Surf's Up

I've never previously heard anything from this album. It was definitely a departure from their early work, song about surfing and cars. Student demonstration time was the surprise song on the album. I don't remember them being overtly political in previous songs. This album was pretty good overall.

So different than what I was expecting. Didn’t enjoy except maybe Student Demonstration Time.

Not bad. Pleasant background music but not their best!

Decent music, starts to sound the same after a while.

Wow, never heard or listened to this one. Great album. Pretty diverse songs, with some pretty good contrast within. Solid 4! TBz 1. Surf’s Up 2. Lookin’ At Tomorrow 3. Long Promised Road 4. Take A Load Off Your Feet

Great album.

Whoa! This one surprised me. Not familiar with these guys past Pet Sounds, which is a fantastic album. This one I had not particularly heard of so I was really pleasantly surprised that this was so damn good. The happiest punk rock record ever.

Very strange indeed, but intermittently sublime, because it's the Beach Boys. "Disney Girls" and "Long Promised Road" and "Feels Flows" are all great and one can scarcely think of a better song about podiatry than "Take a Load Off." "Student Demonstration Time" sounds like a reaching after relevance in competition with angrier protest bands. Interesting the shift to grittier guitar sounds and instrumentation shifts, generally.

There was one song I really enjoyed, but the rest was kind of meh. However, I don't like the Beach Boys much at all and was still pleasantly surprised by the beginning of the album.

Not a huge beach boys fan, although I definitely found it interesting, some of the songs surprised me in that there were of a very different nature compared to what I expected Beach Boys to sound like

Amazing album.

More interesting than pet sounds. It feels like it's played on a water damaged cassette or something. It's sort of slow, bogged, suffocating. Altogether warped and moribund. The lyrics are fine and sunny enough, there are touches of Moog here and there but a generally stripped back production. It's not a classic in my book but more interesting than I imagined and a very minimalist, tonal representation of the beach boys.

This felt a bit 'washed-out'. A kind of 'morning-after-the-night' before feeling. Not a bad set of songs, and the idea of the band reinventing themselves is interesting, However, the material that works best (Don't Go Near and the title track) sounds pretty much like the Beach Boys of 'old'. The arrangement of Surf's Up itself feels a bit more thought-out than some of the other tracks, and works as a consequence. One to investigate again at a later date?

This is a very sad album. The 60's dream is over, Dude. It's almost as if the Beach Boys are twisting the surfing myth and culture. They're pissing on their own grave. There's some decent stories buried away in the lyrics. The music struggles to bring them to the surface. Please tell me Student Demonstration Time is a piss take?

Wouldn't have known it was The Beach Boys.

A good one.

A pleasant album, obviously not the normal fair they are known for more soft and introspective, they still were experimenting after Pet Sounds it seems and its a great album to just chill out to. Favourite tracks Long Promised Road and Feel Flows (Absolute top track).

This is such nostalgia for me! Just by seeing the cover I can instantly transport back to the 90's and see my dad listening these records. And what records they made! While Surf's Up isn't quite their greatest, it's still a very solid release. It did have it's troubles but ultimately there's some of their greatest songs on it. Key tracks: Don't Go Near The Water, Long Promised Road, Disney Girls, Student Demonstration Time, Feel Flows, A Day In The Life Of A Tree, 'Til I Die, Surf's Up 8 out of 10

This album is disturbing for me. I grew up with my father listening to oldies stations, exposing me to their shallow bubblegumsurf pop hits from the 60’s. Oh, then there was Kokomo in 1988. I suppose it’s my fault for being ignorant of the two decades between surfing’ safari and Kokomo. This album has some weird and some unusual, with light sprinkles of their sugary sweet surfing topping. Not much sweet in this darkness.

3.4 + Sounds like leftover tidbits from “Pet Sounds” studio sessions. Besides the trippy “Feel Flows” and “Till I Die”, I don’t bother with this one.

ничего не запомнила, но норм)

Honestly I'm not the hugest fan of post-smile beach boys. There's a lot of great songs here and the cover art is gorgeous but it just feels off. Surfs up and disney girls are two of the bands best.

I’ve never listened to later Beach Boys. I can’t say I’ll be returning to it willingly.

Ohhh I loved it, a few corny songs, but it had me in the second half.

Pet Sounds is a 5 for me, but I have always been apprehensive on other Beach Boys albums. This one started off pretty lackluster with some cornball tracks, but it did shine its soul(Brian Wilson) on the second half and started going hard on "Feel Flows" onward. I listened to this back-half thrice cuz it bopped. If it was just the last 5 songs it would be getting a 5, but alas I cannot ignore the stank of the first half.

Aside from being extremely ahead of its time on the issue of climate change, this album didn’t do it for me. Some songs had super corny lyrics, and honestly as soon as the song about feet (????) came on I was too confused to take it seriously.

Not a typical Beach Boys album… and I think that’s for the worse. I miss Brian Wilson’s vocals, as whoever is singing on this album has a shaky voice. It’s kinda cool that they were addressing environmentalism in the early 70s, as that is way ahead of the times. But the song about feet was ridiculous. Is this a podiatry propaganda album?! 2/5

Two stars for the great lyrics. Besides that, not my thing. I enjoy some of their earlier works, this record isn’t for me.

Not a masterpiece but clearly one of their best outputs post-Pet Sounds. It is to be expected of course, as many snippets or full songs are Smile-era products. There are also some serious misses here and there, with Student Demonstration Time being the most notorious.

The album is a bit of a surprise being their seventeenth, and it is a positive testament of the band's ability to change their sound. The album certainly does not fit their moniker, but in a way we get to experience them as a band that has matured without Brian Wilson. The identity of The Beach Boys being an issue here is that the music does not fit. Therein lies somewhat of a great experience or enigma, because the album is actually really really good because it is The Beach Boys. This band's history is one of the more dramatic ones out there, but it certainly lends a bit of importance to everything they have still managed to produce in spite of all that. This album being a great example.

J'aime beaucoup les beach boys et c,est un très bon album, Cependant, il n'est pas au complet sur Spotify ce qui fait qu'on peut pas en profiter pleinement, 4

the beach boys does the 70s. incredibly hit and miss, but nice to hear some songs that aren't all about the really high pitched in the era where high pitched was all you could fucking get.

