So...What is your favorite MIC track?

[rab2591]

WIBNTLA is still my favorite track from this set. Every time I listen to it I wonder "Why did this take so long to get released?" then I remember it's the Beach Boys....snafu.

'Where Is She?' comes in a close second, 'Be With Me' demo in third. Really is a fantastic set.

[RangeRoverA1]

Golden 3 for long time have been:

1. Runaway live (cool switch of organ to guitar solo. Al rocks, the whole band rocks)
2. Rock & Roll Music (I already liked it on 15 BO, now I love it! Excellent mix)
3. Don't Worry Baby (sometimes this is my favorite version of the song)

Could've included "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling", only that wall of Brians is short of 1 or 2 Brians. It's too distinct, not muddy, distant, church-like togetherness.

[MugginsXO]

Possibly just because it is still relatively new to me, I will second whoever said "Meant For You". It is a little magical to hear the song keep going.

[donald]

There really is a lot of new in this box that I'm still catching up to.    This came as I was still wrapping my head around the reunion tour extravaganza.  Just now really digging into it with second and third listens.     

[The Cincinnati Kid]

My Beach Boys fandom is still in its infancy compared to most of you guys.  When I listed to the whole thing a couple weeks I was just blown away by how many great songs I had no idea existed.  It's put them on a whole other level for me, just when I thought I couldn't hold them in any higher esteem.  It's also helped understand why so many of you love the 70s period.  I'm don't think I can pick a favorite at this point.  Need to listen to it a LOT more.  And just think there's still more great songs that I haven't discovered yet.  As I buy a new album each month (in chronological order) I'll discover those as well.

[rab2591]

My Beach Boys fandom is still in its infancy compared to most of you guys.  When I listed to the whole thing a couple weeks I was just blown away by how many great songs I had no idea existed.  It's put them on a whole other level for me, just when I thought I couldn't hold them in any higher esteem.  It's also helped understand why so many of you love the 70s period.  I'm don't think I can pick a favorite at this point.  Need to listen to it a LOT more.  And just think there's still more great songs that I haven't discovered yet.  As I buy a new album each month (in chronological order) I'll discover those as well.

Another great thing about Beach Boys fandom: even after you've heard nearly every song, you'll continue to find brilliant moments (harmonies, instrumentals, etc) deep within all the songs you've heard before. I was listening to Ballad of Ol Betsy the other day, a song I've heard numerous times before, but I found some harmonies deep within the song that I'd never really heard...moments like this happen a lot with The Beach Boys, because there is so much depth in their music.

[Beachlad]

Does any one have a link to Guess I'm Dumb Live?

[RangeRoverA1]

My Beach Boys fandom is still in its infancy compared to most of you guys.  When I listened to the whole thing a couple weeks I was just blown away by how many great songs I had no idea existed.  It's put them on a whole other level for me, just when I thought I couldn't hold them in any higher esteem.  It's also helped understand why so many of you love the 70s period.  I don't think I can pick a favorite at this point.  Need to listen to it a LOT more.  And just think there's still more great songs that I haven't discovered yet.  As I buy a new album each month (in chronological order) I'll discover those as well.

Well written. When I heard "Love You" initially, I found it bizarre, in a good way. Unlike some others, it didn't take even a couple of listens to get fond of it, only 1 listen & I'm a fan of this quaint music. With that said, I equally love an early career of the Boys.

[stack-o-tracks]

That Help Me, Rhonda with the Dennis lead is fuckin' killer. Like, goshdarn. The Brian-led studio stuff is hard to top, but the live stuff definitely had its moments.

[filledeplage]

That Help Me, Rhonda with the Dennis lead is fuckin' killer. Like, goshdarn. The Brian-led studio stuff is hard to top, but the live stuff definitely had its moments.

Exactement! Here's to you!  

Have MIC loaded on an ancient original iPhone in the car.  I scroll down to #135 which is Dennis' Killer Rhonda! (Disc 5) and have about eight in a row of sheer magnificence...Vegetables live! And rare! Must have been a pretty short window lived with those short late 60's setlists.  Summer in Paradise ~ excellent...

And, do love Our Car Club as well!  Amazing vocal range from baritone to falsetto!

Choosing one is impossible.  MIC is their career masterpiece.  And, without scrolling around, it can be left on to just run through everything.  Track order is perfect, as well.  

