Jokermen Podcast: The Beach Boys – THE BEACH BOYS (1985)

Date: August 25, 2025
Hosts: Jokermen
Episode Theme: A deep-dive review and discussion of The Beach Boys' self-titled 1985 album, context around its creation, and its place in the band's legacy.

Main Overview

This episode explores the 1985 "self-titled" Beach Boys album, a record released more than two decades into the group's career and marked by significant transitions. The hosts examine the album song-by-song, contextualize its production (notably the absence of Dennis Wilson and Brian Wilson's complex relationship with Dr. Eugene Landy), critique the band's sound in the mid-80s, and reflect on the legacy and idiosyncrasies of this late-period Beach Boys effort. The episode is characteristically irreverent, informed, and filled with banter that blends deep knowledge with dry wit.

Episode Breakdown

The Root Beer Report: A&W Zero Sugar

[00:24–14:28]

• Opening Bit: The hosts kick off with a lighthearted segment reviewing A&W Zero Sugar Root Beer (“the Beach Boys minus one essential ingredient”), linking the root beer's lack of sugar to the band's later-period output and missing members.
• Key Points:
  • Discussion of root beer bottle design, artificial sweeteners, and the beverage market’s shift from "diet" to "zero sugar" branding.
  • Comparison of tasting processes between beer aficionados and soft drink fans—“taking those notes and applying it to our project here” ([01:22] A).
  • Amusing investigation into who owns various root beer brands (A&W owned by Dr Pepper/Seven Up, not Pepsi as assumed).
• Notable Moment:
  • "I like that it's a little bit kind of stout and kind of chode-shaped, you know." ([04:30] B)
  • “[A&W] just own rootbeer.com. That’s crazy. That doesn't seem fair. There should be antitrust laws that prevent that.” ([11:57] A)

Setting the Stage: The Beach Boys in 1985

[14:36–22:28]

• Band Dynamics: The hosts transition to album discussion by noting Dennis Wilson's death (1983), Brian Wilson's fraught return, and Dr. Eugene Landy's dominating role.
• Producer Change: Steve Levine is brought in, per Bruce Johnston's recommendation—a move away from previous self-production and the band's first non-Beach Boy producer since Nick Venet.
• Technological Shift: "State of the art, computerized Beach Boys—AI Beach Boys." ([17:49] B)
• Album Cover Analysis: Detailed appreciation of the cover's graphic design—minimal, timeless, and distinct in focusing solely on a beach landscape, devoid of band members or surf imagery.

Song-by-Song Discussion

Side One

1. Getcha Back ([23:28–27:35])

   • Highest-charting BB single in years; initiates the record’s mature, wistful tone.
   • Brian’s falsetto praised: "That is actually Brian…a reasonable facsimile of what everyone loved about the Beach Boys initially.” ([24:09] B)
   • Thematically resonates—“Can I ever get you back?” as a subtle meta-commentary on the band’s own comeback.
   • "It's a good way to start rather than…forced cheerfulness…has a little bit of a wistful quality." ([25:23] A)

2. It's Gettin' Late ([29:03–32:06])

   • Archetypal Carl Wilson track; described as “ponderous” and “shooting to be, like, soulful, but it just feels kind of like the opposite…” ([29:26] A)
   • Comparison with earlier Carl efforts—“better than pretty much anything on either of those other two Carl albums.” ([31:46] A)

3. Crack at Your Love ([32:24–35:18])

   • Al Jardine/Brian Wilson/Eugene Landy co-write; title prompts jokey banter on its double entendre.
   • Credit skepticism: “If we don't like something…then that’s why, that’s [Eugene Landy’s] fault.” ([34:47] A)
   • “It just kind of…dares you to accept that it exists.” ([38:29] A)

4. Maybe I Don't Know ([35:32–38:29])

   • Synth-heavy, 1985 as can be. “This is one of the most 1985 productions on this 1985 album. But to me, I like that.” ([36:06] B)
   • Carl Wilson and Myrna Smith cowrite; described as “trudging” and repetitive.

5. She Believes in Love Again ([46:46–48:17])

   • “Wimpy pussy Bruce [Johnston] song that we love.” ([46:46] B)
   • Hosts are more forgiving of Bruce’s minor contributions here vs. a whole solo album. “[Bruce is] a little bit of celery salt on the entrée, that’s totally fine for me.” ([47:56] B)

6. California Calling ([49:49–51:28])

   • The episode’s pivot back to classic themes: “It’s like California Girls, but…Surfing USA…Put it all into the blender, hit the blitz button, and then…you get California Calling.” ([49:55] B)
   • Hosts appreciate it as a sparing callback rather than a dominant vibe: “Charming…when it’s delivered just sparingly.” ([49:53] B)

Side Two

7. Passing Friend ([51:54–54:43])

   • Written by Boy George; described as “yacht rocky” and possessing a rare “concept” (fake friends) for this album.
   • Discussion on whether the lyrics allude to inter-band rifts.

