Reviews (page 3 of 13)
3,87 Student demostration time
Pure beach boys. Less synthetics more fibre.
Some good songs and some not so good. The environmental theme is well-intentioned but clunky. It feels like the band was running out of steam.
Mixed
A handful of surprisingly good tracks by the standards of later Beach Boys releases. But it's the howlers and the universally heavy-handed lyrics that stay in the memory. Probably won't get another outing at my gaff. 2*
Really enjoyed this one! I've always been a fan of the Beach Biys and their dreamy, relaxed vibe. I thoroughly enjoyed the different styles on display here, all while sticking to their established vibe. A solid album that I will definitely try and pick up on vinyl!
I only know The Beach Boys from their very best, which is transcendently good. Combined with my previous 1001 albums pick being The Who’s “Who’s Next”, also released in 1971, the album suffered greatly in comparison and my main impression was “corny”. Still had some nice harmonies, though.
Old song to be at the beach just chilling
Bit of a black horse... I went into it knitting that I didn't mind the beach boys but not something I'd seek out. This album was surprisingly varied and deep.
7/10
LOVEDD disney girls >>
i liked disney girls the best
Mélancolie, surfs et soleil mais avec nostalgie de fin
Bellissikonmerda
No more surfing for you
Honestly, this doesn’t belong on this list. It’s as uneven a Beach Boys record as there is with one song sung by their then manager who is not a Beach Boy. Brian was only peripherally involved and it shows as the vocals are particularly thin on his tracks and on the other tracks, it is almost like it’s the Beach Boys cosplaying the Beach Boys. It’s no surprise that the songs are uneven as there are also no Carl Wilson tracks on this record. The political type lyrics also don’t help and I think made them less relevant in this era. The last 2 tracks are decent- Til I Die and Surfs Up. The overall tone of the record is darker than usual. I recognize that some critics loved this record. I get it. I’m a critic and my honest opinion is that this troubled record doesn’t belong on this list. 3/5
An interesting if underwhelming late album from the Boys, liked a few, but mostly just got through
I had to listen to this a second time to appreciate it because it just wasn't hitting on the first set of speakers I was using. I get it a lot more on the second listen. This album was surprising to me though. I'm used to the Beach Boys having a much stronger surf-rock vibe, and this is apparently later in their career so after they had already strongly branded themselves. But this feels so much more generic somehow. You probably could've convinced me this was a Beatles record. That said, it's still sonically pretty interesting. There are some experimental effects sprinkled throughout and there are some neat lyrical themes. Ultimately just kinda so-so, but some standout moments for sure. Day in the Life of a Tree is weird but I dig it.
I found very little enjoyment in this album. Some parts were okay but overall, would never listen again.
3.5 - solid album
This is utter garbage. Probably the worst boy-band ever. OK, may not ever. But shit.
When is a Beach Boys album not a Beach Boys album? Before reading that Brian Wilson was not heavily involved in the production I noticed that the harmonies were not as rich and that the songs were more focused on social justice issues. Should they have renamed the group as they went in this different direction? "Beach Boys" as a brand name evokes sun, surfing and youth. Anyway, this album is a unique listen and a worthy comparison to other, more familiar Beach Boys songs.
Not. A fan of these guys by any stretch but I do like “Disney Girls (1957)
A Beach Boys album that starts by telling you, “Don’t go near the water.” We love a self-aware shift.
morning commute music to try and not be consumed by dread to
Not my favourite from the beach boys
12. 더 비치 보이즈 - 서프즈 업 (1971) 총 10곡 수록, 33분. 좋아!!!! 엄청 흐늘흐늘하고 멜로디 이상하고 윌우드 느낌이야!!!! 틸 아이 다이는 특히나 아주 멘헤라같고 좋네요... 북마크해야지 한줄평: 1971년 노래일리가 없잖아(맞았다?!) 취향: ★★★★★ 재방문: ★★★★★
It's a bit all over the place, especially side one just feels thrown together. But then it finishes with Til I Die and Surf's Up. These are so good that they are going to redeem almost any flaws. There's a version of Til I Die that I prefer on the Don Was produced Brian Wilson album from 1995. His voice 25 years older suits the song perfectly.
Day840 - i guess you’d have to be a pretty big fan to know this album but good for them for trying new sounds. feel flows is a really pretty song
They have such incredible vocals. It's not Pet Sounds tho
There are some absolute bangers here, with some great rock ‘n’ roll grooves that really pack a punch. Student Demonstration Time is the best example of this for me, a track that gets the foot tapping and the head nodding. The latter half of the album lacks the same impact for me though and it tails off with some filler material & lower pace tracks
I'm not really into this sound but I mean it was good. Favorite track probably Dysney Girls. And also album cover is so beutiful but I'd expected something else if I saw just album cover.
It was fine - it’s The Beach Boys but pretty different. Totally fine 3/5
I really enjoyed this one. I think I finally got an understanding of why people regard the Beach Boys, especially Brian Wilson, as one of the best ever. This album is much less of the gimmick than others.
Love the Beach Boys 70’s discography
Liked Long Promised Road and Disney Girls, rest were ok too. Liked concept/lyrics of A Day In The Life Of A Tree. Almost a 4.
The Beach boys peeked the horrors. They are The Beach Men Now. An album I listened to while applying for job interviews. Between the moody album cover and the darker tone I did have to double check this was infact the beach boys. I really enjoyed this album, it was an easy listen with interesting use of effects and psychedelic tone. Despite the moodier tone it still had the bright and twee qualities of what I expect from the Beach boys. Favourite tracks: "Don't Go Near the water" (fantastic opening track), "Disney Girls" (enjoy the escapist lyrical theme), "Student Demonstration time" (what can I say...perfect!) would listen again!
Never heard their stuff other than commercial/ popular releases! This isn't bad!
70’s Rock ⭐️Student Demonstration Time
I'm not used to the Beach Boys except the classics, so I cannot tell that for sure, but it definitely feels a bit less cheery than expected. I still love the layered music style, songs don't feel like they're songs, they're more like sound universes. Cover : I love the visual, it's so different from the rest of their covers, and suggest fatalism/doom topics (though the actual music isn't).
This was a horrible listen; it had to go off. I note the dark lyrical content, but musically, it sucks. I cannot comprehend the love that's generated for this band. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ in part Revisit ❌️ ★★☆☆☆ (3/10) Total reviewed : 296 Already owned : 68 Purchased : 15 To buy : 3 Nope : 210
It felt like the Beach Boys were doing their best impression of later Beatles but were still very obviously the Beach Boys
The album art is incredible.
I don't know how they do it. They just feel timeless and incredible, but somehow it's so clearly just that beach boys, 50s, California vibe.
Feet” (why, Brian….why?!?!) and minus one star for “Student Demonstration Time” (super dull bar blues with a heavy-handed message), but 6,712 stars for “Feel Flows” and 896 stars for “Disney Girls”, two of the best Beach Boys songs ever written. So I rate this album 7,608 stars.
Very different from their earlier material, quite eclectic in places 👍
Listened this morning - more classic rock and protest vs dreamy pop. They still can write the heck out of a song
Very good. Not Pet Sounds good but very good. Bluesy in good ways. Like everything the Beach Boys did, it is tight and well produced. Bonus points for great cover art.
