''Surf's Up'' is the second album by
David Thomas and Two Pale Boys, released in 2001. The album is named after the
Beach Boys
A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shell ...
'
track
Track or Tracks may refer to:
Routes or imprints
* Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity
* Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across
* Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...
, which the band covers.
Critical reception
The ''
Chicago Reader
The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. It was founded by a ...
'' wrote that "the Two Pale Boys render Thomas's desolate vision in vivid colors." ''
CMJ New Music Monthly
CMJ Holdings Corp. is a music events and online media company, originally founded in 1978, which ran a website, hosted an annual festival in New York City, and published two magazines, ''CMJ New Music Monthly'' and ''CMJ New Music Report''. Th ...
'' wrote that "there are enough inspired bits to make one endure the few dead spots." The ''
Cleveland Scene
The ''Cleveland Scene'' is an alternative weekly newspaper based in Cleveland, Ohio. The newspaper includes highlights of Cleveland-area arts, music, dining, and films, as well as classified advertising. The first edition of the newspaper was pub ...
'' wrote that the album "combines elements of the Residents' brilliantly nonsensical instrumentals, Tom Waits's terrifying but exquisite lyrics, and John Zorn's precise, free-jazz workouts." ''
The Inlander'' called the album one of 2001's best, writing that "there are no musical similarities between Thomas and the Beach Boys, but their lyrical focus on Americana tally here, though this ''Surf's Up'' is a beautiful but haunted America." ''
The Quietus
''The Quietus'' is a British online music and pop culture magazine founded by John Doran and Luke Turner. The site is an editorially independent publication led by Doran with a group of freelance journalists and critics.
Content
''The Quiet ...
'' wrote that the band "serve up a smattering of avant-folk, coloured by touches of electronic pulses and ''Rain Dogs'' era Tom Waits contortions."
Track listing
All tracks composed by David Thomas, Andy Diagram and Keith Moliné; except where indicated
#"Runaway" – 4:17
#"Man in the Dark" – 6:26
#"Night Driving" – 4:58
#"
Surf's Up" (
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...
,
Van Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943) is an American musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer who has composed various film and television soundtracks. He is best known for his 1967 album ''Song Cycle (album), Song Cycle'' and for his ...
) – 8:24
#"River" – 9:17
#"Ghosts" – 5:56
#"Spider in my Stew" – 5:42
#"Come Home / Green River" – 6:19
Personnel
;David Thomas and Two Pale Boys
*David Thomas - vocals, melodeon
*Keith Moliné - midi guitar, bass, sampler
*Andy Diagram - trumpet
;Technical
*Paul Hamann - engineer
*John Thompson - artwork
References
{{Authority control
David Thomas (musician) albums
2001 albums