That's Why God Made The Radio (studio album) by The Beach Boys

From LebowskiRams 02/11/2019 02:16

**Not that good, but Summer's Gone is wonderful**

I was wrong when I wrote that ^. There are a couple of clunker songs, but this is a return to solid work and this has the best final three songs to a Beach Boys album since Surf's Up.

From flamingyesdept 07/29/2017 17:57

Amazing comeback, their best album since L.A. The first track and last three especially are stunningly beautiful. What an achievement for a fifty-year old band, a wonderful bookend on an incredible career.

An amazing comeback offering both new and old styles. A lot of songs you could imagine being on albums back in their peak 60s/70s era. From There to Back Again and Pacific Coast Highway are fantastic

So fantastic. So great to listen to during the summer time…also, great comment from rover. Can't write a better summary than that.

I don't think anyone was really expecting an album this good. Brian can still write some great songs. Easily their best since Love You, maybe since Holland.

Amazing album. "Isn't it time", "Spring Vacation" are two of the bests songs of 2010's

I had actually listened to the short audio clips on Amazon, and found them quite good, without actually turning on to them. It was only when I was encouraged to listen to the album in its whole that it dawned on me: The Beach Boys have made another classic album.

You almost forget that it's been more than forty years since the group finally delivered a really good album; and rarely has a Beach Boys album been so consistently well written. The vocals are surprisingly strong. Brian does not sound like he did in the 1960s, but Jeffrey Foskett does a convincing job on the high harmonies and Brian's lead vocals are still strong, but in a different way. Al Jardine has hardly sung with more conviction than he does on the fine "From There to Back Again". The harmony vocals are generally very tight and it is difficult to distinguish the individual voices, but pure Beach Boys sound as no other group has managed to create.

The songwriting is, as mentioned, superb. There are more songs written in the Pet Sounds / Smile style with beautiful choral voices - acapella or with very sparse arrangements. For example. "Think About the Days" which works very much the same way as "Our Prayer" did on "Smile" - also "From There to Back Again" and "Pacific Coast Highway" fall into this category, and these songs show evidence that Brian Wilson still manages to write sangs at once complex and melodic.

In the more immediately catchy category you will find a handful of potential hits / classics such as the title track "That's Why God Made the Radio". Classic Beach Boys sound - shamelessly catchy. "The Private Life of Bill and Sue", with its Carrebean beat and strong chorus is another bid for a new classic.

"Beaches in Mind" - may seem a little sketchy - but must be fantastic live-song - again a strong chorus. "Is not it Time" has a bit of the same beat as "Do It Again" - and a great build-up. "Strange World" is a really nice pop ballad. I imagine there will be many cover versions of this particular number. Not very much a typical Beach Boys number - great nonetheless.

The album has the classic slot length of about 40 minutes - a perfect length when all the songs are so listenable. I have played the album at random several times and the numbers work incredibly well together anyway.

The only thing you may miss is a few powerful lead vocals from Carl Wilson - glory be to his memory - otherwise you get more than could reasonably have been expected from a band that has been on the road for 50 years.

From RoundTheBend 03/21/2013 07:51

While I want to like this album, the only thing I like about it really is the modern mixing/mastering/producing/performance of the Beach Boys. The songs are pretty average. 7,8 and 11 did stand out to me though. Although the songs aren't great... I do like seeing it when a band can come back together and do something like this. I think the Rolling Stone's Bigger Bang was a better comeback.

This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.

From junodog4 07/01/2012 03:08

This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.