Surf's Up

Mu bueno Mu bueno Mu bueno Mu bueno

Never appreciated the skills and craftsman’s ship of this band. Now I do

The "underrated Beatles." 10/10

This really just wasn’t anything interesting. The songwriting was nowhere near as good as what I recall from pet sounds (haven’t run into it on the list yet) and the whole thing just felt a little flat.

I can’t believe an album from The Beach Boys, a band I loathe, was the best offering all weekend. Way more heavy blues and tuned down guitars than I was expecting on this album, but vocally I still greatly dislike them. They still sound too much like a barbershop quartet a lot of the time. Best I can do is a 3/5 for some of the interesting instrumental work

как-то смазанно мне не зашло хотя у бич бойс есть хорошие релизы, но в целом пойдет

The Beach Boys – Surf’s Up Es un disco complicado de valorar con una sola escucha. Con Pet Sounds recuerdo que casi todas las canciones me parecieron himnos desde el primer momento; aquí no me ha pasado eso. En la primera escucha solo me entraron claramente Don’t Go Near the Water y Long Promised Road. En la segunda ya empiezo a apreciar más detalles y melodías bonitas —por ejemplo Disney Girls (1957) tiene un aire muy nostálgico y elegante—, pero sin llegar a parecerme canciones increíbles o memorables al instante. Me da la sensación de que es un álbum más sutil y menos inmediato, quizá algo irregular, aunque con ambición y momentos muy cuidados. Es posible que crezca con más escuchas, pero de momento no me ha impactado como otros discos del grupo. Nota: 3/5 (con margen de crecer).

tiene gracia que los Beach Boys sean mejores cuanto más triste están

4,5/5

Nunca afondei na discografía dos Beach Boys. Nunca entrei nela máis alá do aclamado Pet Sounds e nin sequera me lembro da última vez que o escoitei completo. Non porque non me gusten, senón porque o tempo é finito e non hai sempre capacidade para abarcar todo o que un quere. Ten a parte mala de que vivín estes trinta e un anos (e oito meses) alleo a discos coma este Surf's up. Ten a parte boa de que aínda hai marxe para que un álbum que leva publicado cincuenta e cinco anos me voase a cabeza nunha primeira escoita nada máis comezou a soar 'Don't Go Near the Water'. Pareceume unha marabilla. Psicodelia, clasicismo, pop, unha banda irrepetible adentrándose no inexplorado. Confeso tamén que se me apagou o cerebro a medio disco (despois de 'Disney Girls') porque estou desfeito de embalar, cargar e descargar caixar cidade arriba e cidade abaixo, pero volvín conectar no tramo final cun trío fantástico de cancións de peche. Foi a miña primeira visita, mais seguro que non a última (é máis, a segunda xa está a ser mentres redacto isto) (#22 dos 1.001 discos que escoitar antes de morrer: 4/5)

desalentadorb

Weird literal lyrics. Mediocre songs. 4/10

Oddly enough, I just can't get into The Beach Boys. I know Pet Sounds is widely considered a masterpiece. Even Paul McCartney has claimed that "God Only Knows" is the greatest song ever written. But the sound of The Beach Boys, while very pretty, just doesn't appeal to me as a listener beyond a few of the early singles. My first casual listen to Surf's Up left me ambivalent. I just didn't care. My close listen through headphones was much more interesting. The arrangements, production, and performances are just stellar. No one should ever deny that The Beach Boys' harmonies are top-notch. In rock and roll, only Crosby, Stills, and Nash have better male harmonies if you ask me. And this record has a much more mature feel. It sounds like the Dark Beach Boys from an alternate universe. I came closer to liking this record than even Pet Sounds, but something about it still felt contrived to me. I wasn't surprised when I read up on the album's history and learned that it was deliberately created to shift the group back into the early '70s mainstream "counterculture" zeitgeist. The result is a gorgeous album with a lot to love. But something just feels off to me, inauthentic. To me, this album has a five-star sound with a three-star execution. Let's split the difference and give it four stars.

really enjoyed this. nice to have a summery feel like this

very short and very forgettable. though it was nice to hear a totally different vibe and sound than the one on 'pet sounds', this one is a little more dark and wistful.

cool

Не стал углубляться.

How perfect of a coincidence i get this album the day i see Al Jardine make a quick guest appearance on one of my favorite podcasts and he talks a TINY bit about this! This is as Tim Heidecker calls it “the reccord all the hipsters like” and i’d be right with them i guess.

I’m glad the boys had it in them to make an album this weird even if I didn’t enjoy it all that much in the end. I think you have to be able to willing to try stuff like this if you are also going to be a band good enough to make Pet Sounds.

Really good stuff

Second best Beach Boys album. Enjoyed it a lot

There was an unexpected blues banger in this. Not the cheesey pop i was expecting. Song about a tree was weird but good. Student demo my fave song. Harmonies were banging tbf - 'til i die especially.

beach boys!

AKA the Beach Boys get weird and sad. This has an odd sound but a couple good ones. Top tracks: "Feel Flows," "Don't Go Near the Water," "Student Demonstration Time"

--Don't Go Near the Water...an environmentalist ditty --Long Promised Road...solid rocker --Take a Load Off Your Feet...yeah, Pete! --Disney Girls (1957)...sweet, maybe too sweet --Student Demonstration Time...love that guitar intro. nice distortion. pretty straight forward blues but it works. Mike Love still sucks --Feel Flows...always appreciate a flute but this wanders aimlessly --Lookin' at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)...interesting production choice, not sure if it enhances the song but it adds spice to the album --A Day in the Life of a Tree...Treebeard? --'Til I Die...bonus points for using "'til" instead of "till". this track is nice 'n' lush --Surf's Up...Van Dyke Parks making presence known. wonderful harmonies

A strange but strangely beautiful later career album from The Beach Boys. Gone are the days of fun loving surf rock. This is building on the precedent.set by the experimental "Pet Sounds". But it's not simply Brian Wilson at the helm, although his work is clearly present. All of the members have their stake in trying to stay relevant after the late 60s. It may not be their best work and certainly not their best known. But this is more evidence that The Beach Boys were one of the most significant bands of their era.

I think you can separate the Beach Boys into pre- and post-Charles Manson. Tonally this is definitely post-Manson, and you get that just from the cover art alone.

A little better than the earlier stuff

I like the classic Beach Boys sound. I don’t know what this is - it is not Beach Boys.

Okay, not my style

I had only listened to their very early works and Pet Sounds, so this was my first time hearing this album. It's also been a while since I last listened to The Beach Boys themselves, but their vocals and harmonies are as pleasing as ever, with a beautiful timbre that sounds great. However, it's far from perfect.

I have never heard of this album or any of the tracks on it. This is not the Beach Boys I knew. This is a reinvention and it works. This album is filled with social messages and it works.

Liked it more than pet sounds

I really liked it, especially the first half of the album. It's a great time capsule for the times when it was released, but the second half was a bit too slow compared with the first one, would've probably preferred it switched the other way around more, but still had a good time.

