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Surf’s Up is the seventeenth studio album by The Beach Boys, released August 30, 1971 on Brother/Reprise in the Unite States and on EMI Stateside in the United Kingdom.

The album’s direction was largely driven by new band manager Jack Rieley, who wanted to reinvent the band’s image in order to revive their fortunes, with the title serving as an ironic nod to their early sound and image. The album went to #29 on the U.S. charts, the highest charting in America since the band’s heyday.

Now let’s see how the album holds up, shall we?

1. “Don’t Go Near The Water” (Al Jardine/Mike Love):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AjZES3_SSYA

We open the album with a track written by Al Jardine and Mike Love about ocean pollution.

This took me a bit to get into, but over repeat listens, it turned into a really cool, trippy pop number. I like Mike’s voice on here, I certainly appreciate the message behind it (and as someone currently taking Environmental Science, it’s quite timely). And sadly, it’s as relevant as ever, because we really don’t treat our environment as well as we should. Folks, this place is all we have, if it’s uninhabitable than we are completely fucked.

Overall, a very enjoyable track to open the record.

2. “Long Promised Road” (Carl Wilson/Jack Rieley):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RmAqpRFGzRQ

We come to “Long Promised Road”, which is sung by Carl who also produced this track and co-wrote it with manager Jack Rieley.

This is another one that was a grower for me, but now? There’s a really good structure here in addition to Carl’s vocal, contemplative yet very commanding. And I like the little ragged guitar solo by Carl mixed in with the synthesizer.

I really dig this track overall, another strong addition to the album.

3. “Take A Load Off Your Feet” (Jardine/Brian Wilson/Gary Winfrey):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0gkuwXTh-Jw

This one came about when Al and Gary Winfrey met back up after not seeing each other since high school. Gary’s wife was pregnant and her ankles were swollen, and somebody suggested doing a song inspired by “Hair” about ankles, resulting in this tune, which featured additional contributions from Brian. The tune got its start during the “Add Some Music” sessions before being resumed for this album, and features Al on acoustic guitar and bass, while Brian plays percussion.

Although Brian and Al trade off lead vocals, I thought for the longest time it was all Al since Brian’s voice is sped up, but it adds this really off kilter feeling to the track. You really hear some proto-indie pop on this track, very ahead of its time. I could hear somebody like Belle and Sebastian doing this song. These kind of quirky Beach Boys tracks are ones that I have a total soft spot for, and is a large reason why this is my favorite period of The Beach Boys.

4. “Disney Girls (1957)” (Bruce Johnston):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HP_ueT93hi4

“Disney Girls (1957)”, Bruce Johnston’s signature song with The Beach Boys and his usual solo song in live shows. Bruce also plays upright piano, Moog synthesizer, and mandolin; Ed Carter performs all guitars, Dennis Dragon plays the drums, Kathy Dragon plays the flute, and the remaining Beach Boys contribute harmonies.

I’m not always the biggest fan of Bruce Johnston’s songs but he totally hit the bullseye with this one. Some of Bruce’s songs go into saccharine territory but this strikes a good balance, having the sweetness of his usual fare but also giving it a tinge of melancholy, because the speaker knows that for how much he desires to recapture the good ol’ days, it’s never coming back, and really, were the “good ol’ days” all they were cracked up to be? Because we tend to think of the past through rose tinted glasses. Take Star Wars. I love the old Star Wars films. But people kind of overlook some of the pretty hokey dialogue that’s there in spots, and the lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan and Vader is fairly weak. Hell, Jar Jar isn’t even the first annoying kiddie character in the franchise, you can back to the Ewoks and even R2.

Well, Bruce Johnston did good here, and this is easily the best non-Brian tune on here.

5. “Student Demonstration Time” (Jerry Lieber/Mike Stoller/Love):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Unn8wIQzAeE

We now come to “Student Demonstration Time”, which is based off “Riot In Cell Block Number Nine” and written in response to many of the political events of the day and the Kent State Shooting in particular. The track is also notable for being the last Beach Boys track to feature Dennis on drums.

This is one that is not exactly loved and is often seen as one of the worst Beach Boys songs ever. I…don’t hate it. I don’t really like it, it is a fairly feeble and pedestrian tune, but my God, compares to literally anything off Summer In Paradise or most anything off that horrible country album they did? This looks like “Good Vibrations” compared to that shit.

As far the actual song on its own, it’s kind of rocking, kind of heavy by Beach Boys standards, but it’s clearly the worst track on this album. This is filler with a capital F.

6. “Feel Flows” (C. Wilson/Rieley):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bp_8GKcNvdQ

And now the second Carl tune on here, “Feel Flows”, featuring Carl on lead vocals/guitar/bass/percussion, Brian on piano/Baldwin organ/Moog synthesizer/backing vocals, Bruce on backing vocals, Diane Rovell and Brian’s first wife Marilyn on backing vocals, Stephen Desper on Moog synthesizer, Woody Thews on percussion, and jazz musician Charles Lloyd on flute and saxophone.

