Reviews (page 12 of 13)
2.5
One of the weirder Beach Boys records I've heard. As usual, the vocals harmonies are impeccable. There just aren't any earworms here. I generally enjoy the Beach Boys, but this one left me feeling a little disappointed. "Feel Flows" is a high. "Student Demonstration Time" is a low
Songs about trees and feet? lol
I like the Pet Sounds vibe, but this is a poor effort. Also, what the hell is 'Student Demonstration Time'?
This sounds like a band that's a few albums past its prime.
Uninspiring, a shadow of the glory Beach Boy albums of the mid to late 1960s.
Maso
achei meio chato pra caralho de escutar, pra ser bem honesto
Utterly bizarre. I can see why the U.S. market wasn’t feeling this in 1971. I’m not feeling it either.
Could hear traces of that great harmony but overall a disappointing album. Odd tracks/subjects to sing about. Liked the tree one though
I really wanted to like this. But yikes.
I'm shocked at the number of 5 star ratings for this. I thought it wavered between truly terrible and boring hippy drivel. At least it was short.
Boring.
I don't see it. Why is this one of the 1001 greatest albums of all time? I have never heard anything of these before, and they don't seem special in any way.
California music - relaxing and yet, not as well-known as their hits from earlier, it was ok as easy listening goes but probably not something I'll pick up again.
Slow paced and overall unexciting.
Mercifully short. Odd, but still vaguely Beach Boys
I tried two times to get through this and I couldn't. Not bad, but not good enough to try any harder.
Not for me
Really like ‘feel flows’ boss flute
I'm sure if you're a Beach Boys fan you will like it, unfortunately I'm not!
I think there were some interesting ideas on this album that if fleshed out could make a really good album but otherwise were sparse. Also, I understand that this was the 70's but some of the tracks here have some of the worst mixing I have ever heard. 1.5/5
nur die Masse an Liedern bringt's halt auch nicht
Uh um
Did not really click for me. The more “serious” themes - compared to “pet sounds” etc - seemed a bit tacked on to me. Interestingly, I learned that I most enjoyed the two contributions by Carl Wilson: feel flows & long promised road.
Boring. I can’t get super into The Beach Boys, and I’ve tried with Pet Sounds.
Not what I expected from the Beach Boys but then again, if I had thought about the title, I would have maybe been more prepared.
2.5
What an odd album. It's got: Environmental songs that sound like they were written by someone who just learned about the issue impress some hippie girl. A heavy metal inspired blues song about protesting that asks the question, ”maybe don't?" And some left overs from pet sounds at the end to make wish you were listening to a better album. A curiosity but not much more.
Seminal but not for me. Couldn't believe it was the 17th studio album but it sounds like it
This just did not land for me at all. I went in knowing this was a very different version of The Beach Boys to the sun soaked 60s hits I was familiar with, but I was still hoping something would grab me. Instead, I found it a fairly dull listen from start to finish. It is moodier, more introspective and far removed from the surf pop harmonies most people associate with the band. I can respect that they were trying to evolve and move into more serious, reflective territory, but for me it lacks energy and memorable hooks. The songs drift by without ever really demanding attention. There may be depth here that rewards repeated listens, but on this occasion nothing pulled me back in or made me want to revisit it. Favourite song: I could not really pick one that stood out Least favourite song: Disney Girls Album artwork: I am still not entirely sure what it is meant to represent
Did not realize they did things after Pet Sounds. Thought it was fine but the album wasn’t cohesive and there was no single that grabbed me
Yawn.
Interesting start, not what I expected, but fell apart towards the end for me. 2 completely flat oceans out of 5
Pretty boring.
Meh
I expected something totally different. For me, it underdelivered.
Not their best
I thought I'd enjoy this more, but I was bored
don't get why this is on here
Ei onneksi niin happoista menoa kuin luulin. Ei myöskään synkkä kuten kansi. Alan keksiä, mikä Beach boysissa vetoaa, yksi on monipuolisuus, jota tässäkin levyssä on. Kieltämättä tosi taitavaa musaa. Ei vaan herätä mussa mitään tunteita. Kiinnostuksen sentään herätti tällä kertaa, eli yksi piste siitä.
