Surf's Up

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.

*deletes student demonstration time* Ahhh a perfect album

What on earth is this album supposed to be

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.

This was not surfin USA. Man they were special.

I know this isn’t a five star record. Logically, it can’t be. Student Demonstration Time is laughably bad, Disney Girls is schmaltzy and sounds dated (even by Beach Boys standards) and A Day in the Life of a Tree is legitimately bizarre. But also… This is a 5 star record. It’s dark, psychedelic, and weird. It’s all over the place and isn’t quite as finely polished as other Beach Boys records. Not to say it’s poorly produced, however. It’s a Beach Boys record, after all. It’s a very layered and lush record, it just has more of a DIY, home-y kind of feel to it: a little ramshackle, but in the best possible way. The highs they hit on songs like the absolutely amazing Surf’s Up and Feel Flows, ‘Til I Die, Long Promised Road, Don’t Go Near the Water and Lookin’ at Tomorrow more than make up for the lows on the songs I mentioned earlier. And honestly, Disney Girls and A Day in the Life of a Tree aren’t bad, the production on both is well done and I don’t always skip them. They’re just a little off by comparison to the rest of the record. “Student Demonstration Time” is the only real, true blue stinker - if you ever wondered what it would be like to watch Mike Love dance burlesque while giving an oral history of protests in the late sixties….go listen to Student Demonstration Time. It sucks and I think there’s a pretty good case for it as the worst Beach Boys song ever released. But enough about that doofus Mike Love, Surf’s Up is a classic Beach Boys record and, frankly, it’s my favorite of theirs.

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.

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

Yeah I mean it’s the fucking beach boys. You get what you pay for.

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.

Brian Wilson died yesterday, the generator throws me a Beach Boys album today. Appropriate. This isn't your cleancut Beach Boys, this is your animal style fries Beach Boys. This album kicks ass. Listen to it until you get it.

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.

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"

Nice, I really liked it. It sound so dark and sweet at the same time

Never cared much for them but good god I'd rather listen to an asmr of a colonoscopy than whatever the hell this was

5/5 RIP Brian Wilson

Obviously bangers

This is where the Beach Boys became Beach Men

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?"

I hate the Beach Boys.

Found out from r/1001AlbumsGenerator today that Brian Wilson passed yesterday and now I'm in a crappy mood. Especially since I reviewed "Pet Sounds" just two days ago and called Brian a diva lovingly. (I haven't even listened to The Beach Boys regularly in a couple of years, but he was dearly beloved.) — Now, I couldn't give the record any less than five, but I wasn't planning on that regardless. "Surf's Up" has been my favourite Beach Boys record — as well as their musical comeback. The whole mood of the album is eerie and dark — a stark contrast from The Beach Boys's bubbly and sappy earlier work. It is certainly more desolate and reflective, dealing with heavier topics than young love. While "Disney Girls (1957)" has a dreamlike, vintage quality and reminds me of Sunday drowses, "A Day in the Life of a Tree" and "'Til I Die" are haunting and f**king beautiful. "I'm a leaf on a windy day Pretty soon I'll be blown away How long will the wind blow? How long will the wind blow? (Until I die) Until I die These things I'll be until I die" "Surf's Up" (song) is a groundbreaking track. It can't get better than that. Carl’s voice carries a kind of childlike innocence that’s just gorgeous. (I was originally intending to sh** on Mike Love's infamous "Student Demonstration Time" but I'm not in the right headspace anymore. All I'll say is that you should skip that track.) Overall a ★★★★★ record. Please give it a spin. And...thanks for the memories, Brian. You shaped my early teenagehood more than you could have ever known. Whenever I listen to your music, I am brought back to that special place, where the sun shone brighter and the air smelled sweeter.

