Albums to watch

King of the Beach

Wavves

King of the Beach

Nathan Williams' San Diego surf rock/punk one-man act with his 3rd album, boasting a more produced, less lo-fi sound

ADM rating[?]

7.2

Label
Fat Possum
UK Release date
03/08/2010
  1. 9.0 |   No Ripcord

    A dramatic step forward in Williams' abilities as a songwriter
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  2. 9.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    King Of The Beach is nothing short of a masterpiece for Wavves
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  3. 8.4 |   Pitchfork

    Some may see King of the Beach as a story of redemption or even an argument that a public shaming might do good for some of these younger bands. Either way, it's a fantastic record
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  4. 8.0 |   Spin

    King of the Beach's specialty is Warped Tour–ready choruses, charred with noise and peppered with lyrics from a self-hating surfer teen who sees sunburn as spiritual penance for being a burnout.
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  5. 8.0 |   State

    On the more Beach Boys-influenced end of things are breezy tracks like ‘When Will You Come?’ that put Williams’ falsetto vocals at center-stage, with bells and tambourine taps
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  6. 8.0 |   FasterLouder

    I urge those who gave up on this kid to give him another chance, and I doubt they will regret it
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  7. 8.0 |   FasterLouder

    Now backed with a full band and producing records in a studio instead of his parents’ house, the sound is more developed and mature
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  8. 8.0 |   musicOMH

    If the career plan was to go to the lowest of lows before releasing an album of resurrection and real substance, he ought to be applauded for conducting the whole stunt to perfection
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  9. 8.0 |   Mojo

    Refreshing as a sherbet soda on the hottest day of the year. Print edition only

  10. 8.0 |   Drowned In Sound

    A collection of gleaming pop gems, laced with self-hatred and a keen sense of rebellion
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  11. 8.0 |   Eye Weekly

    On King of the Beach, Wavves are reborn as a bratty Beach Boys,
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  12. 8.0 |   The Irish Times

    Williams’s good-times buzz is infectious. The San Diego guy is putting his songs rather than his antics centre-stage. It’s a smart move
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  13. 8.0 |   The Fly

    Wavves have evolved and taken advantage of having a recording budget of more than 50p. ‘King Of The Beach’ should, finally, more than justify the whirlwinds of hype
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  14. 8.0 |   BBC

    King of the Beach offers a fascinating insight into the slightly skew-whiff mind of this talented young artist, now well on the way to mastering what could turn out to be an incredibly inventive career
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  15. 8.0 |   Daily Telegraph

    Trashy, off-centre, surf-tinged noisy pop
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  16. 8.0 |   Consequence Of Sound

    King of the Beach tells the story of a band coming together and honing their sound
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  17. 7.5 |   Prefix

    Williams remains as skilled as ever at taking a cheap hook and spinning it into something that’ll stick in your brain for days, cordoned off by whiplash guitar lines and knee-slapping drum breaks
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  18. 7.4 |   Beats Per Minute

    An impressive album. Although it is fun to listen to for its catchy summery vibes, it contains the youthful edginess of a modern Beach Boys gone punk
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  19. 7.0 |   The Observer

    A more polished, coherent Wavves, swapping lo-fi haze for skater-punk powerchords and enough gleefully catchy moments to justify all the bratty behaviour
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  20. 6.0 |   The Guardian

    Pick any three tracks at a time and it's great fun; listen to all 12 in a row and the fuzzed guitars, falsetto wooh-woohs and the slight air of an extended prank start to feel trying
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  21. 6.0 |   PopMatters

    The album not only remains securely in the “scene” with its love affair for old-school recording and Brian Wilson, but its visceral freneticism seems to anticipate the second wave of grunge, if and when it come
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  22. 6.0 |   NME

    The overall vibe of ‘King Of The Beach’ really is like it’s the story of a young man coming to terms with the pointlessness of his own existence
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  23. 6.0 |   Uncut

    Print edition only

  24. 6.0 |   Q

    All in all, its an arresting mix. Print edition only

  25. 5.0 |   The Quietus

    It's not an awful album, and a couple of moments – the pricks of actual pain felt on 'Take On The World' and the catchy in spite of itself ‘Green Eyes' – almost make you think Williams could have a career worth saving
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  26. 5.0 |   Tiny Mix Tapes

    It's flashy and initially warm like a new piece o' strange, but as you get to know it, the cracks in the foundation begin to show
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  27. 5.0 |   Bowlegs

    There are echoes of the Jesus and Mary Chain and, at points, The Flaming Lips on this album but the quality of the song writing is adolescent, not regal
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  28. 4.0 |   Independent on Sunday

    They have the nerve to sample "Da Doo Ron Ron", for which they should drowwn
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Wavves: King of the Beach

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  • 6. Take On The World £0.89
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