For Beach Boys fans.. who love the hopping beats of the sand and fun,,, move on. I never head of this album, and now I know why. Heavy, deep, and political. Not that the message is bad, it actually still rings through 50 years later - it's just...not The Beach Boys. Like listening to Black Sabbath singing Silly Love Songs.
girl they sound as tired as that horse looks. get off the beach boys go have some sandwiches reapply some sunblock.
17test Studioalbum - krass! Beach Boys on Blues (:o)
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.
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
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.
Long Promised Road Surf's Up
Remember when The Beach Boys were on full house? That was crazy, anyway this album was trash.
Festa meg ikkje ved nåke særlig her
Not sure about this one
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.
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.
So cheesy! They ran out of good ideas many albums ago.
It was really weird and not my style
One exceptional song, Surfs up, the others are average and dated. Pet sounds is infinitely better.
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.
Скучно
Sounds like budget beatles
An odd journey of an album, so interesting stuff, but doesn’t really grab you for the whole thing.
Not your classic Beach Boys, and I wasn't particularly fond of it
One good song. Just kinda weird other than that
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.
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.
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.
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
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)
actually don't really like it, they're trying to be too political maybe
Disappointing
I dunno why people like the Beach Boys so much, I got nothing from this music 🤷♂️
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.
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.
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
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.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Not really, I’m just a fan of their warmer sound though Favourite song: Track 4 - Disney Girls
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!
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?"
Not my bag
Not what I was expecting for a beach boys album. First listen didn’t really care for it
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.
Surf’s dead.
pretty good, really, but I am not a BB fan, so...
Algo mediocre, no tiene temazos.
So different than what I was expecting. Didn’t enjoy except maybe Student Demonstration Time.
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?
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.
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.
Some was ok, some was terrible
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.
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 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.
Normally this would be a no brainer... Beach boys are awesome. But I did not really enjoy this one.
Some decent songs
Not classic Beach Boys. Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: Don't Go Near The Water Date listened: 20/11/22
Interesting album. It does not sound like the Beach Boys as they became later on.
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!
Fine but fairly uninteresting Beach Boys music.
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
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.
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
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.
Meh. This kind of thing is not my bag, baby.
Weird and unremarkable
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
ok
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?
Pretty boring music nothing special
Don’t think I have ever heard this before - I was 4 when it was first released
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.
Fucking Beach Boys....
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
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.
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
Not my jam
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 ».
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
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.
Erstmals empfinde ich eine Platte, an der Brian Wilson beteiligt ist, nicht komplett scheußlich. Gute 2.
Meh
Meh. Just fellike a dowber
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
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.
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
Soft. Soft ass shit
Pretty boring. 2
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
"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.
I'm not gonna top Craig's review, but will agree with y'all about the mixed bag nature of this one. First of all, how many Beach Boys records do we even need on this list? And yet we still haven't had a single Black Sabbath album. Satan's not gonna be too happy about this and neither am I. But I do like "Feel Flows." And that artwork! There's a Don Quixote vibe to that painting. Cool image.
Listened Before? N Drugs. There's not enough of them to make me like this album. I don't get it. Pros: Student Demonstration Time is a decent political song. Cons: After reading the history of the record, I understand that it was a comeback of sorts for the band, and that's fantastic for them. I don't understand why is consistenly ranked in the top albums of all time though. It really feels like they were attempting to become the "American Beatles" here. The vocals are not what I expect from the Beach Boys, and the instrumentation seems intentionally experimental. Added to Library? (Yes/No/Partial) - P Added: Student Demonstration Time
5/10
This album is the 17th from the Beach Boys. It received favorable reviews at release and sold a lot better than their previous albums, although none of the singles from this album ever hit the charts. To me, I like the older Beach Boys material better, but this album was fine to listen to as well. Not the same spunky, beach vibes as older music, but that's what makes this album unique for the band. Definitely worth a listen at the very least.
Boring. Listened to it twice through and the standout tracks from the first listen were worse the second time.
