Surf's Up

heater album really neat album cover not a single bad track 4.5/5

It is one of the more mature albums by this great band that did so much for pop and rock music. What's there more to say?

Lookin at Tomorrow was great overall great album just too short :D

It seems strange listening to an album trying to deal with social and environmental issues that's 50plus years old. A different beach boys sounds that still carries a nod to the past. It's not a bad album, just not what I would consider a real beach boys album though

Album 331 of 1001 The Beach Boys - Surf's Up Rating : 4 / 5 Not the Beach Boys we all think of when we think of The Beach Boys. Interesting album. Certainly deserves another listen and I suspect I'll like it more the 2nd time. Some socially conscious stuff and ending with the Brian Wilson type tunes I've come to love.

I have always had mixed feelings about The Beach Boys, liked some of their songs others not so much. This album is alright but not exactly great.

What is this garbage? The lyrics are unimaginative and childish. The tunes are just unlistenable.

If you expect the classic Beach Boys sound, you'll be disappointed. This is no feel-good album. The themes are environment, student protests, health issues, etc. The sound is more contemporary and experimental and leans into prog/psychedelic rock. Not bad, but nothing outstanding either.

Les Beach Boys sont toujours aussi mélodieux, mais ici plus bruts et francs. Les pistes sont super courtes, incisives.

I was surprised how this album sounded. I expected the beachy rock vibes of surfing usa… but this was a more cool vibe, and it was great!

4/5. A clean collection of pop tracks from these fellas. Definitely got some misses, the cutesy children-type songs really do not age well, if they were ever good to begin with. Most of the other songs are well written and achieve that pop success they achieved earlier. Not my first recommendation of Beach Boys album but definitely my second.

Great old music.

First time I listen to a whole Beach Boys record. This one is fantastic! There are a lot of experimental sounds, more than I'd have imagined.

Not my jam, but pretty good

I'm pretty sure that I have never heard these songs before. Pretty good, I was actually expecting it to be bad. It's very different from other Beach Boys albums that I have heard.

A flawed masterpiece — I somehow can't give less than five stars. This is some of Brian Wilson's weirdest, wonderful-est music, and a great document detailing the fractured structure of the Beach Boys at a pivotal moment in their storied career. One of my favorite Beach Boys records.

surprisingly good and progressive. Does not sound like a 70s album.

girl they sound as tired as that horse looks. get off the beach boys go have some sandwiches reapply some sunblock.

Listened by the beach today. It was raining on and off, so kinda suited this albums meander.

A strange album this, a transition between their orchestral pop of the late 60s and the meandering nostalgic rock of their later career. Til I Die and Surf's Up are two of their most beautiful songs. It's almost a 5 but the inconsistent tone and underlying sadness bring it down.

Much more subdued than some of their 60s work. The last three tracks are quite magical with Til I Die being the standout. Gets it to **** but I might just listen to side two next time.

Good insight on the later works of the Beach Boys...I hadn't heard this album.

The best beach Boys album

Wow Brian Wilson really went eco protestor mode on this one

A clear commentary on the late 1960's. Kind of a forced collection of songs to reflect on social and environmental issues. Not the cheery songs one would expect from the Beach Boys. Even the album cover is a downer.

Interesting

not for me thanks i had enough of psychedelic rock Significant 36/115 Liked 17/115 Added 4/115 NNN

A very thoughtful album that is lost to time if not for this recommendation.

They go beyond surf rock and push the boundaries by immersing us in their music with blues, balads and pop

17test Studioalbum - krass! Beach Boys on Blues (:o)

Well, this was an unexpected trip, part environmental psychedelic rock/part bubblegum pop? Brian Wilson was in his decline at this point, Dennis Wilson was half insane also so Carl Wilson and Mike Love stepped up to take some of the load and it shows, the final product is just so disjointed. Aurally pleasing because, hey, it's the Beach Boys in 3 part harmony, but it just doesn't hit like they used to.

Beach boys are critically acclaimed for their innovative sound and crunchy harmonies. The critics were most certainly not listening to this album when they made that observation.

Interesting, but I was never a huge beach boys fan.

very good album

This album was surprisingly good! I was expecting the typical Beach Boys you hear on the oldies stations and in 50's diners, but this has a lot more character and depth than that.

Good

Has some of the best, prettiest beach boys arrangements next to some of if not the worst beach boys songs. Great when it's leaning into psychedelia. Actually terrible the rest of the time. 7/10

Interesting album from The Beach Boys, not very beachy Top tracks: Student Demonstration Time

Excellent

It seems like the beach boys followed the Beatles into more experimental albums in the 70s, but less successfully. Favorite track was student demonstration time.

I enjoyed this album, but there's something about The beach Boys (or maybe just Brian Wilson) that makes me feel sad

I’m ashamed to say I’ve never listened to The Beach Boys beyond their hits. I was expecting all surf music. This was great.

Not my type of music for a full album. Always thought of the beach boys as a "one (or two) hit wonder" and this album confirms it

Had no idea what to expect going into this besides the fact that it wasn’t gonna be the typical surf rock that The Beach Boys are typically associated with. Each track was uniquely strange and that made it an interesting album to listen to, but it also made it feel like it wasn’t a cohesive album. Glad I’ve heard it once, but don’t think I’d go out of my way to listen to it again.

Not being familiar with the history of the Beach Boys I was quite surprised to hear the first track was an environmentally- conscious admonition to Don't Go Near the Water. They sing about student protests, and depression (in Feel Flows), but also feet so their themes are all over the place. I liked most of their songs, favorite was Long Promised Road

Potentially worth another listen, though its not very good, it did have some intrigue.

I’m just amazed there’s an album from The Beach Boys for which I know NONE of the tracks. Not a single one. Brian Wilson kept performing long enough to see himself become the villain. I’m torn on how to rate this. It’s a solid performance, but nothing stuck with me. It’s mostly a downer, but Student Demonstration Time’s sound does not match the content in the slightest.

Couple good songs. Overall none of the bangers. Just alright

Long Promised Road Surf's Up

что то странное

Remember when The Beach Boys were on full house? That was crazy, anyway this album was trash.

It's pretty decent but it just doesn't have the sauce of the earlier stuff.

people only ever talk about pet sounds but this is pretty great too

this was a very pleasant album through and through. some of the songs were kind of forgetful, but a beautiful kind of forgetful. 7.8/10

7/10

Very good. Amuses me the disparity between the album art and the title

Not as tedious as I was expecting.

Album #489 (1001 challenge): "Surf's Up" by the Beach Boys (1971) "Surf's Up" is the 17th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys. The album addresses environmental, social and health concerns at the behest of newly recruited co-manager Jack Rieley in an attempt to revitalize the Beach Boys' image and popularity after recent dismal album sales and tours. He also helped co-write a number of songs. The album also saw less involvement from Brian Wilson with brother Carl Wilson taking more of a lead. The album did fairly well reaching #29 in the US and #15 in the UK. It also received largely favorable reviews. The album opens with "Don't Go Near the Water," an environmental commentary on pollution. Piano and bouncey, wobbly guitars. Al Jardine and Mike Love on lead vocals. The song ends with group harmonies. Carl Wilson takes the lead vocals on "Long Promised Road." Impassioned singing. Soulful sounds with the piano and backing vocals. Tales of life and love as we go through different stages. "Disney Girls (1957)" continues the serious tone with Bruce Johnston on lead vocals as he reminisces about simpler, more innocent times. Slower with a piano and a moog. Nice Beach Boys' typical harmonies. We get theose Beach Boys' harmonies again on "Feel Flows." Carl Wilson sings lead as he reflects on the sensitive side of life. There's a pyschedelic edge (heck maybe even prog) to this song with a guitar jam, laser sounds and a flute. One of the best songs on the album. The last three songs were written by Brian Wilson, the last two being the best. "Til I Die" has multiple lead singers. Great harmonies, soft drums and soft drumming. Death and hopelessness. "Surf's Up" was meant to be on "Smile." Horns, piano with Brian and Carl on lead vocals. Lyrics are the focal point with a man, and maybe the band, experiencing a spiritual awakening. The song ends with harmonies and criss-cross vocals. One of Brian's best songs. This is a really good album maybe the Beach Boys' last one. There's involvement from multiple members. Some of the songs are reminiscent of the older Beach Boys and others show an older, more mature band. A darker edge in the music and lyrics. An album worth going back for a listen.

