New Beach Boys 2012 Remasters!

[Runaways]

Also got my order from CDBANQ today...."Today" and "Summer Nights"....popped in "Today"....overall pretty pleased although "Do You Wanna Dance" sounds a little weird in stereo.  Something about the quality on that one that sounds off. 

i feel like that's one of those songs that's better in mono. 

[runnersdialzero]

A kid from around these parts utilized the b**tlegged single-tracked vocal and the officially released stereo backing track for "Dance?" and the results were pretty darn good. Surprised the official stereo mix is getting some iffy reviews.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

I think the temptation is always sort of to do too much with the remixes.  I haven't heard anything beyond the samples, so I can't comment.

Nevertheless, I don't know that all this digital extraction was necessary.

To me, stereo remixes need not be "complete" or matching the original in every way.  I'd much rather have a nice crisp Help Me Rhonda without the straight to the mono mix stuff than a digital extraction.

I can live without a couple of solos.  To me, the value in the stereo remixes, just like the value in the track only and vocal only mixes, is to hear the underlying musical ideas.  The vocal only mixes allow you to hear the purity of the blend, and some subtleties you'd miss, without the distraction of the track.  The track only mixes show you Brian's production and get you closer to actually being at a session.  A stereo remix simply lets you hear a little bit more of both of those components.  The original Pet Sounds remix was beautiful as it was, even though YSBIN was missing something, you know.  Who cares if there's something missing?

[puni puni]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrj91gwuONM

When was the instrumental released?

[EgoHanger1966]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrj91gwuONM

When was the instrumental released?

Ocean-of-Songs 'release'.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrj91gwuONM

When was the instrumental released?

Wasn't it also on the singles box as a bonus track, or something?

[Ebb and Flow]

Surprised the official stereo mix is getting some iffy reviews.

I haven't listened to the actual mixes yet, but based on the samples I can say that it's like a lot of the other remixes they've released...they just aren't wide or adventurous enough given the source material.  I'm not trying to be overly critical, but if there are two vocal overdubs with rich harmonies, why keep them in the center and wash them in digital reverb?

If everything were mixed the way the stereo mix of "Kiss Me Baby" sounded you'd hear no complaints from me.

[The Shift]

Remasters have gone on pre-sale at Amazon UK for a suffocating £18.91 each.

At that price, it's gonna be a LOT cheaper to buy them ALL from the US… or find a cheaper retailer.

Didn't see that coming…  

[Johnston65]

Don't worry mate, the prices are bound to go down but the time the release date comes around.

[The Shift]

Aye, scratch what I said earlier… Play.com has 'em for less than a tenner each.

Next time I'll count to ten…! 

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Surprised the official stereo mix is getting some iffy reviews.

I haven't listened to the actual mixes yet, but based on the samples I can say that it's like a lot of the other remixes they've released...they just aren't wide or adventurous enough given the source material.  I'm not trying to be overly critical, but if there are two vocal overdubs with rich harmonies, why keep them in the center and wash them in digital reverb?

If everything were mixed the way the stereo mix of "Kiss Me Baby" sounded you'd hear no complaints from me.

When you're working with sometimes only 5 discrete tracks, there's only so much you can do.  I too always prefer having vocals at "9 o'clock and 3 o'clock," but sometimes Mark has put the track wide and the vocals narrow.  I like it the other way, but I guess he does it to mix it up.  Wish he would articulate his philosophy one of these days.

[Cabinessenceking]

I don't think it is, but then yeah - I can't tell what's behind Mike's back. Really hope it's up there. I can not listen to the damn thing sans a song or two (and even then), but you can't change history and attempting to rewrite the facts is silly.

Apparently 'Love You' doesnt exist anymore according to the beach boys camp, so yes you could! Reading the Beach Boys timeline on their webpage is like reading 1984 

[drbeachboy]

I don't think it is, but then yeah - I can't tell what's behind Mike's back. Really hope it's up there. I can not listen to the damn thing sans a song or two (and even then), but you can't change history and attempting to rewrite the facts is silly.

Apparently 'Love You' doesnt exist anymore according to the beach boys camp, so yes you could! Reading the Beach Boys timeline on their webpage is like reading 1984 

Love You is there, behind Brian's left shoulder. The albums are in release order. Summer In Paradise is the only missing album. It's missing in the tour booklet, as well.

[Ziggy Stardust]

I don't think it is, but then yeah - I can't tell what's behind Mike's back. Really hope it's up there. I can not listen to the damn thing sans a song or two (and even then), but you can't change history and attempting to rewrite the facts is silly.

Apparently 'Love You' doesnt exist anymore according to the beach boys camp, so yes you could! Reading the Beach Boys timeline on their webpage is like reading 1984 

Love You is there, behind Brian's left shoulder. The albums are in release order. Summer In Paradise is the only missing album. It's missing in the tour booklet, as well.

And we can see Love You's vinyl in the TWGMTR videoclip. 