[job]

Summer in Paradise live    Actually, give me Meant for You, Sail Plane, California Feelin and Mana Kona (I dont have the spelling in front of me. The live Wild Honey vocals sound amazing as well!

All joking aside, that SIP live track is pretty damn good.  I like it a lot.

[ThyRavenAscend]

Probably "Sherry She Needs Me", though the instrumental version of "Guess I'm Dumb" turned me on to the Glen Campbell version--such a remarkable song; what I wouldn't do to have a version with Brian singing the lead vocal!

[Joel Goldenberg]

Where Is She... it grew on me in a big way. Close second for "can't get it out of my head" quality is You're Still A Mystery. I also love the Don't Go Near the Water backing track.

[37!ws]

Made In California got a HUGELY unfair trashing on this board when it came out. it's an excellent box set, and better than Good Vibrations in many ways. Lots more material, for one thing. Also, the material actually covers pretty much right up to, pretty much, current-day Beach Boys, while the 1993 box set only goes up to "Kokomo." And there's a much better variety of material overall. Perhaps most importantly: let's say someone hears Made In California and is exposed to, say, Sunflower material for the first time through it. Well, just about every album the Beach Boys ever did, save Still Cruisin' and Bummer in Paradise, is in print or available for (legal!) download, and even the latter two are still pretty easy to find. In 1993, I had my first exposure to post-1969 Beach Boys (except 15 Big Ones) from the Good Vibrations set, but I couldn't get any of the 1970-and-later albums because they were out of print!

But having said that, my favorites:
- "It's About Time" and "Wild Honey", both live...wow! Next time someone tries to tell you that the Beach Boys just weren't a rockin' concert band, well...use these tunes to prove that there were times when they absolutely were!
- "Our Sweet Love" vocals and strings...I was never a fan of the song as it appeared on Sunflower, but man, this track is nothing but divinity. Never realized before that Carl harmonizes with himself on this song, too.
- "You're Still A Mystery" -- I much prefer Brian's mellower voice over his very harsh mid-'90s voice, and it's nice to finally have this song in studio quality!
- "Don't Worry, Baby" with Brian's single-tracked vocal...holy cow, he sang the living crap out of that!!

Believe it or not, WIBNTLA was never one of my favorites from this set. I just don't find it to be the end-all, be-all it's been hyped up to be all these years. Is it a great Dennis track? Absolutely. Is it a tragedy that he pulled it off Surf's Up and that it never surfaced again until 2013? Hell, yes. But just not the absolute best Dennis song. To me, it's not really up there with, say, "Forever" and "River Song."

[Bill M]

Made In California got a HUGELY unfair trashing on this board when it came out. it's an excellent box set, and better than Good Vibrations in many ways. Lots more material, for one thing. Also, the material actually covers pretty much right up to, pretty much, current-day Beach Boys, while the 1993 box set only goes up to "Kokomo." And there's a much better variety of material overall. Perhaps most importantly: let's say someone hears Made In California and is exposed to, say, Sunflower material for the first time through it. Well, just about every album the Beach Boys ever did, save Still Cruisin' and Bummer in Paradise, is in print or available for (legal!) download, and even the latter two are still pretty easy to find. In 1993, I had my first exposure to post-1969 Beach Boys (except 15 Big Ones) from the Good Vibrations set, but I couldn't get any of the 1970-and-later albums because they were out of print!

But having said that, my favorites:
- "It's About Time" and "Wild Honey", both live...wow! Next time someone tries to tell you that the Beach Boys just weren't a rockin' concert band, well...use these tunes to prove that there were times when they absolutely were!
- "Our Sweet Love" vocals and strings...I was never a fan of the song as it appeared on Sunflower, but man, this track is nothing but divinity. Never realized before that Carl harmonizes with himself on this song, too.
- "You're Still A Mystery" -- I much prefer Brian's mellower voice over his very harsh mid-'90s voice, and it's nice to finally have this song in studio quality!
- "Don't Worry, Baby" with Brian's single-tracked vocal...holy cow, he sang the living crap out of that!!

Believe it or not, WIBNTLA was never one of my favorites from this set. I just don't find it to be the end-all, be-all it's been hyped up to be all these years. Is it a great Dennis track? Absolutely. Is it a tragedy that he pulled it off Surf's Up and that it never surfaced again until 2013? Hell, yes. But just not the absolute best Dennis song. To me, it's not really up there with, say, "Forever" and "River Song."