Surf’s Up (the song) is my favourite song of all time since some times now. Of course I’ll rate it 5/5. 💔

Coincidence this appeared the day after Brian Wilson died? I don't know how to rate this. This album has some of the very best Beach Boys tunes - songs that are so emotionally intense for me to hear that I would approve any of them to be played at my funeral (Surf's Up, Feel Flows, Til I Die) - and yet also some of the worst tunes that I can't stand to listen to and may permanently damage your sense of aesthetics in music - I mean, A Day In The Life Of A Tree can't be unheard, so tread carefully here. Feel Flows is a super strange song, I have no idea what Carl Wilson is singing about. I understand the words phonically but I do not understand them literally. Yet somehow the goofy synthesizer sounds hit just right and overall this tune has what I can only describe as a spiritual quality that can bring me to joyful tears. My eyes get watery even just thinking about how this tune makes me feel. Also, it was used to great effect at the end of Almost Famous (great movie!). 'Til I Die, the lyrics are pretty clear. Also, I believe this is the only Beach Boys tune Brian wrote all of the lyrics for? Apparently a straightforward articulation of a shattered man staring down a lifetime sentence of having to live with himself. Devastating, and with gorgeous singing all the way around. Surf's Up is probably the peak of Brian Wilson's songwriting talent. His magnum opus. Probably the peak of anyone's songwriting talent, actually. Again, no idea wtf they think they are singing about. Columnated ruins domino? What?!? Brian struggled for years to get to a point with it where he felt it was "done" and actually I don't think he ever felt it was done. Fun fact: the middle part where it's just Brian singing and playing piano was recorded live in Brian's living room as part of a TV special Leonard Bernstein made on him. Bernstein is I believe sharing the piano stool with him. Can you imagine? I think nowadays the Samaritans or some other anti suicide group would sue to keep this album from ending with the devastating combo of Til I Die and Surfs Up. I am giving this five stars because the three good tunes are to my ears some of the most powerful and emotionally compelling music ever made, at least ever made by humans, and on this five star scale easily merit 10 stars. However, I have owned this vinyl for at least twenty years and possibly never once played it all the way through because the shitty tunes are so shitty they merit no stars. So when I average them out, we get to five stars.

I liked this album more than their early silly shallow stuff. The songs here are somber, full of warnings and questions and wistfulness. I hadn’t heard a single one of them before, so I gained a greater appreciation for the Beach Boys’ breadth of talent.

Get this album on 12.06.25 Listened instead most of Beach Boys discography for a whole day. Especially “Smile Sessions”. I wasn’t a big fan, although always admired their craft and inspiration for others. But Brian was a true genius. As Sean Lennon called him “American Mozart”. Rest in piece. And album is great. Eclectic, swift, sophisticated. And I truly believe, if “Surf’s Up” (single) actually realeased in 1967 (with “Smile”) we would have different music scene today.

-0 skips. F the haters, be a man and listen to A Day In The Life Of A Tree -Less talked about Beach Boys album but I think it’s gold. Long Promised Road and Feel Flows are 10/10

Surf's Up is imperfect perfection. Not every track here is technically perfect, but the non-perfect tracks are sandwiched in between so much amazing material that you don't notice their imperfections. Here we see the whole band offering creative input, and it just works so well, highlighting the importance of each member to the group. Still, Brian leaves the biggest mark here by reminding us what makes the Beach Boys special; vocal arrangements on top of unique chord structures that take you to a new world and have you scratching your head at just how someone can think of that.

Brian Wilson at his best. Every song is a treat!