Never listened to the Beach Boys with any seriousness. In the early 21st century, many indie pop bands were said by music critics to be drawing inspiration from Pet Sounds, so this seems like a good tine to listen (finally!) to that legendary album. Wikipedia says Surfs Up is their 17th (!) album. That's 17 in 10 years -- Holy moley! Different times. Ok, now having listened ... The Groop employs a diverse array of sophisticated arrangements and production techniques in order to achieve a consistent outcome ... I will borrow here a memorable line by Monie Love -- "Just one word describes your whole life: It Sucks." When I started listening to Pandora in the late aughts, I discovered all these indie pop bands I didn't know anything about. And the critics' descriptions often would reference Pet Sounds, and Beach Boys records of that era, as sources or inspirations. I was always skeptical -- how does a band that records undeniably catchy singles that are so juvenile as to be lame and ridiculous have any bearing on a cool 21st century band? But of course, that description applies to the Beatles who saw her standing there and wanted to hold her hand in consequence as much as it does the Beach Boys who enjoined us all to join them in a grand bout of surfing. And all those bands evolved ... Who, Kinks, Stones, Animals, Byrds ... it was that or wither away (looking at you, Yardbirds -- and the Byrds and the Animals ultimately). So ...I was open to the theoretical possibility of a Beach Boys' Sgt Pepper's or whatever. The problem, I think, was that the Beach Boys grew up to be Burt Bacharach (another pop icon-dinosaur who had a curious nostalgia-fueled revival in the early 21st century), so -- not a good path. I would like now to formally announce my desire to call bullshit on all those music critics. This album sucks, and Pet Sounds is boring, too.
I didn't enjoy this at all.
What an eye-opener. Ever since I got a live Beach Boys album as a gift in elementary school I considered myself a fan. I still consider Sloop John B a delight. I listened to a whole multi-episode podcast about Brian Wilson and Pet Sounds and Charles Manson! Come on! Then this project happened and I saw Surf's Up arrive and realized I knew nothing. I started the record with some trepidation based on others' reviews, but I actually liked this a lot. Yes, many of the lyrics are, as the kids would say, cringe--it felt almost physically painful to hear them try to be topical and relevant. But this was a solid 3-star album for me. I enjoyed it and will listen to it again.
Gran álbum, el mejor hasta el momento, muy buen comienzo, quizá decae sobre el final pero no le saca la excelencia. 9/10
Bin kein großer Beach Boy Fan - Nicht wirklich schlecht, aber die Alben plätchern meist so vor sich hin
This was cool. Definitely not the beachy vibe from other albums. Amazing to see Brian Wilson continue to evolve and be influenced by so many. 4/18/26
The Beach Boys' harmonies are unmatched. Some more rock and roll type songs in this album which were a interesting inclusion. Nice concise album
Uhhhhh... I don't know bout this one, a lot of this isn't the sound I want from them. Then I imagined if Ween wrote this and I liked that idea so
The Beach Boys were not done in 1969! This is such an interesting inversion of their public image while still sticking with their bread and butter musically. It really embodies the emotional arc of the optimistic 60s (of which their music was emblematic) to the pessimistic, cynical 70s after the Manson murders (in which they were tangentially involved). I know this wasn’t a commercial success but to me it is an artistic one. Jams galore, great writing, profound lyrics, thoughts that stick with you.
Super strong sunny stroll album when you're not sure yet what kind of day it will be
Well this is different. You can still recognize it as the Beach Boys, but it's quite different. Considering how little Brian Wilson was involved, I'm impressed. I won't be playing it on heavy rotation, but I'm glad I heard it. Respect to the Beach Boys for trying something different. They did a good job.
Definitely a bit of a departure from the sound that The Beach Boys are known for. I feel like they made this album for them, not their biggest fans. Musically, it's still very good. It's got those familiar Beah Boys harmonies we know and love, but it's not the kind of record that immediately comes to mind when I think of The Beach Boys.
good work BGM
One of The Beach Boys' best efforts, providing a glimpse into a more mature, time-worn version of the band that started out so gleefully singing about surfing and cars and bikini girls. Everything from the gorgeously orchestrated love ballad "Disney Girls (1957)" and solemn elegy "A Day in the Life of a Tree", to the delightful prog-pop of "Feel Flows", to the dark multi-part dirge of the title track, this album delivers in spades with all of the Beach Boys' strengths. Except "Student Demonstration Time". Fuck that song.
I still do not get the mega popularity of The Beach Boys, however this was a solid album. Long Promised Road and Feel Flows were highlights.
The cover art almost fooled me, but these are indeed still the Beach Boys. Stronger first listen than Pet Sounds, but I don't think this one has the same legs to go into my rotation. Standouts: Long Promised Road • Disney Girls (1957)
The only Beach Boys album I recognize is Wild Honey. With that said, do I hate this album? Definitely not. Do I hate The Beach Boys as a concept? You bet! If I nailed Taylor Swift to the wall for this I have to be fair to her by calling out Carl Wilson too. Did you guys suddenly find a social conscience or was it a total coincidence that after your last album ate dirt once your old image became boring that you decided to write some protest music in your usual clumsy and mawkish way? Don't go near the water Don't go near the water Toothpaste and soap will make our oceans a bubble bath So let's avoid an ecological aftermath If this was one of the many one off 60s hands inexplicably on this list everyone would be savaging the lyrics. But even then I can't call this a bad album. It's very listenable. The production is sharp. I don't hate this album. I hate the concept of The Beach Boys.
dont go near the water - woa funky wobbly instrument. beginnin w UUU cool high note. long promised road - nice chords n melody, i like how its calm n then less calm disney girls - very nice very uh.. in swedish id describe it as "skön" student demonstration time - ooo rocknroll hell yea feel flows - not rly a fan of the reversy effect in this style of music. its getting cooler. dont like it as much as the others tho til i die - very nice, again "skön" last song very cool.
Love the Beach Boys but not this album
Honestamente, una grata sorpresa.
Not at all what I’d expect from the Beach Boys, wow! This album is weird and dark, and some songs are really, really good for it, like Feel Flows and Don’t Go Near the Water, even Take A Load Off Your Feet feels like a great Ween song. But then some… really don’t land the jump: Disney Girls is just cringe and Student Demonstration Time feels off. But hey, long live People’s Park!
A delightful album that I didn’t know existed. A bit more experimental and psychedelic compared to their earlier surf rock work.
Wasn't aware of this Beach Boys record and yet I'm presently surprised by this. Memorable hooks and generally very pleasant recording, deserving 4 stars probably
Lately I have been thinking a lot about how bad things are and how they're not getting better and how I keep waiting and nothing changes and things just keep getting worse. Some may find comfort in the fact that they were making albums about all the same problems we've got today 50 some odd years ago but not me. Fucking hell. I hate everything. Musically it's fine but I don't want to hear this right now. I'm tired of thinking about mortality and the environment and about racial tension and on and on.
Who knew the Beach Boys got this trippy? Some duds, but some incredible pieces, especially the last three songs, that clearly flow from the same genius behind Pet Sounds.
Tämä levy ei taida edustaa Beach Boysia parhaimmillaan. Sekava ja vähän keskeneräiseltä tuntuva kokonaisuus.
Many catchy songs, love lookin’ at tomorrow. 4.5/5
Had heard some of the beach boys hit singles before (none from this album) Highlights for me would be Feel Flows, particularly the added layers with flutes and saxophone, as well as day in the life of tree, could feel some sufjan stevens vibes from that one, depressing and somber but really beautiful. Long promised road feels more modern than 71' as well, the way they structured it made it quite catchy. Lowlights: Disney girls, felt a bit like a lullaby and snoozefest. Was not really needed in the album. Title song/ closer was also not up my alley.
Enjoyed, not my favorite Beach Boys record but they are always good
Some decent tracks but not really my jam
Love the Beach Boys normally but I’d never heard this album. Didn’t do much for me to be honest. It was alright.
