The Smiley Smile Message Board

whenever I hear the beach Boys in stereo, (esp. Pet Sounds and California girls) I dont like the reverb on the tracks. It sounds too wet, I suppose.  But from what I read, the original western echo chambers were used. Or is it the original reverb and it just sounds that way becuase it was less apparent in the original mono mixes. Is anybody else annoyed by this? Perhaps I'm a fool.

Yeah, I noticed that too. Especially on the Stereo Mixes of "California Girls" (the instrumental mix). It's too much. Original reverb I guess. But that was part of the Wall Of Sound I guess and doesn't work that good in Stereo. Perhaps I'm also a fool (I hope not).

Everybody plays the fool.
there's no exception to the rule.

Speaking of California girls, Brian said his biggest regret was not getting the timing right on the chorus......does anybody know which chorus.....I guess I dont have the greatest sense of time......but I suspect the first chorus.

Yeah, Brian is most out of rhythm of them all. I guess he was in a hurry, had to catch a plane or something. Recording one of the biggest pop songs of all time and not even taking the time to do it right. No wonder they didn't beat the Beatles.

I'd have to listen again, but both choruses sound a bit off to me.  I guess it didn't matter much to the general record buying public (I didn't even really notice until I heard Brian say it), but given how Brian was in those days, it is kinda weird.

I thnk it is the Mike Love vocal that is said to be rushed. If the chorus sounds "off" you may be hearing the stereo version that features the 'not so great' sync-up of the vocals to the stereo instrumental tracks.

I'm a big fan of the "excess" reverb on Carl's guitar, especially.

I don't think the timing of Brian's vocal is off particularly - it doesn't matter if it doesn't hit exactly the same beat, and would probably sound robotic if it did.

And I might add that the stereo mixes of the early sixties stuff drive me crazy with all that 'Hey, lets put the instruments on one side and the vocals on the other crap! Or alternatively, drums and/or bass panned to one side.

Either do it properly or don't do it atall, I say!! :)

Brian has stated that he didn't like the way Mike rushed his vocal on "CG".

Ummmmm... and exactly who was producing that session ? As my father was wont to say, "a poor workman blames his tools". (And just how do you 'rush' a triple-tracked vocal anyway ?)

'Course, Brian has also stated that he loved Mike's vocal on "CG". Just another example of Brian's wacky sense of humor. Or as we call it in the real world, severe inconsistancy.

They were done by Chuck Britz, because Capitol demanded a stereo master. Given that he had, at best, a few hours to do the mix and was working with 3- and 4-track tapes, they could have been much worse (you heard some of the early Beatles stereo mixes ?)... plus Brian OK'd them.

I love the Beatles stereo mixes! Instant karoake!

I liked them also and I like them best on the 1st four lps or so.  I could isolate a lot of what Harrison was playing and also mostly isolate the track (this was back when the records were current) It helped me learn to play guitar and to arrange a song for a rock group.