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Surf's Up
The Beach Boys
1971
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!Enjoyed a lot. Environmentalist, forward-thinking rock. I love the whole album top to bottom, only thing that I found weird was the song Take a Load Off Your Feet, but other than that everything was top notch. Disney Girls, Student Demonstration Time, and Long Promised Road are my favorite, Will revisit, and other than Take A load off your Feet I loved it top to bottom, even with weird songs like A Day in the life of a tree, 8/8.
I must admit to have never even heard of this album. The tone of the album artwork seemed like such a departure from the beach boys I’m familiar with. I had to double check and see whether the website was using the right image. I can report this album is fantastic. How it’s been hidden from me for so long remains a mystery.
4.5 | Sobre los Beach Boys se podría decir mucho, basta decir que son mucho más de lo que la gente piensa como música surf de fiesta playera y 5 monitos con camisas iguales cantando con sonrisota. Este disco al parecer es el último de ese periodo de muchísima creatividad y propuesta, tras la apatía de Brian Wilson la banda seguiría intentando lograr recuperar terreno pero es un hecho que la mente creativa y gran parte del talento siempre fue él. Así queda un disco medio raro pero bueno, muy bueno he de decir pero con puntos muy extraños. Puedo empezar por los puntos bajos, la canción Student Demonstration Time es, a mi parecer el punto más bajo del disco, un rocanrol realmente básico tal cual copiado y pegado de lo que ya para ese entonces era un estándar del género, sin cambiarle nada, metiendo unos ruidos mal hechos y una sirena que parece de patrulla de juguete, distorsión mal nivelada y una letra tremendamente patética que parece parodia de sí misma diciendo "muchachos estudiantes mejor no se rebelen no hagan demostraciones," pareciera que como en este disco todos tuvieron chance de hacer una canción el primo sin talento pues también debe de tener chance y aquí esta su contribución (no es exageración Mike Love es primo de sangre y la verdad es que su contribución normal era básicamente tocar el pandero y estar de bulto), quizá su mensaje era tratar de hablar sobre lo peligroso de la época para un estudiante, no se si se creía Neil Young pero falló catastróficamente en el intento, la letra es burda y nomas mal escribir letras sobre una canción de hace 15 años para mí no cuenta. Vamos al segundo tope, Al Jardin quien cree que tiene todo el sentido hacer una canción sobre los pies, musicalmente no es terrible, solo siento que para el disco termina sintiéndose como música infantil; si bien musicalmente no ofende, hasta podría decir a mí me suena como a algo de Dr. Demento que me gusta mucho, pero aquí cae como balde de agua sin sentido con su sonido tipo naif y su exageración en efectos graciosos que estorban, líricamente es... sobre pies, hizo una canción sobre los pies porque la canción Hair estaba de moda... Hair... que habla sobre todo un movimiento social y lo que fue volcar estructuras sociales a través de el estilo propio y romper estereotipos de género y actitud que tenían cientos de años... y Al Jardin lo que toma de eso es "Bueno... si hicieron sobre el cabello yo hago sobre... ¡los pies!." El resto del disco en general muchísimo mejor, se siente como si fuera sobre una nostalgia de algo que se te está escapando de entre los dedos, desde la ironía de variedad de lecturas que le puede dar uno al título, la manera en que la primera canción puede sonar medio chistosa y sin sentido pero cuando se reflexiona la letra de ella y la última canción se vuelve mucho más sombría. La dulzura y clásico de Disney Girls. La psicodelia y letra sin sentido de Feel Flows pero con una producción y orquestación espectacular termina como quizá de las mejores canciones de pop progresivo que he escuchado. El cierre del disco, es lo que lo eleva a clásico, esas tres canciones de Brian Wilson son espectaculares (incluso si una es sobre un arbolito), el órgano de iglesia, el melotrón y la caja de mono cilindrero, el fraseo simple y los coros punteados... nadie hacía música así, es de esas composiciones que equiparan y en varios sentidos superan cualquiera de los experimentos sonoros de los Beatles. Till I Die como si trajera de vuelta la base del sonido surf de inicios del grupo y la deshiciera por completo, reacomodara en algo totalmente depresivo añorante con una de sus mejores letras mostrando como el surf rock puede dar todas esas emociones y sensaciones extrañas que te puede dar el solo escuchar las olas y como si dijera "aquí ya acabó la fiesta solo está el mar pegando en las rocas." Surfs Up cerrando de nuevo con arreglos y música únicos en una canción que de cierto modo tardó cinco años en terminar. Nada más que decir, excelente disco con una canción mala y otra demasiado extraña, a ratos se nota demasiado la variedad de escritores y lo fragmentado de la banda, pero es bastante disfrutable y termina en un cierre grande. Parece que este fue el último "gran" disco de los Beach Boys y si así fuera, se fueron con un excelente destello antes de su decadencia.
Very nice stuff from the boys, consistent theming and excellent sound, but whoever thought that "Take a Load Off Your Feet" should make the final cut needs to be fired lol
You see "Beach Boys," you see "Surf's Up," and you think you know what you're getting into, only for Brian Wilson to treat the title drop at the tail end of the record like some sort of cruel punchline playing on your expectations. On one hand, it feels like they're punching above their weight class with the heavier subject matter—a lot of the songs have a message, but lack nuance ("I know we're all fed up with useless wars and racial strife / but next time there's a riot, well, you best stay out of sight"). On the other, I kind of appreciate the effort, since it's a bit more interesting than the album I pictured in my head, and the sounds are often pleasant, even borderline beautiful on side two. I can definitely see why the Beach Boys have the reputation they do amongst music critics, but I had to push past cheesy environmentalism and songs about washing your feet to get there. Key Tracks: Disney Girls (1957), Feel Flows, 'Til I Die
The kind of weird and soulful record you need to listen to hear once per annum to remind yourself the hippie dream wasn't always just another way to shill the consumer. Eccentric, blissful, goofy. And political as fuck.
A weirdly, subtly sinister Beach Boys record. The songs are, I hesitate to use the word but, solid, just weird in certain spots ("Student Demonstration Day" sticks out the most, super cheery but very, very dark). Not a record I plan on really revisiting. Favorite track: "Disney Girls"
You gotta feel sorry for these guys. They had that snappy, surfy early sixties sound that defined them and brought California to the world. Then the music scene changed and they tried to be more experimental and serious, but I think their original fans wanted to hear Surfin' US and other fans in the 70s, like me, refused to listen to this because it's the Beach Boys and are asking "what's the point?"
