50th Anniversary live double CD up for pre-order on Amazon

[runnersdialzero]

On one hand I can see why Joe Thomas (or whoever) made the call to auto-tune some of the vocals.  Years ago when I worked in retail I used to pump Brian's "Pet Sounds Live" and "Roxy" CD's through the loudspeaker. Customers would always come up to the counter and complain. They'd say "Who's that guy murdering all those Beach Boys songs? He sounds like a dying animal". To my ears Brian was delivering strong vocal performances but I'm a hardcore fan not John Q. Public. This live album is being marketed to those kind of people, not us. It'll probably sell like gangbusters at Wal-Mart and John Q. Public will be entirely satisfied.

Those vocals were re-recorded after the concert to ensure they sounded the best they could/were on-key. If someone thinks Brian is murdering a song on there, autotune ain't gonna save him, it's only gonna embarrass him further. Hate to say that, but I'm pretty sure the "murdering" comes more from his tone, which no amount of studio effects can change. That's Brian Wilson.

[acedecade75]

 I don't dislike the album, and I'm glad it was released.  But it would've been a heck of a lot better if somebody other than Joe Thomas had mixed it.

[AndrewHickey]

I don't dislike the album, and I'm glad it was released.  But it would've been a heck of a lot better if somebody other than Joe Thomas had mixed it.

Exactly. And "somebody other than Joe Thomas" does mean literally that. Get a non-Joe Thomas body, doesn't even have to be warm, partially decomposed will do, and prop it up at the mixing desk. The result would be at least equal to this.

[Dave Modny]

I think the mix, itself, is still the thing that I'm having the hardest time acclimating to. Maybe even more so than the "fixes and fakes." I'm not saying that it has to be some kind of Bob Clearmountain-like, cavernous affair, but nearly everything here sounds like it's being played in a cold, 48 x 48 room. No real concert hall ambience. That, and some of the naked, upfront style of mixing. For example, Jeff's falsetto on TLGIWK is excruciating for me to listen to here -- just listen how much better and integrated that same bit is on the NPR concert version. And as someone else also noted, the weird sensation of hearing solo vocals doubled at times can be jarring and very un-concert-like. Ultimately, I often feel like I'm listening to made-to-order, in-studio versions rather than something that took place on a concert stage. I guess sterile and polite are the words that I'm looking for. I don't hate it -- not every track is as guilty as others -- and in some ways it's kind of what I was expecting, but.......

For me, I think I'm still going to use most of the respective versions from the NPR and Chiba concerts for the bulk of my custom, "best versions" CDs (maybe even The Mermaid and Hollywood Bowl things for a track or two), and probably just use this disc to plug the holes. At casual glance, I think there's only 7 or 8 tracks that are exclusive here in terms of "pro quality." The other plus is that there's still songs that were done for those other airings that didn't make the cut here.

[Wirestone]

All of this being said, I would bet money that no one from the band spent any time in the studio re-recording on this album. Brian's leads would be at least listenable if that was the case. He re-recorded for PSLive and Roxy, and in both cases, it made for decent-sounding lead vocals. (Admittedly, they are still Brian Wilson lead vocals, for all the caveats those entail.)

My strong suspicion is that Joe simply had a certain number of concerts on mulitrack tape -- maybe a dozen, maybe fewer -- as well as a few previously recorded live appearances. He mixed and matched vocals from all of them on the songs where he wasn't satisfied, and slathered on autotune and additional weirdness when even that didn't work.

My evidence? For one, why would he use previously recorded studio vocals on TWGMTR, IIT and DIA if he had the full band or members at his disposal? For the other, no one sounds quite so Cher-like on the TWGMTR album. While he polished things to the nth degree there, he also had genuinely good vocal takes to start from. Finally, the band splintered after the tour ended. Why would they be interested in working together once the contracts were up, and on a project that presented a band that was no longer touring?

