From There to Back Again

Last updated
"From There to Back Again"
Song by the Beach Boys
from the album That's Why God Made the Radio
ReleasedJune 5, 2012 (2012-06-05)
Length3:23
Label Capitol
Songwriter(s) Brian Wilson, Joe Thomas
Producer(s) Brian Wilson

"From There to Back Again" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 2012 album That's Why God Made the Radio . Written by Brian Wilson and Joe Thomas, the song features Al Jardine and Wilson in the lead vocals, and is part of a four-song suite which concludes the album.

Contents

The song received critical acclaim from critics, who variously praised it for Jardine's vocal performance, its harmonies, and melodic beauty, with at least one considering it among the band's best ballads since the 1960s.

Composition

"From There to Back Again" was one of the new songs composed for the album That's Why God Made the Radio , and is the sole new song from its concluding four-song suite, which includes "Strange World", "Pacific Coast Highway", and "Summer's Gone". [1]

Reception

"From There to Back Again" received critical acclaim from critics. John Bush of Allmusic deemed it the "most beautiful" song of That's Why God Made the Radio and "one of their best ballads since the '60s", stating that it is "a Side 2 ballad epic that Wilson frames impeccably around Jardine's voice, aging but still sweet." [2] John Bergstrom of PopMatters described it as "ponderous, swooning... as the harmonies swirl around [Jardine] like the sun itself", [3] while Andrew Leahey of The Washington Times favorably compared it to "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times". [4] Alex Phillimore of Beats Per Minute stated that the song "sounds both youthful and beautiful. ... It could easily be a song from their professional peak". [5]

In terms of composition, Jim Beviglia of American Songwriter considered both "From There to Back Again" and the album's next track "Pacific Coast Highway" impressive for their "offbeat chord changes and freeform structure, displaying the kind of inventiveness for which Wilson is known." [6] Jim Farber of New York Daily News wrote that "Jardine's amber voice idealizes the melody in Wilson's [song]". [7] Ryan Reed of Paste praised the song as "absolutely stunning" for its "particularly intricate harmonic development, lovely flute runs, and a stand-out lead vocal from Al Jardine". [8]

Alexis Petridis of The Guardian considered the concluding suite the song is a part of as "easily the best thing Brian Wilson has put his name to in the last 30 years." [9] Randall Roberts of Los Angeles Times shared this sentiment, writing that the last three songs "are as exquisitely rendered as anything in the group's catalog", [10] while Bergstrom concluded that "it's neither a reach nor hyperbole to say this final suite is among the strongest, most affecting music Wilson has ever recorded." [3]

Personnel

The Beach Boys

Additional musicians [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beach Boys</span> American rock band

The Beach Boys are an American rock band that was formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by their vocal harmonies, adolescent-oriented lyrics, and musical ingenuity, they are one of the most influential acts of the rock era. They drew on the music of older pop vocal groups, 1950s rock and roll, and black R&B to create their unique sound. Under Brian's direction, they often incorporated classical or jazz elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways.

<i>Pet Sounds</i> 1966 studio album by the Beach Boys

Pet Sounds is the eleventh studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on May 16, 1966 by Capitol Records. It was initially met with a lukewarm critical and commercial response in the United States, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard Top LPs chart. In the United Kingdom, the album was lauded by critics and reached number 2 on the Record Retailer chart, remaining in the top ten for six months. Promoted there as "the most progressive pop album ever", Pet Sounds was recognized for its ambitious production, sophisticated music, and emotional lyrics. It is now considered to be among the greatest and most influential albums in music history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Marks</span> American rock guitarist

David Lee Marks is an American guitarist who was an early member of the Beach Boys. While growing up in Hawthorne, California, Marks was a neighborhood friend of the original band members and was a frequent participant at their family get-togethers. Following his departure from the group, Marks fronted the Marksmen and performed and recorded as a session musician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Wilson</span> American musician (1946–1998)

Carl Dean Wilson was an American musician who co-founded the Beach Boys. He was their lead guitarist, the youngest sibling of bandmates Brian and Dennis, and the group's de facto leader in the early to mid-1970s. He was also the band's musical director on stage from 1965 until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Jardine</span> American musician

