Sunflower

The Artist

The Beach Boys formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961 around brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine, later joined by Bruce Johnston. They rose on surf and car songs before Brian's ambitions produced Pet Sounds and the abandoned Smile sessions. Their identity rests on lush, stacked harmonies and sophisticated chord writing beneath sunny surfaces. By 1970, Brian had stepped back from leadership, and the other members were writing and producing more themselves. Sunflower catches that moment, a true group effort in which every member contributes.

The Album

Sunflower was recorded across 1969 and 1970, much of it at Brian Wilson's home studio in Los Angeles, with production credited to the band as a whole. Engineer Stephen Desper helped give it a warm, detailed, spacious sound. Released in 1970 as their first album for Brother/Reprise, it sold poorly in America despite strong reviews, especially in the UK. Its reputation has grown steadily, and many fans now rank it among their best. Thematically, it drifts through romantic devotion, longing and an easy, sun-soaked contentment.

Listen For

Harmony Architecture. On "This Whole World - Remastered 2009," notice how the vocal stacks chase Brian's restless chord changes, packing a symphony's worth of shifts into two minutes.

Drowned in Reverb. "All I Wanna Do - Remastered 2009" bathes everything in a hazy wash of echo. Many listeners hear it as an early blueprint for dream pop.

Percussion in Charge. The rhythm section powers "It's About Time - Remastered 2009," with busy percussion and a driving groove pushing the band toward a looser rock feel.

Two Sides of Dennis. Compare Dennis Wilson's rough, soulful push on "Slip On Through - Remastered 2009" with his tender, fragile delivery on "Forever - Remastered 2009."

Echoes of Smile. The closer "Cool, Cool Water - Remastered 2009" grew from ideas dating to the shelved Smile era. Listen for its chant-like, fragmentary structure.