The beach boys are a set of fictional puppets created by Disney. In classical mythology they're known as thr surfing fuck puppets of the sea.

Bet they can't even surf. Landsharks

3.5

Some was ok, some was terrible

Je l'ai plus aimé que Pet Sounds, mais ça reste un peu trop ordinaire à mon goût. Même sachant l'impact qu'ils ont eu sur la musique, je trouve ça juste correct.

Listened to half of it, more relaxed than expected

Not what I expected from a Beach Boys album, quite darker. "Til I Die" is great.

Lo siento otra vez, pero me he aburrido. Excepto "Long promised road" nada me ha llamado la atención. Entiendo que después de 16 discos anteriores no quedaba mucha magia por vender.

Spotify does not carry the full album

I want to like this. I really do. But I don't. It is dull. It is not fun. Yes, it's a different direction for The Beach Boys and I'm sure it was considered groundbreaking at the time, but do I enjoy it? No. I do not.

I wasn't super taken with this. It feels disingenuous that they switch their lyrics to social issues all of a sudden. "Student Demonstration Time" was very tryhard, imo 3/5

Quite good, even if it’s not the Beach Boys’ best work. But I like the somber feeling this album evokes and its equally playful and haunting look at nostalgia. Glad to own it. B

It’s a very slow, heavy album. The sixties were definitely over.

Its a very imperfect album. BUT, straight up, has some of my favorite songs of all time.

Albums like this are exactly why I'm doing this project. How have I not heard this before? Excellent

An excellent album 4+/5

Based on the title I was expecting something very different. Very little surfing here. Some great tunes and was certainly not expecting this from The Beach Boys.

I didn't exactly get good vibrations from this one but it also wasn't the worst I've heard from the list. Seemed like they were trying to shed the whole surf city thing and do something edgy but nothing about their efforts made me feel anything, good or bad.

It’s fine. It just didn’t really elicit any strong feelings. Don’t know what’s special about it exactly.

This is different for The Beach Boys, but it is good. The title track is one of my favorite by this group. Overall, a solid album.

Normally this would be a no brainer... Beach boys are awesome. But I did not really enjoy this one.

Some decent songs

Typical beach boys sound. Not exceptional

Very good, thoroughly enjoyed it

Nice

Not classic Beach Boys. Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: Don't Go Near The Water Date listened: 20/11/22

Somewhat interesting, political and serious album while also being melodic and experimental. Some tracks aren't as strong.

Disney Girls gut, der Rest halt 60er Rock (70er?) teils gut, teils meh. 3 Sterne?

OK, I was so wrong to think the beach boys as a not as good version of the beatles. I absolutely love this album.

Inoffensive. Some nice songs I guess.

Song highlights: Don't Go Near The Water, Long Promised Road, Feel Flows, Surf's Up

It sounds like they didn’t knew who their audience was or who they were making the album for. Musically, most of the songs are pretty strong, but they fall short lyrically; at least for me. I appreciate the sentiment in the words, although the Beach Boys were not equipped to write deep songs. Also, if you’re short on time for your album, it’s better to not write anymore songs than to include a song like Student Demonstration Time. Who was that for? 3/5

Heard this on CD (with Sunflower) a couple of years but found it insignificant. However although its no Pet Sounds it does have some interesting textures. Less vocal harmonies and more direct lyrics it requires repeated play. But for now it's a 3.

Love the Beach Boys! Classic sound but not all the classic hits!

Interesting album. It does not sound like the Beach Boys as they became later on.

Zoals altijd wel aardige, afwisselende muziek van deze strandjongens (die deze keer merkwaardig genoeg beweren dat de surf op is en dat je niet te dicht bij het water moet komen), maar er zit geen echt memorabel nummer tussen.

Dit zijn de albums waar ik bang voor was toen ik aan de 1001 begon...Ik kan niets bedenken wat ik hier nou goed aan vind....

Dan gaat het nummer "Disney girls" over het drugsgebruik onder jongeren. En dan maken ze vervolgens een nummer over een dag uit het leven van een boom. Een boom! Met takken!

This wasn’t what I was expecting for the beach boys, there was more of a diverse vibe to it than what I thought it would be. It wasn’t totally my favourite but it was eh.

Hold up if you "don't like the Beach Boys" (i.e. me)...: I'd never heard anything off of this and when I saw "Beach Boys" it was predictable disappointment. I never caught on to any of their music; the admittedly impressive vocal harmonies and perfectly crafted major melodies had always missed me as being less dramatic or frankly interesting than music I usually gravitate towards. But the dark and mysterious cover actually does give some insight to what's inside; aside from the opening obvious vocal calling card... this doesn't sound anything at all like "The Beach Boys™" - mostly gone are the thick 3 and 4 part harmonies in favour of far more variety and creative progressions. And even if you're of the sort where lyrics tend to be secondary to the music, it's impossible to miss the obvious soft concept running through this one: environmental and societal concerns abound on virtually every song give each of these more weight than any typical surf song they'd built a career on. And musically it's a complete changeup - e.g. listen to "Disney Girls (1957)" which is far more complex and difficult than it seems, which shows how impressive it is. "A Day In the Life of a Tree" is just weird and lush and gorgeous. No giant or quick big melodic chorus or hooks within, I had to immediately play the entire (short) album again to really digest this - mark of a creative album. The highlight overall is "Feel Flows" - the best song on this [and I do know this from the film "Almost Famous"] album and definitely the best Beach Boys song I've ever heard - so good, mysterious/sad/happy all at once - some great studio effects on the piano and vocals that add to the mood. The only real miss for me is "Student Demonstration Time" - a dullish bluesy number that seems out of place even here on what to me is a (beautifully)n out of place album - it's lyrically simple and a bit dull overall. But overall this album's melodies and craft seem to carry forward echoes of highly melodic bands 10-20 years later like Jellyfish and XTC. I definitely didn't think I'd enjoy this but there you go - it's not flawless but I'm glad to have been given the chance to be surprised and discover it. A keeper. 7/10 4 stars

strong 4, light 5

Its classic beach Boys, its not their best album but it is still enjoyable and worth a listen

It is a good pop album, that's it, nothing really special about it Favorite track: Long Promised Road 7/10

Definitely was not expecting this from The Beach Boys. Completely different sound and songwriting. Some huge misses but also some amazing songs.