I do not get the hype behind Beach Boys. Never did. This feels like the soundtrack to a bad fever dream I'd have after dunking a 4-pack of the strongest beer near me. Even the 2009 mix makes me feel like I'm listening to a detoriated tape on my uncle's broken Walkman. I still don't know whether it's my ears or the recording itself.

Loved Feel Flows(listened to several times) and Surfs Up, most everything else was a bit druggy in a bad way and preachy, however I agreed with the sentiments.

I don't really get the Beach Boys. Like Pet Sounds I do get, but the rest of the Wilson's output is kinda whatever. Must be a me thing. I guess I like when they get all barbershop a capella-y? Like the song Surf's Up is magnificent at least - very melancholic, like the feeling of a faded summer polaroid from memories half-remembered and evenings coming to their inevitable end. Fav tracks: Surf's Up, A Day In The Life Of A Tree

- 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM

the album art really screams "SURF'S UP!" and beyond that the music is fine, and other than the weird nonsense lyrics about ecology and garage wine, there's nothing here that really perks my ears up. I'm longing for the falsetto harmonies of the 60s.

Loved

Don’t love this anywhere near as much as pet sounds for a punchy album I got bored?

Pretty good pretty gooood

Definitely not for me!

Candidly I need to listen to more of the beach boys. I really haven’t dove in as I haven’t been compelled by the small sample I’ve heard and purely rely on their historical significance and popularity as my reason to listen to more. This album broke the mold of what I thought they were and I liked that. It’s definitely not my favorite album in the world but I can see myself returning to this and liking it the more I listen to it.

honestly… boring

I haven’t listened to much of the Beach Boys, but this is more dense and “Beatles-esque” than I expected. The album art is a bit dark and somewhat captures the vibe. Great song writing. I enjoyed this! 3.5/5.0

I bet a lot of people saw the title of this album and thought it was going to be a collection of happy, cheesy surf-rock songs, but instead, this album is something else entirely. This may possibly be my favourite Beach Boys album, even though it is not as perfect as Pet Sounds. I mean, Pet Sounds doesn't have Mike Love attempting to rewrite Riot In Cell Block 9 in the middle of it. But there are many beautiful moments to be found on the record and I love nearly every minute of it (even Student Demonstration Time kinda slaps, even though it is very out of place). Also, it has the only great song sung from the perspective of a fucking tree.

Not super memorable but generally good

Pretty cool, surprisingly rocky, and bluesy.

A somber psychedelic pop/folk album. Lots of songs here focus on environmental and political concerns. A gripping, beautiful listen. One of the most fitting album covers I've seen to capture the mood of a record. 4/5.

This was a really solid album. There was a lot of really fun instrumentation, and there's just something that feels very of its time about it. It's vintage in a way that makes it very enjoyable for a modern listener. Favorites: Don't Go Near the Water, Student Demonstration Time, Surf's Up

this band is so mid man

So very different, to ally and thematically, from other Beach Boys albums. I’m not their biggest fan, I do think this album is better than the others I’ve heard, but still not sold. Between a 2 and a 3, I’ll upgrade to 3 for the surprise.

I enjoyed the album, but it was not what I was expecting from the Beach Boys. The songs were not typical of the Beach Boys, but I liked the various styles and different themes: social, health, and environmental which were addressed by the songs.

très agréable à écouter et le cover art waw

Only familiar with Pet Sounds and Smile, so this was a treat and a banger. A rather raw edge for the Beach Boys.

I wasn't familiar with this record prior to this listening. But I liked it a lot. It is a different style of beach boys, made evident by the first track telling us Don't Go Near the Water.

The Beach Boys – Surf's Up (1971) On Day 52, Surf's Up felt like a bit of a mixed bag. I really enjoyed Pet Sounds, but this one didn't quite hit the same heights. There’s something missing from the sweet production and the vocal blend that I usually associate with them. It gets quite political and heavy with its environmental themes, which takes away from the overall musical enjoyment for me. It’s a decent listen and the musicianship is obviously there, but it’s not something I’ll be rushing back to. A solid 3/5.

First of all love the cover given it's something never expected from the California Girls guys. The album is all over the place and contrasts with a Pet Sounds which is such a cohesive album. Either way I'll give it a five given it has some of my all time favorite songs.

I liked this album. I didn’t like every single thing about it, but it is definitely more mature than the early sixties songs of theirs. I was never a big fan of the Beach Boys, but I have to admit this is definitely worth listening to. Solid 4 for me.

After plenty of attempts at listening to the Beach Boys, perhaps I wasn't looking at the right albums. I'm used to Pet Sounds and their 60s stuff that I've had people point me to the direction of Surf's Up as the Beach Boys that I would probably like the most. And while they're kind of right, I'm coming to the conclusion that the Beach Boys are simply Not For Me. I'm not that big fan of their classic harmonies and the fiendishly whimsical music really just makes me feel more indifferent about it. I don't hate or dislike it, it just doesn't gravitate my attention That attitude keeps going through Surf's Up, instead of annoying harmonies it's just slower and kind of more acceptable to listen to. The songwriting is absolutely a step above here and is probably some of their best stuff (save for that one song I'll get to in a second). I think Pet Sounds is still better with my own meaningless personal criticism aside. I know how important this album is, but I can't really care that much more about this band. I'm not a pop guy. Also the Mike Love student song was really cringe. Could have been an acceptable 4 but that definitely had to stop it from being thought about in that rank. If you like the Beach Boys and that sort of pop music deconstructed from its "safe" 60s sound to the then modestly ominous period of the early 70s, this is the album. I can't care for it. Worth a "must hear or die" listen? Certainly.

Not my vibe, but I get it

65. ok

Kind of socially conscious but in kind of stilted ways? And a lot of it is lacking that strong beach boys harmony. Still, it’s good chill listening.

Well that was a pleasant surprise; I haven't listened to much past the big hits.

I haven’t really listened to the beach boys much, apart from the popular one. But I was pleasantly surprised by this. It was so dense and not the poppy album I was expecting. I would listen again. I really enjoyed how sad this can sound despite how upbeat Brian Wilson’s voice is. But the more I listened to it the more haunting I found the harmonies.

This was fun, all weird and dotty. I enjoyed it, but probably not enough substance to get me to listen again. Just a few strange tunes.

Only rating this a 3, but I did find it an interesting and worthwhile listen. I consider myself a casual Beach Boys enjoyer but I don't think I've ever heard anything off of this album before. Maybe that shouldn't be surprising for a band with 29 studio albums, but - with this being one of just a few Beach Boys albums picked for the 1,001 list - I would think I'd recognize something. Some hits, some misses. "Long Promised Road" is my favorite track. "Hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah." It doesn't sound much like the Beach Boys to me - except for some very Beach Boys "baa baa baa baa"s in the background. "Don't Go Near the Water" and "A Day in the Life of a Tree" are both good. I don't like "Take a Load Off Your Feet" or the Kent State song.

