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Smiley Smile Stuff => 1970's Beach Boys Albums => Topic started by: Charles LePage @ ComicList on December 24, 2005, 12:18:37 PM



Title: Surf's Up
Post by: Charles LePage @ ComicList on December 24, 2005, 12:18:37 PM
Discuss, review and rate Surf's Up, released August 1971.

(http://www.smileysmile.net/images/albums/su.gif)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on December 24, 2005, 12:53:45 PM
With the exception of Student Demonstration Time and, to a lesser extent, Disney Girls (which I like, in an odd, Beach-Boys cheesy kind of way), this is a really good album. I like Al's silly production tricks on things like Take Good Care of Your Feet, and the final trio of songs is brilliant (particularly my favorite of those three recordings, A Day in the Life of a Tree). Consider that Long Promised Road is also here, and in my book it's a heck of an album. Could've been better, but (as many other 70s Beach Boys albums proved) it could have been much worse.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jason on December 24, 2005, 01:44:41 PM
Better than all the 70s LPs except Sunflower and Love You. Some parts have not aged well.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: I. Spaceman on December 24, 2005, 03:13:41 PM
Perfect. Every track is great. 5.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: st2580smile on December 25, 2005, 04:30:30 PM
Truthfully, I found my copy in a bargan bin for 99 cents..
I freaked when "Surf's Up" played.
This spurred me to re-check The Beach Boys catalog.
Afterwards I was hooked and have never found better.
"Disney Girls" was intended for Bruce's solo Lp.
Art Garfunkel did a better job (with Bruce on piano/vocals).
Pete


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Wolfgang on December 27, 2005, 01:41:41 AM
Surf´s up is the next one of my top five list.

Smile!!!

Wolfgang


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: donald on December 27, 2005, 12:26:15 PM
The title cut.  Till I Die.  Those 2 could have been put on another album and the rest of it shelved for future compilations such as Hawthorne.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: SurferGirl7 on December 27, 2005, 08:11:55 PM
This album was my first introduction into later BB territory. My mom actually had a vinyl of this and that's how I became hooked to it. I like all of it (and yes even Disney Girls - Only on that album!) I do not like at all though S.D.T. 4th of July would have been a much better pick. I know some of you differ but I find S.D.T. annoying. Especially with Mike  >:(


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: monkee knutz on December 27, 2005, 08:20:02 PM
Used to only like a handful of tracks... then it grew hard & long (someone's gotta comment on that one).
Now it's in my top 5 faves. I used to hate SDT, now I can't imagine it NOT being there. Stellar album.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: I. Spaceman on December 27, 2005, 08:31:03 PM
Quote
... then it grew hard & long

An autobiography, by John Oates.

I totally agree on your assessment of the album. I love it. It's the evil twin of Sunflower, if Flower is I Can Hear Music, Up is Never Learn Not To Love.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: HighOnLife on December 28, 2005, 04:06:24 AM
Not one of my favorites.

3 Stars


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Emdeeh on January 01, 2006, 08:43:12 PM
*Surf's Up* is also in my personal top 5, right after *Wild Honey* and *Sunflower.*


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: wesi72 on January 02, 2006, 07:58:39 AM
Fantastic album. Disney Girls is one of my favourites on it and it was great seeing Bruce sing it live in 2004.
Sunflower/Surf's Up is my favourite twofer CD released. If I could only have 1 Beach Boys CD (at the moment) this would probably be it.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Cam Mott on January 07, 2006, 07:08:46 AM
I love this album [including SDT]; the Beach Boys' "White Album".


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on January 07, 2006, 07:21:03 AM
If only the Beatles had kept it to a single album like the Beach Boys did. I'm with George Martin on that -- a double was just too much.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Cam Mott on January 07, 2006, 10:38:43 AM
If only the Beatles had kept it to a single album like the Beach Boys did. I'm with George Martin on that -- a double was just too much.

Maybe it was for George but not for me.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on January 07, 2006, 10:46:34 AM
So you're with Paul?

"It's the bloody Beatles, it's the bloody White Album...shut up."


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Cam Mott on January 07, 2006, 10:00:22 PM
So you're with Paul?

"It's the bloody Beatles, it's the bloody White Album...shut up."

I don't know about all that but it is an album I enjoy very much and I don't think I would enjoy it more if there were less of it.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Aegir on January 07, 2006, 11:44:04 PM
If they didn't release the double, they would've probably ended up releasing two seperate LPs like six months apart and having the songs spread between them.

And Child of Nature probably would've been recorded, but that's a whole 'nother story entirely.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Glenn Greenberg on January 08, 2006, 02:47:55 PM
I give this a 3, but only because I gave SUNFLOWER a 4 and I think this is a notch below that album.

"Student Demonstration Time" is the one I always skip over, and I tend to skip over "Looking At Tomorrow" when I'm not feeling too lazy to hit the "skip" button on the CD player.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Howdy Doody on January 08, 2006, 07:32:55 PM
I like Carl's Feel flows and of course the Smile stuff (surf's up ect..) but it has some lame moments as well but I think it is a sweet album.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Stephen W. Desper on January 14, 2006, 03:46:15 PM
If you like Surf's Up you may find this link of interest to you.

http://community.webtv.net/askswd/CopyServiceInfo


Good Listening, ~Stephen W. Desper


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Reverend Joshua Sloane on January 14, 2006, 04:47:24 PM


http://community.webtv.net/askswd/CopyServiceInfo[/b]



How long is this offer available? I'm very interested in it, but it might be a few weeks till i've got a spare $20.

Sounds great though.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Stephen W. Desper on January 14, 2006, 07:30:42 PM


http://community.webtv.net/askswd/CopyServiceInfo[/b]



How long is this offer available? I'm very interested in it, but it might be a few weeks till i've got a spare $20.

Sounds great though.
Long term. ~swd


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Daniel S. on January 14, 2006, 10:14:39 PM
I'm very interested. Maybe I'll mail it out next week.  ;D


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: busy doin nothin on January 16, 2006, 07:39:01 AM
I absolutely love, love, love Surf's Up.  It is one of my ten favorite albums of all time, by anybody.  The only other Beach Boys albums that can compare to it, for me, are All Summer Long, Summer Days, Pet Sounds, Wild Honey, and Love You.

Don't Go Near the Water -- the tag is absolutely breathtaking, sounds like a SMiLE outtake with the harmonica.

Long Promised Road -- Awesome Carl rocker, one of the best songs of early 70s music.

Take a Load off Your Feet -- Catchy, fun, love Brian's vocals on first verse and bridge.

Disney Girls -- A little sappy, but awesome.  Bruce's best song ever.

Student Demonstration Time -- The weakest link, but I still like it.  Great guitar work.

Feel Flows -- Almost as good as LPR.  Carl played everything but the flute!  An early 70s classic.

Looking at Tomorrow -- Criminally underrated.  Love the guitar work and the synth/organ in the last verse.

ADITLOAT -- An acquired taste, but for me, arguably the best thing Brian ever recorded.  And that, obviously, is saying something. 

Til I Die -- I find it a little overrated, but still a brilliant, brilliant song.

Surf's Up -- A breathtaking track.  I adore this version, I adore Brian's '66 version, and the BWPS version.  A timeless classic.

Bottom line: I love this album.  I absolutely adore it.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jonas on January 17, 2006, 07:44:32 AM
This album is a 5 but student demostration time or whatver its called makes it a 4. its really sad how just one song can bring the rating on star lower...but seriously, when its that awful...it can.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Compost on January 17, 2006, 11:27:14 AM
I'm gradually warming up to this album after 15 years of listening, due in no small part to the assorted freaks on this board.

'Don't Go Near...' still sounds mostly lame and pretentious to me though the coda is gorgeous and the "toothpaste and soap" bit is fun.
'Disney Girls' has the same effect as epicac on me, though it's arguably nice.
'ADITLOAT' - while I'll concede that it is very sad and poignant, it isn't a frequent listen for me.
'Looking At Tomorrow' screams Jardine in a not-so-fresh sort of way.

Other than that, it's a treat:  3.5


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Chris Brown on January 17, 2006, 08:05:17 PM
Based primarily on the final 3 songs, I'll say 4.  The rest of the album has some decent cuts but Brian just totally ups the ante.  A Day in the Life of a Tree bowls me over every time, probably the single saddest musical statement Brian ever made. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Evenreven on January 18, 2006, 09:08:13 AM
Perfect. Every track is great. 5.
Even Don't Go Near The Water?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mitchell on January 18, 2006, 09:17:46 AM
Man, I love that song.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: I. Spaceman on January 18, 2006, 11:20:04 AM
Perfect. Every track is great. 5.
Even Don't Go Near The Water?

Especially Don't Go near The Water.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Matinee Idyll on January 18, 2006, 03:08:18 PM
"Take a Load off Your Feet"... fuuuuuck.  If I had to nominate one for the title of "crap song" on this album, it'd be that... ugh... It's so much worse than Don't Go Near The Water, and yet it doesn't get singled out because Brian had some part in its hideousness?

"Wouldn't it be Nice to Live Again".


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: I. Spaceman on January 18, 2006, 03:20:35 PM
That song's great too.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on January 18, 2006, 03:52:59 PM
Nothing against "Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again," but I wouldnt want to remove "...Feet." I think it's a nice example of Al's stuff before he got too annoyingly oldies-heavy. If you must remove something, there's always SDT.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: I. Spaceman on January 18, 2006, 03:54:48 PM
I'd remove Surf's Up. Doesn't fit.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Compost on January 18, 2006, 03:58:42 PM
"Take a Load off Your Feet"... fuuuuuck.  If I had to nominate one for the title of "crap song" on this album, it'd be that... ugh... It's so much worse than Don't Go Near The Water, and yet it doesn't get singled out because Brian had some part in its hideousness?
The first four lines, as sung by Mike (who, incidentally, sounds like he would have bad breath in this song) reveal its crappiness.  The end is great - the rest:  embarassing.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Daniel S. on January 20, 2006, 02:31:12 PM
3

I wanted to give this album a higher rating. But then I actually listened to it. There's a lot of great stuff on Surf's Up, but Gosh Darn, the one-two punch of Disney Girls immediately followed by Student Demonstration Time is too much. And Take A Load Off Your Feet sucks. From reading the posts it seems some people seem to like SDT and Disney Girls, but some people are also masochists that enjoy torture. Over the years I've come to really appreciate A Day In The Life Of A Tree. I know Ian really likes the Jack Rielley vocal, but I still wish Brian had sung it. It's sort of a Beach Boys tradition to have uneven albums, a few genius songs mixed with horrible songs. Very few Beach Boys albums are great all the way through.   Didn't Steven Desper once say that the Beach Boys think in terms of individual songs and not albums?

As far as this being a perfect record, I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Evenreven on January 24, 2006, 10:16:09 AM
Perfect. Every track is great. 5.
Even Don't Go Near The Water?

Especially Don't Go near The Water.
I thought your favourite was Student Demonstration Time.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: I. Spaceman on January 24, 2006, 10:53:46 AM
FUM HIM THE MOURDOROUS BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Evenreven on January 24, 2006, 10:55:52 AM
I miss BarryDavidThompson.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: I. Spaceman on January 24, 2006, 10:58:48 AM
His magic is alive, whenever we speak his words. Don't weep, my child.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Evenreven on January 24, 2006, 10:59:43 AM
The big problem is getting the number of exclamation points right.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: RobtheNobleSurfer on January 24, 2006, 04:43:22 PM
Two great Carl songs.

Lame Mike Love update of an oldie.

Surf's Up and Til I Die.

The lame Don't Go Near The Water.

The sublime, if sugary Disney Girls.

The pretentious Looking At Tomorrow.

And BAM!!!!!!!!!!! Day In The Life Of A Tree is a typical oddball Brian offering. Hell, he even got the band's manager to sing it!

Too uneven. I find myself skipping tracks.

3.





Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Chris D. on January 24, 2006, 07:15:26 PM
For all their supposed right wing conservatism you've got to give the guys credit for caring about the environment.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Smilin Ed H on January 25, 2006, 11:44:37 AM
Mike and Bruce even did a show for a Democrat whose views on the environment they supported.  Can't remember his name, but I think it was a couple of yeras ago.  I'm not sure how "right wing" the others were/are.  I suspect some of them weren't/aren't at all.  Brian's wife isn't!

Anyhow, for what it's worth, this was the first 70s BB album I bought.  I loved it then and I still love it now.  I'm not the greatest fan of SDT and would've preferred the early Big Sur and since I found they existed, I would love to have heard the Dennis tracks that were recorded for it. I have no problem at all with Take a Load, A Day in the Life, Looking at Tomorrow or Don't Go Near the Water (though I'll admit it's lame, lyrically, if fun in a pessimistic kind way). 

Til I Die, Surf's Up, Day in the Life, Looking at Tomorrow (heard the jazzed out version performed in the early 70s?!), Long Promised Road, Feel Flows and Disney Girls are among my favourite BB songs.

Great cover, too.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Daniel S. on January 27, 2006, 01:50:00 AM
The album cover art is great. Really sums up the period and where the boys were at.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Sir Rob on January 27, 2006, 02:11:34 AM
For all their supposed right wing conservatism you've got to give the guys credit for caring about the environment.

Really?  That always struck me as trying to fit in with the 'counter-culture' etc at the time.  I think that was Jack Reilly's strategy for the band.  See also 'Student Demonstration Time'.  All sounds a bit forced to me.  Still, I like this album very much, especially Disney Girls and the last three tracks.  After Pet Sounds it was the second Beach Boys album I was familiar with as a child.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jeff Mason on January 27, 2006, 04:18:07 AM
For all their supposed right wing conservatism you've got to give the guys credit for caring about the environment.

Really?  That always struck me as trying to fit in with the 'counter-culture' etc at the time.  I think that was Jack Reilly's strategy for the band.  See also 'Student Demonstration Time'.  All sounds a bit forced to me.  Still, I like this album very much, especially Disney Girls and the last three tracks.  After Pet Sounds it was the second Beach Boys album I was familiar with as a child.

See, some of that is true, esp the Native American consciousness on Trader, or maybe Looking At Tomorrow's social welfare thoughts.  But Mike and Al have proven by their actions over the years that they are serious about the environment.  In fact, Mike's environmentalism has for the most part pulled him out of the Republican camp into more independent thinking.  So I give them credit for things like Don't Go Near the Water as sincere.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Sir Rob on January 27, 2006, 04:41:59 AM
For all their supposed right wing conservatism you've got to give the guys credit for caring about the environment.

Really?  That always struck me as trying to fit in with the 'counter-culture' etc at the time.  I think that was Jack Reilly's strategy for the band.  See also 'Student Demonstration Time'.  All sounds a bit forced to me.  Still, I like this album very much, especially Disney Girls and the last three tracks.  After Pet Sounds it was the second Beach Boys album I was familiar with as a child.

See, some of that is true, esp the Native American consciousness on Trader, or maybe Looking At Tomorrow's social welfare thoughts.  But Mike and Al have proven by their actions over the years that they are serious about the environment.  In fact, Mike's environmentalism has for the most part pulled him out of the Republican camp into more independent thinking.  So I give them credit for things like Don't Go Near the Water as sincere.

There is a thematic similarity between 'Trader' and Neil Young's 'Cortez The Killer'.  Which came first?  Do you think the similarity is purely co-incidental?  Both songs I like BTW. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Smilin Ed H on January 27, 2006, 04:45:34 AM
When did Carl refuse to serve in the army?
Aren't Native American themes apparent in SMiLE?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jeff Mason on January 27, 2006, 05:57:46 AM
Carl wasn't a lyricist.  Brian was minimally involved in the early 70's records.  The lyrics in question come from Mike, Al and Jack Reiley.  Those often seem forced as mentioned above.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Chris D. on January 27, 2006, 07:49:55 AM
Quote
There is a thematic similarity between 'Trader' and Neil Young's 'Cortez The Killer'.  Which came first?  Do you think the similarity is purely co-incidental?  Both songs I like BTW.

Well, they're both American (Neil's Canadian, right, but close enough)...I don't think it's so weird.  It's not like a guy in Greece is decrying the European treatment of the Indians.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Sir Rob on January 27, 2006, 07:52:56 AM
Quote
There is a thematic similarity between 'Trader' and Neil Young's 'Cortez The Killer'.  Which came first?  Do you think the similarity is purely co-incidental?  Both songs I like BTW.

Well, they're both American (Neil's Canadian, right, but close enough)...I don't think it's so weird.  It's not like a guy in Greece is decrying the European treatment of the Indians.

No, I don't think it's weird - just wondering if one song influenced the other.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Chris D. on January 27, 2006, 07:54:24 AM
Okay.  Good question.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: BananaLouie on January 28, 2006, 05:42:29 PM
Definatly up there with the best of the boy's 70s albums, like someone mentioned some of the tracks haven't aged well, Student Demonstration Time sounds especially dated, the Brian Wilson suite is brilliant, not including any of Dennis's songs is criminal, a 4.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jonas on January 28, 2006, 06:41:15 PM
thats not Brian on the lead vocal of A Day in the Life of?

I always thought it was...hmmm

im assuming thats VDP with the vocals in the end?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on January 28, 2006, 06:44:44 PM
The lead is Jack Rieley. VDP is audible, singing "Trees like me weren't meant to live..."


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Chris Brown on January 31, 2006, 05:14:50 PM
The only solo singing Bri does is after Van Dyke's "trees like me weren't meant to live" line, after all the other vocal parts have come in...I'm almost positive it's Brian singing "Oh lord I lay me down" during the fade, somewhat buried in the mix.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Matinee Idyll on January 31, 2006, 05:39:11 PM
The only solo singing Bri does is after Van Dyke's "trees like me weren't meant to live" line, after all the other vocal parts have come in...I'm almost positive it's Brian singing "Oh lord I lay me down" during the fade, somewhat buried in the mix.

It sounds more like Al's folky tinge to these ears...  Does anybody know for certain?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on January 31, 2006, 07:29:38 PM
The only solo singing Bri does is after Van Dyke's "trees like me weren't meant to live" line, after all the other vocal parts have come in...I'm almost positive it's Brian singing "Oh lord I lay me down" during the fade, somewhat buried in the mix.