Never come across this and preferred it to Pet Sounds, but still nothing special
Why would you do a Beach Boys album without Brian Wilson? It's like The Jackson 3, NSYNC without Timberlake or Destiny's Twins. It's like a poor photocopy of Harry Nilsson on a bad day.
I like the Beach Boys, but found this album odd. I ended up putting Pet Sounds on afterwards to recalibrate myself.
Surf’s Up by The Beach Boys (1971) The Beach Boys are loved for their signature style of ‘surfer rock’: hot rods, surfboards, summertime, pretty girls. But that’s not what we get on this album. Indeed the only mention of surfing is in the single, unnecessary, and mournfully obscure line in the closing title track: “Surf’s up, mm-mm”. Unconnected. Embarrassingly ironic (as in ‘Surf may be up, but we’ve run out of daffy things to say about it, so here are some daffy things about more important stuff’). The phrase is awkwardly out of place in an expressionistic pastiche about everything but the joys of catching a wave. Indeed the only track that remotely touches the subject of surfing is the environmentalist alarum “Don’t Go Near the Water”. What’s going on here? We get plenty of their simple and pretty (if sophomoric) melodies, goofy effects and a decent dose of their beautiful vocal harmonies. And we even have some very nice, dreamy chamber choir/jazz fusion (“Surf’s Up”). But this album qua album takes The Beach Boys in a new direction, and I don’t think I want to follow. We get student protest (“Student Protest Time”) which, like everything emanating from students, clearly reveals that they aren’t finished learning. Those of us who were students at the time quickly came to the realization that Revolution is for professionals. In this song, The Beach Boys reduce protest to farce. Listen to MC5 and grow up, dudes. We get tree-hugging (A Day in the Life of a Tree”), in spades. They’re trying so hard to be sincere. We get proletarian lament “Lookin’ at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)” that is waiting till next semester for Econ 101. This record is self iconoclasm, if not self loathing. 2/5
Not my thing
This album was a surprise. I had never heard any of these songs and they are not like their other songs. And the album cover is not one I would expect Beach Boys to have. Still not my cup of tea though.
Today has made me realise that at some point 'Pet Sounds', aka the world's most overrated album, is going to pop up for me to listen to. I can never quite put my finger on why I struggle to like it. Nice harmonies for sure, but the actual songs were never that good. It always seems that the people who praise it are doing so for the technicalities but the same people always seem to hate technical ability in other music. This is more of the same, but with some terrible lyrics and sounding very muzak at times. This album could only have come out in the very early 70s. The title track is ok in a bunch of harmonies tacked together to form a song way.
I sympathise with the guy on the horse. Trees and feet, hey?
Don't get it, sounds like the worst of early 2000s indie bands with way too much production and vocal harmonies. Some of the songs were decent "Don't go near the water", "Feel flows" but the rest are just blah.
Альбом не в привычном стиле. Мне больше по душе их треки в стиле сёрф рок.
Not really my cup of tea. Few good songs though.
Way more laid back and low key then expected.
etwas mehr dringlichkeit und schmalz steht ihnen ja ganz gut, aber warum das auf dieser liste sein muss… keine ahnung.
They warned me to not go near the water. I should've listened.
Doesn't sound like the beach boys. Doesn't sound great
I'm struggling a bit to find positive things to say but I'll try. Given how pathetic I am at whistling I always like songs with a whistling solo. So Disney Girls works for me. I guess the lack of CSNY style harmonies is also a nice change. On Feel Flows, was that a guitar solo? Some might think that a guitar solo is a little out of the ordinary on a Beach Boys tune. In theory it was a good idea but it's too bad the solo sucked. Didn't any of these guys have Clapton's or Page's phone number? It's unfortunate that so many bands have a pride of workmanship that gets in the way of bringing in hired guns. Clapton's solo on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" tremendously improved the song. Hats off to George et al for being open to the "outsider". On this album it seems the B Boys were trying to throw out their "apple pie" image. The should've replaced the apple pie with a slice of humble pie and brought in a hot shot.