O fost normal

More matured than the early albums.

Surprisingly good, especially for a Besch Boys album I’d never heard of before. Several songs took on political themes, as far as I know a new development for them, even if the lyrics were a little more simplistic than their norm.

Not my thing

Surprisingly poignant

Fast 5 aber knapp noch eine 4/5

better than i expected and there was a song about feet.

Sure

"Brian will always be my hero and Mike, well Mike is a villain for sure."

What an album. It’s starts with the odd Don’t Go Near the Water. I’m sure it was an honest plea to fight water pollution but they chose toothpaste and soap to attack. Take a load off your feet was another odd song. Just odd lyrics. The reworking of a blues song to create the protest song Student Protest Time. When I started listening I thought okay this is a pro-protest song but then by the end I was left unsure. Also some of the do-dos were a bit too happy for such heavy subject matter. But I liked Til I Die and Surf’s Up. There was something about both those song that grabbed me. The lyrics were good too. I also liked Disney Girls.

I'm not the biggest Beach Boy's fan in the world. They're fine, and I wouldn't say I dislike them or anything; I actually do enjoy the harmonizing. But I don't really gravitate toward their very "beach-forward" aesthetic at all...and honestly, how many songs really need to be written about the beach, or the sun, or surfing? Surf's Up is kind of intriguing though. The cover art vibe here seems to exist in stark contrast to literally everything I know about the Beach Boys. The record even seems like a bit of a downer, which counterintuitively actually makes me really happy. I still don't think the lyrics are that deep, but at least they're headed more in a direction I can actually jibe with. This feels like their effort toward something a little more authentic and existential than everything else I've heard from them. It's still not gonna be the thing that I rush to listen to, but it does get points for its attempt at depth. And like always, the production is really good. 7/10

good album, some good songs on it, felt more intimate than other albums

AHHHHHHHHHH

Disney Girl(1959)

Nostalgic even though I’ve never heard it before

Standout tracks: Long promised road Disney girls (1957) A day in the life of a tree 'Til I die Surf's up This album isnt at all what i was expecting and was way better than what i thought i was getting in to. A really great listen with some memorable moments.

Not my favorite Beach Boys album, I guess they left their best work on the 16 records prior to this one

This album is such a 70s vibe! Definitely more of an atmosphere than something I feel compelled to listen to super critically. But everything is varied enough that I can listen and enjoy and tune in and out and not feel like I've missed something. Love Disney Girls Looking at the track list, I'm not sure that I've heard any of these songs before, which is super fun. I feel like The Beach Boys are one of those groups that I know who they are and I can name a few songs, but I haven't listened to a very large chunk of their discography. A Day in the Life of a Tree is a weird song. Till I Die is also pretty weird. Overall thoughts: I think I liked the sound of this album, but didn't actually enjoy listening to it all that much. I like the front half much better than the second half. Once again, I'm not familiar enough with The Beach Boys to know if this is typical or if this album is more the exception.

This was nice, but truthfully I had no idea when the album ended and other “similar songs” started playing. This was nice to make dinner to, but nothing really snagged me like “gotta hear that banger again!” And then all of a sudden I look and it’s old Simon and Garfunkel again instead of the boys who beach. Three stars.

Some good songs here, but also some real doozies. Maybe I don’t get it but A Day in the Life of a Tree and Student Demonstration Time came off as jokey. A song about Kent State that sounded like Bad to the Bone? Also, does anybody think that the end of These Things I’ll Be Til the Day I Die is kind of like “I Got Soul But I’m Not a Soldier”?

Overall a really fun album but oh my god what a stinker “student demonstration time” is

Shoulda stopped after Pet Sounds

This is certainly a strange album. Anyone going into this expecting cheery songs about surfing and girls is going to be very confused. I became obsessed with this album after Brian Wilson passed. I was lured in by the dark cover that you wouldn't expect from the Beach Boys. With the top-notch production and gorgeous harmonies, this still sounds like the band, but there is something darker lurking under the surface. The songs are mostly about pollution. 'A Day In The Life Of A Tree' is sung from the perspective of a dying tree. Although that may sound corny, there's something about the combination of the pained vocals and the organ that makes me feel so incredibly sad. 'Disney Girls (1957)' and 'Student Demonstration Time' are by far the worst tracks here, with the former song being a tacky Disney endorsement and the latter being a dated take on the civil unrest of the time. Post-Pet Sounds Beach Boys are such an interesting band. They continued to experiment and got varying results, but this album is a winner despite the weak cuts.

This was... interesting. Definitely not the Beach Boys I'm used to. Enjoyed the first bit then sort of lost interest. Would be a good one to relisten to.

It’s definitely a very different sound for The Beach Boys, not one that I can say I got overly excited about

Solid start but lost me at the end A bit to dreamy

I'm not really into this type of music, but this was an interesting listen (I even felt compelled to listen twice). It has public service messages (take care of your teeth because no one else will), social justice announcements (student demonstrations and the environment), and dark tones mixed in. I had heard of the Beach Boys, and I knew they were known for surf music, but this was better than I expected.

El que más me ha gustado de los Playus hasta ahora

Lo-fi Beach Boys, I dig this. Wasn’t aware of this record before but this one is a nice twist to what I’m used to with this group. Still the nice vocal harmonies and pleasant instrumentation, but just lower production quality, which I actually like a lot. This is a good one.

I didn't realize how prolific The Beach Boys were. This album is phenominal.

This was kind of sold to me as The Beach Boys' sad album, but I think that aspect made have been a little oversold. That being said, at its best, Surfs Up *does* capture some of the strung out darkness underscoring the psychedelic movement. Don't Go Near The Water, 'Til I Die, and Surfs Up feel less like marmalade skies and more like sinking helplessly. But, at the same time, there are a lot of songs here I don't find nearly as memorable. Feel Flows, Lookin' At Tomorrow, and A Day In The Life Of A Tree did not leave nearly as strong an impression on me, even though they are similarly well crafted. Also, I liked Student Demonstration Time, but it does kind of come out of nowhere. On the other hand, a somg that doesn't quite fit the vibe that I liked a lot is Take A Load Off Your Feet, which has some really cool soundscape work. Overall, I enjoyed Surfs Up as a whole, but it kind of feels like it's being carried by a few extremely strong songs, but the other ones aren't necessarily taking a ton away from the whole. I'm feeling middle of the road overall.

pretty whatever.

Such a cool album! Very different from the usual Beach Boys pop. More melancholy feel overall. A lot of great songs here. "Student Demonstration Time" and "Lookin' At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)" were my favorites. Still hold up today!

Mediocre

This is #day539 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to my second Beach Boys album on this list. Probably one of those oldies bands I'll never fully wrap my head around. I kind of get the historical importance, but personally, the whole affair leaves me completely cold. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day540.

Spacy groovy beach boys.

