I dig it and appreciate the effort.

Great post Wirestone, and I completely agree.

I forget which comp it is, I think it’s the Good Vibrations boxset, but I remember hearing some weird artifacts on DYLW, and I remember the weird far right far left tracks on the final disc (where you could pan your personal stereo to hear just vocals or just the instrumental - it was by design but it was odd nonetheless). There were some other oddities that I forget about now but they were there.

I wonder how many casual fans/prospective fans completely walked away from wanting to hear the beach boys because of those oddities. Probably (just based on simple logic) zero.

What I find funny is that from the same crowd that goes into panic mode when the word “legacy” comes from up (“it is utterly impossible for the legacy to be ruined!!!!!”) is now claiming that a few tracks from an 80 track set are going to supposedly completely destabilize the way people view the beach boys.

There are a few tracks from the new comp I don’t care for. But I feel that way about probably every set. It doesn’t mean I go into full meltdown mode and say “God help you” to those who mixed the set.

[much better]

The highlight for me so far is Do You Like Worms, that was a surprise that I didn't expect, but the separation of the tracks really gives it a cool new listening experience.

I agree with this, it caught me off guard in a great way. It kind of reminded me of the 'fake stereo' from the Good Vibrations box set of the same track. Or, at least that's my memory of it.

But so much better and 'proper' stereo mix. I wouldn't mind hearing a fully remixed "2011 Smile" album in stereo. I think it might reveal some nuances hitherto unheard.

YES.

This new Worms mix really brought a lot of sonic color to the mix, which just doesn't exist in the mono (to my ears). I love my TSS set, but I wouldn't mind getting a remixed stereo version in the future.

Maybe you could move the EH vs. SS discussion to its own thread? I want to read people’s thoughts on Sounds of Summer and not get involved in a lot of drama I neither care nor know anything about.

Yeah sorry about that. Since all this talk was somewhat related to the release it kinda made sense for it to be in this thread. But yeah, post-release I can see it being annoying for most people to read that drivel haha. Hopefully that's the end of it.

And sadly the lies continue over there. I really hate breaking in like this because I do have a lot of thoughts on the new mixes, but for God's sake just tell the truth and stop the lies about this place and things that happened 5-7 years ago, guys. Now it's Paul JB saying people were banned for expressing opinions against Brian Wilson or defending Mike Love.

That NEVER HAPPENED. Period.

Just odd for a forum that constantly brags about how welcoming and inclusive they are, and half the time you visit they are bashing people. I mean their own administrator was so cringe-inducingly rude to Howie. Their response to not only Howie but their subsequent panic attack about this forum just shows their true colors. I mean for Paul to state that Howie should have used "a little simple communication"...whaaa?? - it doesn't get much simpler than a chill podcast interview where Howie was merely talking about his history, his love for the music, and the background on this project. And y'all TORE him apart. One guy seemed to do a background check on Howie lol. It's just insane what happened there, and somehow it is Howie's fault for not using simpler communication. And then AGD states that it is "sad" that it seems to be too late for anyone to extend an olive branch - and then a few hours later he takes a crack at this forum....yeah, sounds like he's real torn apart about the divisions in the fandom. But it's that exact hypocrisy and double-standard that permeates that forum. And it's on full display right now.

We're not perfect over here, but we don't advertise to be. We're also not straight up lying about actions that took place 5-7 years ago. Again, I implore anyone to go back into the sandbox or other archives to see why people were banned (and frankly just the overall nasty posts that were made about Brian, his family, and the utterly ridiculous arguments used to defend Mike Love's crass comments about Brian).

OK I am listening on Amazon Prime - German based and this set is not doing much for me, primarily because of someone being lazy and using mono mixes for many tracks, despite labelling them as stereo mixes. Then I Get Around is the faux-stereo mono seperated by a slight delay duophonic crap mix. Then the alleged Fun Fun Fun, Don't Worry Baby, Help Me Rhonda, When I Grow Up, In My My Room, Heroes & Villains, Do It Again, darlin', Good Vibrations, Good to My Baby, You're So Good to Me, Aren't You Glad,  Wendy, Let Him Run Wild, & Vegetables are all plain mono. This is a big slaps in the face to users who pay for the Amazon streaming service and detracts from appreciating the mixes that are the true new mixes. What in the hell is going on here?

