"That's Why God Made the Radio" lyric video (full official song on Youtube)

[Roger Ryan]

...Oh, and make sure to turn up the video quality to hear the audio at a better bitrate....

Seriously, this makes a big difference. At the higher bit rate, the vocals sound a lot more natural and the instrumentation sounds more organic.

[Wirestone]

There are parts I don't quite like - Cavernous 80's drum breaks, a LOT of Foskett in the mid-range, a lot of the BB's themselves aren't clear due to doubling with others (if that fakedup recording session is any indication, Dave and Mike sing low parts together, which as my dog-ears aren't attuned to David is confusing), but there's a lot here which is cool! The song is lovely (not sure about that middle eight), Brian sounds amazing, as do Al, and Bruce! I might warm up to it. But it's too slick a production. Curse you, Joe Thomas.

Except that it looks like Joe Thomas didn't produce it. According to the new Capitol press release, that is.

It damn well sounds like it, though.

I'll disagree with that, it doesn't sound like imagination at aaaaall

Exactly. Thomas is clearly involved in the reunion in some way, shape or form (certainly as a co-writer of material, at the very least), but it doesn't sound much like Imagination.

It sounds quite a bit like recent BW solo records, though. (But with more vocal processing.)

[Summertime Blooz]

"tuning in the latest star", what the fuck does that even mean?

You're tuning in your radio to hear a song from the latest recording star.

Yeah. Doesn't seem that confusing.

I guess that makes sense but it's still (to me) a dumb way of phrasing it.

Would "You're tuning in your radio to hear a song from the latest recording star" sound better?

Why is that at all a sentiment that needs to be conveyed?

I look at this song at the spiritual heir to 'Add Some Music To Your Day'. It's about the pleasure and sometimes spiritual feeling that you can get by hearing a favorite song.

[lance]

It's very Wilsony to my ears.

[Lowbacca]

I will try to stop listening to TWGMTR until my single CD has arrived and I can hear the song in adequate quality... (wonder when that will be, though).

[Mike's Beard]

It's pleasant enough. Could have done with Mike being more prominent.

[Loaf]

Some of the lyrics are wonderful - "receiving your signal like a prayer" sounds like something 1966 Brian and Van Dyke would have come up with.

...and then rejected. The lyrics are a bland, songwriter-for-hire kind of job.

[Wirestone]

Some of the lyrics are wonderful - "receiving your signal like a prayer" sounds like something 1966 Brian and Van Dyke would have come up with.

...and then rejected. The lyrics are a bland, songwriter-for-hire kind of job.

Actually, they are much more clever than I expected.

Am still digesting the bridge, however.

[Justin]

I will try to stop listening to TWGMTR until my single CD has arrived and I can hear the song in adequate quality... (wonder when that will be, though).

I'm trying too!

[Shady]

I think it's brilliant, better than I ever expected

[LostArt]

Typical replies from typical Bach Boys fans:

"It sounds like Joe Thomas"
"It doesn't sound anything like Joe Thomas"
"I don't like the bass sound"
"I love the bass sound"
"I can hear everybody singing"
"I can only hear Jeff Foskett doubling everybody else"
"I love, love, love the song"
"Meh"

As for me, I can't listen for another five hours, but I already know I like it (from the first promo video).

[Sound of Free]

I don't love it yet but I certainly LIKE it. It's new music from The Beach Boys, with a full album to follow. I'm sure there will be a couple of gems to come.

Who knows if it's going to be the only single release off the reunion album? Depends on how successful TWGMTR is going to be. Plus, the Jardine hinted at a possible 2nd LP after the 2012 release.

Please tell me this is what he's calling himself now, and not a typo. 

[Wirestone]

I think we should think of TWGMTR as the latest in a long line of made-to-order BB singles. That is, songs that are purposefully built to show off what the group (and its advisers) think is best about the band at any one time.

This is a trend that goes back (at least) to Sail On Sailor, which was the last-minute addition to single-fy Holland. It's a "Brian Wilson" composition, sure, but one with the most basic of chord changes and a bevy of-co-writers.

You also had, notably, Good Timin' (rescued from a batch of old tapes to give L.A. its signature BW moment), Goin' On (again, a BW comp but one wildly re-arranged by Bruce) and Getcha Back (Mike and Melcher ripping off "Hungry Heart" while BW does his best Billy Joel in the background).

While many of these songs are good -- and some are now thought of as classics -- they are all meant to showcase harmony (or in the case of SoS, the 70s "rock" BB sound), Brian Wilson's involvement in the band, and the notion of the group as an unstoppable hit, harmony and hook machine.