T'was awful
"TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR FEET" - a love letter to podiatry and orthopedics. Otherwise, not the usual sound I associate with the Beach Boys.
Not very "Beach Boys" like.
Outdated sounds.
Better than Pet Sounds in my opinion. One thing that strikes me is most of what I hear from the BB doesn't sound like the BB I expect to hear.
a bit too happy
Meh.
Much more dark than the typical Beach Boys album. It was okay...
Boring.
Not your father's Beach Boys. Pretty creative and different for a 17th album. Breaks the Beach Boys pop mold. Hmmm. Interesting.
Está ok, no suena a nada novedoso hoy en día pero entiendo como puedo haber influenciado a muchos grupos indies. Tiene más en común con música de los 60s o de los 80s que con música de su misma época. Pero en general me dan medio pereza los Beach Boys
Very old Beach Boys.
Don’t get the fuss and nothing on this album changed my mind
Wasn't keen and more political than I was expecting.
The decline of the boys. 5 years after pet sounds and it's noticable. Weaker, not all that out there. A mediocre beach boys album.
Wasn’t keen. One song sounded like an advert aimed at kids promoting good health and looking after the planet. Something you could imagine the wiggles doing…
Sei la, nao eh ruim mas nao vi a pira.
I think I was expecting better. Found it a bit aggravating at times but might just need to give it another listen
Too progressive
not very good. I honestly hate Brian Wilson’s songwriting. it’s fine when it’s catchy songs about surfing or whatever but the lyrics on this album just come off sounding asinine when they try to deal with serious subjects. there are nice harmonies but they can't really save it, especially on slower songs. Also the production is pretty bad. 4
There was perhaps some potential there but not much, and most of the enjoyable bits were overshadowed by the annoying ones such as ambulance sounds and strange vocalizations.
Feels a lot like some Weezer albums, so now I know where they get their inspiration. Probably not the first time that anyone has used organ music and a choir, but still interesting to hear...
Nada memorable
Meh.
One star for sonic variety (though that is probably a result of having to listen to a Nick Drake album recently). One star for Disney girls. The rest seems held back by laughably clumsy and heavy handed lyrics. Definitely one strange album.
Disco más bien aburridón. Interesantes sus arreglos vocales y es música agradable pero nada qué recordar. En general puedo ver la mayor parte del tiempo por qué los discos de esta lista están incluidos, pero éste en particular se me hizo flojito. 2.5 que bajo a 2.
Not sure I liked this one. Sounds like more songs of that moment. Not the typical Beach Boy sound I know so was a bit turned off
Definitely not my cup of tea
Meh
Seulement 5 chansons dispo sur Spotify. Une chance, parce que ce n'est pas très bon.
I never was a BB fan
surprisingly meh
It was alright
Tried to hard to sound topical. Some of it sounded like traditional Beach Boys. Other parts sounded like they were trying to keep up with the early 70s Joneses.
-very durgy
Ei lähtenyt lentoon. Tylsä.
Ingen höjdare direkt. Fortfarande bättre än både Pet Shop Boys och Back Street Boys iaf.
I put this very much in the same category as The Beatles, who I think are overrated
This.... isn't very good? The jingles are gone, it's all serious, heaps of introspective meandering shit. I guess the success of the Beatles got to them? Apparently it was a hit. I think it's lame. 2/5.
Not the Beach Boys I'm accustomed to, didn't care for this
Starts altogether pleasant to listen to, varied sounds, but very uneven in both lyrics and songwriting HANG ON NOW, WHAT DID THEY DO TO RIOT IN CELL BLOCK #9 I thought it would be barely 2 stars when I got to the B-side but then I got to the tree song Ok now that I'm done, I don't know what they thought they were doing, thinking they were being political or edgy or psychedelic would put them back on the map, but there's nothing worth saving in this album
This is the foulest, most embarrassing, most ill-considered attempt at a record I've had the misfortune to listen. It's so bad that it taints the rest of the Beach Boys legacy by association. Because of this record, I now think that Pet Sounds is just about Ok. Robert Dimery owes me money for having me listen to this.