Qué buen disco. Sabía poco o casi nada acerca de los Beach Boys; ubicaba las rolas obvias con tono surf y sus tristes intentos en épocas más recientes de explotar esa nostalgia, pero no tenía noción de todo lo que pasó en medio y de todos los cambios musicales que tuvieron. De este disco en especial me gusta que ahondan de hecho casi nada en esa onda surf (sin dejarla de lado) y tampoco sobreproducen sus vocales. Por lo que leí, esto viene por la ausencia de Brian Wilson en la producción, y de hecho veo que las rolas que más me gustaron (Long Promised Road y Student Demonstration) no son de él.
I really enjoyed listening to this album. It was very moving. Besides Surf's Up, the best realized song on this album is Disney Girls (1957).
No i plazowe chlopaki sie wylosowaly, dosc troche ich albumikow przesluchalem i sa dla mnie jak hamerykanski brat blizniak beatelsow, ktory caly czas pozostaje w ich cieniu, podobna ewolucja bojsbendowego grania popowego do powazniejszych plyt juz bardziej typowo rokowych, ciekawa sprawa jest takze to, ze banda byla zalozona przez 3 braci Wilsonowych, ich kuzyna Mika i niepowiazanych krwia Ala i Brucea, wiec dosc rodzinne granie, surfs up, siedemnasty albumik studyjny, jest juz jednym z tego okresu tworczosci, gdzie cukrowe tracki ustepuja temata majacym na celu uswiadomienie sluchacza w konkretnej sprawie, a nie tylko cieszyc ucho, wiec uslyszymy tutaj songi z perspektywy fabryki tlenu, o akwenach, dziury w ziemi, biedaka bezdrobtnego, a to wszystko w rozbudowanych kompozycjach lirycznych, ktore potrafia zamienic song o drzewie w prawdziwy dramat, drwic z wlasnych korzeni surfowego popu, prawiac o poszanowaniu wody, czy o tak prozaicznych rzeczach jak zeby nie byc grubasem i dbac o zdrowie, ale nie sama strona liryczna stoi albumik, bo jednak beach boye sa znane przedewszystkim z tego co jak wygladala produkcja ich materialu, bo sami byli sobie panami produkcji, wiec albumiki wygladly tak jaki mieli koncept, wiec pisanie tutaj o instrumentalach nie ma calkowicie sensu, gdzie tak jak w tracku long promised road cala kompozycja zostala stworzona w calosci przez Carla Wilsona, liryka, instrumenty produkcja, az ciezko w to wierzyc, ze w taki sposob moglby powstawac tak zlozone kawalki, kolejnym punktem wartym uwagi jest uzycie syntezatorow w dosc innowacyjny sposob na feel flows, ostatnim elementem ktory stanowi o tym ze chlopaki z plazy to chlopaki z plazy jest wykorzystanie chorkowania i overduba do tworzenia melodii, taki poziom zgrania bandowego, to cos rzadkiego do uslyszenia, ciezko wybrac cos na dodanie plejkowe, bo takie albumy staram sie sluchac od poczatku do konca, ale gdybym mial cos dodac to chyba tytulowy surfs up, ktory swoja kompozycja przypomina mini opere z tymi ultra wysokimi wokalami i podzialem na trzy czesci 4 minutowego kawalka, bo sam albumik ma tylko 33 minuty, to ciezko znalezc tam jakiekolwiek miejsce ktore mialoby byc zapychaczem, wiec zakonczyc epicka operowa ballada jest jak najbardziej na miejscu, zazwyczaj taki kawalek bylby raczej openingiem
My fav Beach Boys album, I know this is a controvercial take but something about these batch of songs just resonate so hard with me.
I’ve been waiting for some Beach Boys music, as I have only been exposed to their greatest hits and was pretty sure I was missing out on something. I had no idea how true that was... “Don’t Go Near The Water” seemed like a strange opening for an album entitled SURF’S UP by The Beach Boys. But I loved the song. It is heartbreaking how applicable it is 50 years later. I instantly loved “Long Promised Road” with its quiet verses and rocking choruses. The bridge was so beautiful. Couple that with the deep and complex lyrics... such an impressive song. “Take a Load Off Your Feet” is really wild! Strange as it starts off talking about wrinkly feet. “Take good care of your feet, Pete”. Bizarre sound effects abound in this song, including car horns, clanking plates. I loved it! I also loved this version of “Disney Girls (1957)”. Really like the three-syllable treatment of ‘Disney’. I have always loved this song but did a disservice to myself by not seeking out this original. There is so much more dimension in this performance than the covers I've heard. “Student Demonstration Time” has a unique feel but is very well done and catchy - a bit surprising since it is documenting student riots and police shootings. The synthesizer siren is pretty cool - quite a song. "Feel Flows" is so unique and beautiful. "Unfolding enveloping missiles of soul recall senses sadly". The complicated lyrics along with the sort of weird backward overdubbing makes for a really psychedelic while still unmistakably The Beach Boys. I love this song. "Lookin' At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)" is so applicable today it disturbs me to think of how little progress our world has made despite the technical revolutions of the last 5 decades. Really incredible. "A Day in The Life of a Tree" contrasts dramatically to something like "Feel Flows." This elegiac song starts off an you might not suspect it was The Beach Boys. But as the organ swells those unmistakable harmonies join in and the song begins to soar. Another really incredible song. "'Til I Die" is really a beautiful and haunting song that is such a prime example of the happy/sad currents underlying the Beach Boys music. "Surf's Up" is an epic ending to the album that left me stunned. Haunting. The song craft on SURF'S UP is beyond belief. The songs' deep environmental, personal and sociological themes are still sharp and even more pertinent today. I've already listened to this 5 times and every time I get more out of each song. This is one incredible album that has completely changed how I think about The Beach Boys.