The easiest answer to all of this is obvious. The band had little to do with the record. Brian's credit -- as it is on all his live records, with the exception of a couple in the 60s -- is purely ornamental. Joe patched together the record with what he had. And given the fact that recordings from the second show on the tour are used, I'd bet the entire second half (maybe third) of the shows weren't even professionally recorded.

[Lowbacca]

The one person who really got screwed the most on here (sans maybe Brian) is John Cowsill. The dude was fucking incredible on the tour and you mostly can't tell by listening to this.

Yeah!, being a drummer, I was looking forward to that pounding powerhouse. Nothing of the sort.

It's there on a couple of tracks, though. I was blasting the entire live album twice today, and there's a couple of tracks where the drums are really pounding all the way up there. My balcony was shakin'.

[hypehat]

Is anyone going to back me up on the H&V vocal actually being the BWPS take? I feel like I'm going crazy over here.

[Lowbacca]

Is anyone going to back me up on the H&V vocal actually being the BWPS take? I feel like I'm going crazy over here.

From the actual studio album, you mean? Hang on...


EDIT: sh*t. Yes, I think you're right. That's just... lazy. And weird. Super weird.

[rab2591]

Is anyone going to back me up on the H&V vocal actually being the BWPS take? I feel like I'm going crazy over here.

I overlayed the tracks in Logic: I do believe they're the same vocal track! He has the same emphasis on all the words, exact same timing for his lines, only difference being the autotune and faster timing for the live version.

If Thomas used a studio track WHY DID HE DOUSE IT WITH AUTOTUNE? Makes absolutely no sense.

[GoofyJeff]

And given the fact that recordings from the second show on the tour are used, I'd bet the entire second half (maybe third) of the shows weren't even professionally recorded.

Except that quite a bit of the banter is from the Chiba Japan show (and the Phoenix DVD)...   listening on Spotify.  Lacking funds to purchase it at the moment.

[hypehat]

Is anyone going to back me up on the H&V vocal actually being the BWPS take? I feel like I'm going crazy over here.

I overlayed the tracks in Logic: I do believe they're the same vocal track! He has the same emphasis on all the words, exact same timing for his lines, only difference being the autotune and faster timing for the live version.

If Thomas used a studio track WHY DID HE DOUSE IT WITH AUTOTUNE? Makes absolutely no sense.

Yeah, it sounds like some parts are sped up - but the inflection of BWPS is still present, and it just sounds like the same take to me! I'm convinced.  goshdarn, maybe Joe Thomas is actually dangerously talented - LIVE FROM THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR, APART FROM THIS ONE WHICH BRIAN SANG IN 2004. It sets a dangerous precedent.


If the powers that be are reading this, tell Joe Thomas to f*** off, from one Samuel Black esq.

[Wirestone]

And given the fact that recordings from the second show on the tour are used, I'd bet the entire second half (maybe third) of the shows weren't even professionally recorded.

Except that quite a bit of the banter is from the Chiba Japan show (and the Phoenix DVD)...   listening on Spotify.  Lacking funds to purchase it at the moment.

It may well be that they recorded a show later in the tour. And it sounds like that gig was sweetened soon after the fact, so it would be a good candidate for the roster of shows Thomas had to pick from.

That all being said, though, if there's only one or two shows that were pro-recorded later, and a bunch that were recorded earlier, you'll still have a lot of takes and song choices from the earlier shows, as well as weaker Brian leads. And that seems to be what's on the discs we have.

I also just want to dispute what someone said here earlier about there being "75 versions to pick from" for most songs from the live album. There's just no way they hired a mobile truck and did that for every show. No way. A dozen versions I can believe.

Is anyone going to back me up on the H&V vocal actually being the BWPS take? I feel like I'm going crazy over here.

I overlayed the tracks in Logic: I do believe they're the same vocal track! He has the same emphasis on all the words, exact same timing for his lines, only difference being the autotune and faster timing for the live version.