It sounds more like Al's folky tinge to these ears...  Does anybody know for certain?

I thought that was Al, too.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mitchell on February 01, 2006, 06:50:37 AM
I think it's Al, too. It's the "my branches to the ground" part that sounds like Al.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Joshilyn Hoisington on February 01, 2006, 10:18:37 AM
It's Brian pitch shifted up a little bit for some reason.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Joshilyn Hoisington on February 01, 2006, 10:18:55 AM
That is, if you want to believe the guy who recorded it.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mitchell on February 01, 2006, 11:27:01 AM
Yeah, that was the only thing preventing me from saying it's definitely Al. Though Stephen was wrong about the falsetto in Be Here in the Morning... maybe Al remembers this detail, too?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Joshilyn Hoisington on February 01, 2006, 11:52:54 AM
Perhaps he does.  See, I think that it actually does sound like Brian at the section in question.  The pronunciation of "branches" is what does it for me.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mitchell on February 01, 2006, 12:04:00 PM
I'll have to listen more carfully after reading the Desper book (I'm not quite at that song yet and I don't have the book with me to read it).


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on February 01, 2006, 12:56:38 PM
That is, if you want to believe the guy who recorded it.

Wait, I thought he was a phony scammer!?

 ;)

It really has always sounded like Al to me, amusingly enough, because of the way he says "branches." But I'd believe whoever knows based on more concrete info than that which I have (i.e., my faulty ears).


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Joshilyn Hoisington on February 01, 2006, 01:55:31 PM
Here's the vocal in question, as isolated as I could get it and tuned down to probably about where it would have been recorded, roughly a whole step down. 

http://www.someoneliving.com/alorbrian.mp3

Odd that at times it sounds very Brianish, Alish, and even Carlish. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mitchell on February 01, 2006, 02:10:57 PM
I think "ground" sounds like Al... but I do hear "Carl" too... weird.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Aegir on February 02, 2006, 08:52:41 AM
I don't hear Carl in there at all; I think it's Al. It sounds like Brian until he tries hitting the high note, then it's clearly a very gritty my-dream-job-is-a-dentist-and-I-like-folk-music sounding type Al vocal.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mitchell on February 02, 2006, 08:58:24 AM
It's not that it sounds like Carl is singing it, it's that it has Carl-esque tones (you know?). I still think it's Al.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Joshilyn Hoisington on February 02, 2006, 12:40:06 PM
Yeah, I think there's too much Al in it to be Brian.  Maybe they split the line up.  I think it's more likely that Al would be sounding like Brian in places than the other way around.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Reverend Joshua Sloane on February 02, 2006, 05:43:46 PM
You know I don't talk about that song much.

I avoid discussion of it at all costs most of the time.

I find the song the single most heartbreaking song in all of Brian's career.

It sounds to me like Beethoven, or Bach put together with words as well as that damning organ.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Matinee Idyll on February 02, 2006, 06:54:47 PM
I find that with "Surf's Up" and "Day in the life of a tree" it's the codas that really smack me right in the heart... the rest of the songs leaves me cold...

"I heard the word, wonderful thing a childrens soooo-ooooo-oooong" and the following "Child-child" stuff is one of the most beautifully resonant things I've ever heard... but up until then it doesn't do much for me...

as for "Tree", again the song leaves me undercooked until the devastating coda...

Two of bri's best codas ever.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jonas on February 03, 2006, 06:15:54 PM
Here's the vocal in question, as isolated as I could get it and tuned down to probably about where it would have been recorded, roughly a whole step down. 

http://www.someoneliving.com/alorbrian.mp3

Odd that at times it sounds very Brianish, Alish, and even Carlish. 

after further review (of listening to your mp3 and the song itself), I have to agree...its a bit shakey. At first, I thought it was Brian, totally, but listening to it now I hear its 'Al's Qualities' for lack of a better term.

either way, GREAT song.  8)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: TV Forces on February 07, 2006, 09:06:44 AM
I'm going to have to give "Surf's Up," a rating of 3-stars.
"Long Promised Road" and the entire second side are tops!
But the rest is really non-essential.  I enjoy "Disney Girls"
from the bridge out, but SDT is worthless.  Well, I do have
a soft spot for "Feet."  Bizarre, but cool.

That's 7 out of 10 top tunes.  That's 70%.  A C-minus.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Daniel S. on February 07, 2006, 08:23:29 PM
I've read that during the recording of A Day In The Life Of A Tree, Brian was crying at the end of the recording session. Some cynical people, who probably don't like the song, have said that Brian was just doing one of his famous put ons. I bet he was actually moved by it. Actually now that I think of it, someone on the old board once posted an interview with Jack Reiley where he said that any stories of Brian crying are BS. Anyway, this song has almost brought me to tears many times. But I still didn't actually cry. I'm not that big a freak.

Isn't Surf's Up one of Neil Young's favorite albums?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Bubba Ho-Tep on February 14, 2006, 01:19:59 PM
I think this album is really overrated. Maybe with Dennis material it would be something, but as it is, it's MIU in '71 with Surf's Up and Til I Die. Low quality songs, although Carl made a good effort here. Too Love/Jardine top heavy. Disney Girls is pretty good. The rest is sort of mediocre.

I give it a 3 thanks to Brian's contributions.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Dr. Tim on February 19, 2006, 12:39:06 PM
I know Sunflower and Friends are better but I have a soft spot for this LP which I first heard on its release, then I worked back to the others.  Even the stuff no one's supposed to like.  Sure SDT's lyrics are pedestrian but I give Mike props for singing through a bullhorn (genius touch) and the fuzz-box guitars direct into the console became the signature guitar style for 10cc just a couple years later.   Good work Mr. Desper.   And the ride-out is pleasant enough.  Here come the flame-throwers...

Disney Girls may be Bruce treacle but it was a big turntable hit at the time, the girl DJs at our campus radio station esp. loved that song.  "Feet" I just considered a gag track and so it doesn't bug me, it's just silly.  "Lookin At Tomorrow" has dopey rich white-boy-I'm-sorry-for-you-po'-folk lyrics but it goes down easily musically.  "Free Flows" is Carl's best song; its arrangement was recently stolen by the Welsh band Super Furry Animals for a sound-alike song on their 2005 disc.   And the last three Brian tracks...well...what can I say that everyone else hasn't already waxed eloquent about...
Sometimes even a not-perfect LP by any means can still be a guilty pleasure.  Only it's not guilty.  A 4 overall for me.   


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Chris D. on February 19, 2006, 08:47:59 PM
Where the f*** did Jardine pull "Lookin' at Tomorrow" from?  Lina and I are going mental over this one.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Matinee Idyll on February 20, 2006, 02:52:12 AM
Someone, perhaps Ian, said he nabbed it from an old folk song hardly anyone's heard...  Quite beautiful song, nice to hear them somewhat successfully branching out into other styles, though the "baba ba ba ba ba ba do do do do" part sounds forced and silly, undermines the quality of the rest of the song... 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Chris D. on February 20, 2006, 07:32:18 AM
Someone, perhaps Ian, said he nabbed it from an old folk song hardly anyone's heard...  Quite beautiful song, nice to hear them somewhat successfully branching out into other styles, though the "baba ba ba ba ba ba do do do do" part sounds forced and silly, undermines the quality of the rest of the song... 

No way, the whole thing is psycho.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: I. Spaceman on February 20, 2006, 10:48:54 AM
That "ba ba" part is almost my favorite moment on the album.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on February 20, 2006, 01:52:37 PM
I was waiting for you to say that "SDT" was your favorite part of the album, Ian.

 ;)

I like "Lookin At Tomorrow," by the way. And I could certainly imagine it being plucked from a folk song...if not, he's used his inspirations wonderfully to make a great little song.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Reverend Joshua Sloane on February 24, 2006, 12:36:46 PM
I'm not a big fan of Surf's Up.

When I listen to the Twofer i'll usually skip right down to "Take A Load Off Your Feet" which I enjoy very much, then down to the ending trio of amazing songs.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Chris D. on February 24, 2006, 01:07:49 PM
I'm not a big fan of Surf's Up.

When I listen to the Twofer i'll usually skip right down to "Take A Load Off Your Feet" which I enjoy very much, then down to the ending trio of amazing songs.

Stick to Slow Jams, philistine.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jason Penick on February 25, 2006, 03:12:20 PM
A nearly successful attempt to follow up the glorious Sunflower.

Don't Go Near the Water - I never really liked this song until the 2fer dropped.  Now this track makes perfect sense as the follow-up to "Cool Cool Water", both musically and thematically.  Sunflower was all about appreciating nature and its beauty.  Alternately, Surf's Up takes an look at the underside of this beauty, but still retains some of its precursor's optimism.  Lovely coda, by the way.

Long Promised Road - Good, not superb.  nice to see Carl branching out from the comfortable nostalgia of "I Can Hear Music" into something more adventurous.  Lyrics by Jack Reiley are forced, but do continue the themes present in Bob Burchman's words to "It's About Time".  Carl is older and wiser this time around.

Take a Load Off Your Feet - OK, I'm gonna be a hypocrite here.  I usually hate it when people do the old "if only they had switched this track with this track" bit, but in the case of Surf's Up I just can't help myself.  "Take a Load off Your Feet" is a Sunflower outtake, and it belongs on the deluxe edition of that album, NOT on Surf's Up.  It sticks out like a sore thumb here... it's just way, way too goofy for this otherwise serious record.  In its place we should have heard Dennis's "Fourth of July", which would have worked perfectly in this slot.

Disney Girls - Gotta give Bruce a number, and what better song than this sweet ode to simpler times?  Certainly one of the most heartfelt tunes I've ever heard.  Deservedly covered by many artists, including Cass Elliot and Art Garfunkel.

Student Demonstration Time - Gotta give Mike a showcase too, I guess-- so how about this over-the-top re-write of an overplayed Leiber/ Stoeller Coasters' song?  "SDT" is obvious, cliched, simplistic and borderline obnoxious; but then again so is Mike, and as such the song works.  Sorta.

Feel Flows - Amazing.  The best thing Carl Wilson ever wrote or produced.  Cameron Crowe nailed it when he used this over the credits to "Almost Famous".  Says everything about the 70's that needed to be said, and it was only '71 when they recorded it!  Charles Lloyd's flute and the adventurous use of the Moog takes this track to the next level.

Looking at Tomorrow - A cool Al Jardine moment.  Hey that's a phrase you don't hear that much!  Seriously, I dig this.  Nobody would ever believe this was a "Beach Boys song", and that's kind of the point of this album, now isn't it?  I wish Al had stuck to this folkie stuff instead of falling into the pit of oldies despair.

A Day in the Life of a Tree - BW makes his considerable presence felt on one of the album's final tracks.  Sad, mournful, melancholy... that about sums it up.  Dude was not a happy camper at this point, which leads us nicely into...

Til I Die - The last song from BW's pen I would label "classic".  Just an incredible portrait of a individual who's lost control of his life, yet at the same time is existentially coherent enough to view himself via the role of the ultimate observer.   To say Brian bares his soul on this song is a massive understatement.  Heartbreaking.

Surf's Up - It's a damned shame SMiLE never came out in 1967.  If it had, "Surf's Up" the song could have been released in its rightful environment, and the closing slot of this new Beach Boys LP (Landlocked I guess we'll call it) could have gone to Dennis and Stan Shapiro's magnificent "Wouldn't It Be Nice" aka "To Live Again".  As it stands, I'm sure fans were grateful to finally hear this masterpiece of a song, albeit four years late.  But as with 20/20, the overall album suffers from inconsistency in hindsight, by including material that should have belonged to another project.  Note to Alan Boyd: Please find some way to convince Capitol to release the Surf's Up DVD-A, so we can rectify this and finally hear Dennis's great lost song!



Four stars.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jason Penick on April 15, 2006, 01:06:53 PM
How about this for an alternate Surf's Up line-up?  You'd have to call it Landlocked, though.


Don't Go Near the Water
Long Promised Road
Fourth of July
Disney Girls [1957]
Big Sur
Feel Flows
Lookin' at Tomorrow
A Day in the Life of a Tree
Til I Die
Wouldn't It Be Nice [To Live Again]


I think this line-up would be more cohesive, as all these songs were recorded during the same sessions.  It eliminates the noisy and simplistic "Student Demonstration Time" in leiu of the peaceful and harmonious original take of "Big Sur", and replaces the two outdated tunes with Dennis's excellent new contributions.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on May 19, 2006, 01:55:49 PM
I never thought I'd say this, but today when I listened to the twofer, I liked SDT. I still think the lyrics are poor, but mostly just when Mike sings the title. But aside from the sound effects--WHICH I HATE--that's really the only thing I dislike. And the bg vox "There's a riot goin on" and track actually struck me today as quite good.

Whoda thunkit?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: I. Spaceman on May 19, 2006, 02:35:47 PM
 ;D


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Steve Mayo on May 19, 2006, 04:31:52 PM
i like this lp a lot. brings back a lot of good memories on the group. i just started college when it was released. you had the comeback starting. earlier in august they were on the nbc special good vibrations from central park. time had an article on them and the new lp. there was a buzz in the air about them again. radio was different back then. am was what is now fm. fm was "album tracks" and "underground". i first heard songs from this lp listening to wcfl out of chicago at night when i could pick it up on am. don't go near the water was played a lot by them. i taped an ad for the lp off of wcfl and the price was , ready for this, $2.89. marshall university was just across the river and their radio staion was fm. they played the heck out of sdt. i for one like the song. back then it  helped them a lot getting the air play prior beach boy lp's didn't get. it played an important role for the group back then. when they played ny in sept, i remember reviews of the show liking the song. also played a lot on fm back here was feel flows. man, that is the song i liked. wish carl had kept writing like that. dennis songs were missed but the big picture was they had an lp that finally was selling well and getting great reviews and getting airplay. heck, even the single surf's up was played back here.

5 stars all the way for me..........


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on May 19, 2006, 08:50:08 PM
;D

F off, man!  :)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: punkinhead on May 19, 2006, 10:08:07 PM
no kiddin...i just think the song itself is bad quality...listening wise


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Vega-Table Man on August 26, 2006, 05:01:16 PM
I have to say, I never rated this album highly, despite "'Til I Die" and "Surf's Up," both of which I've loved since I first heard the CD about 14 years ago. But I found a vinyl copy in a $1 bin a few days back, and I listened to it today ... and it really got through to me for the first time. I let Side 1 play through and I was pretty surprised that I was enjoying every song with the exception of SDT (and, yes, some of the lyrics in "Don't Go Near the Water" made me cringe a bit). So I played all of Side 2 and I have to say ... while I wouldn't place it among my very favorite BB records, the album is now a solid 4 in my book.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: MBE on August 28, 2006, 03:56:07 AM
Vinyl makes all the difference even on recent releases like Brian's last 3 solo LPs. With Desper 3D sound device it's even better.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: briancarldennisal on September 13, 2006, 10:44:28 AM
"Disney Girls" was intended for Bruce's solo Lp.
Art Garfunkel did a better job (with Bruce on piano/vocals).
Pete

the garfunkel version is a lot better. i've always loved 'surfs up' and surpsingly i really like 'a day in the life of a tree'.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Daniel S. on September 14, 2006, 06:36:04 PM
I replaced 'Disney Girls' and 'Student Demonstration Time' with '4th of July' and 'Lady' , since those were originally supposed to be on the album. It flows much better, and of course those are very good songs. I feel if the Beach Boys had done this for real, then Surf's Up would have been the equal of Sunflower. Maybe even more powerful.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Rocker on September 18, 2006, 04:37:13 PM
"Lady" was also planed for inclusion on "Surf's up" ? Cool, didn't know that or just don't remember. But anyway, I think it wouldn't have fit very well on there....


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jason Penick on September 22, 2006, 08:26:59 PM
"Lady" was included on early line-ups on the Sunflower LP, but never was intended for Surf's Up AFAIK.  I remember hearing it was originally supposed to be "Fourth of July" in place of "Feet" and "To Live Again" in place of "Surf's Up".  Forget who the source for that info was though.

I really feel the inclusion of those Dennis tracks would have enhanced the album, but then again the title track only seems at home on SMiLE to me.  If I was around in 1971 I may have felt differently about it.  I also would have put the original "Big Sur" in place of "Student Demonstration Time", but that's just me.

 :afro - Blondie Chaplin
 :police: - Darryl Dragon
 :hat - Alan Boyd
 
8) - Phil Spector
 :drumroll - Dennis Wilson
 :ohyeah - Kool Aid Guy


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Shady on October 02, 2006, 02:07:23 AM
5...And im really digging STD


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Charles LePage @ ComicList on October 28, 2006, 09:29:35 PM
"The legendary title opus is an utter failure even on its own woozy terms and there are several disasters from the guest lyricists--Van Dyke Parks's wacked-out meandering is no better than Jack Rieley's."

http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=3473


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Daniel S. on October 28, 2006, 11:41:09 PM
Robert Christgau? Who's this clown?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on December 01, 2006, 03:30:09 PM
Robert Christgau? Who's this clown?

A longtime, well-known, respected music critic for various publications over the years, including Esquire, Rolling Stone (I believe), Village Voice and various others, and with whom I happen to strongly disagree on that point.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Magic Transistor Radio on January 05, 2007, 10:07:41 PM
I gave this album a 4. But if you replace SDT with one of Denny's song's, it would be better then Sunflower IMO.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Daniel S. on January 06, 2007, 01:24:41 AM
I gave this album a 4. But if you replace SDT with one of Denny's song's, it would be better then Sunflower IMO.

Yeah, '4th of July' would of been better on the album than that piece of sh*t 'SDT'.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: shelter on January 09, 2007, 07:40:47 AM
I think Lookin' At Tomorrow is one of the most underrated songs in the entire BB discography. I LOVE it.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: melissalynn on February 02, 2007, 02:32:32 PM
I've got to say...I wouldn't be the huge BB fan that I am today without 'Surf's Up'. The first song I ever really heard by the Beach Boys was 'Til I Die'. I fell in love instantly. Oddly, I'd shunned all of their earlier surf/hot rod works...I had dismissed them as just a 'surf band' when I was a teenager. But after I heard 'Til I Die', I knew there was MUCH more to this band than just surf music, which was the only BB stuff I'd been exposed to until that point. 'Til I Die' is still my favorite BB song.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: pixletwin on April 24, 2007, 12:08:43 PM
IMO SDT is terrible. It tries so hard to be an edgy 70's war track but I really hate who the message is "If you wanna go protest somesthing, Don't. You might get shot kid."

