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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2020 12:05:17 GMT
Sorry to have been away again... This week's album is Surf's Up:
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Post by jk on Jan 21, 2020 12:46:21 GMT
Sorry to have been away again... This week's album is Surf's Up: No problems, Wata. Particularly since you came back to post my favourite BB album!
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Post by kds on Jan 21, 2020 13:05:38 GMT
I'll go 9 for Surf's Up, one of my favorite BB albums of all time. The title track is the (IMO) definitive version of my favorite song of theirs. Lookin at Tomorrow is an underrated deep cut. Feel Flows and Til I Die are amazing. Disney Girls is Bruce's finest moment as a Beach Boy.
The album has some flaws (a mercifully short song about feet to name one), but the Beach Boys would rarely be this good again.
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 21, 2020 13:28:35 GMT
I’m a pretty big Surf’s Up fan. In fact—and I think this might be a new take—I think there’s a chance that it’s the most underrated album among hardcore fans. I’ll explain. Non-fans or casual fans have never heard of the album. OK, fine. Then as people get into the band, this era is often a favorite, and this album grows in esteem. But inevitably it becomes a blank canvas for them, or at least an inferior version of what they would have preferred. The omission of Dennis’s songs are the most common complaint, but you also hear alternatives suggested regularly for Feet or SDT. A fella starts to feel bad for poor ol’ Surf’s Up as it gets kicked around, fans making perfect the enemy of the good. First and foremost, let’s get this out of the way yet again (a disclaimer I simply have to give with each mention): I like Feet. In fact, I love Feet. It’s fun. It’s catchy. It was cleverly produced. Now, on to other things. The album spans a wide range of material without anything sounding disjointed. And its best material, the title song, is a brilliant piece of work. The singing throughout is good, and I love how the guys were recorded here. There’s a sharpness to their voices that I adore. Really, the lowest point is SDT, and it’s not terrible. This is such a good album. As I think about the “favorite albums” thread, I’m trying to decide where I’d rank it—certainly top five. Top three, maybe? 8.
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Post by B.E. on Jan 22, 2020 0:18:00 GMT
I’m a pretty big Surf’s Up fan. In fact—and I think this might be a new take—I think there’s a chance that it’s the most underrated album among hardcore fans. Thought-provoking take, Kapitan. I've actually come to think of it as overrated among hardcore fans. When I read those common complaints, I get the sense that it's believed, with a little tinkering, it could have been a masterpiece on par with their greatest work, not that it isn't still a very good, or great, album despite it's perceived shortcomings. When I first discovered Surf's Up, I was much higher on it than I am now. The combination of it's high reputation and the newness of the music worked its wonders. But, as the years pass, I discover that this album isn't one that I reach for too often. I've just listened to it for the 3rd time this month and I believe that is more than I listened to it in all of 2019. I think what it comes down to, for me, are the songs themselves. I just don't enjoy them to the extent that I do the songs on most of their other albums (through '77, at least). And, I'm referring to both the music and lyrics. "Don't Go Near The Water", "Take A Load Off Your Feet", "Lookin' At Tomorrow", and "Student Demonstration Time" are all good songs and productions, but as a group of songs, they are slightly underwhelming/unaffecting (the coda of DGNTW excepting!). I'd even include "Long Promised Road" and "Feel Flows" in with that group, albeit for slightly different reasons, as both of those songs feel more ambitious. So, that leaves two standouts, "Surf's Up" (which I've increasingly found myself listening to alternate versions of) and "Til I Die", and two near standouts, "Disney Girls" and "A Day In The Life Of A Tree". This is a good album. To me, a 7/10. Sure, I'd make changes to tailor it to my taste, but I think the nitpicking is largely just our way of rationalizing why we prefer other songs and albums. As for that potential masterpiece, I don't see it. I think "(Wouldn't It Be Nice To) Live Again" would have improved the album, but "4th of July" isn't that good of a song. Checking the various threads across the various message boards, it seems that Sunflower is routinely considered a top 5 album, while Surf's Up is considered top 10. Objectively, that seems fair to me. By the way, I like the effect of hearing "Don't Go Near The Water" follow "Cool, Cool Water" on the twofer.
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 22, 2020 0:31:52 GMT
What's funny is, for your apparently opposite assessment from mine, we end up one point apart on our ratings: 7 to 8.
I agree entirely that "4th of July" wouldn't help at all. In fact, I think it would hurt. And while I like "Wouldn't It Nice Nice (to Live Again)," I don't see it as an earth-shattering song by any means. I do think it would have been nice (to include on the album). (Semi-pun intended.)