Not sure if this will work in your country, but here is the link to the YouTube Music page with the new SoS mixes: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nLcpqmy5v1q-ZZdbYvU5x1gkl8VfLZq9k

I remember back when Apple Music started and I ported ALL of my booted/rarity tracks into my library. Apple replaced them all with with official versions of the tracks. Grateful that I have backups of this stuff. But sometimes these streaming services do the weirdest things. I hope you're able to hear the proper stereo versions soon!

Youtube sound is definitely an improvement on Spotify/Deezer for me. Still some bizarre/sloppy things in this set that I can't understand how they got past the approval process. Why not fade out the hiss on Baby Blue vocal rather than just abruptly cut it? as an example.

Yeah there are some oddities for sure, such as the guitar track on Surfin Safari - one of my favorite earlier tracks - and there is a lot of digital distortion noticeable on that guitar track (though the vocals are mixed gorgeously). And yeah, I did notice abrupt hiss clips in one or two of the tracks. But thankfully these oddities are rare for me, and overall all the remixes sound fantastic to my ears, and given only 24 of 80 tracks are remixed, a couple of those tracks having oddities doesn't really effect my experience.

I think there are also massive differences in the mix depending on the way you listen to it. The difference between Dolby Atmos being on and off is huge (I prefer it being off). I mentioned audio codecs before and I think that is at play here (which is why there are differences in quality/sound between platforms). Also having any EQ on Spotify (and Apple Music) effects how the mix sounds. Also there is a difference in sound when listening to wired/analog vs Bluetooth. There are a lot of variables to consider in the digital age.

On another note, I see people are now complaining about Carl and Dennis' tracks being tinkered with (this is somehow sacrilege). Didn't Chuck Britz help Brian with mixing the early-mid-60s output of The Beach Boys? Is it sacrilege that he isn't here to give his token of approval on the mixes he helped Brian with? People are scraping the bottom of the barrel to trash this project.

Anywho, I'm off for a drive, gonna put the windows down and crank this new set. It's gonna be a good day

No.

Brian was the producer for most of  the ‘60s material. Carl was the primary producer for many of the ‘70s tracks. Many of the remixes impart significant production changes to the tracks. Chuck Britz was a recording engineer working under Brian’s direction.

I see what you mean in that regard. But I also just don't see why this is an issue. As Billy says, the originals are all there to listen to. People just seem to be nitpicking this stuff to death....if you don't like it simply put on the plethora of original versions that are available.

OK I am listening on Amazon Prime - German based and this set is not doing much for me, primarily because of someone being lazy and using mono mixes for many tracks, despite labelling them as stereo mixes. Then I Get Around is the faux-stereo mono seperated by a slight delay duophonic crap mix. Then the alleged Fun Fun Fun, Don't Worry Baby, Help Me Rhonda, When I Grow Up, In My My Room, Heroes & Villains, Do It Again, darlin', Good Vibrations, Good to My Baby, You're So Good to Me, Aren't You Glad,  Wendy, Let Him Run Wild, & Vegetables are all plain mono. This is a big slaps in the face to users who pay for the Amazon streaming service and detracts from appreciating the mixes that are the true new mixes. What in the hell is going on here?

Not sure if this will work in your country, but here is the link to the YouTube Music page with the new SoS mixes: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nLcpqmy5v1q-ZZdbYvU5x1gkl8VfLZq9k

I remember back when Apple Music started and I ported ALL of my booted/rarity tracks into my library. Apple replaced them all with with official versions of the tracks. Grateful that I have backups of this stuff. But sometimes these streaming services do the weirdest things. I hope you're able to hear the proper stereo versions soon!