Lameness to the Nth degree. Replace ith with Dennis' 4th of July and you would have a "4". As it is, I have to give it a "3".

But man, I love "A Day In The Life Of A Tree". What a great piece and I wonder if Brian connected the lyrics to himself or it only seems that way in hindsight?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: mikeyj on April 26, 2007, 02:13:54 AM
I, like many other people am not the biggest fan of Student Demonstration Time. But other than that the album is full of some really nice tracks with two all-time great songs at the end.

Don't Go Near The Water - starts the album of in a nice way, nothing spectacular but nice nonetheless.
Long Promised Road - in my opinion one of Carl's best songs. I really like this one. I've heard some people say they hate it but I quite like it. It has a real nice feel to it.
Take A Load of Your Feet - Ive always dug this song. Its a really humours song and yet very easy to listen to and enjoy
Disney Girls - not one I listen to too much but it is a nice song.
Student Demonstration Time - as I said Im not the biggest fan. It almost tries too hard for my liking.
Feel Flows - I dont know what I like better, this or Long Promised Road. Another really nice song from Carl.
Lookin At Tommorow - This for me is the most under-rated song on the album. I really like it. It has a real sort of eerie feel to it but I really enjoy it. Not one that I immediately took to I must admit but it has grown on me.
A Day In The Life of A Tree - a lot of people also under-rate this song. But Ive also seen a lot of people praise it (hence why I didnt say this one was the most under-rated on the album). But another really cool song. I actually referred to this song in my final high school exams.
Til I Die - A brilliant brilliant song. Enough good things cant be said about this song to be honest. A real classic. I love Brian's "Until I Die" after the third verse, sends shivers down my spine. Absoultely breathtaking. The instrumentation and singing conveys exactly what Brian was trying to convey. I really like the four minute version aswell. The intro to that is fantastic, it perfectly conveys the sense of someone feeling real lonely and sad. One of Brian's best masterpieces
Surf's Up - another masterpiece. Why where these last two songs placed at the end of the album? Anyway another fantastic song. I must admit I would've prefered Brian singing the first section instead of Carl. But Carl still does a fine job although he doesnt sing it the way Brian could. Brian sung it with all his heart and so much emotion because obviously it was one of his treasured SMiLE songs. Another brilliant song. I could never get tired of listening to this song.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jonas on May 01, 2007, 01:11:54 PM
Til I Die - I really like the four minute version aswell. The intro to that is fantastic, it perfectly conveys the sense of someone feeling real lonely and sad. One of Brian's best masterpieces

If you're talking about the instrumental that was included in Endless Harmony, that's Stephen Desper's mix. :)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: mikeyj on May 02, 2007, 03:09:38 PM
Til I Die - I really like the four minute version aswell. The intro to that is fantastic, it perfectly conveys the sense of someone feeling real lonely and sad. One of Brian's best masterpieces

If you're talking about the instrumental that was included in Endless Harmony, that's Stephen Desper's mix. :)


Yeh but isnt it just using the instruments in the mix that Brian recorded? So its still Brians music just mixed differently. And underneath it all it is brilliant. Sorry if Im wrong, which I probably am but thats what I always thought.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on May 02, 2007, 03:25:28 PM
Yeh but isnt it just using the instruments in the mix that Brian recorded? So its still Brians music just mixed differently. And underneath it all it is brilliant. Sorry if Im wrong, which I probably am but thats what I always thought.

Yes, you are correct: the Desper mix loops existing material, mixed differently. I wouldn't say that's a "just," though, which minimizes it. Take a dozen or more separate tracks of music, EQ them, add effects, manage their levels and pan them across the stereo spectrum...it's a LOT harder than you might think. You can entirely change a song, as Desper did in that mix, basically doubling it in length and making it even more sparse and contemplative than the original.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: thomasogg on July 14, 2007, 11:47:07 PM
'Student Demo Time' (absolute garbage) and 'Take a Load off Your Feet' are perhaps two of the worst songs in the entire BB catalogue, yet I would still give this flawed album 5 out of 5 simply because the rest of the material on the record ranks as some of the BEST music they ever produced. Carl's 2 songs are both masterpieces, while Disney Girls is by far Bruce's finest BB moment, his only genuinely great BB track. And of course all of the last 3 tracks by Brian are utterly great! The exclusion of Dennis' tracks is a travesty, and one which has never really had a coherent explanation given as to why his songs were excluded.. Did Al really need to have more writing credits on the record than any other member but Brian? If '..Feet' had been replaced by any one of 'Lady', '4th Of July' or 'Wouldn't It Be Nice..' the album would've been up their with Pet Sounds in terms of artistic merit! As it is, it remains a great album and very much a personal favourite! I thank you.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: mikeyj on July 15, 2007, 03:54:08 AM
Yes, you are correct: the Desper mix loops existing material, mixed differently. I wouldn't say that's a "just," though, which minimizes it. Take a dozen or more separate tracks of music, EQ them, add effects, manage their levels and pan them across the stereo spectrum...it's a LOT harder than you might think. You can entirely change a song, as Desper did in that mix, basically doubling it in length and making it even more sparse and contemplative than the original.

Well since Im not a music buff (ie: ive never mixed anything or recorded anything really) I would have no idea. Im sure it is complex, my uncle owns a really big recording studio in Australia and I have watched him work and it is crazy how complex it looks (to me anyway).

'Student Demo Time' (absolute garbage) and 'Take a Load off Your Feet' are perhaps two of the worst songs in the entire BB catalogue, yet I would still give this flawed album 5 out of 5 simply because the rest of the material on the record ranks as some of the BEST music they ever produced. Carl's 2 songs are both masterpieces, while Disney Girls is by far Bruce's finest BB moment, his only genuinely great BB track. And of course all of the last 3 tracks by Brian are utterly great! The exclusion of Dennis' tracks is a travesty, and one which has never really had a coherent explanation given as to why his songs were excluded.. Did Al really need to have more writing credits on the record than any other member but Brian? If '..Feet' had been replaced by any one of 'Lady', '4th Of July' or 'Wouldn't It Be Nice..' the album would've been up their with Pet Sounds in terms of artistic merit! As it is, it remains a great album and very much a personal favourite! I thank you.

I like Take A Load Off Your Feet.. I mean its just a fun little track. There is a lot of BB songs that if you forget about the silly subject matter and dont take it too seriously then it can be quite enjoyable. Obviously nowhere near the class of say Surfs Up or whatever but still a harmless little fun tune in my opinion. I agree with you about Student Demonstration Time though. I mean what would you rather STD (a song that they didnt even REALLY write) or Lady or some other DW song... I think I know what 99.99% of people would say...


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on July 15, 2007, 09:14:16 AM
I like Take A Load Off Your Feet.. I mean its just a fun little track. There is a lot of BB songs that if you forget about the silly subject matter and dont take it too seriously then it can be quite enjoyable. Obviously nowhere near the class of say Surfs Up or whatever but still a harmless little fun tune in my opinion.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. It's a silly song--who cares? It also has a nice hook, it's singable and it's very well recorded, if slightly over-produced for my taste. An album of "serious" songs (which, in my opinion, are usually tedious when the Beach Boys do them--they aren't the most deep-thinking band, lyrically speaking) would get old. So why not be funny for a while, be silly for a while? It's a lightweight, but it's nice.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: thomasogg on July 16, 2007, 02:25:48 PM
I agree that 'Student Demo..' is the real lowpoint on Surf's Up, but you gotta be realistic.. There's no way Mike'd ever allow his track not to be included, no matter how blatantly bad it was! Al on the other hand already had 3 songs on the album, so it really would've been more fair for the weakest of his three tracks ('..Feet') to be excluded to make way for one of Dennis's songs.  There's no real democracy in one member being entirely excluded really is there? But then, why didn't they just release a standard 12 track album?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: mikeyj on July 17, 2007, 05:34:05 AM
I agree that 'Student Demo..' is the real lowpoint on Surf's Up, but you gotta be realistic.. There's no way Mike'd ever allow his track not to be included, no matter how blatantly bad it was! Al on the other hand already had 3 songs on the album, so it really would've been more fair for the weakest of his three tracks ('..Feet') to be excluded to make way for one of Dennis's songs.  There's no real democracy in one member being entirely excluded really is there? But then, why didn't they just release a standard 12 track album?

It had nothing to do with each member getting a chance on the album. Dennis's songs were taken off after an argument with Carl I believe


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: thomasogg on July 17, 2007, 01:34:55 PM
Oh for f... Yes, but it would've been nice though wouldn't it?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mahalo on December 03, 2007, 11:52:48 AM
I give this album a 4.....I like the "darker" feel on this album compared to other BB records...
Don't Go Near The Water is kinda cool, I dig the message

Long Promised Road....brilliant...can't get enough listens, nice transition from the first song

Take A Load.... has a really smooth melody, quirky in the good sense of the world

Disney Girls  Really the only Bruce song I can kind of tolerate...

SDT....well, uh, I get the impression Mike is trying TOO hard to be cool, but I like the message... musically I'm not crazy about it

Feel Flows....Love it, totally, 100% original, unique to the 'Boys

Looking At Tomorrow...Love it.....I can relate to the message of this one, I'm sure we all can..."You know I could be doing, so much more..."

A Day In The Life.......I LOVE IT....can't get enough listens.....beautiful sound painting of a tree...

Till I Die and Surfs Up....These songs suck....I wish I never heard them.....just kidding....words can do no justice to the beauty of these two


this album is not quite a 5, but definitely a 4.........IMO

 :rock



 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: pixletwin on December 03, 2007, 03:23:58 PM
=A Day In The Life.......I LOVE IT....can't get enough listens.....beautiful sound painting of a tree...



Thats funny because I always thought it was a beautiful metaphor for Brian's degenerating condition.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on December 03, 2007, 04:11:39 PM
=A Day In The Life.......I LOVE IT....can't get enough listens.....beautiful sound painting of a tree...



Thats funny because I always thought it was a beautiful metaphor for Brian's degenerating condition.

That is how most people interpret it. But remember, it's a Rieley lyric. Brian's condition may be more in our heads than the writer's intent. (but maybe not. ask Rieley.)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: pixletwin on December 03, 2007, 06:18:47 PM
=A Day In The Life.......I LOVE IT....can't get enough listens.....beautiful sound painting of a tree...



Thats funny because I always thought it was a beautiful metaphor for Brian's degenerating condition.

That is how most people interpret it. But remember, it's a Rieley lyric. Brian's condition may be more in our heads than the writer's intent. (but maybe not. ask Rieley.)

Oh I know... Mozart didn't write any of his librettos but don't you think he identified with the music enough to put a bit of himself into it? In any case I think Brian had to have seen the application and maybe thats why he was so drawn to it?

The first time I heard the song I thought it was post 76 Brian singing and in light of how so many of his songs where self fullfilled prophecies (like I Just Wasn't Made For These Times) its kinda funny that at the time it was recorded he still possessed most of his boyish sweetness. But he gave the lyric to Jack to sing with his whispy/breathy voice.

I love that song on so many levels.  :p


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mahalo on December 03, 2007, 07:55:55 PM
Where, may I ask, did you hear a post 76 Brian singing that...???? I'm intrigued.....I also know what you mean when you used the librettos analogy, and agree.... Still, more or less, it is a sound painting of a tree....


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: pixletwin on December 04, 2007, 11:28:57 AM
Where, may I ask, did you hear a post 76 Brian singing that...???? I'm intrigued.....I also know what you mean when you used the librettos analogy, and agree.... Still, more or less, it is a sound painting of a tree....

I didn't. I meant that in my ignorance I used to think the Riley vocals were Brians post blown-out vocals (which I later learned where a post 1975 developement).  ::) ;D :-D


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on December 04, 2007, 03:47:15 PM
When I first heard it, I assumed it was Brian, too. The Sunflower/Surf's Up twofer was my ... third? Beach Boys album (Pet Sounds, Smiley Smile), and since I had heard so little and knew from stories he had been deteriorating, I just didn't know otherwise. I figured, 'wow, that's him now.' I was disappointed to realize it was Reiley.

 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: pixletwin on December 05, 2007, 07:58:14 AM
Yeah me too... Then I heard about Riley and thought "maybe thats brian on tag at the fade out" only to find out thats its Al. SIGH  :lol


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Alex on December 06, 2007, 04:42:24 PM
Don't Go Near The Water-despite the corny lyrics, I actually like this song-the toothpaste and bubble bath verse is catchy, and the ending is absolutley beautiful

Long Promised Road-One of the best songs Carl ever wrote. Some people talk about how bad Jack Reiley's lyrics are, but I love them. Sure, Reiley's no VDP, but was certainly better at writing lyrics than Mike Love.

Take A Load Off Your Feet-silly little pop tune-lightens the mood of the record-kind of like Surf's Up's equivalent to Vega-tables.

Disney Girls-I like the group harmony on the old time dances part, but its way too cheesy for me, in the alternate universe that exists only inside my head, 4th of July takes the place of this song.

Student Demonstration Time-utter crap-goshdarn you Mike Love. Replaced by Sound of Free in my alternate universe.

Feel Flows-Fucking brilliant! Another great Carl song. Again, what is so wrong with Jack Reiley's lyrics?

Lookin' at Tomorrow-I often skip this track, but I do love the flanger effect Desper used on Al's voice.

A Day In The Life of A Tree-Good song, even if Reiley can't sing for beans.

'Til I Die-Yet another Brian Wilson masterpiece.

Surf's Up-Great song. I'm glad Carl finished the song and that it was finally released.


In the alternate universe inside my head, SMiLE came out in '67, and Surf's Up was included.
The Surf's Up album came out as Landlocked, with the following tracklisting:
Don't Go Near The Water
Lady (Fallin' In Love)
Long Promised Road
Take A Load Off Your Feet
Fourth of July
Sound of Free
Feel Flows
Lookin' At Tomorrow
Big Sur
A Day In The Life Of A Tree
'Til I Die
Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again

I think I'm going to make a mix cd with these tracks-going to use the Adam Marsland version of Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again since the Dennis version has never even been booted.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: lance on May 01, 2008, 11:03:24 PM
I like it. I would have put 4th of July as the opening track. I will give it 5/5, though really more like 4.5. The good songs are great, and even SDT doesn't bother me that much in context, forced and unoriginal though it be. Not as good as Sunflower, or at least I don't like it as much, but holds together perhaps even better.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Wrightfan on May 16, 2008, 05:41:15 PM
Four. Some amazing songs with some bad ones.

Best to worst:
'Til I Die
Surf's Up (Could've been produced much better. The drone organ in the right channel...who the hell thought that was a good idea? It drowns out Brian's original backing track!)
Feel Flows
Long Promised Road
Disney Girls (1957)
Don't Go Near the Water
A Day In The Life Of A Tree
Take A Load Off Your Feet
Lookin' At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)
Student Demonstartion Time (Just horrid. Can't even listen to it.)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: TimeToGetAlone on May 17, 2008, 08:28:26 AM
Surf's Up is an interesting album.  It has arguably my favorite song on it ('Til I Die), and a string of other good songs.  SDT is too generic to be horrible, but it's VERY generic and that's never what attracted to the Beach Boys.  I would never let that song get in the way of enjoying the album though.  I can just imagine what it would have been like with the Dennis songs on it.

Don't Go Near The Water - 4.5/5
Long Promised Road - 4.5/5
Take A Load Off Your Feet - 4/5
Disney Girls (1957) - 4.5/5
Student Demonstration Time - 2/5
Feel Flows - 5/5
Lookin' At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) - 3.5/5
A Day In The Life Of A Tree - 4.5/5
'Til I Die - 5/5
Surf's Up - 5/5

That'll round to an easy 4.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Poprocks on June 14, 2008, 12:13:17 AM
Jeez, this album is terrific.  But I just can't give it the same score as Sounds, Smiley or Love You.  Damn you, SDT and DGNTW, for bringing this score down.

4.5, but it's a low 4.5, so 4.

Track picks:  Surf's Up (+++), 'Til I Die (+++), ADITLOAT (+++), TALOYF (++), Feel Flows (++), Disney Girls (++), Long Promised Road (++)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: phirnis on June 14, 2008, 04:49:33 AM
What's wrong with Don't Go Near The Water? When I first discovered the Surf's Up album, that song was an instant highlight for me. Just like Take A Load, it adds something quirky to an otherwise very serious record and the group's vocal tag is just amazingly beautiful (it always reminds me of Friends, the song).


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Aegir on June 14, 2008, 08:13:44 AM
Don't Go Near the Water is amazing! I listened to it like 25 times in a row a few weeks ago. I especially love what's happening musically under Al's "toothpaste and soap" part.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on June 14, 2008, 08:26:57 AM
I love it, too. Ditto for "Feet." They're silly takes on somewhat serious subject matter (at least "water" is serious subject matter...although podiatrists might say both are serious), and I suppose that rubs certain people the wrong way. But I think they're clever, fun and really, really good performances. To a certain extent, they're what makes me disappointed in how long it's taken Al to get anything new released, and that now that he's about to, it's barely new. These, along with some other material of his from the late 60s and early 70s, show that he's got a lot of great ideas and doesn't have to revert to remakes and cliched "folk" takes on things.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Poprocks on June 14, 2008, 10:34:40 AM
OK OK I originally just had "damn you SDT" but added DGNTW... I knew I'd have to answer for that :P

But it goes without saying that DGNTW is MUCH better than SDT.  I like the music.  And I like the way it opens with a water song when Sunflower closes with one.  It's just that some of the lyrics of DGNTW make me cringe.

