The Smiley Smile Message Board

I'm wondering if I should pick up the Good Vibrations box set, or the Pet Sounds one?

Also, where can I get more vocal tracks?
Is Stack-o-tracks good?

Thanks!

Well, of course, this really depends on what you're looking for....
Personally, I'd go with the Pet Sounds box - but if you're looking for material outside of that album, it's not for you.

I'll eventually get both, I just don't know which I should get first.

Are you more interested in Pet Sounds or in the other LPs? Pretty simple decision actually.  ;) I'd get the GV box set first.

Not sure how far along you are in your fandom, but the GV box is essential imo.

That was the set that really got me into the more obscure stuff like Smile, Love You, Adult Child, etc.

Im interested in both.
I guess I meant, which am I getting more for my money with?
Is one much more in depth than the other?
That sort of thing.
Sorry for the confusion.

The PET SOUNDS box set definitely goes into more depth...for that particular album. The GOOD VIBRATIONS box set covers all of the albums through '88.

The Vibes box set definitely has more to choose from. The PS box is great but I feel like I have listened to the Vibes box more.

Well, given that the PS box covers just that album and not their entire career 1961-88... which one would you say exhibits more depth ?

If you love Pet Sounds, you can't go wrong with the PS box. I bought that first and would recommend you do the same if you're strapped for cash, with a view to buying the GV box later on.

Get them all, ebay is your friend.

or if you're tech knowledgeable, check all the bootleg sites and download all that stuff for free( I can't figure out how to get any of it.  so I buy it)

Or...save your pennies, my friend, and get the next big box set that comes out later this year.

We are DONE TALKING.

we are?

I got the GV set for Christmas 1993...I was 11...I've never been the same since :)   It's been with me through high school, college, grad school, job changes, relationship changes, marriage, children and I suspect it will always have a place in my heart.  In short, GET IT.

I don't think we are done talking either, the new box set will more than likely be great but why wouldn't you want the others?

Try amazon too, some secondhand ones available for very reasonable prices

Good Vibrations box set - http://www.amazon.com/Good-Vibrations-Thirty-Years-Beach/dp/B000002UR4/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1340228631&sr=8-15&keywords=good+vibrations (http://www.amazon.com/Good-Vibrations-Thirty-Years-Beach/dp/B000002UR4/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1340228631&sr=8-15&keywords=good+vibrations)

Pet Sounds Sessions - http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Sounds-Sessions-Beach-Boys/dp/B000002U4U/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1340228818&sr=1-1&keywords=pet+sounds+sessions (http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Sounds-Sessions-Beach-Boys/dp/B000002U4U/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1340228818&sr=1-1&keywords=pet+sounds+sessions)

As for Stack-o-Tracks, yes you need this album and I'm assuming you don't have the Party!/Stack-o-Tracks 2fer, again you can pick this up used very cheap - http://www.amazon.com/Party-Stack-O-Tracks-Beach-Boys/dp/B00005ABWZ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1340228868&sr=1-1&keywords=beach+boys+party (http://www.amazon.com/Party-Stack-O-Tracks-Beach-Boys/dp/B00005ABWZ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1340228868&sr=1-1&keywords=beach+boys+party)

The Pet Sounds Sessions box is an incredibly in-depth look at a single album -- mono and stereo mixes, isolated vocal and instrumental tracks, and recordings from the tracking sessions, much like the Smile Sessions box. It's four CDs.

The Good Vibrations box set has the best tracks from the band's entire career from Surfin' through Kokomo, including dozens of then-unreleased tracks. It's not quite every Beach Boys track you'll ever need, but you could probably get away with a copy of the GV box set and a burned compilation CD of another twenty or so tracks, and not be missing anything spectacular. Less essential now the Smile Sessions is out, because a highlight is a half-hour album-length sequence of previously-unreleased Smile music which is now all on the Smile Sessions in better quality, but still essential. It's five CDs long.

They're both doing very different things, and I wouldn't want to choose between them. But the Pet Sounds Sessions is very much for musicians, scholars and so forth -- people who want to take the music apart, analyse it, see how it works. The Good Vibrations box is something that anyone who likes music should have, frankly.

I think the Good Vibrations box set is now officially out of print, whereas the Pet Sounds Sessions is not, and will not be in the foreseeable future.

Anyone, please correct that statement if it is wrong!!

IF I'm right, then I would say go for the Good Vibrations box first while you can, without having to hunt and hunt for reasonable deals on used copies; it would seem like a no-brainer.

As for the merits of each, I don't have much to add to what everyone else said. Both sets are spectacular and serve their own purpose. As Andrew Hickey said, the release of The Smile Sessions lessens the allure of Disc 2 of the Good Vibrations set, but there are still plenty of other treasures therein, and it's a nifty thing to have, physically. It was how I was introduced to the Beach Boys, and it's what got me hooked - all 4 discs equally too, I might add, in their own ways - so I have a real affection for that collection.

Just get 'em both and get it over with!  Good Vibrations box set first with the Pet Sounds box right behind it. Should be less than 100 bucks for both!

I could show you where to download both, but I don't want to. Get the legit releases with the books and stuff. You'll be glad you did.

I had one of the two booklets in my Pet Sounds box autographed by Hal Blaine and Carol Kaye.  They're boss!

Did Carol play on anything?

She signed my book near her interview section, "To Mike - Bassically yours, Carol Kaye".   :)  

Sorry for anybody who misunderstood my DONE TALKING gag...I was just parodying Bruce from his unhappy backstage behavior recently.

I picked up on it and laughed quite a bit!

Yup, awesome. I pretty much end every conversation I have that way now. Good old Bruce.

You should pick up all of them. Stack-o-Tracks is indeed great, if you're a fan.

I just got my GV box set for 30 bucks, used but in awesome condition on Amazon.  It goes for 70 bucks on iTunes.  Oh yeah.  ;D

So yeah, look out for it on sites like Amazon and Ebay, you should get it for a pretty good price.

If you're not familiar yet with (most of) the discography beyond Pet Sounds and the hits, get the Good Vibrations box. If you are, get the Pet Sounds box.

Only if you like to study the little details in the backing tracks. Or if you're into karaoke.

The GV box is quite simply a hell of a good collection, for casual fans and hardcores alike. (Unless you're one of those weirdo hardcores that collects stuff for their matrix numbers, and meaningless stuff like that!)

Start with that. Expand to PS box. Then expand (in every way) to the Smile Sessions box!