The Smiley Smile Message Board

Discuss, review, and rate The Beach Boys Live - The 50th Anniversary Tour, released May 21, 2013.

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2 - An aural disaster for the ages that also manages to actually rest as evidence this tour existed. I think I want my £15 back!

Sorry about starting a review thread in the wrong place. I didn't know this one was here.  :o

I listened to the set twice last night and most of the day today while driving in my car. All I can say is people have got to give it a chance. Listen to the entire album.

I agree with the 'allmusic'  review that said the album sounded "exceedingly bright and crisp". The word bright came to mind before I read that review. Bright and crisp is not necessarily a bad thing. The album as a whole sounds pretty good.

I don't understand how fans can review an album without hearing the whole thing.

'California Saga: California' and 'All This Is That' are becoming my favorites because Brian, Mike and Al share the lead vocals. 'Getcha Back' shines with David on lead vocal. Nice that he got a chance to sing lead. "The Little Girl I once Knew' is also very good. I wish 'Cottonfields' was included.

I got lucky and got my copy early from a 'indie' record store. I've played this more in the 1st 48 hours than I did the TWGMTR album. I'm liking it more and more.

I hate to see all the negative reviews. The BBs need our support. That's what fans do. It's OK to be a little critical but man, the album isn't that bad. We want sales to be up, right?

I remember reading that Bruce Springsteen was doing post production on his LIVE box set back in the 1980's. He had the best rock n roll band in the world. I didn't understand that then and I guess I can see the anger about post production with the Beach Boys now. But give it a chance!   ;)

Don't forget to add the poll!

Bruce adds the words 'Texas Town' while singing 'Disney Girls'. The crowd cheers. Grande Prairie, Texas? Second show on the tour.

Were songs from the Texas show available on the internet or radio? NPR, maybe? I want to say yes from what I remember.

Show 2: Verizon Theater - Grand Prairie, TX 4/26/12

*********************************************************************************
   
"Colorado Girls" is mentioned in 'California Girls'.

Show 47: Red Rocks Amphitheater - Morrison, CO 7/9/12

At least "I Get around", if not the entire car song medley, is from Phoenix. Mike: "My people, the car people of Arizona!"

Speaking of Mike... I think he really got shafted on this album. Think & say whatever you want about Mike, but, if he doesn't sound good, The Beach Boys aren't right. And Mike Love still sounds far better in real life than he does here.

My thoughts at: http://beachboysopinion.Blogspot.com (http://beachboysopinion.Blogspot.com)

I just noticed that they messed up the tracking between Little Girl & Wendy. The Wendy Intro is at the end of Little Girl instead of at the beginning of track 09.

Great job Jude.  I am listening now on Rhapsody. It's terrible: does not sound live. Sounds underwater. Dull, flat, muted, with a vocal mix that sounds nothing like what I heard in 3 concerts. Lots of studio contrivances, as in chorus on Wendy. No audience audible except when spliced in. Makes me think of buying Tormato, the Yes album in high school that has soccer fans cheering to simulate live--dreadful.

The autotune or whatever adds a ringing effect to everything, making it sound smeared and unreal and also muted.

Disaster disaster disaster. Trying to enjoy the parts I like in the abstract, such as Dave's vocals and solo.

Absolutely no "feel" to the whole thing at all. Sounds way worse than hand-held youtube videos for heaven's sake. Sorry.

Your own fault for listening on Internet radio. I admit that there are issues with this release, but some of what you describe is Internet transmission quality. Now take a walk down your college walkways to a B&M store and fork out a Jackson and then go and really listen to the damn thing. ;)  Cranked up, I might add!

Agreed. When I bought the set I listened in my car, LOUD, as it should be. Listening to it on internet radio, snippets as well, doesn't do it any justice. Home Stereo. Anyone out there still have or use one?  ::)

As I mentioned in an earlier thread Mike's voice on "Do It Again" just doesn't sound right. In a way it sets you up for the rest of the album. You can't but help listen closely to the rest of the album's vocals. If you take the album as a whole it's not that bad.

