The Beach Boys' first all-new studio album in five years (and last for seven years) is a concerted attempt to regain old glories, which it did to an extent, selling better than any record since 15 Big Ones (1976) and spinning off the Top 40 single "Getcha Back" and the chart entry "It's Gettin' Late." But despite the production sheen provided by
Steve Levine (of
Culture Club fame), this is another competent but uninspired effort. [In 2000, The Beach Boys was made available on the two-fer compilation Keepin' the Summer Alive/The Beach Boys '85.]