Youtube sound is definitely an improvement on Spotify/Deezer for me. Still some bizarre/sloppy things in this set that I can't understand how they got past the approval process. Why not fade out the hiss on Baby Blue vocal rather than just abruptly cut it? as an example.

Yeah there are some oddities for sure, such as the guitar track on Surfin Safari - one of my favorite earlier tracks - and there is a lot of digital distortion noticeable on that guitar track (though the vocals are mixed gorgeously). And yeah, I did notice abrupt hiss clips in one or two of the tracks. But thankfully these oddities are rare for me, and overall all the remixes sound fantastic to my ears, and given only 24 of 80 tracks are remixed, a couple of those tracks having oddities doesn't really effect my experience.

I think there are also massive differences in the mix depending on the way you listen to it. The difference between Dolby Atmos being on and off is huge (I prefer it being off). I mentioned audio codecs before and I think that is at play here (which is why there are differences in quality/sound between platforms). Also having any EQ on Spotify (and Apple Music) effects how the mix sounds. Also there is a difference in sound when listening to wired/analog vs Bluetooth. There are a lot of variables to consider in the digital age.

On another note, I see people are now complaining about Carl and Dennis' tracks being tinkered with (this is somehow sacrilege). Didn't Chuck Britz help Brian with mixing the early-mid-60s output of The Beach Boys? Is it sacrilege that he isn't here to give his token of approval on the mixes he helped Brian with? People are scraping the bottom of the barrel to trash this project.

Anywho, I'm off for a drive, gonna put the windows down and crank this new set. It's gonna be a good day

OK I am listening on Amazon Prime - German based and this set is not doing much for me, primarily because of someone being lazy and using mono mixes for many tracks, despite labelling them as stereo mixes. Then I Get Around is the faux-stereo mono seperated by a slight delay duophonic crap mix. Then the alleged Fun Fun Fun, Don't Worry Baby, Help Me Rhonda, When I Grow Up, In My My Room, Heroes & Villains, Do It Again, darlin', Good Vibrations, Good to My Baby, You're So Good to Me, Aren't You Glad,  Wendy, Let Him Run Wild, & Vegetables are all plain mono. This is a big slaps in the face to users who pay for the Amazon streaming service and detracts from appreciating the mixes that are the true new mixes. What in the hell is going on here?

Not sure if this will work in your country, but here is the link to the YouTube Music page with the new SoS mixes: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nLcpqmy5v1q-ZZdbYvU5x1gkl8VfLZq9k

I remember back when Apple Music started and I ported ALL of my booted/rarity tracks into my library. Apple replaced them all with with official versions of the tracks. Grateful that I have backups of this stuff. But sometimes these streaming services do the weirdest things. I hope you're able to hear the proper stereo versions soon!

Celebrating indeed! Even amongst some potshots taken at this forum haha, it’s great to see that elsewhere people are still mostly enjoying the set as well. I can definitely see why this wouldn’t be everyone’s thing (a lot of these new mixes take some big steps away from the norm). But it seems to be getting most people excited which is awesome.

I hope everyone, everywhere has a great day full of listening to this great music. This set will be on repeat for me today while I work. Thanks to everyone who had a hand in making it!

Not that anyone will read through this, but I wrote out some thoughts regarding many of the new mixes.

Surfin USA - outstanding.

Surfer Girl - I find it odd how low the drums are in the mix compared to previous versions. I don’t dislike it, but it’s a pretty big change from the original. The vocals are beautifully mixed.

Don’t Worry Baby - phenomenal. My new favorite version.

When I Grow Up - this is a very clear mix. Every instrument is easily able to be picked out. Great vocal mix. I love that the harpsichord is much more prominent in the outro. And that reverb on the vocals sounds great, especially in the outro.

In My Room - maybe my favorite new mix of that song.

Dance Dance Dance - like When I Grow Up, I love that everything is prominent in the mix and mixed perfectly. Though the very tail end of the outro (the last 2 seconds) sounds a bit disjointed - something definitely not present on previous mixes. 10/10 though, wonderfully mixed.

