TWGMTR Official Reviews

[Zach95]

So, does metacritic simply ignore the reviews without numbers?

Nope. It included the NYTimes review, ranking it as a 70 (which seems a bit low). They do not include all media outlets, though.

How did they figure it was a 70, if I may ask?

[Wirestone]

So, does metacritic simply ignore the reviews without numbers?

Nope. It included the NYTimes review, ranking it as a 70 (which seems a bit low). They do not include all media outlets, though.

How did they figure it was a 70, if I may ask?

Ask them. 

[Zach95]

So, does metacritic simply ignore the reviews without numbers?

Nope. It included the NYTimes review, ranking it as a 70 (which seems a bit low). They do not include all media outlets, though.

How did they figure it was a 70, if I may ask?

Ask them. 

Seems a bit shady...

[Summertime Blooz]

Taking a break from starting threads here. Right now Metacritic is using Rolling Stone's review of the single for the album score. I would think on release day we'll see a flood of reviews and I predict  the album will end up with a score in the mid 70s.

[Runaways]

i think mid 60's top.  but that's perfectly fine

[Runaways]

good review from the Oasis' fan site version of us

http://www.live4ever.uk.com/2012/06/review-the-beach-boys-thats-why-god-made-the-radio/

[joe_blow]

Has no one yet mentioned the review in Rolling Stone? I couldn't seem to find it online but saw the magazine and it gave it 3 stars.
What a ridiculous history of reviews....online it now rates most of their albums differently. Summer Days 2 stars?

[18thofMay]

good review from the Oasis' fan site version of us

http://www.live4ever.uk.com/2012/06/review-the-beach-boys-thats-why-god-made-the-radio/

Pretty good read

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Weird how the magazine review is done, but the website's not uploaded.

[shadownoze]

The Onion's AV Club gave it a C+ this morning, but had some complimentary things to say about it. The comments, though, reveal the uphill battle to convince non-fans to give it a chance. On a sunnier note, I got the number two review on iTunes...and the reviews there are almost all terrific.

[Runaways]

Here's Time magazine's review, which is actually Consequence of Sound's review

http://entertainment.time.com/2012/06/05/beach-boys-new-album-timeless-harmonies-for-changing-times/

[runnersdialzero]

Has no one yet mentioned the review in Rolling Stone? I couldn't seem to find it online but saw the magazine and it gave it 3 stars.
What a ridiculous history of reviews....online it now rates most of their albums differently. Summer Days 2 stars?

"Girl Don't Tell Me", "Help Me, Rhonda", "California Girls", "Let Him Run Wild", "Summer Means New Love", "And Your Dreams Come True" = total trash.

[Mr. Cohen]

The Onion's AV Club gave it a C+ this morning, but had some complimentary things to say about it. The comments, though, reveal the uphill battle to convince non-fans to give it a chance.

Well, let's face it, the Beach Boys put this upon themselves. The new album is in no way, objectively, a 10/10 or 9/10 or whatever. It's like one of Paul McCartney's better solo albums in the last two decades - fans will dig it, but the mom that listened to Help when she was growing up won't care.

[Smilin Ed H]

""Girl Don't Tell Me", "Help Me, Rhonda", "California Girls", "Let Him Run Wild", "Summer Means New Love", "And Your Dreams Come True" = total trash."

For a magazine with an audience that revels in the notion that their dicks are really guitars, or vice versa, this doesn't come as a surprise.

Part of me can't help but think that a 50th anniversary reunion album is there to be shot down, particularly when several of the songs are the kind of poppy stuff you wouldn't associate with 70 year old men, and which are in no way anywhere near as good as the poppy stuff they did in their heyday.  However, some of the other stuff goes well beyond what I expected. This is the Beach Boys, however. They aren't and never were cool except to people in the know. Another, more modern band, let's say, could release a string of albums that trade on the same kind of riffs that their first two or three did - variations on their slow song; variations on their fast song; variations on their arty song - but, hey, they're a 'guitar band' and they're 'lads' and, for whatever reason, they're 'cool' amongst music media types and they'd get a good review. In retrospect, the Guardian review isn't that bad, although it gets a couple of songs dead wrong.

As much as I can't stand some of the production - particularly the fucking awful drums on some songs - I'll go with AGD and say this is their best album since Holland (not counting Love You).

[Paulos]

No review so far on the BBC site, in fact no mention of the new album at all in their music section, very strange.

[the professor]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2012/06/album-review-the-beach-boys-thats-why-god-made-the-radio.html

from my little home town paper.

very good.

daybreak and Beaches not getting lots of love; any positivereviews of them avail.

I think this is a monster album. front page on Rhapsody

when does Billboear weigh in?

[Runaways]

i wanted to skip beaches in mind immediately when the drums kicked in.  I stuck with it though, against my natural instincts.

[Paulos]

There is a nice review on beachboys.com, gives it a four star rating.

[Wrightfan]

Listening to the album now:

1. Think about the Days: Nice harmonies. Kinda wish it was all a capella though. 6/10.

2. That's Why God Made the Radio: Song sounds nicer here. Not sure why. Still as good as it was when I first heard it. 8/10.

3. Isn't it Time: Really nice catchy song. Like the middle eight, comes out of nowhere in a good way. Can see why this is going to be the second single. 7/10.