Holy holy, what an absolute gem of an album. Can't believe I've never heard it. The album starts with The Beach Boys telling me NOT to go near the water. What? This was unexpected. To be honest, this song is a little cheeseball and a bit too on the nose. It could've been (maybe was) a TV ad for water conservation. But other than the surprising message, this sounds like a Beach Boys song. Long Promised Road is a beautiful, beautiful pop song. I just love it. Can't believe it wasn't a bigger hit. Take a Load Off Your Feet is catchy and ridiculous. I knew Captain & Tennille's cover of Disney Girls but had no idea it was a cover of a Beach Boys song. This is another really lovely pop song with an achingly exquisite melody sung so beautifully by Bruce Johnston. When he sings "oh" in the chorus, it goes straight to my heart. I love this one. From that we go straight to a heavy blues riff and some sirens for Student Demonstration Time. This has some of the best lyrics including, "The pen is mightier than the sword, but no match for a gun." Fuck. Feel Flows definitely sounds like the Beach Boys singing but doesn't sound like a Beach Boys song. The instrumental section is prog rock with flutes and all. This is another one that I love. I don't know what to say about Lookin' At Tomorrow. I just don't. A Day in the Life of a Tree is from the p.o.v. of said tree accompanied by a sad carnival calliope. Again, Til I Die and Surf's Up sure sound like the Beach Boys singing but they are eerie and haunting and the opposite of the carefree surfing songs I've come to expect from these guys. They're stunning. I am so grateful to have been introduced to this precious piece of work. We've only been together, this album and I, for about 24 hours but already we are in a pretty serious relationship that I think is going to last for quite some time.
Probably the nearest the Beach Boys came to making a truly psychedelic album, this is simply masterful. The lyrics are more thoughtful than previously expected and cover some ecological and political themes. The usual vocal harmonies are there of course, plus there are some interesting musical textures. It's disappointing that no Dennis Wilson tracks were included as his songs were to the highlights on the previous Sunflower album. The mood is generally quite mellow with the raucous 'Student Demonstration Time' placed at the end of side one to wake you up after the gently nostalgic 'Disney Girls'. Highlights include 'Don't Go Near The Water', 'Feel Flows', 'Til I Die and the masterful title track. I also have soft spot for the humorous 'Take Good Care of Your Feet'.
One of the better no-Brian albums, in part because it uses so much Smile material. But it also has one of my favourite Beach Boys tracks ever, Disney Girls, evokes a great sense of nostalgia while also critiquing the very same feeling. It does also have Student Demonstration March which is fucking awful sooooo
This album was so good! I thoroughly enjoyed all of it, even if some of the tracks were a bit strange.
I didn’t know this album at all. My knowledge of the Beach Boys begins and ends with Pet Sounds. I really liked this album- it seemed so familiar. I can totally hear where Belle and Sebastian get their sound. Those Harmonies…
not a bad song on this album. didn't think i'd enjoy it but i loved it Long Promised Road #1 Disney Girls and Surf's Up #2 Take A Load Off Your Feet #3 A Day In The Life Of A Tree i know my #2 and #3 are controversial but they're great lol
A tale of two sides. They stuck the experiments that didn't work on Side 1 and the ones that did on Side 2. It's almost as if you can hear them maturing as the album goes on. I doubt that was the intent, but it's my headcanon. Best track: Feel Flows
01/10/2020 Sat in room listening in the morning, WiFi in the block was down. Excellent album and showed me a side of The Beach Boys I was unaware of. Grew up listening to them in the car but had no idea they had such a strong 'non-commercial' side to them. Almost a 5.
surprised me, interesting listen all the way through. Have never heard this side of the beach boys but i like it a lot.
Expected all the over played Beach Boy stuff. Got something that I would listen to again if I were in the mood. Very pleasant.
No me esperaba algo tan diferente. Es único y bastante experimental a mi parecer pero me agradó mucho Realmente pensé que solo se habían dedicado a hacer música sobre olas, arena, sol y malteadas
This album really surprised me. Maybe better than Pet Sounds. It's got a variety of sounds and themes, but they somehow all flow. Not repetitive. Quick and to the point. Definitely heavier than Pet Sounds and early Beach Boys.
A deliberately weird Beach Boys album - yeah, I liked it! Fave track - well, "Surf's Up" sounded most classically Beach Boys, but I think I'm gonna go with "Student Demonstration Time" as being the most unexpected!
Bängeri Skön classical rock. Jännä att jag inte har hört de här låtarna då många av dem är bättre än deras andra kända biisin
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. It was more subdued than I expected from The Beach Boys, and had interesting melodies and lyrics.
Wow, nothing at all like I expected when I saw that the album of the day was a Beach Boys album. Melancholy and socially critical. These songs "slap", as the kids say. Gone are the days of goofy surfing lyrics and "Rah rah rah be true to your school". I like the double meaning of the album title.
Only having heard their hits I didnt know that they did a bit more folkish stuff as well.
I had never wondered what The Beach Boys did between Pet Sounds and Kokomo and yet here is this album. It’s a bit heavy-handed and strange but I like Disney Girls and it’s short. 7
Thoroughly enjoyed it. My bias for chill music is showing but I liked this way better than their more upbeat stuff. High 8.
Nice ironic mix of counterculture and the poppier motifs at the time. Short and sweet listen.
I was not expecting this from the Beach Boys at all. It's complex, deals with themes of global pollution and protest, and dips into genres I would have never thought they would go for. I like this a lot. Favorite song: Long Promised Road
A great, somber, thoughtful, well-produced beautiful album...with fucking “Student Demonstration Time” right in the middle of it 🙄
No hay mucha playa, pero está chulísimo! Me ha sorprendido bastante, no se parece en nada a otras cosas que he escuchado de ellos
-Pretty solid album overall, but the second half was kind of boring -"Student Demonstration Time" was by far the best song
Donkerdere muziek dan wat ik ken van The Beach Boys, al deed de hoes dat ook al vermoeden. Het is af en toe wel een traag album, maar de 40 jaar oude teksten zijn nog altijd brandend actueel
An extremely unique, interesting entry by the Beach Boys. I haven't heard them sound this morose before, it's actually a really sweet sound.
Agree with comments that this can seem a bit disjointed in places but for me thats its charm. The first 4 songs are all great but could be from 4 different bands, not something you always say about TBB. Long Promised Road an absolute classic.
Much better than I was expecting considering the album didn't have any of their well known songs.
