Is anyone else disappointed with the new, stereo edition of "Smiley Smile"?

[Dan Caine]

Seems to me, especially on Vegetables, Fall Breaks, Wind Chimes, I've heard much better stereo renditions elswhere.

[seltaeb1012002]

Seems to me, especially on Vegetables, Fall Breaks, Wind Chimes, I've heard much better stereo renditions elswhere.

I'd love to hear these supposedly superior mixes....

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

I laughed, then cried, then laughed again at the title of this thread.

[I. Spaceman]

Disappointed isn't the word.

[sockittome]

can't please 'em all

[Paulos]

Disappointed? No. I've loved Smiley Smile ever since I bought the SS/WH two-fer nearly 6 years ago but hearing the stereo mix was an absolute revelation. I'd always found Gettin' Hungry to be the weakest song on the album but now it has been released in glorious stereo it sounds immense.


Of course, some people will be disappointed and you can't please everybody, especially not Beach Boys fans.

[Shady]

Nope. It sounds fantastic!

[Austin]

Big fan.

I don't think the new mix is revelatory, but there are lots of pleasant surprises -- the bass vocals in "With Me Tonight" are completely delightful -- and it's very faithful to the original mix's spirit (the Hawthorne mixes of "Heroes and Villains" and "Vegetables", by comparison, sound a little glossy.)

I will say that I was disappointed with the GV stereo extraction mix when I first got it -- partially because I wanted extracted vocals over the true stereo track, but probably mostly because I was dumb enough to pay for the Japanese import without listening to any previews. That's a minor complaint, though; now that I've sat on it for a couple months, it's perfectly listenable, and the rest of the album is excellent.

[Amazing Larry]

I thought some tracks were kinda iffy, Gettin' Hungry in particular. The acapella bit at the end was ruined by a crossfade that sounded like ass.

[Heysaboda]

Disappointed? No. I've loved Smiley Smile ever since I bought the SS/WH two-fer nearly 6 years ago but hearing the stereo mix was an absolute revelation. I'd always found Gettin' Hungry to be the weakest song on the album but now it has been released in glorious stereo it sounds immense.

Agree about Gettin' Hungry and Smiley Smile in general.  In fact I have finally "gotten" Smiley Smile and years of not figuring it out.  All the songs work in their sequence (exactly like Sgt. Peppers by the way) and I love the ebb and flow between the 2 big band numbers and the lovely, lovely bare bones ones.

God love Carl Wilson, but this album was not a "bunt".

Were there not people around at the time with alternative tastes to appreciate this?

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Listen with headphones!!!

The voices now envelope the listener rather than sounding flat and distant. Each Beach Boy sounds so distinct now, you can almost hear the expression on their faces as they sing...... If that makes any sense....

[Outtasight!]

Somebody buy this guy some cotton buds. I bought it yesterday an.
d it is fucking superb. Way beyond my expectations.

[Shady]

"Little Pad" blows my mind in stereo

[Ebb and Flow]

I like the mix but it blows my mind that the timing of the edits and snapping in Little Pad aren't correct.  How hard is it to sync to the mono mix?  Why would you not take the time to make the edits as close as humanly possible to the mono?

[Magic Transistor Radio]

There were some moments that stuck out to me. Things I had never heard before.

[Cabinessenceking]

Big fan.

I don't think the new mix is revelatory, but there are lots of pleasant surprises -- the bass vocals in "With Me Tonight" are completely delightful -- and it's very faithful to the original mix's spirit (the Hawthorne mixes of "Heroes and Villains" and "Vegetables", by comparison, sound a little glossy.)

I will say that I was disappointed with the GV stereo extraction mix when I first got it -- partially because I wanted extracted vocals over the true stereo track, but probably mostly because I was dumb enough to pay for the Japanese import without listening to any previews. That's a minor complaint, though; now that I've sat on it for a couple months, it's perfectly listenable, and the rest of the album is excellent.

