Fall Breaks Back To Winter (endlessly fascinated by this tune.. The Baldwin sounds scary on this)

Till I Die ("these things I'll be until I die")

Day In The Life Of A Tree (In an alternate reality, if Brian wrote the lyrics, I'd say it was a suicide note set to music. I still prefer to see it that way, no matter what Jack Rieley says. I know he wrote them and all.)

Wonderful on Smiley Smile (listen to this in the dark, and its one of the scariest songs you'll ever hear)

Sail Plane Song (something creepy about this one)

Be With Me (that scream at the end alone)

the Chorus of Heroes and Villains single version (must be the Baldwin again)

They should have a boxed set where they remix/remaster all the 60s and 70s albums and put bonus tracks on each disc. Or rerelease each one as a deluxe edition or something. It's been since 1990 that they really did any work on the albums. All they did in 2000 was rehash the same remasters right? I think the BB catalog could use some new remastering, since the newer albums they did remaster last year sound really good (Smiley Smile, Sunflower, Surfs Up, the stuff on MIC as well). They should nix the 2-fer sh*t too. Each album should be heard individually imo. The 2-fers were a huge value growing up first becoming a BB fan, but you can still get those used if you are just getting into the group.

The 2000 twofers were all newly remastered. The 60s stuff and the 70s and 80s stuff.

All the albums released last year were newly remastered too.

Stoney, it's like you didn't even read his post.

Sigh. Yes I did. Allow me to quote:

It's been since 1990 that they really did any work on the albums.

Which is incorrect. Given remasterings in 96 (Pet Sounds), 2000 (everything else) and 2012 (selected stereo/mono releases).

All they did in 2000 was rehash the same remasters right?

As I just stated, this is incorrect. You just have to look at the copyright notices on the releases to realize this.

since the newer albums they did remaster last year sound really good (Smiley Smile, Sunflower, Surfs Up, the stuff on MIC as well).

Which is just a bizarre thing to say, mainly because it contradicts something the poster had just written (either they did remasters post 90 or they didn't). Also, how is Smiley Smile, a 46-year-old record, a "newer album"?

The point is, the OP should take a moment to learn about these things. No one bothered to correct him, which is how misinformation gets spread.

I didn't state the 2000 reissues as being rehashes of 1990 editions as fact. I obviously asked a question. See that question mark in my original post? I could have sworn I read here that they weren't all that different. They just took off a noise reduction on the 1990 reissues but that's about it. Ok, I'm wrong probably. Sorry.. but I did ask if they were the same or not.

And I didn't say "newer albums". Jeez are you pedantic or what? Most of the sh*t you are replying to in my post is you just twisting my post around, giving yourself an excuse to make yourself seem superior.

Obviously Smiley Smile is not new. Obviously nor are the others I mentioned., but the REISSUES are new! Smiley Smile was remixed in stereo! That is not old! We just got that in 2012.. so that means it's new. I said "newer albums" meaning "newer reissues". Jesus use your brain. All I am saying is that, like it or not, I don't think the 1990 and 2000 reissues are much different. Sure, they may have done work on them, but they don't sound much different at all to me. I'm sure they are different, but my point is that if Smiley, Sunflower, et al sounded great remastered in 2012, the rest could sound great being remastered too. Even the mono Smiley, Today and Summer Days sound at least slightly better than the 2000 2-fers. They sound more clear and obviously cleaned up a little. Smiley had some tape hiss on the 2-fer, the reissue doesn't and sounds great. I personally also thought Today & Summer Days mono was very muddy sounding and that's why I waited decades to hear it all in stereo. Maybe a remastered Wild Honey in mono would help enough. The vinyl sounds better.

I really don't get what was the big deal about pointing this out. Sorry for my tone but "The point is, the OP should take a moment to learn about these things. No one bothered to correct him, which is how misinformation gets spread." is a very condescending statement, and I don't appreciate it. I have been a fan for quite a while and I'd like to say I am experienced enough to know these type of things. I didn't even "spread misinformation".

After stereo Smiley Smile (with "Heroes and Villains" done right, with the damn Baldwin organ added!), Today, Summer Days and some of those really rare tracks on MIC, pretty much a stereo Wild Honey would do me right for awhile. I really hope that comes out sometime soon, then we'll finally have every officially released studio LP in stereo for once. Luckily there's a few songs that were remixed in stereo, but not a majority of it.