I like the beach boys but this was not good.
"Hideous. That's the Beach Boys. If you can't give it 0 stars then it should get a 1." - My Dad on a road trip home
Hva i alle dager var dette???
Nope
Amazing, they managed to make an album even worse than Pet Sounds. All the worst of beach boys combined with the most generic 60s-style music. Just made in the 70s instead.
I am not putting myself through this again. Did not listen.
צר לי ממש
Eh ok
This album came out in 1971, the same year as the last album I reviewed, Madman Across the Water. While Elton John and Bernie Taupin get a little serious with their violins, choirs, and lyrics, the the first song of this Beach Boys album from the same year sounds infantile. I already disparaged Brian Wilson's Smile album so dissing this one feels like piling on, but...it still just seems too childish to take seriously. The second song was a little more 'normal', but the next one, Take a Load off your Feet, just reverted back to adolescence. Student Demonstration Time has some oomph to it, but sounds like a ripoff of Hoochie Coochie Man. The wikipedia article on the song is worth revisiting, both because it says Leiber & Stoller wrote it in 1954--Riot in Cell Block #9--but that Mike Love rewrote the lyrics and the other Beach Boys thought it was too dark. 1 star. I'm convinced that the Beach Boys are among the most overrated bands in pop music. (Caveat: I get the popularity of the songs that got radio play, but this album does not belong on any must-listen list, AND I still haven’t listened to Pet Sounds all the way through so maybe I’m just pissed about wasting another half hour on this band)
Lo disfruté
1/5 Best Song: Take A Load Off Your Feet Worst Song: Student Demonstration Time Weirdest Song: Take A Load Off Your Feet The Beach Boys have a fun-ectomy in the boring and disjointed Surf's Up.
#2 This album sounded very different than I expected from the Beach Boys, and not in a good way. I was looking forward to their signature vocal harmonizations and catchy melodies, and it just seemed bland and drab instead. I even gave it a second listen to see if I was missing something, and it still just did not speak to me. There are a few nice moments, but overall forgettable.
I can't stand the Beach boys. I don't know why anyone likes them.
This is utter garbage. Probably the worst boy-band ever. OK, may not ever. But shit.
I didn't enjoy this at all.
Their 17th album?! Well can’t accuse them for not trying. Sooo feckin cheesy. Are you for reals - take a load off your feet?? Overall not good but exceeded my very low expectations.
DNF
Olipahan melankolista menoa.
Not what I expected at all. Didn't even sound like the beach boys. Pet Sounds is a much better album in my opinion.
This was all the songs you never heard from the Beach Boys and I can totally see why. This album was horrible
Didn't get them when I was young and I still don't . Awful . Listened to the remastered version and it was terrible so dread to think what it was like first time round . First track was dreadful and it got progressively worse . I just knew from the title that A Day in the Life of a Tree was going to be dire . Can I give it a zero ?
Absolute garbage. Could not wait for it end.
Would’ve a fine example of this era if it was not an album from “The Beach Boys”. Made me think the only reasons this is on this list is the fire album cover and to make you further appreciate the impact of Brian Wilson. Looking forward to being assigned better, more sonically rich albums from their catalogue
Not for me. Started crap, picked up here and there but was largely uninteresting.
Definitely not for me!
this band is so mid man
Mediocre
This is the last Beach Boys album on the list for me, thank god. And they saved worst for last. While I understood the inclusion of the other two albums (even if I didn't enjoy them) this one is just? Bad. Sounds like studio outtakes they forgot to do any work on and just released them. The music is bad, the vocals are bad, the album cover would work more for some metal band instead 1/5
Not the Beach Boys I'm used to. Definitely a more political take and protest rock than their other album. Not great, but not horrible. 3/10
hat mich gar nich begeistert, nicht schlimm, aber hab auch keinen song toll gefunden
A bit sad sounding. Didn't relate or resonate with me unfortunately. 2.3/10
There are good moments, for me their day had passed and the reinvention seems superficial
There’s nothing wrong with it but I just don’t want to hear it ever again
Not good
Trying to ignore their history and back catalogue when listening to this, which is difficult to do! Not much of the signature harmonies in evidence on this collection Mostly they sounded like other middle of the road soft rock bands from this time Confusing and disappointing
non mi piace
Surprisingly, it really didn’t sound so great. It was a superficial take on The Beach Boys and really didn’t make a ton of sense.