Did you see that small clip on this board of the guy who mixed the stereo GV? sounds like there's a version using stereo vocal extractions. I'll be they're saving it for another release, perhaps to make more ppl buy the upcoming box

here is that clip btw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyk9GKFasjY

[SBonilla]

Disappointed? No. I've loved Smiley Smile ever since I bought the SS/WH two-fer nearly 6 years ago but hearing the stereo mix was an absolute revelation. I'd always found Gettin' Hungry to be the weakest song on the album but now it has been released in glorious stereo it sounds immense.

Agree about Gettin' Hungry and Smiley Smile in general.  In fact I have finally "gotten" Smiley Smile and years of not figuring it out.  All the songs work in their sequence (exactly like Sgt. Peppers by the way) and I love the ebb and flow between the 2 big band numbers and the lovely, lovely bare bones ones.

God love Carl Wilson, but this album was not a "bunt".

Were there not people around at the time with alternative tastes to appreciate this?

I was around. I was 14 and writing songs. I understood its magic. It's hard to understand what people don't get about this album. To me, it fit in perfectly with what was going on at the time, though the BB5 were definitely on their own little trip island. But, I couldn't share my love of this record with anyone; my friends and the guys in my band were into other garage and psychedelic records that were more direct and rockin' and not so hokey.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Smiley Smile my 2nd all-time favourite Beach Boys album and it sounds great in stereo - not necessarily better, but great. (Although i am confused as to why the edit at the end of Vegetables seems to have been altered (for the worse) on the stereo album??)

[theCOD]

Smiley Smile my 2nd all-time favourite Beach Boys album and it sounds great in stereo - not necessarily better, but great. (Although i am confused as to why the edit at the end of Vegetables seems to have been altered (for the worse) on the stereo album??)

Mark just had to get that ringy melody line in there but didn't have the track for it, so he (probably) placed the mono fade over the stereo.

Who cares that it sounds worse? It's there!

[sockittome]

I'm disappointed.....








.......that it still sounds like stoner music!

[Al Jardine: Pick Up Artist]

I'm disappointed.....








.......that it still sounds like stoner music!

Oh whatever

[Quzi]

It literally* blows my mind that people still can't get this album. I love the new stereo mix by the way. I was a huge fan of the mono mix, and that hasn't changed, but I love hearing all the intricities of the arrangements that are buried in that mix. I feel as if I'm inside Brian's head when I'm listening to the mono mix, since it's not only  a brilliant reflection of his state of mind at the time, but what Brian with his deafness would have heard. I guess it goes without saying that the stereo mix doesn't really have that same effect on me since I know that's not Brian would have heard, however, with the voices coming from all different areas in the stereo spectrum, I feel like I've been transported to Brian's swimming pool and the guys are all around me.

*I literally mean literally (figuratively).

[Awesoman]

Seems to me, especially on Vegetables, Fall Breaks, Wind Chimes, I've heard much better stereo renditions elswhere.

No.  You're on your own.  :-)

[The Shift]

It literally* blows my mind that people still can't get this album. I love the new stereo mix by the way. I was a huge fan of the mono mix, and that hasn't changed, but I love hearing all the intricities of the arrangements that are buried in that mix. I feel as if I'm inside Brian's head when I'm listening to the mono mix, since it's not only  a brilliant reflection of his state of mind at the time, but what Brian with his deafness would have heard. I guess it goes without saying that the stereo mix doesn't really have that same effect on me since I know that's not Brian would have heard, however, with the voices coming from all different areas in the stereo spectrum, I feel like I've been transported to Brian's swimming pool and the guys are all around me.

*I literally mean literally (figuratively).

Well said. Very well said.

Seems to me, especially on Vegetables, Fall Breaks, Wind Chimes, I've heard much better stereo renditions elswhere.

No.  You're on your own.  :-)

Well said. Very well said.

[rogerlancelot]

I enjoy the new stereo mix much better than the old mono mix. It's as faithful as can be even retaining the bad edit on "Gettin' Hungry". Wasn't the original mono mix made in one evening?

Great job, Mark! Don't let the detractors detract you, you are doing one hell of a fine job!