While not as good as what Smiley Smiley could have been this is still a great representation of The Beach Boys' best era. Sad, resentful and pensive psychedelic music with their signature harmonies.
Kind of a downer in tone. Didn't get into it, not much to like, leans into psychedelic at times. Only stand out is Feel Flows. Why is this on the list??
...17th album?? I dont think I can name even one. Anyways, with most records on this list, this was okay but nothing to write home about.
I didn’t like it as much as I expected to. But there are some lovely moments here and I am feeling generous.
A frog in boiling water of brilliance
Really strange album, from the cover/title juxtaposition to the musical styles being all over the place. The great tracks are great and the oddities are odd enough to be fun.
I love how experimental the beach boys are. Their albums don’t always hit as a collective, but there’s no denying the variety of sounds they influenced and created. This album being no exception. Surfs up is a lot messier than their other mega hit Pet Sounds, but honestly I find the beauty in albums like this. Tons of raw ideas just thrown together regardless of how cohesive/ lack there of they may be. Love the title track, but damn, student demonstration time is an absolute heater. The one jump scare of the album due to how hard it rocks. Did Brian Wilson record this shit through a megaphone into the mic? Either way what a stand out track. I enjoyed this a lot more than anticipated.
I really like this how dynamic and interesting this is. It is truly a rollercoaster and as I finish for the second time I feel so full. The songs bounce off each other and the vibe of the songs just feed into the album cover. The end of the line which is a painting based ona sculture and wow what a fantastic metaphor. The beach boys have hit their peak and now their contempararies are slowly leaving and washing away and they reminicise on the career and impact they had while genre bending at every corner. The Title Track is a mix of 3 songs in 1 and it just feels like a beautiful bow being tied this album of reflection is evident in don’t go near the water clearly a metaphor to they must not do the same thing and they must innovate. Don’t go near the water being a warning it is so scary. It is a victory lap a somber run the bases. In a perfect world this would be the beach boys last album or at least it marks the end of an era
it was great!
Love beach boys, even if this one isn't my favorite
Entre toujours la même chose et cacophonie. Mais il y a de beaux morceaux. Disney girl et lookin at tomorrow. Belle envolée flutale feel flows qui ne m’a pas fait décoller.
Well, this one's a bit of a head-scratcher! The Beach Boys--nearly a decade after their initial huge successes, half a decade from their biggest critical success, with most members nearing 30 and with their only true musical genius Brian Wilson largely checked out--decide that the best way to remain relevant is to shoot for more socially and environmentally conscious material. The result is a song from the perspective of a tree dying from pollution and lyrics the sound a lot like a Simpsons-esque parody, like "Take good care of your feet/You'd better watch what you eat." After leading the group completely off the charts by trying to simply recapture earlier glory with a few albums repeating watered-down versions of their early sixties style, Mike Love was apparently forced to take a backseat here as a new producer decided to see if Carl Wilson maybe had a little of the latent genius of older brother Brian. Spoiler alert: he does NOT. The inclusion of this album on a list of 1001 records we all need to hear before we die is simply puzzling. It's not prime Beach Boys, and it's far more derivative than innovative. You are much more likely to laugh out loud at the apparent misguided earnestness than to ever feel a desire to listen to this again.
100% mi tipo
Not bad. It feels a bit safe though.
Slow, not my jam
At least it got some more variance than the last album I listened to, and a little bit more energy, though not really more. The songs are kind of similar, but not that it could be perceived as a coherent entirity. 3/5
Great band I was transported back to that er. Ilove that they talked about environmental issues in some of the lyrics.
Not The Beach Boys at their greatest.
Ta bien, me siguen gustando mas otras canciones de ellos pero me.gusta que aqui suenan diferente a los demas
I actually prefer this to Pet Sounds. Very cool album cover, unexpected for sure. With some exceptions, not as cheesy as a alot of their music. I quite like "Don't go near the water" and "Long Promised Road" might be my favorite of their songs, it builds . Cool synthy stuff and really pretty singing. Overall I find it boring. Many songs that I want to skip with a few real highs mixed in. Of the Beach Boys albums I've heard, this is the one that lets me see why people loved them, but it's still not for me. low 3 stars, won't come back to anything except Long Promised Road
Delightfully weird and very much not a typical Beach Bots album.
bien
2.5 - Meh
Buen álbum, me gustó la primera parte sobre todo Puntaje: 8/10
Сара - није слушала, цео дан се спремала за Полу Марко 3
Absolutely, completely, unbelievably, shockingly, outrageously, mind-bendingly, crazily average
Listened in the car on the way to work. I mean it's okay. Not the kind of sound I like about TBB and has a couple stinkers like Student Demonstrations. Waiting for the better albums.
Michael von Zaki reference spotted!
01) Don't Go Near the Water - 7,0 02) Long Promised Road - 7,5 03) Take a Load Off Your Feet - 7,0 04) Disney Girls (1957) - 6,5 05) Student Demonstration Time - 7,0 06) Feel Flows - 7,0 07) Lookin' at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) - 6,0 08) A Day in the Life of a Tree - 6,0 09) 'Til I Die - 7,0 10) Surf's Up - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,75 (68/100) Current ranking: 554/875
Musiques intéressantes et good vibe !
Does not sound like the Beach Boys I know, I guess I really am only familiar with Pet Sounds and the stuff that came after it, for something called Surf's Up there was not much Surf Rock. However I did kind of like it, it was funky and sounded like all other types of bands, a little Beatles and some others. Cool to see their evolution really.
Really dark album. I know was trying to transition from being a fun, laid back, Summertime band into something more psychedelic. But, this did not work for me.
Interesting album during a down time for The Beach Boys career. Nothing outstanding to me upon first listen!
Muy bueno, la verdad que no me esperaba escuchar a los beach boys haciendo algo medio experimental y a su vez hacer un pop precioso como ellos lo saben hacer, me gustó
Quirky - I was surprised to hear the Beach Boys sound like this.
Great album
favs: student demonstration time lookin’ at tomorrow a day in the life of a tree rating 1.5/5
High 3? I appreciated the album artwork vs the name of the album. Some evolved beach boy isms but a few funky (not in a good way) spots
Goated beyond repair. So glad this is one here. Long Promised Road maybe my fav BB song, thissssss is sometimes my fav album of theirs overall but Smiley Smile and Pet Sounds are always in competition
I remember hearing this album for the first time. It's so impeccably bizarre and really lovely and beautiful. i love the beach boys!!
You guys OK? What a bleak album cover for a band I commonly associate with summer days and **beaches**. (SHAKES THE BEACH BOYS) Is everything OK? Speak to me! C'mon tell me what's wrong! Something's not right. Did you have too many drugs last night?? It is the late 60s, early 70s after all. Where's Brian!? Tell me where Brian went! Something is up and I don't hear Brian. What is *HAPPENING*?!? WHERE IS BRIAN?! *********** What an incredible unraveling. The skills and virtuoso of Brian mostly absent, the rest of the Boys made an album that seems completely divorced from the "Beach Boys". The first goddamn song is telling us *NOT* to go in the water?? I could feel my stomach drop like a roller coaster knowing we were coming down from their creative peak for this ride. Thrilling, I suppose, but the best is behind us. This is like eating a Big Mac without the special sauce. It might remind you of what it tastes like and have some of the qualities you like, but without the special sauce, a Big Mac it ain't. The rest are all good musicians, no doubt, but the "Beach Boys" this isn't..(3/5) in homage to "Pet Sounds" and other, earlier and better works. I recognize the talent on display here, but such an about-face from their sound, image and reputation is just so jarring. I spent the whole album with my mouth agape and the words "What is this?" kept slipping out. This was a botched attempt at a reinvention, and a beautiful mess because of it. I endorse it's inclusion in the list because it's a great example of this phenomenon. A talented super group subject to the same forces of entropy as the rest of us. They just sounded better going out than most.
