The (eventually) MIC spoilers thread

[Vega-Table Man]

Is this set HDCD-encoded?

[chris.metcalfe]

Is this set HDCD-encoded?

I think Mark Linnett said it would be. Certainly all his recent productions have been.

[Wirestone]

I'd heard Brian rerecorded vocals for You're still a mystery in the late 90s like 99 from a very reliable source.

I think what you're actually thinking of is the recording of the song he did with Joe Thomas in the late '90s under the title "It's Happening Again".

It's likely that either the version of the set is either from 1995 or maybe the TWGMTR sessions. If it is indeed a "new" vocal, I'm assuming maybe he redid it because it was under consideration for last year's album.

BW and band recorded a new version for GIOMH. IIRC, it was intended to be the 14th track and to close the album.

[Micha]

Is this set HDCD-encoded?

Yes.

I'd heard Brian rerecorded vocals for You're still a mystery in the late 90s like 99 from a very reliable source.


Does the booklet have good info on recording dates, who did whats?

Only year, sometimes place, and who's on lead.

You're Still A Mystery sounds like more recent Brian than late 90s, but I'm not certain about it.

Biggest surprise so far is the remix of R'n'R Music. Linett somehow manages to make that clumsy, clunky, embarrassing cover version finally ROCK!

EQing on this set is a bit too trebly for my taste. Much too trebly, actually. But I can turn the treble down on my stereo. All down, actually.


And the best live track is All I Want To Do. It rocks so hard, it makes the following Help Me Rhonda seem very tame.

[pixletwin]

Apologies for exposing my own ignorance but...


What is HDCD and how does one take advantage of it! 

[runnersdialzero]

Is it me, or is "Barnyard Blues" an evolution of Dennis' "I Don't Know" from 1967? Same chord progression in the verse.

[Bedroom Tapes]

Who's singing the high part near the end of Barnyard Blues?  Is it Brian or some guest?

[Amazing Larry]

Brian somehow manages to sound both incredibly coked and incredibly stoned at the same time in the California Feelin' Demo.

[Jay]

Brian somehow manages to sound both incredibly coked and incredibly stoned at the same time in the California Feelin' Demo.

Is there a difference?  I'm curios to know if the backing tracks to You're Still A Mystery and Soul Searchin' are the same ones we've heard on bootleg, or if they're the ones that Carl heard and rejected. Are the backing vocals in Soul Searchin' there, or are they edited out?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Brian somehow manages to sound both incredibly coked and incredibly stoned at the same time in the California Feelin' Demo.

Yes! 'Can't you feel it'? made me  The piano playing towards the end was a bit bad too.

What's odd is his voice HAD actually changed by that point, but he still was mentally 'on' enough to have better vocal control (for the most part...), but was so wired that it sounded like he was playing around with his voice a bit.  What's really crazy is that at the beginning of the son he sounded like 1972-era Brian trying to sound like 1976 Brian, but the second part (after the whistling) it sounds like 1976 Brian trying to sound like 1972 Brian

The end, with his speaking voice, he sounds like the opening to That Special Feeling.

[EgoHanger1966]

I'd heard Brian rerecorded vocals for You're still a mystery in the late 90s like 99 from a very reliable source.

I think what you're actually thinking of is the recording of the song he did with Joe Thomas in the late '90s under the title "It's Happening Again".

It's likely that either the version of the set is either from 1995 or maybe the TWGMTR sessions. If it is indeed a "new" vocal, I'm assuming maybe he redid it because it was under consideration for last year's album.

BW and band recorded a new version for GIOMH. IIRC, it was intended to be the 14th track and to close the album.

Nice - I can't remember which thread, but I asked if Brian had rerecorded You're Still A Mystery during the GIOMH sessions, because his vocal doesn't sound like his recent self, and it doesn't sound like it did on the Paley boots, either. He does a pretty good job at enunciating on the box version, far better than his vocals on most of TWGMTR.

(ps - is it Jeff doing the "it's happening again/I thought you were my friend" lines? Some parts of it kind of sound like Bruce is in there.)

[runnersdialzero]

I was wondering who did the chorus falsetto, too. Brian seemingly did on the Paley boot, but it really doesn't sound like him, here. Doesn't sound like Jeff, either.

[MBE]

I feel on the 1974 demo Brian still has some of his old tone (the high notes are good) but you hear the rust settling in for good. If Rolling Up To Heaven is anything to go on (which I think sounds less labored), the change really happened rapidly. I would love to hear a full 1972 or 1973 lead from Brian to make sure, but his extant singing on Holland is much better than on California Feeling.  I think we have to go on the speaking tapes around this time too. 1971 with Diane he sounds a little older but the same as sixties Brian. 1973 with PF and Diane he still has the old tone but is coughing a bit. 1974 with Pewter had much more of the 1976 manner, if a little less raspy. Fall 1975 Back Home and 1976 though are still a big drop from California Feeling.