I'm glad we agree on Feet though, that song is awesome :)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: lance on June 14, 2008, 11:22:51 AM
I hear ya, I like DGNTW and I don't mind the lyrics at all, but there's something about that seems slight--I think it's the bridge that bothers me, although normally I think Jardine's a great singer, I think he kind of overdid it, it sounds like Mick Jones of the Clash or something.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: axl wills on May 10, 2009, 10:25:59 AM
The  first lp I bought from the boys.That's  a bland album but still has it's powerful moments(the BW ending trilogy)
Hope I could live enough time to hear"Wouldn't be nice to live again"!
That's the beautiful cover of the band.(along with holland) 8)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: the captain on May 10, 2009, 10:39:21 AM
Bland? Best BBs album of the 70s, in my opinion. (Love You may be better, but it's hard to think of such a Brian-dominated project as a Beach Boys album, especially considering they'd proved they could be such strong contributors by then.) More consistently good than Sunflower, less "oooh, we're serious" than Holland and miles above the other releases of that decade.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Domino on July 10, 2009, 09:53:35 AM
I think this album is very different from other beach boys album in a way, It's serious and I get a special feeling from songs like Lookin' at Tomorrow and A Day in the Life of a Tree(a question: does Brian sing any words on it?).

It also contains the best songs Carl and Bruce have written, Al is better than ever and Brian have his last masterpice(til I die) and greatest masterpiece(surf's up) on it. Great album!


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Amanda Hart on July 10, 2009, 10:35:15 AM
A Day in the Life of a Tree(a question: does Brian sing any words on it?).



No Brian on A Day in the Life of a Tree.  Jack Rielly is on lead, Van Dyke Parks - "Trees like me..." his voice is unmistakable if you have ever heard his solo work and Al on the lines that sound like they could be Brian "Oh Lord I lay me down..."


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Domino on July 10, 2009, 12:58:20 PM
[[/quote]

No Brian on A Day in the Life of a Tree.  Jack Rielly is on lead, Van Dyke Parks - "Trees like me..." his voice is unmistakable if you have ever heard his solo work and Al on the lines that sound like they could be Brian "Oh Lord I lay me down..."
[/quote]

Ok, thanks. Van Dyke Parks - you gotta love him!


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Amazing Larry on July 10, 2009, 05:22:22 PM
Brian is on the backing vocals, though.
 :)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: CarlsDarlin on July 15, 2009, 01:34:11 PM
I gave it a three.  I do love the album artwork though.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: hypehat on August 12, 2009, 11:29:24 AM
It's a real grower, this album. I might even prefer 'Day In The life' to 'Til I Die', the swell as the tag comes in is powerful. Would have been improved with more Dennis tracks, but then again, i wouldn't really take anything off it to fit them in - Lookin' At Tomorrow, perhaps. Although that's so odd coming from a beach boy it works on novelty value.

And SDT is a pretty good track, shame about the vocal. And it's a real shame, at that  ::)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: TheLazenby on January 26, 2010, 05:22:42 PM
It's a little startling to see relatively small mention of "Feel Flows" in this topic... but having been introduced to it via 'Almost Famous' (and not being a BB's fan at the time), I suppose I tend to think of it as more well known than it is.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: pixletwin on January 27, 2010, 10:26:26 AM
Brian is on the backing vocals, though.
 :)

You can hear Al singing lead in the fade out as well.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Aegir on February 10, 2010, 07:06:56 AM
It's a little startling to see relatively small mention of "Feel Flows" in this topic... but having been introduced to it via 'Almost Famous' (and not being a BB's fan at the time), I suppose I tend to think of it as more well known than it is.
But for us Beach Boys fans, it's as well known as every other song on the album, to us.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Don_Zabu on March 26, 2010, 04:45:11 PM
It seems like, for the first 7 tracks, all the worst songs also happen to be the odd-numbered songs, and the good songs are the even-numbered ones. It's weird.

Odd: Don't Go Near The Water, Take A Load Off Your Feet, Student Demonstration Time, Looking At Tomorrow
Even: Long Promised Road, Disney Girls, Feel Flows

Of course, the last three are all sublime Brian Wilson melancholy, and definitely some of the best stuff he's ever written.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: punkinhead on March 27, 2010, 01:54:57 PM
It seems like, for the first 7 tracks, all the worst songs also happen to be the odd-numbered songs, and the good songs are the even-numbered ones. It's weird.

Odd: Don't Go Near The Water, Take A Load Off Your Feet, Student Demonstration Time, Looking At Tomorrow
Even: Long Promised Road, Disney Girls, Feel Flows

Of course, the last three are all sublime Brian Wilson melancholy, and definitely some of the best stuff he's ever written.

I agree, it's weird, because the Star Trek films are the same way, the odd numbered ones (1-10) are not too great...I do enjoy parts of Dont got Near the Water, the wordless vocal is very Smile to me...it's a very odd flowing album.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Reverend Rock on March 27, 2010, 02:58:30 PM
I almost gave it a 4, but decided to go with a 3.  I really like the album over all, but when one looks at each song individually, it loses it's shine.  But Carl's stuff and Brian's stuff are indispensible. 

The thing about "Student Demonstration Time" is, it hasn't aged well; but when the album was current, the song got a good deal of airplay on FM "underground" stations (I know I heard it more than once).  In the very early 70s, rock was actually a form of counter-cultural journalism.  If Surf's Up were a liberal arts college newspaper, then SDT and "Looking At Tomorrow" and "A Day In The Life Of A Tree" were the editorial page.  In the cultural context of the times, it definitely worked.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: slothrop on March 28, 2010, 08:47:27 PM
I really like Looking At Tomorrow. It's short, but sweet. Especially that flanged sound that permeates every note of the song.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: hypehat on March 31, 2010, 06:21:10 AM
I keep getting weird visions in my head of performing this album live in it's entirety with an orchestra, with different fades and introductions to songs in place - For example, you'd start it off with the H&V chorus piano part, seeing as that's in Don't Go Near The Water, and that piano thing Carl did on LPR live being augmented by strings and french horns and things. You'd have the start to Surf's Up like on BWPS, Day In The Life... being done entirely with high strings and flutes, and i keep hearing Feel Flows being dramatically slowed down. STD i have Spiritualized-esque visions of it descending into white noise at the end, before easing into FF.

Have I snapped?  ;D


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mr. Cohen on March 31, 2010, 09:35:05 PM
Quote
STD i have Spiritualized-esque visions of it descending into white noise at the end

I could see how that would work... but still, that's a product of a twisted mind right there! To imagine a song as cheesy as "SDT" ending in some crazy white noise electrical guitar freak out - wow. Never, ever, would I have thought have that.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: LetHimRun on April 02, 2010, 05:30:10 PM
I wanted to give this a 5, but tracks 3 and 5 make it a 4. I wish they would have been able to let some of the ego go and put in the songs Dennis originally had on the album.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: rab2591 on September 09, 2010, 08:29:42 PM
Anyone else think that 'A Day In The Life Of A Tree', 'Till I Die', and 'Surf's Up' are the greatest 10 consecutive minutes on any Beach Boys album?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mike's Beard on September 10, 2010, 01:52:51 AM
Could very well be. They turn what was already a majorly impressive record into an absolute masterpiece.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: phirnis on September 10, 2010, 03:37:17 AM
Anyone else think that 'A Day In The Life Of A Tree', 'Till I Die', and 'Surf's Up' are the greatest 10 consecutive minutes on any Beach Boys album?

Always felt the same way about it. I once bought a vinyl copy of Surf's Up and for the first time ever it struck me that there was not a single song penned by Brian Wilson on side one. Then, at the very end of the record you get this three-song suite of what may be some of the greatest music ever produced, period. Somehow I think they really knew what they were doing here.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: rab2591 on September 10, 2010, 05:28:47 AM
I've owned the album for several months now but never gave it a serious listen. I just heard it for the first time yesterday, and I'm completely blown away by it. The tags on 'ADITLOAT', 'Till I Die', and 'Surf's Up' are out of this world!

I think my list of favorite Beach Boys albums has changed yet again!


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: OneEar/OneEye on September 11, 2010, 03:55:23 PM
Jack Rieley's lyrics still annoy me, but I find the tunes (Long Promised Road, Feel Flows) good enough to gloss over them a bit.   I like the track of Don't Go Near The Water, but not the lyrics.   I love Disney Girls and Take A Load Of f Your Feet, but they would have been better on Sunflower, they strike me as too "nice" for this album.  Student Demonstration Time is the worst offender though - absolutely hate this song. 
Everything else about this one though is excellent.  Had some Dennis tunes been added to replace the afore mentioned it would have been improved. 
The final three songs are what truly makes this album necessary.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: hypehat on August 18, 2011, 09:59:40 AM
I keep getting weird visions in my head of performing this album live in it's entirety with an orchestra, with different fades and introductions to songs in place - For example, you'd start it off with the H&V chorus piano part, seeing as that's in Don't Go Near The Water, and that piano thing Carl did on LPR live being augmented by strings and french horns and things. You'd have the start to Surf's Up like on BWPS, Day In The Life... being done entirely with high strings and flutes, and i keep hearing Feel Flows being dramatically slowed down. STD i have Spiritualized-esque visions of it descending into white noise at the end, before easing into FF.

Have I snapped?  ;D

Over a year later and I still wanna do this. Give me a band and I'd be dangerous....


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: FatherOfTheMan Sr101 on August 23, 2011, 10:30:48 AM
I'm gonna go WAYYY out there and say, the version of "Surf's Up" here is the best.
WAIT. DON'T SPAM YET... I think this because of the ending, the solo version is superior ONLY in lead vocals and overall beauty.

The last 3 songs here are probably the best post-friends thing the Boys ever did (Well, maybe tied with "Love You" and MAYBE "20/20")

Honestly, I HATE "Take a load off..." and i'm not a fan of "Student" but the rest of this album is PERFECT

4/5 IMO.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: drbeachboy on August 23, 2011, 10:43:55 AM
I'm gonna go WAYYY out there and say, the version of "Surf's Up" here is the best.
WAIT. DON'T SPAM YET... I think this because of the ending, the solo version is superior ONLY in lead vocals and overall beauty.

The last 3 songs here are probably the best post-friends thing the Boys ever did (Well, maybe tied with "Love You" and MAYBE "20/20")

Honestly, I HATE "Take a load off..." and i'm not a fan of "Student" but the rest of this album is PERFECT

4/5 IMO.
I totally agree with you on all counts, except for Take A Load Off Your Feet. The album could have used a stronger tune, but this is another State of Brian song in many ways. I also think Carl's softer voice and gentler phrasings was more suitable for Surf's Up.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: FatherOfTheMan Sr101 on August 23, 2011, 10:55:44 AM
About Carl, Absolutely, That's why he got "God Only Knows" instead of Brian.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: pixletwin on August 23, 2011, 02:21:34 PM
About Carl, Absolutely, That's why he got "God Only Knows" instead of Brian.

I have always felt a degree of angst to the lyrics of Surf's Up and (for me) Carl's voice doesn't suit that aspect at all.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: drbeachboy on August 23, 2011, 03:53:20 PM
In 1971 I was totally blown away by the song upon first listen. Both Carl's and Brian's vocals just blew me away. I've always considered Carl's vocal right there with God Only Knows and Good Vibrations.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: ghost on August 23, 2011, 06:38:00 PM
In 1971 I was totally blown away by the song upon first listen. Both Carl's and Brian's vocals just blew me away. I've always considered Carl's vocal right there with God Only Knows and Good Vibrations.

Have you ever posted any recollections of your first listens of this music? Must've been cool to play it back then in its own day. I mean, it seems like an album like Surf's Up considering the last three tracks could really do a number on a kid's head back then. Perhaps the good doctor was smoking a joint at the time... smoke was wafting... trees like me weren't meant to live.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: FatherOfTheMan Sr101 on August 23, 2011, 09:10:42 PM
In a way... Brian Looked into the future with "A Day in the life of a tree"

"...If all this world can give, is pollution to me"


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Chocolate Shake Man on August 23, 2011, 10:03:01 PM
I have to say that this isn't my favourite post-Pet Sounds album. It feels, of course, like a transition record and it's radically uneven. Surf's Up, to me, doesn't fit at all with the rest of the album and is even more jarring following Til I Die. It really is Brian at two very different points in his life, and while such a transition might be interesting on a best of, it doesn't quite work here. I also find the Carl vocal on Surf's Up to be missing the kind of edge that Brian brings to it (though, this would have been most strongly felt on lines like "the grass was raised" which of course remain Brian's). Also, the addition of the organ is problematic. And contrary to what a few people have written here, while I do think that SDT is ridiculous, I have the hardest time with Lookin' At Tomorrow. To me, this thing simpy has no life in it whatsoever.

With that in mind, Til I Die and Disney Girls especially are fantastic and both this board and the Cabin Essence crew from a few years ago made me reevaluate Tree (in fact, I think that the CE crew in many ways paved the way for the general acceptance of this track) and while it is not quite my favourite, I can still enjoy it.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: pixletwin on August 23, 2011, 10:18:54 PM
Its off in a way because really the middle section was more suited towards Carl's style of singing while the first part was more suited towards Brian.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: FatherOfTheMan Sr101 on August 23, 2011, 10:25:24 PM
Its off in a way because really the middle section was more suited towards Carl's style of singing while the first part was more suited towards Brian.

Agreed, Brian has a rougher more staccato voice.
While Carl has longer smoother chords...


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Chocolate Shake Man on August 23, 2011, 10:26:30 PM
Its off in a way because really the middle section was more suited towards Carl's style of singing while the first part was more suited towards Brian.

It's funny - I was thinking exactly that. Think about this:

Carl: Dove nested towers the hour was strike the street quicksilver moon. Carriage across the fog two-step to lamp lights cellar tune. The laughs come hard in Auld Lang Syne.

Brian: The glass was raised, the fired rose. The fullness of the wine, the dim last toasting.

Carl: While at port adieu or die.

Brian: A choke of grief hard hardened I beyond belief a broken man too tough to cry.

Carl: Surf's Up, hmm...(and so on til the end)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: drbeachboy on August 24, 2011, 04:21:06 AM
I had nothing to compare it to for at least 20 years. Taken on it's own, it was special just the way it was presented on the album. Like listening to many remakes of songs throughout the years, the one that you are use to listening to remains the definitive one.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: JK on August 24, 2011, 04:55:19 AM
I gave it a 5. An album with Carl's two finest compositions isn't worthy of less. The quirkiness of much of side one is more than compensated for by the magnificence of all of side two. Steve D's engineering lifts it head and shoulders above all other BB albums. As does the sleeve design----they don't come much better than that.



Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Myk Luhv on September 11, 2011, 03:24:42 PM
People seriously consider Al's side two contribution to be on the same level as "Til I Die" or "Surf's Up" or even "Tree"?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: JK on September 12, 2011, 01:11:14 AM
People seriously consider Al's side two contribution to be on the same level as "Til I Die" or "Surf's Up" or even "Tree"?

Perhaps I do put too much faith in atmosphere but I'd say it fits the mood of side two perfectly. And that's good enough for me. :=)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Amazing Larry on October 16, 2011, 04:22:58 PM
1. Don't Go Near The Water 8/10
2. Long Promised Road 9/10
3. Take A Load Off Your Feet 6.5/10
4. Disney Girls 7/10
5. STD 4.5/10
6. Feel Flows 10/10
7. Lookin' At Tomorrow 6.5/10
8. A Day In The Life Of A Tree 10/10
9. Til' I Die 10/10
10. Surf's Up 10/10

Album Rating: 8.15


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: runnersdialzero on October 17, 2011, 12:59:18 AM
I just can not understand anyone hating on "Take A Load Off Your Feet".

*cries*


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: William Bowe on October 17, 2011, 02:05:43 AM
I really like Lookin' at Tomorrow, and it's always surprised me to see it held in such low regard. My only complaint is that I've always felt it should have a trombone or trumpet solo rather than a scat vocal in the middle-eight.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jeff on November 09, 2011, 04:48:26 PM
Could very well be. They turn what was already a majorly impressive record into an absolute masterpiece.

Statements like this make me cringe.  The word "masterpiece" loses all meaning if Surf's Up is one.

I gave it a 2, because this just isn't an album.  It's a collection of songs recorded at various times, with radically different sounds and levels of quality. Although an attempt was made to tie them all together, there's no cohesion at all.

The title track and Til I Die are certainly great songs, and Tree is very good, though marred by the vocals.  Carl's songs are decent but way too long.  Water, Disney Girls and Al's folk song are tolerable. 

But Feet and SDT?  Complete, utter embarrassments.  So bad that they more than offset the greatness of Til I Die and Surf's Up.  Shows once again that the Beach Boys were probably the worst popular group ever at judging what to release and what to keep in the can.

Really- a "masterpiece"?  Let's have some sort of standards.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: drbeachboy on November 09, 2011, 05:27:53 PM
Albums are collections of songs. Not every album is made to be a concept album. How old are you? Do you realize that in 1971 almost all songs had to be three minutes or longer? Take a look at some albums from the period. You sound like a record snob. I agree that is not a masterpiece, but not near as bad as make it out to be. ...Feet is a comedy song from Brian & Al, and SDT would have been better had they stayed with the original lyric. Had Dennis' songs been included, we might have had a near masterpiece.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jeff on November 09, 2011, 07:19:22 PM
Albums are collections of songs. Not every album is made to be a concept album. How old are you? Do you realize that in 1971 almost all songs had to be three minutes or longer? Take a look at some albums from the period. You sound like a record snob. I agree that is not a masterpiece, but not near as bad as make it out to be. ...Feet is a comedy song from Brian & Al, and SDT would have been better had they stayed with the original lyric. Had Dennis' songs been included, we might have had a near masterpiece.

Where did you get your degree, "doctor"?  Correspondence school, no doubt.

Four of the 10 songs on Surf's Up were under three minutes long, so I guess the Beach Boys were violating your rule.  But my complaint about Carl's songs isn't the length per se, but that they aren't substantial enough to justify their length.  If they were better songs (like the title track), then the track lengths wouldn't be a problem.

And I said nothing about concept albums.  Pet Sounds, Holland, Sunflower, Wild Honey, Friends, Love You--those are not usually considered concept albums, but they hang together well because, among other things, the group attempted to create a common sound.  Surf's Up, like 20/20, is missing that.  It's really just a comp--but with a couple of tracks thrown on that should never have been released in the first place.