Bruce's vocals in concert sounded weak or soft. I think they sound better with the autotune. I guess everyone needed help except Al and David. Should the autotune have been used more subtly? Yes, I guess so. But I'm not a record producer.
Could it sound any better? Absolutely. Point is that it's not nearly as bad as made out earlier here on the board.

Production aside I think I'd give it a B- because there are some great selections that are included. ('Getcha Back' 'California Saga' 'Pet Sounds' 'Marcella' 'Help Me Rhonda'....)

Personally I wanted this one so I could play it my car, at a party (on a home stereo) or at a barbeque picnic in my yard. For that use I'm OK with it.

If sales go okay with this set maybe we'll get a new, cleanly produced BB50 LIVE box set with 60+ songs. The Beach Boys deserve that and so do we. Yeah, I know, 'Dreamer'.  :p

Dr BB, I have had it on pre-order at Amazon for months, so I am waiting for that--already paid. .

A related question; if I were to burn a CD from Rhapsody (will not in this case because I have one on order) is that sound quality better than simply playing it from Rhapsody. Or is a produced CD simply universally a different animal from any product obtrained from something like Rhapsody?  Thanks, Dr BB and others who may know. Rhapsody is good in that I just woke up and the new album was there; it's a 9.99 a month subscription for 100000's of songs--pay for burning put not for i-pod (sansdisc) loading.

Bought it today.  Listened in my car on the way back to work from Best Buy.  I got the last (or only?) copy in the store.

First impressions;

Definitely sounds like a lot of tinkering with the sound and vocal overdubs etc.

Mike Love doesn't sound as good here as he does live.   Maybe they brought the vocal up too far in the mix.

I like the second disc best.   Seems to me that this grouping of musicians and vocalists sound better on the "newer" material.

There are songs that sound just adequate and some that really nail  that classic  Beach Boys harmony sound.

I have already broken that stupid double CD package.  Am I the only one who finds these plastic chinese finger puzzles maddening?

It is a weird release. Some songs fall flat while others have that live punch. Lots of autotune on some songs to none at all on others. Some weak leads that should have been sure'd-up, to almost all of Brian's leads being  re-done in the studio. Still, on the whole, it is still a listenable, fun album. Biggest issue on most songs though, is the vocals are too upfront at the sake of the music. A live album should have both about equal or the vocals up just a tad.

If we're going to be critical (not just here but in the other thread too) of those who make judgements based on versions delivered by inferior online methods rather than listening to the CD, can we at least be consistent and point out to everyone who speaks of blasting it out in their car that a noisy environment in which you're meant to be concentrating on something else doesn't exactly constitute optimal listening conditions either?  Thanks.  I expect this to be a popular post.

My car has a Bose system and car is damn near sound proof. Even if I'm distracted while driving, it still sounds better than compressed transmission over the Internet. Most of what I hear on the Internet is no better and usually worse than listening to compressed FM signals.

Listened to this again last night on my home system  after first hearing it in the car.  It sounded much better because I could adjust the equalizer.

Honkin', honkin' down the gosh-darn highway (HONK HONK, HONKIN' DOWN THE HIGHWAY)
Doctor, Beachboy don't seem to hear me (HONK HONK, HONKIN' DOWN THE HIGHWAY)

Tell me!  Why won't he notice me BEEPIN'
Is he unconscious or SLEEPIN'
It seems he's got a SOOOOUUUUND PROOOOOOF CAAAAAAAARRRR

Ahem.  There is a serious point here, which is that while it's great that some people are enjoying the album on CD on fancy hi-fi equipment or on their Definitely Better Than Yours Inc. car stereo, there are of course many ways in which people will experience music, a lot of them (like noisier cars or lossier online delivery mechanisms) sub-optimal, and a great-sounding record ought really to have a certain amount of resilience to degradation.  You can't keep a great record down!  Brian Wilson used to understand this innately, which is why he got so hung up on what his masterpieces sounded like on crummy little radios.  These days people are increasingly using online music services to listen to stuff, and this is far from unreasonable: even those who would prefer a CD (or vinyl) can hardly be criticised for wanting to "try before they buy" in case they decide they don't like the music at all.  If I recommend this record to one of my friends, I can be quite sure they'll check it out online before ordering.  So a record that sounds dreadful on Rhapsody / Spotify / YouTube / whatever is a disaster, regardless of whether or not it sounds better when you listen "for real".