An itchy blanket. My parents weren't hippie enough to put something like Student Demonstration Time to tape, but neither were the Boys as far out on Surf's Up as they could get. The old vocal harmony's all here, with plenty of breadth besides, in a slim LP package. Dark stuff hovering, certainly, with the right amount of seriousness. It's right sometimes to hear a record like this, not through radio singles but with some more intention.

Not for me

Festa meg ikkje ved nåke særlig her

Listened Before? No What a jump, from The Cure to The Beach Boys. My only real exposure so far has been Surfin' Safari (my kids love it) and Animal Sounds. This is a touch later career than either, where (by album art and title alone) it appears they are trying to distance themselves from their early 60s "surf-rock" image. Begins on a tripped out note with a warbly effect overlaid on the guitar. Was not expecting that synth line - dope. This is surprisingly funky. Long Promised Road is a jam; got me bobbing along. Backing harmony is pretty with a very confident front vocal. Take A Load Off Your Feet is trippy as well, but well held together. Love the plucked strings that pop in. Such a pretty and wonky little song. Disney Girls pulls out the wah pedal for the guitar to great effect. Gives it a wistful tone, especially in combination with the harmonization and echoing snare snap. Honestly feels like this could be a Dead song, if the harmonization wasn't so damned good. Student Demonstration Time, comes out of nowhere and punches you in the face with a fuzzed out guitar and Beatles-esq rock song. Great line: "the pen is mightier than the sword, but no match for a gun." Feels like they are riffing a bit here on other successful band's styles, but they parrot effectively. Feel Flows is a loose and largely instrumental jam, featuring a strong yazz flute entry. Vocals have a sort of reversed fade in effect that lends to an overall ghostly / spacey vibe. Lookin' At Tomorrow sounds more like a folk/prog-rock song. Production here is full of interesting nuggets with the way they play with stereo fading, etc. I recognize Surf's Up. This one feels the most like a callback to Animal Sounds. Delicate instrumentals in multiple parts with pretty vocal harmonization. Both bleak and beautiful in tone. So I'd be lying if I said I didn't go into this album with high expectations. The Beach Boys are a ridiculously talented group of musicians that have the rare ability to create music that is at once artistically and popularly appreciated. While this album doesn't have any of the heavy hitting singles of their earlier releases, it does demonstrate an incredible breadth of their capability. The production (as with their other works) is fantastic. Sequencing could be better as this feels a bit disjointed at times, but I honestly enjoyed every song here. I'm straddling the 4-5 line here, but call this a strong 4. Added to Library? Yes Songs Added to Playlists: - Long Promised Road (Driving) - Take A Load Off Your Feet (Sunny-vibes) - Disney Girls (Sunny-vibes)

Not the Beach Boys I was expecting. I really liked the Student Demonstration song. I'd give 3.5 stars

Enjoyable listen, but didn't blow my socks off.

First couple of songs showed a trippy side of Beach Boys which I didn't know existed. They sound like a combination of the Beatles and the Eagles Student demonstration time was intense I think it was about the Kent State riots. The use of the sirens was pretty cool feature. I did not expect that at all from the Beach Boys I thought they were just surf rock. I liked that album more than I thought with the amount of psychedelic music that was in it

Never been able to get completely into The Beach Boys but I’ve really only tried Pet Sounds as a whole album. Definitely a different sounding album than I was expecting from them. Definitely enjoyed it high 3

I hate the Beach Boys.

Pretty good. Beach Boys are good. I don’t know why I’m drawing a blank but whatever.

A different album to the Beach Boys I thought I knew. I really liked it. Disney Girls is a particular favourite - made me nostalgic for a childhood I never had.

Not sure about this one

48/100 Based on this scale: 1 star - 0 to 19 2 stars - 20 to 39 3 stars - 40 to 59 4 stars - 60 to 79 5 stars - 80 to 100 This is a bit better than their usual surf pop nonsense. I don't see how this is "prog pop", but it's better than Animal Sounds, or whatever that stupid album was called.

The Beach Boys will always get a gold star from me. Very different from a lot of their other albums.

1971. Garbage. The best thing it has going for it is the album art.

No tenía idea de la existencia de este disco y me sorprendió.

Not a big fan. Sounds like all the non-Brian Wilson Beach Boys are trying to make Brian Wilson music and I prefer the real deal, even if at this time Brian wasn't really capable of making anything.

This is not at all what I thought I was going to get from the Beach Boys - it's an album of songs that are trying too hard to be serious and political, but it comes across as the band being a bit out of its depth and all feels forced. It's very 'I'm 14 and this is deep'. It's not bad - it's OK, just bland and takes itself too seriously. The album cover is great, though.

Ei uponnut tämä. En oikein tiedä mitä tässä haettiin. Ei ollut rentoa ranta-menoa, mutta ei kuitenkaan ole ihan päästy irti niistä vanhoista viboista. Tyylit törmäävät yhteen omituisesti.

Sounds like the beatles - and some blues - honestly had no idea they made this type of sound, but.... I'd rather just listen to the beatles (Sorry USA) as the music isn't something I'd seek out...

It start OK. Then it gets better and it stays good until the end. Favorite song: 'Til I Die

Disco tranquilo y pausado de escuchar, con buenas voces, un tanto melódico. Quizás un tanto parecidas algunas canciones entre sí.

My first thought when I saw the album cover was "what is this, some kind of death metal?", and then it turned out to be The Beach Boys. What a surprise! I think I may have liked this more than 'Pet Sounds' as a whole. It felt more coherent, and this was another side of The Beach Boys I've not encountered before. Some songs were quite mellow, like 'Disney Girls' and 'Surf's Up', and then there were a bit more experimental ones like 'Lookin' At Tomorrow' which had an interesting eerie chord progression and almost reminded me a bit of some of Metallica's "softer" songs. I think it might be a bit too generous, and maybe just a honeymoon thing, but I'm going to give this a weak 4 actually. Not very often I get positively surprised, so have to take opportunity to reward those moments!

You can tell this album is a few years after "Pet Sounds", there are a lot more rock influences and even a Blues song in "Student Demonstration Time". Also the Album art looks like something Led Zeppelin would use (or any later Metal bands). Anyway while no single songs reach quite the peaks of the single tracks of "Pet Sounds" I think this is a whole is a better album. The harmonies are not as complex but instead you get a pretty decent rock album mixed with some "Pet Sounds harmonies". "Looking at Tomorrow" with its melancholic arpeggios was probably my favourite track. Nothing groundbreaking but think it just squeezes in to getting a four star.