Apologizing for this album by claiming that it would have been better if different lyrics were used, or if different songs were included, doesn't help your argument.  Surf's Up was released as it was, not as you wish it might have been.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: drbeachboy on November 09, 2011, 07:57:00 PM
Listen Jeff, SDT is an adaption of Riot In Cell Block No. 9.  You brought up song length, not me. Long Promised Road is not too long. Feel Flows goes on a bit, but lots of songs in rock do also. It is not alone in that regard. I agreed with you that SU is not a masterpiece. So, no argument there. I was just bringing up the point that the album would have been stronger with the possible inclusion of 2 of Dennis' songs. So don't get cocky and act like a prick with me over a review of an album.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jeff on November 09, 2011, 08:32:59 PM
Listen Jeff, SDT is an adaption of Riot In Cell Block No. 9.  You brought up song length, not me. Long Promised Road is not too long. Feel Flows goes on a bit, but lots of songs in rock do also. It is not alone in that regard. I agreed with you that SU is not a masterpiece. So, no argument there. I was just bringing up the point that the album would have been stronger with the possible inclusion of 2 of Dennis' songs. So don't get clocky and act like a prick with me over a review of an album.

Uh ... take a look at your initial post.  You started right in with personal attacks ("how old are you?"; "you sound like a record snob").  If you don't want to hear responses to personal attacks, don't attack.

I'm aware of SDT's origins.  That doesn't make it a good--or even listenable--song.

Yes, I brought up song length, but only with two of the songs (Carl's).  And I do believe they're both too long for what they have to offer.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: drbeachboy on November 10, 2011, 06:54:13 AM
Listen Jeff, SDT is an adaption of Riot In Cell Block No. 9.  You brought up song length, not me. Long Promised Road is not too long. Feel Flows goes on a bit, but lots of songs in rock do also. It is not alone in that regard. I agreed with you that SU is not a masterpiece. So, no argument there. I was just bringing up the point that the album would have been stronger with the possible inclusion of 2 of Dennis' songs. So don't get clocky and act like a prick with me over a review of an album.

Uh ... take a look at your initial post.  You started right in with personal attacks ("how old are you?"; "you sound like a record snob").  If you don't want to hear responses to personal attacks, don't attack.

I'm aware of SDT's origins.  That doesn't make it a good--or even listenable--song.

Yes, I brought up song length, but only with two of the songs (Carl's).  And I do believe they're both too long for what they have to offer.
I asked how old you are for a reason. I wanted to know if you lived through the period (before & after) when this album was released. Records of certain sub-genres were made a certain way, including song length. By 71, a lot of Top 40 hits were running over 3:00 minutes. So, LPR coming in at 3:34 was not far off the mark for normal song length. It wasn't meant as a knock on you.

The snob remark came from how I understood your post. You want to take offense, then so be it. Another person's opinion of your thoughts can come off that way.

I brought up Riot... over SDT because The Boys' included this in their live show in 70 and 71 and it worked much better for them then when they did the rewrite. I'm telling you from the expereince of seeing and hearing it performed live by them. In your original post you didn't mention that you knew of the origins or that you didn't like the song in either  form. You simply talked about SDT. Many fans like the music behind STD, but do not care for the lyric change. I assumed (wrongly) that you were from that same camp. I didn't fully understand that you disliked the song as a whole.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Jeff on November 13, 2011, 08:30:30 PM
Listen Jeff, SDT is an adaption of Riot In Cell Block No. 9.  You brought up song length, not me. Long Promised Road is not too long. Feel Flows goes on a bit, but lots of songs in rock do also. It is not alone in that regard. I agreed with you that SU is not a masterpiece. So, no argument there. I was just bringing up the point that the album would have been stronger with the possible inclusion of 2 of Dennis' songs. So don't get clocky and act like a prick with me over a review of an album.

Uh ... take a look at your initial post.  You started right in with personal attacks ("how old are you?"; "you sound like a record snob").  If you don't want to hear responses to personal attacks, don't attack.

I'm aware of SDT's origins.  That doesn't make it a good--or even listenable--song.

Yes, I brought up song length, but only with two of the songs (Carl's).  And I do believe they're both too long for what they have to offer.
I asked how old you are for a reason. I wanted to know if you lived through the period (before & after) when this album was released. Records of certain sub-genres were made a certain way, including song length. By 71, a lot of Top 40 hits were running over 3:00 minutes. So, LPR coming in at 3:34 was not far off the mark for normal song length. It wasn't meant as a knock on you.

The snob remark came from how I understood your post. You want to take offense, then so be it. Another person's opinion of your thoughts can come off that way.

I brought up Riot... over SDT because The Boys' included this in their live show in 70 and 71 and it worked much better for them then when they did the rewrite. I'm telling you from the expereince of seeing and hearing it performed live by them. In your original post you didn't mention that you knew of the origins or that you didn't like the song in either  form. You simply talked about SDT. Many fans like the music behind STD, but do not care for the lyric change. I assumed (wrongly) that you were from that same camp. I didn't fully understand that you disliked the song as a whole.

My dislike of SDT is mainly due to the delivery.  Many of Mike's vocals are great, but not this one.  He could have been singing the "Cell Block" lyrics, and it still would have been almost as bad.  The Beach Boys were not a hardish rock band.  All I Want to Do was awful, and SDT was too.

In any case, I think the main difference of opinion here is this:  I come at things as a music fan who happens to like the Beach Boys, while you come at things as a Beach Boys fan who reflexively wants to defend the group and apologize for its failures.  I don't mean that in any way as an insult to either of us.  It's simply a difference in perspective.

To be clear, over the last 12 years or so, the Beach Boys have revolutionized my music experience.  It's actually become difficult to enjoy much other music, especially much of the Beatles' output, because nothing else really measures up, at least to the Pet Sounds-Smile period.

But that doesn't mean that I have blinders on to the Beach Boys' failures.  Every group has its share of bad tracks--although IMO the Beatles avoided releasing anything really bad.   The Beach Boys, unfortunately, were particularly bad about releasing nearly unlistenable music while leaving fantastic stuff in the vaults.  Surf's Up seems to be a prime example of this.  SDT and the Foot song are just plain awful, while Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again apparently is fantastic (though I have not heard it), and other songs like Fourth of July remained unreleased at the time despite being very good.

Anyway, we may not disagree as much as it initially appeared.  I agree with you that Surf's Up had the potential to be a great album, but unfortunately, several bad decisions caused it to be, IMO, a below-average one.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Austin on November 13, 2011, 08:44:47 PM
Just my two cents, but the most I ever enjoyed Surf's Up was in the middle of consuming a lot of Beach Boys literature and stories, and getting an idea of its complicated history. Sometimes that stuff can color your opinion, which isn't a bad thing -- marketing and psychology have a lot to do with the enjoyment of any art -- but for me at least, it did make a difference.

Like Sunflower though, I don't love Surf's Up in full and usually just merge their best songs into one truncated twofer. I don't think anything is really bad, but I also don't remember the last time I listened to the entire thing.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: JK on November 14, 2011, 10:04:37 AM
Like Sunflower though, I don't love Surf's Up in full and usually just merge their best songs into one truncated twofer. I don't think anything is really bad, but I also don't remember the last time I listened to the entire thing.

I used to do that, but recently I've been playing each in its entirety. And enjoying it. Perhaps I'm just getting old. :old   


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: wokka on November 14, 2011, 12:18:19 PM
I've always loved this beach boys record..it was the first i really listened to>Back in the mid 1980,s an older friend said his 3 favourite records included PET SOUNDS. My reaction was "what??the beach boys??"HE said i seriously should check out the beach boys.Then another friend told me that he heard an album called SURFS UP and it was really great.Dubiously i found a copy of SURFS UP and took it round to a friends house who i listened to lots of records with..from captain beef heart to sun ra to nick drake to the velvet underground..He thought the same as me.."the beach boys?? really?? ok lets check them out"..we smoked a big one and sat back as the needle hot the opening sound..some 35 minutes later as SURFS UP finished we looked at each other and exclaimed 'WOW..WHAT THE %$#, THAT WAS INCREDIBLE...AS GREAT AS ABBEY ROAD" MY friend claimed..and that was it for us..we immediately became fanatics..big time fanatics...and running a record store..an indie record store..more known for its independent and alternative stock..as del as a healthy stock of sixties psychedelic..free jazz..delta blues and all things neil young and bob dylan..i think we turned half our customers onto all things beach boys....25 years later..im the first guy in my country with THE SMILE SESSIONS BOX..haah..BUT BACK TO surfs up...WHAT APART FROM MIKES DREADFUL CELL BLOCK is there not to love about this album?? LONG PROMISED ROAD..TILL I DIE...SURFS UP..DONT GO NEAR THE WATER..THE TRULY OUTTHERE..THE DAY IN THE LIFE OF A TREE..THE MAGNIFICENT FEEL FLOWS..wow wow and wow...we used to play DISNEY GIRLS on repeat..just perfect pop..for me this is a total 5 star masterpiece....and carls two songs are right up there as my favourite bb songs...so in a nutshell this sits easily amongst my favourite beach boy albums and in my top 20 lps of all time


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: MyGlove on January 09, 2012, 12:27:35 PM
This album is very interesting to me. It contains none of the first Beach Boys songs I heard, nor has it the personal significance to my youth of albums like Today or All Summer Long. In fact, on first listen I thought this was probably a throw away album. Don't Go Near the Water? What was this? Aren't they surfers? Take Good Care of Your Feet? Student Demonstration Time? A Day in the Life Of a Tree? What's with all these horrible songs? I believe that was my first idea of this album. Then i remember hearing Surf's Up and it totally blowing me away. That song nearly renewed everything for me about the Beach Boys. Even before I heard anything about SMiLE, there was that song. That weirdly psychadelic song on the end of that weird album. It was like hearing A Day in the Life for the first time. Total shock and awe. Since then (that was probably about 3 years ago) I've listened to this album on and off through myspace or youtube, and have really started to appreciate it more than any post Pet Sounds release. It never really got me away from the old surf and car songs, but rather, it transitioned me into their other great era. It worked perfectly to help me not compare their pre and post Pet Sounds albums and decide which is better and just look at their discography as possibly one of the best ever. And it continues to make me interested and still gets repeat listens, and at this point I LOVE every song, including STD, on the album.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: BananaLouie on January 09, 2012, 09:27:05 PM
Like some of the other comments, I to used to overlook Surfs Up and somewhat dismissed it as one of their weaker efforts. One night back in the early to mid nineties I was lying in bed late at night probably well past 2am and I heard this strange song played on one of our local college campus stations, when it was over the dj said that was A Day In The Life Of A Tree by The Beach Boys from their Surfs Up album and I was thinking "Wow, that was The Beach Boys!?" Like many others I assumed they had broken up after Good Vibrations. I was intrigued and sought out this mysterious record, I was then hooked. Although I felt Surfs Up could've been better than it was I was nonetheless blown away by sophisticated experimental songs like Feel Flows, Til I Die and Surfs Up.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Rocky Raccoon on January 10, 2012, 10:14:45 PM
This might be one of the weirdest Beach Boys albums.  It includes some of my favorite songs by the band yet it's also a bit uneven.  You have Don't Go Near the Water which is almost like a contradicting sequel to Cool, Cool Water (in fact when I first heard the album which was Sunflower and Surf's Up on one CD, I thought they were the same song so I wonder if they intended it to be like that), Take a Load Off Your Feet which I believe is Al Jardine's ode to foot fetishism and it's almost kind of disturbing, Mike Love's cover of a Leiber-Stoller classic with altered preachy lyrics, the very eerie Lookin' At Tomorrow which I think is one of the better Jardine compositions, and finally the depressing but intriguing Day In the Life of a Tree sung by their lyricist Jack Rieley who brings a poignancy and sadness to what I think is an underrated masterpiece by Brian Wilson.  Then there's also Disney Girls which is probably the best song Bruce Johnston ever wrote.  But the best tracks in my opinion are Carl's Feel Flows (which memorably plays over the end credits of Almost Famous, one of my favorite movies), Long Promised Road (another great Carl composition), 'Til I Die which is one of the best songs Brian ever wrote, and of course the title track.  The material itself is great but the track order could have been different and I think even though the album is called Surf's Up, Surf's Up does not belong on this album!  It's a masterpiece but it belongs on Smile and now that The Smile Sessions have been released, it's very strange to see it here (same with Cabin Essence and Our Prayer on 20/20).  But I might be nitpicking.  Overall, I give this album a 4/5.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Zach95 on January 29, 2012, 08:30:06 PM
I never understood how ANYONE could see this album as anything BUT magnificent. Then, I read Jeff's post a few posts up and I suppose I see where he is coming from.  However, I'm a music fan who enjoys the Beach Boys too, and I find it hard to listen to much else except them.  I also recognize that they have released some truly horrid stuff. Yet I consider Surf's Up to be leagues ahead of nearly anything else they produced in the seventies, ten times better than Love You, and somewhere close to Sunflower and Holland. I think the record is VERY coherent in that it encompasses sadness, depression, and darkness.

Sure, do I love SDT and Feet? No, but do I love Within You Without You, or Love You To? (not picking on George Harrison here, just the first two examples that came to mind) Absolutely NOT! The fact is, the Beatles' weaker tracks on exceptional albums tend to get a bit overlooked compared to the Beach Boys' weaker stuff, at least on this forum.  Take the White Album, for instance.  Why "Why Don't We Do It In the Road" isn't considered as horrid as SDT I'll never understand.  Bands will have weaker tracks.  It happens, but don't devalue the album for two songs that are a bit iffy. Everything else on Surf's Up is incredible, strong, coherent music.  It's not forced, it's not pretentious, it's just beautiful music. It's beyond Sunflower, I feel, and I guess I'm just baffled as to why this isn't universally agreed on as a masterpiece.  Hell, the only justification I have is that Surf's Up made it to sixty something on Pitchfork's best hundred albums of the 70's.  Guess what's not on that list? Sunflower  ;D


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Rocky Raccoon on January 29, 2012, 09:17:49 PM
Sure, do I love SDT and Feet? No, but do I love Within You Without You...

Are you honestly comparing Take a Load Off Your Feet and Student Demonstration Time to one of the best tracks on Sgt. Pepper?  Dude, I mean, seriously?  How shameful.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: smile-holland on January 30, 2012, 01:27:30 AM
Sure, do I love SDT and Feet? No, but do I love Within You Without You...

Are you honestly comparing Take a Load Off Your Feet and Student Demonstration Time to one of the best tracks on Sgt. Pepper?  Dude, I mean, seriously?  How shameful.

Ehm, no, you better re-read Zach95's post again.
He wanted to make a point on why an album like Surf's Up can't be called "magnificient" if it happened to contain a weak track or two. And to illustrate that he made a comparison with Sgt. Peppers - by many considered a "magnificent" album - which in his opinion also offers a weaker track.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: drbeachboy on January 30, 2012, 04:14:59 AM
Sure, do I love SDT and Feet? No, but do I love Within You Without You...

Are you honestly comparing Take a Load Off Your Feet and Student Demonstration Time to one of the best tracks on Sgt. Pepper?  Dude, I mean, seriously?  How shameful.
Dude, Within You, Without You in my opinion is the 13th best song on Pepper. So, not everyone is in agreement with your assessment. Zach95's comparison is on the money.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Lowbacca on January 30, 2012, 06:10:26 AM
Talking about cohesiveness and Pepper / Surf's Up: Pepper is, in my opinion, hugely overrated as a concept album. It's got a lot of good tunes and some great ones, but it is by no means appearing as a cohesive unit. Tag the two Lonely Hearts Club Band tracks (album track #1 and the reprise) onto Magical Mystery Tour and would get something similar to Pepper in terms of cohesiveness.

The difference between Pepper and Surf's Up in this regard is: Pepper wants/claims to be a concept album, where Surf's Up does not.


Also, none of either LP is 'better' than the other... the whole Beatles <-> Beach Boys thing got tiresome a long time ago.


On-topic: Yes, Surf's Up could have been much more (lose SDT, add Denny songs, etc.), but as is exists I'd still give it a 7.5/10.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Rocky Raccoon on January 30, 2012, 11:28:40 AM
Sure, do I love SDT and Feet? No, but do I love Within You Without You...

Are you honestly comparing Take a Load Off Your Feet and Student Demonstration Time to one of the best tracks on Sgt. Pepper?  Dude, I mean, seriously?  How shameful.
Dude, Within You, Without You in my opinion is the 13th best song on Pepper. So, not everyone is in agreement with your assessment. Zach95's comparison is on the money.
I apologize for getting off-topic but you really think Good Morning Good Morning is a better song than Within You Without You? (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/beermonkey/mjeyds.gif)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: drbeachboy on January 30, 2012, 01:56:54 PM
The "Inner Groove" is even better.  Just kidding. ;)  I am not a fan of George's Indian indulgences.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Zach95 on January 30, 2012, 05:45:09 PM
Sure, do I love SDT and Feet? No, but do I love Within You Without You...

Are you honestly comparing Take a Load Off Your Feet and Student Demonstration Time to one of the best tracks on Sgt. Pepper?  Dude, I mean, seriously?  How shameful.
Dude, Within You, Without You in my opinion is the 13th best song on Pepper. So, not everyone is in agreement with your assessment. Zach95's comparison is on the money.
I apologize for getting off-topic but you really think Good Morning Good Morning is a better song than Within You Without You? (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/beermonkey/mjeyds.gif)

Depends on the mood, but you're proving my point further still by pointing out another weaker track. Yes, I realize the Beatles Beach Boys thing is old, but it offers, in my opinion, a perfect comparison in terms of time period, style, popularity, etc.  It's unavoidable.