Beach Boys tunes recorded to sound like The Velvet Underground.

Ok, but prefer other beach boys

Surf music and a political song. This was not what I was expecting.

This is a bit of a weird album. It feels like classic Beach Boys, but it has a rock and prog twist. It still has that emphasis on the voice backing track that comes with many Beach Boys songs. The songs in this album all feel fun or dreamy, but they have interesting lyrics that hold your attention. The album has some mixing problems, but it doesn’t impact the feelings at all. Overall it was an interesting listen-through when I expected a normal Beach Boys album. Favorite track: Long Promised Road

This is very much past The Beach Boys prime. People talk about how The Beatles were overrated and they're tired of the sound, but that's actually how I feel about The Beach Boys. They were really innovative for their day, but I just do not care about 99% songs. This one has some cool lyrics and storytelling in it, but overall I just find it really bland.

Pleasant surprise, only knew their early surf songs and Pet Sounds and this one was really different.

pretty good! especially liked tracks 4 and 5

Into there trying to hard to be deep phase. Not my fav beach Boys but still good harmonics and interesting

I had never heard of this album and who knew the Beach Boys would write songs about environmental issues. A darker, moodier record than I expected from the Beach Boys with some interesting songs and actually some pretty decent ones, I might add. The commercial appeal is lacking, which isn't a bad thing, but the lesser contributions of Brian Wilson is evident.

I love the artwork more than the album itself. Songs and lyrics were interesting but not wholly memorable. Very solid album not as good as Pet Sounds.

Fine but fairly uninteresting Beach Boys music.

Good one!

This is not the Beach Boys I have grown accustomed to. This was a much much sadder version. Even starting with the cover of this album, I knew this was different. By the way this might be my favorite cover of an album of every record I've reviewed on here. The songs on here are not so happy go lucky like previous albums. Some are happier like student demonstration time but the majority are chill, sad vibes. I like the switch up but the songs are meh. 4/10 respect for trying something different

Very different from the other two B-Boys albums I’ve had. A bit more out there, with songs on a lot of different topics and in a lot of different styles. Feels all over the place in that regard but there are some gems on it still. 6/10

It was good. I suspect I’ll listen to several tracks again and in time I may appreciate this more. I do think the sound they have on this album is awesome and not what I expected. Already threw Disney Girls on the playlist and Surfs Up might be in the rotation soon.

Boring bluesy, an Beatles like

Huh, I didn't know the Beach Boys had even gone into the progressive/psychedelic scene. In any case, I have to say that at no point listening to this album did it "grab" me. A lot of random sounds, a lot of random lyrics; nothing super bad but nothing particularly good.

good

The album it's interesting 'cause it has a lot of styles, it's an album that combines so many styles that is hard to find a good classification of this album. Generally some songs are great and have a meaning lyrically and historically speaking, however it seems that this album is not the greatest work by the beach boys.

Other than "Long Promised Road", which I could not enjoy for some reason, I really liked this album, more so than I expected. I love a record that's not afraid to talk about more important things, and the lush harmonies I've adored were still present.

kann man gut hören

OK, but not remarkable

Has some nice vibes

Wasn't sure how to rate. Somewhere between a 3 and a 4. Really like: - The album art. It threw me and made the prospect of listening to the Beach Boys more appealing. - Disney Girls, A Day In The Life Of A Tree, 'Til I Die, Surf's Up Really do not like: - Take A Load Off Your Feet - Student Demonstration Time

Pas les Beach Boys qu'on connait! Très expérimental et Brit! J'ai bien aimé, mais pas ce à quoi je m'attendais!

By this point in their career, it was no longer sunny days and nights and driving about in you car. It's all gone a bit strange and dark. Issues, family fall outs, tons and tons of drugs all work together to make an odd album. Best Tracks: Long Promised Road; Feel Flows; Surf's Up

Brian Wilson is... well, he's a little insane, sure. But he's also kind of a genius. His absence is felt on this album. It feels awkward and thin even when they layer on those thick, Beach Boys harmonies. It's just lacking that THING that made "Pet Sounds" such a monster album. Also, the jazz flutes... stahp. The saving grace here is that the lyrics are actually pretty great. It's a much deeper assortment of topics and perspectives than one expects from a Beach Boys joint and I love that. So, on balance, it nets a middling 3 stars from me.

Différent de ce que je connaissais d'eux, ce nonobstant très plaisant. Pochette hideuse.

j’ai trouvé ça super

What the fuck kind of nightmare fucking album art is this holy shit. This was super forgettable to me. It's possible I was just extra busy and distracted, but nothing from this was memorable. Not that it was a bad album, just very plain.

not what i was expecting from the beach boys, but it was a very diverse selection and i enjoyed the vibes. would love to revisit this album while stoney pony

Last beach boys album was last week also on tuesday

I've only listened to this one other time and it was probably because of "Feel Flows." What an incredibly beautiful song that I was completely unaware of until I had seen "Almost Famous." Apparently it was the first song that Carl wrote, just gorgeous. Other than that the only other song I knew from here was the title track which I knew from "Smile." I thought that this album would suffer from the diminished presence of Brian and his couple of contributions are great, I mean he's Brian Wilson an undisputed musical genius, but the contributions by the other guys here are good too "Student Demonstration Time" and "Don't Go Near The Water" stand out for me.

The Beach Boys are so much more than just Pet Sounds. This one and Sunflower might be less recognized as classics, but I think they both have some of the best music they've ever recorded.

Very good album with great vibes. One of the best from the ingenuous Beach Boys.

Not my favorite of the band, but it surely deserve some attention. A lot of attention on the details, very creative and awesome production as always.

Magnificent album by the Beach Boys focused on the arrangements of instruments and voices. Lots of experimental details, but which don't become "too much" like on Pet Sounds, for example. There are darker songs than usual. It's also more focused on moods than catchy melodies. Amongst my favorite albums from this band. Love it.

Meh. This kind of thing is not my bag, baby.

