Review - The Beach Boys - That's Why God Made The Radio

Yes I know I’m a month late on this one. My plan was to just throw this into a collection of shortened reviews of “Oops, sorry I missed these” for June, but I decided the Beach Boys deserve better. Plus, so what if I’m a little late? IT’S MY BLOG AND I’LL WRITE WHAT I WANT TO. WRITE WHAT I WANT TO. WRITE WHAT I WANT TO. YOU WOULD WRITE TOO IF THIS HAPPENED TO YOUUUU.

Ten points if you get the reference.

Anyways, congrats to the Beach Boys on passing the Beatles and becoming the group that has the second longest run for top ten albums. The Boys got their first top ten album 49 years ago, and ‘That’s Why God…’ debuted at #3. Only person left for them to beat is Frank Sinatra, who holds the record at 52 years. Only three more – you can do it guys!

I can’t believe it has been all these years and the Boys haven’t lost <i>a beat</i>. This album could have been recorded decades ago and you’d never know. The vocals are spot on, and the music is as sunny and effervescent as ever. Brian Wilson has proven he still has the genius in production and songwriting he always had, and we’re so happy for it.

If you know anything about their past albums, you know exactly what to expect. “Daybreak Over The Ocean” reminds me a lot of “Kokomo”, and “Spring Vacation” even name-checks “Good Vibrations”, which I believe to be no accident.

What I am surprised by most is that somehow the group can make an album that sounds like it was recorded in the 1960’s, and yet it still feels fresh? We’ve all heard so much Beach Boys music, you’d think we’d be tired of it by now – BUT WE’RE NOT. Wilson and the Boys know exactly how typical to make a tune and how far out they can stretch (not a whole lot, but still). Every Beach Boys album kept their style and sound intact and yet found a way to do things just a little bit different from the previous record. ‘That’s Why God…’ is no different; rather, it achieves this feat with ease.

Wilson even brings things to a slow, melancholy point in the last three tracks are a specialized suite meant to bring you back to ‘Pet Sounds’ and ‘SMiLE’, both masterpieces in their own right. They do not disappoint.

Basically, I don’t think the Beach Boys are capable of making bad music. That’s all there is to it.

Listen to: every song, especially “That’s Why God Made The Radio”, “Shelter”, “From There To Back Again” and “Pacific Coast Highway”

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