Weird. Lyrics sounded like they'd been written by an 8 year old.
I don't get it.
My understanding of the Beach Boys' music falls into two camps: good-time pop claptrap ("Little Surfer Girl," "Surfin' USA," etc.) and ambitious, insanity-inducing epics (Pet Sounds, SMiLE). Because I don't care for their music, I've never thought about what lies between those points until Surf's Up. What a thoroughly strange album, starting with the completely incongruous album art and title. Even if it had a different cover, Surf's Up does not suit the music and themes here. In continuing with precedent, I didn't like it and actively hated "Student Demonstration Time." It has nicer moments, but none I plan to revisit.
Wow this is sad. Not to mean the music is sad necessarily, it’s just sad to hear how far the band falls in this stage in their career. Apart from the title track I don’t think there’s any strong song here. The lyrics are juvenile and the production is flat and boring. I mean man this is the Beach Boys I was psychedelic pop extravaganza. This is a very dull record which dos a disservice to the band’s catalog. One star.
Why did they record this album???????
Did not enjoy
Did not find this at all interesting
I really don’t get the Beach Boys. And there is whistling. No thanks.
More like The Blech Boys. Seriously. What am I missing? Critics and listeners alike seem to adore the Beach Boys; I don't get it. Their early stuff is just "Waaah-waaah-waaah" saccharine surf shit, and the rest is electric, psychadelic racket. I absolutely hate it. 1 star though I'd give it much less if possible.
This album was way too heavy for me for Beach Boys’ fare. Call me basic, but I’d take Good Vibrations over this any day. Hell, I’d take Little Saint Nick over this! I didn’t love the vocals although some of the harmonies were nice. I think I suffered from expecting traditional Beach Boys and getting whatever this was instead. Chalk that up to my ignorance of Beach Boys’ lore, but I still don’t think I’d like the album even if I was prepared for it. Definitely looking forward to The Beach Boys redeeming themselves with Pet Sounds!
To soft
1. Don't Go Near The Water - 1 Lyrically this track is awful. It's so unpleasant the rest of the track, which is very light and melodic, cannot make you look past the terrible writing. 2. Long Promised Road - 4 It's overall a bit better that Don't Go Near The Water but the lyrics are still a little weak at parts and instrumentally this is almost more like Buddy Holly & The Crickets 1950s style than 1970s style rock outside of the bridge, which has a solid guitar solo in it. 3. Take A Load Off Your Feet - 1 Really poor. Instrumentally not great, lyrically poor, it's a completely forgettable and uninspiring track. 4. Disney Girls (1957) - 2 The bubblegum pop I've come to know The Beach Boys by. The thing is, it's not a particularly great style of music. An absolute lullaby. 5. Student Demonstration Time - 6 Guitar solo in the middle of the song is the best part about it. Lyrics aren't horrible but aren't great either. The pace and tone are way too dated. Still the second half of the song is much more enjoyable when the background choir comes in. 6. Feel Flows - 3 Instrumentally odd. It's not bad but it's not instrumentally fantastic. Vocally it's a little bit of that bubblegum pop or do-wop style that I don't tend to enjoy about The Beach Boys. 7. Lookin' At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) - 5 Instrumentally very enjoyable and lyrically so at the beginning as well until the lyrics just fade into onomatopoeia. I love the sound of the lead guitar on this track and it's paired very well with the bass, which really lead the song on well. Just felt the ba ba ba and bip bip bip part of the lyrics are so unnecessary. It killed the enjoyment of the track for me. 8. A Day In The Life Of A Tree - 1 Incredibly boring track. Lyrically boring, instrumentally it sounds like a track you'd hear at a county fair. The worst track on the album so far. 9. 'Til I Die - 1 A lullaby. Lyrically extremely weak and repetitive. 10. Surf's Up - 2 Like two songs in one, the second of which is very melancholic and contains gibberish for lyrics. It's very cookie cutter barbershop quartet like Beach Boys, which I have never been a big fan of. Not a great track to end the album. Average Rating: 2.6 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 1.3 Rounded Down: 1 Star
Not sure what I'm listening to here. Pass.