Feels like this album's title should be "The Beach Boys Try To Be The Beatles." Spoiler alert: they do a poor job of it. According to Wiki, "Surf's Up addresses environmental, social, and health concerns more than the group's previous releases. This was at the behest of newly recruited co-manager Jack Rieley, who strove to revamp the group's image and restore their public reputation following the dismal reception to their recent albums and tours. His initiatives included a promotional campaign with the tagline 'it's now safe to listen to the Beach Boys...'" And that's exactly what this album sounds like: a management-driven attempt to rebrand themselves and remind everyone that "Hey, man, we're still hip and relevant!" There isn't a single song on this album that I'm even remotely tempted to listen to again. I'm embarrassed for them.

I hear some of my favorite bands in here (MGMT, Foxygen, Beach House). I've always gravitated to Pet Sounds, but this album is spectacular with its psychedelic beachy sounds. This is when this 1001 challenge pays off - I'll be listening to this on repeat.

I distinctly remember this album cover growing up. I think it belonged to a friend of my dad's. I don't recall ever listening to it though. Defintely not the Beach Boys that comes to mind when I hear the name The Beach Boys.

This would probably sound better during the summer....(it's autumn right now) I liked a few songs (don't go near the water, feel flows) but it pales in comparison to pet sounds. a lot of filler on here. At least it was short.

Weird and unremarkable

Much wider range than I thought they had

It’s no pet sounds.

Veri gooz

Don't go near the water - this is so on the nose, could be sung to kids Long promised road- musically strong, lyrics quite simple👍 Take a load of your feet- nursery rhyme core Disney Girls (1957) - people are always wishing for simpler times, musically simple Student demonstration time - musically a cover, this doesn't do anything for me Feel Flows - instrumental is pretty cool👍 Lookin' at tomorrow (a welfare song) - almost an interlude, sonically interesting A day in the life of a tree- Classic beach boys harmonies👍 'Til I die - this is a very tight song, incredible harmonies👍 Surfs up- sections don't link together organically for me I think the overly political songs on this album are lacking all subtlety. Just wasn't my fave, I like the bait and switch with the title tho. 2/5

weird vibes, feel flow a day in the life of a tree surfs up

Surfs duck

A later Beach Boys gem

Int så bra slm jag kom ihåg.

I'm not very familiar with the Beach Boys outside of Pet Sounds, but this seems like a strange album for them. Some darker lyrical themes contrasting their generally upbeat melodies and vocal harmonies. Their style of music isn't my favorite but their harmonies are hard to beat. Standouts for me: "Don't Go Near the Water," "Student Demonstration Time," and of course, "Feel Flows."

Without a doubt, the Beach Boys created their own niche and are one of the most important and influential bands in American Rock history. Listening to this album, however, I felt that the band tried to recreate itself. While I think style and story variations within an album are important, I thought this album may have gone a little too far in that respect.

ok

Now Surf's Up is twice on my albums playlist!

Had a little less pep than I expect when I think of The Beach Boys

I'm surprised to see this album in the 1001. Sure, The Beach Boys are great, but this isn't a particularly interesting or innovative album. Very pleasant to listen to, but not one I would pick. Perhaps because I'm not American I don't appreciate the significance of it?

Darker than I’d have ever guessed, chamber-jazzizsh. The explicit political song reminded me of Zappa (not in a good way). Still an intriguing album I’m sure I’ll come back to.

TIL that the Beach Boys were considered counter-culture to the 1960s counter-culture movement and tried to fix that with this album. This album sounds like them trying too hard. Downvoting one star due to Brian Wilson not being involved.

Weird music 3/5

ALBUM RATING: 3.3 ALBUM GRADE: C+ TRACK RATINGS: 1. Don’t Go Near the Water - 3.0 2. Long Promised Road - 3.0 3. Take a Load off Your Feet - 3.0 4. Disney Girls (1957) - 3.5 5. Student Demonstration Time - 3.5 6. Feel Flows - 3.5 7. Lookin’ at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) - 4.0 8. A Day in the Life of a Tree - 3.0 9. Til I Die - 3.5 10. Surf’s Up - 3.0

Something is missing compared to the classic hits by The Beach Boys that I know so well and I can’t put my finger on what it is. It still has the tight and unpredictable harmonies that The Beach Boys are known for.

I hadn’t heard this before so was expecting the happy chappy Beach Boys but should’ve known better from the artwork. Darker and hardly any mention of bloody surfing. Struggled to get into it and found most songs forgettable. Convinced myself I’d give it a 2/5 but listened to it again on a run and warmed to it. Not sure I’ll necessarily rush back for another listen soon but I can appreciate it for what it is. Highlights: Disney Girls, ‘Til I Die, Surf’s Up

Pretty boring music nothing special

Top

Love it

so diferent, beatifull!

Given what I have heard from the Beach Boys and the title of the album, this was not what I expected.

Don’t think I have ever heard this before - I was 4 when it was first released

Some nice songs here, might revisit this one at some point.

JMC LIKE TO LISTEN MYSELF

Does not sound like classic beach boys, a bit darker and less intensely happy. The focus on environmentalism was way ahead of its time, but the music is more dated. I hope and expect to see more of their albums, and reckon I will enjoy them much more.

This was so cool and way ahead of its time. I listen to indie music now that has an eerily similar sound.

Ooh, 70s Beach Boys. Intriguing. I found the attempts to push their sound and their lyrical themes forward interesting, and I feel like there’s a mystery quality to it that might reveal itself over time. But equally I’ve given it a few spins now and there still aren’t any tracks that have burrowed their way into my psyche. Maybe a bit harsh, but 2.5 stars.

An edgier sound to what I expected. Suits the scary album art. I liked the bluesy Student Demonstration Time but found parts of the album a bit dull. Solid 3.5 stars for me

Simply did not care for it. The first track was the only track I didn't want to skip.

Let's save the water!! I liked this one.

Fucking Beach Boys....

Love this album, probably the last great beach boys album. Don’t go near the water and long promised road are great, take a load off your feet is fun. Disney girls is nice and sweet. Student demonstration time was probably my least favorite, just felt nothing like the rest of the album and was pretty bland. A day in the life of a tree and ‘til I die are wonderful. My favorite song is probably surfs up, the lyrics and feel of it are mystical.