They should have a boxed set where they remix/remaster all the 60s and 70s albums and put bonus tracks on each disc. Or rerelease each one as a deluxe edition or something. It's been since 1990 that they really did any work on the albums. All they did in 2000 was rehash the same remasters right? I think the BB catalog could use some new remastering, since the newer albums they did remaster last year sound really good (Smiley Smile, Sunflower, Surfs Up, the stuff on MIC as well). They should nix the 2-fer sh*t too. Each album should be heard individually imo. The 2-fers were a huge value growing up first becoming a BB fan, but you can still get those used if you are just getting into the group.

I don't know if this helps at all, but you can see Carl is starting his beard at the Warner Brothers signing (the pic is in David Leaf's book).

Is this the photo you mean?

I've always would have loved to see another Hawthorne CA type compilation, except done a bit better. More coverage of post-1969 stuff, less filler of obvious stuff like stereo mixes of stuff from early albums, but more acapellas and backing tracks are always welcome. I don't expect another great box set for awhile but I'd at least love another comp of stuff. Seems like they release something new (even if its another hits comp) every year so hopefully this summer brings something else great.

Try to persuade me at your peril but Jack Rieley singing 'Day In The Life Of A Tree' blows chunks!

I'd kill for a take with Brian on vocals! Probably doesn't even exist, but that would be a 'holy grail' type
thing for me to hear if it did. I grew into liking Rieley's vocals and it was Brian's artistic decision to use him, but
I can imagine how perfect he would sound on this. Actually, Dennis would too.

Brian should have realized the emotion in singing it from the heart instead of taking the lyrics too literally.

Yeah Brian didn't seem like he wanted anything to do with Smile after the collapse. Even a year later in early 1968 he described how he stopped work on it because he was about ready to die and that "you spend so much time in the studio sometimes you decide to just chuck it after awhile". Sounds to me Smile was never meant to be finished. Even Brian had no clear idea what to do with the material.

I love the early hits, but one thing I don't get is why everybody had to only hear the biggest hits and that's it. Seems like the Beach Boys went the way as in a lot of pre-1963 groups, even though they had a full career, releasing an album a year until 1973, then re-continuing again in 1976 until 1980. I know, Endless Summer, ignorant fans, marketing/record company pigeonholing them. I just think it's kinda sad really..

Even to this day they are pigeonholed. Just look at "Made In California". The cover and presentation is so stereotypical "fun in the sun at the beach" style, it's pretty tacky to be honest. The inside stuff is awesome, just talking about the cover and the main look of the whole thing from the outside.

I guess we should be grateful that the Beach Boys are well respected at all these days compared to the 70s, and that we get boxed sets like MIC.. I can't complain!

Many probably don't do this, but I group Brian's songwriting on Smile, Smiley Smile and Friends together. Obviously there's some stuff from that period that I really like (H&V, GV, Surf's Up, Cabin Essence, etc.), but in general that very "drug influenced" period of Brian's music is not my favorite.

Can see your view on that. That drug influenced mid-late 60s period is definitely different than any other period of the band. Have you made a playlist grouping songs from those albums together? That sounds interesting.

I haven't, just because it's not my favorite era.

Outside of H&V, GV, Surf's Up and Cabin Essence, the only songs I really seek out from those albums is Gettin' Hungry, Wonderful, Meant For You, Friends, Passing By, Little Bird and Diamond Head. That would make a pretty interesting playlist.

I'll also mention that I think Wild Honey really stands out from this period. I like about 85% of Wild Honey. Even though it falls in between Smiley Smile and Friends, I don't include it in that "era" so to speak, of Brian's "drug influenced" or mellower song writing. It's odd that Wild Honey falls in there. It would have made far more sense for the the order to go Smile, Smiley Smile, Friends, Wild Honey, 20/20. But obviously it didn't.