So cheesy! They ran out of good ideas many albums ago.

Bog standard Beach Boys album. As good as you would expect it to be but pedestrian when set aside earlier works.

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.

Surf's Up by The Beach Boys. This was a real surprise, was expecting surfing USA got a lyrically hard hitting rock album. Student Demonstration Time has been added to my general rotation of songs as I think its brilliant, over all the entire album had me engaged and was such a surprise

It was ok

I've seen the cover but didnt realize it was for a Beach Boys album. I know loads of Beach Boys songs, but these are all new to me. First listen at midnight after a long Saturday. Surf's Up just ended and my only thought is "Holy Shit" I can't wait to give this a proper listen tomorrow. "Long Promised Road" "Feel Flows" "Til I Die" and "Surf's Out" are fantastic songs. The rest are a combination of goofy, dated, or simply strange. They had come through the failed Smile sessions, Brian Wilson was in his bathrobe Era, new management told them to follow the counter culture and write some real shit. It's proggy and psychedelic, twisting the angelic harmonies of the Boys into dirges for the environment, laments for the working man, and existential dread (and one rocker about student protests). There's also a song about feet. It was interesting to read about Van Dyke Park's involvement - I knew his name from his work with Joanna Newsom. What a wild dude! The final track, Brian Wilson's Smile outtake the titular "Surf's Up" might as well be the thesis for the Beach Boys, though: beautiful music (a child's song) can get you through life. The peppering of oceanic themes throughout, starting with Don't Go Near the Water and ending in Surf's Up really drive home the idea of "The Beach Boys are Dead. Long Live the Beach Boys." They went through the grinder pumping out hit after hit and on the 17th album they were done fucking surfing.

Une petite perle trouvée sur la plage des boys, meilleur si je puis me le permettre que Pet Sound

This album has been surpassed by the Smile Sessions release.

i can appreciate this album for what it is and the sociopolitical commentary but i will never be listening to this again. play god only knows.

It was really weird and not my style

Interesting to see how The Beach Boys embrace global issues and message their songs differently. But they just aren’t as catchy

One exceptional song, Surfs up, the others are average and dated. Pet sounds is infinitely better.

Ok. Some sounds were cool. Fun arrangements. Must have been ahead of its time

I had to double check that this was the right album. This is drastically different from the "beach boy" sound I'm used to. Its striking how great sound fidelity is on this album but I think I prefer the style they are known for.

I didn't really connect with it. Certainly seems innovative for the early 70s.

it's tough when you have to compare your albums to Pet Sounds, but you have to know when to fold em. felt overproduced to me with thin vocal arrangements compared to their past.

When I first started this album, I was ready to give it 5 stars. It slowly got worse the further down the track listing I went, so I’ve got to give it a 4 star. I’m still rocking the first two tracks though!

I mean what can I say it’s beach boys, good stuff.

A classic from my first year in High School.

Interesting album cause I thought I knew a lot of Beach Boys songs, but didn’t know any of these. I did enjoy it for the most part and appreciated the diversity I realized they had.

Wow, beach boys made more songs other than Surfin USA and Little Saint Nick? I was surprised by how much this album differed in their style too.

I LOVED this album! It’s weird but the message illustrates through the album is still relevant today. Very forward-thinking message. A total deviation from what I expected a Beach Boys album called ‘Surf’s Up’ would be

Enjoyed this. Great tunes - typical Beach Boys!

Скучно

I've only ever really known The Beach Boys for their happy, surfing, summer of love vibe. So I saw the title of this album "Surf's Up" but was also met with the cover. "Is that a painting of the drowned bodies of a horse and its rider?" I think to myself. "Not very uplifting." It quickly became clear that this wasn't the fun and cheerful surf-rock I was expecting, and actually turned out to be a quite bleak, political and ecological record. The opening track for example is the surf song format they were so well known for, totally turned on its head. They're no longer singing about how fun it is to surf, they're singing about how it's not safe to surf because of the pollution in the water. It's all a bit more somber than I had expected from The Beach Boys, and I think that's why they're held in such high regard. Their most popular songs may have been the happy, cheerful, carefree, but they were certainly not one-trick ponies. For me, not everything here really hits, some of it is a bit boring and forgettable, but this was a good album that's opened my eyes to the fact that there is more to The Beach Boys than "Good Vibrations", "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and the other upbeat and popular tracks. That alone has me interesting in listening to more of their work. Favourite: Feel Flows

Weird, not at all what I expected. I liked it!

Interesting to hear more range of The Beach Boys. I enjoyed parts of it, quite folksy

Sounds like budget beatles

- Listened to other Beach Boys albums before but not this - Knew going into that it was different to their other stuff, but still very, very good - Came very close to giving it 5* but a couple of the tracks weren't the best - Probably the closest to a 5 without being a 5 so far - Fav songs: Surf's Up, Long Promised Road, Disney Girls

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.

An odd journey of an album, so interesting stuff, but doesn’t really grab you for the whole thing.

Felt like I was sat at a bbq with my uncle

Not too shabby

What a fascinating album to revisit. Wilson here showing his stripes as insane/genius, especially on songs like Take Care of Your Feet or whatever. The title track is pretty incredible. It's hard to say things about the harmonies and melodies which really have not ever been rivaled. It feels like peak Beach Boys if you've spent much time listening to them at all. That is particularly true if you've ever listened to the many disks that make up the studio sessions and listened to the many "studio chatter" recordings to hear Wilson's process. He was meticulous sometimes taking dozens of takes to lay down a track. He must have been impossible to work with, but when you hear the final polished tracks, you realize the sheer amount of work and skill that went into it.

I feel like it's parent day at my kid's kindergarten and I'm listening to children's nursery rhymes. Any moment and someone in a Big Bird costume is going to pop out of a garbage can with a ukulele. "Isn't this fun?! C'mon parents! Sing along!" That's all fine and interesting the first two times, but I've got four kids and I need to go back to work. What a bitter waste of time...

You snooze, you lose. katek somehow read my mind and posted nearly the exact review I was working up. I definitely enjoyed "Surf's Up" more than the lauded "Pet Sounds," and it deserves a higher score. But I gave "Pet Sounds" a 3, and this isn't a 4. Maybe a 3.75? Been a while since I've lamented the 5-star scale. Maybe making Carl Wilson the leader helped the Boys out. I enjoyed his first major song contributions - "Long Promised Road" and "Feel Flows" - and felt the first half of the album was better than the second half, which happened to have more Brian Wilson songs.

I definitely found this album more interesting than Pet Sounds. The attempt to address heavier topics in the lyrics was laudable but felt jarring as it didn't mesh with the overall vibe. 3.5 because I am glad I was exposed to a different side of The Beach Boys but ultimately, I probably wont be revisiting.

Pretty easy listening, classic Beach Boys. “Student Demonstration Time” stood out as my favorite, while the other songs were plain pleasant.

Agréablement surpris

Pretty good! Nothing stood out too much though

This is a bit all over the shop, but an enjoyable listen, apart from the rewrite of Cell Block No 9 as Student Demonstration. Royalties owed there surely. But no particular desire to hear it again.

Much like the Doors' "Morrison Hotel", a fairly solid album if you are already a fan of the Beach Boys. You can hear the classic sound undertones through most of the songs. You can hear/feel the heavy influences of the late 60s/early 70s in every song. A good album but not their best.