*deletes student demonstration time* Ahhh a perfect album

Very good songs

The Beach Boys is starting to grow on me. Underrated album!

This sounds literally NOTHING like a Beach Boys album...

I really liked this album. I’ve never heard the BBs do a blues song. Kinda fun.

Solid and weird

I can't even hate on Student Demonstration Time, Disney Girls is lush and the rest: sublime.

I thought the Beach Boys were little more than just singing about the ocean and relaxing on the beach, not that there's anything wrong with that, but boy did this album prove me wrong. There's an actual message behind these lyrics, and, without being too preachy, it nails the balance between message and good music. The vocals might be a bit different than usual when one thinks of the Beach Boys, but they are still bright and wonderful. This album shows that the Beach Boys aren't just a one-note band, and that they can branch out and make meaningful music.

A surprising Beach Boys album I'd never heard before. Not quite a perfect record, sometimes a bit worthy & smelling of greenwash, but actually very good.

Meh. I don't get The Beach Boys. The best part is that kickass album cover and the contrast it creates with the simple "Surf's Up" title, and their previous work. The title track was pretty cool though.

Some weird 60s bullshit

Not very memorable album, but an easy listen.

Not your usual beach boys album. This one didn’t seem as up best throughout. The songs varied into certain political songs to songs about surfing or girls. When thinking Beach Boys it’s not that this album isn’t like them I think it was a transition as they aged into a more insightful songwriting. However it felt like this album wouldn’t be as played as some of their others. 6.2/10

I've never heard a single song from this album. Based on the wiki, this was the Beach Boys attempt to rebrand themselves and be more relevant to the times. At times that feels really forced and ham fisted. At other times the songs are just ok.

This was more impressive than I had hoped. This group has a soft, gentle, safe rock-psych moment before they are forced into chintzy surf pop. The vocals shine, especially in the last track.

I love The Beach Boys. We share a home town. I didn’t like this all that much. They lost a little magic post ‘60s.

Nunca lo había escuchado, es muy diferente a lo que estoy acostumbrada a escuchar de ellos.

Feel Flows and Til I Die we’re the highlights. I like this album a lot and could see it getting better on further listens

"Feel Flows" is one of my favorites by these guys. This was a very different album than I was expecting. I'm not sure if they were maturing with their music at this point, if they were just tired, or if they were trying to re-imagine themselves and keep up with changing musical tastes of the time. I'm glad that this wasn't a "Surfing Safari" type of album. As was the tag line for this album when it was released: It's safe to listen to the Beach Boys again.

I enjoyed a few of the songs, esp. the first one

I love this album and was pleasantly surprised to see it was included in this list. The Beach Boys took a darker and more psychedelic turn with a lot of the songs on this album while still doing what they do best - massive vocal harmonies. Carl Wilson (R.I.P.) in particular had some of his best work on this album (Long Promised Road and Feel Flows). I'm giving it 4 only because the consistency could be better and it's only 33 minutes long. Student Demonstration Time is pretty cringe, and there are maybe two other songs that aren't very strong. The rest of the album is excellent and some of the best work The Beach Boys ever did. Favorite song: tie between Feel Flows and Surf's Up

Solid all around. A welcome departure from their early stuff.

really enjoyed the first 4 songs but couldn’t stand the last 6. effectively giving it a 2 but wish it was higher as the beginning of the album was quite pleasant.

Uhhhhh

Second listen really made me appreciate this one more. Overall weird popprog stuff but in the end i enjoyed it more than initially thought

Liked it more after a few listens. Nice break from the beachy beach boys. appreciated all the different feelings/genres. I hate to admit that I don't know much about the Beach Boys, this definitely has me interested in listening to more of their catalog.

Hard time understanding what Brian Wilson is saying sometimes but it sounds like he put some thought into it. Good not great but looking forward to hearing more from them. Favorite: Feel Flows

i liked this so much more then i was expecting

Not my jam

Beach Boys are really hit and miss for me. I love them, or I hate them. This was a good one.

A quirky and intriguing later Beach Boys album with a few tracks evoking that trademark harmonic magic and others using blues and rock to explore themes of student protest and environmentalism.

Some different sounds to what I’ve heard before from The Beach Boys and also some similar.

The title track is the best part of the album.

I thought this was cool. I wasn't really aware of the Beach Boys post-Smile, pre-Kokamo career. This was better than I thought it would be given the reduced influence of Brian Wilson. I didn't really feel like there were any standout moments, but the album was pleasant overall 4/5

Weird album, even for later stage Beach Boys, and a weird choice for this list. A weird time for America: this came out just a couple months before the articles that became Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and the rather dismal “socially conscious” songs suggest they hadn’t gotten the memo, that that wave had long sense broken, and was rolling furiously back. The last half of side two is better but doesn’t quite pull the whole effort above average.

Mjög falleg og kósí plata.

very cool

J’entends la tentative de dé-juvéniliser la proposition. Ce que ça donne, c’est un album moins énergique et plus sombre. Trop sombre pour un album qui s’appelle « Surf’s Up » d’un band qui s’appelle « Beach Boys ».

Première écoute à vie de cet album. Je suis vraiment agréablement surpris. C'est probablement l'album à écouter pour ceux qui n'aiment pas les Beach Boys. Je trouve que la rivalité avec les Beatles a fait du bien au groupe. Ils ont osé prendre plus de risques. Musicalement et en terme de mélodies vocales, c'est intéressant et on reconnait les fondements du groupe malgré un changement de direction par rapport aux débuts. J'aime comment chacun est mis en évidence sur les différentes chansons. Je trouve que c'est une belle évolution. La pièce Take A Load Off Your Feet me fait énormément penser au style de Hubert Lenoir, le petit côté pop, la façon que les voix sont arrangées et la façon de chanter. J'adore la pochette. Définitivement un album que je vais réécouter. Pièces préférées: Student Demonstration Time, 'Til I Die, Don't Go Near The Water, Long Promised Road, Take A Load Off Your Feet.

Great tunes! My favourite is the Long Promised Road, but all of the songs was a great surprise and experience. A bit Beatles-ish, but in a good amount. Saved to favourites.

