The Beach Boys to finally release lost experimental album ‘Adult/Child’ after 50 years

The Beach Boys to finally release lost experimental album ‘Adult/Child’ after 50 years

The Beach Boys are finally set to release their lost experimental album ‘Adult/Child’ after almost 50 years.

READ MORE: Brian Wilson, 1942-2025: culture-defining innovator who represented pop music’s awakening

The legendary US band made the record in 1977 as the follow-up to their cult classic LP from that same year, ‘The Beach Boys Love You’.

However, ‘Adult/Child’ was never officially released. They instead went on to share 1978’s ‘M.I.U. Album’, which is characterised by its easy-listening sound.

As Stereogum notes, 1976 saw Brian Wilson return to The Beach Boys’ touring line-up following an extended absence. The songwriter and producer also returned to his role as sonic mastermind for the group.

It is reported that ‘Adult/Child’ was perhaps shelved due to the band’s label and Wilson’s bandmates not fully believing in the project, owing to its stylistic shift. The album has been bootlegged numerous times over the decades.

Now, fans will be able to own the official version of the LP in full as part of an “expansive” new boxset, ‘We Gotta Groove: The Brother Studio Years’.

“The collection is based around Brian Wilson’s return to the group projects, and includes a newly remastered version of ‘The Beach Boys Love You,’ as well as key tracks from the ‘15 Big Ones’ sessions, ‘Love You,’ and the unreleased Brian Wilson-produced ‘Adult/Child’ sessions,” an announcement post reads.

“The package also spotlights studio outtakes, demos, and alternate mixes.”

‘We Gotta Groove…’ was co-produced by mixing engineer James Sáez and Beach Boys historian Howie Edelson. Band archivist Alan Boyd, meanwhile, served as artistic director on the release.

The boxset consists of three CDs and three LPs, comprising 35 unreleased songs and 22 newly mixed tracks. Edelson provided the liner notes, with archival interview quotes from The Beach Boys themselves.

The band have previewed the forthcoming project with a previously unreleased outtake from ‘The Beach Boys Love You’, ‘We Gotta Groove (2025 Mix). The cut was written and produced by Wilson.

‘We Gotta Groove: The Brother Studio Years’ will be released on Friday February 13 via Capitol/UMe. Pre-order/pre-save here.

The full tracklist is:

Disc 1
‘Love You’ album (1977 Mix)

LP1 Side A

Let Us Go On This Way
Roller Skating Child
Mona
Johnny Carson
Good Time
Honkin’ Down The Highway
Ding Dang

LP1 Side B

Solar System
The Night Was So Young
I’ll Bet He’s Nice
Let’s Put Our Hearts Together
I Wanna Pick You Up
Airplane
Love Is A Woman

‘Love You’ outtakes (CD Only)

Ruby Baby
Marilyn Rovell
Sherry She Needs Me
Lazy Lizzie
We Gotta Groove (2025 Mix)
Hey There Mama (2025 Mix)
Clangin’ (2025 Mix)
Love Is A Woman (Al Jardine Vocal)
Johnny Carson (Alternate Mix With Intro)
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling

Disc 2
‘Adult/Child’ Sessions
LP2 Side A

Life Is For The Living
Deep Purple
It’s Over Now
Still I Dream Of It
Everybody Wants To Live
Lines
It’s Trying To Say

LP2 Side B

Shortenin’ Bread
New England Waltz
Life Is For The Living (Backing Track)
Deep Purple (2025 Backing Track Mix)
It’s Over Now (2025 Backing Track Mix)
Still I Dream Of It (2025 Backing Track Mix)

1974-1977 select outtakes (CD Only)

Holy Man (2025 Mix Carl Wilson Vocal)
Carl’s Song 1 (It Could Be Anything) (2025 Mix)
Carl’s Song 2 (Angel Come Home) (2025 Mix)
String Bass Song (Rainbows) (2025 Mix)
10,000 Years Ago
Gimme Some Lovin’ (2025 Mix)
Honeycomb (Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford Vocal)
In The Back Of My Mind (1975 Alternate Take 2025 Mix)

Disc 3
’15 Big Ones’ outtakes and alternate mixes
LP3 Side A

Just Once In My Life (2025 Mix)
Mony, Mony (2025 Mix)
Running Bear (2025 Mix)
Shake, Rattle And Roll
On Broadway (2025 Mix)
Sea Cruise (2025 Mix)

LP3 Side B

Chapel Of Love (2025 Mix)
Short Skirts (2025 Mix)
TM Song (2025 Backing Track Mix)
Rock And Roll Music (2025 Backing Track Mix)
Had To Phone Ya (2025 Deconstructed Mix)
Just Once In My Life (2025 Backing Track Mix)

‘Love You’ alternate mixes (CD Only)

Let Us Go On This Way (Alternate Mix)
Mona (2025 Deconstructed Mix)
Honkin’ Down The Highway (Billy Hinsche Vocal)
Ding Dang (Session Highlights and Unedited 2025 Mix)
Solar System (2025 Backing Track Mix)
The Night Was So Young (2025 Vocals Only Mix)
Let’s Put Our Hearts Together (2025 Coda Mix)

‘Love You’ Brian cassette demos (CD Only)

That Special Feeling (Demo)
It’s Over Now (Demo)
They’re Marching Along (Demo)
Love Is A Woman (Demo)
Mona (Demo)
Airplane (Demo)
Let’s Put Our Hearts Together (Demo)
I’ll Bet He’s Nice (Demo)
Still I Dream Of It (Demo)

The post The Beach Boys to finally release lost experimental album ‘Adult/Child’ after 50 years appeared first on NME.

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