Oh, and thank you for the backup drbeachboy  ;D


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Aegir on January 31, 2012, 11:22:48 PM
"Within You Without You" and "Take a Load Off Your Feet" are both excellently amazing. In my opinion. and opinions aren't worth arguing over because all are valid.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Puggal on March 03, 2012, 09:34:07 AM
Basically a cobbled together collection of outtakes and new tracks, the only sense of unity being derived from the laughably "progressive" lyrics and horrendous production values. I don't like this album at all (besides the last two tracks, which are available in many other places). 2 stars


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Disney Boy (1985) on March 03, 2012, 10:52:53 AM
Basically a cobbled together collection of outtakes and new tracks, the only sense of unity being derived from the laughably "progressive" lyrics and horrendous production values. I don't like this album at all (besides the last two tracks, which are available in many other places). 2 stars

In what possible way are Feel Flows and Long Promised Road even remotely horrendously produced or cobbled together?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Disney Boy (1985) on March 29, 2012, 08:29:56 AM
Anyone else think that 'A Day In The Life Of A Tree', 'Till I Die', and 'Surf's Up' are the greatest 10 consecutive minutes on any Beach Boys album?

Yes, although there's a good case for saying the entire side two is one of the greatest 15 consecutive minutes on any Beach Boys album. Carl's songs on this album, though praised, are still under-valued - they are as good as Brian's contributions, not better, but not worse. Certainly both his tracks are masterpieces, an overused phrase but entirely relevant regarding LPR and, especially, Feel Flows. They're really as good as psychedelic pop gets, period.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Puggal on May 25, 2012, 03:51:40 PM
I've been listening to this album a little more lately with less critical ears and I have deemed this album quite enjoyable. The only problem is that it just looks so "ugly on paper:" many of the songs are outtakes from previous projects, the lyrics were intended to be "cool" (rather than expressive), and the album itself just has a highly commercial ethos -- by 1971 The Beach Boys were starving for more commercial success and were definitely following contemporary trends rather than innovating, as they were between 1965 and 1967.

This album, warts and all, is probably one of the more enjoyable post-Pet Sounds albums (not counting the lost Smile album). I would probably give it more like a 3.5-4 at this point.



Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Amazing Larry on June 08, 2012, 01:50:29 AM
In a perfect world this album would have Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again and Big Sur on it. Why those songs weren't on this album I'll never understand.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Cabinessenceking on June 08, 2012, 02:23:58 AM
Even the cheesy Landlocked leftovers that are included would've contributed to making this a fantastic album if not for ML and his Student Demonstration Time.

It's quite funny that Carl and Dennis were arguing over the final track if it should be SU or WIBNTLA both of whcih are (supposedly) fantastic tracks. Then when they did LA Light they made Shortening Bread the last track... how ironic..


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: FatherOfTheMan Sr101 on June 08, 2012, 01:26:37 PM
WIBNTLA is  amazing, one of Dennis' 3 best songs.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Amazing Larry on June 08, 2012, 04:45:08 PM
WIBNTLA is  amazing, one of Dennis' 3 best songs.
If only we could hear the original.  :'(


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Disney Boy (1985) on June 19, 2012, 12:16:20 AM
Surf's Up was another album - after Pet Sounds - that totally changed my mind and my understanding of Music generally. Almost all of the songs are my faves, except for one song - Disney Girls. But even this has some magic in it, harmonies, for instance. Plus, don't know why, but I don't like the place when the line "Hi, Rick and Dave..." starts.

Now I'm gonna write down names of the songs beginning with the most favorite/playable and on:

Lookin' At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) (Imo the finest cut of SU. I don't mind that it is based on some old folk music, coz the song doesn't sound folk to me at all. Al rearranged it (and very skilfully!) and made it his own number) 
A Day in the Life of a Tree (as I've said in some thread, I like it a lot, very beautiful. Jack Rieley did an excellent vocals on A Day and I wouldn't replace him. But yet it'd be good for Brian to sing it in 70s and release as an alternate take/bonus track on, say, 15 Big Ones.
Take a Load Off Your Feet (Jolly positive and cheerful!)
Feel Flows
'Til I Die
Don't Go Near the Water (very funny-sounding song and mention of toothpaste and bubbles is also jolly entertaining!)
Student Demonstration Time (loved it at first listen - love it now. Though "There's a riot going on" harmonies are quite annoying)
Surf's Up (I rather like Brian's earlier version than this mixture of Carl's-on-the-1st-verse and Brian's-on-the-2nd-verse)
Long Promised Road
Disney Girls

When all's said and done, I'll give it a 5, of course.
 

Surely the 'When There's a Riot Going On' harmonies on STD are the only non-annoying thing about it...??


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: musicismylife101 on June 27, 2012, 04:51:30 PM
Surf's Up and 'Til I Die are simply stunning. A Day in the Life of a Tree is beautiful along with Long Promised Road. Take a Load Off Your Feet and Disney Girls are good tracks and I have to admit I kind of like Student Demonstration Time as well.

I admit I'm a big fan of Surf's Up. I have the album version, Brian's SMiLE version, and the 1967 demo version. The song is just... :listening


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Banana on July 11, 2012, 12:14:48 PM
It could have been so much better.  Drop "Take A Load Off" and "Student Demonstration Time" and add Dennis' "4th of July" and let his "Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live" close out the LP after "Til' I Die" as he originally intended.  Honestly, as much as I love the track "Surf's Up" it doesn't belong on this LP.  It was a product of the past.  One of the biggest problems I think they had in the post-Smile era was trying to sound hip by bringing back bits of that LP here and there...but that ship had sailed.  It belonged to the Summer of Love...not 1971. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: drbeachboy on July 11, 2012, 01:12:46 PM
It could have been so much better.  Drop "Take A Load Off" and "Student Demonstration Time" and add Dennis' "4th of July" and let his "Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live" close out the LP after "Til' I Die" as he originally intended.  Honestly, as much as I love the track "Surf's Up" it doesn't belong on this LP.  It was a product of the past.  One of the biggest problems I think they had in the post-Smile era was trying to sound hip by bringing back bits of that LP here and there...but that ship had sailed.  It belonged to the Summer of Love...not 1971.  
Easy to say 40 years after the fact. They were under pressure from Warner's, and like VDP basically said, adding Surf's Up (a mythical Smile track at the time) made it sure to raise much more interest in the new album. And it did. :)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: pixletwin on July 11, 2012, 02:28:13 PM
I recently got to hear the Adam Marsland version of WITBNTLA and I have to ask those-in-the-know... His version is in the key of Eb. Is the original version in Eb as well?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Alan Smith on July 11, 2012, 03:06:14 PM
WIBNTLA is  amazing, one of Dennis' 3 best songs.
If only we could hear the original.  :'(
Then we would be  all  :o and  :lol


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Banana on July 11, 2012, 08:25:10 PM
It could have been so much better.  Drop "Take A Load Off" and "Student Demonstration Time" and add Dennis' "4th of July" and let his "Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live" close out the LP after "Til' I Die" as he originally intended.  Honestly, as much as I love the track "Surf's Up" it doesn't belong on this LP.  It was a product of the past.  One of the biggest problems I think they had in the post-Smile era was trying to sound hip by bringing back bits of that LP here and there...but that ship had sailed.  It belonged to the Summer of Love...not 1971.  
Easy to say 40 years after the fact. They were under pressure from Warner's, and like VDP basically said, adding Surf's Up (a mythical Smile track at the time) made it sure to raise much more interest in the new album. And it did. :)
You are correct on all accounts.  Wishful, revisionist thinking on my part!  I just wish they'd get around to releasing Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again so that I could program my own dream "Surf's Up".  What's really sad about this period is that the group was really trying and really making some excellent music that nobody was listening to.  The overall quality of Wild Honey through Holland is actually pretty high (in my opinion) yet it remains so obscure to most people.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Banana on July 19, 2012, 11:04:50 AM
I've read that during the recording of A Day In The Life Of A Tree, Brian was crying at the end of the recording session. Some cynical people, who probably don't like the song, have said that Brian was just doing one of his famous put ons. I bet he was actually moved by it. Actually now that I think of it, someone on the old board once posted an interview with Jack Reiley where he said that any stories of Brian crying are BS. Anyway, this song has almost brought me to tears many times. But I still didn't actually cry. I'm not that big a freak.

Isn't Surf's Up one of Neil Young's favorite albums?

I was just listening to this track and remarking to myself how sad it was.  Rieley's vocal is so mournful.  I can completely imagine Brian in tears at the end.  One of their most underrated classics!


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: clinikillz on August 12, 2012, 08:44:44 AM
I really dig the melancholy atmosphere of Surf's Up. It beautifully counteracts the upbeat tone of Sunflower. There are a couple crap songs on here (Take a Load Off Your Feet, Student Demonstration Time) but the rest are good-to-great. My favorite song on the album is, of course, the title track. 4/5


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: shakcohen on September 02, 2012, 01:20:26 PM
Perfect classic album. Great cover too.
I got a sealed 70s vinyl of it recently which has a lot of presence and warmth to it.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Bean Bag on January 04, 2013, 12:54:24 PM
I've read that during the recording of A Day In The Life Of A Tree, Brian was crying at the end of the recording session. Some cynical people, who probably don't like the song, have said that Brian was just doing one of his famous put ons. I bet he was actually moved by it. Actually now that I think of it, someone on the old board once posted an interview with Jack Reiley where he said that any stories of Brian crying are BS. Anyway, this song has almost brought me to tears many times. But I still didn't actually cry. I'm not that big a freak.

Isn't Surf's Up one of Neil Young's favorite albums?

I was just listening to this track and remarking to myself how sad it was.  Rieley's vocal is so mournful.  I can completely imagine Brian in tears at the end.  One of their most underrated classics!
"A Day in the Life of A Tree."  I can understand why Brian would be moved by it.  The tree has always been a metaphor to me... it's really Brian.  This is him, aware of what was happening to him.

This song busts me up.  It's the young, brilliant big brother Brian saying goodbye.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Banana on January 04, 2013, 02:09:57 PM
That's an interesting thought.  I've always wondered how much of the lyric was Brian's and how much was JR's.  My hunch has always been (and I could very well be wrong) that JR probably took more lyrical credit than he deserved. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: pixletwin on January 04, 2013, 02:25:44 PM

"A Day in the Life of A Tree."  I can understand why Brian would be moved by it.  The tree has always been a metaphor to me... it's really Brian.  This is him, aware of what was happening to him.

This song busts me up.  It's the young, brilliant big brother Brian saying goodbye.

That is really well put Bean Bag. That is exactly why I love this song best on SU.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Dudd on January 28, 2013, 12:22:21 PM
I will always hate myself for this, but Student Demonstration Time is... *gulp*... a guilty pleasure.

(http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z353/SupremeKingDan/sorrysorrysorry_zpse3dae8e3.jpg)

The lyrics are so awful they're hilarious, but I never thought the actual sound was that bad. It's at least interesting to hear the Boys having a straight up rockout once in a while. But yeah, it is by far the worst song on the album.

Rest of the album is awesome and one of my favourites of the band.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Amazing Larry on February 04, 2013, 12:37:11 AM
I will always hate myself for this, but Student Demonstration Time is... *gulp*... a guilty pleasure.

(http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z353/SupremeKingDan/sorrysorrysorry_zpse3dae8e3.jpg)

The lyrics are so awful they're hilarious, but I never thought the actual sound was that bad. It's at least interesting to hear the Boys having a straight up rockout once in a while. But yeah, it is by far the worst song on the album.

Rest of the album is awesome and one of my favourites of the band.
If they hadn't changed the lyrics and just kept it as "Riot In Cell Block 9" I might have actually enjoyed it.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Dudd on February 19, 2013, 10:16:23 AM
I will always hate myself for this, but Student Demonstration Time is... *gulp*... a guilty pleasure.

(http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z353/SupremeKingDan/sorrysorrysorry_zpse3dae8e3.jpg)

The lyrics are so awful they're hilarious, but I never thought the actual sound was that bad. It's at least interesting to hear the Boys having a straight up rockout once in a while. But yeah, it is by far the worst song on the album.

Rest of the album is awesome and one of my favourites of the band.
If they hadn't changed the lyrics and just kept it as "Riot In Cell Block 9" I might have actually enjoyed it.

It's a shame because I personally think the chorus sounds really good. It's Mike Love's goshdarn lyrics...


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Les Garçons de la plage on February 24, 2013, 10:35:29 AM
A very overrated album. Had this world any justice Surf's Up would have been (one of) the high point(s) of a 1967 album called SMiLE! - but then again Smiley Smile's not to be overlooked. But still, had it happened, the remaining 4 tracks from Carl and Brian  would have made good substitutes for the weaker tracks of Sunflower (again there is nothing too weak there). Another if: if Long Promised Road (not very dear to me but a decent song) replaced Lookin' at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) on the b-side, I could glue the vinyl to my turntable and never play Side A again. And to omit 4th of July! Pity this was considered by the contemporary music press as the Beach Boys' return to the "to-be-taken-seriously"-league. I mean c'mon, what about the albums after Pet Sounds, how are they inferior to this uneven album?
3/5 (yes the good stuff is worth buying the album... wait, I borrowed the Sunflower/Surf's Up twofer CD from the library and made a copy  ;D )


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Gabo on May 08, 2013, 10:56:46 PM
4 stars

I see it more as a compilations of the band's different songwriters' work rather than as a totally cohesive album -- after all the earliest recording for the album was (unintentionally) done in 1966.  Unlike 20/20, however, pretty much all the tracks are good (with the example of Student Demonstration Time, which almost ruins the album). The non-Brians somehow got their sh*t together.

1. Don't Go Near The Water - 5
Such a fun song. The lyrics are bad, but somehow not to the song's detriment. The arrangement is out of this world; the synths and Brian's piano work are practically Pet Sounds worthy. The tag is Smile worthy.
2. Long Promised Road - 4
BAD LYRICS. Unlike DGNTW, though, they really hurt the song and make it sound heavy handed and stupid. The melody and arrangement is quite amazing, however. Carl really knew how to create a mood through synths, guitars, and electric piano.
3. Take A Load Off Your Feet -4
Stupid, stupid lyrics. Somehow the corniness feels all in good fun, however. I never skip it.
4. Disney Girls (1957) - 4
Forced lyrics. The "fill your hand with kisses and a tootsie roll" is borderline laughable. Like Long Promised Road, the arrangement and strength of melody somehow rescue the song. Brian's falsetto in the bridge is spine-tingling.
5. Student Demonstration Time - 0
I'm giving it a 0 because I never listen to it. If I did I would give it a 1. The music doesn't  rescue of the offensively bad lyrics. What a disaster.
6. Feel Flows - 5
Carl's greatest song. Even moodier and more mystical than Long Promised Road. Carl was apparently a master arranger. I wish he was able to prove it more often.
7. Looking At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) - 3
Just kind of a folk ditty. Nothing special about it, but the organ and phasey chorus sound of the production make for an interesting atmosphere.
8. A Day In the Life Of A Tree - 4
Jack Reily's voice sucks. The arrangement is also kind of... strange and doesn't sound very fleshed out. I'm giving it a 4 on its creativity and Van Dyke's "trees like me" vocal. That has to be one of the most touching moments in the entire Beach Boys' discography.
9. Til' I Die - 5+
An absolute masterpiece, musically and lyrically. It speaks for itself.
10. Surf's Up - 5
Of course the song is a masterpiece. I think this 71 version is a bit lacking, though. I like Brian's lead more than Carl's and the piano demo section sounds under produced. They could have added more instruments to that section easily.

Overall, an extremely creative album, if a bit disjointed and lacking in sonic cohesiveness. But the Beach Boys were the most disjointed band of all time, so I can't fault them for it. Definitely an essential release, and one of their very best discs.



Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Heteronym on May 09, 2013, 08:10:08 PM
I'm still to make a more detailed post on this album, but I just had to say that this pseudo-environmental wave was done with a terrible taste. Something along the lines of "Country Air" and "Let The Wind Blow" would be much more artistic and sensible, not sounding forced, but simple and honest.

Don't Go Near The Water is just embarrassing. And I'd like to know who came up with the final tag - just amazing.

Am I the only one who is actually touched by Rieley's performance on ADITLOAT? I just wish Brian had done the falsetto at the end (which is, I agree, an epical moment).


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Myk Luhv on May 10, 2013, 09:28:10 AM
I think JR's voice fits well with the song. Off the top of my head I think it holds the curious distinction as well of being the only (?) song on a Beach Boys album not sung by an actual Beach Boy.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: scooby1970 on June 25, 2013, 02:25:22 AM
I feel this album, and some of it's tracks, does not get enough love. The first time I heard it though, it was something special to me, and a solid 4/5. For me, "Student Demonstration Time" sits in the right place on the album, after the slower opening tracks, its a blast to end side one. "Surf's Up" ending side two is a brilliant choice, and one of the greatest Beach Boys songs that they have in their cannon.

:) Mark


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: bluesno1fann on August 30, 2013, 06:02:01 PM
Another underrated classic! Though not without it's flaws.
Student Demonstration Time sucks. Why this was on this album i don't understand.
Meanwhile ^ that crap is on this album, and where's Dennis's 4th of July or the immortal WIBNTLA?
Take out SDT, and add the two Dennis tracks, and you've got yourself a masterpiece.
But...

4 out of 5


OUTDATED OPINION!



Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: RiC on October 26, 2013, 12:33:27 PM
Once again we have this same usual situation with a BB album. They had their hands on a masterpiece, but just somehow it happened to slip out of their hands. Wouldn't it be nice to live again should've replaced Student demonstration time. I like SDT, but it's so out of place on this album. And the cover art... That's one of the best ever. Just brilliant.

Don't Go Near The Water 4/5
I don't get why so many people dislike this. Music is amazing and the lyrics are ok too.
Long Promised Road 5/5
Propably the best song Carl ever did. I love the ending and the line "I'd love to see you".
Take A Load Off Your Feet 3.5/5
Funny song! Lightens up the atmosphere of the album really well and it really works. I dig the sound effects.
Disney Girls 4.5/5
Bruce's masterpiece. I'm not sure if I should give it 5 or not... At least it's really close to 5.
STD 2.5/5
Like I said, I like it and it sounds cool, but it's just musically and lyrically so out of place here.
Feel Flows 3.5/5
Awesome and very psychedelic. Maybe a little bit too jamming.
Lookin' At Tomorrow 4.5/5
This is another song which dislike by some people I don't understand. I think it's the best song Al did. The live version from 80's rock so hard! I'd pay anything to get a good clear version of that!
A Day In The Life Of A Tree 5/5
Perfect. I actually like this more than Til' I Die or even Surf's Up. This is the masterpiece. Rieley does fantastic job with the vocals.