Not your classic Beach Boys, and I wasn't particularly fond of it

This album was not what I was expecting at all. I guess given it's title, I had always assumed it was an earlier Beach Boys record. It's sparse and thin but man it has some great songs with beautiful melodies. It feels more like a collection of songs rather than a conceptual album, and I'm sure that's because of Brian Wilson kind of taking a back seat in the production process, but this is a great album. It's so weird to hear the song Surf's Up not within the context of Smile and hear it just end an album.

A very different BB sound to what I know. More socially and environmentally conscious lyrics. Music is average. Good enough, probably won't listen again though

Surprised at how few of these songs I heard. Didn't love it. Surprised Pet Sounds wasn't chosen for this list.

I liked it more than I thought I would, it changed my opinion of The Beach Boys.

Could have been as big as The Beatles. Only complaint is the album is too short.

The Beach Boys rock a little harder than expected. Every song is enjoyable enough, which can be common for a pop group. However, the instrumentation was creative, the guitar had a few interesting moments, and a few chord changes were unexpected. I 3x'd my respect for the Beach Bros.

This one was pretty cool.

I liked it more than I thought I would. Still just ok

Some bangers, some unbearably corny

Probably only knew 2 or 3 songs from The Beach Boys. Interesting to hear more of their discography. I'd probably stick to the hits, but this wasn't so bad.

A different sound from The Beach Boys.

I didn't know the beach boys changed their style so much

It's far from the best Beach Boys albums, but it's still great.

One good song. Just kinda weird other than that

Fantastic vocals with a slightly haunting vibe unusual to the beach boys, solid songs but slightly forgettable. Inclusion of some songs confusing as left album feeling disjointed

Ah yes. One of the original boy bands of America. Growing up with a Catholic Grandmother from California you had 2 constants in her house hold. Prayer and listening to Beach Boys vinyls. Both were over done and forced upon me as a kid. And both are over rated. Beach Boys had a certain sound but theyre essentially just an a Cappella band with extra steps. Every song is the same melody and harmonizing vocals. Which was cool 50-60 years ago but even growing up liking all kinds of music I could never appreciate what the Beach Boys had.

fun fun fun

I’ve listened to and liked The Beach Boys before, but really not a fan of this album as a whole. The recording quality is dubious at best, the writing is, the best I can describe it at least, weird, the lyrics are rather simple rhyming scenes most of the time. So yeah, I might find myself enjoying a song here or there, but as an album I don’t think I’d listen to this again.

Ok, de serieuzere Beach Boys. Aandacht voor het milieu, klimaatverandering. Bijzonder album

Ja! Dit doet het beeld van die ouwe seniele boys op een podium met totaal weggedraaide gitaren in de mix een beetje vergeten. Gelukkig maar.

There's more than meets the eye. Ze kunnen meer dan alleen surf muziek maken.

Dit had zowaar wat diepgang en was een stuk creatiever dan die simpele Beach Boys liedjes.

Best leuk.

we started nice with dont go near the water! cool cool! i weirdly liked it! thought it wouldn't!

A bit darker than what I was expecting. Stand out track - Student Demonstration Time

This is a weird one from them, not necessarily bad, just… unexpected

It's not the best album but its still pretty good They've got some funny little love songs on there. It's not really a Brian's production So its probably not as good as something like Pet Sounds

Not listened to a Beach Boys album before, only know the classics. It was interesting and not unpleasant. Not sure if I'd buy it.

Dreadful stuff. I have no idea what they were trying to achieve here. Whilst there’s the unmistakable Beach Boys harmonies in every track, it doesn’t suit the songs at all. Not the vibe I associate with them. Nothing cheerful, fun or uplifting about any of it. Weird.

Not listened to it in years. A couple of classics; Feeling Flows and Surf's Up. Not a masterpiece like Pet Sounds, but still good. A high 3.

This record is profoundly strange: a bit hokey, splashed with psychedelia and dark in ways no other beach boys release had ever been. The masterful ending couplet of Til I Die and the title track are some of Brian Wilson’s best ever work.

Experimental and hefty

please note that i don't really like the beach boys, so i already went into this having the expectation i wasn't going to enjoy it. i didn't really enjoy it, the only song i cared for was "long promised road" but everything else just did nothing for me. i think i get what other people like in this group but it isn't for me at all.

Not what I'd expect from a Beach Boys album, but enjoyed the departure.

This is simply brilliant! It takes you on a journey of joy and darkness like few others can do. But that's just an aperitif for the title track and Carl's vocal tour de force. Must be heard with headphones.

Not familiar with this album, but really enjoyed it, different from pet sounds, but second best beach boys album Iv heard

This took me down a Beach Boys/Brian Wilson hole for hours. Much of which was far better than this album. The band really trapped themselves between the song topics and sound they created. Both of which were highly influential, but also limited them, and clearly when they attempted something different it only failed for them. This album sees them getting political, and they are waaaay too on the nose with their lyrics. And it's so odd to hear it from them. Interesting history though.

It's interesting to hear the Beach Boys attempt to be socially relevant. Really, they're a surfer group and that's what people know them for. When they tried to expand past past that, it's not something people were all for. But that would probably have to do with the songs. Their manager wanted them to addresses environmental, social, and health concerns more than previous releases, So we get songs like "Take A Load Off Your Feet?" Sure, that sounds... fun? Hey everybody, let's go to a beach party and sing "Student Demonstration Time!" woooo, I'm picking up bummer vibrations! Yeah, I can't imagine anyone thinking this is the directionless direction the band needed to pursue. Looking at their later albums, it doesn't look like they bounced back a lot, either.

Get back to me when there's a 60's Beach Boys album, or best of their stuff before 1965. Sorry if I'm pining for cliché bubble gum pop and what these guys started out as, but they were great at that. This album is fine, and shows they still had talent even when they weren't firing on all cylinders or working together well. But there are far better albums than this, by the Beach Boys or others.

I listened several times and it just isn't clicking. Disney Girls is the only one that caught my attention each time I listened. A lot of these songs sound like less-weird outtakes from Smile. It's not bad, I just don't think I'll be revisiting. Feel Flows and Lookin' At Tomorrow were both decent. Moving on.

Interesting! I had no idea The Beach Boys ventured into dour, protest-type music. I liked the album! Short and sweet, too.

Not your classic surf music

No clue why but 'Student Demonstration Time' stood out for me, the rest of the album is a good listen

Great cover art, not one of my personal favorite Beach Boys records musically. Something feels off to me. Still some lovely harmonies and a couple of nice songs though.

Genius from a melodic point of view, while some of the lyrics (ex. A day in the life of a tree) are of a simplicity that makes me cringe and love it at the same time. I'll give it 5 because it doesn't happen every day that an album makes you question your own judgement as to how you feel about it.

This is a lot different to 60's Beach Boys with Brian taking a shadow role. In fact it's a strange mish-mash of styles with rock and folk and even Saxophones in the mix. I still don't know if I like it or not- time will tell.

A very cool album and nice departure from their previous sound as a band.

This is vastly different from every other album I’ve heard from The Beach Boys in a very refreshing way. It definitely felt more seventies and electronic and you could tell that the band was overtly trying to get away from the surfer sound between the title and the production. It was a good album overall but long promises road was excellent and played on repeat for the whole day.

