Redux: That's Why God Made The Radio

[Dudd]

I'll try this...

Side One
1. That's Why Got Made The Radio
2. Soul Searchin'
3. Isn't It Time
4. Spring Vacation
5. Shelter
6. Message Man

Side Two
1. You're Still A Mystery
2. My Love Lives On
3. Think About The Days
4. From There To Back Again (I'd quite like to start it with those amazing sounds at the end of Strange World)
5. Pacific Coast Highway
6. Summer's Gone

[Paul J B]

Over time I'm starting to understand this album had zero of The Beach Boys soul.

It's decent but it's not a Beach Boys record.

Really? I think it was the first time in decades that an album came out and actually sounded like the Beach Boys. It made me realize that most of Brian's solo stuff really comes up short. Having actual Beach Boys on his records rather than decent musicians trying to sing like the Beach Boys makes a much bigger difference and gives the sound 'soul' to me.

In any case, it may not have been a masterpiece, but for a bunch of 70ish year old's it was and is a solid release that I'm more than satisfied with.

[rab2591]

I wish they had recorded something really up tempo like SUSA.. That fast Chuck Berry style song  with harmonies and letting David rip on guitar.. Maybe its in the can awaiting a release.. Something pure R+R would have been icing on the cake..

This is one thing I thought was missing as well. Maybe there'll be one like this on one of Brian's new releases.

Also, I must be the only member here who dislikes Don't Fight The Sea

[Rich E P]

I agree with Rab2591 and Mr. Wilson in that the album needs a rocker or at least one tune with a slightly elevated BPM that maybe gave Cowsill a chance to let loose a bit.  For a guy who keeps talking about making a rock n' roll record, Brian has shied away from doing so for a very long time.  I am very happy with TWGMTR on the whole though.  It could have been an absolute disaster.  And it is such a better last album than SIP.  I consider it a near miracle that it (and C50) happened.  While it has flaws, it has tunes and moments that made/make me feel that Beach Boys magic like some of their very best older material.  For instance, the vocal stacks that come in at 43 seconds into From There To Back Again just SOUNDS like that classic blend of the Beach Boys, and yes there is no Carl and Dennis contributing but I can hear them, they are there in spirit when you have Brian, Mike, Al and Bruce singing together .  And those accumulations of little moments make for a wonderful emotional experience for me still.  The selfish part of me wants another reunion album.  But the realist in me says if TWGMTR is the last proper album by The Beach Boys it makes for a pretty satisfying final statement.  They have given us so much to enjoy...

[Don Malcolm]

Nice comments, Rich. Two or three stronger songs would have made TWGMTR into a really stunning comeback/swan song, but what we have on the album as it is clearly harkens back to better days, and represents what's probably the best possible blending of these individuals that can be gotten given the volume of water under the bridge and the amount of sand that's eroded from the primordial beach from which this long, strange adventure was launched.

[Mayoman]

I wish they had recorded something really up tempo like SUSA.. That fast Chuck Berry style song  with harmonies and letting David rip on guitar.. Maybe its in the can awaiting a release.. Something pure R+R would have been icing on the cake..

Beaches In Mind could have been that song. Definitely, it would be a much better song in a rocked up version.

[EgoHanger1966]

I hope the version of "She Believes In Love Again" from the TWGMTR sessions sneaks out somewhere. I can't see where or how (or why) it would, but according to Bruce on the BBB forum, Capitol/EMI/whoever is in charge these days has a two-track completed mix.

[Micha]

I wish they had recorded something really up tempo like SUSA.. That fast Chuck Berry style song  with harmonies and letting David rip on guitar.. Maybe its in the can awaiting a release.. Something pure R+R would have been icing on the cake..

Beaches In Mind could have been that song. Definitely, it would be a much better song in a rocked up version.

Oh yes!!! In my custom version of the album I sped it up by one sixth, which already helps a lot to make not sound that boring. Then a bit of unusual drum sound and some rocking rhythm guitar, it would have been great!

Here's my custom TWGMTR:

A.
1. Isn't It Time (album version, sped up one sixth)
2. Beaches In Mind (also sped up one sixth except for the vocal intro)
3. Spring Vacation
4. Waves Of Love (saxophone version, but in my dream version the saxophone is replaced by Dave's lead guitar and the other BBs supply the backing vox. And the dit dits at the end are cut from 8 to 4 rounds.)
5. Strange World (like it better out side the suite)
6. That's Why God Made The Radio

B.
1. Daybreak Over The Ocean
2. Shelter
3. From There To Back Again
4. Think About The Days (I like it better in the suite than as intro to the album)
5. Pacific Coast Highway
6. Summer's Gone


First I tried including Don't Fight The Sea rather than Waves Of Love, but to my ears it didn't gel with the other tracks. Waves Of Love does.

[The Shift]

First I tried including Don't Fight The Sea rather than Waves Of Love, but to my ears it didn't gel with the other tracks. Waves Of Love does.

Understood… and yet to my ears "Don't Fight…" is the superior track.

What other Postcards… tracks would anyone like to see on there? I love "And I Always Will…" – has an air of "From There To Back Again" about it that fits well (and aye, I know it also has an air of "Winds of Change" about it).

In fact if the best of Postcards… and the best of TWGMTR were combined, given Postards… production values and BBs harmonies throughout, you'd have an absolute stone-cold classic BBs album. IMHO…   A shame the two came out separately … almost!

[Dudd]

First I tried including Don't Fight The Sea rather than Waves Of Love, but to my ears it didn't gel with the other tracks. Waves Of Love does.

Understood… and yet to my ears "Don't Fight…" is the superior track.