Obviously not the go to Beach Boys album but a great find. All the trademark harmonies but a bit weirder. Nearly gave this a high 4 but by the time it hits the incredible 1-2 of Til I Die and Surf’s Up I had to give it a 5.

Bändi on tuttu alku aikoijensa hiteistään ja jokunen levy löytyy hyllystä. Tämä ei kyllä kolahtanut millään tasolla. Aika väsynyt tekele.

i'm feeling like a hater today so i'm going to give it a 2. listen, there are nice songs on here. keyword nice. i personally found myself bored for a good portion of it

Took me a little while to get on the wavelength as it feels very different from the Beach Boys I know. Some very interesting and solid songwriting. Feels like a Weezer influence.

Not what I expected, and waaay better for it - a wide range of themes, styles, moods and sounds

Fine. Sounds dated. 3/5

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

I can’t imagine there are many bands that can create something great for their 17th studio album. They are obviously trying something new to reinvigorate their sound, but it’s just odd and unpleasant to listen to, outside of one or two decent tunes. I’m sure we’ll get plenty more Beach Boys to see how we feel about them overall.

There is no denying the influence the Beach Boys had on the music industry, but I don’t think this was the album to do it. This is a far cry from the beach music with catchy beats that they are known for. This album felt more like a collection of hymnals and i wasn’t impressed. Not knocking the band, but this wasn’t their best work at all.

It’s important to push your boundaries and try new things … and sometimes the experiment doesn’t work.

I'm not a big fan of the Beach Boys. I think it's because my first exposure was in the 80s when they were already old and doing goofy surf music nostalgia for the boomers who were into them in the 60's. I've softened on them over the years and appreciate their music a bit more, but still not much of a fan. I say all that to say I didn't expect to like the album, and I was right. I didn't like it. My surprise was the reason I disliked it. This wasn't goofy surf rock, this was just odd and strange. Apart from a few decent songs I was scratching my head wondering what the heck was happening. The exception being Feel Flows, legit good song with a blazing flute solo (not being ironic, genuinely enjoyed it). Granted with the Beach Boys my bar is very low, but that may be my new favorite Beach Boy song.

achei maneiro, coeso, salvei duas músicas, na conhecia a banda nem o álbum

This album was definitely not what I was expecting. Not having the full context, I’m sure I missed some of what lead others to find this album special. I get that the band was trying to give themselves an edge and address current issues. However for me this was not successful. The lyrics really missed the mark on most tracks and paired with the preppy boy band sound I couldn’t help but feel these were crafted for various public service announcements. 2/5

1970’s Beach Boys LPs are pretty much the definition of hit and miss. In truth Surf’s Up’s no different, until, that is, we come to the final three Brian Wilson penned tracks: “A Day In The Life Of A Tree” – a strangely moving lament seen from the perspective of a tree in crisis, dying slowly from the pollution in the air and soil - quite brilliant. “Til I Die” a lovely, melancholy study on existential irrelevance and man’s meaningless journey to the grave, and the title track, originally conceived during the Smile sessions, is a lyrically obstruse sheard of luscious, harmonious psychedelic pop, simultaneously both tenuous and beautifully considered. It’s peak Brian Wilson, post Pet Sounds. As for the rest, “Student Demonstration Time” is Mike Love being Mike Love, Bruce Johnston’s “Disney Girls (1957)” is both humorous and touching, and a highlight. Opener “Don't Go Near The Water” is desperately worthy and “Take A Load Off Your Feet” is Al Jardine’s tribute to his plates. Smashing. 7/10

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

Makes sense why I've never heard any of these songs, despite liking the Beach Boys. A weird one from them, like a whole album of B-sides.

Better than I expected as I’m not a big fan of their music.

Can I just say that that album cover is terrifying? This is a Beach Boys record, it shouldn't be haunting me??? Anyways this album is actually really good! Usually when i think of the Beach Boys its just old timey surfing and beaches and all that innocence, but this is a very rich album with dreamy or invigorating songs and it was just the right length for you to feel good about it. 9/10

That was nice but not great... i think i'm not gonna particulary enjoy any of the albums here. I'll try to stick around for my my musical culture...

Pretty solid 4 stars. Great songs with a melancholy vibe. Student Demonstration is stupidly out of place in the album but I quite like the song by itself.

Solid album from a great band. Really shocked I had never heard student demonstration time.

I didnt know what to expect from the Beach Boys but I was surprised by the content in this album. Very progressive song lyrics and the guitar and the vocals are nice. I think I liek Student Demonstration Time and A Day in the Life of a Tree the best. Some tracks are very energetic while some are more slow and ethereal. 7.2/10 Also, just realized I've been messing up by out of 10 ratings with the five star system lol.

The first Beach Boys album I actually liked

I liked day in the life of a tree and feel flows. Was this before beach boys found their sounds? Didn’t recognize any of the hits but maybe surfs up the title track?

Sad beach boys.

240626 23:46 4

Simplesmente amo esse álbum. Conheci muitos anos atrás quando ouvi "Feels Flows" na trilha de "Quase Famosos". É um álbum refinado dos Beach Boys, mas tem um tom mais melancólico, o que não é muito comum deles. "Disney Girls" me emociona demais e acho uma das melhores da banda. Arranjos complexos e bonitos, vozes macias e letras reflexivas, não tem música ruim aqui. Além das citadas, ainda destaco "Surfs Up", "Long Promised Road", "Lookin at tomorrow" e "Till I Die". É quase um Greatest Hits de uma fase muito específica da banda.

The Beach Boys always had something good to say. But not the best for their style, and not best of the time.

fav track: student demonstration time

Tom a while to tune into this. Surf’s up sounds like the Beach Boys I’d expect to hear. Great doubling of bass in the Piano bass in the outro. Getting under the skin of that made the second listen through more enjoyable. ‘life of a tree’ stood out in ith listens through. The organ maybe? Probably won’t revist this album. 3. Total no. Tracks 10 Fave track 8(A day in the life of a tree)

Not even remotely in my top Beach Boys albums. Shocked this one was chosen for the list instead of nearly any other

It radiates a certain emancipation and brokenness, but the lack of energy gives the music too little emphasis to really make me feel it.

It was fun.

Glad I listened to this! Not sure it’s my favorite but interesting to see this version of The Beach Boys. More politically focused. Cool.

This is just not the Beach Boys I know and love. Favorite Song(s): surfs up

Some good songs and I am impressed with their environmental messaging in 1971.

Changed my mind after 100 listens, amazing album with the smoothest of transitions

Who doesn’t love the beach boys???

Feels more rangy and less controlled, more absurd and less Beach Boys. Nothing particularly memorable.

That cover gives a different vibe to what it actually sounds like.

