The Beach Boys - M.I.U. Album + L.A. Album [24-bit Digitally Remastering]

This disc contains gorgeous-sounding remastered versions of the Beach Boys last albums of the '70s. Neither of these was particularly well received at the time, partly because they were generally out of step with prevailing musical fashions, and partly because founding genius Brian Wilson was only minimally involved with either of them. Nevertheless, there are some excellent songs to be found here. On M.I.U. there are some sprightly oldies covers – the Dell-Vikings "Come Go With Me", Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue" – and Dennis Wilson turns in a gut-wrenchingly emotional vocal on the breakup ballad "My Diane" (actually written about Brian's estranged wife Marilyn). On L.A., Dennis's thematically similar "Angel Come Home" is another highlight (and a clear sign that he'd been listening to some of the California New Wave pop that was percolating at the time), and the much-maligned disco remake of the group's 1968 album cut "Here Comes the Night" actually sounds pretty good in retrospect. Not their best by a long shot, but still worth hearing.

After the relative highs of 15 Big Ones and Love You, the Beach Boys entered – and never left – their late-period doldrums with the double shot of 1978's M.I.U. Album and 1979's L.A. (Light Album), reissued by Capitol as a two-fer in 2000. As with the rest of the reissue catalog, these two LPs match perfectly; both are simply packed with the most cloying songs and banal productions of the band's entire career up to that point. "Hey, Little Tomboy", "Bells of Paris", "My Diane", "Match Point of Our Love", "Lady Lynda", "Sumahama" – these songs don't fail because of boring melodies or poor vocals (though some are), but laughable, childish lyric-writing and themes. (The cover of "Shortenin' Bread" fits right in.) L.A. (Light Album) just barely gets the nod over its predecessor, mostly because the lyrics aren't quite as trite, and there's a bit more variety to the productions – yes, the infamous disco production "Here Comes the Night" is present, sounding downright adventurous in context. For those just vaguely interested in the Beach Boys' '70s catalog, the jumping-off point came with 15 Big Ones/Love You, so all those who tread farther should be aware they're entering dark territory.

~ John Bush, all media guide

Tracklist:

01. She's Got Rhythm
02. Come Go With Me
03. Hey, Little Tomboy
04. Kona Coast
05. Peggy Sue
06. Wontcha Come Out Tonight
07. Sweet Sunday Kinda Love
08. Belles Of Paris
09. Pitter Patter
10. My Diane
11. Match Point Of Our Love
12. Winds Of Change
13. Good Timin'
14. Lady Lynda
15. Full Sail
16. Angel Come Home
17. Love Surrounds Me
18. Sumahama
19. Here Comes The Night
20. Baby Blue
21. Goin' South
22. Shortenin' Bread

Originally released on Brother/Reprise Records
Reissue producers: Cheryl Pawelski, Paul Atkinson
Digitally remastered by Andrew Sandoval & Dan Hersch (DigiPrep)

Original Release Date: October 1978 | March 1979
Re-Release Date: August 15, 2000
Format: Original Recording Remastered
Label: Brother Records / Capitol Records
Catalog No.: 27950-2