I always thought Friends sounded like a nice followup to Smiley Smile myself. Most of the songs on each have similar sounds/production. Meant For You, Anna Lee, Be Still and possibly a few others really remind me of Smiley Smile. Wild Honey seemed to be a spontaneous decision to have a more raw R&B, full band feel, its actually kinda weird they didn't stay in that direction. It really sounds like a debut album from a totally different band, especially songs like "How She Boogalooed It".

"409" and "Little Deuce Coupe" (song) both bore me to tears.

I prefer the demo of Little Deuce Coupe.. Ever hear it? A spare demo of mostly piano, guitar, bass and Brian on lead throughout the whole thing. I forget what compilation it's from but I love it.

I'm going to join the small but growing chorus of those on this thread who prefer Brian's lead on the Wouldn't It Be Nice bridge. I knew Mike's vocal for at least a dozen years before I heard Brian's on the Pet Sounds Sessions box, and I instantly thought Brian's was the better interpretation. Absolutely just a matter of personal preference. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Mike's vocal there, I just thought Brian's was even better.

Yeah for me personally I think his voice fits the song lyrically better.  "Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray, it might come true? Maybe then there wouldn't be a single thing we couldn't do?" it's like a comforting, sweet voice that you can imagine a man would say to his young lady.

Many probably don't do this, but I group Brian's songwriting on Smile, Smiley Smile and Friends together. Obviously there's some stuff from that period that I really like (H&V, GV, Surf's Up, Cabin Essence, etc.), but in general that very "drug influenced" period of Brian's music is not my favorite.

Can see your view on that. That drug influenced mid-late 60s period is definitely different than any other period of the band. Have you made a playlist grouping songs from those albums together? That sounds interesting.

I love Brian's attempts at "sweetening" with his voice. I wonder if there's more examples out there than I can think of. There's In The Back Of My Mind, he sings the middle part with Dennis to help it sound better. He doubles with Carl doing "na na na na na na na"s on Wonderful on Smiley Smile. He sings very brief parts on Good Vibrations to help Carl's vocal out. Love those little touches.

You have to take into account that most of the songs are still unfinished. It certainly sounds like
its about 90% finished, but it's probably much less finished than most people think it is. You can
only imagine what Brian may have added, or if he stitched together sections and whatnot
if he actually completed what he set out to do. Or at least he would have omitted certain
songs and only kept the best completed ones. I for one highly doubt Love To Say Da Da and some
other tunes would have made it on the actual album.

Anyway, to me, the most enjoyment of Smile is really the session outtakes and stuff. I don't really even
tend to listen to it as a song-by-song type of album, I think of it more as a bunch of random session materials,
sections, different takes (some beautifully completed, some that are just...there), and of course the whole myth, stories
and situations that go with it. Smile Sessions Box is my favorite piece of Smile, not even because of the "album" they put together on disc 1, but all those outtakes, sections and recording sessions on the other discs.

I can see if some aren't really crazy about session outtakes and stuff, but that's mostly what I love about Smile. I'm sure it would be better if it were actually completed, but since it wasn't, it's interesting to just hear what was done, uncut without trying to force pieces that may not even fit together.

--

As far as the "what ifs" with Smile, yeah I'm not into that. The whole discussion has been exhausted by now, and besides, I really love Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, Friends etc and wouldn't really want to change history. I'd love to hear more fully developed ideas from Brian like on Smile and Pet Sounds, but he would have changed the next year most likely anyways. Even the Beatles changed drastically on The White Album.

Also, the opening of San Miguel - with that great clack-ditty-clack-ditty-clack sound (what is that?) -

I believe those are castanets‎.. Used on "Be My Baby" and other Phil Spector produced hits.

Speaking of, San Miguel sounds very Spectorish to me. I agree it is top quality and shouldn't have been left off an album. Actually I think it may have even had hit potential.

Who was Ron Wilson and why did Brian spend so much time recording his tune "We're Together Again"?

I'm not a huge fan of California Girls except for the intro 

Did you ever hear it without vocals? It sounds awesome as an instrumental

Yes, on the 6th disc, track 25.

I prefer Brian's bridge on Wouldn't It Be Nice myself actually. I know Mike sang the original mono 1966 release, but Brian just has a better sounding voice to me for the part. Mike sounds pretty nasal on it. He does a good job, but I prefer Brian's sweet voice on that part. May be blasphemy but whatever. I do love Mike's vocals on the rest of the album, so I am by no means biased or anything.