Way better and more poetic than I expected

I wanted to like it more cos Beach Boys & 'Til I Die but nothing else grabbed me that much.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Long promised road

Probably more like a 3.75 with a couple of really good, innovative songs. Overall some hits and some misses.

A freshest chubby soup of sound. Didn’t like it initially, but second half improved. Student protest a stand out

I've heard plenty of songs from the Beach Boys and a couple of full albums from the band, but "Surf's Up" was all new music to me. This album is interesting because of how much of the song writing and the lead vocals are spread out among the members of the band. The content of this album is documenting something that was going on in the US and the world at the time. There are discussions of environmentalism, and political activism. It would have been interesting to listen to the album in context. Althoug Surf's Up does not have what I would have thought was the typical subject matter for the Beach Boys, the songs still have an intreguing application of Beach Boys musical arragnements. "Don't Go Near the Water" and "Long Promised Road" have such happy sounding music for serious subject matter. There were tracks that I can only describe as weird: "Take a Load Off Your Feet" (which contains an odd collection of lyrics about feet), and "A Day in the Life of a Tree". "Disney Girls (1957)" made me feel like there is so much that I don't understand about the Beach Boys. "Student Demonstration Time" feels like a practice run at the blues, but not really the blues. I didn't hate this album, and I didn't NOT like it, but I'm not sure if I liked it. The album is interesting and was an unexpected experience from the Beach Boys. The album was worth a listen just for the novelty of the experience.

3.5/5. I've heard this album before. It is really still a surprise - when you think of the Beach Boys, you think of all the classic surfin' and Californa Girls types of songs. This has none of that. It's really a great listen and I expect that I will look forward to hearing it again.

very good, much better than I expected with mature sound.

Weak. Flaccid. Just terrible. When the best song gets covered and improved on by Captain and Tennille, you’ve not got much to work with. Brian’s absence is keenly felt here.

Very different album from the Beach Boys, lots of haunting songs with a focus on political themes. Really enjoyed the album, Surf's Up itself is an amazing tune and enjoyed almost all of the songs with maybe one or two exceptions.

This doesn't work for me. The Brian Wilson tunes are good (if not great), but the rest is disjointed and subpar. The last three songs are signs of what could have been.

Does not sound like “the beach boys” but that’s what makes it great. A really unique collection of songs which shows off all of their individual talents and strengths as a groups.

This album is a mostly well-balanced blend of the core Beach Boy sound with the wave of culture and music in 1970 that takes a new, darker turn. Long Promised Road hits hard knowing Brian Wilson’s story and is the top track. Some places wonder completely into the weird and get lost. But, mostly, I was surprised that I’d never heard this album. Shame on me.

What an odd little album. The highs and lows on this are amazing. I mean, "Disney Girls" is a really terrific, but the less we say about "Take a Load Off Your Feet," the better. I appreciate the willingness to try something different. It doesn't always land, but there are some lovely surprises on here. Fave Songs: Disney Girls (1957), Lookin' at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song), Feel Flows, A Day in the Life of a Tree

I'd never listened to this before. Is it Pet Sounds? no. Is it class? yes!

Great Album. Great songs.

Not good. I LOVE earlier Beach Boys, but really feel they were lacking after BW's breakdown. 2/5

weird album - they must have been on a lot of drugs making this one

I quite got into Don't Go Near The Water, Take A Load Off Your Feet, and Student Demonstration Time, but found the rest mediocre at best.

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.

Environmental beach boys

Great sounds and production, but no song really stands out. There is nothing too engaging on this album.

Not what I expected from the beach boys. Not necessarily bad but I found it just lacking that little extra something. The songs were very similar to each other and could have done with some variation

In which the Beach Boys were encouraged to modernise and did so to the point where they sounded weirdly dated. Actually, the whole album is kind of weird, a mix of some of their best and worst material and most of it buried under a mix I found hard to penetrate (at least the version I heard sounded kind of thick, maybe there's a brighter version out there somewhere). I don't really get the general love for this.

Maybe the worst Beach Boys album I’ve ever heard? “Let’s write a song about water pollution!” “Let’s write a song about student protests!” “Let’s try and be relatable and relevant to todays youth!” It just comes across as pandering and inauthentic. Furthermore it’s obvious Brian Wilson had little to do with this, and it’s just overall a downward slide from Pet Sounds and the early Beach Boys.

Not too enthusiastic about it tbh.. seems mellow but forgettably so. Student Demonstration Time was a welcome change of pace and tone. Cool vocal echo effects and guitar response to each line. Sounds like the beatles. Lookin' At Tomorrow was a good one too. Just fine overall.

Favorite songs: Feel Flows, 'Til I Die, Surf's Up

This album has many elements shared by great 70s rock music, and The Beach Boys have their own style too. Yet somehow, none of the songs are memorable, but I cannot determine what specifically is missing.

The decision to make a jaunty whiteboy-blues song about societal unrest in general (and the Kent State Massacre specifically) is honestly one of the dumbest things they did in their (famously uneven) career but the rest of this is probably worth a 4. Interesting spacey arrangements and the usual tight vocal harmonies. But that Student Démonstration Time song is, like, as bad as the song in that "Deficit Rag" bit from the Simpsons

Was pretty meh until the last 3 songs

The Beach Boys make it hard to be a fan of hte Beach Boys. The early stuff is easy to like, but the lack of actual substance wears thin quickly. Then, Brian Wilson stops touring and focuses solely on recording while the rest of the band is on the road. This produces their best record "Pet Sounds" which will be a 5/5 when it comes up on this list. With that success, Brian Wilson is emboldened to expand the art further and starts making Smile. The sessions are scrapped because he lost his shit, precipitated by Mike Love's gaslighting and emotional abuse. Then, thorugh the 70s, the band makes spotty records - including Surfs Up. I like the quiet and laid back nature of some of these songs and the production. But the songs aren't good. EXCEPT "Til I Die" and "Surfs Up," the latter of which was a song that escaped the acrimony of the Smile sessions and made it onto this record. They are both beautiful and haunting songs. And they are the only reasons this record gets a 3/5 instead of 1/5.

