Friday, July 11, 2025

Surf's Up by The Beach Boys

If anyone mentions the Beach Boys, you automatically think of sun, surf, sand and girls (in roughly that order) sung by fresh faced, smiling Californian dudes. Alarm bells already start ringing with the cover to this album depicting a defeated spear carrier on a dying horse, looking like a Scandinavian death metal illustration. 

Whilst the music sort of sounds like the Beach Boys of old, the subjects include death, student riots and pollution with only a couple of moments where Brian Wilson’s genius shines through (notably in the title track which was a hold over from the legendary lost Smile album). 

It’s the Beach Boys Jim, but not as we know them.

https://album.link/gb/i/1440873813





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