Alan Charles Jardine is an American musician who co-founded the Beach Boys. He is best known as the band's rhythm guitarist and for occasionally singing lead vocals on singles such as "Help Me, Rhonda" (1965), "Then I Kissed Her" (1965), "Cottonfields" (1970), and "Come Go with Me" (1978). His song "Lady Lynda" was also a UK top 10 hit for the group in 1978. Other Beach Boys songs that feature Jardine on lead include "I Know There's an Answer" (1966), "Vegetables" (1967), and "From There to Back Again" (2012).

<i>The Beach Boys Love You</i> 1977 studio album by The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys Love You is the 21st studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released April 11, 1977, on Brother/Reprise. Sometimes called the band's "punk" or "synth-pop" album, Love You is characterized for its pioneering use of synthesizers and its juxtaposition of adolescent-oriented lyrics with the adult band members' gravelly vocals.

<i>Summer in Paradise</i> 1992 studio album by The Beach Boys

Summer in Paradise is the twenty-seventh studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on August 3, 1992, by Brother Records. Produced by Terry Melcher, it is the only album not to feature any new contributions from Brian Wilson, and has been regarded as the band's critical and commercial low point, failing to chart in either the US or UK and receiving almost unanimously negative reviews. In North America, it was the group's first album to only be released on CD and cassette, with a rare vinyl pressing only released in South Korea. The Beach Boys did not record another album of predominately original material until That's Why God Made the Radio in 2012. Summer in Paradise was left out of Capitol's Beach Boys CD reissue campaign of 2000 to 2001, as well as all other reissues for most of the group's discography. Both it and its predecessor, Still Cruisin', are currently out of print. Summer in Paradise, along with Still Cruisin', were pulled from later re-releases due to poor public reception.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">God Only Knows</span> 1966 song by the Beach Boys

"God Only Knows" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1966 album Pet Sounds. Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, it is a Baroque-style love song distinguished for its harmonic innovation and complexity, its unusual instrumentation, and its subversion of typical popular song conventions, both lyrically and musically. It is often praised as one of the greatest songs of all time and as the Beach Boys' finest record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heroes and Villains</span> 1967 single by the Beach Boys

"Heroes and Villains" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1967 album Smiley Smile and their unfinished Smile project. Written by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks, Wilson envisioned the song as an Old West-themed musical comedy that would surpass the recording and artistic achievements of "Good Vibrations". The single was Brother Records' first release. While it failed to meet critical and commercial expectations, it was a hit record, peaking at number 12 in the U.S. and number 8 in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Help Me, Rhonda</span> 1965 song by the Beach Boys

"Help Me, Rhonda" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys, appearing first on their 1965 album The Beach Boys Today! and subsequently in re-recorded form on the following 1965 album Summer Days . It was written by Brian Wilson, with additional lyrics by Mike Love. Unlike many other songs by the band from this period, "Help Me, Rhonda" features a lead vocal sung by Al Jardine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Bird (The Beach Boys song)</span> 1968 single by the Beach Boys

"Little Bird" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1968 album Friends. It was credited to Dennis Wilson and Stephen Kalinich, however, it was written primarily by Brian Wilson, who declined a songwriting credit. The track was placed as the B-side of the album's "Friends" single, which peaked at number 47 in the US and number 25 in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In My Room</span> 1963 song performed by The Beach Boys

"In My Room" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Gary Usher for the American rock band the Beach Boys. It was released on their 1963 album Surfer Girl. It was also released as the B-side of the "Be True to Your School" single. The single peaked at number 23 in the U.S. and was eventually inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. "In My Room" was ranked number 212 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

"All I Wanna Do" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1970 album Sunflower. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, the dreamlike production quality was created through liberal use of overdubbing, reverb and delay effects. It was influential to the development of lo-fi music and pioneered sounds that became associated with the shoegaze, dream pop, and chillwave music genres.