Wow! Hatte ich überhaupt nicht auf dem Zettel, dieses psychedelisiert müde, angenehm gebrochene und dann ganz erwachsen wieder zusammengesetzt endlich aus Brians riesigem Schatten getretene Spätwerk der frühen Beach Boys. Trifft heute einen ganz weichen Soft Spot bei mir, muss mich bisschen zügeln, nicht die (vielleicht doch diskutable? Ich weiß es schlicht nicht und bleibe vorsichtig!) Höchstnote zu vergeben für diese großartig aufgebaute Reihe von Hits, die spätestens ab Student Demonstration Time so richtig ins Bewusstsein tritt, nur um jenes dann mit Feel Flows direkt wieder aufs angenehmste zu vernebeln. Leute/Leut: vielleicht hab ich seit jetzt gerade eine neue Lieblingsplatte von den Beach Boys. Ziemlich gut möglich sogar. 4,5 - und vielleicht werden es noch mehr!
I enjoyed this. Even though I have heard my fair share of Beach Boys songs, I didn't know any of the ones on this album. I also feel these songs are quite different from their usual vibe. Enjoyable, though!
Pretty fun album. Would never have recognized it as a Beach Boys album if I hadn't known!
A bit darker than the beach boys I’m used… enjoyed this though. No one can say they don’t know their way around a good tune!
A new discovery for me and one that I really enjoyed. You can hear the growth that reached it's zenith with Pet Sounds, buty this one has a similar feel and dare I say may be a little more accessible. 4 stars
different from what i’d expected from the beach boys. kinda gave eels vibes and i enjoyed it
I do love me some Beach Boys and was happy to see one of there albums pop up on the list. I was not familiar with this one. I was definitely different that the sound that I am familiar with. The music and vocals seemed to lack a richness. I don't know if that was more the production or the compositions. Overall, it was good.
I guess I didn't really know what happened to The Beach Boys between 1966 and 1988. There was a lot more than I imagined, and this was a really amazing experience for me. Really interesting, varied stuff! Different voices, different styles...always a hint of earlier Beach Boys there. I loved "Disney Girls (1957)" and "Feel Flows" and "'Til I Die" and "Surf's Up," maybe all for different reasons. The songs "Don't Go Near the Water" and "Student Demonstration Time" and "A Day in the Life of a Tree" are fascinating looks at 1971 through an adapting Beach Boys lens. I really enjoyed this "discovery," and feel that several of these songs will stay with me for some time.
I enjoyed this more then I thought i would, since it is not a beach boys album I had heard before.
Disc de ressaca d'una década. Mateixos vibes en aquest sentit que 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', però radicalment diferent en quant a plantejament, filosofia i motivacions. Les harmonies vocals tracten de recuperar l'esperança dels 60, però es veuen maniatades per unes melodies i temàtiques opressives, pessimistes, apesarades. Tot plegat, però, tot i ser molt lluny de la immediatesa de les seves primeres obres, transpua una qualitat i pes artístic de primer nivell
Djeluje čak depresivnije/mračnije od onoga što su prije radili, i dobro je, također je i cover odličan. Sviđa mi se album. Nije mi u potpunosti odličan, ali je dobar! Prvi dio albuma iliti prva strana je jača od druge. Imo. Najdraža mi je Feel Flows, taman na tom prijelazu na drugu stranu albuma.
I did not expect to hear Mike Love sing an ode to feet but here we are. This still holds up against other BB works but I don't think I'd choose it over Smile, Pet Sounds, or their early work.
I visualize this journey as a day at the beach, or maybe at the woody mountains (the original title of this album was "Landlocked" but they resurrected the discarded track from 1966, "Surf's Up", and made it a decent closing track for the album). In the early morning, the cool and welcoming vibes was captured by "Don't Go Near the Water". I love the casual and slightly trippy energy of it. The rest of the morning, the first half of the album, is pretty bland. Just a bunch of forgettable Beatles-esque tracks. At noon, a riot erupted. "Student Demonstration Time" is a bit of a rocker with a dark theme. But even that is forgettable and not that great. The fun began when the sun sets. The beautiful sound of "Feel Flows" painted the crimson-going-indigo colors of such calm time of the day. The ocean went from blue to black. And the winds became more solid and cool. It's nighttime, and while everyone is beginning to sleep, the nature is just waking up. I love this "nighttime" part, the second-half of the album. It's trippy and oftentimes emotional. The sound conjures images of walking alone in the beach at night. Almost haunting, but cool and relaxing. It's like being spiritually close to nature. It was night. And nature was wide awake. . . . And the lyrics? Perhaps extending the metaphor and narrating this as the reason for spending a day at some beach? To ponder about some social issues, especially environmental ones. Perhaps their true motive is just to re-ignite the band's public image, and that might be the reason it felt messy. But the few stellar tracks are worth experiencing. I might not come back to experience the whole album, but I would listen to those tracks again. Perhaps at a vacation in the woods. Man, this album made me want to experience and smell those woods and leaves and soil again.
Hey wait a minute, this isn't the soundtrack to the hit 2007 computer animated film? My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined. Oh wow, I was not ready for how bluesy "Student Demonstration Time" is! The guitar and vocals on that track have some got-damn attitude. I had no idea The Beach Boys had that in them. Also holy shit, the lyrics to that song are socially conscious as fuck and are still relevant today. Wow yeah this album is way different than what I've previously heard from this group. I was expecting some "round round get around I get around" type of beat, not this deep, existential sonic experience - I'm all for it!
A new discovery for me and one that I really enjoyed. You can hear the growth that reached it's zenith with Pet Sounds, but this one has a similar feel and dare I say may be a little more accessible. 4 stars
A more mature and melancholy Beach Boys. It’s maybe not completely fair, but I can’t help comparing this to Holland - which they released 2 years later. Similar vibes but nothing on this one stands out as particularly fun or memorable.
It's terribly unfair I know, but this is both a brilliant album, and the start of the decline. Any other band and it'd likely be their very best, but while this is interesting as hell - what if the Beach Boys were really quite sad - it falls short of their imperial phase. Surf's Up is still essential listening... Just not life changing...
I enjoy The Beach Boys but don't think I've ever listened to this one. I dug it a lot though. The cover art is fantastic and quite different for them. The psych pop elements are really great.
Very much not what I was expecting from the Beach Boys, as somebody who knows almost nothing about them. Excellent, though.
