"Wouldn't It be Nice" alternate mix

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Thu May 26, 2005 12:53 am

It isn't at all subtle. I can't believe Brian couldn't hear that.

Andreas · Postby **Andreas** » Thu May 26, 2005 4:06 am

There are many mistakes on the Pet Sounds mono mix....the clicks in Let's Go Away For Awhile...the talking in Here Today...I don't mind them.

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Tue May 31, 2005 4:57 pm

BTW, potentially stupid question, but:

Why DOES the Pet Sounds master tape sound so freakin' awful?

Seriously. I just re-listened to the DCC disc. Distortion everywhere. "Here Today" sounds wretched, as do some of the other tracks.

OK, great, wonderful, the tape is old, yadda yadda yadda. Thing is, none of the other Beach Boys albums have these problems! Moreover, none of the mono alternate mixes from the PS boxed set seem to have these problems.

Did Brian just choose to dub down onto some cheezoid tape stock or something?

-D

Postby **lukpac** » Tue May 31, 2005 5:02 pm

I always thought a *lot* of those mono mixes sounded like crap, not just Pet Sounds.

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Tue May 31, 2005 6:00 pm

I suppose. "Wild Honey" and "Smiley Smile" don't have nearly the extent of the problems that plague PS, though.

Dob · Postby **Dob** » Tue May 31, 2005 6:39 pm

Xenu wrote:Why DOES the Pet Sounds master tape sound so freakin' awful?

When I listen to that album I get the impression that the mono mix was overworked. It sounds like all the life has been squeezed out of it...similar to how fresh and lively some of the "quickie" Beatles stereo mixes sound in comparison to the "slaved over" mono mixes.

I prefer the stereo mix for many of the Pet Sounds tracks, simply because they sound better.

Chris M · Postby **Chris M** » Tue May 31, 2005 6:46 pm

I like both mixes but I usually find myself reaching for the stereo remix. Having said that what is the deal with all the reverb on the intro vocals to Here Today on the stereo mix? That really bugs me....

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Tue May 31, 2005 7:49 pm

Mark's a big fan of reverb, I guess. Most of his new stereo remixes have a *big* quality to them that's lacking on the session tapes.

Chris M · Postby **Chris M** » Tue May 31, 2005 8:03 pm

Xenu wrote:Mark's a big fan of reverb, I guess. Most of his new stereo remixes have a *big* quality to them that's lacking on the session tapes.

Yeah, he certainly likes his mixes a little wet. This doesn't really bother me but Here Today ("it starts with just a little chance now....") is an absurd amount of reverb. Reverb aside I like the placement of the instruments in the stereo mix. It's MUCH better than Mark's later BB's stereo mixes (Dance, Dance, Dance and Heroes on Hawthorne, Shut Down on SOS, etc)

Postby **lukpac** » Tue May 31, 2005 11:02 pm

I still say Hawthorne was a fairly wasted effort, both in terms of mixes (as mentioned above) and mastering (thin yet lacking on top).

Refresh my memory - was it Andrew Sandoval that did the California Girls remix on the first (and second) Endless Harmony? I liked that one.

Xenu · Postby **Xenu** » Tue May 31, 2005 11:56 pm

I think some of the 'verb on Here Today might actually be the original tape echo?

Chris M · Postby **Chris M** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:17 am

lukpac wrote:I still say Hawthorne was a fairly wasted effort, both in terms of mixes (as mentioned above) and mastering (thin yet lacking on top).

Beach Boy vault guy Alan Boyd talked about Hawthorne on the Smile Shop board awhile back. My details are a little fuzzy but IIRC at the 11th hour the reissue team was told it had to be a 2CD set, hence all of the bullshit interview clips, etc. Also, they found some interesting unbooted Smile bits they weren't allowed to use. While many of the stereo remixes suck and the interview/ spoken word stuff is tedious at best there are a few worthwhile tracks on Hawthorne.

- The early version of Time to Get Alone is breathtaking
- The Wild Honey outtake Lonely Days is a nice little tune
- Dennis' A Time to Live in Dreams is quality stuff
- The acapella I Went to Sleep and the Be With Me backing track are pretty interesting
- The acapella Forever is gorgeous
- I LOVE the GV stereo sections
- the short vocals only With Me Tonight is a Smile era version they sorta snuck on there...
- I like the Let the Wind Blow remix though many hate it.....

Chris M · Postby **Chris M** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:18 am

Xenu wrote:I think some of the 'verb on Here Today might actually be the original tape echo?

I guess it could be. I may of been be wrong about that one....

Andreas · Postby **Andreas** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 2:33 am

Chris M wrote:Beach Boy vault guy Alan Boyd talked about Hawthorne on the Smile Shop board awhile back. My details are a little fuzzy but IIRC at the 11th hour the reissue team was told it had to be a 2CD set, hence all of the bullshit interview clips, etc.

If I remember correctly, the original concpet of Hawthorne, CA was an album solely comprised of interviews, radio spots and demos. It was meant to tell the "story" of the Beach Boys on the basis of those clips.

The idea of including stereo, a-capella and instrumental remixes was an afterthought.

- The early version of Time to Get Alone is breathtaking

Absolutely! It betters the released mix and the Redwood version in every respect. Sorry, Mr. "deep-and-wide-effect" Desper (who mixed the 20/20 version)...

- The Wild Honey outtake Lonely Days is a nice little tune

That one sounds very promising, but too short. I still hope for a more complete version to appear somewhere.

- Dennis' A Time to Live in Dreams is quality stuff

Agreed. Better than "Be Still".

- The acapella I Went to Sleep and the Be With Me backing track are pretty interesting

But nothing is revealed that couldn't be heard on the standard versions....so I'd say, inessential.

- The acapella Forever is gorgeous

Absolutely. Fantastic.

- I LOVE the GV stereo sections

There are much more stereo sections found on SOT 15.

- the short vocals only With Me Tonight is a Smile era version they sorta snuck on there...

The liner notes mention a later date...is the SMiLE (May 1966 - May 1967) era date confirmed? it reminds me a lot of the Smiley Smile Vegetables.

- I like the Let the Wind Blow remix though many hate it.....

I am in the "hate it" corner...sorry.

I want to add the a-capella mix of "Kiss Me Baby"...great stuff!

Andreas · Postby **Andreas** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:37 am

lukpac wrote:Refresh my memory - was it Andrew Sandoval that did the California Girls remix on the first (and second) Endless Harmony? I liked that one.

Andrew Sandoval is not credited with the remixes of Kiss Me Baby and California Girls on the first (and second) Endless Harmony CD, but I also seem to remember that it was him. I know that Mark Linett did the two re-remixes on the third Endless Harmony CD. This makes sense in light of his total disrespect of Andrew's work.