Surf's Up! (album)

Not to be confused with Surf's Up (album) by the Beach Boys.
Surf's Up
Studio album by
David Thomas and Two Pale Boys
Released2001
StudioSuma Recording
(Painesville, OH)
GenreRock
Length51:24
LabelThirsty Ear[1]
ProducerDavid Thomas
David Thomas and Two Pale Boys chronology
Bay City
(2000) 		Surf's Up
(2001) 		18 Monkeys on a Dead Man's Chest
(2004)
Pere Ubu chronology
Pennsylvania
(1998) 		Surf's Up!
(2002) 		St. Arkansas
(2002)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Robert Christgau(dud)[3]
The Guardian[4]

Surf's Up is the second album by David Thomas and Two Pale Boys, released in 2001.[5][6] The album is named after the Beach Boys' track, which the band covers.[7]

Critical reception

The Chicago Reader wrote that "the Two Pale Boys render Thomas's desolate vision in vivid colors."[8] CMJ New Music Monthly wrote that "there are enough inspired bits to make one endure the few dead spots."[9] The Cleveland Scene 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."[10] 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."[11] The Quietus wrote that the band "serve up a smattering of avant-folk, coloured by touches of electronic pulses and Rain Dogs era Tom Waits contortions."[12]

Track listing

All tracks composed by David Thomas, Andy Diagram and Keith Moliné; except where indicated

  1. "Runaway" – 4:17
  2. "Man in the Dark" – 6:26
  3. "Night Driving" – 4:58
  4. "Surf's Up" (Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks) – 8:24
  5. "River" – 9:17
  6. "Ghosts" – 5:56
  7. "Spider in my Stew" – 5:42
  8. "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

  1. ^ "David Thomas". Trouser Press. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  2. ^ AllMusic review
  3. ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Artist 4959". www.robertchristgau.com.
  4. ^ "CD of the week: David Thomas & Two Pale Boys: Surf's Up! | The Guardian | guardian.co.uk". www.theguardian.com.
  5. ^ "David THOMAS biography". The Great Rock Bible.
  6. ^ Buckley, Peter (December 21, 2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. ISBN 9781843531050 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Cheal, David; Dalley, Jan (September 21, 2017). The Life of a Song: The fascinating stories behind 50 of the world's best-loved songs. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 9781473668188 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Meyer, Bill. "David Thomas & Two Pale Boys". Chicago Reader.
  9. ^ "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly. CMJ Network, Inc. April 21, 2001 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ Greenberg, Shelly. "David Thomas and Two Pale Boys". Cleveland Scene.
  11. ^ "The best CDs of 2001". Inlander.
  12. ^ "The Quietus | Features | Quietus Charts | Giving Up The Day Job: Quietus Writers' Top 40 Side Projects". The Quietus.