I thought I was familiar with The Beach Boys, and boy was I wrong. Had never heard this one before and was pretty surprised by the tone and message. Hell, look at that cover! With limited input from Brian Wilson, it seemed to give some other members the opportunity to explore their own styles, leading to an album that sounds similar in places and an altogether departure in others. A darker, more brooding album full of environmentalism and introspection about celebrity, drug use and mental health wasn't on my Beach Boys radar, and while it wasn't their greatest, it was never bad, perhaps in part because of its incredibly short run time. It's a solid 3.5/5 that I hesitate to round up.
Variety: 3 Adequacy: 4 Listenability: 3 Uniqueness: 2 Emotionality: 2 = 2.8 rounded up to a 3 "Cowabunga, dude!" This is yet another I've heard before, but it's been so log I barely have any memories of it. It couldn't have amazed me like Smile did. Not enough to leave any permanent marks on my brain like that one did. From what little I know Brian Wilson was not very enthusiastically involved with the band at this point, and may have even recorded his stuff completely separately? I know it has been positively reappraised in recent the last 20 years or so. Aside from Pet Sounds and Smile, Wilson and the boys have been more or less a singles band for me. A childhood radio staple, they seem to have all but disappeared from pop culture in the last couple of decades. THE TRACKS Side one "Don't Go Near the Water" - Getting strong Harry Nilsson and Boulders-era Roy Wood vibes here. Which I guess makes sense as those guys both seem influenced in turn by Wilson and company. Easy to see why weirdo indie musicians would have started championing this near the turn of the century. The oddly charming instrumentation, and harmonies make this an easy pill to swallow, and remove some of the trepidation I had diving in. "Long Promised Road" - This one reminds me again of Nilsson but also of some artists from the 2010s who seemed to embrace the whole psychedelic pop angle, like Dent May ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baXby3gOmXU). The production on this one sounds too fuzzy for me, which ages it too much I think. "Take a Load Off Your Feet" - This song is so dumb. I like it. Only Wilson and a few others can take what would be considered children's music if performed by another group, and give it some weight. The plucked strings, the clanks sell this for me and wish it had not been so brief. "Disney Girls (1957)" - Ugh... we get the "Ringo" track here, but like with most cases none of these pity tracks hold a candle to Ringo's ability to make sing-songy goofiness work. This is pure schmaltzy dreck, with only the watery guitar effects giving it any character. Bruce Johnston wrote the Barry Manilow hit "I Write the Songs." That checks out. I've called out several tracks as being S-tier, all time classics, etc... This is Z-Tier. Lowly of the lowliest. And this is from someone who has multiple yacht rock playlists that he regularly listens to, and who rates Christopher Cross higher than most. "Student Demonstration Time" - Why? No, Beach Boys - NO!! Bad Beach Boys! The Beatles can barely get away with playing the blues. I am embarrassed for Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. I blame Mike Love fully for this one. Side two "Feel Flows" - Nice little bit of self examination type song with some cool vocal effects, some not-over used flute, and a crunchy guitar that weaves in and out before the synth line brings us back in. But Carl carries this. The best singer in a group of great singers. "Lookin' at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)" - Unfortunately there's more than one Ringo in this group, so we get some more scraps from Al. He's better at this than Bruce though. "A Day in the Life of a Tree" - Here we go. A pretty little number from Brian accompanied by a an organ that starts off as a sort of hymn and evolves into twee etherealness just before the end. "'Til I Die" - More Brian but this time in a more traditional mode. The downbeat tone brings the interest up though, and it gets suitably dreamier near the end. Too little, too late though. "Surf's Up" - An ok closer, even if it's a little tame. The beautiful vocal melodies and harmonies do a lot of heavy lifting as the song itself is barely there. I read that "Pitchfork later included the song in separate rankings of the 200 finest songs of the 1960s and 1970s, and in 2011, Mojo staff members voted it the greatest Beach Boys song." *Cut to the gif of J.K. Simmons cracking up in Spider-Man*. That's some truly heroic levels of contrarianism, even for those two organizations. Sure, Mojo. "God Only Knows" was just an overhyped deep cut or something... HIGHLIGHTS - "Don't Go Near the Water" - "Take a Load Off Your Feet" - "Feel Flows" - "A Day in the Life of a Tree" MIDLIGHTS - "Long Promised Road" - "'Til I Die" LOWLIGHTS - "Disney Girls (1957)" - "Student Demonstration Time" - "Lookin' at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)" FINAL THOUGHTS I think I might know why this one didn't leave much of an impression now. The high highs were dragged way back down by the lows to kind of even out and leave me with a sort of ... ok experience. The weirder, twee stuff worked best for me, the more traditional stuff did not. Overall I can see how this must have seemed WAY stranger to the public at the time, but it can't help but suffer compared to the 50 pus years of stuff that has since put it in the dust. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - I'll hang on to the highlights - If they hadn't already been deleted from my ancient iPod, I would proceed to do so FURTHER LISTENING - Smile by Brian Wilson - Boulders by Roy Wood - The Point by Harry Nilsson - Across the Multiverse by Dent May
This is The Beach Boys and the album is titled Surf’s Up, so I thought I was in for some youthful California sound. I was mistaken, in a good way. Because the 60s are over here on this album. The band that survived the British invasion now has to live in the 70s. This is a new listen for me and I’m glad The Beach Boys didn’t let themselves be completely captured in the amber of 1960s California sunsets. This album has a weird dark earnestness to it, coming across as schmaltzy in many spots. This feels like an emo record 30 years before emo. Early on we get the point that this is a different Beach Boys album. “Don’t go Near The Water” is a warning to the listeners to tread forward carefully. “Long Promised Road” is full of contemplative lulls before bursting forth with defiant determination. The band would never reach the heights of Pet Sounds again, but honestly how many albums that followed would? I can appreciate trying, and even failing, at new directions. This one is a psychedelic mess, but surprisingly quite a few interesting points worthy of attention. It lands on the 3+ side for me but not enough to reach a 4. Track highlights Long Promised Road Student Demonstration Time Til I Die.
Many of these songs capture the essence of the beach boys and there are a few tracks that I have not heard before. I always find it very pleasing to come across music , which doesn't sound like a carbon copy of all of a band's hits.
Pretty surprised about that one. Has a nice vibe to it
Such a cheerful album. Their songs are so calming. Some bluesy influences here too !! Fav song is ‘Student Demonstration Time’.
Ohh the beach boys- a band perpetually and forever in an identity crisis. Wilson’s y’all can explore emotion like no-one but leave the social commentary at home, you’re just not good at it.
Me gustó. Lo sentí como una peli
It aight
Beach boys time! Don’t go near the water was a fun opener. I enjoyed the strange sounds mixed into the background. It gave me something to focus on. The ebb and flow of Long and Promised Road was pretty cool. I liked the chorus, but was meh on the verses. Take a Load of your feet was alright. I thought Disney Girls was quite pretty and Student Demonstration time had a good vibe to it. Feel Flows was good, and Lookin at tomorrow was a nice interlude. I’m currently not having too many thoughts about this album, I’m just vibing. Till I die had some really cool musical ideas. To end with the title track, it had its moments. I liked the little piano bits. 3.5/5 ⭐️ 92/1089
This is way weirder and more psychedelic than I expected from a Beach Boys album. I’ve only ever listened to their biggest hits, and this album is very different. It has the beautiful harmonies that are distinctive of their sound, but the melodies and instrumentals are much more experimental. A great album!