Til' I Die 5/5
Surf's Up 5/5
No words needed with these two.

So 4/5 for the album. They were SO close to a perfect album, ONCE AGAIN! Why the hell do they pretty much always miss it? Bad charma? Mike Love? Lack of Brian's involving? Well we can't change the history so we just got to enjoy this as much as we can.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Gabo on January 08, 2014, 09:54:27 PM
I just realized this is the only BB album without a single love song. Though Disney Girls does come close.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Please delete my account on January 09, 2014, 02:47:06 AM
I just realized this is the only BB album without a single love song. Though Disney Girls does come close.

Student Demonstration Time



(...in before somebody else says it)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: bluesno1fann on February 03, 2014, 08:40:16 PM
Each time I listen to this album I'm convinced this album is one of their very best!

SDT isn't nearly as bad as I used to think it was, though it should have been a non-album single and replaced by the two Dennis songs.

Had they added the two Dennis songs, I'd go so far as to say it's their best album, hands down!
Shame that won't happen.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: slippingonthrough on February 20, 2014, 10:36:01 PM
Surf's Up is one of those albums that has 3 or 4 amazing songs but also 2 or 3 "not that good" songs.

Amazing: Surf's Up, Til' I Die, Long Promised Road, Feel Flows
Bad: Student Demonstration Time, Take A Load Off Your Feet (very out of place).
The rest in-between.

I will admit I don't listen to this album a lot. It does have some amazing songs but It doesn't really work as an album. Dennis's songs (Sound Of Free, Fallin' In Love, 4th Of July, WIBNTLA) should have been included to make this album stronger.

4/5


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mr. Wilson on March 03, 2014, 03:38:34 PM
Cover Art 5/5  Music 4/5.. the LP that made BB hip in hippie //stoner circles.. Boy was I glad to come out of the closet and yell BEACH BOYS.. This LP + 2 part Rolling Stone article + their live show put them back on the map.. !!  I was vindicated and never had to pretend about the BB ever again.. 2 songs I DONT like and should have been replaced with Dennis songs are : SDT + ADITLOAT.. 1st one lousy lyrics and the siren drives me NUTS.. 2nd one This needs a BW lead vocal + a full band arraignment and it would be great..


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: jamesmeyer82 on July 03, 2014, 06:04:11 PM
Hello,
I am new to the board and had a question for everyone. I work in  record store and am trying to price out a Capitol Record Club pressing of Surf's Up (ST-93920) and was wondering if anyone has encountered this version of this album before. Any info would be greatly appreciated. The cover is VG maybe a weak VG+ the vinyl is VG+ and it includes the foldout lyric insert.
Thanks again!
James


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Little Pad on August 23, 2014, 05:11:02 PM
5/5. Best non-Pet Sounds/Smile album, even if it is all over the place. The rest is good enough I'm almost willing to forgive Mike Love for "Student Demonstration Time". Almost.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard on February 01, 2015, 09:53:01 PM
I may have to give this another listen sometime, but I finally checked it out due to all the praise and honestly I didn't really like it.

It's just a dreary, pretentious, boring listen. I felt like they were trying way too hard to reinvent themselves. I know that was the whole point, but it just came off as forced and self-conscious to me.

None of the songs particularly stood out to me, except SDT for the wrong reasons. It doesn't feel fun or enjoyable like the other Beach Boys albums I've heard. Pet Sounds and SMiLE have melancholy moments but the music is so vibrant and full of life that I can still pop them in any time and feel uplifted. Love You gets a lot of flak for dated production and sophomoric lyrics but damn if that isn't a fun, not-pretentious record. Surfs Up is just overly sad and dreary. It was a chore for me to listen to and doesn't sound like the Beach Boys.

Hated the use of the title track. You knew you were gonna use it and build an album around it, so why does it sound so out of place? With Carl singing the first half, then the second half being so bare, it really does sound unfinished and desperate to include. I hate the new fade they came up with, and how that's become the standard ever since.

Honestly, listening to this just makes me wish they had finished Surf's Up properly when it was due. That, and that they'd have reinvented themselves in '67 when they were still relevant and in the avant garde, crazy SMiLE direction. Not in this pandering to the hip crowd, environmentalist, trying too hard direction.

3/5.

Edit: After giving it a second, more concentrated listen...my opinion still stands. I think Dont Go Near the Water is somewhat pretentious and heavy handed in its message. For all the praise Long Promised Road gets, I'm not a fan. I think it's overrated. Take a Load Off Your Feet is an awful song about subject matter that doesn't even warrant a song being made about it. SDT is awful, with a lousy message of never standing up for yourself and accepting the awful status quo and borderline fascist police brutality used to suppress dissent. The next three songs on Side Two left little impression on me. I still think Surfs Up doesn't fit, sounds as unfinished as ever, and was only included as a desperate bid for attention.

I will say, Disney Girls and Til I Die really stood out to me as beautiful works of art this second time around, though. I absolutely loved them both.

I have to say, I can understand why this must have made a splash in '71, but it hasn't aged well imo, and considering the Hodge-podge jumble of songs and ideas, I don't think it stands up as a cohesive message much less a "masterpiece." It may have made the band cool for awhile when it was released, but I certainly don't think any youngin's like me would think this album is particularly cool. I certainly didn't, even as a fan. Like I said, it's not even fun or inspired like their usual offerings. It just doesn't resonate with me in any way. Not trying to trash it, but that's where I stand.

My vote is the same. 3/5.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: RiC on February 01, 2015, 11:50:05 PM
I may have to give this another listen sometime, but I finally checked it out due to all the praise and honestly I didn't really like it.

It's just a dreary, pretentious, boring listen. I felt like they were trying way too hard to reinvent themselves. I know that was the whole point, but it just came off as forced and self-conscious to me.

None of the songs particularly stood out to me, except SDT for the wrong reasons. It doesn't feel fun or enjoyable like the other Beach Boys albums I've heard. Pet Sounds and SMiLE have melancholy moments but the music is so vibrant and full of life that I can still pop them in any time and feel uplifted. Love You gets a lot of flak for dated production and sophomoric lyrics but damn if that isn't a fun, not-pretentious record. Surfs Up is just overly sad and dreary. It was a chore for me to listen to and doesn't sound like the Beach Boys.

Hated the use of the title track. You knew you were gonna use it and build an album around it, so why does it sound so out of place? With Carl singing the first half, then the second half being so bare, it really does sound unfinished and desperate to include. I hate the new fade they came up with, and how that's become the standard ever since.

Honestly, listening to this just makes me wish they had finished Surf's Up properly when it was due. That, and that they'd have reinvented themselves in '67 when they were still relevant and in the avant garde, crazy SMiLE direction. Not in this pandering to the hip crowd, environmentalist, trying too hard direction.

3/5.
I can't believe what I just read  :o
But I have to ask, why 3/5 if you hated pretty much everything on it?


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: drbeachboy on February 02, 2015, 06:52:13 AM
I may have to give this another listen sometime, but I finally checked it out due to all the praise and honestly I didn't really like it.

It's just a dreary, pretentious, boring listen. I felt like they were trying way too hard to reinvent themselves. I know that was the whole point, but it just came off as forced and self-conscious to me.

None of the songs particularly stood out to me, except SDT for the wrong reasons. It doesn't feel fun or enjoyable like the other Beach Boys albums I've heard. Pet Sounds and SMiLE have melancholy moments but the music is so vibrant and full of life that I can still pop them in any time and feel uplifted. Love You gets a lot of flak for dated production and sophomoric lyrics but damn if that isn't a fun, not-pretentious record. Surfs Up is just overly sad and dreary. It was a chore for me to listen to and doesn't sound like the Beach Boys.

Hated the use of the title track. You knew you were gonna use it and build an album around it, so why does it sound so out of place? With Carl singing the first half, then the second half being so bare, it really does sound unfinished and desperate to include. I hate the new fade they came up with, and how that's become the standard ever since.

Honestly, listening to this just makes me wish they had finished Surf's Up properly when it was due. That, and that they'd have reinvented themselves in '67 when they were still relevant and in the avant garde, crazy SMiLE direction. Not in this pandering to the hip crowd, environmentalist, trying too hard direction.

3/5.
The title song fits very nicely for me. Actually, the last three fit there quite nicely. Lamenting its release 44 years after the fact, well doesn't resonate with me. Buying this LP on the day of release was quite the different feeling than what you are feeling today. For me it was great to have a Beach Boys album that I could share  with my friends. It was quite well-received by many who had long written them off as unhip and uncool.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard on February 02, 2015, 08:00:31 AM
I may have to give this another listen sometime, but I finally checked it out due to all the praise and honestly I didn't really like it.

It's just a dreary, pretentious, boring listen. I felt like they were trying way too hard to reinvent themselves. I know that was the whole point, but it just came off as forced and self-conscious to me.

None of the songs particularly stood out to me, except SDT for the wrong reasons. It doesn't feel fun or enjoyable like the other Beach Boys albums I've heard. Pet Sounds and SMiLE have melancholy moments but the music is so vibrant and full of life that I can still pop them in any time and feel uplifted. Love You gets a lot of flak for dated production and sophomoric lyrics but damn if that isn't a fun, not-pretentious record. Surfs Up is just overly sad and dreary. It was a chore for me to listen to and doesn't sound like the Beach Boys.

Hated the use of the title track. You knew you were gonna use it and build an album around it, so why does it sound so out of place? With Carl singing the first half, then the second half being so bare, it really does sound unfinished and desperate to include. I hate the new fade they came up with, and how that's become the standard ever since.

Honestly, listening to this just makes me wish they had finished Surf's Up properly when it was due. That, and that they'd have reinvented themselves in '67 when they were still relevant and in the avant garde, crazy SMiLE direction. Not in this pandering to the hip crowd, environmentalist, trying too hard direction.

3/5.
I can't believe what I just read  :o
But I have to ask, why 3/5 if you hated pretty much everything on it?

It's not SIP or a pointless, NASCAR-esque redo of the hits. It's still competently made music, even if it didn't jibe with me personally.

Like I said, I may have to give it another listen. But for a first time listen last night, I was left seriously underwhelmed.

Drbeachboy, yeah I understand for many of these albums the difference between being there when they came out and hindsight probably means a lot. Endless Summer being another example.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: rab2591 on February 02, 2015, 08:10:07 AM
Hated the use of the title track. You knew you were gonna use it and build an album around it, so why does it sound so out of place? With Carl singing the first half, then the second half being so bare, it really does sound unfinished and desperate to include. I hate the new fade they came up with, and how that's become the standard ever since.

Maybe they should've put the talking trombones section over the coda to get that nice cohesive sound.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard on February 02, 2015, 08:52:39 AM
Hated the use of the title track. You knew you were gonna use it and build an album around it, so why does it sound so out of place? With Carl singing the first half, then the second half being so bare, it really does sound unfinished and desperate to include. I hate the new fade they came up with, and how that's become the standard ever since.

Maybe they should've put the talking trombones section over the coda to get that nice cohesive sound.

I know you're making fun of me, but honestly...yeah. I think that sounds better. In any case,  :shrug I'm just not a big fan of that coda. Sorry.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Niko on February 02, 2015, 11:55:38 PM
Hated the use of the title track. You knew you were gonna use it and build an album around it, so why does it sound so out of place? With Carl singing the first half, then the second half being so bare, it really does sound unfinished and desperate to include. I hate the new fade they came up with, and how that's become the standard ever since.

Maybe they should've put the talking trombones section over the coda to get that nice cohesive sound.

Watch your tone. He knows more about Smile than you could EVER, EVER fathom.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard on February 03, 2015, 12:41:54 AM
Hated the use of the title track. You knew you were gonna use it and build an album around it, so why does it sound so out of place? With Carl singing the first half, then the second half being so bare, it really does sound unfinished and desperate to include. I hate the new fade they came up with, and how that's become the standard ever since.

Maybe they should've put the talking trombones section over the coda to get that nice cohesive sound.

Watch your tone. He knows more about Smile than you could EVER, EVER fathom.

I'd like to think I know a great deal about it, yes.

I like to play around with the recordings and come up with off-the-wall ideas about it I haven't seen people try before.

It's my favorite album, and perhaps my favorite artwork ever made by any artist in any medium. It sounds cliche to say so, but it literally changed my life. That's seriously not an exaggeration--it turned me on to psychedelics themselves as well as psychedelic rock and the counter-culture. This completely changed my personality and way of thinking.

Just because I'm really passionate about something (especially something that you all claim to love too) I don't see why that should be used against me as an insult or to discredit my opinions. Really, really bizarre this board can be. So bizarre it's got me talking like Yoda.


Edit: Nevermind


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Please delete my account on February 03, 2015, 01:37:28 AM
Woodstock was making an obscure reference to a memorable Howie Edelson quote.

Mujan, everyone who posts much on this board gets teased. You seem more allergic to being teased than most, and always take the bait, which just encourages it.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: JK on February 03, 2015, 01:40:09 AM
It's my favorite album, and perhaps my favorite artwork ever made by any artist in any medium. It sounds cliche to say so, but it literally changed my life. That's seriously not an exaggeration--it turned me on to psychedelics themselves as well as psychedelic rock and the counter-culture. This completely changed my personality and way of thinking.
So much for the "square" Beach Boys, haha. I feel almost as strongly about it as you do (if you leave out the psychedelics).


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard on February 03, 2015, 05:52:52 AM
Woodstock was making an obscure reference to a memorable Howie Edelson quote.

Mujan, everyone who posts much on this board gets teased. You seem more allergic to being teased than most, and always take the bait, which just encourages it.

My mistake. Of course, over text it can be hard to judge tone or sarcasm/joking, and when your SMiLE theories have been called "c*ck sure gaslighting" and NOT as a joke, it's a given you're already gonna be on the defensive in the future.

But you're right. I am too defensive and it's something I ought to dial back.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: CroatianSensation on March 25, 2015, 06:47:55 PM
Each time I listen to this album I'm convinced this album is one of their very best!

SDT isn't nearly as bad as I used to think it was, though it should have been a non-album single and replaced by the two Dennis songs.

Had they added the two Dennis songs, I'd go so far as to say it's their best album, hands down!
Shame that won't happen.

So true. If 4th of July was on it, aww man it would've blown the crowd away.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: harrisonjon on April 11, 2015, 08:26:28 AM
It has the biggest gulf of any BB album between its highs and lows. The highs are as good as anything ever recorded by anyone, the lows are as bad as the post-1977 albums.

The best listening experience is to program the Sunflower/Surf's Up two-fer with the five or six clunkers omitted. Then it becomes up there with Today/Summer Days and the Pet Sounds and Smile boxes.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: KDS on April 16, 2015, 05:30:32 AM
Ah, the socially conscious version of The Beach Boys. 

This one is right up there with Sunflower.  In fact, while Sunflower is a better listening experience from start to finish, I think the great songs on Surf's Up are greater than the great ones on Sunflower.  However, there's two tracks of filler.  I still rate this one a five. 

The album starts in fine fashion with Don't Go Near the Water.  The middle section with the toothpaste and soap lyrics are silly, but the song redeems itself with the wordless harmonies at the end. 

Carl rocks out with Long Promised Road.  Carl was in fine voice on this album. 

The next track Take a Load off Your Feet is, IMHO, pure filler.  The song does nothing for me. 

Next, you have the raucous and noisy Student Demonstration Time, sandwiches between two moments of tranquility with Disney Girls & Feel Flows. 

Disney Girls and Feel Flows are two wonderfully done songs.  Disney Girls has Bruce wistfully thinking of a bygone era that may have never existed.  The Boys get a little psychadelic on Feel Flows.

I really don't think SDT is as bad as people make it out to be.  I think this one is a go-to for the Love-haters out there for the terrible lyrics.  What I don't like is the irritating siren and the bullhorn vocals.  I think the performance itself is pretty good. 

Lookin at Tomorrow is an underrated Al Jardine jem.

I like A Day in the Life of a Tree, though I wish they had one of the Boys take a crack at the lead vocal. 

The next two offer the best closing to ANY Beach Boys album IMO.  I can't say anything about Til I Die or Surf's Up that haven't already been said.  Surf's Up is one of my two favorite BB songs (tied with Warmth of the Sun). 

Sunflower and Surf's Up make for my favorite of the 2-fer series. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Mike's Beard on September 25, 2015, 09:25:36 AM
Don't Go Near The Water 5/5
Long Promised Road 4/5
Take A Load Off Your Feet 3/5
Disney Girls 5/5
STD 4/5
Feel Flows 5/5
Lookin' At Tomorrow 4/5
A Day In The Life Of A Tree 5/5
Til' I Die 5/5
Surf's Up 5/5

One masterpiece after another on this one. The band's best album. Could have been even better if Dennis hadn't spat his dummy.
An easy 5/5.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: KDS on September 25, 2015, 09:34:48 AM
Don't Go Near The Water 5/5
Long Promised Road 4/5
Take A Load Off Your Feet 3/5
Disney Girls 5/5
STD 4/5
Feel Flows 5/5
Lookin' At Tomorrow 4/5
A Day In The Life Of A Tree 5/5
Til' I Die 5/5
Surf's Up 5/5

One masterpiece after another on this one. The band's best album. Could have been even better if Dennis hadn't spat his dummy.
An easy 5/5.

You and I definitely see eye-to-eye on the 70s output from the Boys.   


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: JK on February 11, 2016, 03:58:11 AM
"Feel Flows" is the first (and almost last) BB song to include an extended instrumental workout over a repeating pattern. The only other to do this (to equally stunning effect) is "Leaving This Town".