As for your listening frequency, holy cow! You dwarf mine. I don't listen to ANY Beach Boys album multiple times a month. I did when I first got them, 20 years ago or so. But now? A couple times a year is about it, with some songs calling out to me more often for specific listens.
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Post by B.E. on Jan 22, 2020 0:58:11 GMT
As for your listening frequency, holy cow! You dwarf mine. I don't listen to ANY Beach Boys album multiple times a month. I did when I first got them, 20 years ago or so. But now? A couple times a year is about it, with some songs calling out to me more often for specific listens.
It helps that I only listen to a few artists and that I still prioritize listening to albums in their entirety. But, yeah, I listen to music every chance I get. And, I don't waste it on radio. My iPod is never far! (Do they even make iPod classics anymore?)
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 22, 2020 1:09:49 GMT
I listen to full albums on occasion, but only when a mood strikes. Most are new: I do try to give a solid chance to new music I enjoy, so I'll hear my favorite new songs 20-40x apiece in their debut year. It's probably about 20 albums a year.
After that, it usually ends up either an obvious, top-shelf classic; or some almost entirely irrelevant-to-the-world thing I happen to like. Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper, Blonde on Blonde ... and then Kontiki, Giant, and See You In Hell.
Albums that are "just" really good end up sadly ignored.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jan 22, 2020 1:30:36 GMT
My opinion of Surf's Up hasn't really changed much since I first bought it in 1976. It's a cool (meaning hip) album as Beach Boys' albums go I guess. The underlying "theme" if you will - counterculture, the environment, being socially conscious - meh, doesn't do much for me. Maybe if I was older when it came out it would have more meaning; it was different time in our country. And, it is a different album, from the lyrics to the production to the album cover. You wanna give credit to Jack Rieley for much of that? OK, I don't have a problem with that. Whatever served to motivate a bunch of guys who probably needed it.
Strengths? There aren't many Beach Boys' albums with a closing trifecta like "A Day In The Life Of A Tree", "Til I Die", and "Surf's Up". Simple stunning. That's why I'm a diehard fan. Brian Wilson's magic. I defy anyone to write songs like those three. Yes, Carl Wilson contributed two of his better songs in "Feel Flows" and "Long Promised Road", though I'm not as blown away by them as some fans. I like 'em, but I rarely seek them out. "Disney Girls" is probably Bruce Johnston's best BB song, and a definite highlight of the album. "Don't Go Near The Water" has its moments, despite an irritating vocal from Al. So, the album is not without merit. That's two-thirds of the album right there.
Weaknesses? The other one-third! I have tried to be open-minded about it, but "Take A Load Off Your Feet" stinks - everything about it, especially the stupid lyrics, Al's and Brian's trying to be funny vocals, and the song's melody which sounds like something a high school senior could come up with just goofing around in his bedroom. Ugh! "Student Demonstration Time" is downright irritating, terribly mixed, and more stupid lyrics. "Looking At Tomorrow" isn't bad (the ba-ba-ba-ba-ba bridge is bad, though), but again, it's not a song I really long to hear. Those three songs are off-putting (well, not so much with "Looking At Tomorrow") and do detract from my enjoyment of the album.
As I mentioned above, my long-time opinion of Surf's Up hasn't changed much, but my frustration level has. It has gone up tremendously. The Dennis Wilson factor, or non-factor, is the elephant in the room, and I can't ignore it. Once I found out that Dennis withheld two songs, "(Wouldn't It be Nice) To Live Again" and "4th Of July", I became downright pissed. Those two songs would've improved the album substantially. I do think "4th Of July" is a quality song with a great Carl vocal, and the lyrics would've fit in perfectly, too. Some fans/BB historians mention that "Lady" was also a candidate for Surf's Up". Heck, I like THAT song even more than the two aforementioned omitted songs. If you add two or three of those Dennis songs, and cut "Take A Load Off Your Feet", now we're talking. Now you have, not just a good Beach Boys' album, but a great Beach Boys' album. Sometimes I think the Beach Boys were really stupid. With Brian's output declining quantity-wise in 1969, the group correctly went to the "team approach" beginning with 20/20. That approach was even more successful on Sunflower. OK, keep the team approach going. We got a good thing going here. So, hey, how about continuing it with Surf's Up? Nope, not gonna do it. They blew it, they blew it continuously...
