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Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary CD+DVD (Limited Edition Fuzzy Package)

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary CD+DVD (Limited Edition Fuzzy Package) Audio CD

A fair review of the The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary CD+DVD (Limited Edition Fuzzy Package)" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Beach Boys reviews here, or go back to the The Beach Boys tabs.

Band: The Beach Boys
Title: Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary CD+DVD (Limited Edition Fuzzy Package)
Rating:

Release Date: 2006-08-29
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Wouldn't It Be Nice (Mono) 2: You Still Believe In Me (Mono) 3: That's Not Me (Mono) 4: Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) (Mono) 5: I'm Waiting For The Day (Mono) 6: Let's Go Away For Awhile (Mono) 7: Sloop John B (Mono) 8: God Only Knows (Mono) 9: I Know There's An Answer (Mono) 10: Here Today (Mono) 11: I Just Wasn't Made For These Times (Mono) 12: Pet Sounds (Mono) 13: Caroline No (Mono) 14: Hang On To Your Ego (bonus track) 15: Wouldn't It Be Nice (Stereo Mix) 16: You Still Believe In Me (Stereo Mix) 17: That's Not Me (Stereo Mix) 18: Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) (Stereo Mix) 19: I'm Waiting For The Day (Stereo Mix) 20: Let's Go Away For Awhile (Stereo Mix) 21: Sloop John B (Stereo Mix) 22: God Only Knows (Stereo Mix) 23: I Know There's An Answer (Stereo Mix) 24: Here Today (Stereo Mix) 25: I Just Wasn't Made For These Times (Stereo Mix) 26: Pet Sounds (Stereo Mix) 27: Caroline No (Stereo Mix)

A fresh perspective, and the best MONO Pet Sounds so far!!!

- Audio CD: The stereo portion seems identical, but this is the best sounding mono Pet Sounds ever. This review is for the Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary CD + DVD. Here's why:

- Album in mono: This is a NEWLY remastered mono version from a superior quality master tape. There is almost no tape hiss audible in this new version, and also there is less tonal distortion. The vocals don't suffer from high-end distortion that plagued previous versions. Compared to my 2009 Audio Fidelity mono gold CD, my 1999 Capitol release, and the Pet Sounds Sessions mono CD, I can say that the 40th Anniversary Edition has the best, most truest sounding mono mix of Pet Sounds I've ever heard on CD. Finally, the album in mono is of the same high quality as the stereo mix.

Differences with the 40th Anniversary edition are that unlike the 1997 and 1999 versions, (a) the mono remaster comes from superior original master tapes (see Mark Linett's review) and (b) the entire CD was subsequently remastered in 24-bit format in 2000 using the HDCD process. Although all audio CDs are 16-bit, HDCDs have 20 bits of data encoded in the standard 16-bit audio signal, and thus have better sound quality. This mono/stereo disc is the only Pet Sounds CD I will be using from now on (I bought a few of them as backup copies), except for many songs on the Pet Sounds Box Set, and I will still be spinning my 180-gram vinyl audiophile Pet Sounds LP occasionally.

- DVD: This is another area where the 40th Anniversary edition really shines. There are two components to the DVD: the videos, and the audio.

- DVD Videos: There is "The Making of Pet Sounds" which is a new edit of the fun & informative 1997 promo video. This is followed by "Pet Stories," which includes some 4 decades worth of interviews from ALL of the Beach Boys as well as Tony Asher, Bruce Johnston, a handful of the session musicians and other music industry insiders who were there at the time. Next is "Rhythm of Life," a 1990's BBC-produced short video segment where Beatles' producer Sir George Martin goes to Brian Wilson's home and the two end up in the studio going through the master tape for "God Only Knows. " The video segment ends with the original 1966 promotional films for "Good Vibrations," "Sloop John B," and "Pet Sounds. " These original films are worth a watch. The "Good Vibrations" promo film is the only one in color, and is brings to mind the "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" 1966 recording sessions from the legendary "Smile" album when Brian brought out the red fire hats. The other two are more campy, black & white videos featuring Halloween masks, Mike drinking percolated coffee out of his boots, and The Beach Boy's playing an a pool.

- DVD Audio: This is the best part of the 40th Anniversary package. For the first time, listeners can hear Pet Sounds in either (a) High-resolution 96 kHz, 24-bit PCM stereo, or (b) Dolby Digital 5. 1 Surround Sound. The Hi-Res stereo sounds even better than the audio CD, especially when using good-quality headphones, but again there is not a monumental difference between the different stereo versions. The Dolby Digital 5. 1 Surround Sound version, however, really elevates Pet Sounds to the next level. In the technical notes, Mark Linett says of the 5. 1 mix:

"In placing the sounds in the mix, we have taken a very "wide" approach to the music, and attempted to surround the listener with sound. Note that the center speaker is barely used since the phantom center created by the left and right speakers is a much more accurate way to reproduce the desired imaging and reverb in the front channels. So don't be surprised that almost nothing is coming from the center speaker; it simply isn't needed. "

This is immediately noticeable, and as Linett says, the end result is true to the original sound while surrounding the listener with a wide-spectrum aural experience. Just as the stereo Pet Sounds was a revelation to those of us who grew up listening to the mono all those years, the 5. 1 mix brings out instrumentation and vocals that were even downed-out in the stereo mixes. The percussion is crisper and I can hear things I never noticed before, and yet when turning back to the stereo or even the mono version, sure enough those sounds are there too, just buried a little deeper. Because of the broad sound spectrum and sparse use of the center, it's best to turn the volume up a few notches when playing the 5. 1 Surround mix. Lyrics are provided on the TV screen, so it's a very pleasing opportunity to sing along with The Beach Boys!