By 1971, the Beach Boys were so far matured beyond their earlier sun in the fun aesthetic that their tragically-titled Surf’s Up LP could open up with a track called ‘Don’t Go Near the Water’. Such a song starts off with scary paranoid piano and some bubbly bursts of wah-wah guitar. Lines like “don’t you think it’s sad … our water’s going bad” imply problems of pollution; such socio-conscious stuff shows that the Beach Boys had suddenly become Beach Men concerned for their world. Nevertheless, the whole tune is couched in a classic Beach Boys vocal arrangement, a simple and stately melody clothed in the well-sewn easy-breathing garments of harmony. After a few very fun verses (complete with squirly synth bass and underwater banjo), the song turns into a heavenly jam session: harmonica wistfully whistling and church-boy choir crooning over mandolin-style madness enrapturing. Slow soulful song ‘Long Promised Road’ comes cruising at a peaceful pace, delicate electro-piano playing over cymbal shimmers and soft-n-wet whip-n-snap percussion. Hippy trippy self-reflection leads to utter triumph in rousing chorus. The beat doubles down and a ghastly choir comes from nothing to sing along: “throw off all the shackles that are binding me down!” Victory. When comes the time to cross the bridge, everything softens in tender trepidation: vocals sing a little unsurely and an unfathomable church-organ unleashes flowing rhapsodic flourishes. O, but another uncertain verse, another convinced chorus. A solo for brassy synth and badass guitar offers a break for breath. Still, the sense of success and ascendancy over oneself returns in catchy catchy catchy chorus. ‘Take a Load Off Your Feet’ is a tune about two feet. Bumble-bee synth accompanies acoustic sharp guitar and childlike voice. Clatter in the background. Glitchy ghost-vox cut in and out (almost accidentally it seems). Earnest electrified voices chime in come chorus to tell you to “take good care of your feet, Pete.” Kettle-pot percussion. Pizzicato pluck-o-strings. Mellow bridge ends with a loud exclamation of “ouch!” All in all, this song strolls by in light and merry mood. Then ‘Disney Girls (1957)’ moves right along with mandolins and gospely progress of piano. A tuneful and gracious peace envelops the piece. With the warm way it’s played and the sugary choice of words, the track is nothing but nostalgia, the singer’s dream for “fantasy worlds and Disney girls”. It’s easy to understand and to get lost in its ear-pleasing loveliness. Perhaps it’s equally easy to consider it all a little too cloying! No matter, the music encounters a change of key via a challenging chain of sudden jazzy dissonant spacious vocal chamber theatrics that’s quite exciting. There’s also whistling! Chuck Berry must have snuck into the studio for ‘Student Demonstration Time’. From the crunchy chug-a-lug intro to the form of chords and standard structure of the song, it sounds exactly like any old blues-based tune. There’s the essential stomping pace and the trademark tickle of tack-piano. What’s new to the tried-n-true are some sirens screaming out from police vehicles and a megaphone used as microphone. Gritty be the distorted delivery of lines about civil unrest and really-bad riots. Overall, it’s an odd anthem that doesn’t fit in with the others on the album. ‘Feel Flows’ swims in psychedelia. With its splish-splash beat and phantom whispers, the song’s a little ominous despite the cheery melody. The unusual sound well serves the general uncertainty of human feelings. In short, the production suits the variable teeter-totter of emotions implied by the title line “feel flows”. Mystical words like “unbending never ending tablets of time / record all the yearning” preach spiritual self-help or some such nugget of New Age language. A cultish council of volunteer vocalists contributes background lines: “white hot glistening shadowy flows / black hot glistening shadowy flows”. Are you enlightened yet? Meditate awhile as an untamed oscillating flute freaks out and a grimy guitar cuts through the chug. Acoustic guitars come back for ‘Lookin’ At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)’, a disturbed ditty about a poor worker living day-to-day. The chords continue descending despairingly. Singer be-bops as if it’s the only thing he can do anymore besides slave away “sweeping up some floors”. He knows he “…could be doing so much more”; but considering the way his words warp and cut in-n-out of phase, he doesn’t seem so sure to me. Heartbreaking ballad ‘A Day in the Life of a Tree’ describes exactly that. An elegy for the environment, this tune takes the perspective of an old dying oak-tree. Scored for solemn church-organ, the slow song features a cycle of giant chords revolving around a single musical root (furthering the tree theme). Birds chirp as the tree pines on the past: “one day I was full of life / my sap was rich and I was strong / from seed to tree I grew so tall / through wind and rain I could not fall”. But its tired vocals also reflect “but now my branches suffer / and my leaves don’t bear the glow / they did so long ago”. It all culminates in big catharsis. ‘’Til I Die’ carries the mournful mood of the previous piece. Blinding organ flashes out a plucky pattern accompanied by beat-o-drums and bristling bass. Huge cosmic harmonies express sorrowful otherworldly worries with words comparing oneself to “a cork on an ocean”, “a rock in a landslide”, “a leaf on a windy day”; in other words, insignificant matter surrounded by impossible space! It’s accepted with conviction, words of confirmation repeating over-n-over again in mantra: “these things I’ll be until I die”. Gloomy tune! Last track ‘Surf’s Up’ makes for a most mysterious epic. The baroque ball-room-style song of part one features an impatient bass, chittering trumpet, skittering xylo, spooky whispers, and all such unsettling stuff plus obscure oddball lyrics about “columnated ruins domino”-ing (matched to the highest of high-notes). Suddenly: “are you sleeping, Brother John?”. Part two’s for piano. Couple of sunny chords accompany solo singing. There’s almost too many words tumbling out of the mouth; they rise quickly, emotionally, all in a desolate, desperate delivery. The structure resets and the words “surf’s up” are sung. Nevertheless, this ain’t no surf song! Those days are long dead-n-done. This is frightful enlightenment. Part three explodes with energy, vast harmonies enriching the scene with tragic expressions of “child is the father of man” maybe meaning that innocence is ended and that the surf is up and over forever. Surf’s Up teems with mellow and mournful music about reality and existence. Despite its little quirks and ostensibly lightweight look, Surf’s Up sinks deep in your soul if you allow it. I sure did.