Forgettable

This must have been their political phase. Too much focus on preachy messages rather than good music.

this was very different from what i expected from the beach boys. kind of good though

Still can't really see through this. Beautiful melodies and pop songs mixed up with strange parts and ideas that feel they don't go anywhere…

The first half of the album is upbeat and the latter half is sad and slow.

hat mich gar nich begeistert, nicht schlimm, aber hab auch keinen song toll gefunden

Save:0

A bit sad sounding. Didn't relate or resonate with me unfortunately. 2.3/10

The Beach Chads

Some ok things on here, 'Feel Flows' is a pretty nice and psychedelic which I did enjoy, but the rest of this was a strange mess. 2 stars

What a bizarre album. There is some real dark beauty on this album. So much of this sounds like the darkest, weirdest late-Beatles material filtered through Beach Boys vocal harmonies. At first, I was pretty low on this album, but it's growing on me. I started off between 2-3 and now I'm thinking between 3-4. Going to go with 3 for now.

Love beach boys

The grown-up, more mature, Beach Boys - still some amazing harmony and brilliant instrumentation and playing, but now instead of just singing wistfully about a cute surfer girl or catching the perfect wave, they've got real things to say. They were socially conscious, and this album was one way to express those thoughts. I thoroughly enjoyed this album!

This album made it click why the Beach Boys and Beatles were always pitted against each other (I obviously prefer the Beatles). This isn't my favorite but definitely isn't bad. It was fine. 2.75 or a 3? Liked Songs: "Long Promised Road" , "Take A Load Off Your Feet" , "Disney Girls" , "Lookin' At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)" , "Surf's Up"

The perfect album for todays walk home. 4 degrees, the ice is melting away, cold and clear skies. The sun is slowly setting. I really liked this.

Fletno za enkrat poslusat ... mal mi je mlačen in brez osebnosti

Honestly this was a great album with a lot of great musical ideas happening. First of all the dreamy vocals which initially I didn't like but they work so well with the dreamy, alternative vibe of the music that I can't imagine the album without them. The vast range in melodies and feels of this album are also a great part of it. 8/10, Favorite Song: Feel Flows

I was all ready to kick of my review with "Look, it was never going to be as good as Pet Sounds" but boy was I wrong! This album certainly isn't Pet Sounds, but I think it's as good - just wildly different. This album is more experimental and weird in ways that fascinate me, and I'm so glad I got to listen to it today. This whole album feels like it's trying not to be beach or boy, but rather darker and deeper like the ocean itself. Unusually for me, I've already put this one on a second time, and will undoubtedly listen to it again shortly. To quote a young white man: "I am not a beach. I am not a boy. I am an elderly black woman, hear me roar." I never really understood that quote - until today.

An album with a wide range of different moods. Their vocals were always phenomenal as well I must say. All in all though this album is very consistent and I don't think there's a dull moment on it. The title-track is phenomenal, however I prefer the version from the Smile sessions. Not much else to say but they were brilliant and so's this.

nije mi se bas nesto svidio, previse stvari se odjednom prebrzo desava i samo je nekako all over the place

Don’t Go Near The Water: 6.5/10 MBPW Long Promised Road: 6.5/10 MBPW Take A Load Of Your Feet: 6/10 Disney Girls: 2/10 Student Demonstration Time: 6.5/10 Feel Flows: 6/10 Lookin’ At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song): 7/10 MBPW A Day In The Life Of A Tree: 7/10 beautiful ‘Til I Die: 6.8/10 Surf’s Up: 7.3 MBPW

Often you hear how this album is departure for Beach Boys and out of character - if this is it, I really don't want to hear their *main* stuff.

Heard of The Beach Boys, don’t know if I could name a song. Don’t think they make the type of music I like. Don’t go near the water is a fun song, very well written. Really good production on long promised Road. The solo in the back half is really cool. Take a load is goofy and dated. But with that being said it is musically impressive. So far, not what I was expecting when I saw the Beach boys. Disney girls was more what I was expecting. Not my style, but not horrible. Good lyrics and harmonies. Student demonstration time is awesome. So many cool sounds going on. Again not what I was expecting from The Beach Boys. A classic rock song. Not a complicated song, but sometimes simple is better. Fuel flows is saved by the guitar/flute solo. Other than that pretty average song. Looking at tomorrow was pretty average as well. Nothing really stood out about it. Life of a tree is really cool. Good use of the flute again. Great song writing. Really emotional. Not a fan of til I die. Just too much going on. Not very catchy. Surfs up is really well written. First 2 mins is what I would expect felt beach boys, very poppy. Cool switch up in the middle. Good piano. Good closer to the album. Very fun overall. 3.5 stars

i liked this album! i wouldn’t call it a fan favorite, but i was not at all mad about it. my top three songs were: - don’t go near the water - student demonstration time - surf’s up with an honorable mention of: - disney girls

The cover VS the band LMAO

3+

Kind of boring but not unlistenable.

I did not expect a Beach Boys album entitled Surf's Up to sound like this. Interesting but not a got to repeat listen.

Quite different from The Beach Boys I know otherwise. Makes sense since this is a later album, but still a really enjoyable atmosphere in this. I wish the vocals Overall decent songs, but nothing totally up my alley here.

Son date et qui ne me donne pas encore de réécouter

Pas très fan - cela s’écoute bien by the way

Первая половина альбома мне понравилась, на второй заскучал.

358/1089 - "Surf's Up" the song has one of the most beautiful phrases in all of music, and is my favorite Beach Boys song. I'm excited to see what the rest of the album has to offer. After listening: Normally I deduct stars for emergency vehicle noises as it's confusing for me when listening while driving. I think it's obviously fake sounding in Student Demonstration Time, so I'm not gonna deduct stars for that. I like the cleaner voices of the Wilson brothers over Love and Jardine and thought the album was too safe overall.

fantastic beach boys record - an expansion on already fantastic works. disney girls remains a classic

The vocals irritate me

It is hard to rate. It has it's good moments and it has it's boring moments. It is barely 4.

Manufactured socially-conscious tunes. It's very hard to buy the Beach Boys as counter-cultural, so something like Long Promised Road comes across as really disingenuous. When were these chumps ever oppressed or put down? Even Don't Go Near The Water sounds like it was put out to sell records to environmentalists. Student Demonstration Time is frankly embarassing. The songs with less of a right-on message are better, but not enough to rescue this album for me. I do like the title contrasted with the contents and cover art. It's no 20 Jazz Funk Greats, but it's something.

it was alright, not what I expected when I think of the Beach Boys

When I normally think of The Beach Boys, the kind of music I think of is not contained on this album. I am used to upbeat pleasant sounding songs about surfing and having fun. This album is not that. It has a much more serious tone and each song has a message or a deeper topic. While the deeper meaning to the songs is appreciated some of the insight is very surface level and lacks some nuance. Sonically, you have some beautiful singing and brilliant instrumentation. However, there were some songs I thought captivating, but a majority of the album left me wishing that the lyrics went a little deeper.

