Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 30
  2. Negative: 0 out of 30
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  1. One knock-on effect of going professional is that you can now hear the music clearly and properly, and it turns out that Mr. Williams isn't exactly a Mozart in the songwriting stakes.
  2. Uncut
    60
    Half of these tracks are superfluous, but the other half are mixtape gold. [Sep 2010, p.108]
  3. Williams's record is brisk, clocking in under 40 minutes. But it takes far more risks, dabbling in Animal Collective–ish psych pastiche on "Baseball Cards," Kurt Fauxbain dummy posturing on the riotous "Idiot," and Phil Spector homage not once but twice-on the magical "Da Doo Run Run"–lifting "Mickey Mouse" and, less impressively, with a rip of the "Be My Baby" beat on "When Will You Come."
  4. Perhaps another period spent in oblivion is just what Williams needs to figure out his next move, or rather, his next image.
  5. King of the Beach isn't the work of a seven-stone weakling getting sand kicked in his face; it's supple and muscular garage-pop.
  6. Under The Radar
    60
    After the monochromatic haze of his first few efforts, Williams flirts with nuance here, writing songs that go beyond three chords and a cloud of fuzz box dust. [Summer 2010, p.81]
  7. Q Magazine
    60
    Despite this concession to orthodoxy [recording in a real music studio], King Of The Beach retains much of his summery charm, the sun-kissed pop-punk choruses concealing lyrics seething with self-loathing, alongside slices of blissed-out pop in style of labelmates Beach House. [Sep 2010, p.123]
  8. As a comeback album following one of the decade's most memorable flameouts, it reaches all expectations adequately. But considering the late musician you're obviously modeled after (and more disappointingly, the Hella-inspired track to which this album seems to forget ever existed), King of the Beach feels more like an expertly timed marketing ploy.
  9. Listeners looking for a long-term relationship are advised to look elsewhere or lower their expectations for love.
  10. The problem here being that the clean production values are themselves another veil masking Williams' fundamental badness--and so this album becomes, like its predecessors, an exercise in misdirection and deceit.
  11. A performer like Williams has a lot to lose by releasing what is, by and large, an accessible pop-rock album.
  12. Dec 20, 2010
    40
    It's half-baked as well, never distinguishing itself from other rock & roll throwbacks.
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 45 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 45
  2. Negative: 0 out of 45
  1. Oct 9, 2019
    9
    Wavves' artistic peak as of 2019, no question. The songwriting does well to compliment some stellar hooks and subtle experimentation resultsWavves' artistic peak as of 2019, no question. The songwriting does well to compliment some stellar hooks and subtle experimentation results in King of the Beach as Wavves' least one dimensional effort. By the end, Williams may have beaten the themes of self-deprecation and unhappiness down to a pulp, but the sequencing of the album never makes it feel overbearing or monotonous. Barn-burners like the title track, "Post Acid", and "Super Soaker" are kept primarily in the first half, while more easy going tracks with more depth fill up the second half. "Take On The World" marks the most meta moment in the Wavves' canon, while "Mickey Mouse" sees a surprising moment of Animal Collective influence, circa Strawberry Jam. The moment isn't distracting as Williams' choice of melody and the instrumentation make for one of the more joyous moments on the records. "Green Eyes" is another highlight, as it's the closest Wavves has come to a love song while also without sacrificing what defines them in the first place. In a tight 36 minutes, Wavves craft the definite summer punk album. While the concept is loose and doesn't amount much to anything, each song radiates a warmth through its colorful production and energized performances. Definitely one of the better punk releases of the millennium, if not the decade. Full Review »
  2. Dec 3, 2015
    8
    It's not perfect, but it's some of the best surf punk released in recent years. It's fuzzy, it's fast, it's loud, it's careless, and it's fun.It's not perfect, but it's some of the best surf punk released in recent years. It's fuzzy, it's fast, it's loud, it's careless, and it's fun. For a sloppy two-man band, Wavves has their act together to an impressive degree. Full Review »
  3. Sep 1, 2013
    7
    Bit of a throw-away album, not exactly disposable but only a few riffs and hooks stick in the mind. Incredibly fun and confident but Wavves'Bit of a throw-away album, not exactly disposable but only a few riffs and hooks stick in the mind. Incredibly fun and confident but Wavves' potential has not been maxed out yet. Full Review »