The cover art is arresting. Don Quixote meets Poseidon meets that Native American who cried because of all the litter. Oil painting brush strokes and a name plate like you'd find on a painting in a museum. The grim subject of the painting and the somber colors really contrast with both the name of the band and the name of the album. The first track, Don't Go Near The Water, is genuinely sad and despairing. Although I guess ultimately optimistic that maybe it isn't too late for our poor planet if we all wake up and do something. Shame that we didn't, isn't it? The rest of the album goes on in that same cautionary vein, personal, societal, environmental. Honestly the themes sound like the same bunch of hippies who thought up Earth Day. It is still the Beach Boys, so even though the album is mostly a downer it is still gorgeous to listen to. None of the tracks are especially catchy in and of themselves. But the songs flow together making quite a pretty package. Am I glad I heard this before I died? Yes. Am I likely to listen to it again? Probably. A Day in the Life of a Tree could be called Bran Stark's Lament.
nice first exposure to beach boys ever, album anyway i have heard like,,, god only knows and wouldn't it be nice, i'm not a complete moron
Wasn't really feeling this. It was my first time hearing every song on this album, or at least the first time actively listening to it. I only really liked student demonstration time, especially since this this track can still relate to how social issues are demonstrated against nearly 50 years later. Overall, the album is too mellow for me... Lol @ "The pen is mightier than the sword, but no match for a gun!" - Student Demonstration Time
Thought this was great. Not the Beach Boys I'm used to. Harder edged, more sombre, very cool. 3.4
Interesting variety, not as strong as Pet sounds or smiley smile. Still like the album though
¿Los Beach Boys cantando blues, y además de protesta? Woaooo Leí que este disco fue un intento de los BB para “reinventarse” y tratar de salir del estereotipo en el que se encontraban, y al menos musicalmente lo lograron. Creo que les hubiera ido mejor si hubieran cambiado de nombre o creado otra banda, pero entiendo que deshacerte de tu “marca” no es tan fácil, y seguro era más difícil hace 40 años. Desde el punto de vista musical, si bien me gustaron las canciones, ninguna me atrapó. Aparte del blues me llamó la atención que algunas canciones le dan un aire los Arctic Monkeys o Jet; así que fue un disco bastante vanguardista, pero a la vez un tanto gris. Como que este disco no envejeció tan bien. De todas formas fue interesante escuchar algo diferente de estos muchachos, y probablemente lo volvería a escuchar.
Pet Sounds it is not. There are some fine tunes here but overall nothing super impressive.
This is really good. Haven't listened to much Beach Boys post-60s, but this is interesting. 3.5 stars.
I like the fact that it is short and sweet. Three stars because it's a good album. No more than that because I'm quite sure it's highly likely I won't listen to it again... *shrugs*
A bit of a departure from their previous albums, not as cohesive as I would like but some solid gems throughout
Mi favorita fue "Student Demonstration Time". Un sonido muy de su época, como de drogas y puro chill. Me gustó escucharlo y disfruté los cambios de voces. Sin embargo, no me quedaría escuchándolo constantemente. 7/10
5. I can't take the beach boys seriously enough to listen to them talk about the current events of the past
This was not the Beach Boys sound I was expecting because their hits were fun, upbeat songs which I love. However, having seen a biopic of Brian Wilson, I just think he was an amazing talent. Disney Girls was from the year I was born and was probably my favourite. *** or **** ?
A move away from what I’m used to with The Beach Boys but liked it for the most part nonetheless. Am guessing that Wilson’s eccentricity informed some of less conventional songs. All in all an enjoyable listen
I like several songs by Beach boys, but none of them is on that album. I wasn't very impressed, so I am deciding between 2 and 3. Maybe because of melody and some lyrics I am gonna give it a 3, but maaan.
It’s just brilliant in places. Will still come back to this but will probably skip too many tracks to warrant more than a 3/5
Sonne forcément vieillot, mais de belles surprises. Album court, ce qui joue en sa faveur etant donné que je commençais à me lasser. 2 saves sur 10.
The album's title and cover artwork (a painting based on the 19th-century sculpture "End of the Trail") are an ironic, self-aware nod to the band's early surfing image. Lyrically, Surf's Up addresses environmental, social, and health concerns more than the group's previous releases.
The explicit social commentary the Beach Boys tried on this album feels really clumsy and forced, while "Take a Load Off Your Feet", a song literally about looking after your feet, sounds like an advertising jingle. I can't work out whether they are being sincere or taking the piss. That's kind of the problem I have with this record. In parts it's amazing, in other parts it's decidedly "meh" and feels like the group were running on fumes creatively.
This album was alright and contains social commentary. I don't think it is their best work.
I have never been a special fan of the Beach Boys. although this album definitely shows that their talents extend beyond beach party music, I was not won over
Kinda boring ngl, need to be in a specific mood for this. Too many boys, not enough beach. 3/5.
Fun, but most of the songs are "happy-ish old music that I've heard somewhere before" type, without standing out too much. Rating: 42/69 Fav song after first listen: A Day In The Life Of A Tree
never gone out of my way to listen to the beach boys, definitely was not expecting this album to be so dark/introspective. 3/5
captures the beach boys at just about the exact moment they teetered over the cliff but it ain't bad at all. brian wilson's songs are all stacked at the end of the album so at least it goes out on the high mark. the songs composed by other members have a real store-brand beatles feel to them, which is odd considering the two bands' rivalry.
Found it mostly alright. Was expecting something more "up" when I saw it was the beach boys. YTMusic's tidbit about it being album number 17 should maybe have given away a little more about why that wasn't gonna be the case.
There is a sophisticated beauty in songs like Surf's Up and Feel Flows. Disney Girls (1957) and 'Til I Die have gorgeous melodies. A grower of a 'listening' album. Not quite 4, but I think it will get there after a few more listens.
Steering a long way from the beach here into much deeper water. An interesting move that results in a lyrical win though not always a musical one.
It's The Beach Boys. You either like them or you don't, but this isn't their strongest effort.
