The Beach Boys - ”Surf's up” (1971)

When I was younger I didn't like the Beach Boys. Compared to the rich flora of psychedelic and experimental bands that grooved in the late 60's, I thought the Beach Boys played cheezy and kind of stupid sunshine pop. Their bright voices in beautiful harmonies wasn't really my thing. That there was also a darker side in many of the member's lives in the form of psychological challenges and intensive drug use I didn't know. Maybe I would have liked them better if I knew, things like that impressed me as a young man.

Of course I own the classic Pet Sounds but have never really understood the greatness of it. Surf's Up surprised me, however, by how good I think it is. The typical sunny California surf theme in the title stands in contrast to the picture on the cover. Had I seen this picture without knowing that it was a Beach Boys album, I had probably guessed at some band in the metal genre. Pretty cool cover. The music is not as dark and gloomy, though.

Surf's Up meant a change for the band in that it was the first album with some kind of political/social awareness and message, including the environment. Beach Boys had some tough years before Surf's Up with poor record sales and this album was an attempt to get back to the big arenas. The album was received quite well by the press and sold better than the previous records, even if it didn't get a top-10 position in the charts. The test of time has been kind to Surf's Up, and today it's regarded as a really good album and is on lists like "Best album of the '70s."

And I like Surf's Up. It's really good songs with some exceptions, for example I have a hard time with the more cheezy Disney Girls (1957) and Long Promised Road. But the good songs outweigh the boring ones without doubt. The humorous Take A Load Off Your Feet and Feel Flows are a couple of my favorites. The song A Day In The Life Of A Tree is sung by the new manager Jack Rieley, apparently none of Beach Boys members wanted sing the song as they felt it was too depressing.

The album ends with the title song that was originally recorded for the legendary Smile album, 1966-67. And this song sounds like the old Beach Boys, a sound that's different from the rest of the album, more similar to Pet Sounds, for example. Not quite to my taste, but for many it is the album's highlight.

In summary, an album that I can absolutely recommend, and that at least surprised me by not sounding as I thought the Beach Boys would always sound like. And that I found it for 3-4 USD on some flea market doesn't make things worse.

Tracklist

Side A
1. Don't Go Near The Water 2:41
2. Long Promised Road 3:32
3. Take A Load Off Your Feet 2:31
4. Disney Girls (1957) 4:10
5. Student Demonstration Time 4:00

Side B

1. Feel Flows 4:48

2. Lookin' At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) 1:58
3. A Day In The Life Of A Tree 3:08
4. 'til I Die 2:33
5. Surf's Up 4:13