All my life I spent the night With dreams of you And the warmth I missed And for the things I wished They're all coming true I've got my love to give And a place to live Guess I'm gonna stay It'd be a peaceful life With a forever wife And a kid someday Well, it's early nights And pillow fights And your soft laugh Fantasy world and Disney girls I'm coming back This is a good album, but its weird. Its weird like the fact that Brian Wilson was friends with Charles Manson and let the whole family stay at his place for a long time - Its some heavy incongruous shit thats hard to wrap your head around. But its also a really good album. 4/5

This will be my third Beach Boys record review (the first one being Brian Wilson's solo album, Smile). This will also be the highest rated of them to date. This album continues the path taken by the band in Pet Sounds, towards a more psychadelic sound, and also sees Brian more and more removed from the band due to his mental health issues. Brian only sings on 4 songs on this record, and wrote the last 3. The band was taking a new socially conscious directions, as heard in songs such as Student Demonstration Time (a song about the Vietnam War), as well as environmental numbers Don't Go Near The Water, and A Day in the Life of a Tree (songs about pollution, and the damages it is causing the Earth). They also randomly have a song about feet (Take a Load Off Your Feet). There was a documentary that was put out after their album Pet Sounds came out. In the documentary, they are interviewing Brian, and he plays an excerpt from a song he was working on. That song was Surf's Up. Fans heard it, and waited 5 years, and 6 albums before finally hearing the completed song. The only reason it was completed was because Beach Boys co-manager Jack Rieley made Brian finish the song. The album cover is a beautiful painting based on an early 20th century sculpture called End of the Trail. It depicts a warrior on horseback who appears to be mortally wounded. Overall, an odd helping of the Beach Boys today. Nothing like their traditional surfer rock at all, and very experimental. They played everything from psychadelica to folk to blues. I think that this departure from the surfer rock persona, along with Brian's wailing vocals taking kind of a backseat is why this album resonated more with me. Favourite songs: Student Demonstration Time, Disney Girls, Don't Go Near the Water, Take a Load Off Your Feet, A Day in the Life of a Tree Least favourite songs: Feel Flows, Surf's Up 4/5

It feels a mile away from Pet Sounds tbh

This was fine. I'm not particularly in love with the Beach Boys' sound but I get it, it's not for everyone. Album was fine overall, at least it was short. 6/10.

the cover is badass the music is ight

Don’t Go Near The Water, Long Promised Road, Take a Load of your Feet, Disney Girls, Student Demonstration Time, A Day In The Life of a Tree 4.5/5

No album documents the end of the sixties better than this. We can herald the start as the hope of Kennedy’s election. His assassination. Beatlemania. MLK. Rfk. the hippie movement. Vietnam. Freedom rides Rosa parks. Selma. Woodstock. Altamont. And it’s all here. The hope is watered down. The seventies have started. Dylan has gone small. The Beatles are breaking up. Only Brian Wilson remains at a creative peak. The beach boys were outsiders of course. And the outsider has a special perspective sometimes. Clean cut, nice boys, gorgeous pop more suited to the fifties but their transition to bearded bloated hippies mirrored the sixties. That they could come up with this as has beens- a nostalgia act for a nostalgia that didn’t yet exist - is astounding. My third favourite beach boys album. 4.8 stars. Rounded up.

Soundtrack to a kids film? I thought at times it was a 45 rpm played at 33 rpm. Dated. To the point of feeling archival. Not groovy.

Til I Die is a bona fide pop classic. The fact that Mike Love hated it only affirms its greatness. It pops up at exactly the right time in Love and Mercy, when the John Cusack Brian is on the bed contemplating all that has gone down, it nicely morphs into a Space Odyssey old man to a baby moment. It is a beautiful song which speaks to Brian's illness and his struggles as an artist, he was indeed a cork in the ocean, bobbing aimlessly, never making it to the shore of his song writing potential. You can't recommend this record to anyone lining up their final playlist, we need to stop pretending these post Pet records are worthy or "lost gems", they are not. The band is a very ordinary set of song writers and players, accepting that any Carl Wilson vocal is a great moment. Long Promised Road is lovely, interesting that he only has two leads on this unremarkable boring record. Without Brian these guys are forever The Pendletones, not even a footnote to early 60's California pop. How do we get to Surf's Up and Holland and Love and all that guff? Brian's illness and the lack of a decent collaborator and producer leaves him floundering. All the pop genius bullshit meant when he clocked out, anything he was working towards remained unchecked by a partner who would say no. And not having a decent producer, who would guide and shape what he wanted. Take Roy Halee's role with Paul Simon, he was crucial to the development of those songs, indeed as was Art Garfunkel. Brian ended up with Mike Love and Van Dyke Parks, a fascist and a hippy. Which is why something like the track Surf's Up doesn't work; you can feel the massive potential for it to be realised as a great song, but there was no one who could help him produce what was in his head. I find these records quite sad, they are not to be enjoyed. And I'm really tired of them turning up on these lists as being great, they are not. They are a very average collection of b grade tracks by a bunch of b grade carnival outriders, clinging onto the hem of their crazy freakshow, who is propped up to keep the circus going long after they've let the horses go to pasture. Til I Die is just wonderful and if anyone out there is cyberspace is reading this, stop listening to this album and go and drop Til I Die into your Brian Wilson playlist, that's all you need.

I notice that WIKI lists the last track on Side 1 as Student Demonstration Time. My very old Australian vinyl pressing of Surf’sUp, on the Stateside label, lists that track as Riot in Cell Block Number Nine. It’s the same Leiber & Stoller classic, first sung in 1954 by the great Richard Berry (lead singer with The Robins), who two years later would write & record Louie Louie. What The Beachboys did was change the setting from prison to a series of tertiary campuses (Berkeley, Kent State). It works okay. Apart from that, the tracks are all originals, with Mike Love being the only member not responsible for a composition. Bruce Johnston’s sole effort was the one song most covered - Disney Girls(1957) was recorded a year later by (Mama)Cass Elliot, with help from Johnston & Carl Wilson & then in 1975 by Art Garfunkel (again with Johnston). It’s a little MOR for The Beachboys, but it’s way ahead of the composition that Johnston will always be remembered for - I Write The Songs - a huge hit for Barry Manilow. But the album’s highlights are both on Side 2, which opens with Carl Wilson’s Feel Flows, always a great, musically weird track, which had a second life after it was featured in the film Almost Famous. Cameron Crowe claimed it was his favourite Beachboys tune. And the album ends with Brian Wilson’s Surf’s Up, the second song he ever wrote with Van Dyke Parks, voted by Mojo staff members in 2011 as the band’s greatest song. It’s not a great album but it features two clasics.

In 2012 I was in New York City and 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 they 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 in Surf's Up is the last gasp 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 a leadership position (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 Your 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 (badly done, so 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 (reactionary) politics appealing. Many of these management 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 1990s 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.

Very soothing album. Beach boys have always been my favorite 60s band. The album really holds up. These guys have just mastered the art of making pop songs.

Was cool hear The Beach Boys with a slightly different 70s sound and this one was pretty good. The first couple had a little bit of influence from the band which was cool. Had a big dip after Disney girls which was a good song with classic beach boys harmonies but the next 3 were skips. High 3

WE ARE SO BACKKK album art goes. crazy beach boys emocore. Damn I didn't know beach boys had range like this. They take on some darker themes but still keep the signature upbeat beach boys sound. An interesting juxtaposition that works for the most part.