Love it

This album really changed my opinion of Beach Boys albums. It’s definitely a must listen. Surf’s Up! Rest in peace, Mr. Wilson.

Surf’s Up I used to listen to quite a few albums from the Wild Honey to Holland period, when I was in Japan for the 2nd stint a friend of mine was very into them, particularly this period, and I kind of got into it via osmosis. I bought most of the albums on CD, when they used to put two albums on one disc, but I haven’t revisited them that much recently. This period is definitely interesting, if a bit inconsistent, but there are some real gems and this is definitely one of the best, even if it’s just for the fantastic Feel Flows, the superb title track and a nice sense of amiably directionless eccentricity. There are undoubtedly a few missteps. Musically I really like Don’t Go Near the Water, but you can tell Mike Love wrote it, as the lyrics are characteristically bad. And Student Demonstration Time has a very unhip Osmonds rocker feel to it, and again you can tell it’s a Mike Love composition from the fact it isn't very good. Take A Load Off Your Feet I like for its oddness, but it does feel a little inconsequential. I can also see how some might find Disney Girls schmaltzy and saccharine, but rather than cloying I find it has sweet and affecting sentimentality. But outside those there are some superb songs, Long Promised Road, the utterly fantastic Feel Flows, one of their greatest songs, and the superb closing trio of A Day in the Life of a Tree, ‘Till I Die and Surf’s Up. Fantastic melodies, atmospheres and themes across those tracks, I love the idea of a song from a tree’s perspective, and the moving melancholy of Surf’s Up is superb. But Feel Flows really is a fantastic song, the phased Moog and veiled lyrics combing brilliantly. As much of a visionary as Brian Wilson is, I don’t always find I enjoy many of the songs from his dominance of their post-surf era. While I admire Pet Sounds, I’m not sure I truly love it, and I find in this period, where Carl and Dennis come to the fore a little more, it’s a bit more relaxed and less controlled, and little oddities, naiveties and eccentricities are allowed to come to the surface, and we get some variation from Brian’s melodic style. As on this album it doesn’t always bear totally convincing fruit, but there is a loose, warm charm to it that I really like. It’s right on the cusp of 4 and 5, some great songs, some flaws, so I think it just falls shy of a 5, a high 4 it is. 🌊🌊🌊🌊 Playlist submission: Feel Flows

The admonition not to go near the water is sadly even more powerful a damnation today than it was in 1971. Look how much we’ve learned and how little anyone gives a shit! That dude on the album cover is us. Surf’s up, and it’s plastic wrappers and bottles from a sea of garbage.

A famously patchy album. Some absolute dross here, along with some of the Beach Boys best, most astounding songs. Feel Flows, Surf's Up, Til I Die, all incredible. Til I Die especially incredible, find the longer version, everyone deserves to hear it, even Mike Love. Then there's Student Demonstration Time.

Very much not what I was expecting from the Beach Boys, as somebody who knows almost nothing about them. Excellent, though.

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

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.

This is definitely a different Beach Boys than Pet Sounds.

Gear: Focalman Cleardara Artwork: 🐎⚔️💀 Production (Remastered 2009): 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🌊🏄‍♂️⁉️ Rating: 🐴🐴🐴(🐴)/5

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.

The site ate my review. Needless to say, this is not a good album, not even a good Beach Boys album. They should have broke up after Smile fell apart.

