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http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2012/04/25/151355713/hear-the-beach-boys-best-new-song-in-40-years

Bob Boilen of NPR's All Songs Considered calls it their "Best New Song in 40 Years"

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/songreviews/thats-why-god-made-the-radio-20120425
3/5 from Rolling Stone - "Kinda cosmic, sorta corny, undeniably beautiful."

http://music-mix.ew.com/2012/04/25/beach-boys-new-single-thats-why-god-made-the-radio/
Entertainment Weekly - "“That’s Why God Made the Radio” certainly has everything a vintage Beach Boys tune needs: Breezy harmonies, references to cars, and an almost exhausting sense of sweetness."

"Kinda cosmic, sorta corny, undeniably beautiful."

Really nails most of the group's output, to be honest.

Honestly, all that is important to me is that I like it... and I do!   ;D

Right. But it's good to see the media giving attention and giving good reviews. That way more people might get interested in the Beach Boys and buy the album/single.


BTW I like your avatar.....  ;D

And I like both of yours.

Well, this guy doesn't like it....

"...but we will occasionally be subjected to some sappy new-school Beach Boys songs that make Kokomo sound progressive."

http://www.chicagonow.com/jam-room/2012/04/beach-boys-new-single-thats-why-god-made-the-radio/

"Have to admit -- I really thought this reunion would eventually go the way of a Van Halen "They're gonna... No they're not.. But they might (but actually never were)"-type flirtation."

Does the guy realize Van Halen have been touring with David Lee Roth for almost six years now and they just put out a new album a few months ago? I get what he's saying, but the reference doesn't feel especially accurate anymore.

I find it very ironic that the Chicago reviewer seems to be pinning the song on the rest of the band.  It's Brian's "people" who are behind it.  Mike and Al can't even be heard on it, if they're even there.  It sounds like a Brian solo record, not a Beach Boys record.  Though not one as good as TLOS.

Al and Mike are clearly audible in the song.

Brian and Mike are the only ones I can here. Oh and Jeff.  >:D

You can't hear Bruce on the "Fallin' in love"?

I can't... I hear mostly Jeff there. Maybe if I concentrate really hard.  ;)

Or Al's "in my car"?

I was just hoping for the quality of Brian's recent solo albums and I think we got it!

Also "like a prayer."

Yeah, and Bruce's all over the place harmonizing. Not just the bit in the end.

 ??? ??? ??? at 2:47??  i can hear bruce clearly at around 1:47 too.  he's the main voice in there.

3 hours till i can purchase it here on the west coast, unless there is something i'm missing...

i bought it at like 6 pm central time, off itunes. 

Thanks, just saw the other thread.  I'm going to wait until it's available on amazon, not fond of m4a files...meanwhile I'll listen to other cool stuff!

I love this song but I have to admit I really really hate how Jeff sounds when he sings "Gawwwww-ud" (at 2:54 and later) The way he enunciates sounds like a guy trying to parody Brian at worst and a guy overthinking when he sings and using technique, at best.  Unlike Brian who just sang like that seemingly effortlessly and like butter.

Hey, I like the new song n' all, but NPR has apparently reported that it is better than anything off the Holland album, or Love You, for that matter.

Hmmmmmmmm......................

They just corrected it, they meant to say the best Beach Boys single in 400 years.

It is the best new Beach Boys single of the next 400 years, starting right NOW.

when i hear him sing "god" at the end, i'm imagining him stepping in front of a broadway stage with his arms oustretched

Exactly!

Maybe if I could hear Mike anywhere it would create more Beach Boy-like balance!

I feel petty complaining like this. It's a great song. It's not simply that Jeff is there covering for Brian. I take no issue with that. It's just the WAY he sings that I don't like, and I guess it's my right to feel that way. But whatever. Brian approves, so I do too.... I guess.

Mike is in there. I think the confusion is due to the change in his voice - he is more hoarse now in the lower range. He is still a great singer, of course, but the bass Mike Love signature is not as clear on this song or on "Do It Agin 2011."

i think this song doesn't require a bass vocal, and people are looking for mike there, when he's actually singing mid.  but you can only hear him for a certain part, his voice is surprisingly weak on the recording

Not even close.

I was kind of wondering to myself why the blend seemed off and why there was a voice I didn't recognize...then it hit me that it's probably just that I'm not used to hearing David Marks in there.

"Really nails most of the group's output, to be honest."

You're missing 'emtional depth'.

At which point Brian will release a new Beach Boys single.

To each their own. I hate Blondie's voice on a lot of their early 70s stuff.