Bahnbrechend und erhellend, weshalb sich so viele auf die Beach Boys berufen. Ihr Sound ist großartig doch die Songs leiden etwas an der selbstauferlegten Ideologie eines Aufbaus basierend auf einfach angeschlagenen Piano Tönen, die mal wieder eine Ableitung gefundenes bei den stets verehrten Super Furry Animals (listen to „Atomik Lust“) Deswegen 3.4
Not your typical Beach Boys sound, but this is really nice. I really enjoyed the songs. I think after hearing it more the rating will go up quite a bit. Right now I'll give it a 3/5 for first listen. Stand Outs: Disney Girls (I always loved the Art Garfunkel version, and didn't know it was originally a Beach Boys song).
Much as I like the close harmonies and the jangly upbeat tempo of the better-known hits of the Beach Boys, this album could only be described as "pleasing". There are some lovely melodies and catchy hooks, but it rarely raises the pulse while listening. Californian background music at best, in my view.
This is my first "deep cut" Beach Boys, and I'm not super impressed. There are some callbacks to the surf-rock harmonies, and some Jethro Tull-like explorations (and flute).
not your "classic" Beach Boys album, a lot more politically aware and less "young and fun"
Had a very Beatles sound, wouldn't have guessed any of the tracks on this album were the Beach Boys. A bit political. Fun listen. Not their best though.
Honestly don't remember much of it other than "Feel Flows". Wasn't what I was expecting and on reading about the history realized it was a band trying to reconnect with fans after some disappointing albums.
This is very disorienting. Nothing like what I know of the Beach Boys, and I respect that they just kinda did what they wanted and flipped a bird to their expectations. It's a strange mix of songs: socially conscious (DGNTW and Student Demonstration Time), nostalgic and tropey but lush (Disney Girls), whimsical (TALOYF). Another one of those "glad i listened," but what mood do you need to be in to return to it as a whole? Solid 3.
Primera escolta d'aquest àlbum dels The Beach Boys. Amb Brian Wilson recuperant-se dels seus problemes mentals, la resta del grup aconsegueix un àlbum interessant i força entretingut, amb cançons i arranjaments inspirats.
It's not Pet Sounds, is it? There are some great songs on here, namely the last three tracks. The rest of the album? Not that that great. This album is marred by soupy production and a patchy song choice, especially "Student Demonstration Time" which just sounds condescending and dated rather than being the protest song it intended to be.
I'm still not quite sure how I feel about by this one. There are some truly wonderful songs here and some duds as well. The sound and lyrics of this record were very surprising to me. Going to give it a 3 for now. I think it could potentially be a 4 for me with some more listens.
Wow, that was The Beach Boys? A very strange album. Student Demonstration Time is so out of the blue, it’s crazy. Interesting harmonies in several songs.
Nisam ih baš nikad uzeo slušat, a ovaj sad album mi je baš bio dobar, svaka pjesma na mjestu, aaaaal nije četvorka.
Nije lose, dobri su mi decki. Al nije mi nijedna stvar ostala u glavi sa ovog albuma, pa ne znam, nema odusevljenja. Trojka
more interesting content than i expected from the beach boys, clearly they realized they needed a deeper sound for this later album. 3.5 but rounding down as it feels like a band doing a well-executed catch-up (which still deserves praise!), rather than something groundbreaking.
Dare I say it is a rich man’s version of The Zombies? Prob not, because I actually liked The Zombies a little more than this. Not what I consider a typical Beach Boys album as it less happy-harmony and more something else. I was only familiar with “Student Demonstration Time” - good tune, but lyrics didn’t always click with the tone (e.g. Kent State reference). It’s a 3+, but not enough here for me to round up.
First time listening to this. Never discovered before. Last run of songs very melodic. Have added to playlist going forward. Nice.
3.4 - decent album with a distinctly non-Beach Boys sound. Enjoyed “Don’t Go Near the Water”, but not sure I’ll be revisiting any time soon.
I didn't think I would like this album at all but was pleasantly surprised. Really liked Disney Girls, Student Demonstration Time, Long Promised Road.
Just like the waves of the Pacific, the highs (the first two tracks and the last three tracks) were high. But the low tides were low. Three Surfs up out of five.
Where did this come from? The last 2 Beach Boys albums i got were pretty light, this was far more interesting.
I would never have known this was The Beach Boys. Feels very 60's/70's (barely 70s, I suppose). Was not particularly familiar with any of it except Surf's Up, which I only heard for the first time recently anyway. Just okay. At least a different style than the 50's style of most of the group's other familiar work.
Naive but occasionally sweet. Reminds me of Paul McCartney's later Beatles contributions. but doesn't have any edge to it. Even the bluesy Student Demonstration Time just sounds like a protest song that bunch of 13 year olds might write. Weedy. No soul.
Genre: Psychedelic Pop 3/5 What are we as music listeners without the historical relevance and inspiration provided by The Beach Boys. Songs like Good Vibrations, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, and I Get Around are pop music staples, and their discography is full of hits and classics. But we’re post-Pet Sounds. They’re relevance has since waned, and their cultural relevance was only kept afloat by their songs of the past 5-10 years. With Surf’s Up, their 17th(!) album, the emphasis on arrangement and cohesion is quite apparent. Brian Wilson didn’t feel like doing nearly everything himself this time, a la Pet Sounds, but that’s where he went wrong. Brian Wilson provides us one of the group’s best, the title track and outro Surf’s Up, but his contributions aren’t truly felt until the end of the album, and with Mike Love’s woke-piece Student Demonstration Time, and songs like Feel Flows, which is beautiful, but never truly takes off to hit that true peak like I know these guys are capable of. Overall, some big time songs on here, and great production, but a bit flat and inconsistent. It ain’t Pet Sounds, that’s for sure.
I love The Beach Boys but I did not especially enjoy this album. Without Brian Wilson’s active role in the production, the vocal arrangements are not the usual tight harmony that I’ve come to expect from the Beach Boys. For me it was a rather maudlin album.
I guess I prefer them as surfer wannabes over hippies. Or maybe they should have spent more time on convincing Brian Wilson to get out of bed. My favorite songs here feature Carl on lead vocals.
This was a revelation. I'm familiar with Pet Sounds, and to be honest, not that mad for it. This one's a far more interesting piece of work. Apart from the Student Protest song, which is terrible.
From PSAs about your feet to ripping student riot manifestos, this LP clearly isn’t interested in any kind of coherence as a musical whole. It does read as genuine, however, mostly thanks in part to the passion and catchiness that are a part of every tune on here no matter how diverse.