Don't Go Near The Water - 5/10 Long Promised Road - 7/10 Probably would listen again. Take A Load Off Your Feet - 5/10 funny Disney Girls - 8/10 Student Demonstration Time - 8/10 Great rhythm. Powerful story. Feel Flows - 6/10 Lookin' At Tomorrow - 6/10 A Day In The Life Of A Tree - 6/10 Melancholic 'Till I Die - 6/10 Surf's Up - 6/10 Good ending to the album. Good music overall paired with good lyrics. Probably will listen again.

vibed

I am blown away. I get it now, The Beach Boys. I get it. They're amazing !

8.7/10. Surf’s up sounds haunting, fragile & everything I didn’t expect The Beach Boys to sound like-in the best way possible. I wasn’t familiar with this record before, and this is the first Beach Boys album I’ve listened to, though of course I’m familiar with most of their popular songs. I’m glad this was the first one of their records to pop up because honestly before this, I wasn’t particularly the biggest fan of their Surf-Style Pop Rock-it just didn’t draw me in before. Now I can say I’m a fan & I’m looking forward to hearing their other material to compare the different styles & eras. Favorite song: Surf’s Up Least favorite: Take a load off your feet

Even with Mike Love's horrible Student Demonstration Time, this is a four-star album. It has some of the most beautiful Beach Boys songs on it

Nice album

Not a Beach Boys album I’m familiar. Love the arrangements. A real focus on environmental issues it seems

It's fine bit unmemorable

There are good moments, for me their day had passed and the reinvention seems superficial

This is nothing like I expected and surprisingly good

It's a bit too inconsistent to be among the best Beach Boys albums, as there are some songs that I just don't care for. Don't Go Near the Water is a bit annoying vocally and too disjointed to be catchy, Take a Load of your Feet is a bit too goofy to be taken seriously and Student Demonstration Time or Lookin at Tomorrow read more as failed experiments that well fleshed out songs. On the other hands, the highlights are really awesome. Long Promised Road, Disney Girls and the last 2 songs all feature amazing songwriting, super strong melodies and really stellar compositions that rank it among the group's best. The other songs are kinda in between, making this a messy but interesting listen.

Despite its name, I think this is a very gloomy and mediocre record.

boring and predictable lyricism. weird, but not for the sake of communicating anything of substance, just for the sake of being weird. idk man, not great, but i wouldn't say it's unlistenable or anything. just kinda dull.

different

8.5/10

Heat

Vocals were so amazing! I am definitely keen to listen to more Beach Boys music. My faves: - Disney Girls - A Day In The Life Of A Tree - Feel Flows I probably need to sit down another time and listen properly to come up with more solid conclusions. Overall strong and want to listen to more Beach Boys.

Hadn’t heard this beach boys record before. Not surprised it’s really good.

There’s nothing wrong with it but I just don’t want to hear it ever again

I liked this a lot more than i thought I would. Good album.

Vibed w this heavy. There were layers on layers and I loved the mix of a bit of folk and psychedelic

Wtf beach boys gone emo?? Actually kinda fire fr??? Student demonstration was actually a dope song about current events and not how awesome California is?? Not a big fan but it gets a point for being cool and unique

This album makes me feel like I'm on holiday relaxing by a lake, but with some other tracks in this album it calms me down (Disney Girls) and (Lookin' at tomorrow).

Fairly competent album, I feel as if many of the songs are quite boring and I believe that many of the songs haven't aged too well, leading to me feeling that this album feels very generic and repetitive. 2/5

My first 4. Unexpected. This was just really chilled and I liked it.

For me this is by far the best album that the beach boys ever released and for its time this album still holds up well even to today’s pop/pop rock standards. One of the biggest criticisms this album gets is on one specific song “student demonstration time”. However I think the criticism is somewhat misplaced as yes I agree that the actual lyrics are not as good as some of the others and the message seems to not have been portrayed very well, the actual musical aspect of the song I think is the best on the whole album. It has a really true 70s sound and the distortion on the guitar paired with the sirens that play every so often really tie the song together making it in my opinion the best on the whole album. As for the rest of the album it’s also very good I think the opening track is relatively weak compared to the rest but it made up for by the fact that it’s followed by long promised road which is a phenomenal song. All together it’s a very good album, especially for its time but due to the generally similar sound of a lot of the songs I just can’t give it 5 stars but it’s a strong 4 stars A medium 8 out of 10

Cool ass album cover - Did slightly disappoint but still gives some brownie points, only one song reeally caught my eye, ear thing that was Student Demonstration Time otherwise I can accept that this style of music is just not for me 3.5/5 Ill flip a coin to see If I round up or down as a 4 seems too geneorus and a 3 seems too harsh.

Wasn't bad but I didn't enjoy the album at all. If it was on at a party I wouldn't complain, but I'd never willingly listen to this.

I had written a little about the first half of the album but it has been deleted. Overall the album was alright though certainly not what I expected from the beach boys, I thought it'd be much more upbeat and less melancholy, I don't know if this was more common for the beach boys or if this album was different. I did think that with it being called 'surf's up' it might be referring to a surf ending rather than just the beach saying. The songs were largely not too exciting, some were relatively pleasant, disney girls perhaps being a favourite alongside student demonstration town. The album art is really cool. 60/100

The waahp wahp at the start of Disney Girls made me happy. No idea why he's on about Tootsie rolls though. Boring. When I write these I listen out for things I liked or interest me. Nothing on this album did that. I know The Beach Boys are supposed to one of the greats, but this did not do that for me. I suppose it's a case of recognising how good it would've been when it was released. 2.5 A 3 to recognise the impact of this band on history i suppose.

Decent, over quickly, better if it wasn’t live but a couple of bangers

had a promising start. didn't like a few songs, but it's quite good.

Not good

First time listening to a beach boys record. I recall a random fact that includes Charles Manson and music.

A strange experimental album from a talented group of musicians who seem to have simply been left behind.

Really liked this one. Probably the only Beach boys album I'll listen to again. Definitely not what I expected.

It's no Pet Sounds but "Beach Boys political protest album" works more than you think it would.

I'd never listend to this album before, and frankly didn't know TBB other than their usual "Surfin' USA" stuff. Surprisingly this album is very different to that vibe. Less "perfect world", more seriousness. "Long Promissed Road" is probably my favourite song on that album. All in all a solid 3/5 for the whole album.

Fairly dull fare here. A couple of glimmers of the brightness we know from their earlier work.

Totally different than the Beach Boys sound we are used to! Nothing stands out to me on this album. I think I couldn’t get over Brian Wilson not being involved on this one?

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

I don’t generally love The Beach Boys, but this was really good.

honestly not a fan and all the tracks kinda meshed with eachother and there was no key standouts in the album

non mi piace

This album is actually so good. Listen to this album in the morning and found myself singing it all through the day. I don't think The Beach Boys get a good enough wrap for the quality of this album. No skips. Favorite song: long promised road (close second Disney girls)

SO UNDERRATED ARE YOU KIDDING ME

Smor X2 Iskreno bolji su bili dok su furali klasican surf rock i malo psihodelije

Interesting instrumentation and production, mixing the beach boys quartet sound with newer pop-ish electronic sounds and organs. Track Highlights: Student Demonstration Time, Feel Flows,

I love this. The lyrics, the sound. I love the beach boys.