I never really cared for the Beach Boys anyway, but I was a little excited to give them another shot in the context of this list. And then - horrible disappointment. Apparently, in the later years, the Beach Boys got away from what at least made them unique - the happy, fun surfing and driving music - and attempted to make an experimental protest album about the environment and civil unrest. That's not their bag, man. This sounds like if the Lorax dropped acid and put his shitty poetry to music.

Erstmals empfinde ich eine Platte, an der Brian Wilson beteiligt ist, nicht komplett scheußlich. Gute 2.

No. More. Beach. Boys. Please. BUT, this one is less Beach Boys-y that the last several. I don't know why they're on this list so much though. I mean, This much Beach Boys before I die? Seems outrageous. Feel Flows is good. I'd like to hear They Might Be Giants cover some of these songs. 3.5/5

Didn’t know this existed and I’m glad I do now

Bel construção pop com psicodelia.

Meh

Is this the worlds first example of "Go Woke, Go Broke:". Thankfully this album has been forgotten.

I think there are better Beach Boys albums, but I don't think it is necessarily a bad album. It flows a little strangely and is a bit more experimental at times than I really enjoy.

The cover art is arresting. Don Quixote meets Poseidon meets that Native American who cried because of all the litter. Oil painting brush strokes and a name plate like you'd find on a painting in a museum. The grim subject of the painting and the somber colors really contrast with both the name of the band and the name of the album. The first track, Don't Go Near The Water, is genuinely sad and despairing. Although I guess ultimately optimistic that maybe it isn't too late for our poor planet if we all wake up and do something. Shame that we didn't, isn't it? The rest of the album goes on in that same cautionary vein, personal, societal, environmental. Honestly the themes sound like the same bunch of hippies who thought up Earth Day. It is still the Beach Boys, so even though the album is mostly a downer it is still gorgeous to listen to. None of the tracks are especially catchy in and of themselves. But the songs flow together making quite a pretty package. Am I glad I heard this before I died? Yes. Am I likely to listen to it again? Probably. A Day in the Life of a Tree could be called Bran Stark's Lament.

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

This sounds like the flaming lips

Pour pas cher, pourquoi pas

Meh. Just fellike a dowber

Familiar as I might have been with The Beach Boys, their legacy and influence, and their hits, I hadn't a clue that they went in this direction during their history. Interesting to hear them get into important issues like environmental protection that still resonate today, and musically this is a bit of a departure from the hits I knew from growing up. I admire The Beach Boys for their music and vocal harmonies even though I don't really listen to them in any form and haven't for a long time. That's just a personal preference. This is good stuff.

3.5

Half a great album. Transcendent moments are bundled up with variety show rubbish. I see Mike Love's lumpen refusal to try anything new butting up against the Wilson's experimental passion. When it works, it's amazing. There just aren't enough of those beautiful waves of melody.

not a bad song on this album. didn't think i'd enjoy it but i loved it Long Promised Road #1 Disney Girls and Surf's Up #2 Take A Load Off Your Feet #3 A Day In The Life Of A Tree i know my #2 and #3 are controversial but they're great lol

From PSAs about your feet to ripping student riot manifestos, this LP clearly isn’t interested in any kind of coherence as a musical whole. It does read as genuine, however, mostly thanks in part to the passion and catchiness that are a part of every tune on here no matter how diverse.

This was a revelation. I'm familiar with Pet Sounds, and to be honest, not that mad for it. This one's a far more interesting piece of work. Apart from the Student Protest song, which is terrible.

Interesting album, and a little different - but I just don't like the Beach Boys. I can understand why others do - but I don't

Pop-rock progresivo. Alguna canción recordaba a los Beatles. Un 4.

I guess I prefer them as surfer wannabes over hippies. Or maybe they should have spent more time on convincing Brian Wilson to get out of bed. My favorite songs here feature Carl on lead vocals.

I love The Beach Boys but I did not especially enjoy this album. Without Brian Wilson’s active role in the production, the vocal arrangements are not the usual tight harmony that I’ve come to expect from the Beach Boys. For me it was a rather maudlin album.

I enjoy The Beach Boys but don't think I've ever listened to this one. I dug it a lot though. The cover art is fantastic and quite different for them. The psych pop elements are really great.

A solid enough effort

It's terribly unfair I know, but this is both a brilliant album, and the start of the decline. Any other band and it'd likely be their very best, but while this is interesting as hell - what if the Beach Boys were really quite sad - it falls short of their imperial phase. Surf's Up is still essential listening... Just not life changing...

No. Well, I listened to a couple of these songs. It's a lot different than Pet Sounds that everyone talks about and seems to love but which I hate. Buy I still don't like the Beach Boys.

Really enjoyable.

Like Pet Sounds without the couple of great songs to save it.

Massively uninspiring.

Poor

Don’t get the fuss and nothing on this album changed my mind

Genre: Psychedelic Pop 3/5 What are we as music listeners without the historical relevance and inspiration provided by The Beach Boys. Songs like Good Vibrations, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, and I Get Around are pop music staples, and their discography is full of hits and classics. But we’re post-Pet Sounds. They’re relevance has since waned, and their cultural relevance was only kept afloat by their songs of the past 5-10 years. With Surf’s Up, their 17th(!) album, the emphasis on arrangement and cohesion is quite apparent. Brian Wilson didn’t feel like doing nearly everything himself this time, a la Pet Sounds, but that’s where he went wrong. Brian Wilson provides us one of the group’s best, the title track and outro Surf’s Up, but his contributions aren’t truly felt until the end of the album, and with Mike Love’s woke-piece Student Demonstration Time, and songs like Feel Flows, which is beautiful, but never truly takes off to hit that true peak like I know these guys are capable of. Overall, some big time songs on here, and great production, but a bit flat and inconsistent. It ain’t Pet Sounds, that’s for sure.

I didn’t know this album at all. My knowledge of the Beach Boys begins and ends with Pet Sounds. I really liked this album- it seemed so familiar. I can totally hear where Belle and Sebastian get their sound. Those Harmonies…

Soft. Soft ass shit

This album was so good! I thoroughly enjoyed all of it, even if some of the tracks were a bit strange.

