That's Why God Made The Radio
by The Beach Boys

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.

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.

Brilliant comeback cannot believe how good this is! Honestly , this is their best since Surfs Up IMHO. Tracks 1,9,10,11, & 12 are very pet-sounds and smile like. Some of it would fit on Sunflower such as the single, Isnt it time, daybreak over the ocean and my fav track on the album 'Shelter'. The two weakest tracks are Spring Vacation and Beaches in Mind, but I can see why they included them,to please everyone. Infact Beaches In Mind is growing on me, it has excellent group singing and there is a hint of the song 'Girls on the Beach' in it. Well done Beach Boys.!

From flamingyesdept TOP 100 COMMENTER 07/29/2017 17:57 | #195128 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

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.

From LebowskiRams TOP 100 COMMENTER 02/11/2019 02:16 | #231776 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

**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.