8. I'm So Lonely ([54:48–56:58])

   • Brian’s sole lead—"Could only ever come from Brian.” ([55:19] A)
   • The highlight for the hosts: “This predicts a lot of what we’re gonna get on the Brian solo record…It’s minor Brian, but minor Brian is better than, you know, just about anything.” ([56:51] B)

9. Where I Belong ([58:10–58:59])

   • More Carl—immediately identifiable by style. “You can listen to literally the first like five seconds of this song and just know. Yeah, that’s a Carl.” ([58:12] B)

10. I Do Love You ([59:19–60:55])

    • Stevie Wonder cover with Wonder himself on drums, bass, harmonica.
    • Appreciated as a competent if unnecessary diversion: “That bass is pretty tasty. I dig that. That’s probably the coolest thing that—in the harmonica.” ([60:31] B)
    • “It shows the difference [between] one [Carl song] is just so forced, and then this feels just so effortless.” ([61:04] A)

11. It's Just a Matter of Time ([61:28–63:28])

    • Closing LP track—a Brian/Landy co-write, possibly a leftovers from earlier sessions.
    • “It’s a nice note to end this record on…not quite so desperate.” ([62:56] B)

12. Male Ego ([65:11–68:57]; CD bonus track)

    • Hosts’ favorite besides “Getcha Back.”
    • “If you’re gonna do stupid Beach Boys, you know, let’s go for the tasty ladies type bullshit…they finally actually do on Male Ego.” ([65:11] B)
    • Feels like “Love You”-era Brian: “It is just absolute lizard brain Beach Boys bullshit.” ([66:13] B)
    • “It’s a shame that it’s not on the actual official track list because… it’s the most interesting thing here.” ([67:18] A)

Key Insights & Notable Quotes

• On Late-Career Self-Titling:
  "The Beach Boys took their sweet time putting out 23 years worth of music before they could arrive at their self-titled definitive statement." ([15:34] B)

• On 80s Production:
  "This is state of the art. Computerized Beach Boys—AI Beach Boys." ([17:49] B)

• On Brian’s Creative Withholding:
  “Brian has been stockpiling his best new songs for a solo album… the ones he's performed… aren't of the complexity we expect… If Brian doesn’t write great songs, it doesn’t really matter how well they’re singing.” ([40:24–41:36] B summarizing David Leaf)

• On Eugene Landy’s Influence:
  “The worst thing about Landy, to me, is this thing of him wanting to take credit for Brian’s gifts of creativity.” ([44:23] A)

• Album Summary:
  “You don’t need to make Pet Sounds every single time. Sometimes you just need to make… a Carl and the Passions or a 2020, and I think that's what they did on this record.” ([68:57] B)

Tone, Humor, and Style

The Jokermen employ a mix of dry humor, critical insight, and affectionate ribbing throughout. Their conversational tone remains both accessible and deeply knowledgeable:

• Sarcastic banter around product packaging, track titling, and the Beach Boys' late-career choices.
• Recurrent in-jokes about Landy's intrusions, Carl's songwriting quirks, and the band's tendency to recycle themes.
• Frequent callbacks to earlier Beach Boys solo (and group) records for comparative context.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Root Beer Review & Zero Sugar Trends: [00:24–14:28]
• Setting the Stage – How This Album Came Together: [14:36–22:28]
• "Getcha Back" and Album Opener Discussion: [23:28–27:35]
• Brian’s Withholding and Eugene Landy’s Role: [40:24–46:46]
• "Male Ego" and CD Bonus Track Finale: [65:11–68:57]
• Overall Album Verdict and Foreshadowing Next Records: [68:57–70:19]

Closing Verdict

The hosts conclude that "The Beach Boys" (1985) is a surprisingly competent late-career effort, buoyed by flashes of Brian’s creativity, strong production, and a couple of charmers, but ultimately weighed down by uneven songwriting and a forced blend of contemporary trends and nostalgic callbacks. It’s the group’s best album“since Love You and Adult Child”—which sets a low bar but earns this record a charitable two stars out of three.

“I am confident in saying this is probably the best Beach Boys record that we've listened to since Love you and Adult Child… not a high bar to clear, but… it feels like some time and effort actually went into it.” ([68:57] B)

As the Beach Boys transitioned further from their classic lineup and sound, this album stands as a fascinating—if inconsistent—document of their perseverance, their challenges, and the undercurrents of 1980s pop culture.

For more episodes and exclusive content, visit patreon.com/jokermen or follow @jokermenpodcast on Instagram and Twitter.