Half a great album. Transcendent moments are bundled up with variety show rubbish. I see Mike Love's lumpen refusal to try anything new butting up against the Wilson's experimental passion. When it works, it's amazing. There just aren't enough of those beautiful waves of melody.
Familiar as I might have been with The Beach Boys, their legacy and influence, and their hits, I hadn't a clue that they went in this direction during their history. Interesting to hear them get into important issues like environmental protection that still resonate today, and musically this is a bit of a departure from the hits I knew from growing up. I admire The Beach Boys for their music and vocal harmonies even though I don't really listen to them in any form and haven't for a long time. That's just a personal preference. This is good stuff.
I think there are better Beach Boys albums, but I don't think it is necessarily a bad album. It flows a little strangely and is a bit more experimental at times than I really enjoy.
No. More. Beach. Boys. Please. BUT, this one is less Beach Boys-y that the last several. I don't know why they're on this list so much though. I mean, This much Beach Boys before I die? Seems outrageous. Feel Flows is good. I'd like to hear They Might Be Giants cover some of these songs. 3.5/5
The Beach Boys make it hard to be a fan of hte Beach Boys. The early stuff is easy to like, but the lack of actual substance wears thin quickly. Then, Brian Wilson stops touring and focuses solely on recording while the rest of the band is on the road. This produces their best record "Pet Sounds" which will be a 5/5 when it comes up on this list. With that success, Brian Wilson is emboldened to expand the art further and starts making Smile. The sessions are scrapped because he lost his shit, precipitated by Mike Love's gaslighting and emotional abuse. Then, thorugh the 70s, the band makes spotty records - including Surfs Up. I like the quiet and laid back nature of some of these songs and the production. But the songs aren't good. EXCEPT "Til I Die" and "Surfs Up," the latter of which was a song that escaped the acrimony of the Smile sessions and made it onto this record. They are both beautiful and haunting songs. And they are the only reasons this record gets a 3/5 instead of 1/5.
This album has many elements shared by great 70s rock music, and The Beach Boys have their own style too. Yet somehow, none of the songs are memorable, but I cannot determine what specifically is missing.
Not too enthusiastic about it tbh.. seems mellow but forgettably so. Student Demonstration Time was a welcome change of pace and tone. Cool vocal echo effects and guitar response to each line. Sounds like the beatles. Lookin' At Tomorrow was a good one too. Just fine overall.
In which the Beach Boys were encouraged to modernise and did so to the point where they sounded weirdly dated. Actually, the whole album is kind of weird, a mix of some of their best and worst material and most of it buried under a mix I found hard to penetrate (at least the version I heard sounded kind of thick, maybe there's a brighter version out there somewhere). I don't really get the general love for this.
Not what I expected from the beach boys. Not necessarily bad but I found it just lacking that little extra something. The songs were very similar to each other and could have done with some variation
Great sounds and production, but no song really stands out. There is nothing too engaging on this album.
This.... isn't very good? The jingles are gone, it's all serious, heaps of introspective meandering shit. I guess the success of the Beatles got to them? Apparently it was a hit. I think it's lame. 2/5.
Ingen höjdare direkt. Fortfarande bättre än både Pet Shop Boys och Back Street Boys iaf.
Tried to hard to sound topical. Some of it sounded like traditional Beach Boys. Other parts sounded like they were trying to keep up with the early 70s Joneses.
Not sure I liked this one. Sounds like more songs of that moment. Not the typical Beach Boy sound I know so was a bit turned off
One star for sonic variety (though that is probably a result of having to listen to a Nick Drake album recently). One star for Disney girls. The rest seems held back by laughably clumsy and heavy handed lyrics. Definitely one strange album.
Feels a lot like some Weezer albums, so now I know where they get their inspiration. Probably not the first time that anyone has used organ music and a choir, but still interesting to hear...
There was perhaps some potential there but not much, and most of the enjoyable bits were overshadowed by the annoying ones such as ambulance sounds and strange vocalizations.
not very good. I honestly hate Brian Wilson’s songwriting. it’s fine when it’s catchy songs about surfing or whatever but the lyrics on this album just come off sounding asinine when they try to deal with serious subjects. there are nice harmonies but they can't really save it, especially on slower songs. Also the production is pretty bad. 4
I think I was expecting better. Found it a bit aggravating at times but might just need to give it another listen
The decline of the boys. 5 years after pet sounds and it's noticable. Weaker, not all that out there. A mediocre beach boys album.
Está ok, no suena a nada novedoso hoy en día pero entiendo como puedo haber influenciado a muchos grupos indies. Tiene más en común con música de los 60s o de los 80s que con música de su misma época. Pero en general me dan medio pereza los Beach Boys
Not your father's Beach Boys. Pretty creative and different for a 17th album. Breaks the Beach Boys pop mold. Hmmm. Interesting.
Better than Pet Sounds in my opinion. One thing that strikes me is most of what I hear from the BB doesn't sound like the BB I expect to hear.
"TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR FEET" - a love letter to podiatry and orthopedics. Otherwise, not the usual sound I associate with the Beach Boys.
I'm struggling a bit to find positive things to say but I'll try. Given how pathetic I am at whistling I always like songs with a whistling solo. So Disney Girls works for me. I guess the lack of CSNY style harmonies is also a nice change. On Feel Flows, was that a guitar solo? Some might think that a guitar solo is a little out of the ordinary on a Beach Boys tune. In theory it was a good idea but it's too bad the solo sucked. Didn't any of these guys have Clapton's or Page's phone number? It's unfortunate that so many bands have a pride of workmanship that gets in the way of bringing in hired guns. Clapton's solo on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" tremendously improved the song. Hats off to George et al for being open to the "outsider". On this album it seems the B Boys were trying to throw out their "apple pie" image. The should've replaced the apple pie with a slice of humble pie and brought in a hot shot.
etwas mehr dringlichkeit und schmalz steht ihnen ja ganz gut, aber warum das auf dieser liste sein muss… keine ahnung.
Don't get it, sounds like the worst of early 2000s indie bands with way too much production and vocal harmonies. Some of the songs were decent "Don't go near the water", "Feel flows" but the rest are just blah.