Part of that run of albums from Sunflower to Holland in the early seventies that was the Beach Boys prime. Yes there were better albums earlier and many great singles but I don’t think there’s a four lp run in their discography as brilliant.

Achei Disney Girls bonita e Student Demonstration Time é bem divertida

The boys were getting a little political and I was digging it. Not what I expected from the BB's. This might even get added to my library

Surprisingly good for the beach boys. I was really starting to think I wouldn't enjoy anything these guys made. This album is much more interesting sonically and lyrically than anything else I have heard from them.

Hm

Definitely not pet sounds.

Loved Feel Flows, probably because I recognized it from Almost Famous.

It was interesting. Not the beach boys songs I know for sure!

Muy buen album y tremenda portada

Never heard of this album before I think it’s quite good A Day In The Life Of A Tree is my favourite song in this album 8.5/10 2025/12/27

Weird post-60’s beach boys

i really liked the first song of the album - don't go near the water - and the rest of the album did not stand out to me much

cool album!

This led to an extremely in-depth discussion with friends about the value of The Beach Boys. I don’t think I understand what they were trying to do on this record, and therefore don’t really understand The Beach Boys catalog I have friends who love this record, but to me it sounds like a joke. Overall three stars based on friends and opinions

So nearly a masterpiece. The production is slightly ramshackle, to my ears. A couple of the songs aren't quite as good as the others. But when it's good, this album is really good. I love Long Promised Road.

2.0 (33:49, 10 tracks, 1971, 17th album) Psych Pop I'm not a fan of Psych Pop and the Beach Boys didn't do a lot to help this. Not the worst album by far in this genre but some of these tracks were just week (or filler? "Student Demonstration Time" is abysmal On a positive - the album cover and it's introspective "end of the road" tone is welcoming (especially if you're going to to title your album Surf's Up.) On the negative - Album seems pieced together, no cohesion. Keyboards are terrible. Too slow - I figure if you're the Beach Boys just stay true, record another feel good clean album (by album 17 they had grown weary and tired, see above in positives) and let your fans come to your concerts to hear your hits.

Ok. ★★

brings you in with the tunes then straps you in with the lyrics. first beach boys album and a great listen.

So good

Leuk, ik hoop dat er meer beach boys langskomt

I actually rly liked it. Didn’t kno they got down like that

c’è qualcosa di adolescenziale in questo album, nel vago impegno socio-politico dei suoi testi, nella lieve spossatezza psichedelica di quando prendi troppo sole al mare e nell’ombrosità di certe tematiche esistenziali. c’è la via del lago che curva morbida attorno al bilancino, dopo l’ultimo bagno della stagione, e surf’s up che si libra nell’aria. è la fine di un’era, l’ora di scuotere l’asciugamano dalla terra e arrotolarci dentro il costume bagnato, è già il fresco della sera e il tramonto un po’ troppo presto.

Không ngấm lắm. BÌNH THƯỜNG

not magical like other beach boys records, but still pleasant

Album #10 The Beach Boys: Surf's Up On paper, an album called “Surfs Up” by “The Beach Boys” should be the most generic-sounding surf-rock and sunshine pop ever created, relegated to only being played during yacht parties and over beach volleyball cutscenes in Top Gun. Yet the album cover indicates that there may be a level of irony to the nomenclature, depicting a warrior and his steed seemingly approaching the end of their journey, almost in a horseman of the apocalypse style. This album, much like The Beach Boys' crowning achievement, “Pet Sounds,” indicates why they were compared to the Beatles at the time. Not only can they create irresistible pop melodies, but they are also capable of experimenting with their music and exploring darker themes. One thing that always separated the Beach Boys from the Beatles, however, was just how unapologetically American they were with their themes. At the time, there was a great sense of post-war optimism in the United States, almost a sense of naivety, which appeared in some of the Beach Boys' poppier early albums. Yet in Surfs Up, however, much like the title of the album appears to take something joyous and make it melancholic, they focus less on American optimism and more on the cynical reality. Exploring themes of environmentalism (A Day in the Life of a Tree), death (Til I Die), and Police Brutality (Student Demonstration Time). Even the song ‘Disney Girls’, which at first may seem like a more traditional Beach Boys pop tune, has an underlying sense of sadness about it, and when examining the lyrics further reveals it is about a man who escapes his disappointing reality with fantasies of fictional Disney Girls, knowing that love will never be found in real life. No doubt the centrepiece of the album is the title track. Closing the album on such a sad yet beautiful note, the song includes some of the Beach Boys' finest imagery and lyrics. Yet my favourite song off the album has to be Long Promised Road. This song also explores the themes of depression and dissatisfaction of life, but what sets it apart from the others on the album is the uplifting and irresistible chorus, which encourages you to fight back and overcome your obstacles. Something about this album just has such an intriguing atmosphere about it. I never did consider the Beach Boys to be anywhere near the Beatles since I wasn’t as familiar with their discography, but if this album is anything to go by, then it seems as though the Beach Boys may have multiple albums which are capable of going toe-to-toe with the Beatles' best. Take a Load Off Your Feet and Student Demonstration Time in particular seem to be pointed to as the weak points of the album, and whilst I would agree, I don’t think either track is that bad. I also don’t agree with the criticism that they are thematically inconsistent, as to me, the theme of the album seems to just be general grievances and struggles, and a back and forth between cynicism and optimism, which can be seen in both songs. Best Songs: Long Promised Road, Disney Girls, Surfs Up Worst Songs: Student Demonstration Time Score out of 10: 9

Cam mid ngl, dar merge pt unele situatii, better than the other one def

A more mature beach boys record, not just about girls and beach days. Still has those great harmonies. I think I really enjoyed this and considering it is only 35 minutes long I am going to listen again. Also I am giving this 4 stars.

the dreamy atmosphere pulled me in and never let go. it was a very fun listen with catchy songs. a little too much choir but idk. it is one of the underrated the beach boys albums. it was beyond love and much more about our society. loved it

Favorite Beach Boys album. Melancholic feel

This is absolutely fantastic. The Beach Boys are a STAPLE of music history and I’m a HUGE fan of the album cover too

I’m ashamed to say that I’ve never listened to this one—only Pet Sounds. I’ve heard this is their second best album, though. The cover is absolutely hilarious. It’s like this guy in anguish with SURF’S UP 😎 written over his head. The Beach Boys have always been interesting to me in that way—they’re this band famous for writing about surfing and girls, but then they also had a member who horrifically drowned, they were managed by their incredibly abusive father, and Brian Wilson was in and out of mental hospitals. He also was absolutely obsessed with being better than The Beatles—and the two bands actually mutually inspired each other. The complexity of their songs is also insane. Good Vibrations, for example, is so basic on surface-level, but it actually has an insane amount of layers to it. This album wasn’t as good as Pet Sounds, but it is certainly fantastic. The songs are deeply thoughtful and introspective. The opening seconds immediately hook you in and refuse to let go. I’m just wondering wtf Student Demonstration Time is. At first it sounded like a hollow attempt at a protest song, and then like it was making fun of the four students who died at Kent…and I honestly can’t tell, it was written by Mike Love though, and he’s reportedly a jerk. The sirens were kinda cool but they were so out of place. Anyway, yeah. Bad sticks out more than good. So even if my main comments are about that song, the rest of the album is genuinely great.