Good To My Baby - this mix sounds a bit fuller than the previous stereo mixes. It doesn’t sound like too much has changed, but everything just sounds more immersive now (same with the new mix of Barbara Ann).

Wild Honey - this puts the biggest smile on my face. I love how prominent and full the bass sounds. Everything else is perfectly mixed.

LUGOTW - wow, this is quite a different mix, but it really rocks. Honestly hope they remix the whole album this way. We have the original and it’s great to hear this in a totally new way (and it really does keep the spirit of the original mix there, it is just bolder).

YNAMOH - I just wish the vocals were a little higher in the mix. But wow is this a huge change for the better from the original. I love the original mix, but you can tell just how muddy the original is when comparing to this. Every instrument comes in crystal clear on this version.

Baby Blue - whoaaa. Gotta agree with Howie, this is phenomenal. Implore anyone to compare the old mix with this - like night and day in clarity.

Do You Like Worms - halfway through this I am not only smiling at the awesome mix, but at the thought of some new fan listening to this set and hearing Do You Like Worms of all things! If anyone isn’t confident in the decisions being made about the marketing/future of this band, just remember that an immersive mix of Do You Like Worms will be listened to by a lot of casual fans. That is kick ass.

San Miguel - sounds pretty much exactly like the 2020 version, but man is it a good mix.

Susie Cincinnati - honestly can’t keep up with all the mixes of this that have been done in recent years haha. But I’m grateful that those in charge feel it deserves a place on these sets. Such an underrated gem and this version doesn’t disappoint.

Can’t Wait Too Long - all of my favorite elements of CWTL all rolled into one succinct mix (though I’m missing the higher sung “reliving the times” vocal). Not sure if a similar mix has ever been released, but I really dig this.

One thing I’ve noticed is that, if you’re listening on Apple Music, Dolby Atmos makes a *huge* difference in how the mix sounds. I found that when it’s turned on the mix sounds very digitized/distorted, and when it’s off the mix sounds very warm (for the modern mixes that is).

I have noticed others commenting on the variation of sound between platforms. I am not sure how much difference codecs make in the listening experience, but I know there are sonic differences between the way Spotify translates music to the speakers and the way Apple’s file system (AAC I think) delivers the audio. It effects quality for sure.

Overall I love this set and for sure it will win over some fans. I like some mixes more than others, overall a great effort by those who worked on this. I can’t wait to see what’s coming next!

I'm not quite sure what's going on with "let us go on this way"

Maybe I need to give it time

Can you tell us what the new mix of ‘I Get Around’ sounds like?

Also glad to see others are enjoying the new Marcella mix too. As I said from the get-go, I can totally see why some don’t like it (it is a very different sound). But man it scratches an itch I didn’t even know I had - really has a great punch to it.

Just a couple more hours and I’ll be able to listen to the whole set!

I'm catching some deja vu vibes to 2015 when various parts of the No Pier Pressure album were also tagged with the label "unlistenable"...often by posters with less than 10 posts to their history too. So like HeyJude, I have to wonder what's going on if the tag "unlistenable" is being thrown around again, by posters with short or no histories. That's what's happening?

Definitely deja vu vibes to NPP. There was that 10 second iPhone video of an 'On The Island' session that sent some "fans" into a full-blown panic because they suspected "autotune". There was so much petulant backlash that Brian/Management issued a statement about the negative responses. To an iPhone recording of a bossa nova song. Think about that.

This is similar, where something as harmless as a podcast interview turns into a complete shitshow on a forum. Thankfully, since NPP was released, most of those brilliant music critics have gone to the EH forum...Which is exactly why the shitshow took place there and not here.

I will NEVER understand the desire for The Beach Boys to be a guilty pleasure. I just don’t get it. I mean, sh*t, it’s ok if other people like what you like 🙄

It was embarrassing 10 years ago (when I first became a huge fan) to bring this band up to people. Many times I'd hear more about Uncle Jesse than anything else. I know other fans have gone through much worse. So yeah, I appreciate any effort to elevate these guys above Kokomo and and Uncle Jesse references. And in the last 10 years I have seen a shift in tone about The Beach Boys. Not sure why, but perhaps the ongoing PR for the last 10 years has had some effect.

