By Steve Marinucci
Published Sunday, May 20, 1990
CAPITOL Records has kicked off a highly anticipated series of Beach Boys compact disc-only reissues with three discs, including the first release on CD of the group's superb 1966 "Pet Sounds" album.
''Pet Sounds" was the first attempt by Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys' guiding light, to get the group away from the surf- and-drag songs that had been a trademark (and a successful one) of previous records.
Wilson combined some personal lyrics and intricate production techniques to create one of the most beautiful albums ever made. Although the album spawned three singles, including the Top 10 hits "Sloop John B" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice," sales were lower than expected. Wilson was hurt by the public's apparent rejection, but the album has stood the test of time.
The reissue is in mono, the way Wilson mixed it. (The stereo record releases were not true stereo but electronically rechanneled, making the music sound as if it were recorded in an echo chamber.) Unlike some past Beach Boys CDs, these discs were made using original three- and four-track master tapes, digitally re-mastered. The sound is excellent.
Another attraction of the series is the rare and previously unreleased tracks on each disc. One, "Hang on to Your Ego" later became "I Know There's an Answer" after the group objected to Wilson's original lyrics. Also included is an instrumental, "Trombone Dixie," and a short segment of Wilson rehearsing the group in some breathtaking harmony.
Accompanying this disc and the others in the series is a 24- page booklet featuring track-by-track annotation; historical notes by David Leaf, author of "The Beach Boys and the California Myth"; and comments from Wilson himself.
The other two discs just released, like the rest of the series, combine two albums on one CD. One combines "Surfin' Safari" and "Surfin' USA," the other "Surfer Girl" and "Shut Down, Volume 2." Sound, again, is superb, with the tracks from all but "Surfin' Safari" in stereo.
The discs also come with extensive booklets and bonus tracks, which include the German version of "In My Room" and an unreleased track called "I Do" on the "Surfer Girl" disc and "Cindy, Oh Cindy," "The Baker Man" and "Land Ahoy" on the "Surfin' Safari" set.
The series will continue with "Little Deuce Coupe"/"All Summer Long," "Today"/"Summer Days and Summer Nights" and "Concert"/"Live in London" in June and "Smiley Smile"/ Wild Honey," "Friends"/"20/20" and "Party"/"Stack O'Tracks" in July. (The latter is an album of Beach Boys backing tracks, a long-out-of-print collector's item.) All discs will retail for around $11.98, a Capitol spokesman said.
Cary Baker, Capital's national publicity director, said that though the series has been beset by hang-ups, the remaining CDs will be released on time. And though he wouldn't confirm that a disc made up only of rare and unreleased tracks was forthcoming, he wouldn't rule out the possibility. (box)
