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

[Cabinessenceking]

The Savile reference was simply to illustrate what J. Thomas does to music. Nothing more. Sorry if it's a joke in ill taste! Ofc I intend not to link JT in any way whatsoever to the monster Savile was. My ears however are still sore 

[Justin]

A full sample of "California Girls" courtesy of Rolling Stone mag:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beach-boys-croon-california-girls-live-on-reunion-tour-20130520

[Shady]

A full sample of "California Girls" courtesy of Rolling Stone mag:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beach-boys-croon-california-girls-live-on-reunion-tour-20130520

It's just so fucking awful..

I mean, hilariously bad. Screw, Joe Thomas, Capitol and every fool involved in this abomination..

At least we have our memories of the tour.

[rab2591]

A full sample of "California Girls" courtesy of Rolling Stone mag:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beach-boys-croon-california-girls-live-on-reunion-tour-20130520

Thanks for sharing.

Gah, that was tolerable at best. Seems like all the instrumentals are straight down the center speaker (this goes for most of the samples I've heard too)....wonder why?

[KittyKat]

The more I hear of this, the more it sounds like they recorded the whole thing in a studio.

[Nicko1234]

It's kind of hilarious to hear the audience being edited in and out of the song.

Doesn't sound absolutely atrocious but I'm glad I didn't waste my money on the CD.

[Rocker]

A full sample of "California Girls" courtesy of Rolling Stone mag:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beach-boys-croon-california-girls-live-on-reunion-tour-20130520

Brian, Bruce, Mike.... godawful...

[Freddie French-Pounce]

The whole thing is on Spotify now.

http://open.spotify.com/album/7CGp7yIarMi6zAOINSXTsz

[Waspinators]

A full sample of "California Girls" courtesy of Rolling Stone mag:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beach-boys-croon-california-girls-live-on-reunion-tour-20130520

This doesn't sound too bad at all... pretty much what I'd expect a 2012 live album from them to sound. I saw them in Hollywood, FL where Brian's autotune was in full force on most of his leads. Though I wish they would've taken it off by then, it really didn't ruin anything for me besides DYWD (which I ain't crazy about Brian singing in the first place); it actually sounded kinda neat on a couple songs in a weird way. Mike was apparently also autotuned a bit on that show, though I didn't notice it at the time. I think the voices sound fine. Yes, a bit too processed on a couple of the samples I've heard but pleasing enough for me. What does kind of annoy me is how they seem to have sucked all the power and life from the band's instrumental performances... I remember being in awe at how spot-on, rich and powerful the band sounded on performances like Wendy, Sloop, TLGIOK, Dreamin', and This Whole World; the instruments sound a bit dinky and overly tamed on the album.

[Shady]

The whole thing is on Spotify now.

http://open.spotify.com/album/7CGp7yIarMi6zAOINSXTsz

Listening now.

The moment of truth

[EgoHanger1966]

The whole thing is on Spotify now.

http://open.spotify.com/album/7CGp7yIarMi6zAOINSXTsz

For anyone in America, don't bother yet.

[Lowbacca]

Finally have the whole thing as well. Doesn't sound as horrible as expected when really blasting the speakers. "Bright and crisp" really was a dead-on statement.

[Wah Wah Wah Ooooo]

I agree with Waspinators...It's not THAT bad. It's bad, yes, and I definitely would have preferred a more natural recording, but it's still not as bad as some of you are making it out to be.

I'll buy it, listen to it and leave it in my car for an occasional listen after that. Being angry about it and comparing Joe Thomas to a pedophile really doesn't do anything except make people here look ridiculous.

When I want a better sounding show from this your, I'll just listen to the BBC Mermaid Theater show or the Japan show. Not that big a deal.

[Shady]

Terrible and worst of all, boring. No energy or excitement of a live album.

Now listening to Sunflower

[Freddie French-Pounce]

Terrible and worst of all, boring. No energy or excitement of a live album.

Exactly, That's my biggest complaint. The flat sound of it all.

[drbeachboy]

Terrible and worst of all, boring. No energy or excitement of a live album.

Exactly, That's my biggest complaint. The flat sound of it all.

You're right about the flat sound and lacking excitement on some songs, but I do think that you did cry wolf on the autotune. Nowhere near is bad as you previously stated. Do It Again is the only autotune stinker that I hear. Oh, and thanks Freddie!

[Freddie French-Pounce]

Terrible and worst of all, boring. No energy or excitement of a live album.

Exactly, That's my biggest complaint. The flat sound of it all.

You're right about the flat sound and lacking excitement on some songs, but I do think that you did cry wolf on the autotune. Nowhere near is bad as you previously stated. Do It Again is the only autotune stinker that I hear. Oh, and thanks Freddie!

Not a problem [I keep forgetting it's easy to find my name on here!]

[gfac22]

Just listened to California Girls on rolling stone's website...Well, I'm usually pretty tolerable of any type of pitch correction/auto tune/whatever you want to call it, but that really does just suck.  It is entirely possible to use auto tune and let it work its magic while keeping it pretty transparent.  Apparently nobody told Joe Thomas that.  I'll reserve final judgment until I get the CD tomorrow, but that clip sure isn't getting my hopes up.  For a live recording it doesn't have much life to it.

[Nicko1234]

Listening to the album now and it is underwhelming.

Don't Back Down really is hilariously bad.

The way the audience is edited is also terrible.

Plus (a personal opinion) I just don't care for Jeff's voice. Particularly on Little Girl I Once Knew.

It is amiable enough but one listen will be enough for me.

[leggo of my ego]

Terrible and worst of all, boring. No energy or excitement of a live album.

Now listening to Sunflower

Thanks for the warnings - I will be saving my $ for the MIC box.

[Wah Wah Wah Ooooo]

And so begins the condescending "If you like it, you're wrong/an idiot/on drugs/know nothing about music" conversation. 

It's a disappointment, but still enjoyable to some. 

[hypehat]

Forgive me if I'm missing something, but didn't every performance of Pet Sounds during this tour start with the BA-DA-DERRRR of James Bond? And this one doesn't.....

Not that I was expecting this to be warts and all, but still. Wonder how much was done in the studio.

[Freddie French-Pounce]

Forgive me if I'm missing something, but didn't every performance of Pet Sounds during this tour start with the BA-DA-DERRRR of James Bond? And this one doesn't.....

Not that I was expecting this to be warts and all, but still. Wonder how much was done in the studio.

Probably edited out for copyright as they're being cheap [maybe]. Well spotted though!

[Rocker]

I'm just listening to the Japan-show, Chiba. It seems to me that at least H&V and Isn't It Time come from these shows. They probably did a mix of playback and live for IIT as you can hear Al in the same line going from doubletracked to singletracked and the middle part has many Mike's in it.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

And so begins the condescending "If you like it, you're wrong/an idiot/on drugs/

That's an insult to people on drugs.

In seriosuness, I agree with you. If you like it, you like it. It's usually those of us who work in music/ recording that find it intolerable. I'm envious of those with innocent ears.