The album may not perfect, but there certainly no “bad” tracks on it. “Isn’t It Time” and “Spring Vacation” are two of the Wilson/Love collaborations. “Isn’t It Time” credits three other writers as well, including Joe Thomas. Thomas only gets a “recorded by” credit for the set, but he collaborated on every single track with the exception of Love’s “Daybreak Over The Ocean.” It seems that his influence was pretty pronounced throughout the sessions.
In regards to “Daybreak Over the Ocean,“ apparently it has a long history, and was initially slated to appear on Love's aborted 1978 solo album. With all due respect to Mike Love fans, he seems a bit wordy. Then again, so was Van Dyke Parks, so what are you gonna do? Besides, if that is my main complaint about the album, it is a pretty minor one.
Where That’s Why God Made the Radio really pays off is in the closing three-song suite of “From There to Back Again,” “Pacific Coast Highway,” and “Summer’s Gone.” The suite format is something Brian has worked at a number of times over the years, beginning with Smile. These three tunes are wonderful and flow together very well. The final track, “Summer’s Gone” is one of the most beautiful Brian Wilson songs I have heard in a very long time. It is that space in Brian’s heart where he expresses the emotions of the sun going down in such a beautiful way that just gets me every time. The song was reportedly written after his mother’s, then Carl’s deaths, and was intended as the final song on the final Beach Boys album.
If That’s Why God Made the Radio does prove to be the final Beach Boys album, then so be it. The fact that the group is still able to make music as marvelous as this 50 years on is hard to believe. Amazing, in fact.
Article comments
1 - grl6h
Amen, brother - well written!
2 - Greg Barbrick
Thank you grl6h.
3 - Mark
This album is a nice surprise, and the Boys' vocals are good. But let's be honest - the backup musicians voices and digital technology helped out ALOT. There are some similarities to the last proper BB album, "Beach Boys '85" that Brian was on, but this one is much stronger. The songs show the BB's as senior men looking back on life, and that itself is refreshing and honest.