Hear The Beach Boys Reunion Single, "That's Why God Made the Radio"

The Beach Boys are back — the real Beach Boys, that is, with Brian Wilson (for all that he doesn’t seem entirely aware of where he is or what he’s doing). Today brings the release of their first reunion single, the title track from the forthcoming album That’s Why God Made the Radio, which comes out June 5th. Upon first listen, we’ve got good news and bad news: On the plus side, it’s not embarrassing. The band hasn’t attempted to update its sound by embracing some contemporary trend (Auto-Tune, dubstep) that’s entirely antithetical to their style, and the song’s slow, sugared harmonies practically beg to accompany a beach-party slow dance. But “That’s Why God Made the Radio” is definitely minor Beach Boys — the A.V. Club pegs it as “highly derivative of the band’s Jesse And The Rippers period,” and we don’t disagree. Give it a listen after the jump and tell us whether it’s fueled or dashed your hopes for the album.


[via EW]

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The song sounded much better when I heard it live tonight in concert.

Are you kidding me, the National Lampoon Radio Hour did better parodies in the '70's. Who has an antenna today? Sounds like a joke. Is it? Shoot me please!!!!!!

Kinda 50's...Kinda cheezy...kinda "sock-hop..and rollerskates an burgers in the car........but those harmonys... ahhhh, the "Beach Boys".. I'm flying home again!!!!!!!!!!

I think it's great. But I'm a sucker for anything BB. The melodies are gorgeous.

What matters is that Brian Wilson, Mike Love, and Al Jardine put aside their legal disputes to reunite on the occasion of The Beach Boys 50th anniversary.

the production is horrible, none of the instruments sound live

WOW unbelievably fantastic