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.
Some good stuff, some cheesy stuff... must be a Beach Boys album from the 70's.
Ottime sonorità, avanguardistico
I can see the talent but no favs
i like them but not my usual listen
Surf’s Up has the unfortunate distinction of being the Beach Boys album most comparable to Pet Sounds (other than Smile of course). Even if it’s likely the second best Beach Boys album, that’s a lot to live up to since Pet Sounds may be better than any album made by anyone. If Pet Sounds is the sound of youth entering adulthood and trying to make sense of it all, Surf’s Up is the sound of adulthood kicking your ass. It’s worn down a bit, battered by an unfair world. It’s a fantastic record and best consumed in full, but it’s impossible not to compare it to Pet Sounds. Brian’s lessened role is apparent in its sound, but the talents of the band are undeniable.
Disney girls mi favorita de este álbum.
If Im going to be honest the album was just ok for me. Maybe because I am a little younger and some of the songs feel dated but overall wasn't a bad album.
Par canciones muy buenas
I was not expecting this from The Beach Boys. Really enjoyed it though. Some of the slower songs didn't spark joy but the more psychedelic and rock focused ones really spoke to me. I also appear to be in the minority here because I actually really enjoyed Student Demonstration Time.
It's soooo boring at first.. then it's much more interesting. There is some variety in the melody, but the acceleration to this variety is very slow.
i will listen to the beach boys all day any day
It's great but also quite odd
It's not terrible... but not good either. Definitely not Pet Sounds.
Got to say that this is the best Beach Boys album. I really didn't like earlier albums, but this one resonated with me after listening to it a few times.
Litt tam
Great album
I guess I like the Beach Boys! At least Pet Sounds and the couple of albums right after that. Plus this one. I haven't heard much between Smiley Smile and this one. The Surfin USA type stuff doesn't really speak to me outside of being in a water park, but this album is full of rich harmonies and thoughtful songwriting. Solid melody work, interesting chord progressions. Great lyrical work. Even the ubiquitous rock album blues tune wasn't impotent like it can often be (imo) with this sort of group. I really, really enjoyed it and will probably be back in a couple of days.
I've really come around to the Beach Boys in recent years, but I'm still not a fan of their later output.
Zaujímavé, nepoznal som ani jednu pesničku. Ako by to ani neboli BB. V takejto podobe ich vôbec nepoznám. Je to určite posun v ich tvorbe zo 60. tých rokov, ale nemám pocit, že k lepšiemu.
8/10
Surprisingly much more listenable than I thought, but no higher than 2.5
another longtime love of mine. happy to listen to this again as i do so several times a year. the whole thing is night perfect, and "long promised road" is one of my favorite songs ever
Album cover is really cool. Pretty good otherwise but a little too 70s for my taste. Take A Load Off Your Feet is a hidden gem
A few good songs, and a majority of "meh" songs, and a few that plain made me laugh when they played. Not a fan.
There's some great music in here, the title track for one, but as a whole it just does not have even close to the same emotional resonance that Pet Sounds has for me. Maybe it's unfair to compare this to one of the most beautiful moving albums of all time but this is my review and they are both Beach Boys albums so here we are. Also A Day in the Life of a Tree sucks and I do not like it at all.
it alright. i think the last stretch of the album really shines but getting to that point feels like a slog at times. latter half is a high 4 but early parts of this album just a middling 3. if i could get 3.5 i would but i feel more inclined to round down here.
would be 5 if that dumb ass student demonstration time song was cut.
Beach Boys, I was not familiar with your game! The harmonies are actually insane and I was not expecting them to get as political as they did. A really cool album with very strong themes - feels like a bait & switch when you look at the title, which is my favorite type of album. Highlights: Disney Girls, Feel Flows, Student Demonstration Song
Had never heard this before. I liked it. Need to Liley listen a few times. A different sound
Really surprised I’ve never heard of this album or any of the songs. Finally a nice surprise on this list.
Fine album. Some seminal tracks and mould breaking production values. Not every track was exceptional hence the rating
Solid album. Definitely not their best. Lacks the layers of sound that Brian Wilson and the Boys are known for
2nd half of the album was good. Feel Flies is a great song.
I was not expecting this to be so earnest - water pollution? Trees? Student demonstrations? Relatively banal lyrics? Despite all of that, partly beautiful music?
great album
The beach boys are weird as hell.
The Beach Boys have a deep catalog of all time classics. I've seen them two times in concert and I do not think a single song off of this album made the setlist. It is definitely Beach Boys but sounds like all the B sides. None of the songs really stood out to me. I had to double check the lyrics when they were singing out the importance of taking care of your feet.
2.25 - I liked it more than I expected and I found the styles to be more diverse than I thought it would be. I really didn't expect Kent State protest song. I still don't see this as something I would choose to listen to on a regular basis.
The world was going to hell in 1971 and it hasn't got much better
DNF
Kind of a mixed bag for me; yet another album on this list that I appreciated more than I enjoyed. I was surprised to see that this came out several years after Pet Sounds; I spent the whole album thinking this one was sort of a bridge album between their 'Surfin USA' days and their more experimental period.
I guess the drugs got to them... weird, uneven, kind of tuneful
Alt i alt en weird atmosfære på dette album, en mærkelig dissonans mellem emnet og melodierne. Outro-harmonierne i Don't Go Near The Water er sindssygt smukke. Bangers: Don't Go Near The Water & Feel Flows Stinker: Student Demonstration Time
Blev en anelse bedre ved 2. gennemlytning, men et stort mesterværk ... arh. Rodet, usammenhængende og irriterende. De sidste par tracks var dog ok, som lige akkurat hiver den op til 2 (meget små) stjerner.
*84 Første track beskriver meget godt den situation, som Danmark er endt i mht. vores indre farvande. Lidt sjovt vi ikke er blevet meget klogere 55 år senere. Der et par meget mærkelige tracks iblandt, men de sidste tre er spot on. Især A Day In The Life of a Tree og ‘Til I Die er rørende smukke. + coveret er utroligt flot.