[Ebb and Flow]

Surprised the official stereo mix is getting some iffy reviews.

I haven't listened to the actual mixes yet, but based on the samples I can say that it's like a lot of the other remixes they've released...they just aren't wide or adventurous enough given the source material.  I'm not trying to be overly critical, but if there are two vocal overdubs with rich harmonies, why keep them in the center and wash them in digital reverb?

If everything were mixed the way the stereo mix of "Kiss Me Baby" sounded you'd hear no complaints from me.

When you're working with sometimes only 5 discrete tracks, there's only so much you can do.  I too always prefer having vocals at "9 o'clock and 3 o'clock," but sometimes Mark has put the track wide and the vocals narrow.  I like it the other way, but I guess he does it to mix it up.  Wish he would articulate his philosophy one of these days.

I just think it's odd that the vocals on many of his remixes have literally no separation whatsoever.  I can understand there's a certain bit of conservatism when you're remixing an album that's pushing 50 years old, but if the tracks are available for you to add separation (which is ultimately what a stereo mix is intended to do...within reason) why not at least have the vocals float more or less around the center with a bit of separation and then leave the instrumentation on the far left and right?

I'm a fan of pretty much all of his remixes past a certain point in the group's catalog, but there's definitely something off-putting about the way tracks pre-Summer Days have been remixed.

[Ziggy Stardust]

I don't think it is, but then yeah - I can't tell what's behind Mike's back. Really hope it's up there. I can not listen to the damn thing sans a song or two (and even then), but you can't change history and attempting to rewrite the facts is silly.

Or it's possible that SMiLE might be up there. At least in the zinepak and in the tour program it was pictured after Still Cruisin'.

And apparently Stars & Stripes has been wiped from their history, although it's always been a bit confusing whether it was a various artists tribute album or a "Beach Boys" album.

I was just thinking "How come S&S was EVER considered as an official "Beach Boys album" ? they're only doing back up vocals from what i can remember and there's no new songs.." but then there's Party! (well they're all singin' on it but it's mostly just covers, tho it's mostly not their own songs, so changes a bit, but still) and that i considered as an Baech Boys album, in fact it's part of the remastered albums, so .. idk, i don't think S&S is a Beach Boys record, just a side little thing (that failed, obviously).

[I. Spaceman]

There's no vocals and no new songs on Stack O' Tracks either.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Well then any Greatest Hits is a Beach Boys album..

[I. Spaceman]

Well then any Greatest Hits is a Beach Boys album..

Well, yeah, definitely.

[Wirestone]

Brian co-produced Stars and Stripes. All of the boys sing on every track, including some lead bits (by Mike, Carl and Brian).

It is therefore a Beach Boys album.  

[Zach95]

Brian co-produced Stars and Stripes. All of the boys sing on every track, including some lead bits (by Mike, Carl and Brian).

It is therefore a Beach Boys album.  

Eh...you haven't got me convinced. I wouldn't really include it in a discography, though I would have to include Summer in Paradise, sadly. 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Brian co-produced Stars and Stripes. All of the boys sing on every track, including some lead bits (by Mike, Carl and Brian).

It is therefore a Beach Boys album. 

Eh...you haven't got me convinced. I wouldn't really include it in a discography, though I would have to include Summer in Paradise, sadly. 

Well yeah, i guess we're one the of minority who thinks that a new studio album is an album with new songs sang by the boys.. but guess that's not actually the case and that Endless Summer is a hit album.

[Bicyclerider]

I have to agree that if you have vocal multitracks - and with a four track tape there would be at least 3 vocal tracks, on 8 track 6 or 7 - then why not mix them into wide stereo to showcase the vocals?  lead in the center, or lead to one side, colead on the other, backing vocals split r and l.

I'll be interested to hear the digital extractions - how exactly are they done?  Since it appears this is where sound artifacts are at most risk of being introduced, why not keep it simple - if there's a multitrack instrumental backing, make a stereo mix of that, extract the vocal from the mono master and layer it in the middle of the stereo backing track.  Not ideal, but simple and you've got a stereo track similar to many of the early period BB stereo mixes.  If there's no multitrack for vocals or instruments, then I'm at a loss as to how a listenable stereo mix could be made.   Perhaps someone familiar with the technique could enlighten us.

[I. Spaceman]

Brian co-produced Stars and Stripes. All of the boys sing on every track, including some lead bits (by Mike, Carl and Brian).

It is therefore a Beach Boys album. 

Eh...you haven't got me convinced. I wouldn't really include it in a discography, though I would have to include Summer in Paradise, sadly. 

Well yeah, i guess we're one the of minority who thinks that a new studio album is an album with new songs sang by the boys.. but guess that's not actually the case and that Endless Summer is a hit album.

Ummmm..........you're having us on at this point, right?

[puni puni]

So everyone's got their copy by now? I wonder if it'll show up in my field of hearing soon.