The Beach Boys have always had a fire sound with all the vocal harmonies and with a subject matter that’s more than just “let’s surf and have a fun summer” this album hits incredibly harder than some of their others. It’s their most somber album by a long shot, and they do a great job of switching it up while keeping enough of their trademark sound. This thing is filled with great tracks. Only skip on here for me is “student demonstration time” which was a diversion from their sound as well as tried too hard to be socially conscious; obviously they were going for that for most that album but I think this one just got overly specific and fell flat. Take a load off your feet is kinda dumb and light hearted for this album but I don’t mind the song on its own. Other than that everything plays for me. Some great songs on here to sit and think or just melt into your couch. Gonna give this a 4 but could see myself regretting not giving a 5. Best: Feel flows, til I die, surfs up, Disney girls, don’t go near the water MMM: FEEL FLOWWWS 🚶🏽‍♂️FEEL GOOOOOES🧎🏽‍♂️

I like a lot of this album but it also doesn't blow me away. I'm a big fan of the Beach Boys 60s work, with Pet Sounds being an obvious masterpiece. I wouldn't skip any of the songs on here and it's pretty enjoyable throughout but there also didn't feel like many standout tracks to me. I'd probably give this one a 3.5 if I could but will round up because it's pretty chill and there are some cool interesting tracks on it. Standout Tracks: Long Promised Road, Take a Load Off Your Feet, Feel Flows, 'Til I Die, Surf's Up

3,5

Pretty good not gonna ngl. It's like the poppy jolly music in the lyrics but more experimental instrumentals. Makes for a nice cocktail of sound

Was NOT expecting the beach boys album to sound this way. really enjoyed it. Couldn’t decide what to make of it bc i went in expecting California Girls type music. But ez 4

I’m blown away. I already knew and accepted Brian Wilson as a precious musical genius unlike any other, but as a lyrics first listener I’m finding so much previously discovered poignancy and magic here. I’ve never heard this album before, and the idea of socially conscious Beach Boys had me worried I’d be experiencing some bizarre cognizant dissonance with it, but instead I am utterly surprised and delighted! I love this sound, I love the lyricism, and I love this point of view for the Beach Boys. It suits them and they wear it well. I’m in awe. This is an amazing fucking album and an instant new favourite for me. Very well done, laser focused execution, and the album cover is breathtaking too. High point for them in my books, and a crown jewel of their discography for sure.

A strong Beach Boys album

Doesn’t sound like the Beach Boys at times, but it was still a great collection of songs

Very good all around. Rating: 4.2

The Beach Boys' most somber album, and it's fantastic. Truely exquisite songwriting on display, as expected by this point. This album marks the second in the band's tenure with Reprise Records, a sort of second wind intended for the boys after financial troubles had hit them, requiring the selling off of their back catalogue. This would also mark Brian Wilson's return to songwriting and producing after a stint in a psychiatric hospital in the late 60's. Surf's Up was a success for the band, garnering favorable reviews and putting them back in the limelight. It helped that the songs were great. I know people love to praise Pet Sounds, but Surf's Up is where it's really at. More mature songwriting, more well-executed ideas, particularly in the run of the album's last three songs (all written by Brian Wilson).

Some superb songs here nestled in amongst some really odd stuff. Before Pearl Jam's Vitalogy album, there was the Beach Boys' Surf's Up. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

The Beach Boys' dark later days wear well. "Feel Flows" is a 10.

On paper, an album by The Beach Boys without the involvement of its central, tragic character, Brian Wilson— and right off the heels of the collapse of their ambitious Smille— seems like it must be doomed to fail. That’s certainly the way you might tell the story, if you didn’t know better. Brian’s barely present on this album, contributing a few, brilliant songs other than his half-completed Surf’s Up— and, reportedly, he was all but completely missing for the production. And yet this album does a marvelous job of capturing not only the spirit of The Beach Boys as they were evolving, but also the songwriting voices of the other members, encouraging them to go further, stretch the concepts, try new things. This obviously doesn’t work well on “Student Demonstration Time”— no explanation needed— but I’ve always felt that “Feel Flows” and “Don’t Go Near The Water” are right up there with some of the weirder, stranger, more introspective Beach Boys songs from Pet Sounds etc. And “Surf’s Up” is probably up there for the best 4 minutes that the 60s ever produced, and the way the song was concluded, understood on this album, is an amazing rendition of it. No, it’s not Smile, but then again, nothing ever was. 4/5

Surf's Up and its predecessor Sunflower are the two best BB albums and together with Holland probably the only three BB 5-star albums. Most songs on Surf's Up require a couple of listens and then become better and better. Favourite tracks: Surf's Up, one of the best album closers ever, and 'Til I Die.

Really not bad but obviously in a different league than Pet Sounds.

The first two tracks of the album were really fun and gave me high hopes for the rest, but although I enjoyed the rest it wasn’t as great as I had hoped. Best tracks: Don’t Go Near The Water, Long Promised Road, Student Demonstration Time, Feel Flows Worst track: Take A Load Off Your Feet

I was more familiar with the 1960s albums from the Beach Boys' but this was a very pleasant surprise. Their signature "doo woop" style of singing isn't there on this album though their beautiful vocal harmonies are. Musically it has some more complex structures and lyrically they sing more about politics and social issues than before. I'll need a few relistens but it's definitely a strong 4 at my first listen.

Disappointingly mediocre, which kind of annoyed me, as I would have rated the Beach Boys for producing some quality sounds. It was an OK album for playing in the background of a shopping market, but sadly that's where it ends, I wouldn't choose to listen to it again.

Nice easy listen and not all the stereotypical Beach Boys sound.

Dreamy 70s pop-rock

Their last fine record. It's incredibly consistent in mood and production, taking on a slow, relaxing, melancholic, and lush sound. Sometimes a bit wacky like "Take a Load Off Your Feet" which reminds me of the childrens' musical style from Sunflower. There are a few exceptions, like the rampant bluesy "Student Demonstration Time" that sounds like something familiar (Yer Blues from White Album?), or the mythical folk of "Lookin at Tomorrow". But every track is memorable and innovative, especially with their traditional chamber vocals, full wall of sound, and unique instrumentation (features a million synths, a banjo, tambourine, flutes, and much more). Excellent choice in opening and closing tracks. It's short enough for each song to make an impact. This is one album I frequently return to. Favorites: Disney Girls, Feel Flows, Till I Die, Surf's Up

Light 9. Student Demonstration Time seriously ways this down and disrupts the flow of the record being slapped right in the center. seems to me this album should be more of a psychedelic and atmospheric experience of a project rather than an eclectic collection of songs, so it feels out out place. plus the song is ass

I love The Beach Boys, but I've never heard of this album, or any of the songs on it. With a name like Surf's Up, I had certain expectations, but those expectations were quickly dashed. It was really different to hear The Beach Boys sing about social and political issues, but I feel like it worked really well. As with a lot of Beach Boys work, the harmonies here were great, and the production work of layering so many elements together to create beautiful sounds. While I think that this was a really good album, I don't think it's the band's best work. While the political and social commentary worked, and it was musically great, it just kind of lacked a total cohesiveness in my opinion. The best way I can describe it is that it just didn't feel quite as full as something like Pet Sounds. I wish I could rate it 3.5 stars, but I always find myself rounding up.

It's good, but a bit different for Beach Boys. There's less of an emphasis on vocals for most of the album. It takes a little bit of getting used to. It almost feels like it shouldn't be by The Beach Boys. But, despite that, I still liked it. I honestly wished that more of the album was vocally led, as that's something that I enjoy about the Beach Boy's earlier music, but I'm okay with the end product. My favourite song was Surf's Up.

