Bruce Johnston - Surfin’ Round The World/ Going Public

Disparate twofer of varied output

Beach Boy Bruce Johnston can never be accused of being prolific, as these two solo albums, from 1963 and 1977 respectively, attest. The early outing, as the surf boom took hold, is a mix of instrumentals and reasonable vocals on songs about worldwide surf spots, though none of the latter bear any relation to the fullblooded surf harmonies that he and his then partner Terry Melcher were capable of. Collectors will enjoy the three bonuses of the tracks for Down Under and The Hamptons, and a male backing vocal alternative for Surfin’ Round The World, but there is nothing else new to excite.

The 1977 album was much more thought out, though still very varied. Bruce handles his own ballads well, as on I Write The Songs, Thank You Baby and Disney Girls, and re-interprets Deirdre, the song he wrote with Brian Wilson, in easy mid-tempo. Rendezvous is fun, and has fuller harmonies, but then he goes and spoils it with an ill-judged disco remake of Pipeline to finish the album. Interesting, but somewhat of a curate’s egg.

BGO Records | BGOCD 744

Reviewed by Kingsley Abbott
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