CD: The Beach Boys – That’s Why God Made the Radio

CD: The Beach Boys – That’s Why God Made the Radio | reviews, news & interviews

CD: The Beach Boys – That’s Why God Made the Radio

Despite its missteps, this joyless reunion yields a few gems

by Kieron TylerWednesday, 06 June 2012

The Beach Boys' "That’s Why God Made the Radio": worth persevering with to the end

“We’re back together, easy money”. For anyone feeling a wee bit cynical about The Beach Boys' reunion, that lyric – from “Spring Vacation” – is likely to push them towards full-blown contempt. Although That’s Why God Made the Radio is defined by missteps, it’s worth persevering to the end.

The album reanimates The Beach Boys’ brand to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Given that they formed and released their first single in 1961, it must be the anniversary of the first chart hit, 1962’s “Surfin’ Safari”. Reunited are three originals - Al Jardine, Mike Love and Brian Wilson - and Bruce Johnson and David Marks. All sing but only Marks plays – guitar, on about half the album. Otherwise, the musicians are drawn from Wilson’s live band or are vintage sessioneers (Skunk Baxter’s guitar solo on “Spring Vacation” is spectacularly naff). All but one song is co-written by Wilson with keyboard player Joe Thomas, also credited with “recording" the album. Wilson is credited as producer, Love as executive producer.

The dynamics at play are writ even larger by the single non-Wilson song, the trite “Daybreak Over the Ocean”. Written by Love, it was recorded at his studio with family members and associates who don’t appear elsewhere on the album. Jardine, Johnston and Wilson’s vocals were overdubbed later.

Glutinous nostalgia, both musically and lyrically veering towards parody, is what this is about. “God Made the Radio” to capture “memories from afar”. “Do you wanna turn back the pages?” asks “Isn't it Time”. Wilson probably doesn't. He was all-but destroyed by his own past.

The album opens with the beautiful “Think About the Days” and closes with a trio of gems – one co-written by Jon Bon Jovi – that allow Wilson to breath, the yearning “From There to Back Again” especially so. That’s Why God Made the Radio encapsulates all that’s good and all that’s bad about The Beach Boys. Could it have been any other way?

Visit Kieron Tyler’s blog

Watch The Beach Boys discuss their 50th anniversary reunion

It encapsulates all that’s good and all that’s bad about The Beach Boys

rating

Editor Rating:

Average: 3 (1 vote)

Buy

Explore topics

Share this article

The song quoted here, Spring

Permalink Submitted by Mark (not verified) on Wed, 04/09/2013 - 05:44

The song quoted here, Spring Vacation, was clearly also written by Love. The lyric follows his mantra of "all the bad stuff is in the past" which he repeated in interviews. His tough-guy attitude shows in the line "Hey what's it to ya." But Brian Wilson provides a little balance and illustrates the creative tension behind some of the best music they created, when he sings the next line - "Hallelujah." Now it's a year later and Love is complaining that he was not able to sit alone with Wilson and write songs again. I'm torn about whether that would be a good idea or not.

Add comment

The future of Arts Journalism

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £49,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

more New music

Cat Burns finds 'How to Be Human' but maybe not her own sound A charming and distinctive voice stifled by generic production

Todd Rundgren, London Palladium review - bold, soul-inclined makeover charms and enthrals The wizard confirms why he is a true star

It’s back to the beginning for the latest Dylan Bootleg Eight CDs encompass Dylan’s earliest recordings up to his first major-league concert

Ireland's Hilary Woods casts a hypnotic spell with 'Night CRIÚ' The former bassist of the grunge-leaning trio JJ72 embraces the spectral

Lily Allen's 'West End Girl' offers a bloody, broken view into the wreckage of her marriage Singer's return after seven years away from music is autofiction in the brutally raw

Music Reissues Weekly: Joe Meek - A Curious Mind How the maverick Sixties producer’s preoccupations influenced his creations

Pop Will Eat Itself, O2 Institute, Birmingham review - Poppies are back on patrol PWEI hit home turf and blow the place up

'Fevereaten' sees gothic punk-metallers Witch Fever revel in atmospheric paganist raging Second album from heavy-riffing quartet expands sonically on their debut

theartsdesk Q&A: Soft Cell Upon the untimely passing of Dave Ball we revisit our September 2018 Soft Cell interview

Demi Lovato's ninth album, 'It's Not That Deep', goes for a frolic on the dancefloor US pop icon's latest is full of unpretentious pop-club bangers

Yazmin Lacey confirms her place in a vital soul movement with 'Teal Dreams' Intimacy and rich poetry on UK soul star's second LP

Solar Eyes, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham review - local lads lay down some new tunes for a home crowd Psychedelic indie dance music marinated in swirling dry ice

Follow @theartsdesk