It is hard for me to understand why this became one of their great albums. I hear a couple good songs, a bunch of decent songs, and a couple ridiculous should have been b-sides. Landlocked would have been a superior album title, I wish they would have stayed with it. I don't recognize any of these which tells me they did not become a part of the collective consciousness the way many of their other songs on other albums have. Despite all this, I understand its place on the list since it apparently did so well. But I still don't understand why.

Gotta stick up for The Beach Boys here. Yes, this has some downright embarrassing material on it, with things like "Take A Load Off Your Feet" and "Student Demonstration Time," but it also contains some of their most significant post-Pet Sounds output with songs like "A Day In The Life of A Tree" and "'Til I Die." Those songs really capture Brian Wilson's depressed, and almost completely defeated mindset at the time of the recording, and they are things of devastating beauty. Not to mention the title track, which is one of the most exquisite leftovers from the SMiLE sessions. I always interpreted it as Brian's way of saying goodbye to the surf music of their youth. Carl's two contributions "Long Promised Road" and "Feel Flows" hold up really well, even alongside Brian's material. Their last truly great album. A mixed bag for sure, but ultimately I think the power of the strong tracks outweigh the weaker ones.

17th album? Jeez guys. But ok, I was expecting to hate this a lot more. I would never have thought it was the Beach Boys. I guess this was their "darker" album into the counterculture movement, I don't agree with the darker label but definitely feels more like a progression I'd wanna see from the Beach Boys. I just don't like the surfer Beach Boys stuff, so this is more palatable. Sounds like this one is divisive among fans, but so far my favorite thing by them I'd heard for sure, but a few duds on the album. 3.5 to 3.

I'm not a huge fan of psychadelic rock, not even when the Beach Boys are doing it. A few of the songs on this album were good - the ones that weren't trying to be overly psychadelic and hippie

Good morning Monday

Just like the other Beach Boy albums we've had it's not all that bad, it's just not all that interesting either. On this album, I quite enjoyed tracks 4-7 but they were sandwiched on both sides by 3 absolutely bland snoozers.

So different from the more well known tracks. I really enjoyed this

Some interesting some boring. Perfect recipe for 3/5

Fine

10/10 easily one of the Beach Boys best albums a lot darker and more mature than their previous stuff

Worth listening to Student Demonstration Time & Feel Flows

Very patchy - some have that swell of sadness that the Beach Boys do so well, some are just tacky shit (student protests one is awful)

Great lyrics and vocals. Student Demonstrations Time, A Day in the Life of a Tree, Til I Die were amazing. Love this kind of music. Reminds me of the Beatles in some songs.

dont judge an album by its cover. this is very bad.

This album is fantastic. The only meh song is the one about feet. Otherwise a beautiful, near perfect experience. Great lyrics with soft, smooth vocals. I think I enjoyed it even more than Pet Sounds overall.

Major meh…

Positiv överraskning. Bättre än de där surflåtarna👍

Weird - I prefer Pet Sounds. This was...not my gig.

actually don't really like it, they're trying to be too political maybe

Good, but not great. They have better albums, but I appreciate the effort.

Their seventeenth album! Prolific bastards. Pretty good

Loin de la perfection des années précédentes, ça reste souvent solide et agréable. Disney Girls dans mes favorites de l'album. Je n'y reviendrai pas très souvent.

Classic sound -- interesting lyrics. Overall easy listening. The Beach Boys rule tbh.

Disappointing

I dunno why people like the Beach Boys so much, I got nothing from this music 🤷‍♂️

in some ways, this is very unlike typical beach boys but not. the beach boys' sound evolved as the years went on, as all artists do, but brian wilson's songwriting has a magic about it. after my first listen, it wasn't a big surprise to discover brian wilson was not heavily involved in this album. that fact is definitely to this album's detriment. i suppose carl wilson and the rest of the beach boys didn't necessarily do a bad job, but it's such an obvious change. surf's up mostly feels like some sort of beach boys caricature. i am compelled to say that "student demonstration time" is by far the standout of this album. this rock song is catchy on its own, but with mike love rewriting lyrics of "riot in cell block number 9" from 1954 to apply to the political and social unrest in 1970, it is incredibly powerful.

This was a strange album. It kind of threw me for a loop, as I've never quite heard The Beach Boys in this form. I ended up having to give it a second listen because I just didn't quite know what to make of it after the first listen. The title "Surf's Up" definitely feels like a play on words, as if to say "our surf music image is over, this is who we are now". They know what they're known for, they are acknowledging it, and then asking the audience to give up those preconceived notions. Brian Wilson's relative absense here is definitely a loud silence; I had a Brian Wilson album sans-Beach Boys not too long ago, and thought it felt lacking. Well, Beach Boys that is mostly sans-Brian Wilson also feels anemic in a different way. All of them together is really the most winning formula. The title song, "Surf's Up", comes the closes to having this winning sound and formula while still pushing the newer, more progressive Beach Boys sound, and it contains a prominent Brian Wilson part, but I digress. Don't get me wrong, there are elements of what The Beach Boys are known for, but the final product is certainly more off the wall. It's psychedelic folk-y, it's progressive, and it's overall pretty esoteric and mystical. Needless to say, a genre is hard to pin down here because each song is kind of genre-defying and unique in its own right. But what this album seems to lack for me is any kind of magic. Not a bad listen, but not really one I enjoyed all that much, either.

I lIke exploring non beach beach boys.

Very difficult than what I was expecting. More Beatles than California Girls.

loved it! never listened beyond pet sounds before so pleasantly surprised

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.

Less beachy than other albums, a few more political tunes. Overall a good, easy listen. Catchy as per!

On one hand, I like the sound of the Beach Boys and find an environmentally conscious album from them in this time to be fascinating. There are also catchy asides like Disney Girls. On the other hand, Student Demonstration Time feels like a terrible message that head-assedly victim blames protestors for assembly. Then outside of these highs and lows, some of the tracks are just there, like Kick Your Feet Up. Overall, not my favorite.

Cheesy.

What a quirky little album. There are a couple of throwaway songs on here, but overall, I found this album to be charming and when it really hit for me on songs like Long Promised Road, Disney Girls, and Til I Die, I loved it. Definitely holds up to anything else from this era.

Easily the best part of this is the edgier beach boys on show; rather than bright and bubbly the sounds here are a lot "grungier" (not actually grungy). however the whole is less than the sum of its parts. best tracks: long promised road, till I die, a day in the life of a tree

I've been a casual fan of the Beach Boys for a long time, but I hadn't heard this album before. The Beach Boys' music is fundamentally special imo. Their sound defined the era it was released in and is the musical embodiment of Californian summers. It shouldn't be a surprise that the gorgeous harmony is my favourite thing about the Beach Boys' music. I really enjoyed the first half of this. Feel Flows onwards feels like a bit of a lull sadly. 3.5/5

You can really tell Brian Wilson was not involved much by this time. I kinda remember this album, but with no real great tracks it’s no wonder I didn’t remember much.

Did Woody Guthrie get any song writing credit for this album?

Love this - had it for years!

Solid album. 3.5 stars.

First off, love that cover. Very doom metal. Fitting, it came out the same year as Master of Reality. I am reasonably sure that I have never in my entire life consciously listened to the Beach Boys. I was expecting pre Sgt Peppers Beatles, just a bunch of silly and happy pop songs. Instead I got a lovely bit of tonal dissonance between the really happy and dreamy music, and the esoteric and depressive lyrics.

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 different Beach Boys album with fewer vocal harmonies and an overall darker sound.

