14 Beach Boys albums coming to vinyl/SACD

[The Shift]

Many thanks Alan, very much appreciated.

[Micha]

My copies of Friends and Love You came in the mail yesterday, and I'm not much of an audiophile but they both sound a whole lot better than my old CD/mp3 copies. Friends in particular is a revelation, the difference in sound quality is huge. It may take some getting used to, since the lo-fi audio is part of the album's charm for me, but I love it. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Vinyl or SACD?

[job]

My copies of all 6 arrive today.

[Shady]

My copies of all 6 arrive today.

It's like Christmas.

I caved and went to buy "Friends" and "Love You", damn it aren't both out of stock

[drbeachboy]

My copies of Friends and Love You came in the mail yesterday, and I'm not much of an audiophile but they both sound a whole lot better than my old CD/mp3 copies. Friends in particular is a revelation, the difference in sound quality is huge. It may take some getting used to, since the lo-fi audio is part of the album's charm for me, but I love it. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Vinyl or SACD?

Only vinyl on these Capitol/UMe releases.

[William Bowe]

Does the Love You release authentically replicate the shitty quality cardboard used for the original cover?

[The Shift]

Does the 20/20 sleeve come ungummed when you've slid the LP out a few times?

[Micha]

My copies of Friends and Love You came in the mail yesterday, and I'm not much of an audiophile but they both sound a whole lot better than my old CD/mp3 copies. Friends in particular is a revelation, the difference in sound quality is huge. It may take some getting used to, since the lo-fi audio is part of the album's charm for me, but I love it. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Vinyl or SACD?

Only vinyl on these Capitol/UMe releases.

Maybe I should get the Friends album then.

[Jesse Reiswig]

Got Friends today. Sounds pretty nice, certainly better than the two-fer CD. I heard the percussion on "Busy Doin' Nothin'" with more clarity and subtlety than I've heard it before.

But if you're looking for a revelatory upgrade in sound, this ain't it. This is no audiophile release by any means.

[drbeachboy]

Got Friends today. Sounds pretty nice, certainly better than the two-fer CD. I heard the percussion on "Busy Doin' Nothin'" with more clarity and subtlety than I've heard it before.

But if you're looking for a revelatory upgrade in sound, this ain't it. This is no audiophile release by any means.

If I may ask, what exactly were you expecting to hear that would make this audiophile? I take it that the vinyl must be loud and not flat?

[William Bowe]

I already have good green-label "Mastered by Capitol" pressings of Friends and 20/20 which I don't imagine these improve upon, and I'm not much interested in live albums. So the only question for me is, is there any point in buying Love You? Will I get anything out of it I don't get from my original pressing?

[Jesse Reiswig]

Dr. Beach Boy, to answer your question, what would've made this an audiophile release to me would have been if I'd heard more "information" than I'd heard before on previous releases: increased separation of instruments or sense of placement on the stereo soundstage. But with the rare exception (the better clarity of the percussion on "Busy Doin' Nothin' as I mentioned above) this sounds pretty much the same as any other release I've heard. Though keep in mind, I've never heard Friends on vinyl before. But when it's just a hair better than the 1990 CD, it can't be too audiophile.

I wasn't quite clear on what you were asking with your second question, but no, it isn't loud, which is good. Nice and quiet and smooth sounding. It's certainly a nice-sounding record, just not significantly different than anything you've heard, and, I suspect, not as nice sounding as a near-mint original.

[Alan Smith]

Does the Love You release authentically replicate the shitty quality cardboard used for the original cover?

I believe it does!  The front cover texture is rather nice.

However, the colour seps on the back cover are too dark - you can't make out a lot of the detail in the comp'd-in background.  The darker sep makes the criss-cross photo dot matrix a lot more obvious - not something I'd paid much attention to on the original.

The inner sleeve is nicely reproduced and retains the blacked out packet of ciggies in the we love ya Brian photo.

[William Bowe]

Thanks Alan. Now how does it sound? Anything about it that makes it worth buying, given I already own a clean original pressing?

[bgas]

Does the 20/20 sleeve come ungummed when you've slid the LP out a few times?

Saw copies of Friends and 20/20  LPs in a store yesterday.
 20/20 had a mice misprint on the back cover, " Originally released in 1964"

[The Shift]

Does the 20/20 sleeve come ungummed when you've slid the LP out a few times?