This track is otherworldly, as though you’re floating through the ocean as Carl gives a lush vocal. And quite an interesting arrangement choice to put the crunchy guitar against Lloyd’s ethereal flute, gives a sense of floating down smoothly with the odd rock to give a bump in the road. And the little Moog solo is pretty offbeat in a good way.

This is a great, trippy number and one of Carl’s finest songs. It’s also the fifth best track off the album, and we will get to the top three soon enough.

7. “Lookin’ At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)” (Jardine/Winfrey):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7nHBWfmMAIY

Another Al Jardine and Gary Winfrey collaboration. This is a pretty cool tune, has a folky quality to it structurally while also having dashes of psychedelia and progressive music to it. It’s the shortest tune on here and while it’s not the most standout track on here, it’s got a certain something to it and it works very well at filling in the cracks.

8. “A Day In The Life Of A Tree” (B. Wilson/Rieley):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fANTtBJoXcA

And now we get a song from the POV of a tree. This came about from Brian’s feelings about the environment at the time. Dennis and Brian attempted the vocal before the band decided to have Rieley perform lead vocals on the final record. In addition, Van Dyke Parks contributes backing vocals on the album.

I remember reading the premise of this song and thinking “oh God, they can’t be serious with this rubbish”, but you know what? It’s a surprisingly beautiful track that somehow makes you empathize with a tree. Although Brian didn’t necessarily write the lyrics, he still manages to put himself in the tree’s spot. The sad thing is, Brian really wasn’t that different from the tree. He was the rock of The Beach Boys, with so much to offer and give to the world, and he ended up being milked for all he was worth until he couldn’t keep up and just went into a slow, sad decline. No wonder Brian empathized with the tree. And the having just the church organ is a genius move, it really makes the track even more haunting and tragic than it already was.

This is one I did not get at all as a kid but now it’s an album highlight for me.

9. “Til I Die” (B. Wilson):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=46IQu0yuJzU

“Til I Die”, written solely by Brian, which is fairly rare, even more-so post-breakdown.

And boy did Brian knock it out of the park with this one, musically, melodically, and even lyrically. He encapsulates the loneliness of being a loner in the sea, and you kind of find yourself pondering your existence and purpose in life when listening under the right circumstances. Giving that Brian has always struggled with putting his thoughts and feelings into words, I’m even more impressed with this track.

10. “Surf’s Up” (B. Wilson/Van Dyke Parks):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tyOYQ8qfFng

We close the album with the title cut, which of course comes from the SMiLE sessions, and features Brian, Al, and Carl alternating on lead vocals, Mike, Bruce, Dennis, And Rieley contributing backing vocals, Brian playing piano, and Frank Capp playing the drums.

As I touched upon in my 20/20 review, one of my first Beach Boys purchases was The SMiLE Sessions, so it feels weird going back through their catalogue and having SMiLE tracks on the records. But in fairness, it works perfectly on this album and I really couldn’t imagine a better closer. I love Dennis, my second favorite Beach Boy, I think he had some excellent tracks that could have and should have made the album, but I’m sorry, no way could they top this song. All the time changes, the roller coaster of emotion that you’re taken on throughout, this is godlike. And that little section with just Brian and the piano? That is the highlight of the song for me.

This is a masterpiece and one of Brian’s greatest works

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Gotta say, The Beach Boys did good on this one. Some very strong writing and production makes this a rather enjoyable album, but of course, the last three really put it over the edge. Despite “Student Demonstration Time”, this is easily on their best studio efforts and I can confidently recommend it.

And now some outtakes!

“(Wouldn’t It Be Nice To) Live Again” (Dennis Wilson/Stan Shapiro):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jinTmcYwAdQ

This was one of Dennis’ offerings for the album along with “Fourth Of July”, but he and Carl argued over its placement on the album and what the final track should be.

And…wow. Gut wrenching, really amazing performance from Dennis. And I’m not just praising this because it’s Dennis, because I’m not the hugest fan of his Carl And The Passions cuts-I do enjoy “Make It Good”, but I think it’s a better performance than a song, and “Cuddle Up” isn’t bad, great vocal but I’m not as keen on the song. This absolutely should have made the album, but Dennis, I love him, he was a stubborn kind of fellow as Marvin Gaye would say.

“Fourth Of July” (D.Wilson/Rieley):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H3JJXbF9_Ow&client=mv-google

This was written in response to the government attempting to block the New York Times’ publication of The Pentagon Papers. And giving that Carl got caught up in the Vietnam drama due to opposing the draft on moral grounds. To date, this has only been released on the Good Vibrations box set that has since gone out of print.

Overall, it’s a cool song with a fantastic vocal by Carl. You really hear Carl’s convictions in this performance, and it strikes me as odd that the counterculture would be so anti-Beach Boys, giving his objection to the draft to name one reason. Overall, I would have definitely have dug this on the album. Though if I were to choose which Dennis song should go on the album, I’d go with “Live Again” quite easily.

Well, that’s Surf’s Up. Be sure to comment, subscribe, and spread the word. You can also suggest future artists and records for me to review in the future.