‘Friends’ by The Beach Boys

‘Friends’ was the fourteenth album by The Beach Boys. By the time of its release, ‘Pet Sounds’ had been and gone, and the band were fumbling through records attempting to find greatness again. Following the oddness of ‘Smiley Smile’ and the more basic R ‘n’ B style of ‘Wild Honey’, ‘Friends’ seems to have no idea of what to aim for. It’s like a music collage of half formed ideas, and if you were so inclined, you could rip it to shreds more easily than virtually any other record in their catalogue so far.

Despite all this, it’s a strangely charming album that I’ve always enjoyed. It has enormous flaws, but some real highlights. ‘Meant For You’ is barely worth mentioning – it’s barely a minute long, and is really little more than an intro. ‘Friends’, the title track, is next. It was the only single from the album (and really, the only track that could have conceivably been one), and it’s a rather gentle and understated track, but a lovely one all the same. It’s followed by ‘Wake The World’ and ‘Be Here In The Morning’, a pair of tracks which should have been brilliant, and probably would have been if the band had finished them. ‘When A Man Needs A Woman’ is next, and it’s a song that encapsulates the album brilliantly. On the surface, it’s rubbish, a shoddy backing track with ropey (and in some places, clearly unfinished) lyrics, and a pointless out-of-place Wurlitzer solo in the middle, but I defy you to listen to it without smiling. I can’t. ‘Passing By’ ends the first half with a forgettable, if pleasant Wilson-penned instrumental.

‘Anna Lee, the Healer’ has exceptionally clucky lyrics, and the verses are dreadful, but it’s redeemed by the harmonies in the chorus. ‘Little Bird’, Dennis Wilson’s first major writing contribution to the band’s output is a real highlight. It’s well crafted, and it suits his voice perfectly. The fact that Brian Wilson made major un-credited contributions to it don’t diminish its greatness. ‘Be Still’, also by Dennis, is less good, but a fascinating premonition of the direction of his writing. ‘Busy Doin’ Nothin’’ is Brian’s most overt contribution to the record. It’s a fascinating one, and more complex than it seems at first. Over a jazzy bossa-nova beat, Wilson outlines the contents of an uneventful day. Your first impression is that he’s coasting, almost insultingly, but actually, he fits his lyrics to the melody brilliantly, and there are some lovely lyrical touches sprinkled throughout. Compared to ‘Anna Lee’, for instance, it’s a work of lyrics genius. Then the woozy instrumental ‘Diamond Head’ brings the album to a close. Except it doesn’t. The final track on the album is ‘Transcendental Meditation’ Mike Love’s first attempt at using the band to advertise his passions. It’s inexcusably awful – a horrible discordant mess that has no business on any album, let alone one so delicate. I had to force myself to listen to it for this experience – normally, I don’t let the album play this far.

Somehow, despite it all, ‘Friends’ is one of my favourite Beach Boys albums, but if you’re not a fan, I’d approach it with extreme caution. You never know, though – perhaps you’ll love it…