“Be Still”
Dennis Wilson’s second song on the album brings back that hymn-like vibe set forth by “Meant For You”. The voice/organ combination shows just how much The Beach Boys could accomplish with very little. Beautiful.
“Busy Doin’ Nothin’”
One of my favorite tracks by The Beach Boys, this song sort of eerily predicts the withdrawal from the public scene Brian Wilson would go through just a few years off. But listen to that Bossa Nova beat coupled with Brian’s odd lyrics and you just get that vibe that you’re listening to the simple life of a really wonderful person.
“Diamond Head”
After Pet Sounds, the next few albums by The Beach Boys featured some interesting forays into Hawaiian folk music. This song is a good example of that and is a wonderful enchanting glimpse into the fascinating mind of Brian Wilson circa 1968.
“Transcendental Meditation”
Like “Little Bird”, this song throws you for a loop. Not really part of the vibe that the rest of the album, but at the same time dealing with a subject that’s very much in the spirit of the rest of the album, this song is a good example of why The Beach Boys may not have had the best reputation back in the late 60′s. They’re trying hard to do something but…it’s just a bit off.