In 2012 I was in New York City,band had the opportunity to see the Beach Boys, including Brian Wilson, performing in Central Park for GMA (https://youtu.be/ASfjoEadmow). They only performed about four songs (including soundcheck) and it was at 8am, but it was a chance to see Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys for free, so I dragged the family off to see the show. Between songs, Brian was super cranky, and admonished the (bored) crowd for bouncing around the beach balls that the production had provided. Most of the musical heavy lifting was done by Brian's band, but the were tight and upbeat and could still punch out a compelling rendition of their past glories. I love Brian's earlier more pop.oriented song writing and particularly his amazing vocal harmony arrangements. Here's a piece I wrote about twenty years ago for McSweeney's extolling the virtues of Don't Worry Baby (https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/dont-worry-baby-by-the-beach-boys). Little Ed is now a 6'4" man, which goes to show how.long ago I wrote that piece. This is by way of saying that I love the beach boys, but as a singles band. I never really bought into the "Brian is a Genius" cult, especially the "Pet Sounds is a work of unassailable perfection" dogma. I'll wear my heresy proudly: "Vegetables" is a shit song. I know that Surf's Up is like a shibboleth for a certain sect of alternative white boy rock snob. So I really tried to hear what they are talking about on this record. But what I hear is the last grasp of a band that had really burnt out three years earlier. New management had stepped in and made some tough decisions. Brian is largely sidelined (although I'll come back to that), with Carl placed in charge (good move). Dennis held back most of his songs for his solo record (probably not great), which left only a few songs from Brian leftover from the aborted Smile sessions, and some material of variable quality from the rest of the band. The band are on record as trying to arrange the songs to sound like the Beach Boys (even though they _were_ the Beach Boys). A few songs are alright (Feel Flows, Long Promised Road), but some are embarrassingly bad (Take a Load Off You Feet, A Day in the Life of a Tree, Student Demonstration Time). Like, really bad. New management had also tried to make the band more relevant by ditching their matching outfits (good move), playing some high profile shows in credible venues (good move) and embracing more socially relevant subject matter (not so great). The results of the new concerns with environmentalism, political upheaval and social unrest vary between clumsy (Don't Go Near the Water) and painfully reactionary (Student Demonstration Time, Disney Girls, Looking Towards Tomorrow). An attempt to speak to the kids showed how out of touch they really were. I suspect that one of the reasons that white boy rock snobs like this record is that they find the politics appealing. Many of these choices helped extend the band's longevity, although taking over the lead vocals (A Day in the Life of a Tree) is pure hubris. Would it actually have been better if the Beach Boys had faded away in 1970 instead of staggering through the 70s and 80s to diminishing returns? I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader. But there are those three Brian Wilson tracks a the end of the record. I'll say straight out that A Day in the Life of a Tree is rubbish. Til I Die and Surf's Up are beautiful songs, with Brian's gorgeous and sophisticated harmonies, which I love. But the lyrics are nonsensical. I can hear the influence of this album all over alternative music on the 90s and 2000s, such a Spiritualized, Polyphonic Spree, Flaming Lips, Tame Impala, MGMT and a host of others. I can see how much people have built on this template. But, for my money, there are only four good songs on this record, and none of them are as good enough to hold their own with the Beach Boys best singles. And the rubbish songs are really shite. This is a 2.5 star album for me, rounded down for being over-hyped. A final word on the cover. Another choice by the new management, and it is genius. The juxtaposition of the image and the title is so evocative. The image is called The End of the Trail, and that really was prophetic. This album was the last gasp of a dying band. The corpse kept twitching for decades (see the 2012 video linked above), but this really was the death throws of their creativity.

Alright. Ok. Ok.

Instant classic and immediately purchased on vinyl. An album I hadn't really heard of before but was awesome. It seemed more like a prog rock album which was a nice surprise given their other albums. An amazing album front to back.

excellent, and quite different from what I remember listening to at 13

Weird and wonderful

Escuché el álbum yendo al trabajo con una temperatura de 0° , no lo conocía y aún así no me dejó morir en la fría mañana de buenos aires, gracias brian wilson

My second Beach Boys record in a week and it may be weird to say, but I prefer this to Pet Sounds. It just sounds more fresh to me and less dated and this I would absolutely call a world class album.

After a brief absence, back to your regularly scheduled programmin’ (of “what’s-next?-I-don’t-know!” jammin’.) In that week off, Brian Wilson passed and this was the album that appeared on the day of his passing. It is also now my favorite Beach Boys album. A complete and total surprise. Brian Wilson, you’ll be missed — loved listening to this bizarre, aggressively political, anti-beach party Beach Boys record. “I'm a leaf on a windy day, pretty soon, I'll be blown away. How long will the wind blow? How long will the wind blow? Until I die; these things I’ll be until I die.”

