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Album Review: Sunflower is easily one of the best albums from the Beach Boys' post-Pet Sounds period, when they were losing the public's attention but perfecting their ability to continue turning out compelling, well crafted music.
"Add Some Music to Your Day" is the song from Sunflower that people will be most familiar with, but the album is so packed with great songs that it would be a challenge to choose a "best song" from it. The approach to songwriting on Sunflower steers away from the fluffy messages
of the Beach Boys' earlier work but wraps any seriousness within layers of sweet, melodic sounds. The upbeat "This Whole World" is so enjoyable musically that the serious message about opening one's feelings outwardly slips easily into your consciousness. The aching theme of
bittersweet romance can be found in "Deirdre," but it's buoyed by a bouncy melody and the Beach Boys' trademark soaring harmonies. Other triumphs of songwriting, playing, and singing on Sunflower include "Tears in the Morning," "Forever," "Our Sweet Love," and "Cool, Cool Water."
This disc is two LPs on one CD, featuring another great Beach Boys' album, Surf's Up—whose highlights include "Disney Girls," "Feel Flows," " 'Til I Die" and "Surf's Up"—which makes this disc a delicious treat indeed.
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