4. Spring Vacation: Love the intro. Really love the melody of this song. Lyrics aren't the greatest but the music makes up for it. 7/10.

5. The Private Life of Bill and Sue: Has a tropical feel to it which is kinda out of place and what was with the end lol? I like the chorus though. 6/10.

6. Shelter: Love the part leading to the chorus. Very heart warming chorus by the way. Really nice tune right up to the awesome tag. 7/10.

7. Daybreak over the Ocean: Kinda uninspired. Not a fan. Instrumental break is nice however. 5/10.

8. Beaches in Mind: A really uninspired song. All there is to say. 4/10.

9. Strange World: Really like the verses here. Love how the chorus goes into the verse. Nice little piece. Like the ending. 6/10.

10. From there to Back Again: Classic Brian. This sounds like a Pet Sounds song combined with a Today! side 2 piece. The starts and stops in the middle are great. Proof that Brian never lost it. Great ending. 9/10.

11. Pacific Coast Highway: Nice little reprise to Think about the Days at the beginning here. Kinda like how Our Prayer ends In Blue Hawaii. Sounds like something but I can't put my finger on it (maybe Pacific Ocean Blue). Nice little interlude. 6/10.

12. Summer's Gone: Really nice closer that features the classic Beach Boys harmonies. Have to remember not to listen to this right when the semester starts or I will ball my eyes out lol. Ending gave me chills. Great closer 7/10

Overall, I give the album 7/10. Good album that could've been great if some clunkers had been removed.

[Summertime Blooz]

Listening to the album now:

1. Think about the Days: Nice harmonies. Kinda wish it was all a capella though. 6/10.

2. That's Why God Made the Radio: Song sounds nicer here. Not sure why. Still as good as it was when I first heard it. 8/10.

3. Isn't it Time: Really nice catchy song. Like the middle eight, comes out of nowhere in a good way. Can see why this is going to be the second single. 7/10.

4. Spring Vacation: Love the intro. Really love the melody of this song. Lyrics aren't the greatest but the music makes up for it. 7/10.

5. The Private Life of Bill and Sue: Has a tropical feel to it which is kinda out of place and what was with the end lol? I like the chorus though. 6/10.

6. Shelter: Love the part leading to the chorus. Very heart warming chorus by the way. Really nice tune right up to the awesome tag. 7/10.

7. Daybreak over the Ocean: Kinda uninspired. Not a fan. Instrumental break is nice however. 5/10.

8. Beaches in Mind: A really uninspired song. All there is to say. 4/10.

9. Strange World: Really like the verses here. Love how the chorus goes into the verse. Nice little piece. Like the ending. 6/10.

10. From there to Back Again: Classic Brian. This sounds like a Pet Sounds song combined with a Today! side 2 piece. The starts and stops in the middle are great. Proof that Brian never lost it. Great ending. 9/10.

11. Pacific Coast Highway: Nice little reprise to Think about the Days at the beginning here. Kinda like how Our Prayer ends In Blue Hawaii. Sounds like something but I can't put my finger on it (maybe Pacific Ocean Blue). Nice little interlude. 6/10.

12. Summer's Gone: Really nice closer that features the classic Beach Boys harmonies. Have to remember not to listen to this right when the semester starts or I will ball my eyes out lol. Ending gave me chills. Great closer 7/10

Overall, I give the album 7/10. Good album that could've been great if some clunkers had been removed.

The problem with Beaches In Mind is that the thing is just too dang slow. I see it as the nominal rocker on the album as indicated by the squonky  Jeff Baxter guitar and heavy beat  (really hate that guitar sound on a BBs album  BTW) The thing is- it just don't ROCK enough. If they could have simply sped up the tempo a bit, it would have stood out from the other tracks much better and could have been a nice change-of-pace track. What they they have here is a bit of a white elephant- a rocker that simply doesn't rock. They should have gone balls out on this one like they would have done back in the day.

[Summertime Blooz]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2012/06/album-review-the-beach-boys-thats-why-god-made-the-radio.html

from my little home town paper.

very good.

daybreak and Beaches not getting lots of love; any positivereviews of them avail.

I think this is a monster album. front page on Rhapsody

when does Billboear weigh in?

I really like that review. Short and sweet

[Cabinessenceking]

General consensus of the reviewers seem to be:

BW has put magic into everything he touched.
Mike Love has put sulphuric acid into everything he touched.

Seems like most be hatin' on ML, which is ofc okey and everyone is used to it by now. His contributions pull the album down without a doubt and that mid section of songs are generally pointed out by critics to be weaker than the opening track or the final suite.

Basically means the Beach Boys struggle to create good upbeat songs while they can excel at writing slower songs. I guess the idea of upbeat rockers at the age of 70 is something many might cringe at... (Like I do when I hear Spring Vavation  )

[Amy B.]

The New York Times loves it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/arts/music/new-releases-from-the-beach-boys-and-alan-jackson.html?_r=1&ref=arts

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

USA Today's review

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/story/2012-06-04/beach-boys-thats-why-god-made-the-radio/55385752/1

Rolling Stone:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/thats-why-god-made-the-radio-20120605

[Too Much Sugar]

Paste Magazine (6/10):

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2012/06/the-beach-boys-thats-why-god-made-the-radio.html