Today has made me realise that at some point 'Pet Sounds', aka the world's most overrated album, is going to pop up for me to listen to. I can never quite put my finger on why I struggle to like it. Nice harmonies for sure, but the actual songs were never that good. It always seems that the people who praise it are doing so for the technicalities but the same people always seem to hate technical ability in other music. This is more of the same, but with some terrible lyrics and sounding very muzak at times. This album could only have come out in the very early 70s. The title track is ok in a bunch of harmonies tacked together to form a song way.
This album was a surprise. I had never heard any of these songs and they are not like their other songs. And the album cover is not one I would expect Beach Boys to have. Still not my cup of tea though.
Surf’s Up by The Beach Boys (1971) The Beach Boys are loved for their signature style of ‘surfer rock’: hot rods, surfboards, summertime, pretty girls. But that’s not what we get on this album. Indeed the only mention of surfing is in the single, unnecessary, and mournfully obscure line in the closing title track: “Surf’s up, mm-mm”. Unconnected. Embarrassingly ironic (as in ‘Surf may be up, but we’ve run out of daffy things to say about it, so here are some daffy things about more important stuff’). The phrase is awkwardly out of place in an expressionistic pastiche about everything but the joys of catching a wave. Indeed the only track that remotely touches the subject of surfing is the environmentalist alarum “Don’t Go Near the Water”. What’s going on here? We get plenty of their simple and pretty (if sophomoric) melodies, goofy effects and a decent dose of their beautiful vocal harmonies. And we even have some very nice, dreamy chamber choir/jazz fusion (“Surf’s Up”). But this album qua album takes The Beach Boys in a new direction, and I don’t think I want to follow. We get student protest (“Student Protest Time”) which, like everything emanating from students, clearly reveals that they aren’t finished learning. Those of us who were students at the time quickly came to the realization that Revolution is for professionals. In this song, The Beach Boys reduce protest to farce. Listen to MC5 and grow up, dudes. We get tree-hugging (A Day in the Life of a Tree”), in spades. They’re trying so hard to be sincere. We get proletarian lament “Lookin’ at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)” that is waiting till next semester for Econ 101. This record is self iconoclasm, if not self loathing. 2/5
I like the Beach Boys, but found this album odd. I ended up putting Pet Sounds on afterwards to recalibrate myself.
Why would you do a Beach Boys album without Brian Wilson? It's like The Jackson 3, NSYNC without Timberlake or Destiny's Twins. It's like a poor photocopy of Harry Nilsson on a bad day.
Boring. Listened to it twice through and the standout tracks from the first listen were worse the second time.
This album is the 17th from the Beach Boys. It received favorable reviews at release and sold a lot better than their previous albums, although none of the singles from this album ever hit the charts. To me, I like the older Beach Boys material better, but this album was fine to listen to as well. Not the same spunky, beach vibes as older music, but that's what makes this album unique for the band. Definitely worth a listen at the very least.
Listened Before? N Drugs. There's not enough of them to make me like this album. I don't get it. Pros: Student Demonstration Time is a decent political song. Cons: After reading the history of the record, I understand that it was a comeback of sorts for the band, and that's fantastic for them. I don't understand why is consistenly ranked in the top albums of all time though. It really feels like they were attempting to become the "American Beatles" here. The vocals are not what I expect from the Beach Boys, and the instrumentation seems intentionally experimental. Added to Library? (Yes/No/Partial) - P Added: Student Demonstration Time
I'm not gonna top Craig's review, but will agree with y'all about the mixed bag nature of this one. First of all, how many Beach Boys records do we even need on this list? And yet we still haven't had a single Black Sabbath album. Satan's not gonna be too happy about this and neither am I. But I do like "Feel Flows." And that artwork! There's a Don Quixote vibe to that painting. Cool image.
Strange stuff here. I don't actually like the 'classic' Beach Boys harmony sound; comes across as a mess of whooping and hooting. That material sounds tired on this album; and elsewhere, the 'lighter' stuff about feet and trees and whatnot is embarrassing. But there are hints of more interesting horizons here 'n' there, and 'Disney Girls' is a great tune whichever way you fold it.
"Hey guys, you know, this world is facing a lot of problems, ya know?" "Yeah, some pretty bad problems." "Agreed. Let's make up some songs about 'em right now and record 'em." "Record 'em right now?" "Yeah. Strike while the iron's hot, ya know? Don't overthink it." "Sure, sure. But maybe if you took a day or two, and kind of worked the songs out before you recorded 'em --" "We're the fucking Beach Boys, Jerry. Roll tape!"
104. Surfs up - The Beach Boys 10 tracks Was looking forward to this but was seriously underwhelmed. Just pretty bang average. Nothing stood out in a good way and this really wasn't for me at all. 2/5
No. Well, I listened to a couple of these songs. It's a lot different than Pet Sounds that everyone talks about and seems to love but which I hate. Buy I still don't like the Beach Boys.
Interesting album, and a little different - but I just don't like the Beach Boys. I can understand why others do - but I don't
Erstmals empfinde ich eine Platte, an der Brian Wilson beteiligt ist, nicht komplett scheußlich. Gute 2.
Maybe the worst Beach Boys album I’ve ever heard? “Let’s write a song about water pollution!” “Let’s write a song about student protests!” “Let’s try and be relatable and relevant to todays youth!” It just comes across as pandering and inauthentic. Furthermore it’s obvious Brian Wilson had little to do with this, and it’s just overall a downward slide from Pet Sounds and the early Beach Boys.
Not good. I LOVE earlier Beach Boys, but really feel they were lacking after BW's breakdown. 2/5
Not a Beach Boys fan. Album didn't resonate with me. Watched the Trainrecords on the 90's Beach Boys album that was garbage instead of getting through this entire album.
This was a weird album compared to the rest of their stuff. Didn't finish the album also.
Pretty boring and forgettable. "17th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys released in 1971 (band was formed in 1961) ... It received largely favorable reviews and reached number 29 on the US record charts, becoming their highest-charting LP of new music in the US since 1967"
Is this the worlds first example of "Go Woke, Go Broke:". Thankfully this album has been forgotten.
I never really cared for the Beach Boys anyway, but I was a little excited to give them another shot in the context of this list. And then - horrible disappointment. Apparently, in the later years, the Beach Boys got away from what at least made them unique - the happy, fun surfing and driving music - and attempted to make an experimental protest album about the environment and civil unrest. That's not their bag, man. This sounds like if the Lorax dropped acid and put his shitty poetry to music.