If Thomas used a studio track WHY DID HE DOUSE IT WITH AUTOTUNE? Makes absolutely no sense.

There's something weird going on here. I seriously doubted the BWPS thesis earlier in the thread. Now I'm not so sure. There seem to be like three or four Brians singing at various points in this track, so I wonder if there are a couple of live takes in there, along with the earlier studio track. A bizarre possibility, if true.

[Shady]

Is anyone going to back me up on the H&V vocal actually being the BWPS take? I feel like I'm going crazy over here.

Has to be, it sounds like the exact same vocal track.

Such a terrible album, how did it ever get released? Those boys in the tower sure do have bizarre tastes.

[18thofMay]

Is anyone going to back me up on the H&V vocal actually being the BWPS take? I feel like I'm going crazy over here.

I overlayed the tracks in Logic: I do believe they're the same vocal track! He has the same emphasis on all the words, exact same timing for his lines, only difference being the autotune and faster timing for the live version.

If Thomas used a studio track WHY DID HE DOUSE IT WITH AUTOTUNE? Makes absolutely no sense.

If I can hear it, I will be able to tell! I have dog ears!

[hypehat]

The only parts where Brian is singing in 2012 on that album are the acapella break, as he's throwing in little neat harmony parts that are unique, and the 'I Been In This Town So Long' acapella - mostly because the band are following him in that one, Jeff's doing high oohs, but I reckon it's processed to sh*t to make it akin to the rest - that was singletracked on BWPS, and he really doesn't sound singletracked there.

[SMiLE Brian]

This album is f***ed....

[Dave Modny]

Is anyone going to back me up on the H&V vocal actually being the BWPS take? I feel like I'm going crazy over here.

I overlayed the tracks in Logic: I do believe they're the same vocal track! He has the same emphasis on all the words, exact same timing for his lines, only difference being the autotune and faster timing for the live version.

If Thomas used a studio track WHY DID HE DOUSE IT WITH AUTOTUNE? Makes absolutely no sense.

Yeah, it sounds like some parts are sped up - but the inflection of BWPS is still present, and it just sounds like the same take to me! I'm convinced.  goshdarn, maybe Joe Thomas is actually dangerously talented - LIVE FROM THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR, APART FROM THIS ONE WHICH BRIAN SANG IN 2004. It sets a dangerous precedent.


If the powers that be are reading this, tell Joe Thomas to f*** off, from one Samuel Black esq.

I should probably link to this again - but listen to the Chiba show as well. I did change the tempo of one to more closely match the other, and it appears to be that same vocal there, too, only with that noted extra helping of autotune on the new CD version.

The new CD version (courtesy of Mr. Moustachioto):

http://soundcloud.com/moar-freddie/h-v-snippett



H&V - Chiba:

http://lukpac.org/~dave/Heroes%20And%20Villains%20-%20Chiba,%20Japan%20-%208-16-2012%20-%20Tempo%20Manipulated.mp3

[Dave Modny]

.

[hypehat]

This album is f***ed....

Joe Thomas. I bet he passes bad cheques and has never known love.

[hypehat]

Is anyone going to back me up on the H&V vocal actually being the BWPS take? I feel like I'm going crazy over here.

I overlayed the tracks in Logic: I do believe they're the same vocal track! He has the same emphasis on all the words, exact same timing for his lines, only difference being the autotune and faster timing for the live version.

If Thomas used a studio track WHY DID HE DOUSE IT WITH AUTOTUNE? Makes absolutely no sense.

Yeah, it sounds like some parts are sped up - but the inflection of BWPS is still present, and it just sounds like the same take to me! I'm convinced.  goshdarn, maybe Joe Thomas is actually dangerously talented - LIVE FROM THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR, APART FROM THIS ONE WHICH BRIAN SANG IN 2004. It sets a dangerous precedent.


If the powers that be are reading this, tell Joe Thomas to f*** off, from one Samuel Black esq.

