THE BEACH BOYS - That's Why God Made The Radio SS member reviews

[Generation42]

I figured as the album has begun to appear in stores now, it would be time to set up a place for member reviews.  Here's mine copied from the 'New Album Info' thread.


Well, I’ve listened through the album twice now, and thought I might pass along some impressions.

Those who have heralded “Think About The Days,” “From There To Back Again,” “Pacific Coast Highway” and “Summer’s Gone” are right on the money.  These four tracks found me thoroughly swept up in their drama, and form the cornerstone of an enjoyable, by turns frustrating and startling journey.

“Strange World” (one of four offerings taken from a planned eleven-song suite) offers a charming glimpse into a world of oddities that would be made all the more queer “if you were not here with me.”

You already know of Al’s great performance on “From There To Back Again.”  It’s the last try at a dying love.  “Why don’t you run away and spend some time with me / why don’t we feel the way we used to anymore?”

“Pacific Coast Highway” is breathtaking in its dark beauty – “my life, I’m better off alone / my life, I’m better on my own.”  The resignation drips with each sorrowful note.

As lovely as “Pacific Coast Highway” is, nothing tops the grand “Summer’s Gone.”  More than any other, this is the piece that strikes right to the heart, and demonstrates just what a talented artist can bring to the table.  When Brian sings about ‘another summer gone,’ one understands immediately, innately, that we’re not talking about the end of fun in the sun, the ocean and the beach.  Like the best of Brian’s work, the nature imagery is used here to greater effect as Brian solemnly mourns the encroaching end of an old man’s life - his very own. “It’s finally sinking in,” he sings, “one day begins, another ends.”  It won’t matter how many albums the group may produce from here on out, “Summer’s Gone” truly is the final song on the final Beach Boys record, just as Brian first envisioned.

There is more to the album than the suite numbers, to be sure.  I’ve been spinning the title track for weeks now, with its enchanting harmonies (although there are the BIIIG, dramatic floor tom and the lyric about ‘a whole new generation,’ both of which just grate on me).  “Bill and Sue,” in a not unconvincing manner, expounds the tale of reality show stars (!), seemingly lost at sea.  “Shelter” is a pleasant enough look at love, with a hook I know we’ve all heard before.
“Daybreak Over The Ocean” is a song that most of you will already have heard, but I have to say that it proves that the addition of those voices can complement an arrangement in such a manner that it lifts it from pleasant to, well, a thing of beauty.

It’s when we get to the tracks everyone was worried about that, frankly, you will probably find yourself proven right.  I have to say that as one of the two numbers I allowed myself to preview beforehand (the other being the album’s opener), “Spring Vacation” has had the time to grow on me and against all odds, it has taken full advantage of the opportunity.  If I could just get past the off-key caterwauling I glimpsed in that in-studio video sneak-peek.  I guess some things you just can’t unsee.

Sadly, “Isn’t It Time” holds very little appeal for me.  This is surprising as I quite enjoyed the live version posted the other day, and was looking forward to the album’s treatment.  But my God, “isn’t it time we danced the night away” just sounds sooo very… d-u-l-l.

“Beaches In Mind.” No.

In the end, it's more than I thought we’d ever get – more than we’d any right to expect.  It’s a fine album in places, with a few clunkers and its fair share of brilliance.  The numbers that originate from the suite constitute some of the strongest musical offerings from Brain in years, with mature lyrics appropriate to the theme of ‘looking at life as an older adult.’  Folks, I know the other six pieces of the suite is said to be unfinished at this time, but we need to hear the rest of this suite.  There’s been talk of another Beach Boys LP, with most (Wilson included) speculating on Brian’s long-desired Rock ‘n’ Roll album, but one member here offered a suggestion, probably more in jest than anything, that I think holds tremendous musical appeal and commercial potential – a double album.  Picture, if you will, The Beach Boys Rock ‘n’ Roll, backed with ‘My Life’s Suite’.  Food for thought.

[buddhahat]

Good call and great review (although can't say I agree with your appraisal of Isn't It Time!)