Saw copies of Friends and 20/20  LPs in a store yesterday.
 20/20 had a mice misprint on the back cover, " Originally released in 1964"

That would immediately double it's value … to a collector...

[bgas]

Does the 20/20 sleeve come ungummed when you've slid the LP out a few times?

Saw copies of Friends and 20/20  LPs in a store yesterday.
 20/20 had a mice misprint on the back cover, " Originally released in 1964"

That would immediately double it's value … to a collector...

OOOOOHHHHHHHHH, I should have bought it then!!  ( but do  all copies have the misprint?  )

[mikeddonn]

My copy has the misprint too!

[The Shift]

My copy has the misprint too!

That news just halved the value of the other copy.

[Alan Smith]

My copy has the misprint too!

That news just halved the value of the other copy.

Mine too - that value is plummeting before our very eyes!

[Alan Smith]

Thanks Alan. Now how does it sound? Anything about it that makes it worth buying, given I already own a clean original pressing?

Finally had time to give this one a spin.

My opinion is it's a good job, BUT, the original pressing is better in both sound and visual departments.

Sound: This re-pressing sounds pleasing, but is brighter and lacking the lower low end of the original; thus while the synths still fart, they don't FAAARRRRTTTTTtttt-squelch like the original vinyl - the lower the end, the better the fart. This brightness indicates the mastering source is highly-likely digital (almost duh, but no-one's officially said yet that I've read) and sounds relatively similar to the '01 toof.

Visual: The artwork on this pressing is not as well presented as the vintage which has sharper b&w images on the inner sleeve and brighter colour seps on the front and back covers - the new presentations are softer and darker respectively.  Just guessing, maybe some of the graphic designer types know what to look for, but I wonder if the original artwork is long gone, and Capitol had to take images from a pressed copy - hence the softer washed out look?

So, kids, I would recommend you seek out a clean vintage pressing over this one.  But If you can't be fcuked finding an oldie, then this one should see you through; it's still a good pressing, and the vinyl is as thick and stiff as a old plate - unlike the vintage which could double as a wobble-board if required.  I'm not unhappy or distressed with the new, but think the surf city mother lode is the more satisfying.

Some pictures below for those interested (click on the thumbs for the bigger pics).  

BTW, I snuck over to The Hoff (board) and read these editions have been remastered in house at Capitol by an industry veteran called Ron McMaster ( , yes I bet he gets pointed out to him a lot).  I sent an email asking about the source files; surely they were happy to hear from me as they are yet to write back - cheers - A

(These shots compare the new (on the left) to the vintage (on the right), hopefully showing the vintage artwork (on the right) is brighter/sharper than the new (on the left).

                         

[The Shift]

Many thanks Alan. These releases aren't too shabby, it seems, but have not had the same treatment lavished upon them as The Beatles mono LPs which is, while a tad disappointing, not in the least surprising.

Out of interest, did anyone bother wih any of the recent years' Surfin' Safari vinyl pressings? Must be at least half a dozen licking around, with at least one more pending…

[micromoog]

Sound: ... This brightness indicates the mastering source is highly-likely digital (almost duh, but no-one's officially said yet that I've read) and sounds relatively similar to the '01 toof.

Honkin' Down the Highway is so different from any other version I've heard.  I'm halfway convinced that someone screwed up, like with the more cowbell version of Bluebirds Over the Mountain.

[rogerlancelot]

Sound: ... This brightness indicates the mastering source is highly-likely digital (almost duh, but no-one's officially said yet that I've read) and sounds relatively similar to the '01 toof.

Honkin' Down the Highway is so different from any other version I've heard.  I'm halfway convinced that someone screwed up, like with the more cowbell version of Bluebirds Over the Mountain.

Any more about this? Is this an alternate mix?

[Alan Smith]

Sound: ... This brightness indicates the mastering source is highly-likely digital (almost duh, but no-one's officially said yet that I've read) and sounds relatively similar to the '01 toof.

Honkin' Down the Highway is so different from any other version I've heard.  I'm halfway convinced that someone screwed up, like with the more cowbell version of Bluebirds Over the Mountain.

Any more about this? Is this an alternate mix?

I think it's the same mix, but it does sound a bit rough presentation wise - maybe an indication of tape wear, and maybe an indication these pressings are from analogue sources rather than wrongly assumed by me digital sources.