The Beach Boys Love You is the 21st studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released April 11, 1977 on Brother/Reprise. Sometimes referred to as the band's "punk" or "synth pop" album, Love You is distinguished for its pioneering use of synthesizers and its juxtaposition of adolescent-oriented lyrics with the adult band members' rough vocals. The album was largely recorded in late 1976 at the band's Brother Studios. Originally planned as Brian Loves You, it is essentially a solo project by Brian Wilson, who wrote almost all of the material and played nearly every instrument on the record, including keyboards, synthesizers, and drums. Love You marked the first time he was given full control of a Beach Boys album since the Smile sessions in 1967, albeit with strong assistance from his brothers Carl and Dennis. Engineer Earle Mankey described the work as "serious", "autobiographical", and "frighteningly accurate" to Brian's personality. The subject matter of the 14 songs ranges from the planetary system and roller skating to adolescent sexuality and babies. Wilson also included tributes to his wife, daughters, and mistress, as well as his idols Phil Spector and Johnny Carson. Although it was met with near-unanimous critical acclaim, some listeners found the album's bizarre, childlike quality to be a detriment. The record sold poorly, peaking at number 53 on the U.S. Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart. Love You has since been recognized for contributions to synth-pop and new wave. A follow-up, Adult/Child, was completed by the group, but left unreleased. Wilson later referred to Love You as his life-defining work, and his most creatively fulfilling since Pet Sounds (1966). It was the last album he wrote and produced until his first solo LP, Brian Wilson (1988), and his last that was created without significant interference from outsiders. Background Following a period of semi-inactivity, in late 1975, Wilson became a patient under psychologist Eugene Landy's radical 24-hour therapy program. Under Landy's care, he became more stable and socially engaged, with his productivity increasing once again. During the latter half of 1976, Wilson became a regular member of the band's touring line-up for the first time since 1964. The tagline "Brian's Back!" became a major promotional tool for the group's concert tours, as well as their July release 15 Big Ones, the first Beach Boys LP that reached the U.S. top 10 with new material since Pet Sounds (1966),