"Somewhere Near Japan" is a song written for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1989 album Still Cruisin'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The 50th Reunion Tour</span> 2012 concert tour by The Beach Boys

The 50th Anniversary Reunion Tour was a 2012 world concert tour by the American rock band the Beach Boys. The tour marked the first time since 1982 that founding member Brian Wilson had consistently performed on a full tour with the band. The tour also marked the first time that The Beach Boys had played at the Hollywood Bowl since 1967, having sold it out both times.

<i>Thats Why God Made the Radio</i> 2012 studio album by the Beach Boys

That's Why God Made the Radio is the twenty-ninth studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on June 5, 2012, on Capitol Records. Produced by Brian Wilson, the album was recorded to coincide with the band's 50th anniversary. It is their first studio album since 1996's Stars and Stripes Vol. 1, the first album to feature original material since Summer in Paradise in 1992, their first album to feature guitarist and backing vocalist David Marks since Little Deuce Coupe in 1963, and their first album since the 1998 death of co-founder Carl Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isn't It Time (The Beach Boys song)</span> 2012 single by The Beach Boys

"Isn't It Time" is a song from the American rock group, The Beach Boys. The song is the second single released from the band's twenty-ninth studio album, That's Why God Made the Radio.

<i>Live – The 50th Anniversary Tour</i> 2013 live album by The Beach Boys

Live – The 50th Anniversary Tour is a live album by the Beach Boys released on May 21, 2013. The album was recorded during the band's 50th anniversary reunion tour.

<i>No Pier Pressure</i> 2015 studio album by Brian Wilson

No Pier Pressure is the tenth studio album by American musician Brian Wilson, released April 7, 2015 on Capitol Records. Originally planned as a follow-up to the Beach Boys' 2012 reunion album That's Why God Made the Radio, No Pier Pressure is the first solo Wilson LP devoted primarily to new and original material since That Lucky Old Sun (2008). It features guest performances by contemporary artists Sebu Simonian of Capital Cities, Kacey Musgraves, She & Him, Nate Ruess of Fun and Peter Hollens. Original Beach Boys members Al Jardine and David Marks also feature alongside former band member Blondie Chaplin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Paley sessions</span> Studio album (unreleased) by Brian Wilson & Andy Paley with the Beach Boys

The "Andy Paley sessions" is the unofficial name given to an unfinished recording project by American musicians Brian Wilson and Andy Paley. During the 1990s, the duo planned to record an album that would have comprised original material written and produced by themselves with participation from other members of the Beach Boys. It was the last time Brian worked with his bandmates before Carl Wilson's death in 1998.

References

  1. ↑ Romano, Andrew (May 2012). "The Joe Thomas Interview: On Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys Reunion, and That's Why God Made the Radio". Andrew Romano. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  2. ↑ Bush, John. "That's Why God Made the Radio - The Beach Boys : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic . Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  3. 1 2 Bergstrom, John (June 4, 2012). "The Beach Boys: That's Why God Made the Radio". PopMatters . Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  4. ↑ Leahey, Andrew (June 4, 2012). "LISTENING STATION: 'That's Why God Made the Radio,' The Beach Boys". The Washington Times . Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  5. ↑ Phillimore, Alex (July 19, 2020). "Album Review: The Beach Boys – That's Why God Made the Radio". Beats Per Minute . Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  6. ↑ Beviglia, Jim (June 6, 2012). "The Beach Boys: That's Why God Made The Radio". American Songwriter. Savage.Ventures. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  7. ↑ Farber, Jim (June 12, 2012). "Album Review: The Beach Boys, 'That's Why God Made the Radio'". New York Daily News . Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  8. ↑ Reed, Ryan (June 5, 2012). "The Beach Boys: That's Why God Made the Radio". Paste . Paste Media Group. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  9. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (May 31, 2012). "The Beach Boys: That's Why God Made the Radio – review". The Guardian . London. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  10. ↑ Roberts, Randall (June 5, 2012). "Album review: The Beach Boys' 'That's Why God Made the Radio'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  11. ↑ Bush, John (June 5, 2012). "That's Why God Made the Radio - The Beach Boys | Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved September 17, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.