Mike Love - 12 Sides of Summer review: Beach Boy is still preaching the Californian dream

California dreaming: Mike Love's new album doesn't convince

Beach Boys singer Mike Love’s penchant for surf, sun and summer romance is rife on his fourth solo album, a collage of covers, originals, and remakes of Beach Boys classics preaching the Californian dream that the 78-year-old still holds dear.

Nostalgia runs rampant on these 12 tracks, which include covers of Here Comes The Sun and Rockaway Beach. A soft jazz rendition of Girl from Ipanema is Love’s best attempt at an untouchable Sixties classic (he makes quite a few).

Remakes of Surfin’, Surfin’ Safari and It’s OK (featuring Hanson) boast layered vocal harmonies and bright keys but lack the knee-tapping chutzpah of the collective Beach Boys.

California Beach, a rare original song, opens with a quintessential Love lyric: “Where surfers are surfing and dancers are dancing/ You’re sure to find a honey that you’ll love romancing”. Ick.

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