On another note, I implore people to type in 'Shut Down' into their preferred streaming/music service, and listen to the first 10 seconds of each old/vintage mix of that song, then listen to the new 2021 version. It is absolutely like night and day in terms of quality. There is a ton of clarity and life in the 2021 version. The bg vocals aren't panned to the right anymore for stereo. It is just full (in a good way).

If the other early songs are mixed like this we are really in for a treat!

If you were offended by the Marcella mix, you'll no doubt feel the same way about Let Us Go On This Way -- it's got a big reverb-y drum sound that's clearly meant to play to the contemporary listener in a way that the entire Love You album distinctly does not.

But Baby Blue -- oh my. Gorgeous. Fully lives up to Howie Edelstein's hype. I'll never want to hear the original mix again.

I like the new mix of Mess of Help -- drums maybe a bit too conspicuous, but dispels the muddiness of the original without committing sacrilege.

Hmmm I'm very intrigued by 'Let Us Go On This Way' - based on the two descriptions I've read I don't know if I'll love or hate it. But again I'm glad they're trying something new, instead of just remastering the original mix.

Great to hear about 'Baby Blue' - can't wait to hear that too! I just may stay up until midnight to listen to a bit of this set.

If everybody working in, for, and around the band had resigned themselves to that fate, we never would have seen something like the "Feel Flows" set.

I'm all for bringing everything in, including the weird, subversive stuff. It can all be a part of the narrative. But it's like trying to turn someone on to the Beach Boys because they did drugs or hung out with Charles Manson. Or because John Stamos thinks they're cool. I'm all for piggybacking off of everything a little bit.

But the band itself already *hasn't* in the past understood the intrinsic value of their unreleased material, to use one example. If you go to them and tell them you want to market them as "kitsch", it's not going to make them *more* enthusiastic about released "Holland" outtakes.

All of this ignores how the actual Beach Boys/BRI/Iconic situation works, both now and historically. And that's important, because the team working on these releases isn't just thinking about 20-year-olds. They're also navigating the politics of BRI, Iconic, Capitol/UMe, and the individual members and their whims.

BOOM. Sums it up perfectly (the whole post, but specifically this^). As you have written painfully numerous times: Howie isn't the only guy deciding stuff. He is one guy on what is basically a HUGE committee that decides the future of what gets released, what the image of those releases will be, etc. I love the nerdy stuff, and I want it all released, but I also completely understand what Howie is saying. And again, he ain't the only person on the team and this should be ridiculously obvious to people.

We've got to be the most lucky and childish fandom in the history of music. To get the SMiLE boxset (and what a beautiful set it was) and then all of the amazing content we've gotten since. And yet people are incessantly whining about the Feel Flows set because of 10 seconds of supposed unlistenable vocals on 'Hawaiian Dream' (oh the humanity!) - for the life of me I cannot find any moment on the entire set where the audio sounds bad. Maybe I'm listening on the wrong studio headphones, or maybe my $$$$ home stereo system just isn't cutting it anymore to where I can't pick up on some infinitesimal moment of high treble.

And whether or not one agrees with Howie or has a personal preference regarding the sound of the latest releases (to each their own), I just don't see how the reaction to Howie's podcast interview can even be defended. Howie was proud of the mixing that Mark/Alan did on 'Baby Blue' (and apparently it is a great sounding mix) and was called arrogant for his "definitive" comment. Even the administrator of the forum was so obnoxiously flippant when responding to Howie the entire thread. And remember, Howie is the guy who fought long and hard for Feel Flows to even be released. And this is the thanks he gets.

Again, the combination of politics and just the culture of dishonest pleasantry that permeates that forum - the response to such a chill interview is indefensible, imo.

New stereo mix of Surfin' USA now on Spotify.

Depending on where you live I think the whole set should now be available to some people. Someone on EH has listened to the set and has some great things to say about it - a lot of the remixes seem to be done very well.