Looked at in that sense, TWGMTR makes all the sense in the world. Again, you have a purpose-written song (with Brian likely fiddling with it in one way or another), group vocals out the wazoo, and a Brian lead to prove that he's engaged in the reunion. Also, a hook that it's not afraid to pound into the ground.

[Ron]

...Oh, and make sure to turn up the video quality to hear the audio at a better bitrate....

Seriously, this makes a big difference. At the higher bit rate, the vocals sound a lot more natural and the instrumentation sounds more organic.

It's amazing how much better the song sounds if you up the quality on youtube.  Wow.  Much, much better.  

[Jimmie_R]

I just love this song... just love it.

[Austin]

Well, it's OK. It's much better than Summer in Paradise, but that's not high praise. On the other hand, I'm liking it more on repeated listenings, which can't be a bad thing. There are some good things going on in it, including the singing (processing be damned), vocal arrangements (very solid), chord changes (derivative they may be), and even some of the lyrics (which, if nothing else, are not terrible). And I've had the hook stuck in my head for the last day or so, which is precisely what I want out of a good song by the Beach Boys.

I downloaded the 152kbps AAC audio (embedded in the 1080p version) -- not stellar quality, but good enough to stop blaming the production on the bitrate. After just a few listens, I'm left with pretty mixed feelings. It sounds like a cross between Gershwin/Postcard and Imagination. Sure, you've got real guitars and keys, real(-ish) drums and bass guitar, and recognizable voices. But it all sounds so drowned. Take, for instance, all that reverb. There's nothing inherently wrong with digital reverb -- it's all over the group's stereo remixes and BW's Gershwin album (I think), and I've always thought that sounded excellent -- but this particular treatment doesn't do it for me.

If the goal was to blow me away with a song that can stand proudly with one of their 60's classics, they did not succeed. But I can comfortably say that I'm not disappointed.

[exposedbrain]

i think i like it. it almost sounds more like something Rick Henn would write. i'm actually surprised how twisty-turny the melody and chord progression is, especially for a single. and i hear a bit of Midnight Cowboy in there

[Iron Horse-Apples]

What an amazing 14 months since SMiLE was announced. Who'd have thought?

OK, it's not the greatest BB song ever, but it could have been a zillion times worse. A worthy addition to the canon IMO.

[Rocker]

I'm pretty sure Bruce sings " the soundtrack for falling in love" and not "of" like the video says.

[anazgnos]

Except that it looks like Joe Thomas didn't produce it. According to the new Capitol press release, that is.

Well, the press release wouldn't tell you Jim Peterik wrote the song, either.

...Oh, and make sure to turn up the video quality to hear the audio at a better bitrate....

Seriously, this makes a big difference. At the higher bit rate, the vocals sound a lot more natural and the instrumentation sounds more organic.

And that beach ball animation really takes on stunning depth at 1080p! 

[Shady]

On to my 14th listen

Really brilliant

[Wirestone]

Except that it looks like Joe Thomas didn't produce it. According to the new Capitol press release, that is.

Well, the press release wouldn't tell you Jim Peterik wrote the song, either.

No, but it doesn't say anyone wrote the song. It does say someone produced the album. And that someone is Brian Wilson.

No mentions of co-producers, though, which is entirely possible ...

[buddhahat]

I really cannot hear Mike which is a shame, but I do not have the 'dog ears' of some here. Mike higher in the mix would have been a bonus. Lovely to hear bruce so clearly though.

For goodness' sake, really? He sings lead on part of the song (first part of the a capella section)!

Wait a minute .......  No, still can't hear him! Maybe I'm listening for the classic bassy Mike vocal. I just can't pick him out. To be honest, besides Brian the only Beach Boy I can really hear is Bruce.

Maybe altering the bit rate will magically reveal Mike!

[rab2591]

...Oh, and make sure to turn up the video quality to hear the audio at a better bitrate....

Seriously, this makes a big difference. At the higher bit rate, the vocals sound a lot more natural and the instrumentation sounds more organic.

And that beach ball animation really takes on stunning depth at 1080p! 

[Stegibo]

Wait a minute .......  No, still can't hear him! Maybe I'm listening for the classic bassy Mike vocal. I just can't pick him out. To be honest, besides Brian the only Beach Boy I can really hear is Bruce.

Maybe altering the bit rate will magically reveal Mike!

He's not singing any bass vocals. He's singing mid range "That's why god made" towards the end.