A rather melodramatic album from the Beach Boys, but being the band they are, it still sounds more uplifting than I think it should, considering the sad and environmentalist message of the project. Songs like "Don't Go Near the Water", 'Disney Girls (1957), "A Day In the Life of a Tree", "'Till I Die" and "Surf's Up" are a great example of them trying some more melancholic melodies with some sorrowful lyrics. However, I think the baroque and psychedelic pop elements that characterizes their music so much subtract a lot of the seriousness the album is aiming for, and they bring a bit of an uplifting feeling when I'm expecting a gloomy and depressing experience, specially with such an awesome album cover that looks like that. The rest of tracks I think are fine, but didn't interested me as much. They keep the pleasant voices and the creative instrumentation, but there's not much more going on with them. Besides, there is the garage rock song 'Student Demonstration Time' which comes from nowhere. It feels super disconnected from the album and it is a very weird choice from the band to include in the middle of it. In conclusion, I think this is a fine album. It sounds great and I do appreciate the idea behind, even though I wish for a way more drastic execution.

This must be satire. Protect the water and feet. The other songs sounded like a school project. 2/5

Første gangen æ hørte på det tenkte æ «ka E det her???» men andre gangen æ hørte på det tenkte æ at det ikke e så verst. Det e ikke akkurat sånn æ hadde sett for mæ at The Beach Boys skulle høres ut, men æ like det likevel.

Everyone seems to hate the track Student Demonstration Time. I feel like it's the only redeeming song on the entire album. I'm admittedly not a fan of the Beach Boys—I think they're highly overrated. But I think this track is a brave departure from their typical Surf Rock format while they dip their toes into the Blues/Country genres; and I happen to like it much better than their typical happy, bouncy, quintet sound. So much more rockin'!!

LUV

Meh lol

Very old stuff, apparently when they were just learning to write and play. Pretty good though

Very different, but very good. I enjoy their music no matter what they do.

A solid addition to The Beach Boys creative period. A bit uneven as most Beach Boys albums after Pet Sounds, but enough variety and well crafted tunes to compel repeat listens. The standout track to me is Long Promised Road but there is hardly a skippable song in the bunch. Even the campy Take a Load off Your Feet and the somewhat confusing Student Demonstration Time warrant listens.

it was pretty good, some songs stood out and were pretty fun. the production on the album was really good but they have much better projects out there.

Never heard this Beach Boys sound before and it was fun and different.

Very solid. Great lyrics and bursting harmonies. I tried to think that they were overrated in their earlier days, but I undeniably get it. Better to be in on it than be a hater

Okay okay okay this is good right off the bat! Yeah, this is tight, better than the last Beach record I had easily! Fav tracks: Don't Go Near the Water Long Promised Road Disney Girls (1957) Surf's Up

Nice

Not a fan of the Beach Boys, their sound is just kind of aggravating. Till I Die was okay.

3 star in the realm of all albums. 2 star would be generous if rating Beach Boys only.

Not bad but kind of mostly had that generic Beach Boys sound.

It seems like I do not like the typical Beach Boys music. Those songs that are more famous seemed boring to me, and other less popular sounded better. The solo in Feel Flows is majestic, nevertheless. I am lacking context about the influence of this album.

Favorite Songs: 'Til I Die, Disney Girls, Feel Flows Least Favorite Song: Student Demonstration Time So different from their usual sound, but in the best way. The dreaminess, the vocal layering, the psychedelic production, and that damn flute solo?!

Interesting album. I don't know why The Beach Boys's music always give me a certain joyful impression. Might be a mistake because I didn't listen to many of their songs. This album is surely more psychedelic than joyful, enjoyable non the less though. Feel Flows and A Day In The Life Of A Tree are fun, but 60s psychedelic rock style production overall is a bit weird though.

The tracks pass me by but leave me feeling so cosy

Such a different experience listening on headphones (lossless) ❤️a day in the life of a tree

Some good stuff on here. Liked Feel Flows in particular. And Long Promised Road and Till I Die were strong. Till I Die like much of the album not the cheery Beach Boys of old. Surfs Up also great. That student demo track was bad. Not sure on the water, tree or feet ones. Will revisit this. Going to go 4 (just).

Really enjoyable. Long Promised Road Disney Girls and A Day In A Life Of A Tree (did it inspire Spiritualised?). Better than Pet Sounds?

A bit more of a mixed bag than its superior predecessor Sunflower, however there are enough flashes of Wilson's simplistic genius to ease this to well above average status. Has something of the feel of a musical equivalent of Kerouac's Big Sur - the end of era, the world weariness, the comedown.

Believe it or not, even though this was released in 1971, it was their 17th studio album. It definitely has a darker tone overall, previewed by the cover art, which looks like something out of a nightmare. It's not my favorite record of theirs, but the beautiful harmonies add to the melancholy feel of it.

This was soo far from my typical genres I had trouble getting through it. The music isn't bad, it just does not fit me. There were a few songs that felt like a crashout and somewhat sad, which is the exact opposite of what I knew of the band.

the beach boys peaked in the 1960s and they should stay there listening to the beach boys in 2025 is like watching star wars and expecting the hero's journey to feel new still except kokomo, which is not on this album, that song is evergreen okay also 'wouldn't it be nice,' that one gets a pass too

Not bad

This album was way different than the beach boys that I know and took me a bit to get into, but by the end I had relaxed into it. Very much matured past the initial explosion of them into the mainstream. Some of it was ridiculous, some interesting. Favorite track: feel flows because of the flute solo, with honorable mention to surfs up because it's of its beautiful complexity.

This album should be called 'The Doldrums'. I mean 'Surf's Up' sounds a bit more upbeat than the melancholic dirge of this album, maybe it was intentional given the album cover but I was expecting a prelude to Pet Sounds and was bitterly disappointed.

Guess I should have known based off the album cover, not the title

This album is proof there are too many beach boys albums on the list. Oh ok, there's only three. But maybe they're the wrong three. I dunno. I feel like this album is a mess. It sounds all out of tune and not in an Interesting way. It isn't bad exactly, but it's hard to listen to.

Helt greit

Greit nok, ikke noe jeg kommer til å sette på igjen tror jeg

Ganske overraskende at det har så kult sound. Noen tekster ganske interessante. Passe lengdee, rakk ikke kjede meg.

I just could not get into this, thought it was boring