I can see the Life Suite myth growing minute by minute - what is with these guys and unreleased masterpieces, eh?

[Generation42]

Yeah, as I said, I really enjoyed "Isn't it Time" in a live setting ("Isn't it time we danced the night away" really does work with a crowd), and of course not every tune can transfer over from studio to live.  I think it's more the lyric, in an intimate setting with headphones, that fail me, as I do find the tune itself enjoyable.  I'm not discounting the notion that it could still grow on me.

Oh, yeah, and the suite?  Well, every piece of it that we've heard has been wondrous, and reading Joe Thomas' full accounting has certainly sparked my imagination.

[buddhahat]

Yeah, as I said, I really enjoyed "Isn't it Time" in a live setting ("Isn't it time we danced the night away" really does work with a crowd), and of course not every tune can transfer over from studio to live.  I think it's more the lyric, in an intimate setting with headphones, that fail me, as I do find the tune itself enjoyable.  I'm not discounting the notion that it could still grow on me.

Oh, yeah, and the suite?  Well, every piece of it that we've heard has been wondrous, and reading Joe Thomas' full accounting has certainly sparked my imagination.

For me, Isn't It Time taps into that vein of pure joy that BW mines every 5 years or so - it has the same effect as Message Man - a seemingly effortless meolody. But the lyrics are a bit trite, and I'm not a big fan of the Jeff vocals or the middle 8.

The suite songs are a knockout, but really leave you wanting more, and reading the Thomas interview makes you realise there is potentially more - ahh the frustration!

[Summertime Blooz]

The reviews are starting to pop up all over:

Drowned In Sound review (5/10):
http://drownedinsound.com/releases/17042/reviews/4145028

New Adventures In Hi-Fi review:
http://www.newadventuresinhifi.com/2012/05/the-beach-boys-thats-why-god-made-the-radio-review/

Blogcritics review:
http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-the-beach-boys-thats/

[Zach95]

The last two reviews are wonderful, and both responsible and logical in their review.  I'm not saying the first review is poorly done simply because they gave the album a five, but the review failed to mention FTTBA and Summer's Gone, which by all accounts are the highlights of the album.  They did mention Pacific Coast Highway and TWGMTR as highlights, but that was it.  Seemed a bit odd to me.

[ontor pertawst]

I did get a bit of a chuckle out of "irrepressible pin-up Al Jardine," forgive me.

[Runaways]

Drowned in sound always hates what I like 

[Shady]

A solid 9/10 from me..

Everything I have to say has been said. The suite is magnificent, the opener is gorgeous and everything in between is fun -  easy listening

Also, I really like "Beaches in Mind"

[HeyJude]

Finally just listened to the whole thing. From beginning to end, no gaps, and just once (so far). I had been holding off on hearing anything unless I could hear it in full, so I had heard the title track of course and "Think About the Days" and "Spring Vacation" from the radio broadcast, and not a note of anything else.

I wish I could give more background on my long time fan status and frame of mind for this and every other one of their albums so my comments on the new album had more context, but that would be long and boring.

First impressions of the album? More consistent than any BB album in ages. I think my biggest gripe is one maybe nobody will agree with: Not enough chords changes and hooks in general. The tracks, autotune aside, are beautifully performed, produced, and sung. But the compositions, while sometimes intricate in their structure or production, often lag on single chords or two chord patterns. I kept hearing passages where I was waiting for another chord than never came.

The end suite of songs is poignant and sounds great, but it musically (not production-wise or performance wise) plods in places.

I'm not saying everything has to have a powerpop contagious hook, everything doesn't have to sound like the Archies or something, but I just can't think of any other way to describe my reaction than, as I said, I was from time to time just waiting for another chord or two in certain passages that never came.

The title track and "Spring Vacation" probably are the two most "catchy" songs with immediately catchy chord patterns and melodies.

[Jon Stebbins]

Finally just listened to the whole thing. From beginning to end, no gaps, and just once (so far). I had been holding off on hearing anything unless I could hear it in full, so I had heard the title track of course and "Think About the Days" and "Spring Vacation" from the radio broadcast, and not a note of anything else.

