Just got the box set (*spoiler)

[runnersdialzero]

This board needs spoiler tags imo. Unfortunately, by the time they'd be implemented, I'm sure the box set'll be out by then.

[Shady]

I'll be keeping away from the spoilers till I got the box in my hands 

[Aegir]

If you don't want to be "spoiled" (but it's not like this is a book with a plot), then stay off the board. plain and simple. I think it's kind of silly that some people would prefer to sit in their little corner of the world speculating about things everyone else on the internet has already found out.

and I mean, the thread's called "Just got the box set", what the heck else would it be about?

"I just got the box set. it is nice. I like it. there are some good tracks."

"uh dude I didn't want to know about the good tracks"

[runnersdialzero]

I remember someone getting a cantankerous teat over someone saying an alternative version of a song was in a different key on another board (not a Beach Boys board). I giggled and then posted the alternate lyrics and youtube links and free money to pay your beeeiiillls!

[donald]

I am preparing to get my best headset, plug it into my best amp and player, and listen to a piece of music like I haven't listened for a long time.  I anticipate this will be a treat similar to hearing the box set all the way through for the first time.  Not only that, but I've ordered the deluxe package so opening it will be like Christmas morning when I was 9 years old.  Also, this might by chance arrive on my birthday! LESS THAN 2 WEEKS!

[earcandy]

OK, here it goes.  No need to add "spoiler", since it is in the title.

I still gotta compare "Heroes and Villains", "Cabin Essence", " Wonderful", "Vega-Tables", and "Good Vibrations" to the pre-release versions (both internet and MOJO) - because I think I hear a different version of "Wonderful" (could be my imagination)

CD ONE

1-1 Our Prayer  (1:06) - Nothing really new...

1-2 Gee  (0:51) - Nothing really new...

1-4 Do You Like Worms (Roll Plymouth Rock)  (3:36) - "Bicyle Rider" section added to familiar version from boots, i.e. nothing really "new".

1-5 I'm in Great Shape  (0:29) "Flown In" vocals. Hints at greatness that it could have been if finished.  Has a "Free As A Bird" Beatles kinda feel, i.e. pieced together as best as could be done.

1-6 Barnyard  (0:48) "Flown In" vocals.  Great to hear background in full fidelity.  Another track that hints at unfinished greatness.  Ditto to track 5.

1-7 My Only Sunshine (The Old Master Painter You Are My Sunshine)  (1:57) - Same as bootleg version (better fidelity), but adds "Barnshine" which makes the track sound like a "whole" song.

1-10 Look (Song for Children)  Just the word,"Child" vocals added (From "Child Is Father of the Man"  Other than that - same as bootlegs.  (2:31)

1-11 Child Is Father of the Man - One of the most fully realized songs on the set. Great to hear in glorius (even if it is mono) fidelity  (2:14)

1-12 Surf's Up  (4:12) - 1st section - Brian vocals (as it should be!). "By gone, by gone" background vocals added generously.  The horn "answer" sections are boosted, which is great. "Are you sleeping" harmonies added. "Are you sleeping" background vocals added.  2nd section - basically the 1971 version.  But...I still prefer the Ann Wallace version for simplicty and pure beauty!

1-13 I Wanna Be Around Workshop  (1:23) - Same as bootleg version (of course with better fidelity), with maybe a longer fade.

1-15 Holidays  (2:33) - Same as bootleg version (of course with better fidelity), "whispering wind" vocals added at the very end.

1-16 Wind Chimes  (3:06) - Percussion accents added throughout, the instrumental sections are mixed better than the 1993 box set version (IMO).

1-17 The Elements Fire (Mrs. O'Leary's Cow)  (2:35) - Starts off with familiar "bells & whistles".  Then finally, "Fire" in full fidelity! Background vocals like BWPS. Other than that, nothing startling new from the boot versions.

1-18 Love to Say Dada   (2:32) - Water chant starts out, into familiar LTSDD. Background vocals added sporatically. Ends with part of "Prayer" Basically the traditional LTSDD with embelishments.

The great thing about this collection is the possibilities - I am already gonna do a "fan mix" which will try and recreate a "what if" of a 1967 vinyl LP, using the track listings on the back of the original cover.  This means consolidating a few tracks ("Gee" into "H&V"; "I'm In Great Shape" and "Barnyard"; "I Wanna Be Around", The Elements" and "Love to Say Dada" - deleting "Look" and "Holidays" (which I feel would NOT have been on a 1967 version!)

More of the rest coming soon as I give it a better listen...

[runnersdialzero]

1-15 Holidays  (2:33) - Same as bootleg version (of course with better fidelity), "whispering wind" vocals added at the very end.

Argh. Was the track pitch shifted or the vocals? :\

[earcandy]

1-15 Holidays  (2:33) - Same as bootleg version (of course with better fidelity), "whispering wind" vocals added at the very end.

Argh. Was the track pitch shifted or the vocals? :\

Track wasn't shifted, just vocals adjusted to fit.

[runnersdialzero]

1-15 Holidays  (2:33) - Same as bootleg version (of course with better fidelity), "whispering wind" vocals added at the very end.

Argh. Was the track pitch shifted or the vocals? :\

Track wasn't shifted, just vocals adjusted to fit.

