Surf's Up
Released: 1971

Surf's Up

by The Beach Boys

The 405th greatest album of all time

Surf's Up is a 1971 Beach Boys album that mixes pop and psychedelic elements with progressive pop touches, notable for rich vocal harmonies, orchestral textures and a more introspective tone. The title track, written with Van Dyke Parks, and songs such as "Til I Die" and "A Day in the Life of a Tree" reflect lingering experimentalism from earlier eras alongside contributions from Carl Wilson and Bruce Johnston, producing a record that balances social commentary, melancholy and studio-crafted arrangements.