(Usual disclaimers: There are types of music where this argument wouldn't apply - anything where the musical appeal lies in extreme subtlety that might be airbrushed out by lossy algorithms, such as music with a big dynamic range - but a big, brash live pop album isn't really one of them.)

First off, I wasn't bragging, just how I listen to my music nowadays. I don't have time to just sit in the Living Room for 2 hours at a time anymore. Knowing this fact of life, I deliberately set out to get a good sound system when I purchase a new car.

Secondly, I understand where you coming from with the Internet. I'm just not sure if Capitol, Joe or Brian do. Generally, music mastered for Internet download & listening sounds like sh*t, but that is besides the point.  I'm 55 years old and I don't try my music before I buy. The few times that I did, they all sounded awful and found the CD or LP better to my ear. I will tell you that the technology needs to get better, but that is not the fault of the record company or artist.

This release is wonky, and there is no denying that. Hell, I have issues with it without the Internet issue, but I am saying that streaming a wonky album only makes it sound worse.

Well, it's nice for what it is, but at the same time, it has that overly slick sound akin to the endless tinkering done via Brian's camp on everything with his voice on it. It's not a BAD release but it's not a great one. It's merely there. It's serviceable. I'd give it a 2.5, so round that to a 3.

Thank de lawd for bootlegs.

3 stars. One for "Pet Sounds", one for Dave's lead on "Getcha Back" even if he is D-Pain on it, and one star for "Wheeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn".

I think we can believe Joe Thomas when he says that Brian is involved in all major productions decisions.  I think that Brian is responsible for the general sound of this release.

1) Except when he just doesn't care -- or is on purpose trying for a rough vocal sound -- Brian has been exceedingly attentive to getting perfect pitches, in smooth harmony.  I don't think he has any compunction at all in using whatever technology is available to get that, on recordings.  While we can enjoy the Rolling Stone recordings, Brian would hear the imperfections, and would be unsatisfied having them be a definitive record of the 2012 band doing those songs.  With Brian's ear -- who doesn't think he is aware of the altered sound of the voices?  Is he really so manipulated by others that he wouldn't object if he didn't like them?  I think he enjoys hearing the creamy perfection of the processed vocals.

2) The general criticism of the recording of the band is lack of stereo separation, where we are not able to distinguish and appreciate all of the instruments.  But that is classic mono era Brian Wilson!  Brian of course is deaf in one ear.  Hearing a band with no separation is how he hears things, and he arranges with that in mind.  And it is Brian who pioneered techniques of instruments playing together to make a single integrated sound, such that the separate instruments cannot be distinguished.  The current live album is a sort of return to that.

4 stars. Love it. So awesome that we get this as a souvenir from the 50th anniversary tour. love hearing some of the banter between the guys, even if it's corny. Makes me think that maybe, just maybe, they'll do it again. argh, sorry, I was going to say "do this again", but I had to write "do it again". It's my inner Michael Edward Love rearing its head.

Sorely missing "Cotton Fields" and "Please Let Me Wonder." If "H&V" was so awful in its unproduced state, why did Thomas and co. feel it necessary to even include it on the final tracklist?

