Though their studio output is the stuff of legend,
the Beach Boys' live performances aren't as familiar to the casual fan.
Live in London (also released as
Beach Boys '69) represented the second live set from the band, after 1964's teen-scream Beach Boys Concert. By the turn of the 1960s into the '70s, the group was finally rising to the task of translating its lush, layered sound into a live arena. Classics like "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "Darlin'" carry all of their original beauty, bolstered by the energy of the live setting and by swinging horn accompaniment. More unexpected cuts, such as the celebratory "Wake the World" and a bluesy take of "Bluebirds Over the Mountains," fit in perfectly with staples like the tempo-shifting, musically precise version of "Good Vibrations," just one crowd-pleaser among many on
Live in London.