[seltaeb1012002]

I would love to hear a full 1972 or 1973 lead from Brian to make sure

Likewise. Do we know of any that exist?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

That spoken part at the end threw me for a loop...that's 1976 Brian! In parts, especially the part right before the piano f*** up, he is channeling Carl.

[DMBeard_13]

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-beach-boys-are-made-for-california

[kwan_dk]

I must confess I haven't bothered reading through all the posts in this thread, so please forgive if someone has already adressed this, but could anyone with MIC in their hands desribe the overall feel and detail of packaging, the photos, the amount of text and info. Whatever info you'd like to share would be most helpful. I'm torn between buying the physical release or purchasing it as a digital download and a description of the box / packaging itself would be great.

[Micha]

No box, the CDs are in TSS-like slits at the end of the LP sized hardcover book. Nice sand texture there that makes it look like the CDs are on a beach. Not everybody will like that, I find it tremendous. Many good photos, text is mostly quotes, track info is just about when and where recorded and who sings lead. IMHO really nice to have, but not essential. I don't regret buying this.

[Wirestone]

I was wondering who did the chorus falsetto, too. Brian seemingly did on the Paley boot, but it really doesn't sound like him, here. Doesn't sound like Jeff, either.

Matt Jardine, I would bet. He sang on both.

[kwan_dk]

No box, the CDs are in TSS-like slits at the end of the LP sized hardcover book. Nice sand texture there that makes it look like the CDs are on a beach. Not everybody will like that, I find it tremendous. Many good photos, text is mostly quotes, track info is just about when and where recorded and who sings lead. IMHO really nice to have, but not essential. I don't regret buying this.

Thanks.

Regarding the text, aren't there any essays or articles? And if yes, by whom? I think I've read somewhere that the booklet has 70 pages.

[Micha]

No box, the CDs are in TSS-like slits at the end of the LP sized hardcover book. Nice sand texture there that makes it look like the CDs are on a beach. Not everybody will like that, I find it tremendous. Many good photos, text is mostly quotes, track info is just about when and where recorded and who sings lead. IMHO really nice to have, but not essential. I don't regret buying this.

Thanks.

Regarding the text, aren't there any essays or articles? And if yes, by whom? I think I've read somewhere that the booklet has 70 pages.

Boyd, Linett and Wolfe get 1 column each, rest is quotes, mainly from band members. There's Brian's school essay printed and a letter from I think Mike's mom to Brian. Most of the space is taken by photos. MANY photos. Other than that only a reprinted article from 1966 about the Pet Sounds cover photo shoot.

[kwan_dk]

No box, the CDs are in TSS-like slits at the end of the LP sized hardcover book. Nice sand texture there that makes it look like the CDs are on a beach. Not everybody will like that, I find it tremendous. Many good photos, text is mostly quotes, track info is just about when and where recorded and who sings lead. IMHO really nice to have, but not essential. I don't regret buying this.

Thanks.

Regarding the text, aren't there any essays or articles? And if yes, by whom? I think I've read somewhere that the booklet has 70 pages.

Boyd, Linett and Wolfe get 1 column each, rest is quotes, mainly from band members. There's Brian's school essay printed and a letter from I think Mike's mom to Brian. Most of the space is taken by photos. MANY photos. Other than that only a reprinted article from 1966 about the Pet Sounds cover photo shoot.

Thanks. Photos are of course cool but I'm surprised there isn't more 'meat' in the booklet in the form of essays and such. That's a bit disapointing, I think. Are you and others satisfied with the packeging / content besides the content of the discs themselves?

[MBE]

I would love to hear a full 1972 or 1973 lead from Brian to make sure

Likewise. Do we know of any that exist?

I still really wonder if the 1970 Brian vocal on Don't You Just Know It is really from 1970. The 45 came out in 1973, is there a small chance Brian overdubbed his voice on to a three year old track? Other than that, Daddy Dear from Holland (if it isn't Al) and him playing the Fairy Tale at home in 1973 (in admittedly pretty bad sound) are all that are out. He probably sang lead on a bunch of Sandler stuff like Gimme Some Lovin'. Awake and Silly Walls in high quality from 1971 would be cool too. There still is a lot not issued.

[Quzi]

Even though all we have of this 1974 voice is a jokey demo, I think that had it actually been used properly around this time it would be my favourite era of his vocals. It's tastefully worn in the lower register and he still has ability to phrase in ways he didn't have later on. Best of all, his falsetto is still serviceable enough and I imagine it'd still sound killer in a harmony stack.

[MBE]

Even though all we have of this 1974 voice is a jokey demo, I think that had it actually been used properly around this time it would be my favourite era of his vocals. It's tastefully worn in the lower register and he still has ability to phrase in ways he didn't have later on. Best of all, his falsetto is still serviceable enough and I imagine it'd still sound killer in a harmony stack.

No he's more in pitch here for sure. Yet I just listened to Rolling Up To Heaven. There even there a month, or mere weeks, before he sounds much more in control and strong.