I have listened to enough of the Beach Boys catalog to get the contradiction between the cheese factor, the song 'Kokomo' is the usual target in this category, and pure musical brilliance as heard in their singles like 'Warmth of the Sun' and on albums such as Today, Pet Sounds, Sunflower, and Smile. With this band you end up forgiving flaws because there are so many treasures to pull from. And so I bought the first Beach Boys release containing new material in 16 years, That’s Why God Made the Radio. Current interviews reveal Mike Love’s continued desire for commercial success and this record occasionally shows that he and Brian Wilson have a hard time understanding that quality might sell over trying too hard to make a radio friendly music that radio won’t actually play, but as always quality is subjective . Now, despite the debate about the title track “That’s Why God Made the Radio” the first single from the album, I note there was one critic that called it "miserable" then another “their best single in 35 years”, I happen to love it. Hearing that song takes me back to the awesome show they gave in Atlanta under a starry sky in early June. There are tracks on this record which show Brian Wilson understands that music that is deep and complex in conjunction lighter themed material is half of the appeal of the Beach Boys and here he gives the people what they want; listen to the last three tracks.
Listening to the peppy yet dated sounding tracks like 'Spring Vacation' makes me realize that I certainly get those songs and I see the appeal, but then it's a hard sell to the those who favor intellectually the music on Pet Sounds and Smile. I am comfortable pointing these folks to the more baroque pop like the word free intro 'Think About The Days', and the suite of music which closes the album 'From There To Back Again' , 'Pacific Coast Highway' and 'Summers Gone'. Little of Brian's solo work has been as engaging as these tracks and I believe he has been saving them for the chance to have the Beach Boys record them.
I am still digesting this new one since it came out yesterday. I know there are better releases for the money, but these are the guys who influenced some of the better artist recording now, the Shins, Fleet Foxes and Beach House come to mind, and new material by the “Boys”, is relevant entertainment if even just for pleasant moment in the day.
Listening to the peppy yet dated sounding tracks like 'Spring Vacation' makes me realize that I certainly get those songs and I see the appeal, but then it's a hard sell to the those who favor intellectually the music on Pet Sounds and Smile. I am comfortable pointing these folks to the more baroque pop like the word free intro 'Think About The Days', and the suite of music which closes the album 'From There To Back Again' , 'Pacific Coast Highway' and 'Summers Gone'. Little of Brian's solo work has been as engaging as these tracks and I believe he has been saving them for the chance to have the Beach Boys record them.
I am still digesting this new one since it came out yesterday. I know there are better releases for the money, but these are the guys who influenced some of the better artist recording now, the Shins, Fleet Foxes and Beach House come to mind, and new material by the “Boys”, is relevant entertainment if even just for pleasant moment in the day.
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