Det var hvad jeg havde brug for, men ikke noget der gjorde et varigt indtryk
lowlights: - disney girls er trash og har ærligt talt nogle underlige vibes - student demonstration time - titlen er ligeså ulideligt kedelig og uinspirerende som valget af en standard blues-rundgang beklædt med en hvirvlende synth, der lyder som en heliumballon der er sluppet løs i studiet for at demonstrere den nye smarte stereo-funktion - a day in the life of a tree - virkelig? highlights: - take a load off your feet er fire, varm og analog som en tæppe af vinyl-lp'er jeg er glad for, at man ikke laver så meget musik, der lyder sådan her længere, men det er heller ikke det værste i verden. 2.1
Tror jeg har lige så svært ved at finde ud af det album, som Beach Boys havde... Men kan ikke lade være med at være mærkeligt draget af det, og tror bestemt ikke det er sidste gang jeg kommer til at høre det. Nysgerrighed pirret: 4 Hvor meget jeg kan de enkelte numre / det samlede indtryk: 3 Musikhistorisk betydning: 2 konklusion : 3
Student Demonstration time
7/10 At their best, The Beach Boys create stunning music. Brian Wilson is obviously the key figure from a songwriting point of view, with the quality of his melodic ear and his balancing of interweaving lines of counterpoint into those lush vocal harmonies creating some beautiful and captivating music. But the rest of the band aren't bad either. This record is a little bit light on Brian, but there are some quality tracks from Carl, Bruce's Disney Girls, which is sugary sweet but lovely, and even the odd moment from Mike Love (Student Demonstration Time aside) which come together to create a decent, if slightly uneven record. The problem with a collection like this is that the members of the band often have slightly different sounds that they go for with their compositions, and without Brian at the tiller, both for songwriting support and in the producers chair, the results can be a little disconnected. But there's still a lot to enjoy here. They're a tight and talented band, who aren't afraid to have a play with production to bring out some interesting tones across the tracks. It even gets a touch proggy in places. And obviously, the vocal harmonies are always great. The final two tracks of the album are special indeed and do help to elevate the record just a bit. It's not the greatest Beach Boys album, but it's still worth a listen, and there's enough in here to make it worthy of a repeat spin now and again. Don't Go Near The Water - An interesting, slightly experimental start. It's a bit twee, but it's melodically solid and has a nice groove to it. Not a top tier Beach Boys effort, but not bad either. Long Promised Road - This is a step forward in quality. It's got that more soulful edge typical of a Carl Wilson composition. It's subtle, has a nice ebb and flow of groove and has some great melodies with engaging backing vocals. It's a slightly muddled mix, but that kind of works with the grubby soul tone. Take A Load Off Your Feet - Another slightly twee track that has that nice edge of silliness that works pretty well for a lot of Beach Boys songs. It doesn't offer the greatest amount of variety across its runtime, but it's another pleasant, middling quality effort. Disney Girls (1957) - I unashamedly love this song. Sure, it's saccharine as all hell, but it has a beautiful bittersweet feeling that just hits me in all the right ways. I love the melodies, the harmonies, the subtle drift of the rhythm and flow. It's just sweet and lovely. Student Demonstration Time - It's a grubby blues number that doesn't really fit the feel of the rest of the record. It's pretty by the numbers and doesn't do anything particularly interesting or new. It also sounds like someone trying to be political but not really getting it or sounding convincing. That'd be a Mike Love composition then. Feel Flows - Some more Carl Wilson soul edged stuff now but with a prog twist to the production. Again, there are some excellent melodic moments in this and the general vibe of the production is lovely. It does feel like they could have done more with this though and developed it into some broader directions as it feels a tiny bit too anchored to its base chord structure. Lookin' At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) - There's a nice enough vibe to this, but it's a bit of a basic and unadventurous composition. Not bad necessarily, and quite tonally pleasant, but a little bland. A Day In The Life Of A Tree - And now we reach the Brian Wilson tryptych that ends the record. It's a slightly weird start, a hymn like song from the perspective of a tree. It's pretty, it's a bit quirky and odd and has that trademark Brian Wilson bittersweet sound. It's not one of his best, but it's nice. 'Til I Die - Ah, now this is gorgeous. Some of the harmonies and modulations are so lush and it strikes that balance between being completely heart wrenching but having a very slightly optimistic edge. The stacked vocal harmonies that roll around at the end are just beautiful. Surf's Up - And he keeps rolling with a track originally intended for Smile. Again, he writes melancholy so well and his construction of harmony and counterpoint are just stunning. The ebb and flow of the track takes you on a wonderful journey, through moments of sparsity to full, rolling tonal beds, but every bit is wonderful. What a way to end a record.
Sweet sweet start that tapers off a touch towards the middle. Title track is the clear highlight (and the only one of these that I had heard before) but this is mostly an excellent album. Always down for an environmental anthem, no matter how dorky. 4.5
Kind of weird hear the Beach Boys doing the socially conscious album. Student Demonstration Time is a hilariously terrible song but Disney Girls and Surf's Up are outstanding. The Tree Song is honestly one of the weirdest songs I think I've heard.
Wow. I am a big fan of the tongue-in-cheek Beach Boys. As insane as it is to say, I might like the other Wilson bros songs more.
Mikäs ihme tää oli. Odotin enemmän
Olipahan melankolista menoa.
En tiiä oikein. Näilkin on sata levyä niin miks just tää.
No ei ihan täysin uponnut. Omaan korvaan kuulosti vähän jopa parin ekan levyn jälkeiseltä Queeniltä paikkapaikoin. Olisko Freddie ja kumppanit kuunnelleet tätä? Ei kyllä oikeastaan yhtään mieleenpainuvaa biisiä.
Nice
I liked so long, Marianne
I remember feeling mellow towards this album when I first heard it, but it's growing on me much harder now, Long Promised Road reminds me of another of my favorite Beach Boys songs, I Wasn't Made For These Times. Student Demonstration Time uses synths in some of the coolest ways I've ever heard ever. Feel Flows is really my final highlight, but it's a lovely one.
Better than expected; lovely singing.
Bit more mellow and experimental/hippy (possibly not quite the right word (maybe not pc these days either??)) than the sound you (I certainly do) associate with the Beach Boys (Pet Sounds being the classic example) quite enjoyed.
chill
Has that prime Beach Boys’ sensibility/vibe: innocent and child-like but with more social consciousness. The result sounds like a record that comes across as motivational to me. First impression notes (from when I listened to this before getting this album: The Beach Boys updated to a soft-rock/soul/70s pop sound. So serious like Pet Sounds)
i feel neutral about this album
Too psychedelic and not Beach Boys enough for me
This didn't quite chime with me. Love the Beach Boys but this album is a bit more challenging than the usual surf rock I guess
Kill me
Surfs
2/3
Classic 70s soft rock (like beatles). Upbeat and ehole album is same vibes like its one big song.
Darker edgier Beach Boys, many of the same approaches harmony Melodie’s but with the sunshine dulled or absent
Not what I expected at all. Didn't even sound like the beach boys. Pet Sounds is a much better album in my opinion.
Vet inte om det var dagens humör men den här kändes extra trist
Blev lite nyfiken av omslaget, som såg så annorlunda ut från allt jag förknippar med The Beach Boys, men det lät inte så spännande i slutändan.
Lagom njutbart men inget uppseendeväckande
Strandkillar är aldrig fel men detta var inget speciellt.
Yeah, this was nice. A little different from what I know the Beach Boys as, but still enjoyable.
This was all the songs you never heard from the Beach Boys and I can totally see why. This album was horrible
I love so many other BB albums, but this wouldn’t have made my list
8/10
I didn’t know that the Beach Boys didn’t suck! All of their popular songs are bubble-gummy yuck. This had substance.
This was a cool album. Not what I was expecting.
Long Promised Road rules, it’s one of the best Beach Boys songs. Everything else here is fine except Student Demonstration Time which is frankly quite awful.
This was a gorgeous album, will be listening to agin
Really good ones! Interesting dry voice
Usually one given the choice between two bands and England, you have The Beatles versus The Beach Boys and I think I lean more towards the beach boys. There’s just something about Brian Wilson’s voice, his lyrics and just the overall mood of The Beach Boys sound that hits me differently usually, I just know The Beach Boys from pet sounds in history of rock ‘n’ roll but this serves up album. It’s great. I’m definitely gonna re-listen to it probably multiple times it’s got a great protest song. It’s just it feels real and I’d like it. Great job as always Brian into the rest of the boys and the band may you get your flowers now!
Honestly a weird one. I didn’t really know any of the songs and this was a different vibe from the beach boys I know and love. That being said, it wasn’t bad at all, I just maybe need more time to appreciate it.
