13th July - The Beach Boys' All Summer Long

Artist – Album: The Beach Boys – All Summer Long

Released:  13^th July 1964

Sounds Like: We’ve been having fun all summer long

Sometimes the listening circumstances seriously affect how much you appreciate an album. A Sigur Rós effort, for example, is best served on a bright but frosty morning. Joy Division are great when the sky is blanketed in metallic coloured grey clouds, whilst it’s best to listen to Metallica when the world has turned apocalyptic. The situation for today’s album – driving around in my little car with my friends through a sun scorched city – was perfectly suited to the Beach Boys’ All Summer Long.

The belting classic of ‘I Get Around’ notwithstanding, the album doesn’t contain too many of their well known songs, but don’t let that put you off. As is the norm with the Beach Boys at their best, all of the songs here are instantly memorable and enjoyable: play it through once to love it, play it through twice and you’re already singing along.  The very best are the sunny ‘Girls on the Beach’, the sumptuous doo-wop cover of The Mystics’ ‘Hushabye’, the insanely catchy hot rod anthem ‘Little Honda’ and the nostalgic title track, which perfectly encapsulates the late September evening feeling whilst looking back on a wonderful summer.

The record isn’t perfect – there’s the 50’s pastiche ‘Do You Remember’, which wins the Albumaday... No-Shit-Sherlock Line of the Day© "Elvis Presley’s the king, he’s the giant of the day", and the god awful comedy bit ‘Our Favourite Recording Sessions’. ‘Wendy’ , which for the most part is a beautiful and elegantly sad song, is seriously let down by a horrific, clinky organ solo.

Fortunately the misses are in the minority, and the imperfections really just make it all the more endearing. Seriously, it’s great!

Albumaday... rating: 8/10

1.       I Get Around – 2:14

2.       All Summer Long – 2:08

3.       Hushabye – 2:41

4.       Little Honda – 1:52

5.       We’ll Run Away – 2:02

6.       Carl’s Big Chance – 2:03

7.       Wendy – 2:21

8.       Do You Remember? – 1:40

9.       Girls on the Beach – 2:28

10.   Our Favourite Recoding Sessions – 2:00

11.   Don’t Back Down – 1:52

Listen to ‘All Summer Long’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2smDXr13EJE