New review of "That's Why God Made the Radio"

[pacarlin]

Hey everyone. Lots of excitement these days, doncha think? I've been spinning the new record, and it's been spinning me around a bit, too. Here's my review of "That's Why God. . ." (http://www.peteramescarlin.com/node/204), just in time for the Billboard charts to tell us exactly how big a hit it's going to be -- word on the street predicts top 5, possibly higher.

[Summertime Blooz]

Best written review for the new album that I've read. Good job, man- you got dem mad writin' skillz.

[Jukka]

This must to be the first record review ever that made me think of my own mortality and make my eyes grow wet. That last bit, about Summer's Gone... Damn.

[Lowbacca]

Very well written, and I agree wholeheartedly in terms of praise and criticism.

[Danimalist]

Very, very nicely done.

[seltaeb1012002]

Great review! Enjoyed reading it.

[Michael Edwards Love]

Great piece that really captures the spirit of the album (as well as your opinions of it).

[onkster]

Great writing, Peter. I wish all music criticism were like this.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Terrfific review. Agreed with an awful lot of it. Love the book as well, one of the best.

[TimmyC]

Having wasted half my day at work reading the old PAC honored guest thread, I would be really interested to hear PAC's thoughts about the reunion in general (although the review was very interesting in and of itself and appreciate him alerting us to it!).

[LostArt]

Peter Ames Carlin....you've brought tears to my eyes again, man.  Wonderful words.  Thanks.

[the professor]

Yes, I thank Mr. Carlin for sharing the review.  I am not a fan of profane language in scholarly work; I find it neither kitsch nor useful.  When the essay gives itself over to the music, despite its self-inflicted resistant critical imperatives, it succeeds best.  I can only assert again, as I did in my Amazon review (likely the only one that refers to Cicero, so you can find it if you wish), that "skipping" songs because they appear (superficially) to be superficial, misses the complex, evolving integrity of the "album."  Mr. Carlin, like so many reviewers, falls into the Manichean trap of “summer fun” (Mike) vs. “sundown death” (Brian).  This long day, this long summer we call the Beach Boys celebrates and laments both modes and moments.
.
But I am a fan of Catch a Wave and respect Mr. Carlin's work; I hope (and suspect) he enjoys the academic debate and engagement. And yes, I too have testified to the emotional forse of that final moment in the album; as Carlin writes, "He's got that dreamy tone in his voice again, his cousin steps up with his reassuring baritone,  the music fades and all that remains is the rain on the beach. The forces of nature, the voice of God. On the radio, and everywhere else, too."

Moving and true, especially about Mike supporting his cousin; but we would never get there without Mike having tested our hearts and urgently longed for us to return, recapture, and eternally possess that which we cannot hold on to forever..
Finally, BonJovi's contribution should surprise no one; like me, he is from New Jersey; we know much of beaches and summer there, and unlike here in LA, we know much of of "summers gone."

[Paulos]

Nice review Peter and it's good to see you back, hope you aren't chased away like last time.

[pacarlin]

Manichean, you say?! Harumph. Pistols at dawn! Mine will have a white handle, so yours has to be black. And while I'll be standing with a backdrop of a church behind me, you'll have to stand near the cemetery at the other end of the street. Bring your seconds!

[Ron]

Yes, I thank Mr. Carlin for sharing the review.  I am not a fan of profane language in scholarly work; I find it neither kitsch nor usefully.  When the essay gives itself over to the music, despite its self-inflicted resistant critical imperatives, it succeeds best.  I can only assert again, as I did in my Amazon review (likely the only one that refers to Cicero, so you can find it if you wish), that "skipping" songs because they appear (superficially) to be superficial, misses the complex, evolving integrity of the "album."  Mr. Carlin, like so many reviewers, falls into the Manichean trap of “summer fun” (Mike) vs. “sundown death” (Brian).  This long day, this long summer we call the Beach Boys celebrates and laments both modes and moments.
.

Amazingly.  I agree completely.  I even understood it, lol.  

[ivy]

Yes, I thank Mr. Carlin for sharing the review.  I am not a fan of profane language in scholarly work; I find it neither kitsch nor usefully.  When the essay gives itself over to the music, despite its self-inflicted resistant critical imperatives, it succeeds best.  I can only assert again, as I did in my Amazon review (likely the only one that refers to Cicero, so you can find it if you wish), that "skipping" songs because they appear (superficially) to be superficial, misses the complex, evolving integrity of the "album."  Mr. Carlin, like so many reviewers, falls into the Manichean trap of “summer fun” (Mike) vs. “sundown death” (Brian).  This long day, this long summer we call the Beach Boys celebrates and laments both modes and moments.

you must be the worst person to hang out with in real life


Thanks for the review, Peter. Really enjoyed it.