Different than typical Beach Boys, for sure. It's mostly listenable because they've dropped most of those multiple-part harmonies. People seem to dunk on "Student Demonstration Time" and I get it, but the music is pretty fun; typical blues riff, but so many fun little flairs throughout makes it ok to gloss over the preachy, too forward vocals. Couldn't even convince my wife that was a Beach Boys song. "Feel Flows" and "Lookin' At Tomorrow" are worth listening to again. "Take A Load Off Your Feet" "A Day In The Life Of A Tree" and "Disney Girls" are flat garbage. "Surf's Up" is the only one here that sounds like old school Brian Wilson with slightly less harmonies and layers, but I'm ok with that. Typical BBoys music drives me nutso. I can handle this one song that leans that way, but that is def enough! This album is a firm 2.5 for me. But I'll round up to the 3 for their longevity and willingness to still be trying new things.
beautiful
Not a fan, didn’t do much for me.
This is one of the most iconic images from my childhood. I miss my dad:(
Interesting post 1967 album by the beach boys, definetly not their best but has some fun songs. Disney girls is a real personal favorite. 1. Disney Girls (1957) 2. Long Promised Road 3. Don't Go Near the Water
Oh nice. I like The Beach Boys. Love ‘em actually. Pet sounds, forever, heroes and villains… all phenomenal experiences. So I was glad to get this one! And I enjoyed it plenty. Even when the political stuff kinda gets in the way of the overall enjoyment, because, it sucks, specifically that annoying student demonstration song, but the lush air of the whole thing is still very enjoyable, especially the fantastic b-side, culminating in one of the best tracks of the Boys’ careers. Overall it’s pretty alright. It left AN impression on me. I like it! It’s pretty great! 8.6/10
This is an objectively insane inclusion on this list. An album from after the Beach Boys had fallen off the charts and without a single big hit. It is mostly in-line with their popular work, though maybe you could say it adds a darker, harder edge. Still, think of all the albums that didn't get in so this could.
I was really glad to have the opportunity to discover this beach boys album, because, other than pet sounds, the only impression I had of them was that they were slightly corny (based on what little I know of their older music). I knew since I listened to pet sounds in college that Brian Wilson was an auteur of composition, but I still would never have guessed that the beach boys made music like this. There is a ton of artistry on display here. Some of the compositions remind me of Jacob Collier, with their Maximalism, and I love all of the little phonic details. The first half of the album was very catchy and easy to sing along to, and the second half was a little more contemplative and structurally experimental (cut from a similar cloth as pet sounds). This has got me intrigued to look into more of their music, because I thought this was phenomenal
My mind is a little blown that this album is new to me. I think I tended to dismiss the Beach Boys as lightweight, when I was younger, but then I started picking up hints that Brian Wilson was a genius, Pet Sounds a masterpiece, etc., plus, as I told Ray recently, Fred had an 8-track tape (!) of the Beach Boys Greatest Hits when we roomed together at FSU, and I came to love those songs. But, somehow, despite periodically reassessing the Beach Boys in my adult life, I never had any awareness (to speak of - I guess the album cover looks a little familiar, lol) of this album, or that it could possibly end up in this (1001) list. Also interesting that it came out 3 months before Sly's "There's a Riot Goin On" (which, as Ray noted, could be a response to Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On"). Just to take that a step further: Those 3 albums all came out in 1971 (Gaye in May; Beach Boys in August; and Sly in November), which was (obviously) a time of great musical creativity, and also a response to the Kent State massacre (May 1970), and the Vietnam War (and the draft) more generally, as well as growing awareness that humans were harming the environment. It just occurs to me that this album might reflect the end of Brian Wilson's innocence (if you want to be . . . poetic? . . . about it): no more light-hearted songs about girls and surfing - or, more broadly, the end of his generation's innocence. Ok, well, I still need to rate this album, lol. That's difficult, but I think I'll go with 4 stars. Not a 5; not a 2; possibly a 3, but I think it deserves a 4 (or at least a 3.5). At the moment, I'm listening a 2nd time, and there's this amazing flute (!) in "Feel Flows," so, yeah, definitely a 4, and I'll probably want to come back to this again at some point.
I like "A Day In The Life Of A Tree" of course I also really like the production on "Student Demonstration Time" it's really pumpin It's nowhere near Pet Sounds though. There's a bit too much of the corniness that the Beach Boys had in their early years present here.
Never cared for the Beach Boys, this album did nothing to change that. I did like "Long Promised Road", but that was the only song I liked on this one.
8/10… art rock / baroque pop / *1971
Student Demonstration Day — boomers gonna boom?
What a weird album from the Beach Boys. Unfocused musically, lyrically, production-wise…but it mostly comes together to work (other than the notable misfire Student Demonstration Time). Side A in particular is completely scattered, though I still like most of the tunes. Side B is where it really kicks into gear, with the ending 2 songs being stunningly wonderful. Carl makes some great contributions with Feel Flows and Long Promised Road. Take A Load Off Your Feet is so silly that you want to hate it but can’t. Most of it just has a vague overlying trippiness to it. It’s an album that works when it shouldn’t, and shows the BBs can continue to offer good music that isn’t their surf rock shtick or at the complicated heights of Pet Sounds.
Unbelievable sound. Every track worth the listen.
Clearly had some political messages and other messages, but the musical arrangement was surprisingly enjoyable for many of the songs.
This was really dreary. These dudes need to surf more.
Surprised to enjoy. Not what I thought Beach boys was. Not corny thoughtful and caring.
Actually pretty good. Some really nice tunes in here.
There is either a key that they sing in or play in or something but it’s the key that does to me what sirens do to dogs. My face starts twitching, my eyes start blinking, and I can feel it: my mind is closing to the fucking Beach Boys. Sorry Mr. Genius Brian Wilson. It does not work for me. Some songs are ok on this album. The Boys nod to their times with songs about environmental and social issues, though with the most surface analysis possible. A couple songs sounded fine to me and I did hear some of the experimentation that they are known for. But is it a good listening experience? Do I even remember it well a few hours later? Obviously, not really. It’s a pass.
classic beach boys harmony coupled with prog rock sensibilities. No standout song here. Can tell they are missing Brian.
This really caught me by surprise. I am familiar with Pet Sounds but was unaware that they made anything this weird and good after that album. I really love the oddness of the protest song.
This isn’t what i want from the Beach Boys. Student Demonstration Time is a good old rock n roll stomper, but this sort of thing is done far better than others. The whole thing comes across as a contract obligation filler. I quite like Feel Flows, but spent most of the time trying to think what song it reminded me of….turns out it was just I knew the song from the Almost Famous soundtrack. ‘A Day in the Life of a Tree’ is just abysmal.
I don’t know what to make of this. I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t sound like any sort of album by The Beach Boys I’ve ever heard - and it’s The Beach Boys when they sound like The Beach Boys that I like.
Look, I mostly prefer my Beach Boys Brian Wilson-shaped and this album is very much BW-lite in the vocals. I miss the multi layered vocals a lot - they're still here obviously (the title track being an obvious example) but not as Beach Boysy as normal. However, this is a really interesting Beach Boys album because it does feel so different to their hits. Darker. A bit more melancholic (coupled with it's gentle cheesyness). That being said, Student Demonstration Time is, erm... weird. I'm not sure what message Mike Love was aiming for but it comes across a bit "look, war is bad, but you can't stop it, so just forget about it". Which is, erm, yeah... But then Feel Flows happens and that's great, with the flute warbling in the right ear (I'm genuinely dead against noodling, but for some reason find it charming here) and nice vocals. I think I have a sort of baseline level for The Beach Boys where I don't think anything can truly be poor, which means nothing is ever getting a poor score. This album is at the lower end for me, but that's still a good score. As no half stars, I'm going for 3 but just know I very much think it's a solid 3.5. 3/5
I was surprised by this, it's very different to what I imagined the Beach Boys to sound in my head. I quite liked it.