I wish I could give more background on my long time fan status and frame of mind for this and every other one of their albums so my comments on the new album had more context, but that would be long and boring.

First impressions of the album? More consistent than any BB album in ages. I think my biggest gripe is one maybe nobody will agree with: Not enough chords changes and hooks in general. The tracks, autotune aside, are beautifully performed, produced, and sung. But the compositions, while sometimes intricate in their structure or production, often lag on single chords or two chord patterns. I kept hearing passages where I was waiting for another chord than never came.

The end suite of songs is poignant and sounds great, but it musically (not production-wise or performance wise) plods in places.

I'm not saying everything has to have a powerpop contagious hook, everything doesn't have to sound like the Archies or something, but I just can't think of any other way to describe my reaction than, as I said, I was from time to time just waiting for another chord or two in certain passages that never came.

The title track and "Spring Vacation" probably are the two most "catchy" songs with immediately catchy chord patterns and melodies.

Listen to it again and you're going to notice more hooks.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Not listening the the whole thing until tomorrow, BUT.

The mix of TWGMTR is SOOOO MUCH better. Sounds GREAT.

[pixletwin]

Love it. When it's great it's great. My impression is pretty much the same as most everyone. Starts strong (first 3 tracks) coasts a bit, things in the middle get a bit questionable (and semi-Summer in Paradise-ish) then when you think it's going to end in disaster* the plane pulls up and ends majestically.

*maybe that was a touch too much hyperbole.*  

[BJL]

I've listened a few times now, and thought I'd do a track by track review:

Think about the Days: incredibly beautiful.  Not earth shattering, but it doesn't need to be.  It's somewhere between our prayer and meant for you - which is high praise.  

That's Why God Made the Radio: I really liked it at first, but I've been playing it a lot, and I'm starting to tire of it a little. It's a bit too Beach Boys by numbers for me, although the last minute is really wonderful.  

Isn't It Time: This is the first song that I really love.  I think this song would have sounded right at home on Holland or Carl and the Passions, it has that early-70s Marcella, funky pretty feel to me.  And frankly, I think it's about as good as both of those classics.  A really great song with great vocals and great production and an awesome hook and it just kind of grooves along in early-70s Beach Boy's fashion.  This is the first song that I think has that spark that sets apart their best work, and that, already after three songs, raises this album miles above MIU and Keepin the Summer Alive.  I do wish Mike had been given both versus though - overall, I think Brian sounds great on the new album, but that all the guys sound great, and I wish the vocals had been apportioned more evenly.  

Spring Vacation: This song has been growing and growing on me.  I love how the chorus is half Brian and half Mike, and Brian's lyrics are so Brian, and Mike's are so Mike!  This song, however, suffers from the production a little.  I think that the drums aren't as solid as they could be, they're a bit too "filly," but that's a matter of taste and not really a knock on the song.  Ditto for the lead guitar, which is a bit too smooth for my taste.  I think the major missing ingredient in the guitar sound on this record is that clean, surf guitar sound which Carl Wilson played on all of their 60s songs.  The lead guitar on a beach boys album should be *clean,* reverby and ringing, none of this smooth, 70s-guitar sound.  I was hoping David Mark's might have brought that to the table, but despite his absolutely smoking live leads, I think the guitar playing on the album is disappointing.  Still, over all I think this is a good song, it sticks on you're head.  It reminds me of 80s beach Boys at their very best, which is something I enjoy.  Also I love the vocal arrangement in the bridge, at like 2:10 - the voices sort of disappear and weave together in a really interesting way - it's a beautiful and strange moment in a sort of pedestrian song that reminds you you're listening to the Beach Boys!!

Private Life of Bill and Sue: jury's out on this one.  Definitely a cool song, clearly very Brian.  Carribean, but also sort of weird. I think I like it, but I'm just not sure.  Definitely not bad, though.

