#but I love Abbey Road

[midnight-love-song]

9 years later but also 5 decades earlier

[ringosmistress]

Fruity

[javelinbk]

Following on from loveistoshare’s poll …

[franklyimissparis]

thinking about when my best friend asked me, a publicly annoying beatles superfan, if i had listened to maxwell’s silver hammer. because she listened for the first time and was immediately like “oh this? it’s the beatles best song” because of how camp it is 😭

[rolloroberson]

The Beatles with George Martin, circa February 25, 1964, recording: 'Can’t Buy Me Love', 'You Can’t Do That', 'And I Love Her', 'I Should Have Known Better' / Location: EMI Studios, Abbey Road - Studio Two

Photos © Apple Corps Ltd.

(http://www.thebeatles.com/)

[feydfuckernation]

look all i'm saying is that if the doctor doesn't somehow contribute to and/or inspire a lyric, a song or the get back rooftop concert then what was it all for hmM

[wallisninety-six]

The Bittersweet Tragedy- and Triumph of The Beach Boys' "Sunflower" (1970)

Pet Sounds and the collapse of Smile in 1967 is often seen by mainstream critics and some fans alike as *the* defining moment where The Beach Boys lost the script, lost their knack for quality album-making and started a creative downward spiral for the band and Brian Wilson himself. Things *were* far from rosy, but this is also far from true. In reality, that exact moment occurred with the release, and total chart failure of Sunflower in 1970.

The truth is that Brian, while definitely ceding his leadership role slowly, was still writing tons of music for the band and remained heavily involved (with the exception of the album 20/20 in 1969, when he was in a psychiatric hospital) with the creation & production process of the band's albums from 1967-1970, and Sunflower was no exception. This time though, he wasn't alone.

Since Brian had taken a firm leadership role since the band's early days and practically cemented his position with Pet Sounds & Smile- the group's unease with his direction grew, tensions rose considerably, and infighting at times got really heated- and after Smile's collapse, the rest of the group emerged to slowly & gradually offer their songwriting talents and make music more as a collective than ever before. Although very fragmented- 20/20 represented a new peak for the band actually working *as* a band together.

With the band in a severe amounts of debt, depressed, struggling to find their footing in a practical power vacuum, plus submitting album after album to their new labels (with nearly 40 tracks) and having them constantly be rejected- the fact that Sunflower exists as it does is nothing short of a miracle. Not less because the Boys- even if it was for a fleeting moment, found harmony and could work together effectively as a true collective, making a unanimous statement about the power of music and love, each in their own way. It's seen by some as the band's Abbey Road, and it's not hard to see why.

Each and *every* single member showed off their music chops and in their own way- with so many moods and feelings, a variety of vocalists plus different (and even groundbreaking) instrumentals. The stars aligned for this extremely hard-fought and incredibly genuine album. But it wasn't enough.

When it was released, critics liked the album fine enough, but most questioned the need for anyone to listen to the Beach Boys anymore, throwing them to the wayside. Sunflower *peaked* at 151 at the Billboard 200, their worst showing ever at that time- *this* was the defining moment that started the downward spiral.

Just like with Pet Sounds, Brian was absolutely devastated by the commercial failure & lukewarm response of Sunflower- only now his psyche was much more damaged and rattled than it was in 1966, and he retreated further and further away from the band, famously staying in bed for over 2 years, overeating and abusing drugs, and barely appearing in later albums until 1976, and even then he wasn't as involved thanks to the extremely toxic relationship between him and his abusive, controlling "therapist" Eugene Landy.

The rest of the band started to drift apart in a major way, with acrimonious and even extremely bitter tensions hitting a fever pitch- with individual members traveling to concerts *separately* and with Carl Wilson being the one single thread that kept the band from completely collapsing. Fellow Beach Boy Bruce Johnston would leave the band in 1972 and wouldn't return many years later. Dennis Wilson would chart out his own solo career, but his promising rise was tragically cut short by drug & alcohol issues that would eventually kill him in 1983. Carl Wilson- the youngest member, would die from lung cancer in 1998 at only 51 years old, and the band completely fractured virtually for good. Creative and fully collaborative songwriting would end as the band became an oldies act cashing in on their past success.

Sunflower has seen a bit of a resurgence since around the 2000s, not only slowly but surely becoming a cult classic with a devoted following, but it's also finally received recognition from the types of major publications that once shunned it (and the band)- with the likes of Rolling Stone, The Guardian, and AV Club ranking it as one of the greatest albums ever made. Perhaps the biggest tragedy is that the rest of the band members' individual hard work and legitimate talents for music weren't recognized for decades- and for Carl and Dennis Wilson, they never would in their lifetimes.

The history before and after Sunflower makes the listening experience much more emotional and incredibly bittersweet- not less because it still feels so tragically timeless and genuine- the band came out of some of the darkest years of their life to make an incredibly gorgeous work of love. Unlike many of their much later albums, there was more of a broad, positive reception to Sunflower among the band members- with lifelong rivals Brian Wilson and Mike Love coming together in agreement to sing it's praises.

It just wasn't made for it's time- but with the band members getting older and as the past fades away, it's about time to give it a shot, and realize (as much as i admire him) that The Beach Boys was not just Brian Wilson- it was filled to the brim with talent, and that even in the darkest times, setting aside differences and working together can truly create something beautiful.

[neilphen]

whatre yalls ‘no skips’ albums of all time

[starleska]

IT'S HERE!!!!! NEW TRAILER FOR DOCTOR WHO SERIES 14/SEASON 1!!!!!! LET'S GO 🔥🔥🔥

[lieutenantpepper]

i couldn't include every release (eg magical mystery tour) due to limited poll options :( also tag if your favorite song is off your fav album (for me it's not!) and if u want what song it is!

pls rb for sample size i am very curious

[random-human-being2311]

shoutout to albums that are Their Last Album despite technically only being penultimate

like sure they had enough spare unreleased songs to put together another album afterwards but they just don't have The Finality, y'know? They just don't have The Vibes that The Final Album has.

the technically-final albums feel like a little added extra that happened to be released last but The Final Album has that definite feeling that this is the band saying farewell, a bittersweet sadness of "we're leaving now, but look at all the amazing places we've been together"

[radioprune]

abbey road. ever heard of it

[roadkill-dreaming]

♡

[musedelsa]

Abbey Lee Kershaw

[chalk-drawings-on-the-sidewalk]

uhh hey there's some weird rainbow stuff oozing out of your eyes and ears. yeah you might wanna get that checked out.

[paulic]

Went to cavendish today and let me tell you Mr M had MONEY. It looks like a random ass house in the photos but when you’re there is very very very impressive and huge