I rated it a 4. I'm not into the technical aspects as many of other posters are here - the autotuning; overdubbing;etc. - as I don't have that kind of background to be able to get that analytical (and BTW, you guys are really impressive in your analysis at that level!). Rather, I'm just a long time fan and listener of their music. So, overall I've enjoyed listening to it several times this weekend; it does remind me in large part of seeing them live last year. Certainly do agree with those comments that several other songs should have been included if the CD discs could have done so. To me, I guess I prefer corrections that make the group and CD sound better as opposed to hearing an off note or something "cringeworthy" (I understand that to some autotuning is just that; to others it is a flat note) even if that was "live".
So, here is my definitely non-technical review. Putting it on this weekend, well the first several songs and last 4 on CD #1 just meant that Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of summer. Dave Marks on Getcha Back and pet sounds (plus several other rifts throughout) recalled how impressed I was with his performance;  Mike Love's commentaries and singing (do I detect a bit of weakening in his otherwise constant voice?) recalled a solid performance by someone who enjoys performing; Al's work on Cal Saga, HMR, TIKH, showed how he remains perhaps the best sounding member; Bruce's Disney Girls and Wendy are so enjoyable; Brian continued a strong series of live performances with his work on Marcella, SOS, ATIT (a nice job!); and all of them together especially on ASM.
On the one hand, we have the ending in WIGU ("isn't it sad") as the years are passing; yet TWGMTR and IIT give hope that there may just be more.  While I will likely put on versions of the songs from earlier times, this CD will help me recall that seeing them perform in 2012 was an enjoyable experience.

I consider myself a Beach Boys completist (I even bought a Chris Farmer album once) but this seems so uunappealing to me that it's not even worth listening to once.

Listening to this now and despite what others have said, well, I love it. Its a good token of the concert and I am glad its out. Just heard Bruce on "Wendy", and now its Dave's turn ...WOW!

Great Aegir, It's way way way better than the dissecting critique renders it; get it and rock out.

Trust the professor

I've been enjoying it quite a bit myself on Spotify, whether blasting it at home or through a tinny iPhone speaker at work. Some tracks do fall a bit flat instrumentally, but most sound OK to me (aside from the buried percussion). The autotune seems to be really enraging a lot of folks on here, but it doesn't bother me much. The only spots where it becomes a bit comical for me is a couple lines in DBD and "Come on and safari...". The C50 gig I attended had Brian noticeably autotuned and it was an absolutely breathtaking show regardless, so that kinda transfers over to the album. It's a fun live album with pleasant vocals for the most part, and a few "WOW" moments here and there. A few tracks, including Getcha Back, Wendy, and 'Dizzany' Girls are almost up there with the original studio cuts for me in terms of sheer enjoyability. Could've been done better, but I like it... strong 3 or a weak 4 for me.

"Getcha Back," "Disney Girls," "Pet Sounds," and "All This Is That" are the highlights. I would've ditched "Isn't It Time" or "That's Why God Made The Radio" in favor of "Please Let Me Wonder" or "Cotton Fields." Brian's flown-in vocals on "Heroes and Villains" were bad enough, but is there any live singing happening on "TWGMTR"? Seriously, if they couldn't get their s*** together vocally for that song at any point during the tour, they should've left it off this record. Listening to those recordings is an audial insult.

I'm surprised Joe Thomas didn't auto-tune Mike's "Wheeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnn" on "BTTYS."

Yes, the Lost BB is the star of the album for sure, and I just love hearing Bruce and Dave together on GB--just play that tune over and over.  Only super low points for me are: Jeff on TLGIWK and Wendy; Brian on ASMTYD (he sounds like a ghost); Jeff on end of TWGMTR. Beyond that, it's rockin and great, despite the endless dissecting of some stern audiophiles, whose points may be technically true but whose critique is withered by the BB music , heard in toto, in my car driving through LA.

It blows me away how much David sounds like Dennis; specifically, what Dennis would have sounded like had he not destroyed himself with drugs and alcohol. I really appreciate the distinct texture David's voice lends to "GB" and would love to hear his vocals showcased  on future BB/BW solo records.

It's a shame that this album isn't as purely "live" as it probably should've been. But like some guy from some band (can't remember which one) once said: "The live album might not sound exactly like the actual concert did, but it sounds just how we think it should have sounded". I can live with that, I guess.