Shelter: I love this song.  I wish to God Carl were alive to sing the chorus - the one place where Jeff sort of grates.  But a really cool song. I love the long pause before the chorus - only Brian Wilson would make a production decision like that.  I also love the vocal arrangement in the last two choruses, which gets deceptively complicated.  

Daybreak over the Ocean - a beautiful song, in my opinion.  the instrumental arrangement is a bit busy, and you can kind of tell it's imitation Brian Wilson, not actual Brian Wilson. But what a beautiful song.  If the credit said BW and not ML, people would be ranking this one up with the suite, I really believe that.  And the vocal harmonies are amazing - Christian Love has such a great voice, sounds just like Carl.  I think it's a real shame that Christian Love didn't sing the chorus on Shelter - now that would have been incredible.  

Beaches in Mind - inoffensive.  Nice intro.  Nice and short.  Decent guitar playing, although see my notes Spring Vacation.  I think the organ sound on this song, and a few others is very reminiscent of Key of Disney, which to my ears marked a return to interest in organ sounds for Brian, which I think is a sign that he was involved in the production and arrangement.  Clearly the weakest song, which, frankly, says good things about the rest of the album.  

Strange World - Awesome.  Very Brian arrangement.  I think the drums is where you can really gauge how involved Brian is in the backing track.  Brian has never liked really showy drum arrangements - in the 60s, he really held Hal Blaine back - compare Blaine on any phil spector song with any Beach Boy's song, and you can see how much more restrained the drumming is.  The drums in this song are just so much more Brian than say, Spring vacation, or Shelter.  Then again, who knows what Brian wants or what calls he's making.  Point is, this is an epicly awesome song.  Like Isn't it Time, it reminds me of early 70s funky Brian, right down to the weird synth sounds.  Also, Joe Thomas is definitely playing the piano.  At 1:42 he plays almost the exact same piano riff as 2:24 of Lay Down Burden!!!  

From There to Back Again - I never in a million years thought I would hear a new Beach Boys song this good in my lifetime.  A new Beach Boys song this good has not right to exist - that Brian Wilson can still do this is just - mindblowing.  Just wow.  This song alone makes the whole album worth it.  just, Jesus.  Also, they should have given Al at least one more lead vocal. Al would ahve done a great job singing shelter, or private life of bill and sue, or really any of the Brian leads this album, and was totally underutilized.  This is honestly one of the best Al Jardine vocals of his entire career.  And that's just mindblowing.  mindblowing.  This song would have been a standout track on Holland or even Sunflower!  Also, it has a great tag.  One of the conspicious absences on this record, especially compared to, say, Brian WIlson 88, is the lack of the sort of tags which Brian has specialized in since the 60s.  A lot of the songs just end on a chorus, which is kind of disappointing.  But given how great a lot the choruses are, it's hard to complain

Pacific Coast Highway - I really like this.  Not as good as There to Back Again, but a beautiful little song, a bit slight, but with a beautiful little Brian Wilson vocal.  The group "goodbye" vocal at the end is really great.  

Summer's Gone - don't like it as much as I expected.  It's a really pretty song, but it's about a minute too long - which frankly, I think is Jon Bon Jovi's influence, Brian has done a good job keeping things short and sweet up til now.    Frankly, I think the string arrangement is terrible.  I generally like Paul Von Mertens, and its hard to say whether the fault lies with him or Brian's wishes, but the song would have benefitted from some restraint, in both the strings and the harmonies.  But it's still a gorgeous song, that comes to a gorgeous and poignant ending.

Overall verdict.  Frankly, I think this album stands closer to the level of quality of the Beach Boys early 70s output then their late 70s output.  Miles beyond MIU and Keepin the Summer Alive, at least on par with the LA Light album.  At it's very best moments, as good as anything the Beach Boys have done post-Sunflower, and From There to Back Again ranks among the Band's best work.  Carl is very, very missed, not the least because it sounds like Brian is still writing for him, which makes his absence all the more sad - hearing a song like Isn't It Time, you don't really miss Carl, the singing is great, the songs good, all is well.  But the chorus of Shelter just sounds like it was written for Carl's voice - and in that situation, quite frankly, there isn't a singer in the world who could live up to the built-in expectations.  And most importantly, it's a Beach Boys album, spearheaded by Brian Wilson, that sounds and feels like a Beach Boys album.  And that's nothing short of a miracle.  

