They’re charging $179 for a 5LP/1EP set which pales – artistically – in comparison to its predecessor (“Feel Flows”)? To quote a classic SNL sketch from the 90s, “Who are the ad wizards who came up with this one?”
“Feel Flows” covers what I think is the group’s post-“Pet Sounds” high point; “Sail On Sailor” is its vapor trail. Even though there’s an extra slab-and-a-half of vinyl, I can’t see paying more than $100 – which is what the Beach Boys are charging for the colored vinyl edition of FF.
Only about half the tracks on “Carl & the Passions” and three-quarters of “Holland” really work for me; the EP is decent but unspectacular. I like these albums, but the lack of outtakes is very telling: they were running on fumes! Admittedly, the Wilson brothers’ fumes are light years ahead of anything I’ll ever accomplish, but in the scheme of Beach Boys boxed sets, this one is overpriced in relation to the artistic merit within.
I do like that they’re including the Carnegie Hall concert, but why not just remaster/repress 1973’s “Beach Boys In Concert”? That’s always seemed to be the demarcation point between “The Beach Boys” and what I call “Mike Love’s Travelling Beach Boys Jukebox.” It would be three years before “15 Big Ones” (and then “Love You”) showed one last spark of artistic relevance. I have to think that if these archival sets continue, those two will be the last ones to get a physical release.
Anyhow, back to the Carnegie Hall show: the 1973 live double album covers the same tour, but doesn’t include anything from the Carnegie Hall show itself. I’m curious how the two releases will compare.
However, instead of marginally interesting but very expensive boxes like this one, when will they reissue 1993’s “Good Vibrations” box on vinyl? I’m guessing never, but it’s probably my favorite BB compilation. At least it’s available on CD, because there are plenty of other releases that haven’t had a physical release of any kind: "The Big Beat 1963," "Keep an Eye on Summer – The Beach Boys Sessions 1964," "Beach Boys' Party! Uncovered and Unplugged," "1967 – Sunshine Tomorrow," "Wake the World: The Friends Sessions," and "I Can Hear Music: The 20/20 Sessions" cover pretty much the entire Capitol era… except for “Pet Sounds” and “Smile.”
There have been TWO deluxe “Pet Sounds” boxes – in 1997 and 2016 – with heavy overlap, but neither one ever made it to vinyl; they’re CD-only. UMe seemingly churns out another stereo vinyl “Pet Sounds” every year – but they can’t be bothered to cobble together these two amazing boxes onto black wax? Or, reissue 2011’s “The Smile Sessions”? Very strange. I would love to see any of those before I fork over $179 for “Sail On Sailor,” though I may be a bit jaundiced since my vinyl copies of “Holland” and “Carl” are perfectly fine. I don’t think either one needs a remix, either, so a remaster should suffice. (If FF is any guide, the remastered “Sunflower” tracks sounded phenomenal). I’ll probably catch this one on streaming.
By the way, if you’re wondering WHY so many of the recent archival sets have been digital-only: supposedly, Ume didn't want to draw attention away from "The Beach Boys with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra." Just the fact that such a thing exists is a joke.
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