Interesting sound!

Absolutely incredible album. 5/5

surprisingly not like the Beach boys I am used to. depressingly topical even after 50+ years.

Got this the day after Bryan Wilson died.

RIP Brian Wilson. Simply a great record.

Sharp, moving and glorious. Even by looking at the cover alone you can tell this record was a switch up for the Beach Boys. Even though the group wasn't led by Brian at this point in time, the music was still great and their move towards the 70's saw some great records being made, with Sunflower, Holland and Love You being some of my favorites. Surf's up is that essential switch in momentum that was needed, its political, its raw and it isn't your average sunny beach boys record, even the contrast with Sunflower is stark. Nonetheless Surf's up for me is one the greatest beach boys records, as its trying to be more artsy and meaningful. The lyrics are punchy and the instrumentation is excellent as always. Whilst songs like Don't go near the water and Lookin' at tomorrow provide some food for thought, the record has some lighter tones with songs like the soft and emotional Disney Girls. There plenty of experimentation with songs like feel flows, which is an emmaculate representation of the groups technical capabilities, even without Brian. But the main focus of this record should be the last three tracks, which is singlehandedly one of the greatest endings ever made. Each song is enough to give you the chills; they're raw, emotional and have emaculate production. I dare say the ending sequence along makes the this record worth listening. Overall this is just one of my favorite record by the beach boys as it shows they're technicality to the fullest, its versatile and heartfelt and its you at the core. One of my favorites that will be spun much much more. Favorite song: Day in the life of a tree (massive massive HM to Till I die... good lord the harmonies, also, of course, surf's up, objectively the best song on the record, I'm just biased as hell, and Disney Girls the softies). Overall score: 9,8/10

As Brian passes yesterday. This and it’s predecessor Sunflower and my 2 favourite Beach boys albums, since lived with the Feel flow release a few years ago. It’s weird as fuck, kind of low fi pop, current and environment I presume for the time, 5 Star

Jesus, (maybe-not-so-random) 1001 albums generator. The day after the death of the legendary Brian Wilson, you give me a Beach Boys album I’m entirely unfamiliar with, which contains a Brian Wilson track called ‘Til I Die. You have devastated me, and I gently applaud your sneaky reverence. About half way through Surf’s Up, I had to stop everything (all the urgent emails and work Teams chats be damned), and read the lyrics to this album as they were sung. This album is super dense, and without concentration, the whole beauty and magnitude will blow by you. Now I’m going to have to listen to the entire Beach Boys discography. Despite having loved them since childhood, I’ve pretty much only listened to the Endless Summer compilation, Pet Sounds, and Smiley Smile. Surf’s Up has shown me at even deeper level than Pet Sounds, where they were willing to take their artistry. Well done album generator. Well done Beach Boys.

It's not perfect but this is my favourite Beach Boys. Delightfully idiosyncratic and weird. Carl's acid drenched lyrics tickle me no end. RIP the brother Brian. What an album to get on the day of his death, have just been spinning Pet Sounds.

To be served this album the day after Brian Wilson's death was beyond amazing since this is another stone cold classic from the Boys.

The album was recommended the day after Brian Wilson died. It’s actually one of my favorite oldies bands growing up in Florida and we got to see them in concert in my teens.

Wow, I never would have guessed that the Beach Boys could sound like this. There's a sorrow behind these tracks that gives them more power than the playboy goofiness I associate with this band, and a lot more musical depth than their early outings as well. Perhaps I am influenced in my interpretation by the recent passing of Brian Wilson, but even the album art conveys a great heaviness. Favorite tracks: I liked most, but "Long Promised Road" and "'Til I Die" stood out to me.