[Wirestone]

I like it. The ending suite, as everyone and his grandmother knows now, is awesome.

I find the first part somewhat more confusing. Not bad, but confusing. There are songs where Brian seems to be writing what he thinks modern Beach Boys hits should be (TWGMTR, BiM), which works sometimes and doesn't others. Then there are the BW-solo album sounding Bill and Sue and Shelter, which are cool but a little overcooked production wise. You combine that with Daybreak and the opening bit, and it's a bit muddled. Pleasing to the ear, yes, but there's an element of uncertainty of creative purpose.

It feels like Brian started out by writing the big suite. Then he added some single-type material that he thought was right for the Beach Boys. Then Mike got involved, and some other songs sprouted. And then they needed to get an album out for the summer, so rather than develop any of these things to album length, they used a bit of everything.

If I were evaluating it next to recent BW solo work, I'd say it's a slight step down, suite excepted. Next to recent BB studio work, it's the best in decades.

This is a very early response, from a couple of listens. I'm sure I'll think differently in a day or two. The varied material could end up being an asset.

[pixletwin]

Shelter: I love this song.  I wish to God Carl were alive to sing the chorus - the one place where Jeff sort of grates.  But a really cool song. I love the long pause before the chorus - only Brian Wilson would make a production decision like that.  I also love the vocal arrangement in the last two choruses, which gets deceptively complicated.  

Daybreak over the Ocean - a beautiful song, in my opinion.  the instrumental arrangement is a bit busy, and you can kind of tell it's imitation Brian Wilson, not actual Brian Wilson. But what a beautiful song.  If the credit said BW and not ML, people would be ranking this one up with the suite, I really believe that.  And the vocal harmonies are amazing - Christian Love has such a great voice, sounds just like Carl.  I think it's a real shame that Christian Love didn't sing the chorus on Shelter - now that would have been incredible.  

I can't tell you how much I agree. Christian Love really does channel Carl on his vocal there and it would have been a MORE THAN WELCOME addition on Shelter. Missed opportunity, that one. A real shame.

[onkster]

Damn.

"Summer's Gone" is a true, honest-to-goodness BB classic. It just feels like BB all the way. It made me breathe differently just listening to it. I know this one will last for years.

And "There and Back Again" is a very, very, very close second. Also a classic. Fantastic Al vocal. Everything about this is great.

Overall: a truly enjoyable album. Nothing terrible--I even like "Spring Vacation" now, and can hardly remember the first time I heard it, in which I didn't even finish it. It's probably the least of the numbers, but I don't care. Fits in with the light/summer/middle section just fine.

The chorus of "Shelter" is also a classic--I wish I could send it back in time to 1965 and have the BBs put vocals on it then. It would raise the hairs on peoples' necks. And what we have on here, with the modern-day Beach men, is still damn good.

This is just plain meant to be enjoyed, and I'm gonna do it!

[Runaways]

i hate you all 

[Runaways]

the album is getting a lot of love on twitter.  that's a good sign.

[coco1997]

The first three tracks are fantastic. However, the transition from "Think About the Days" to "TWGMTR" is pretty jarring.

"Isn't It Time" is instant classic Beach Boys. Do my ears deceive me, or is that a farty, "Love You"-sounding synth line I hear during the chorus? I really love how strongly each of the Boys' vocals come through at various times throughout this one, especially Brian's part at the very beginning and Mike's singing the chorus by himself later in the song. Al sparkles throughout the entire thing. And Jeff's "Let's raise our glass to kindness" line is just beautiful.

"Spring Vacation" is not nearly as bad as I feared it would be. Lyrics are really cheesy but the verse melody is incredibly catchy. This is probably the song hurt most by the album's production.