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Not really, I’m just a fan of their warmer sound though Favourite song: Track 4 - Disney Girls

3.5/5. Nowhere near as good as pre-Smile Beach Boys.

Listening to this reminded me of the movie ‘Love and Mercy’ which shows Brian Wilson struggling with his mental issues. Apparently those struggles started with Pet Sounds but seem audibly obvious here. But it’s actually the confluence of styles and people that contribute to this auditory mess. Each song felt like it was 15 minutes long, but that was probably because I was just desperate for it to end. Not even the prescient ecological messages could save this. And the cover just seems to epitomise how downtrodden and beaten this record is. A day in the life of a tree was ill-judged at best. I would’ve forgiven it if it was a song on Sesame Street, maybe a duet between Big Bird and Elmo but here it was just irritating. Akin to going to a hair salon two weeks after lockdown and the hairdresser asking if you’ve been anywhere nice on holiday. Harrumph I say!

Definitely did not need to hear.

Well, I'm no longer feeling obligated to dance around it. I just don't dig the Beach Boys. For some reason, I kept feeling like it was on me to unlock the key to this band, but after these last few spins, I've come to the realization that I just don't enjoy the music. Throughout the entirety of this listen, I had one thought running through my head... "seriously, wtf?"

The problem with the Beach Boys is that they were capable of producing some of the best music ever recorded and also some of the most embarrassing—and it's not entirely clear to me that they know the difference. This album is Exhibit A. Side one is basically awful, though Disney Girls and Long Promised Road are merely too-earnest-but-otherwise-OK. Side two, though, features four of their greatest songs (Feel Flows, A Day In the Life of a Tree, Til I Die, and Surf's Up), with the title track being perhaps my favorite song of all time by anyone, and Til I Die being the last great Brian Wilson masterpiece, and it only gets better the more you hear it. Also, their manager Jack Reiley's vocals on A Day in the Life of a Tree are incredible. When I saw Brian Wilson a few years ago, I was thrilled when they played Feel Flows. What a great song. I'm glad their early '70s efforts are getting some love. Take those four songs and combine them with the best songs from their previous album Sunflower (Slip On Through, This Whole World, All I Wanna Do, Our Sweet Love, Forever), and you have the best BB album outside of Pet Sounds.

Not my bag

Decent

Not what I was expecting for a beach boys album. First listen didn’t really care for it

A beautiful album, I'm glad to have heard it. So many great songs and they were well ahead of their time with their songs that were environmentally conscious! The songs on this album are very meaningful and a few of them really spoke to me. They all have such a great soundscape, too, often with layered melodies or unique sounds. The Beach Boys are just amazing. It's a shame that I only knew their "beachy" songs, which was admittedly all I'd heard of them, myself, before listening to this album. I think that's probably all most people know of their music, but I can't say for sure. Either way, these songs are timeless and I feel more enlightened after hearing this album. Bravo.

Better than expected.

This was a really pleasant surprise, didn’t expect this from the Beach Boys.

Surf's Up isn't for me, The Beach Boys aren't in general but a more sober and retrospective album of theirs appeals even less. 2, because I liked Disney Girls.

This was a real eye-opener - similar to an extent in style to other Beach Boys records we've had, but very very different in terms of mood and content. Going into it without knowing anything, and reading the title, expected a worse version of their standard 60s jolly surfing songs. This was really different, much darker, less catchy, but much more interesting. There are some songs that really don't land (the one written from the point of view of a tree, for example), but when it's good it's really good. 3/5, verging on a four but too inconsistent.

A couple good tracks on this not as popular beach boys album

Surf’s dead.

tide's gone out

Fun! Beach Boys (60s pop)

Better than I expected, hard to take a song about staying off your feet or at least taking care of your feet, seriously what the hell is this? Yes guys eat Rhymes with feet, brilliant! Ok Student Demonstration Time is kind of missing a better singer and lyrics but has a very Greatful Dead vibe, I'd rather be listening to the Dead. Stick to surfing my dudes

Love me some Beach Boys, but wow, this was a weird one. Not even sure what to make of it.

This is wild. I never would have known this was The Beach Boys. These are complicated songs with serious subject matter that still rock and hit. Crazy. If you are a set in the stone The Beach Boys have to be poppy listener, you’ll hate this. If you can approach it from a new angle, this is pretty interesting to listen to.

What a colossal letdown. It sounds like they tried to make songs in a bunch of musical styles. But almost every time, they missed the mark. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - It was ok to listen to but I wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.

Veldig mye bedre enn jeg fryktet. Mye av beach boys har aldri truffet meg, men her har de utviklet lydbildet sitt tip noe større og tøffere

wanted to like this album more than I really did. Still a solid album. Student Demo and Feel Flows top it for me.

Not as bad as expected, another one I would not go out of my way to listen to but definitely a good couple of tracks on here

Nothing like anything else I've ever heard from the Beach Boys, and not in a bad way, either.

I think I’ve gotta go 5 here. Never listened to this before but I loved it. So much more heft than I’m used to with The Beach Boys. A Fay in the Life of a Tree was my favorite but everything was good.

17th studio album?! This was so different from all of the Beach Boys I had heard before, but so great. 4/5

Loving this dark album cover. This is like their bad boy era…I like the Beach Boys okay!!!

not their best album

HL: title track, “A Day in the Life of a Tree”, “Student Demonstration Time”, "Long Promised Road" Can recall listening to "Til I Die" before, but this is the first time I've heard the other tracks. Pretty happy with this one. Has some of the baroque & experimental flourishes as heard in "Pet Sounds", delivered in a patchwork of (starkly) arranged pop songs, zooming between the jazzy "Disney Girls" & the glam stomp in "Student Demo" (tracks right beside each other). Unexpected synth in many of the tracks, too, not a bad or good thing- "Surf's Up" sounds like a straight prog album in certain moments. February 10, 2023

Really good album. Even the student demonstration song grew on me on 2nd listen through. Really liked Long Promised Road, Take a Load Off Your Feet, and especially Looking at Tomorrow. So many other good songs. The student riot song and tree songs are the only 2 that I could take or leave. 8.5/10

Huh, an album that discusses the greatness of trees, water, and feet. Surfs down!

Underrated 70s era BB

More boredom from The Beach Boys. It’s the 3rd album of theirs that I get here, and unlike it’s predecessors there are no redeeming tracks to be found.

Absolutely great songs on first listen.Deserves a Relisten

Fav songs: - Take A Load Off Your Feet - Student Demonstration Time - 'Til I Die

pretty good, really, but I am not a BB fan, so...

The album had a unique focus on the environment and nature, though some of the vocals felt weaker than other beach boys music I’ve heard. Not their strongest collection, but a cool listen nonetheless. If it had been their earlier album Pet Sounds I would have given 5 stars.

Enjoyable and seemed a bit more raw than other BB records I’ve heard.

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.

Algo mediocre, no tiene temazos.

Yessss Beach Boysssss. Noooooot my favorite Beach Boys album, as it turns out. Don't Go Near the Water - big ol eco vibes, man I'm so glad we solved all that. Take Good Care of Your Feet - yep. Student Demonstration Time - favorite so far. Till I Die - I like it.

It's not as good as Pet Sounds, but still very interesting and with equally great style and atmosphere. Lyrics on this album are completely different as well, very pro-ecological, trying to show us some issues going on with the oceans on our planet. Instrumental-wise the record is really good, every song is actually worth listening, although it doesn't have any standout tracks. Another positive surprise on the list!

Classic