</3 :'( brian wilson we love you!!!

the beach boys are certainly no strangers in my listening endeavors even before this list; i've already familiarized myself a bit with their album "pet sounds" (realistically who hasn't by now) and i was already looking forward to listening to this one. and holy hell, is it something else. probably a good time to review it after the recent unfortunate passing of brian wilson. the sheer aura that these white men exude is absolutely mind-blowing. even the most serious music theorists will be on their knees in shock as they listen to these harmonies. it's one thing having good songs with good instrumentation, but these guys sing at such a level that is absolutely unmatched. haunting songs of collapse, innocence and culture... it feels like standing in the ruins of a once-great cathedral, hearing echoes of a choir that’s long gone. it’s probably the most emotionally and artistically ambitious thing they ever released. on another unrelated note, can we talk about that album art? good lord.

great! would listen again

Rip Brian

Who the heck decided to put Student Demonstration Time after Disney Girls??? In fact, who decided to put Student Demonstration Time on this album AT ALL??? Not going to stop me from giving this five stars because every other track is basically perfect, especially the songs written by Brian Wilson. Rest In Peace Brian

After Pet Sounds the second masterpiece by the Beach Boys. RIP Brian Wilson.

knowing the story behind this album's production it feels like it may not be very authentically 'beach boys' (at least as that is generally understood, especially in terms of lyrical content) but as someone who isn't a huge fan of vocal harmonies and loves Student Demonstration Time I'm okay with that also i don't know if the generator specifically gave me this because of Brian Wilson's death but RIP buddy

RIP Brian Wilson

Fantastic

Kitsch, dark and beautiful. Even though others rave about the last 2 songs, Day In The Life Of A Tree moved me immensely. The album cover is exceptional.

Never heard anything besides Pet Sounds. I was pretty blown away to hear the direct influence on bands like The Pixies and Weezer. Really great album, prompts me to listen to their entire catalog.

Despite the minimal involvement of Brian Wilson, Surf's Up is one The Beach Boys greatest albums. There's enough psychedelic stuff here to remind people just great these guys here. I even liked Student Demonstration Time even though its by far the weakest track on the album. The Long Promised Road is a reminder that as a band this is a band who are able to create memorable songs that demand to be revisited. This is an album that fans of psyche will love and even if it's not your style of music this is still a collection of great songs.

Another great Beach Boys album but somewhat uneven. I feel like the B side of the album had much more cohesion with one gorgeous song after another. Definitely, a great listen. My highlights are Brian's songs near the end as well as Carl's beautiful Free Flows with the great Charles Lloyd on the flute.

זה נשמע כאילו הbeach boys נחטפו ובמקומם הביאו מוזיקאים ממש טובים שעשו beach boys בדיכאון זה כל כך טוב

The Beach Boys went psychedelic on this album. Never heard it before. I think they tried writing music criticizing what they were living at the time. “Student Protest“ was not my favorite song but the rest of the album was fine. I read somewhere that the art cover suggested the end of the band. At first glance, I thought the album would be a sad one. Still, great voices beautiful talent. 5

Loved it

A Beach Boys nerd's Beach Boys album. If you're looking for more cars and surfing, this isn't it. But it's got amazing contributions from Carl (Long Promised Road & Feel Flows) and some of the best songs Brian Wilson ever wrote ('Till I Die & Surf's Up). Mike Love's cheesy Lieber & Stoller ripoff (Student Demonstration Time) is a definite skip. This album has some of the best Beach Boys songs that most people have never heard. Rest in peace Brian.

this was just brilliant. succinct. marvellous. rest in peace brian wilson we will never look upon your like again.

A moody and psychedelic album that I happened to be assigned the day after Brian Wilson’s death. The music is filled with both longing and reflection, and despite being over 50 years old, many of its themes still feel strikingly relevant. Tracks like “’Til I Die” and “Feel Flows” carry an almost meditative weight, and the album’s climax, the magnificent “Surf’s Up,” is a true masterpiece. Even the often-criticized “Student Demonstration Time” feels eerily timely in light of the current protests in L.A. A mature, melancholic, and deeply introspective album that presents The Beach Boys at their most serious and artistic. A powerful farewell to innocence and in some ways, to Brian Wilson himself. 5/5

Idk if this was chance but i got this the day after Brian Wilson died. Simply put surfs up is the best Brian Wilson song

Очень классно, нравится.