What is this shit? Take a weight off your ears and give this one a miss!
Basic with BB attempt at protest song
Not much here. You can tell Brian Wilson didn't have much involvement in this album. Only decent song is Surf's Up, and it doesn't rank up there with the Beach Boy classics.
This is another album that over the course of time has somehow inexplicably built steam in the critics eyes. Its easy to see how this influenced other groups and blended genres of music later on, it doesnt mean this is A. good or B. something someone NEEDS to hear before they die. I suppose you NEED to hear this if you want to hear the last gasp of a once great pop group.
Not a fan
I'd rather listen to my parents have sex than put this album on again. There are too many heinous moments to count: 'four martyrs earned a new degree, the bachelor of bullets'. 'Trees like me can live if all this earth can give is pollution and slow death'. I don't have the words to describe my despair when I realized they'd written a whole song about feet. Was this popular among anyone who wasn't being viciously bullied in the 70s? Hateful 1* from me.
You would think after 17 albums they would know what good sounds like..... clearly not. T
Dogshit
Two Beach Boys & one Brian Wilson album since he died 15 days ago, STOP. As my previous comments have stated, I cannot get into them. This album is horrible.
Didn't enjoy it. 1 star
What the hell did I just listen to? Some nice harmonies but there's a lot on this that is downright goofy. I'm coming to the conclusion after listening to 2 Beach Boys albums (with one of them being Pet Sounds) that I do not particularly like them. Favorites: None Would I listen to it again: No
Didn’t even sound like them.
Žao mi je Briane Wilsone. Evo dala sam dvije poštene šanse. I u toku ovog albuma dosta puta se pošteno zapitala koji đavo slušam. Ne ide pa ne ide. Možda je i ovo preamerički. Možda samo loše.
Don't need to listen for boring music and complaining lyrics
Boring and somewhat forgettable. A different sound than I had heard from Beach Boys, but not sure I see the need for it.
when you realise that albums generator dropped this on the day Brian Wilson's passed.
While Pet Sounds wrote the book on melody and harmony, this didn't hit the same. Some of these songs are so Charmin soft they could be kid's songs. If I could some the album up in 2 words it would have been, "lacks complexity". The highlight is the song Student Demonstration Time leaning into the ragtime blues style but other artists at this time did it so much better.
Who knew The Beach Boys could suck this bad? I was surprised when I saw this album pop up today because I’ve never heard of it. After listening, I know why.
Not their best. The political nature of some song’s lyrics really highlight a weakness in Brian’s writing. The introspective nature of some of his other songs show these to be very pale in comparison.
I worked at a concert venue years ago. I was never star struck so I worked the green room most of the time. The beach boys played there and were not good to work with. This album reconfirmed wy bad taste for them.
Can't stand there cheese laiden, all American tripe, from our side of the pond American is a sad, prejudiced, rotten to the core dump. I genuinely feel for the poor souls who have to live their, with an **** (fill in as appropriate d,c,f,t) for a leader along with the rest of his playground gang. It's not like we are much better but we do elect intelligent individuals and we don't treat minorities like shit or allow guns. Right now time to give it an unbiased and fair listen to. How does anyone have the nerve to talk about these in the same breath as the Beatles. I know the Americans wanted their own Beatles but fuck me these lot! This sounds like a bunch of junkie musicians who put out the shit they recorded while high instead of binning it and recording some proper shit when straight It's a bit like us and Elton John we feel we have a duty to love everything he does, when some is great and some is shit. To sum up finely with Stevie Wonder I have tried to like him but I can't The Beach boys I have tried to like but can't Difference is Stevie Wonder is a musical God and The Beach Boys are shit A day in the life of a tree fucking hell guys sounds like a guy coming of a ten day bender! Were the lyrics taken from LOTR
Just no
The beach boys make heartless, dull, boring music.