Naive but occasionally sweet. Reminds me of Paul McCartney's later Beatles contributions. but doesn't have any edge to it. Even the bluesy Student Demonstration Time just sounds like a protest song that bunch of 13 year olds might write. Weedy. No soul.

A more mature and melancholy Beach Boys. It’s maybe not completely fair, but I can’t help comparing this to Holland - which they released 2 years later. Similar vibes but nothing on this one stands out as particularly fun or memorable.

Zombies clone

I like the odd juxtaposition of beach music and protest music.

Pretty boring. 2

I love it

Beach Boy vibes but not up to the classics.

This is fun and makes me smile one big smile!!

I would never have known this was The Beach Boys. Feels very 60's/70's (barely 70s, I suppose). Was not particularly familiar with any of it except Surf's Up, which I only heard for the first time recently anyway. Just okay. At least a different style than the 50's style of most of the group's other familiar work.

The title of the album (and the cover) say it all: Surf's Up. This is not the Beach Boys making (un)complicated happy surf songs anymore. This is far more complex and less happy. Beautifully arranged progressive pop songs.

It's like someone put The Beach Boys in a blender, then baked it. Love the texture.

Fine!

what a lovely little slice of pop - no utter bangers mayhaps, but no complaints.

Some good stuff on there

Where did this come from? The last 2 Beach Boys albums i got were pretty light, this was far more interesting.

104. Surfs up - The Beach Boys 10 tracks Was looking forward to this but was seriously underwhelmed. Just pretty bang average. Nothing stood out in a good way and this really wasn't for me at all. 2/5

A new discovery for me and one that I really enjoyed. You can hear the growth that reached it's zenith with Pet Sounds, but this one has a similar feel and dare I say may be a little more accessible. 4 stars

One of the better no-Brian albums, in part because it uses so much Smile material. But it also has one of my favourite Beach Boys tracks ever, Disney Girls, evokes a great sense of nostalgia while also critiquing the very same feeling. It does also have Student Demonstration March which is fucking awful sooooo

Hey wait a minute, this isn't the soundtrack to the hit 2007 computer animated film? My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined. Oh wow, I was not ready for how bluesy "Student Demonstration Time" is! The guitar and vocals on that track have some got-damn attitude. I had no idea The Beach Boys had that in them. Also holy shit, the lyrics to that song are socially conscious as fuck and are still relevant today. Wow yeah this album is way different than what I've previously heard from this group. I was expecting some "round round get around I get around" type of beat, not this deep, existential sonic experience - I'm all for it!

Fantastic

it was so cool hearing beach boys' political side! i loved it!

I visualize this journey as a day at the beach, or maybe at the woody mountains (the original title of this album was "Landlocked" but they resurrected the discarded track from 1966, "Surf's Up", and made it a decent closing track for the album). In the early morning, the cool and welcoming vibes was captured by "Don't Go Near the Water". I love the casual and slightly trippy energy of it. The rest of the morning, the first half of the album, is pretty bland. Just a bunch of forgettable Beatles-esque tracks. At noon, a riot erupted. "Student Demonstration Time" is a bit of a rocker with a dark theme. But even that is forgettable and not that great. The fun began when the sun sets. The beautiful sound of "Feel Flows" painted the crimson-going-indigo colors of such calm time of the day. The ocean went from blue to black. And the winds became more solid and cool. It's nighttime, and while everyone is beginning to sleep, the nature is just waking up. I love this "nighttime" part, the second-half of the album. It's trippy and oftentimes emotional. The sound conjures images of walking alone in the beach at night. Almost haunting, but cool and relaxing. It's like being spiritually close to nature. It was night. And nature was wide awake. . . . And the lyrics? Perhaps extending the metaphor and narrating this as the reason for spending a day at some beach? To ponder about some social issues, especially environmental ones. Perhaps their true motive is just to re-ignite the band's public image, and that might be the reason it felt messy. But the few stellar tracks are worth experiencing. I might not come back to experience the whole album, but I would listen to those tracks again. Perhaps at a vacation in the woods. Man, this album made me want to experience and smell those woods and leaves and soil again.

What a weird album. Good though

Pretty good, not the best of the Beach Boys albums

lyrics were whack but instrumentals were okay

Meh.

Just like the waves of the Pacific, the highs (the first two tracks and the last three tracks) were high. But the low tides were low. Three Surfs up out of five.

I didn't think I would like this album at all but was pleasantly surprised. Really liked Disney Girls, Student Demonstration Time, Long Promised Road.

3.4 - decent album with a distinctly non-Beach Boys sound. Enjoyed “Don’t Go Near the Water”, but not sure I’ll be revisiting any time soon.

First time listening to this. Never discovered before. Last run of songs very melodic. Have added to playlist going forward. Nice.

I did not expect to hear Mike Love sing an ode to feet but here we are. This still holds up against other BB works but I don't think I'd choose it over Smile, Pet Sounds, or their early work.

Some gems on here

Great

Dare I say it is a rich man’s version of The Zombies? Prob not, because I actually liked The Zombies a little more than this. Not what I consider a typical Beach Boys album as it less happy-harmony and more something else. I was only familiar with “Student Demonstration Time” - good tune, but lyrics didn’t always click with the tone (e.g. Kent State reference). It’s a 3+, but not enough here for me to round up.

more interesting content than i expected from the beach boys, clearly they realized they needed a deeper sound for this later album. 3.5 but rounding down as it feels like a band doing a well-executed catch-up (which still deserves praise!), rather than something groundbreaking.

Way not what I was expecting

"Hey guys, you know, this world is facing a lot of problems, ya know?" "Yeah, some pretty bad problems." "Agreed. Let's make up some songs about 'em right now and record 'em." "Record 'em right now?" "Yeah. Strike while the iron's hot, ya know? Don't overthink it." "Sure, sure. But maybe if you took a day or two, and kind of worked the songs out before you recorded 'em --" "We're the fucking Beach Boys, Jerry. Roll tape!"

Strange stuff here. I don't actually like the 'classic' Beach Boys harmony sound; comes across as a mess of whooping and hooting. That material sounds tired on this album; and elsewhere, the 'lighter' stuff about feet and trees and whatnot is embarrassing. But there are hints of more interesting horizons here 'n' there, and 'Disney Girls' is a great tune whichever way you fold it.