Fitting that this popped up after the announcement of Brian Wilson's death. This is one of their best albums. Even if Student Demonstration Time is total ass it still works with the rest of the album as a whole. Surfs Up has to be one of the best closers to an album and one of the best songs in the world. And given our current climate I believe that it's more important than ever that people listen to this.

fantastic

Rest in peace Brian Wilson got this album the day after he passed

this album was really good. this band really does have more depth than some of their happy-go-lucky songs would suggest. a stand out is “disney girls” which is such a cute song. other than that i forgot what i was gonna say because i meant to write this like 5 days ago. whoops! still a 5/5.

The last great Beach Boys album before Brain's mental health started nose diving already bad since before Pet Sounds, in the first half of the 1970s things came to a head. There would be great songs on uneven albums after Surf's Up both with The Beach Boys and as a solo artists & near great albums The Beach Boys Love You (1977) is an odd, gorgeous album that just misses being a five-star album and certainly some would strongly disagree with me & call 'Love You' the last truly great Beach Boys album but so it goes. A melancholy optimism is all over Surf's Up at times beautifully comforting and on occasion unnerving. In many ways Surf's Up can be seen as a goodbye letter to the brilliant at times overwhelming waves of youth.

Very different vibe for them

Way more melancholy than I expect a Beach Boys album to be but I really enjoyed it. When I got Pet Sounds I stupidly gave it a 4 not realizing how much I'd be going back to those songs. Even if I enjoy that album more, I'm giving this a 5 just because I really vibe with it. It's really consistent with deep messages and amazing harmonies.

It’s The Beach Boys. It’s awesome.

Know this album well. moody, heavy while lighthearted, beautiful.

I vibe with these kinda albums. Soild listen.

Don't Go Near The Water: Immediately sets the tone of the album, with a slightly darker tone compared with other Beach Boys albums. A good cautionary tale about pollution and it's effects on living. Long Promised Road: Compelling track to inspire action against the destruction of our world with an amazing chorus. Take A Load Off Your Feet: I love the mixing and singing on this track. I think this song is about keeping your roots in mind in life and to not skip on the simple things in life. Nice message. Disney Girls: A song reflecting on the nostalgia of a lost love and trying to cope with that loss, ultimately resorting to "fantasy worlds" to feel happy. Really sad song that I connect with a lot. The bridge changes to tone of the song to a childlike innocence trying to hold on to his perfect world. Highlight track of the album. Student Demonstration Time: Perfect blues track. More of a "discursive" song about protesting, with the message being avoid violence when possible, and also to call out excessive force from the government. Nice usage of a megaphone to sing. Feel Flows: An almost interlude about death Lookin' At Tomorrow (a welfare song): a song about trying to find a job and failing. I think it also makes reference to attempting suicide. A Day In The Life Of A Tree: the combination of church organ, pipe organ, poetic lyrics, tree metaphor, bird calls, choir, and venerable singing make this the Magnum Opus of Surfs Up. It made me cry so hard, honesty beautiful. This track along sums up all the concepts found in the album. 'Til I Die: A reflection on the fragility of life as it comes and goes. Surfs Up: The title track, and a playful jab at their early surf rock, saying it's "up." Signalling of a new era with a new person. Overall, a perfect album, and probably my favourite. 11/10

Holy shit. What the hell is this? Had only ever heard Pet Sounds, and while I think its a great record, always felt like it was a bit overrated. But this is something else. They go full psychadelic on this, and I love it. Listening to this felt like watching a David Lynch movie, with the sunny, clean cut American pop veneer and layers of gloom and darkness underneath. The juxtaposition of the amazing album cover with a title like Surfs Up really sums that up. Definitely planning on repeat listens. RIP to the original king of pop

This slaps, loved student demonstration time. Lots pretty unconventional harmonic parts manifested by beautiful arrangements. RIP dude

Beautiful and tragic

Not what I expected from a beach boys album. It had a slower sadder vibe to it that I really liked. Lots of little touches to really elevate it.

Hits different

1971 reveals a much more mature version of The Beach Boys then the silly surf rock they had made in the previous decade. The production is slick, the variety is immense, the songwriting is clever, and the themes are overtly ecological and political. Combine all this with a succinct runtime and striking cover art and this is a fantastic album. 5.0/5.0: Iconic

i appreciate the site creator overriding the random nature of the algorithm to push a beach boys album in honor of Brian Wilson. it was a very interesting album. i didnt realize the beach boys had music that sounded like this. i was between 4 and 5 on this but the album art pushes me over the fence to 5.