I'm sure this has been covered, but in all of this I missed who wrote the song. I'm sure it wasn't Brian and Mike. Arranged by Brian (?), written by _______???

Thomas, Wilson, Peterik, Larry Millas

Yeah. This morning in my car, I finally found Al. I think the reason why I can't find Bruce is because I don't know what he sounds like these days. Dave I know I can't find because I haven't a clue what his voice ever sounded like.

Bruce is singing all the high parts that sound like an old man is singing them. David doesn't sing any lines on his own but he's the voice in the harmony that makes the harmony sound different than the regular blend.

Depends on the tunes, really. Most of the big surf and car hits don't have much -- at least not overtly.

http://www.holymoly.com/music/video/beach-boys-reunion-single-better-any-us-couldve-hoped62756

http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/04/top-10-mp3s-of-the-week-427/

One BB song is worth 10,000 words here . :)   If i was music critic i would say its perfect for what the bb's are now.   kinda reminds me of Good Timin'.   I give it a thumbs up.  except brian didn't write it.  I wonder if "God" in the title is some ty in to God only knows.   I don't think you can compare it to Holland.  Different time,  different ideas.  They were trying to be creative then and be relevant.   I don't think that would work now.   
This song isn't the production genius (brian?) of Steamboat, but thats quite ok.  The beach boys can sing about nostalgia, they have earned it..and they created most of it for me!!!!!
I guess...no...Mess O' Help To Stand Alone, on the tour? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA ...no? :)   Ok, how 'bout Transcendental  Meditation from  Friends? no? :)  If they did that song, it would be 1 million words on this board. :)
hahahahhaa.

Jay

His "She said…" line in Al's Don't Fight The Sea is classic Mike. Perfect delivery. On the accompanying video, that moment – when he stares right into the camera, sneers and dares you to challenge his questioning of 'Crow cries uncover the Cornfield' – is the moment the Beach Boys really came back.  That's Mike fit to bust yer balls!

Check it out at 4:44 in this video:

http://youtu.be/P8vx2njD_EU

Except that he did. Well, co-wrote it, at least.

How will we formally confirm that this song is a hit? Are we monitoring the billboard top 40 and is that our benchmark?

Top 40 at least.

i think he arranged/produced the track, and worked a lot on the tag (that's the most wilson part of it).  But i'm pretty sure the verse and chorus and bridge were given to the band as they are. 

He's credited as a co-writer. He's also listed as second in the non-alphabetical list of writers (Thomas-Wilson-Peterik-Millas) which suggests his contributions are greater than simply a tag.

A poster on the blue board said that Brian and Joe worked on the song last year and revised / finished it. After reading Boots post on the thread about the song proper, I suspect he did considerable work on the chorus.

Link: http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,12601.msg266580.html#msg266580

Do you really believe that?

Sure. Why don't you?

He should, it's true.

This guy gives TWMGTR a bad review:

http://www.thespacelab.tv/spaceLAB/2012/04April/MusicReview-068-Beach-Boys-That-Why-God-Made-The-Radio.htm (http://www.thespacelab.tv/spaceLAB/2012/04April/MusicReview-068-Beach-Boys-That-Why-God-Made-The-Radio.htm)


But for some reason I really had to laugh at this:

The lyrics on this song grasp at a conceit that doesn't make sense. GOD had nothing to do with the radio

 ;D ;D

What I like about the song is that Myke's nasal twang isn't to be heard anywhere on the song. Maybe they forgot to turn Myke's myke on. ;)

Exactly!! I felt that way when I watched that video for the first time.

the song is a classic. kudos to those who can recognize this. i'm amazed by how much sh!t some people have stuck in their ears...

this one's just too funny not to mention:

The new Beach Boys single is heavily influenced by the band's Jesse And The Rippers period
By Steven Hyden April 25, 2012

The Beach Boys have released the title track from their upcoming album, That's Why God Made The Radio, and it's about what you'd expect: A slow, embalmed-sounding hunk of nostalgia that's highly derivative of the band's Jesse And The Rippers period. Because we're eternally hopeful Beach Boys fanatics—or perhaps just incredibly naive—we're not totally giving up on some intentional weirdness popping up on this record. But in the meantime, enjoy this sweet, thoroughly unintentional piece of Beach Boys weirdness. [via Entertainment Weekly]

http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-new-beach-boys-single-is-heavily-influenced-by,73009/

Wow, I hear Mike loud and clear (and on form) on the "That's why..." bits immediately after the "Holdin' the line" middle eight.