Having said that, I really love this album. I think it's a very pleasant listening experience with a few really cool "deep cuts". Surprising highlight for me is Wendy, Bruce sounds superb on that.

When I first heard this album on my top-end stereo, I concentrated way too much on the sound quality. Once I'd ripped it to MP3 and put it on my iPod I listened to it over and over again for the music within, and now I'm really enjoying the entire two-CD set. Great song selection, some great singing and we should all be happy we have newly released material at this stage in the bands career.

:) Mark

While some songs definitely suffer from excessive pitch correction, others do not (even if they use it).  Overall despite being terribly flawed, it's still an enjoyable album and it's worth it as a souvenir of sorts if you attended one of the shows on the tour which is likely to be the last ever full fledged Beach Boys tour.  And some of the songs are very unique of their studio versions that I think makes this at least an essential purchase for the serious fan.  Three stars.

The album sounds too unnatural. My least favourite Beach Boys live album.
2 out of 5.

I watched the dvd for the first time tonight, now I'm listening to the cd, and my feeling about it is the same as many others here - way too much autotune. I think in another 10 or 20 years, we're going to look back upon the autotune era the same way we look now upon the synth-heavy 80's. It's nice to see and hear the guys together again, but that autotune just sucks all the naturalness, the warmth out of the recording, resulting in a very sterile sound. No way would I choose this recording over, say, Knebworth, where they still sounded like human beings, warts and all.

I agree with you, but Mike has AT there too ;) [Listen to Do It Again]

I am just watching the dvd and the sound on the cd sounds a lot better though I think at least some is the same concert ( Do it again for example)..Its such  a shame the dvd is not longer.

I still listen to the cd set quite a bit with Disney Girls being a favourite, though I do like the whole album.

4/5 A fine record that is hurt by auto tune and sterile sound.. A fine memento to unbelievable  summer of seeing + hearing BB one last time before they hit the rocking chair.. With all the warts here its still a rockin set..

I was on Spotify and I clicked on this version Be True To Your School.  :P :'(  :ahh :thud

JUST NO MIKE!

Lighten up Francis.  This is a great record.  I love it almost as much as their career-best live piece In Concert.  Add in Live at Knebworth and you've got the live best of the band from all angles & periods.

That BW album update thread got me thinking about this album again, and how much of a train wreck it is. I've tried time and time again but I can't get into it. I've never managed to get through a single track. The AutoTune is so shamelessly excessive it completely robs the album of its honesty and any true charm it could have had.
I mean, I only just found out today they actually mixed in vocals from BWPS for Heroes and Villains, which blew my mind. It's unthinkable.
Thank goodness there are some good quality audience recordings about...

I gave it a 3 just because of the rare tunes in it like California, Getcha Back, Pet Sounds, etc, but for a good and decent (and human!) listen I stick to the Japan show, which is great.

Just listen to the very first Mike's vocals on "Dont Back Now", I think that the audio of that song is from the Chiba song, and yet an unnecessary and grotesque autotune was added!

Joe Thomas should be fired from the BB world, once for all. What he did to the DVD is even worse.

It was figure out they weren't wasn't it? They don't even sound similar.

I gave this live record a 3/5.

I do think that the much discussed auto tune can be pretty bad, especially on Mike's lead vocals.  But, overall the songs are played well at least.

This is a decent live album that should have been great.  The three most glaring omissions take it down a peg for me too - Please Let Me Wonder, Kiss Me Baby, and IJWMFTT.  

Is that Japan show still on sale?

thanks


uote author=beacharg link=topic=15659.msg454818#msg454818 date=1402431539]

I gave it a 3 just because of the rare tunes in it like California, Getcha Back, Pet Sounds, etc, but for a good and decent (and human!) listen I stick to the Japan show, which is great.

Just listen to the very first Mike's vocals on "Dont Back Now", I think that the audio of that song is from the Chiba song, and yet an unnecessary and grotesque autotune was added!

Joe Thomas should be fired from the BB world, once for all. What he did to the DVD is even worse.
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