With all due respect to Dennis, I wouldn't change a note of this album.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Lonely Summer on May 04, 2016, 10:50:33 PM
"Take a Load Off Your Feet" is really the only thing here I can't stand. Sheesh, of all the things to write a rock and roll song about. Surprised Dennis didn't make fun of it by writing a song about his weenie. I do like "Student Demonstration Time" - a rare instance of hearing some heavy guitar on a BB's track. "Lookin' At Tomorrow" hits close to home right now. "Disney Girls" is Bruce's best; "A Day in the Life of a Tree" is beautiful in it's innocence. But the masterpieces this album's reputation rests on are "Surf's Up", "Till I Die", "Long Promised Road", and "Feel Flows" - 4 songs that rank with the best these guys ever did.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: KDS on May 05, 2016, 05:17:42 AM
"Take a Load Off Your Feet" is really the only thing here I can't stand. Sheesh, of all the things to write a rock and roll song about. Surprised Dennis didn't make fun of it by writing a song about his weenie. I do like "Student Demonstration Time" - a rare instance of hearing some heavy guitar on a BB's track. "Lookin' At Tomorrow" hits close to home right now. "Disney Girls" is Bruce's best; "A Day in the Life of a Tree" is beautiful in it's innocence. But the masterpieces this album's reputation rests on are "Surf's Up", "Till I Die", "Long Promised Road", and "Feel Flows" - 4 songs that rank with the best these guys ever did.

Couldn't agree more.  If Take a Load Off Your Feet wasn't on the album, it might be my favorite Beach Boys album. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Lonely Summer on May 05, 2016, 01:37:22 PM
"Take a Load Off Your Feet" is really the only thing here I can't stand. Sheesh, of all the things to write a rock and roll song about. Surprised Dennis didn't make fun of it by writing a song about his weenie. I do like "Student Demonstration Time" - a rare instance of hearing some heavy guitar on a BB's track. "Lookin' At Tomorrow" hits close to home right now. "Disney Girls" is Bruce's best; "A Day in the Life of a Tree" is beautiful in it's innocence. But the masterpieces this album's reputation rests on are "Surf's Up", "Till I Die", "Long Promised Road", and "Feel Flows" - 4 songs that rank with the best these guys ever did.

Couldn't agree more.  If Take a Load Off Your Feet wasn't on the album, it might be my favorite Beach Boys album. 
Too bad Dennis took his songs off the album.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: KDS on May 06, 2016, 05:19:11 AM
"Take a Load Off Your Feet" is really the only thing here I can't stand. Sheesh, of all the things to write a rock and roll song about. Surprised Dennis didn't make fun of it by writing a song about his weenie. I do like "Student Demonstration Time" - a rare instance of hearing some heavy guitar on a BB's track. "Lookin' At Tomorrow" hits close to home right now. "Disney Girls" is Bruce's best; "A Day in the Life of a Tree" is beautiful in it's innocence. But the masterpieces this album's reputation rests on are "Surf's Up", "Till I Die", "Long Promised Road", and "Feel Flows" - 4 songs that rank with the best these guys ever did.

Couldn't agree more.  If Take a Load Off Your Feet wasn't on the album, it might be my favorite Beach Boys album. 
Too bad Dennis took his songs off the album.

Swap out Take a Load Off Your Feet for Wouldn't It Nice Nice to Live Again, and I'd easily vote Surf's Up at the best Beach Boys LP. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: KDS on May 06, 2016, 09:32:07 AM
There is topic "WIBNTLA reviews", some say it deserved the hype. Do you agree with it, KDS? I was impressed by Dennis' vox, imo it could rival the best of Brian. Help here, it and Slip on Through are 2 songs where he hit the high note. Any others?

That said, TALOYF is my favorite.

I love WIBNTLA.  It made me regret parting with a C-note for the bloated MiC set much less.  I think it's one of Dennis's best songs, and it's a shame it didn't make in onto a BB album, and was left off in favor of a Sunflower throwaway. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: KDS on May 06, 2016, 09:43:37 AM
"Sunflower throwaway" - agree to disagree. To me, WIBNTLA is about the vox. Sure it had nice arr. , nice flutes and guitar solo. But as with many Dennis' songs, it's too sappy. I'm into upbeat sunshine-y songs.

We'll have to agree to disagree.  But I think WIBNTLA would've been perfect for the Surf's Up record. 

Personally, Take a Load Off Your Feet doesn't sound sunshine-y.  I think it falls into that overly quirky Brian category.  Some fans love it, and that's fine, but it's not for me. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: drbeachboy on May 06, 2016, 09:46:59 AM
There is topic "WIBNTLA reviews", some say it deserved the hype. Do you agree with it, KDS? I was impressed by Dennis' vox, imo it could rival the best of Brian. Help here, it and Slip on Through are 2 songs where he hit the high note. Any others?

That said, TALOYF is my favorite.

I love WIBNTLA.  It made me regret parting with a C-note for the bloated MiC set much less.  I think it's one of Dennis's best songs, and it's a shame it didn't make in onto a BB album, and was left off in favor of a Sunflower throwaway.  
No it wasn't! It was left off, because Dennis pulled it. He wanted it to end the album and when he learned that wasn't going to happen, he took that and 4th Of July off and went home.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: KDS on May 06, 2016, 09:51:47 AM
To me it sounds both jolly AND quirky. At least nobody with right ears I hope would say "Take A Load..." is dark and sad.
What about 4th of July? Like it? I used to but it worn out quickly.

I do like 4th of July, but I can kinda see why it was left off.  I think it pales in comparison to WIBNTLA. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: drbeachboy on May 06, 2016, 09:56:16 AM
To me it sounds both jolly AND quirky. At least nobody with right ears I hope would say "Take A Load..." is dark and sad.
What about 4th of July? Like it? I used to but it worn out quickly.
Dennis pulled two songs off of Surf's Up. I believe Student Demonstration Time replaced 4th of July on the album. I think Donnie said in here once, that he believed 4th Of July followed Don't Go Near The Water and preceded Long Promised Road. They sound right in that order.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: KDS on May 06, 2016, 10:34:55 AM
Affirmative. The ending of Don't Go Near the Water meshes well with 4th of July's begin. I am in the minority  who like Student Demonstration Time though. Good news is anyone can re-arrange the tracklist and sequence/ go back to original plan.

I don't mind the song Student Demonstration Time.  The only thing I don't like is that siren noise in it.  I get what they were going for, but it didn't work. 

The lyrics are a little clunky.  I think I'd have preferred a straight cover of Riot in Cell Block B. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Lonely Summer on May 07, 2016, 03:04:26 PM
It's too bad WIBNTLA only saw release on that pricey box - I got a copy out of our library. Couldn't afford to buy it. In a better world they would reissue the cd's of the 70's albums with bonus tracks added, instead of the two-fer format.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: KDS on May 09, 2016, 05:23:50 AM
It's too bad WIBNTLA only saw release on that pricey box - I got a copy out of our library. Couldn't afford to buy it. In a better world they would reissue the cd's of the 70's albums with bonus tracks added, instead of the two-fer format.

I'd have preferred a CD or 2 CD set of only rarities.  By that, I mean, studio outtakes, not a slightly different 2012 stereo mix of Help Me Rhonda that sounds a tad cleaner than the 2006 stereo mix. 

It took me a couple years, but I reluctantly paid for the overly expensive box.  I guess Capitol realized that, since the reunion was a one off, let's bilk the loyal fans one more time. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Lonely Summer on May 09, 2016, 07:20:28 PM
It's too bad WIBNTLA only saw release on that pricey box - I got a copy out of our library. Couldn't afford to buy it. In a better world they would reissue the cd's of the 70's albums with bonus tracks added, instead of the two-fer format.

I'd have preferred a CD or 2 CD set of only rarities.  By that, I mean, studio outtakes, not a slightly different 2012 stereo mix of Help Me Rhonda that sounds a tad cleaner than the 2006 stereo mix. 

It took me a couple years, but I reluctantly paid for the overly expensive box.  I guess Capitol realized that, since the reunion was a one off, let's bilk the loyal fans one more time. 
Yeah, they know they can get away with it. After checking out the box and taking it home, I was glad I didn't pay the big bucks for it. Not enough unreleased material, and the book was very disappointing.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: KDS on May 10, 2016, 10:16:31 AM
It's too bad WIBNTLA only saw release on that pricey box - I got a copy out of our library. Couldn't afford to buy it. In a better world they would reissue the cd's of the 70's albums with bonus tracks added, instead of the two-fer format.

I'd have preferred a CD or 2 CD set of only rarities.  By that, I mean, studio outtakes, not a slightly different 2012 stereo mix of Help Me Rhonda that sounds a tad cleaner than the 2006 stereo mix. 

It took me a couple years, but I reluctantly paid for the overly expensive box.  I guess Capitol realized that, since the reunion was a one off, let's bilk the loyal fans one more time. 
Yeah, they know they can get away with it. After checking out the box and taking it home, I was glad I didn't pay the big bucks for it. Not enough unreleased material, and the book was very disappointing.

I agree.  For what it was, they definitely overcharged for the packaging.  And I thought was it weird that the book seemed to imply that the C50 lineup was still together, despite the fact that it was released in late 2013. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Lonely Summer on May 10, 2016, 04:30:11 PM
It's too bad WIBNTLA only saw release on that pricey box - I got a copy out of our library. Couldn't afford to buy it. In a better world they would reissue the cd's of the 70's albums with bonus tracks added, instead of the two-fer format.

I'd have preferred a CD or 2 CD set of only rarities.  By that, I mean, studio outtakes, not a slightly different 2012 stereo mix of Help Me Rhonda that sounds a tad cleaner than the 2006 stereo mix. 

It took me a couple years, but I reluctantly paid for the overly expensive box.  I guess Capitol realized that, since the reunion was a one off, let's bilk the loyal fans one more time. 
Yeah, they know they can get away with it. After checking out the box and taking it home, I was glad I didn't pay the big bucks for it. Not enough unreleased material, and the book was very disappointing.

I agree.  For what it was, they definitely overcharged for the packaging.  And I thought was it weird that the book seemed to imply that the C50 lineup was still together, despite the fact that it was released in late 2013. 
Yeah, that was misleading. There should have been time to correct that before releasing the box.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Rick5150 on July 17, 2016, 05:20:56 AM
 When I first bought this album, I though that because of the title, there would be some surfing songs and I was quite eager to hear them. Imagine my disappointment as a youngster. But as an adult? I love this album. I am surprised about the comments about certain songs on Surf's Up. Everyone seems to want another Pet Sounds, SMiLE or Love You - or at least a thematic album.

The way I look at it, Brian has always had a quirky sense of humor and I take that into account listening to the Beach Boys albums. It is such a contrast to his much more common serious and somber lyrics. I love the fact that the Beach Boys were not afraid to take chances and will drop a goofy song into an album. Although the track order can help an album, it never really bothered me on this album. Besides, what is everyone complaining about? Nowadays, in this digital age, you can make whatever album you'd like using whatever songs or version of songs you want.

I think the Surf's Up album sounds amazing on vinyl, just the way it is. Mike likes doing rockers, so we get Student Demonstration Time. Sure it is dated, but at the time it was quite topical as the Kent State massacre was in 1970. The siren sound can get annoying but the song was meant to be grating in it's delivery.

Don't Go Near The Water - Love it. Toothpaste and soap can make our oceans a bubble bath, so let's avoid an ecological aftermath. People hate this?

Long Promised Road - A great Carl song and quite optimistic. I think he liked changing the mood from dark and brooding to hopeful. He also did it in The Trader, for example.

Take A Load Off Your Feet - intentionally funny. "But when you go to sit down in your chair, something else has got to put you there." Then of course, the outro where it sounds like they are holding their noses while singing about feet. Hilarious!

Disney Girls - One of the Bruce songs that I really like. "Now I'll fill your hands with kisses and a tootsie roll..." I love Hershey Kisses and Tootsie Rolls so what's there not to like here? Plus, my name is Rick and hearing it in a Beach Boys song when I was a kid was quite cool. Still is, actually. LOL.

Student Demonstration Time - Loud. Obnoxious. Dated. A perfect Mike Love vehicle! I like the music, Mike's bullhorn delivery and the harmonies. At the time it was topical though and a serious message.

Feel Flows - A little to long and flutey for me, but that 8-note keyboard progression that is repeated twice (right before the "encasing, all-embracing wreath of repose" always gives me goosebumps for some reason. Love that part! Again, Carl's voice is perfect and the harmonies are beautiful.

Lookin' At Tomorrow - This is the only song I do not care for on this album, but I do appreciate the chance to hear it.

A Day In The Life Of A Tree - Not one that I would play as an introduction for someone who has never heard the Beach Boys before. First few listens, I found it cringe-worthy, even as a kid. Later, when you consider the metaphor, it becomes a whole new song, and it adds a level of melancholy on top of the existing sad theme. Kind of like I'm Bugged At My Old Man did for me. Using humor to hide behind some very real pain.

Til' I Die - A brilliant Brian song. He was always ahead of himself. He was singing about the future in the early songs  like When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) and by the time he caught up with that, he was already looking much further towards the end of his life or in this case how insignificant a single life can feel.

Surf's Up - Columnated ruins domino. I have no idea what it means, but dammit it sounds great. I like the way the song was completed. The average listener would not even notice Carl and Brian sang lead - I used to assume it was the same singer all the way through - it is just we superfans that can tell the difference. The sparseness of parts of the arrangement set a perfect mood for the lyrics.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: Kid Presentable on August 08, 2016, 08:06:47 PM
I have a lot of thoughts on Surf's Up, an album that I love.  Here are two very random ones.

I have a strange relationship with this album because of how I consume it.  Just because of how my iPod and iTunes have progressed over the years from computer to computer and my laziness in correcting things, I have also come to know Surf's Up as being sequenced alphabetically.  It gives me a chuckle every time to have the album end with SDT --> Surf's Up --> Take A Load --> Til I Die.  I have even warmed up to it because of how ridiculous it is, and it has given me a different, good, appreciation of the album, in ways I don't get when I listen to it in its intended order (which I enjoy very much).

When I listen to Take A Load I always think that it wasn't made right.  Were it given a Party! treatment, with double the acoustic guitars, and double the "hangin' out with the gang" manufactured vibe, in my opinion it would have been a much better song.  I can't think of any other of their songs that I can say that about. 


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: shangaijoeBB on January 08, 2017, 09:33:19 AM
A perfect pop/progressive LP from start to finish if it didn't have Feet and Surf's Up (I LOVE Carl's vocals but the track belongs on SMiLE) and more of Dennis' songs.
 
This is the order I listen to these days:

Side A

Don't Go Near The Water
Long Promised Road
California Slide (Im' Going Your Way)
Disney Girls (1957)
Student Demonstration Time
Fourth Of July

Side B

Feel Flows
My Solution
Lookin' At Tomorrow
A Day In The Life Of A Tree
'Til I Die (Desper instrumental intro/Surf's Up mix)
Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Live Again)



Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: JK on July 10, 2017, 05:57:51 AM
Saw this in Amsterdam the other day. It's called The Weary Traveller (De vermoeide reiziger). Dating
from 1987 (or perhaps earlier), it's not known who sculpted it. I shall give it a try (famous last words):     

(http://vanderkrogt.net/standbeelden/Foto/NH/NH04dp.jpg)


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: JL on July 31, 2017, 07:58:17 PM
Don't Go Near The Water: Catchy, and I love the ending (reminds me of Little Pad from Smiley Smile and that era of the group in general), but I can't help but find it a little...unintentionally funny. The lyrics are a bit too simple to be effective, and when Al Jardine comes in singing so passionately about toothpaste, soap and ocean bubble baths, it makes me chuckle. But I guess it's charming, in a way.

Long Promised Road: Beautiful, but this time the lyrics are a bit too cryptic. I like "So hard to answer future's riddle when ahead is seeming so far behind/So hard to laugh a childlike giggle when the tears start to torture my mind", but "So hard to lift the jeweled scepter/When the weight turns a smile to a frown/So hard to drink of passion nectar/When the taste of life's holding me down...not so much. Carl's voice is great though and the bridge is a highlight of the album.

Take A Load Off Your Feet: Pretty weird, but pretty neat.

Disney Girls: I think it's gorgeous, but syrupy, lovely but overproduced at times. I actually like how this sounds with just piano. Next to Deirdre this is my favorite Bruce song.

STD: Not my cup of tea, but not bad. It is loud and dated as noted before, but entertaining nonetheless.

Feel Flows: Like Long Promised Road, the lyrics here are cryptic and confusing, but I actually like them, they give the song a sci-fi type of feeling. The solo in the middle of the song goes on too long, but overall I love the structure of the song and the vocals are perfect.

Lookin' At Tomorrow: A quieter, sad song. Not my favorite on the album, but I enjoy the line "I've been laying on my back/Like a freight train off a track". Pretty good stuff from Al.

A Day In The Life Of A Tree: I've heard that some people hate this song, and others love it. I'm on the "love" side, but the lead vocal from Jack Reilly can be painful to listen to. That's what's supposed to add to the song though, I suppose. The lyrics and overall concept are brilliant.

Til' I Die: Haunting, brilliant, amazing. What else can I say that hasn't already been said? I also enjoy the Stephen Desper mix of this song, maybe even more than the original.

Surf's Up: See above. Leave it to Brian to steal the show with the last 3 songs on an already fairly strong album while he was going through some issues. Carl's lead vocals work just fine in the first half, but I think this is a song that is just meant for Brian's voice, and when he takes over the song just goes to another level. His delivery is warm but haunting. Like Disney Girls, I love the piano only demo of this song with Brian. Maybe the boys didn't 'have' to dig up this song and name the album after it, but I'm sure glad that they did.

Overall, I'd give Surf's Up a 4/5.


Title: Re: Surf's Up
Post by: JK on July 13, 2019, 04:53:48 AM
Take a Load Off Your Feet is an awful song about subject matter that doesn't even warrant a song being made about it.

Aww. Sorry but I can't resist this. I realize "Feet" is not to everyone's liking (and goodness knows I'm no fan of feet in real life) but I think it's a sweet song. And, I'm still on the lookout for avocado cream. So shoot me. ;D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gkuwXTh-Jw


Title: Re: Surf's Up Recording Studio info. Sunset Sound Studio #2
Post by: Danny White on May 05, 2020, 09:53:26 AM
Anybody out there have Studio locations at Sunset Sound for Surfs Up? Thanks, Danny