- Pet Sounds booklet (liner notes): This release has newer, expanded liner notes, including more sections, added detail and even updating some of the information from the previous version. It's really nice to see the thorough notes on the remastering and remixing processes - this information is lacking and in some cases not even included with so many remastered albums today (Led Zeppelin's "Mothership," for example).

- Conclusion: Of course Brian Wilson did the original mix of Pet Sounds in mono, and that will always be the true reference, the benchmark, the final authority for how Pet Sounds was meant to be heard. Because the mono Pet Sounds on this CD is far superior, I have mothballed my 1999 CD, 2009 Audio Fidelity Gold CD, and the mono bonus disc from Pet Sounds Sessions and now strictly play the 40th Anniversary CD. The previous remastered mono versions were flat and compressed and suffered from excessive tape hiss and recurring distortion, but those problems have been remedied here, and the results are stunning. The quality of this mono version is finally comparable to the quality of the stereo remix.

Having a Dolby 5. 1 Surround Sound DVD audio mix is a rare but welcome option for classic albums such as Pet Sounds. The only other DVD 5. 1 mix that comes to mind it The Beatles' "Love," but that seems somewhat less significant because it is not one of their original albums. With this release the bar has been raised for future remasters and anniversary editions - hopefully technology such as Dolby 5. 1 and even 7. 1 Surround Sound (not to mention Blu-Ray and HD video) will continue to be employed for projects such as these.

Brian is a musical genius and it is thanks to him and Mark Linett that all of the versions of Pet Sounds sound as good as they do. We are lucky to have so many options for experiencing the original Pet Sounds (and don't forget Brian's live Pet Sounds DVD - the show rocks!). This 40th Anniversary edition is now out of print, so I recommend buying a copy (or two or three) if you can while they are still available. You won't be disappointed.

Pet Sounds, really good.

Although released previously in boxset form and as a DVD-A disc,this release combines the best of them in one stand alone set. Another release of the excellent Pet Sounds album by the Beach Boys. One disc with the entire album in both mono and stereo,the second disc has the entire album in 5. 1 surround sound and HI-RES 96kHz/24 bit PCM stereo as well as video footage from 1966,a 1997 edited making of and an edit of an interview with Brian Wilson from 2003. The packaging is great ,the front cover is embossed with the albums name and the booklet inside contains the lyrics of the songs on the album,technical notes on its recording back in 1966 and its digital remastering,the stereo remix and some photographs as well as the albums standing in modern music then and today.
This is a superb introduction to Pet Sounds at a good price for anyone with an interest in good music. .

Sounds INFERIOR to the 2001 HDCD version!!
It BLOWS AWAY the CD in this terrible reissue. Get the 2001 PET SOUNDS CD with HDCD logo on back. It is a shame people ASSUME this later re-release surpasses the 2001 CD , as it is like night and day. The CD in this package is a DISGRACE. Capitol Records should be ashamed putting out such a reduction in sound quality as an anniversary edition, when CLEARLY the 2001 CD in HDCD got it 'right'. Since Capitol is STILL selling the awful Beatles CDs mastered OVER 20 years ago, it is NO surprise this issue is abysmal. Just more 'product', the 2001 Pet Sounds CD is ASTONISHING by comparison.

Great Sounds
To hear "Pet Sounds" in full stereo is to hear it as it should have been released back in 1966.

A Real Treat! Especially the DVD!
As to the discs themselves if you already have a mono and a stereo version of the album then the cd will be nothing new for you. This version of "Pet Sounds" is a real treat for fans; the fuzzy green packaging is very sturdily built and is nice to the touch although it remains to be seen how well it will stand the elements over time. I have never been a fan of duplicating albums with both mono and stereo versions on one disc but for me as I only had a mono version prior to this version, I didn't mind getting this for the stereo version and especially for the DVD 5. 1 surround version. What I didn't like was that "Trombone Dixie" is missing and it was on the Dutch version of the stereo version that I used to have years ago.

The dvd has some promo videos and candid interviews with members of the band and especially of Brian Wilson but the sound quality of the DVD Dolby Surround is truly fantastic. You just end up hearing sounds that you didn't know were there when you were just listening to the cd. It's made me decide to forego the cds and to go straight for the DVD whenever I want to listen to the album. For this reason alone I'd say go get this version unless they end up just releasing the DVD in an mlps format the way they have just done with U2's "Rattle and Hum". If they do that in the future, I'd say go and get that if you already have the cd. Oh yeah, and they really should include "Trombone Dixie" in addition the "Hang On to Your Ego" that they included with the cd but not with the dvd as well as the other outtake sounds that were part of the bonus tracks that were released in the 1991 stereo version.

You can see a complete list of all The Beach Boys discography, or go back to the The Beach Boys tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.