Solid, but immediately forgettable. And I like the Beach Boys, but this is a departure from their signature sound...and that's fine, it's the 70 and times were changing. It's just not as accessible as their mid to late 60s work. This isn't a bad album by any stretch, it just didn't resonate with me.
This barely sounds like the beach boys IMO
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.
Did not expect it to be so upbeat cause of the album cover. Album was a nice surprise and honestly didn't think I would like it that much but I did.
This albus shows almost everything I hate about the music of the seventies. Nice album cover artwork by the way.
I appreciated this more experimental album sound and culturally relevant songs but it just wasn't what I wanted to listen to right now. The track Surf's Up is absolutely angelic, however!
OMG LOVE THAT MOVIE FAVS (top 3): long promised road, disney girls, 'till i die mençoes honrosas: student demonstration time, lookin' at tomorrow curti cara, o começo n é mt chamativo mas o meio fica legal e quando passa do meio vc ta meio hypado entao o fim tambem fica legal :D nota final: 3.5/5
Enjoyed this, perfect for a Sunday morning
Enjoyed this, different to other beach boy albums
A treat, thank you RGP…Right up there towards the top of the three stars. Tom.
"LoOk GuYs WeRe ExPeRiMeNtAl"
Beautiful album great work. Favorite song was Disney girl.
This was fascinating, at multiple points I forgot I was listening to The Beach Boys because it just feels like such a departure from what they’re known for. I saw the title and thought, this must be the album stuff like Surfin USA come from but boy was I wrong. Fascinating listen and an incredible album!
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 loving this album and wondering how it made the list. And I am a fan of the Beach Boys. 2 stars. Fave track - Surfs up (an absolute standout from a mediocre album)
Didn't get it. Not your typical beach boys. Give us at least one song with a beat.
This was a beach boys revelation for me, havibg obly been familiar with greatest hits i kinda thought they were a one trick pony. But this album had depth, musicality & a touch of thr Eagles at times
Am I being pranked? That album art is rad af and they deliver this?
A difficulty with the Beachy Boys, as a drunken friend got a festival crowd in Serbia to chant, is their built-in anachronism, their syrupy harmonies made for crooning dreamy, slightly deranged ballads being applied to baroque, sentimental arrangements can come across as kitsch, insincere or creepy. This one’s interesting because it leans into the latter. “Feel Flows” is the best song here. An uneven record, better for it, better than I expected.
Appalling, but in a different way to your usual Beach Boys rubbish. Here they try to meld psychedelic whimsy and social commentary (god help us) with their usual puerile drivel and end up coming a close second to William Shatner's "The Transformed Man" for the lamest incongruous effort of the hippy era (at least Bill is funny, deliberately?). Pleased to see Brian confirming his genius here from the back seat, with a great "beep beep" sound effect at the obvious point in the shocking "Take A Load Off Your Feet", almost as masterly as the concluding train sample in Pet Sounds. Don't Worry Baby, I think we're now done with this cabal of morons.
A few ham fisted songs with a message but there are some real gems in there
Much different than the Beach Boy sound that I am used to. A heavier album talking about protest and politics. I checked twice to make sure I was still on the album.
A more darker side of The Beach Boys that I really appreciated! Loved this one!
So much better that I expected
I think it’s cool how this is so different from the Beach Boys stuff I was familiar with previously. It just didn’t really catch me personally but hey, different strokes for different folks.
I did not realize the Beach Boys were like this. A rabbit hole to explore later
Everything on this album was new to me, and I had to listen to it twice after seeing some low reviews to make sure I wasn't missing something. This is so good, experimental pop in peak form with definitely some stuff that falls on the wrong side of the fine line between clever and stupid, ie Student Demonstration Time. But otherwise really great stuff, standouts were Feel Flows and Disney Girls. Rounding down for Student Demonstration Time.
The lyrics on this album are so terrible and heavy handed, it’s like they decided they needed to do a socially conscious album but had absolutely nothing to say. I also felt like the gorgeous layered harmonies that the Beach Boys are known for are missing, all in all quite disappointing.
It is pretty music, I just can never get into the beach boys. Feel like I just don’t get it (and never have)
It’s not bad just found it a bit boring, I sort of understand some of the messages in the songs but just didn’t really connect with it. I guess it’s quite bluesy and different from their big hits but found all the songs to sound quite samey apart from the student one. A high 2-Star from me.
Good
Kinda feels like the passion was gone by this point
This certainly ain't Surfin' in the USA. This Beach Boys album comes off as more serious and experimental VS what one thinks a Beach Boys album should sound like. Frankly I need to spoend more time with this but it might be my new favorite Beach Boys album.
I like that there was anti war sentiment in some lyrics. One thing I noticed was how multi-layered most of the songs were. 3 outta 5
Interesting record, the cover is awesome. There’s just not quite anything super memorable on here
grata sorpresa
interesting - some blues, some downtempo. still some falsetto too
niceeee
Not my cup of tea but there are a few standout tracks.
Super nice. I like.
Most difficult to rate
Inget som riktigt fastnade hos mig. Andra halvan bättre. Feel flows var skön. Förväntade mig mer från Beach Boys faktiskt
Okay, this was a different Beach Boys sound (kinda) than I grew up with, the cover said as much. It's not something I want to listen to again, but I'm glad I heard this.
Much better than I expected. Pretty relaxing. I listen to it in the background, so I would recommend it.
Langweiliges Werk der 70er. Wenig Spirit wenig Spaß .. dunkel wie das Cover irgendwie ein Album gemacht um Kohle zu scheffeln..
This album is so weird? Not rly Beach Boys vibes, but also maybe this is just Brian Wilson’s weird dark underbelly that he needed to throw out there? Student demonstration time was a flop, but everything else at least had me intrigued…
The artwork for "Surf's Up" has always been a favourite of mine - striking enough to make you curious about what lies inside. However, the music is a bit of a mixed bag. While it’s a pleasant three-star experience, it falls short of being an 'essential' listen. The highlights are saved for the very end with '’Til I Die' and 'Surf’s Up', but these are undermined by two tracks - 'Take a Load Off Your Feet' and 'Student Demonstration Time' - that simply don't fit the mood. It’s a schizophrenic record that lacks a cohesive identity. To my ears, it feels like a 'me too' project, chasing the trends of the time rather than leaning into the unique spirit that defined the band's best work. Side one 1 "Don't Go Near the Water" (4/5) 2 "Long Promised Road" (4/5) 3 "Take a Load Off Your Feet" (2/5) 4 "Disney Girls (1957)" (3/5) 5 "Student Demonstration Time" (2/5) Side two 1 "Feel Flows" (3/5) 2 "Lookin' at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)" (3/5) 3 "A Day in the Life of a Tree" (3/5) 4 "'Til I Die" (5/5) 5 "Surf's Up" (5/5) Total - 34 Average - 3.4 256/1001 139/256 albums reviewed were new to me
they have a talent of putting the most gorgeous song you’ve ever heard right next to the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever heard 😭 obligatory: what the fuck student demonstration time
Aburrido
Really solid album with resistance and climate change activity at the forefront of it's ideals. Don't go near the water and Day in the life of a tree are really good and solid examples of this. Student demonstration time is a good song about the resistance in colleges and schools which i think resounds especially well at the moment.
This was kind of a weird album. About half of the songs I really loved, but the other half I hated. I think the track that stood out to me the most was Long Promised Road and I can see why it was released as the first single from the album.
Gar nicht bemerkt das dies BEach Boys isrt, fand die Musik gut und die Säner auch
Not for me. Started crap, picked up here and there but was largely uninteresting.