>: (

[monicker]

I am so sad that the bygones are in SU. Ungh. That is one of the few musical moments from the glory days of the Beach Boys that i absolutely dislike. And WHY add them into this version? It seems SO unnecessary, as they're there in the '71 version; come on, keep the distinctions between different versions intact, no need to try to make every version as similar as possible.

It's amusing that the mentality for this project seems to have been: more overdubs = more "complete"

[Shady]

Oh no, the anger begins  

Thanks for that, earcandy

[runnersdialzero]

Oh no, the anger begins  

Thanks for that, earcandy

Yes'm, thank you much for going out of your way to share details with us

[juggler]

I am so sad that the bygones are in SU. Ungh. That is one of the few musical moments from the glory days of the Beach Boys that i absolutely dislike. And WHY add them into this version? It seems SO unnecessary, as they're there in the '71 version; come on, keep the distinctions between different versions intact, no need to try to make every version as similar as possible.

Hey, I hear ya.  I know I shouldn't prejudge it, but I suspect that when I do my own "album proper" playlist, the first order of business will be deciding which other version of SU I will substitute for this new version.  

[SMiLE Brian]

Oh no, the anger begins  

Thanks for that, earcandy

Let the games begin...

[earcandy]

rest of disc 1:


Bonus Tracks
1-20 You're Welcome (bonus track) (1:08) - Never a favorite of mine, so can't tell if it is a different mix.

1-21 Heroes and Villains (Stereo Mix) (bonus track) (4:53) - Amazing in stereo!  The full majesty of the song is heard in its full potential! 

1-22 Heroes and Villains Sections (Stereo Mix) (bonus track) (7:16) - Very similiar to the 93 box set - added "bike horn & drums"; no "Swedish frog" in "animal" section; tack piano section added;

1-23 Vega-Tables Demo (bonus track) (1:46) - Same as bootleg.  Different background vocals added.

1-24 He Gives Speeches (bonus track) (1:14) - Added "count in", otherwise same as bootleg.

1-25 Smile Backing Vocals Montage (bonus track) (8:30) - Great montage includes vocals only on: H&V various sections; Wonderful; Cabinessence; Do You Like Worms; Wind Chimes; Vega-Tables;

1-26 Surf's Up 1967 (Solo version) (bonus track) (4:09) - Great find from the archives!  Brian sings it kind of "tentatively" almost in a "whisper like" vocal.  It kind of jarrs you if you are used to the "regular" version, with the intermentent key changes. From "dove nested", Brian only hits the piano keys on the downbeat. "Come about" - another key change. "A Children's song" - goes back to playing piano full (not just on downbeats). Ends with Brian saying, "Let's hear that...".

1-27 Psycodelic Sounds Brian Falls Into A Piano (bonus track) (1:30) - Same as bootleg.

[pixletwin]

It's worth noting that Brian also treats his chords voicing quite a bit different from the very beginning of Surfs Up.

[TV Forces]

Asking someone to mark a thread 'Spoiler' ain't too much to ask...

What else do you think a thread titled "Just got the box set" may contain?

[TV Forces]

I'll be keeping away from the spoilers till I got the box in my hands 

Yet you're in this thread. 

[Shady]

I'll be keeping away from the spoilers till I got the box in my hands 

Yet you're in this thread. 

I caved 

[Jay]

I want to hear(read) about Dennis's "I Don't Know". 

[Chris Brown]

Thanks for posting your review earcandy - even after reading every piece of info out there at the moment, "Surf's Up '67" is still by far the track I'm most excited to hear!

[Andrew G. Doe]

1-23 Vega-Tables Demo (bonus track) (1:46) - Same as bootleg.  Different background vocals added.

Beg to differ, they're present on the boots, but buried under a ton of audio murk, and also mixed up for this presentation. 

[earcandy]

1-23 Vega-Tables Demo (bonus track) (1:46) - Same as bootleg.  Different background vocals added.

Beg to differ, they're present on the boots, but buried under a ton of audio murk, and also mixed up for this presentation. 

Thanks for the clarification!

[bsten]

[...]- deleting "Look" and "Holidays" (which I feel would NOT have been on a 1967 version!) [...]

Thanks for the reviews!!

Perhaps Look and Holidays were meant for the NEXT album (the follow-up to Smile)... Will we ever know???   
No, NOT Smiley Smile, NOT Friends, NOT Wild Honey, NOT 20/20.....

/b

[The Demon]

It's amusing that the mentality for this project seems to have been: more overdubs = more "complete"

Well, isn't that how it works?  It wasn't meant to be an album of demos.  Fans complain about how tracks like "Great Shape" sound incomplete (well, yeah, it is), then complain when they try to flesh it out.  It's Brian's "fan" mix, for fun; to make it easier to imagine a finished album.

Also, just because you don't like it doesn't mean Brian wouldn't have done it.  The problem with an unfinished album like Smile is we've all spent years filling in the blanks ourselves.  There's no reason for any of us to believe we'd like a finished 66/67 Smile.  If finished, he could have done several things we wouldn't like.  And the same is true now.

That said, who cares?  The fan mixes suck, the real thing sucks, it's not all in mono, it's not all in stereo, vocals are flown in, they didn't find some holy grail piece that probably never existed, etc., etc.  Be happy it's coming out.  They were only ever going to release what's there, not what we each imagine has existed for decades.  Complaining about flown in vocals is like complaining that the album has overdubs at all.