All good points. Re "Wild Honey:"  A lot of folks on this board weren't happy with the mix.  The 2 sticking points were the "theremin" too low in the mix & the excess of reverb on Blondie's lead vocal. While I personally would like to hear more woo woo machine, I absolutely love the MIC mix done by Mark.  Re "WIBNTLA:"  it remains my favorite track from MIC, but Dennis' body of work is so great, that it's certainly not his best.

[RiC]

My Love Lives On. What are the origins of that song? I guess it was recorded sometime after POB or in the same sessions?

[phirnis]

Meant for You - just gorgeous...
Rock and Roll Music
Where Is She
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again
My Love Lives On

[filledeplage]

Made In California got a HUGELY unfair trashing on this board when it came out. it's an excellent box set, and better than Good Vibrations in many ways. Lots more material, for one thing. Also, the material actually covers pretty much right up to, pretty much, current-day Beach Boys, while the 1993 box set only goes up to "Kokomo." And there's a much better variety of material overall. Perhaps most importantly: let's say someone hears Made In California and is exposed to, say, Sunflower material for the first time through it. Well, just about every album the Beach Boys ever did, save Still Cruisin' and Bummer in Paradise, is in print or available for (legal!) download, and even the latter two are still pretty easy to find. In 1993, I had my first exposure to post-1969 Beach Boys (except 15 Big Ones) from the Good Vibrations set, but I couldn't get any of the 1970-and-later albums because they were out of print!

But having said that, my favorites:
- "It's About Time" and "Wild Honey", both live...wow! Next time someone tries to tell you that the Beach Boys just weren't a rockin' concert band, well...use these tunes to prove that there were times when they absolutely were!
- "Our Sweet Love" vocals and strings...I was never a fan of the song as it appeared on Sunflower, but man, this track is nothing but divinity. Never realized before that Carl harmonizes with himself on this song, too.
- "You're Still A Mystery" -- I much prefer Brian's mellower voice over his very harsh mid-'90s voice, and it's nice to finally have this song in studio quality!
- "Don't Worry, Baby" with Brian's single-tracked vocal...holy cow, he sang the living crap out of that!!

Believe it or not, WIBNTLA was never one of my favorites from this set. I just don't find it to be the end-all, be-all it's been hyped up to be all these years. Is it a great Dennis track? Absolutely. Is it a tragedy that he pulled it off Surf's Up and that it never surfaced again until 2013? Hell, yes. But just not the absolute best Dennis song. To me, it's not really up there with, say, "Forever" and "River Song."

First, I think it is wiser to rely on your own responses to a work or collection.  Discs 5 and 6 made it all worth it.  Second, GV did offer some new Smile tracks, so it sort of gets a pass from me, as people were so hungry for anything to fill-in-the-blanks from the Smile era. 

The live stuff is just great:  I Can Hear Music, Sail on Sailor and SIP! Someone mentions Don't Go Near the Water, brilliant as well, and I'll often skip to that, if I'm stuck in traffic.  Instant chill. 

And I was eager to have WIBNTLA, as well as My Love Lives On, both more meaningful since Dennis' passing.  It is a great career collage.  Love the clips such as I Believe in Miracles, the radio spots, CG and the kind of goofy Help You, Rhonda (Lei'd in Hawaii) but I don't think MIC marks the end of the track-mining.

Cynics mentioned the subjectivity issue and I agree.  This MIC is like one of those "survey literature courses" in college.  You often get the cream of the crop, of each era, because it might be the only exposure to the work, or collection of eras.  MIC shows both clear demarcation among the stages of their career development, and work that was a foreshadowing of emerging greatness (The Today era) but oddly the "weave" (track order) of the compilation is masterful...

When we least expect it, along will come another sweet surprise...

[Freddie French-Pounce]

MiC is one of those sets I rarely come back to, but when I do I do enjoy it. The futzing on some tracks [YLTLF being disastrous, and the melodyne on Sherry being pure evil] is unforgivable, but it works perfectly on tracks like Where Is She? and California Feelin'. Wild Honey live is certainly good, but again, the futzing with the echo!.

My Love Lives On.