[the professor]

Oh, Ivy, you don't mean that. . .

I added a paragraph to my post, by the way, to share my sense of awe about Mr. Carlin's last, lovely paragraph.

[Lowbacca]

you must be the worst person to hang out with in real life

[southbay]

Yes, I thank Mr. Carlin for sharing the review.  I am not a fan of profane language in scholarly work; I find it neither kitsch nor usefully.  When the essay gives itself over to the music, despite its self-inflicted resistant critical imperatives, it succeeds best.  I can only assert again, as I did in my Amazon review (likely the only one that refers to Cicero, so you can find it if you wish), that "skipping" songs because they appear (superficially) to be superficial, misses the complex, evolving integrity of the "album."  Mr. Carlin, like so many reviewers, falls into the Manichean trap of “summer fun” (Mike) vs. “sundown death” (Brian).  This long day, this long summer we call the Beach Boys celebrates and laments both modes and moments.
.

Amazingly.  I agree completely.  I even understood it, lol. 

Me too

[TimmyC]

Yes, I thank Mr. Carlin for sharing the review.  I am not a fan of profane language in scholarly work; I find it neither kitsch nor usefully.  When the essay gives itself over to the music, despite its self-inflicted resistant critical imperatives, it succeeds best.  I can only assert again, as I did in my Amazon review (likely the only one that refers to Cicero, so you can find it if you wish), that "skipping" songs because they appear (superficially) to be superficial, misses the complex, evolving integrity of the "album."  Mr. Carlin, like so many reviewers, falls into the Manichean trap of “summer fun” (Mike) vs. “sundown death” (Brian).  This long day, this long summer we call the Beach Boys celebrates and laments both modes and moments.

Thumbs up Professor - I agree with every word in this paragraph. I always enjoy reading your posts!

[Autotune]

Yes, I thank Mr. Carlin for sharing the review.  I am not a fan of profane language in scholarly work; I find it neither kitsch nor usefully.  When the essay gives itself over to the music, despite its self-inflicted resistant critical imperatives, it succeeds best.  I can only assert again, as I did in my Amazon review (likely the only one that refers to Cicero, so you can find it if you wish), that "skipping" songs because they appear (superficially) to be superficial, misses the complex, evolving integrity of the "album."  Mr. Carlin, like so many reviewers, falls into the Manichean trap of “summer fun” (Mike) vs. “sundown death” (Brian).  This long day, this long summer we call the Beach Boys celebrates and laments both modes and moments.
.

While I appreciate Mr. Carlin's review, I must also thank the professor for such an insightful comment, and for putting into words what I -and others- feel about the album.

[Eric Aniversario]

Thanks for posting! I appreciate what you wrote about the last few songs...exactly how I view them.  But for the record, the song title is "From There To Back Again", not "There And Back Again"...

[onkster]

I dunno about manichean, but those aeolian cadences, man, that's what got me.

[ontor pertawst]

Great review, fairly similar to my take on the album -- three cheers for informed profanity and redemption through melancholic suites!

It's great to see a review that actually addresses the music instead of rehashing regurgitated backstory obtained after a half-hearted google search... you kids have fun with that duel!

[pacarlin]

Hi, and thanks for reading, and for all the nice comments here. But when it comes to profanity, y'know, I could have done a better job of it, I suppose. Maybe it's beneath my dignity, or something. But that said, I don't have a lot of dignity, and I also think a well placed cussword, especially the one that begins with an 'f',' that is perhaps the most flexible word in the English language -- It's a verb! It's an adjective! It's an audible pause! -- is far more expressive and meaningful than a lot of other words I encounter on a daily basis. Like 'mimetics.' Ran up against that one today. I get it, it's one of those words you get issued in graduate school, the better to deconstruct and analyze in terms that only a small segment of other readers will be able to understand. (I'd imitate that kind of thinking/writing, but I just don't know a good word to describe/analyze my decision to do so. Oh wait, maybe I do. . .it's on the tip of my tongue. . .)

The smartest, coolest people I know curse. Some of them a lot. They're not profane people. They just understand the power of language, which does not always reside in the houses of propriety.

Is my frickin' opinion, anyway.