Very much looking forward to hearing a cleaner sounding 'Do You Like Worms'. Also I overlooked that 'Let Us Go On This Way' was getting a remix - even though the reviewer on EH didn't give it such high marks, I wonder if I'll like it considering the mixing is supposedly done in a similar fashion as the 2021 'Marcella' (a mix which I love). I have always wanted to hear the Love You album done in a whole new mix. So I'm really looking forward to hearing it!

Hey guys -- can I just say, AGD was the ONLY one over there that I knew that had the class and balls to take my part.

Even I guy that I know -- and have actually helped -- could only muster a weak, "Howie may be brash, but. . . ."

Let's not sh*t on people here.
We're better than that.

Well, this time tomorrow I will be thinking of nothing else except for the music.

I do think that the lies and distortion need to be pointed out and refuted as long as people keep pushing those false narratives. I've been called out for spreading lies in the past on this forum (I had made a wrong assumption), but you own up to it and apologize. You don't ignore it and continue to tell the lie/untruth...or you at least explain why you think you're telling the truth and provide evidence. The culture on that forum is one where they promote this idea of welcoming and openness, but then you continually read lie after lie about people or events. And there are some really good people on that forum, and either they are willfully ignorant of the history of certain personalities there, or they just don't see it. Take a look at how the "leadership" on that forum dealt with this most recent incident and you can see exactly what I mean.

Anyways, this set comes out tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited for it. Hopefully all of us can just appreciate the great music. Perhaps there will be mixes I don't care for on the set, so be it. I'm just happy that we've got amazing people running the show and I've loved what I've heard thus far.

Excuse me while I mosh to Marcella.

thank you for starting my day off with a good laugh!

Sorry again for interjecting into the thread, but since this stuff is going back and forth, it's time to address yet another lie being told about people here. This nonsense and the lies need to stop.

So it's been said yet again that people were banned here "for simply stating our opinions". This according to "feelsflow", whose membership is still active here and who was not banned.

I'll make this one easy: That's an outright lie. No one, and I repeat NO ONE, was banned here for "simply stating their opinions". Period. If people can't accept this, or prefer to lie and ignore the facts, we'd be happy to open the archives and go through exactly what people who were banned actually did or how they acted to trigger a ban. It's not pretty, and I'd rather not see that happen. But keep lying, Will and others, and you'll see what actually happened because it's all in the archives. The bans were for breaking board rules, most times repeatedly. And that's a fact. How those rules were broken by the banned individuals would cast them in a pretty bad light in some cases, which is why that's not something we'd want to see happen.

So here's another case where people who carry grudges cannot let things go after 5-7 years, and who continue to lie. They lie about me, lie about Billy, lie about Charles and the operation of this forum, they've lied about Brian Wilson and his family, they've lied about Howie most recently, they've continually lied about how and why people were banned here, and it continues to this day.

Appalling.

Just grow up, get over it, tell the truth, and talk about the music. If the only thing left to do to boost yourself up is spread lies and false information, that's pretty pathetic.

Sorry for the interruption.

Yeah I find it amusing that one of the posters over there actually recommended people check out the sandbox here. It’s like, yeah please do! For that matter check out any of the archives here. You’ll literally see the evidence that people weren’t banned because of their opinion. In fact, if you’re new to the fandom, you’ll stumble upon a many great number of things that will change your entire perception of the fandom, sadly.

My favorite part is the poster stating that many left SS on their own accord because they felt unwelcome, IN A THREAD WHERE PEOPLE ARE BASHING HOWIE FOR DOING THE SAME THING THERE just a perfect advertisement for a board that touts being so accepting and inclusive. They literally ran off a guy who has put his heart and soul into The Beach Boys and is trying his best to get every fan rarities that have been locked away for 50 years. And we’re the unwelcoming ones?

And I guess someone brought up the Alan Boyd controversy that happened here? Difference is that “quarrel” started because of a connection between privately spread malicious rumors about Melinda Wilson and a credit on a boxset. In our current state Howie Edelson helped put together an amazing sampler compilation and he was raked over the coals for being open about his love for the band in a podcast. Huge, HUGE difference there, and any newcomer with a kindergarten+ education could easily discern between the two.