What other Postcards… tracks would anyone like to see on there? I love "And I Always Will…" – has an air of "From There To Back Again" about it that fits well (and aye, I know it also has an air of "Winds of Change" about it).

In fact if the best of Postcards… and the best of TWGMTR were combined, given Postards… production values and BBs harmonies throughout, you'd have an absolute stone-cold classic BBs album. IMHO…   A shame the two came out separately … almost!

Perhaps. What might be your tracklist? 

[Disney Boy (1985)]

I think My Love Lives On deserves better than being on That's Why God Made The Radio...

[Junebug]

I honestly can't believe some of the negative views on TWGMTR , i think it's absolutely superb and i wasn't expecting much at all , it surprised me big time.
 Could do without Beaches In Mind but big deal. Bill and Sue has a terrible main lyric but the chorus is classic BB's.
There's a few real gems ,especially at the end of course ,and most of the rest would be standouts on any BB's  album from the mid-70's onwards.

I really think it's a great album , then again i haven't tried speeding any of it up by a 6th yet so maybe i could make it better.

[Niko]

One thing I do like about the album is the way everything sounds, autotune barred. I thought the production was very well done. Classic BW work, but modern.
The closing suite is in my top Beach Boys moments, and it makes me terribly excited for what is to come from his 'suite' album.

However some of songwriting is weak, and I will be trying out some of these tracklists. Daybreak, like most Mike Love music, is not inherently bad, its just not good at all (the best part of the song is the acapella intro). Replacing it with something like You're Still A Mystery really makes for a stronger album, as well as making you wonder why it wasn't released on this album, regardless of when it was recorded. Most of these songs were written quite a while ago anyway.

[Niko]

Also, I must be the only member here who dislikes Don't Fight The Sea

I am the other member of the board who doesn't like it   
Maybe I haven't listened to it enough, but the melody seems weak to me. Also its so short, and always end right as I'm expecting a cool change or something.

[Mendota Heights]

I am also not a big fan of DFTS.

And Carl's WoL vocals kinda blows.

[rab2591]

First I tried including Don't Fight The Sea rather than Waves Of Love, but to my ears it didn't gel with the other tracks. Waves Of Love does.

What other Postcards… tracks would anyone like to see on there?

I've always loved San Simeon - would've been a good one to place next to Daybreak Over The Ocean.

[rab2591]

Also, I must be the only member here who dislikes Don't Fight The Sea

I am the other member of the board who doesn't like it   
Maybe I haven't listened to it enough, but the melody seems weak to me. Also its so short, and always end right as I'm expecting a cool change or something.

I am also not a big fan of DFTS.

And Carl's WoL vocals kinda blows.

Lack of a strong melody, not much change in the chord progression, the lyrics are pretty weak ("Don't fight the sea" is repeated nearly 40 times in it). I'm glad other people think it's great, but I'll never understand the hype.

[Niko]

It is of course nice to see Al Jardine out there with a solo single, he's our cute little guy with the voice of a 20 year old.

[Jonathan Blum]

Still a gorgeous album.  Still an album I never thought I'd see.  I prefer the vinyl track listing, but I'm happy with the song choice.  You need the frothy stuff like "Beaches In Mind" and "Bill And Sue" to lull you into a (false?) sense of security before Brian yanks the rug out from under you at the end.

I don't listen to it that often right now, but that's mainly because the last two tracks are still *devastating*...

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[Mark H]

I did a quick n lazy mash up of TWGMTR and Postcard before xmas and agree that if an album were to have been made using tracks from both it would have been a fantastic Beach Boys album.  I really wanted to include Shelter but I was trying to make it as 'Beach Boys sounding' as possible and in Shelter Foskett is too prominent for me.

A
1) Think About The Days
2) TWGMTR
3) Spring Vacation
4) California Feelin' (Postcard)
5) Looking Down The Coast (Postcard)
6) Don't Fight The Sea (Postcard)
B
1) Daybreak Over The Ocean (Included this so the album has a 'group' feel and I don't mind it!)
2) Isn't It Time (Single Version)
3) Strange World
4) From there And Back Again
5) Pacific Coast Highway
6) Summer's Gone

[Mendota Heights]

This is the best track list I can come up with.

1. That's Why Good Made the Radio
2. Too Cruel
3. Isn't It Time
4. Shelter
5. San Simeon
6. Pisces Brothers

1. A Postcard From California
2. Looking Down the Coast
3. I Don't Wanna Know
4. Think About the Days
5. From There To Back Again
6. Pacific Coast Highway

[coco1997]

That's Why God Made The Radio (2012)

1. That's Why God Made the Radio
2. Isn't It Time?
3. PT Cruiser
4. Spring Vacation
5. Waves of Love
6. Shelter
7. Daybreak Over the Ocean

1. Cool Head, Warm Heart
2. Strange World
3. From There To Back Again
4. Pacific Coast Highway
5. Think About the Days
6. Summer's Gone

[donald]

Last year I made a cd drawing from Postcard and twgmtr along with a couple of songs from LOS.  shared it with a few friends telling them this was the latest BB music.  It was well received.

[Summertime Blooz]

TWGMTR is probably still somewhere in my top 10 of most enjoyable BB albums.

It's in my Top 30.

Yes- it's on my list of Beach Boys albums.

[Alan Smith]

My one wish is that TWGMTR's production/sound was similar to Postcard which has better sonics; especially in the "natural" sounding vocals dept.

Both are pretty impressive offerings, all things considered (especially for TWGMTR).

Is Bruce ever going to bloody-well boot/leak "She Believes In Love Again"?