"The Private Life of Bill and Sue" is pleasant enough. I think people would probably really dislike this song if we were told that Mike had written it, though. Nonetheless, it's an interesting subject matter for Brian to tackle. I like the sax noodling and the little radio/TV chatter at the very end.

"Shelter" is really good, but the various parts of the song--the verse, pre-chorus and chorus--all seem kind of disjointed, like they all belong to different songs. Nevertheless, I'll echo others' sentiments in saying it's a real tragedy that Carl isn't alive today to belt out that absolutely gorgeous chorus. In a very strange way the song lies somewhere melodically in between "Thinkin' About You Baby" and "Lahaina Aloha".

I wish "Daybreak Over the Ocean" sounded more like the 1978 Mike Love solo version. It's pretty overproduced, but I do give them credit for retaining Christian Love's vocals, though, and I wish he had more of a presence on the entire record.

"Beaches in Mind" is forgettable but not really offensively bad. I get the feeling there were probably a few other songs in contention for the album that would've worked better here, but what are you gonna do. If the worst thing you can say about the weakest track on a 2012 Beach Boys album is that it's forgettable, then I won't complain.

I'm not sure what to make of "Strange World". I like the Spector-esque production but for the most part it feels pretty forgettable. It'll probably take a few more listens to reach a verdict on this. Definitely don't dislike it, though.

"From There to Back Again" is an absolute stunner. It's unbelievable how well Al's voice has held up over the years, and I don't think any of the other Boys would've sounded right singing lead on this one. There's a lot to digest about the song, but I think the simplest way to describe it right now is if "Winds of Change" grew a pair of balls and had been written by Brian Wilson.

"Pacific Coast Highway" is just great. Seeing as it's probably one of the various transitional pieces that link larger compositions in Brian's "My Life Suite", this leaves me *really* wanting to hear the rest of the suite on the next BB record.

"Summer's Gone" is not really at all what I expected it to be based on the early reviews and descriptions. Very somber and grim even for Brian. I noticed the opening sounds like some randomness from the "SMiLE" recording sessions. There are some fantastic harmonies here (especially when Mike's voice comes through) and I'm really glad the raindrops/crashing waves at the end don't feel gimicky. I wonder what Bon Jovi's contributions to this song were...

[Runaways]

I think Thomas said Bon Jovi came in a flushed the song out, added some lines.  It was built from a single verse by Brian i think. Then i guess it came back to Brian and maybe he finished it up

[NatureShowInStereo]

Easily the best since, say, Love You. Imo.

[b00ts]

Shelter: I love this song.  I wish to God Carl were alive to sing the chorus - the one place where Jeff sort of grates.  But a really cool song. I love the long pause before the chorus - only Brian Wilson would make a production decision like that.  I also love the vocal arrangement in the last two choruses, which gets deceptively complicated.  

Daybreak over the Ocean - a beautiful song, in my opinion.  the instrumental arrangement is a bit busy, and you can kind of tell it's imitation Brian Wilson, not actual Brian Wilson. But what a beautiful song.  If the credit said BW and not ML, people would be ranking this one up with the suite, I really believe that.  And the vocal harmonies are amazing - Christian Love has such a great voice, sounds just like Carl.  I think it's a real shame that Christian Love didn't sing the chorus on Shelter - now that would have been incredible.  

I can't tell you how much I agree. Christian Love really does channel Carl on his vocal there and it would have been a MORE THAN WELCOME addition on Shelter. Missed opportunity, that one. A real shame.

I think Jeff's vocals work better on Brian's solo albums because Brian isn't as consciously writing with Carl in mind. Jeff is being used to double Brian and sing the high notes, and it works in the context. I agree that Christian Love should have been the one to sing the tag for "Shelter" and others, including the break in "It's About Time." Definitely one of the missed opportunities on this album.

[Aegir]

including the break in "It's About Time."

why are we talking about sunflower tracks?

[Ziggy Stardust]

including the break in "It's About Time."

why are we talking about sunflower tracks?

Why not ?