Does everyone remember how long and hard Howie, Mark, Alan, etc had to fight to even get Feel Flows released? I am not saying that we can’t have opinions about perceived quality and tracklisting, etc. But there has seemed to be a weird push to completely lambast these sets (and now Howie personally). I think a lot of fans just need to step away from the computer and get some fresh air. We are incredibly blessed to have what we have.

24 of the 80 tracks have new mixes. From what I've heard of 'Shut Down' and 'Good Vibrations' I don't think the remixes of the early tracks are going to butcher these tracks into unrecognizable garbage. Rather those early tracks seem to be very tastefully mixed for a new generation of stereo sound (assuming that the Dolby Atmos 3D listening era has a lot to do with this new push for immersive remixing).

It was the 2009 stereo remix of 'Don't Worry Baby' on the Summer Love Songs comp that first really hooked me back into being a fan (which led to me becoming the lunatic of a fan I am today). Yes, the original mono song will always be beautiful to me (and my favorite version depending on how I'm listening to the song), but it was that great stereo mix on the SLS comp that really drew me in. So as a new fan who didn't know anything about all the different mixes of the song, I just thought that it was a great sounding track, and it started me down a wonderful path of finding new mixes, fan mixes, original mixes. I think many others will have a similar experience.

As for this being a Greatest Hits comp, I think the first disc is a Greatest Hits comp, but the rest is a sampler of many deep cuts. I mean, if this were solely a Greatest Hits package I highly doubt 'Do You Like Worms' would be on here. So honestly I think having some new mixes on this comp is the way to go given the diverse nature of the package.

Also, the idea that remixing songs is “playing God” is completely absurd as well. Brian is literally deaf in one ear and can’t properly hear in stereo. It was impossible* for Brian to even mix Pet Sounds (and other early Beach Boys records) in proper stereo himself, so it is supposedly sacrilege if professional mixers who have a HUGE love for the Beach Boys create a stereo version??

Marcella is clearly not in the same category as it wasn’t originally mixed by Brian in mono. But I guess I also don’t see the point in getting all angsty about a song you can freely hear the original of anytime anywhere. And that’s not to say people shouldn’t have opinions about it, I guess I just find some of the criticism rather offensive/outlandish given this is a sampler compilation whose hopeful target audience is young new fans (while also giving us long-time fans a new way to experience the music).

*want to clarify my meaning of “impossible” before I get raked over the coals for that. I forget if Brian mixed Friends or had a hand in it, but clearly Brian has had a hand in mixing stereo sound during his life. But he can’t actually hear the full stereo experience so hence I say it is rather impossible for him to mix a proper stereo sound.

A couple comments:

1) perhaps I’m out of the loop, but is it that impossible to find original vinyl of Beach Boys albums via eBay or record stores? And from what I can tell there are three different versions of every early Beach Boys album on Apple Music: the mono/stereo rereleases, then there is the generic stereo version that was out before the re-releases. I was under the impression that these mono versions aren’t much different from their original mix, they are just remastered (not remixed). So it’s not as if the 1997 stereo mix of Pet Sounds is now the only way to hear Pet Sounds - I am able to listen to 3 different versions via streaming, and I can have all my archived versions in my Apple Music library as well. This seems to be the case for every album they have released (unless I’m missing something). They remixed ‘Don’t Worry Baby’ in 2009 and yet that remix was never a part of an official release of Shut Down Vol II. So I guess I personally don’t see the worry that a remix of Marcella in a sampler compilation somehow eventually erasing any memory of the original mix in an official capacity.