Ei jatkoon ei jatkoon älkää alottako musiikkiuraa loppu seis tähän
Honestly could have been a Ween album
Not for me.
Ugh. Throwback music, whose spiritual successors are the Wiggles. Except I don’t hate the wiggles.
another L for dad's music. why do the beach boys sound like chicago and steely dan all of a sudden
Kind of slow and boring. The title of the album doesn't match the vibe. I don't mind "experimental", but this felt like too much of a departure.
Standouts Student Demonstration Time is a weird song
Didn’t like it
Church boy chorus tries to cover gay Beatles.
Very well done, 1001 Albums Generator! I wonder if everyone got a Beach Boys album today? I have been arguing with some music buddies since yesterday about my inability to get into the Beach Boys. Yes, I recognize Brian Wilson is a genius, yes I know I'm wrong about this, but I just couldn't ever separate them from their dumb surfing/girls/cars stuff from the early days despite several Pet Sounds listens. You can't control what you like. But I have seen some talk about this album being underrated, so I am interested to give it a listen. The only title I recognize is "Feel Flows," which was on the Almost Famous soundtrack (and which I kind of like.) LISTENING: LOL, this first song is absurd. I'm experiencing cognitive dissonance amid all this "Brian Wilson was a genius" hoopla. Looking now I see it is credited to Jardine and Love, but still, come on. Third song may be even more preposterous. I am really trying to keep an open mind but this is just so dumb. And this is one of the songs Brian co-wrote! "Student Demonstration Time" started out kind of cool musically but then the siren noise started and the idiotic lyrics. We are at the end of side one and four of the five songs so far have made me laugh out loud. I'm starting to feel like it is disrespectful to listen to this so soon after Wilson passed away. And now they're singing "Stay away when there's a riot goin' on" - now I'm laughing and disrespecting Sly Stone too? Imagine listening to something like "Kick Out the Jams" and then this song comes on, lol. This album is dreadful. On to side 2... "Feel the Flow" is still good. The music on side 2 is MUCH better so far, but then the lyrics of "A Day in the Life of a Tree" start and I'm laughing again. I just can't take this seriously. "'Til I Die" is decent. "Surf's Up" is decent. Strong finish! I am going to give this two stars based on the music on side 2 and the fact that I would feel bad giving it one star the day after Brian Wilson died. (Edit: Nope. I came back today and decided the grace period is over. I was laughing about this album all night.)
The Beach Boys get political? Only it's several years too late, and has all the bite of a corporate training video. The songs are disjointed. The performances are goofy and amateurish like a school musical.
Not a lot to like here but I do love the instrumentals on Feel Flows & Till I Die is mesmerizing. Brian Wilson is a master of layering vocal harmonies. RIP.
I can't tell you how much I hated this album.
Why the hellos this here. The Beach Boys got big in spite of this- certainly not because of it.
Ok nothing amazing Page stole a riff from here
Oof. Is this on the list as an example of what not to do??
1. uuater - 1 2. road - 0 3. feet - 0 4. girlz - 1 5. time - 2 6. feelz- 1.5 7. tomorrouu - 1 8. tree - 1.5 9. die - 2 10. zurfz - 2
I didnt like this one as much as Pet Sounds. Honestly didnt care for this one at all lol
Not my favourite, I like a few songs of theirs but this album is a bit dull
Can't stand this crap
Not a fan
This, dare I say it, kind of sucks. And not in a sexy way. It’s a far cry from the big hits like Good Vibrations, Kokomo, etc. The song about feet? Garbage. The song about Disney? Tripe. Pretty much the only track I didn’t mind was Day in the Life of a Tree, and even that feels kitschy and crap (but put me a little in mind of Sufjan Stevens, who I love). Actually, Till I Die is decent too, mostly for the harmonies (and I could hear a tiny bit of Fleet Foxes in that one). But overall, a disappointment from a band I thought I liked but apparently don’t actually know that well. (1.5 stars)
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