Smile" are already here. Slightly less experimental and with more regular song patterns, but the audio is better, the tunes catchier and apart from the "Big Daddy" conversation there's not a bad moment on it. Favorite tracks - "Good To My Baby", "Dance, Dance; Dance", "When I Grow Up" and "In The Back Of My Mind". US first on Captol (T/DT 2269). First stereo issues were "duophonic" - a kind of bad fake made from the mono tapes and not recommended. If you want an original with top audio better go for the mono. First UK had label as shown here with logo to the left and laminated flip/back cover. (BÅB*)
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