''Unleash the Love'' is the second solo studio album by American singer

Mike Love Michael Edward Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys with his cousins Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson and their friend Al Jardine. Characterized by his nasal tenor and occasional bass-bari ...

. It was released on November 17, 2017.

Background and production

Before ''Unleash the Love'', Mike Love had not officially released a solo album since 1981's '' Looking Back with Love'', released 36 years earlier. ''Unleash the Love'' initially had the title of ''Mike Love Not War'', but that got shelved during the recording process. The term ''Mike Love Not War'' had previously been used in a variety of contexts, such as being placed on

t-shirts A T-shirt (also spelled tee shirt), or tee, is a style of fabric shirt named after the T shape of its body and sleeves. Traditionally, it has short sleeves and a round neckline, known as a ''crew neck'', which lacks a collar. T-shirts are generall ...

and adopted as a title for an

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and sub ...

group Smudge. Speaking with ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' in 2013, Love stated that he'd "stockpiled" a collection of songs for possible release "for decades". However, he'd hesitated due to needing to assemble the proper "team to get my music out". Broadly speaking, Love aimed to have the release remark upon "the hopes and aspirations of those on the planet who like to see more positivity and harmony."

Track listing

All tracks composed by Mike Love except where noted. All tracks composed by Mike Love and

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...

except where noted.

Personnel

*Mike Love – vocals *

Bruce Johnston Bruce Arthur Johnston (born Benjamin Baldwin; June 27, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who is a member of the Beach Boys. Johnston also collaborated on many records with Terry Melcher (his bandmate in Bru ...

– vocals *

Scott Totten Scott Totten (born in Orange County, California) is an American musician, best known for his work as musical director, singer and guitarist in the current Beach Boys touring band, which features original Beach Boy Mike Love and later addition ...

– guitar, backing vocals *Randy Leago – saxophone *John Ferraro – drums *Jim Cox – keyboards *

Tim Pierce Tim Pierce (born 1959 in Albuquerque) is an American session guitarist. He has worked for artists such as Joe Cocker, Crowded House, Goo Goo Dolls, Michael Jackson, Beth Hart, Roger Waters, Alice Cooper, Johnny Hallyday, Phil Collins, and the C ...

– guitar *Paul III – bass guitar * Michael Lloyd – keyboards, guitar, drums, bass guitar *

Carl Wilson Carl Dean Wilson (December 21, 1946 – February 6, 1998) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He was their lead guitarist, the youngest sibling of bandmates Brian and Dennis, and the group's ''de ...

– vocals on "Brian's Back" *

Jeffrey Foskett Jeffrey Foskett (February 17, 1956) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer best known as a touring and studio musician for Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys since the 1980s. Foskett was described as the Beach Boys' "vice principal" ...

– rhythm guitar *

Curt Bisquera Curt "Kirkee B." Bisquera is an American drummer known for his extensive work as a touring and session musician. Biography Bisquera has worked with Johnny Cash, Josh Groban, Mick Jagger, Seal, Sarah McLachlan, Elton John, Johnny Hallyday and To ...

– drums *Joel Peskin – tenor saxophone *Brian Eichenberger – bass guitar, backing vocals *Paul Fauerso – keyboards, programming, percussion, backing vocals *

John Stamos John Phillip Stamos ( ; born August 19, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He first gained recognition for his contract role as Blackie Parrish on the ABC television soap opera ''General Hospital'', for which he was nominated for the Da ...

– drums on "Getcha Back" and "10,000 Years Ago", vocals on "Do It Again" *

Laurence Juber Laurence Ivor Juber (born 12 November 1952) is an English musician, fingerstyle guitarist and studio musician. He played guitar in the rock band Wings from 1978 to 1981. Biography Early life Born in Stepney, East London, Juber was raised and ...

– guitar *Cliff Hugo – bass guitar *

Dave Koz David Stephen Koz (born March 27, 1963) is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, record producer, and radio personality based in California. Early life Dave Koz was born in Encino, California, to Jewish parents: Norman, a dermatologist ...

– saxophone on "All the Love In Paris" *

Adrian Baker Adrian Baker (born 18 January 1951, London) is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer. Career Baker made his debut as a singer on Magnet Records/Epic Records in the United Kingdom. In 1975, he released his first solo album, ''Into ...

– backing vocals *John Jorgenson – guitar *

John Cowsill John Cowsill (born March 2, 1956) is an American musician, best known for his work as a singer and drummer with his siblings' band The Cowsills. He has been a drummer and vocalist for The Beach Boys touring band, which featured original Beach Boy ...

– drums, lead vocals on "Wild Honey" *

AJR AJR may refer to: * AJR (motorcycle), Scotland * AJR (band), a pop band from New York City, United States *Abdominojugular test, to measure venous pressure * Academy for Jewish Religion (New York) * ''American Journal of Roentgenology'' * ''Americ ...

– vocals on "Darlin'" *Christian Love – backing vocals *Brian Love – backing vocals *Donny Gerrard – backing vocals *Hayleigh Love – backing vocals *

Edna Wright Edna Wright (February 2, 1945 – September 12, 2020) was an American singer, best known as the lead singer of Honey Cone, the girl group that went to No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with the song "Want Ads" in 1971. She was the younger sister ...

– backing vocals *Ambha Love – lead vocals on "The Warmth of the Sun"

Chart performance

* Billboard Independent Albums – #37

References

2017 albums Mike Love albums Albums produced by Michael Lloyd (music producer) {{2010s-rock-album-stub