And...I may as well link to this again. But, listen to the Chiba show as well. I did change the tempo of one to match the other, but it appears to be that same vocal there, too, only with that noted extra helping of autotune on the new CD version.

The new CD version (courtesy of Mr. Moustachioto):

http://soundcloud.com/moar-freddie/h-v-snippett



H&V - Chiba:

http://lukpac.org/~dave/Heroes%20And%20Villains%20-%20Chiba,%20Japan%20-%208-16-2012%20-%20Tempo%20Manipulated.mp3

That still sounds SO like BWPS - and we know they have doctored shows for radio during the tour, like NPR and Sirius - so I don't even know. It's totally possible they could sync a vocal from a perfectly timed studio track to a perfectly timed live track in the same key in the 2013.

It's less possible that Brian could accurately duplicate a performance from 2004 in 2012, honestly, even given the improvement of his voice.

[Lowbacca]

This album is f***ed....

Joe Thomas. I bet he passes bad cheques and has never known love.

Like Voldemort. It's his weakness, really.

[Dave Modny]

Is anyone going to back me up on the H&V vocal actually being the BWPS take? I feel like I'm going crazy over here.

I overlayed the tracks in Logic: I do believe they're the same vocal track! He has the same emphasis on all the words, exact same timing for his lines, only difference being the autotune and faster timing for the live version.

If Thomas used a studio track WHY DID HE DOUSE IT WITH AUTOTUNE? Makes absolutely no sense.

Yeah, it sounds like some parts are sped up - but the inflection of BWPS is still present, and it just sounds like the same take to me! I'm convinced.  goshdarn, maybe Joe Thomas is actually dangerously talented - LIVE FROM THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR, APART FROM THIS ONE WHICH BRIAN SANG IN 2004. It sets a dangerous precedent.


If the powers that be are reading this, tell Joe Thomas to f*** off, from one Samuel Black esq.

And...I may as well link to this again. But, listen to the Chiba show as well. I did change the tempo of one to match the other, but it appears to be that same vocal there, too, only with that noted extra helping of autotune on the new CD version.

The new CD version (courtesy of Mr. Moustachioto):

http://soundcloud.com/moar-freddie/h-v-snippett



H&V - Chiba:

http://lukpac.org/~dave/Heroes%20And%20Villains%20-%20Chiba,%20Japan%20-%208-16-2012%20-%20Tempo%20Manipulated.mp3

That still sounds SO like BWPS - and we know they have doctored shows for radio during the tour, like NPR and Sirius - so I don't even know. It's totally possible they could sync a vocal from a perfectly timed studio track to a perfectly timed live track in the same key in the 2013.

With digital tempo/time manipulation, it would probably be fairly easy to fly in a studio vocal to match. Like I noted, the tempo was noticeably different between the new CD and Chiba before I  slightly adjusted it (it's still not exact), so it would be just as easy to do if the BWPS studio vocal were indeed used (for all of them!).

I'll also add, as I noted before, that the Chiba show definitely sounds sweetened (though obviously without that extra helping of autotune that seems to plague the new release in places).  All I'd heard was that it was originally broadcast in Japan -- not that it was necessarily a live broadcast.

[Shady]

This album is f***ed....

I always thought album reviews should consist of no more than 4 words.

"This album is great"

"This album sucks"

so on and so forte

"This album is f***ed" is a great four letter review for this piece of trash

[Awesoman]

Still waiting on my copy from Amazon. *Sigh*

[Mikie]

This album is f***ed....

I always thought album reviews should consist of no more than 4 words.

"This album is great"

"This album sucks"

so on and so forte

"This album is f***ed" is a great four letter review for this piece of trash

And you're being TOTALLY unproductive pissing and moaning about it, Shady.  You are contributing absolutely NOTHING to this thread by crying about what's already done.  Write a review or contribute something positive for a change, eh?