Reviewed by Allen Lulu
Released: October 8 1981 Mike Love Looking Back With Love Genre: Beach Without The Boys Rating: 3 out of 5 Highlights: Looking Back With Love Requisite 80s Cover: “On and On and On”. An ABBA song. This makes a ton of sense since, musically, I find Abba and TBB spiritual cousins. But, putting a New Wave spin on doesn’t really help endear my to Mr. Love. “Calendar Girl”. Remember when Neil Sedaka was a thing? Didn’t he have a tv show or a special or something? Man, the 70s were a trip. It’s nice that Mike thought Neil needed some extra royalties in 81. But his “Be My Baby” is turgid and ugly and…well, screw Phil Spector…you know? Mike Love seemingly understands what it is about The Beach Boys that made you fall in love with them. It’s that Endless Summer. That’s what moves units. We can all look at the innovations with marvel and wonder but those aren’t what moved the units. And, you know what? I hate to admit it, Mike’s kind of right. The lyrics of the title track are all about extolling the past and appreciating it through a filter of appreciation. It’s The Beach Boys track we deserve in 1981 if only because no one else can or would do it. It really wasn’t fair to put “requisite” covers on this review since we all know that a Mike Love record is going to be nothing but that. He’s not a writer. He’s just the familiar voice of a game changing rock band. This album sounds exactly what you would expect from the lead singer of The Beach Boys. It’s stuck in the past but unapologetic about it, except that it has synthesizers.
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