Also think Brian's vocal on R&R to the rescue is pretty awesome. One of his best of the 80s.

I have no idea why "Sea Cruise" wasn't on 15 Big Ones. That is an awesome cover. Dennis sounds great, lots of energy, love that cool sounding organ that comes in.. I'll never understand why that one is so obscure.

I also love "Mony Mony".. They really could have edited the tracklisting of 15 Big Ones at least, if they insisted on doing covers.

They can be very corny, I agree, which is maybe the difficulty they've always had finding success after Smile. Even when they tried to be a "serious" group, they can be corny at times still. CATP and Holland are probably the most "hip" and least corny albums I guess.

Still, I'm looking forward to show the next person I meet Smiley Smile and see what they're reaction is to that. I never listened to that with anyone else before. That one at least is pretty scary and disturbing at times, and it outweighs the corniness.

I do not get into The Beach Boys when other people are listening with me.

Can't explain it, but their songs sound very sub-par when I am not listening alone.

No offense, but I don't get this. The Beach Boys become sub-par because of what? The fact that your friends aren't fans? None of my friends "get" Mozart, but that doesn't make his music sub-par. It makes them clueless.

I apologise for throwing in my two cents' worth (= interpretation of 'sub-par'):

I did not take that literally. I took it to mean what I experience: I myself have a tendency to explain to others what is so great about the BBs. But this thought process, and my being wary of the other(s) not getting what I mean to say at all, makes the music itself become 'unravelled' in my own perception/brain/other. And then I think: gosh, they might find it very mediocre...

...I know all of this sounds very bizarre. But I love to hear my BBs alone, or in the company of fellow fans; preferably not with total newbies (after the experiences I described somewhere above).

I'm sure some people here know the exact feeling of that. I wouldn't say at all that the music is "sub par" with others, but I'm definitely more insecure with others when I put on something Beach Boys (or really anything) that they're not familiar with or I'm not sure there even gonna like. Or if they're even gonna laugh at me or be confused or give me some kind of weird reaction like that. It's like you're listening closely than usual and trying to hear it in their ears. A lot of times it can makes you think negatively like "Oh that main melody isn't that great, they're not gonna like this" or something like that.

That is why I too prefer to listen to the BBs alone. Then again I listen to all music I love the most alone anyways. I find it's pretty rare to find people with really close musical tastes to me, but that's because I listen to anything and I don't judge so harshly. It's almost like people who have no clue about anything to do with music (or films or whatever) are the people to most bitch about it or criticize it.

I think Keepin The Summer Alive is a pretty underrated album. The title and cover are awful, but I can honestly say there's only 2 songs I don't care for (the title track and School Days.. although that one has a great intro). Santa Ana Winds is ok too I guess. Other than that I really like all the other tracks. I think "Oh Darlin" is a beautiful song. I don't get what people don't like about Carl's vocal. Only thing is, this album badly needs a remix. People complain about the production (which is pretty crappy), but a remix might make it sound better.

Yeah, well unfortunately "Smokey Places" and "California' Feelin'" are the only ones I remember, and part of the latter vocal has been released -- and been pretty overrated in my opinion.  It's a good example of what I'm talking about...Brian sounds like he's sort of trying to do a good vocal, but he's pitchy, blows out certain phrases, etc.  "Smokey Places" wasn't bad, and I remember it because it was the only one of the tracks that Brian sang on that I thought was a releasable vocal.  It was years ago and my exposure to this stuff was pretty short.  So I can just give you my overall impression that I came away with at the time.

One track I do remember hearing that was terrific -- and I don't think it's a huge deal that I've heard it since it's been played publicly before -- is a Carl vocal from the KTSA sessions of a song called "I Will Always Love You."  Had they released that I think they would have had a hit...it's very commercial in an early '80s MOR kind of way.  Which is probably why they didn't release it, as it didn't fit so well with KTSA, but I think it would have worked out well for them if they had.

Man it's a shame that "Smokey Places" and "I Will Always Love You" were never released.. They sound really interesting. I'd really like to hear a cover of "Smokey Places" sometime especially. It's one of those great classic doo-wop songs that I think they would have done pretty well with.