Although The Beach Boys have turned into a veritable soap opera of will-they-won’t-they over the last few years, the legendary band remain one of the pioneers of modern pop, capable of making music today regardless of the past. Now, in the midst of their 50th anniversary this year, the band will once again attempt to put their history aside as they consider reconvening to record a new album.

In an interview with Billboard.com, Mike Love said the band members are each hard at work on various parts of the album, which is currently in the planning stages. “Where we’re at right now is Brian (Wilson)’s written some songs, I’ve written some songs (and) we’re talking very seriously about getting together and co-writing and doing some new music together.” The plan, according to Love, would be to actually record in the fall and drop the LP in 2012, or just in time to commemorate 51 glorious years.

Love also commented that, despite the climate of pop music in 2012, he’s confident that the Wilson-Love team are “still creative musically and lyrically…We really are the originators of the group and the sounds that were hits and all that.” He’s also hoping to nab a No. 1 record, not an impossible feat considering they’re Guinness Book of World Records holders for most time between No. 1 records (22 years between 1966′s  “Good Vibrations” and 1988′s “Kokomo”).

The band’s last album of original recordings was 1996′s country-inspired Stars and Stripes Vol. 1 (though Love figures this record would be more in the vein of the Boys’ traditional sound). In addition to the album, Love hinted at the possibility of live shows with Bruce Johnston and former member Al Jardine (“I think that there’s definitely more than a possibility that will happen.”) While we await the new album, the band’s lost album SMiLE is finally set to hit stores August 9th.