So, we don't have a great Beach Boys' album. We have merely a good album, to me probably somewhere in the middle of their catalogue. Those three great BW songs carry Surf's Up a long way, but sometimes when I'm listening to the album, I almost find myself waiting, or buying time, until those three songs come along. For the record, I like the inclusion of "Surf's Up", although some fans still don't approve of its inclusion. The album cover is great, but the album title always bothered me a little. Oh, that Van Dyke Parks was so clever. Let's confuse those Beach Boys' fans. Ha ha. Some of the sound quality on the album is low fidelity; I'm not sure why coming right after Sunflower. I'm somewhat surprised the album charted as high as it did without a hit single. Does anybody find it interesting (confusing?) that no Surf's Up songs made the cut on In Concert? But, this album, Surf's Up? A hard 6, a 7 on a good day.
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Post by B.E. on Jan 22, 2020 2:15:23 GMT
"Don't Go Near The Water" has its moments, despite an irritating vocal from Al.
I don't have a problem with Al's vocal performance, but it's mixed very poorly. The mixing is spotty throughout the album.
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Post by B.E. on Jan 22, 2020 2:23:03 GMT
The underlying "theme" if you will - counterculture, the environment, being socially conscious - meh, doesn't do much for me.
The lyrics might be my biggest issue with the album. It's not that they're bad or that I dislike them, but I don't feel a great personal connection with them. Although, how much of that is also musical, is hard to say.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jan 22, 2020 2:39:10 GMT
The underlying "theme" if you will - counterculture, the environment, being socially conscious - meh, doesn't do much for me.
The lyrics might be my biggest issue with the album. It's not that they're bad or that I dislike them, but I don't feel a great personal connection with them. Although, how much of that is also musical, is hard to say. I recently edited my above post, and added that if I was older when Surf's Up was released, and considering the state of the country in 1971, that the topical lyrics might've resonated more with me. But because I was very young then, and by the time I got into Surf's Up we were in the bicentennial, the lyrics don't really have much effect on me either way. I also view lyrics to "A Day In The Life Of A Tree" as not so much referring to the ecology, but to a person - in this case Brian Wilson - and that gives it a much deeper meaning.
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Post by B.E. on Jan 22, 2020 2:59:15 GMT
We've heard the cries for Dennis replacing Jack on ADITLOAT, but how about Mike replacing VDP? Sign me up for both. Okay, back to reality.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jan 22, 2020 3:09:26 GMT
We've heard the cries for Dennis replacing Jack on ADITLOAT, but how about Mike replacing VDP? Sign me up for both. Okay, back to reality. I've heard/read the suggestions of Dennis and/or Brian replacing Jack on "A Day In The Life Of A Tree", and, yeah, that would've been cool. But, you know what? Jack Rieley's vocal is strangely effective. Brian said that he liked it, too, although some people feel that he said it tongue-in-cheek. Who knows?
Interesting suggestion for Mike to replace Van Dyke's part. I never thought of that, but yeah.
It would be great if the upcoming multi-disc set has a version of "A Day In The Life Of A Tree" with Dennis or Brian on lead vocal, but since I've never so much as read or heard of any, I'm not holding my breath.
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Post by lonelysummer on Jan 22, 2020 4:26:59 GMT
My introduction to a lot of this material was Ten Years of Harmony - a fairly good introduction to 70's Beach Boys. I was particularly drawn to material crowded near the end of sides 3 and 4 - This Whole World, Surf's Up, Trader, Long Promised Road, Feel Flows, River Song, Til I Die. It's not that I didn't enjoy It's OK, Roller Skating Child, Add Some Music to Your Day, Goin' On, and Lady Lynda; but this other stuff was so much better; it's like the guys were tuned into the muse for a time, and this incredible music flowed through them; and the rest of the time, they were just regular working musicians, working to come up with the best stuff they could. So yeah, I like this album. Don't Go Near the Water is a bit preachy, but it's not a bad message, and we get a bit of BB harmony heaven in the tag. Take a Dump...er...Load stinks! I absolutely hate it! But I like Student Demonstration Time, the song it's based on (Riot in Cell Block #() is a classic, and it's got some great heavy guitar in it. Disney Girls is probably Bruce's best song - Art Garfunkel did a nice version of it. Lookin' at Tomorrow is a good Jardine song, some good acoustic guitar playing there. I even like A Day In the Life of a Tree, I find it strangely affecting.
But there are 4 songs here I could play on an endless loop forever and never get tired of them.
Yeah, you know what they are.
Long Promised Road (the freaking story of my life...still trying to throw off the shackles that are binding me down, down, down)
Feel Flows (rare occasion of an extended instrumental break in a BB's song...i'll bet it sounds amazing on LSD)
Surf's Up is my all time favorite BB's and BW song ….today. And this is the best version.
Till I Die...was it the last great BW song?
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