2) I’ve heard this complaint about the bridge in WIBN now a couple times in the last couple days. I was under the impression that in 1997 they had to put Brian in the bridge because they could not transfer the original mono (where Mike is singing?) into stereo - they didn’t have Mike’s vocal on a separate track and thus at the time it could not be mixed in stereo. This problem was rectified later on. It’s the same problem that YSBIM had/has - they only had/have one vocal track separate from the mono mixdown and thus Brian’s double-tracked lead can’t be reproduced in stereo (and they can only use one track for the lead in stereo). It’s not an artistic liberty on the part of the mixers, it’s just the limitations they are dealt with in certain circumstances.

3) comparing a stereo remix to the idea of completely altering the ending of novel/movie by introducing completely new species/characters is a terrible analogy (not trying to offend, but it is rather an offensive analogy to the people working on these mixes). This new mix of Marcella isn’t adding vocals from 2022 or some CGI equivalent to aliens, it is mixing original elements from the original sessions to create an altered listening experience. It’s almost the exact same song, we are just hearing it slightly differently. A better analogy (still not a perfect one) is comparing this to the alternate versions of Blade Runner. I can still watch the original cut of Blade Runner, but I can also watch the Final Cut where they altered colors (for the better, imho), cut some scenes, and took out the narration. It’s a different way to view the film. It doesn’t introduce new characters or vastly alter the plot, but it’s a different way of viewing the film.

I’m a young(ish) fan, but I have always been able to find either original vinyl, have been able to acquire original mono recordings either by back channels, or eBay, etc.. Currently I can listen to official releases via streaming in mono, stereo, remixes, remasters, etc.. There are very smart and dedicated people running the show now, and I highly doubt they will spearhead a campaign to make it so only modern stereo remixes of The Beach Boys catalogue are available for listening.

One day I imagine liner notes being able to be viewed as the music plays, where you just maneuver around like a Kindle and flip through. That would be amazing.

That's why I'd love to see a Beach Boys app with the full catalogue, liner notes, exclusives, etc. because I feel like we would never get this with Spotify...It took them almost a decade to bring back song lyrics and I feel like liner notes are a dying breed in modern popular music anyways.

I sometimes use the app Idagio when I get into a classical music mood, and they are wonderful about including liner notes. But that is a niche app. But similarly, a Beach Boys app could include essays, rare photos, interviews, etc. I dream.

Funny I've always thought the original mix of CatP (including Marcella) was absolutely magical. But at the same time I am loving the new mix more with each listen...may surpass the original for me at some point.
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Aaaaand they have literally locked the Sounds of Summer thread on EH because apparently Howie didn't react to their firing squad in a proper manner

Such petulance/negativity is a huge reason why I will never join that forum. The place is run by people who close threads when a respected insider WHO HELPS PUT THESE SETS TOGETHER reacts logically to a public lambasting of an open/honest interview. What most of us here have been saying about that place for years is on full display for everyone to witness now.

The problem with some segments of fandom only starts with the pedantry. It’s a symptom of a larger problem, of not being able to see the big picture and contextualize everything.

I mean I wouldn't expect a whole lot of logical critical deduction from a crowd that thinks 'Marcella' is mixed like a death metal song...I'm sure that Linett was calling up the members of Slayer asking advice on mixing techniques.
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Also want to add, without creating yet another post in this thread, that I hope all that petulant negativity doesn't affect the mixes on the CatP/Holland set. If there were plans on having the CatP's mixes sound like this 2021 Marcella mix, I hope they keep it that way. If I want to hear the original I can do that with the 3-4 other copies of the album I own. But I'd love to hear the album in this whole new mixing style - there is something about it that keeps me coming back for more.

[It's the closest way we can get to a brand new album by our favorite band to exist]

Remixes are awesome because they don't replace the originals at all. It's the closest way we can get to a brand new album by our favorite band to exist.

Perfectly put! Honestly I love the original mono of Pet Sounds, but I also love the sonic cornucopia that is the stereo version. They are two totally different albums to my ears, but they're both amazing in their own ways.

That's how I see any of the modern stereo mixes, the experimentation on a song like Marcella or Sail Plane Song...I'm glad they exist because it's a whole new way of listening to a song. You're right, it's like hearing a brand new album. And we're very lucky to even have such diverse ways of listening to this music.