... 7-inch, Vinyl record

An understated masterpiece from The Beach Boys – a record that's probably best known for its inclusion of some key tracks from the Smile sessions – but an album that stands pretty darn nicely on its own! The group are really maturing here – and the mix of Smile-era songs and some of their later ones is really great – a wonderful follow-up to material explored on Friends, and a great hint at the genius to come on Sunflower. The album's essential listening if you dig post-Pet Sounds Beach Boys – especially before they hit their mix of nostalgia and indulgence in the 70s – and titles include the sublime "Cabinessence", plus "Do It Again", "I Can Hear Music", "Be With Me", "All I Want To Do", "I Want To Sleep", and "The Nearest Faraway Place". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

An earlier classic from The Beach Boys – and easily one of their best records from the prime sun and surf era for the group – with rave up rockers and some sweet ballads! So much as been written about the foreboding behind-the-scenes circumstances in Beach Boys lore, even during these early years, it can steal away from the more innocent charms if you allow it to – but don't! This is all about soaring, groovy harmonies and impeccable production – on tunes that include "I Get Around", "All Summer Long", "Hushabye", "Little Honda", "Wendy", "Carl's Big Chance", "Girls On The Beach", "Drive-In", "Don't Back Down" and more. Includes the complete album in both the mono and stereo mixes. CD

... CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A fantastic collection of work from The Beach Boys – a set that features two of our favorite albums from the group, plus lots of unreleased rare material! Sure, we love Pet Sounds and Smile – but year after year, we keep on finding new musical magic in the records Sunflower and Surf's Up – both done at a time when the group were grappling with the realities of adult life, changing cultural modes, and their own sense of mortality, both as human beings and pop stars. There's a wonderfully collaborative feel to the music here – all the other group members bringing a lot to the table, not just Brian – and that sensibility is so different than the earlier years of the group, and even different than the Brian-led moments of the mid 60s. If you've not heard these records, you'll be stunned – and if you love them as much as us, you'll love to hear all the bonus material included within! 4LP set features newly remastered versions of the albums Sunflower and Surf's Up – plus almost 40 bonus tracks that include "Loop De Loop (1969 mix)", "Susie Cincinnati (2019 mix)", "Two Can Play (2019 mix)", "I Just Got My Pay (2019 mix)", "Where Is She (2019 mix)", "This Whole World (alt ending)", "When Girls Get Together (2019 mix)", "Back Home (alt version)", "Add Some Music To Your Day (alt version)", "Good Time (2019 mix)", "It's A New Day", "Disney Girls (live 1982)", "Surf's Up (live 1973)", "Disney Girls (backing vocals excerpt)", "You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone (track & backing vocals)", "All Of My Love/Ecology", "Sweet & Bitter", "My Solution", "Awake", "Behold The Night", "Live Again (extended 2019", "4th Of July (2019 mix)", and "Lady (1970 stereo mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a heck of a lot over the years! Brian Wilson busted his ass making this little gem – and the rest of the world, and the band, were never the same again – awash in harmonies that most other groups tried to match, set to themes of young loss, longing, and frustration that really mark an emotional development – not just in the Beach Boys, but in pop music in general. And although some of the tracks are ones you've heard a million times on oldies stations, they somehow resonate together much more strongly here – taking on new meaning as the smaller elements of each song come into constellation with each other – creating a complicated tapestry of feelings set to near-godlike orchestrations. Titles include "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", "Pet Sounds", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "You Still Believe In Me". Includes mono and stereo mixes of the whole album! CD

The slimmed-down, single LP effort that Capitol issued after the collapse of the legendary Smile album – and a pretty sublime set nonetheless! Sure, some might argue that you can't enjoy Brian Wilson's genius until you've listened to 20 bootlegs of the sessions with dozens of takes on the tunes – but honestly, this slim little set is more than enough to prove to us that the man's a genius – and it's filled with really wonderful tunes that still stand as some of the most incredible moments in 60s pop! Production is amazing, vocals are wonderful, and the quick changes of theme and setting really keep things interesting – all without making us feel like we're getting hit over the head with some cheap gimmicks. Titles include "Vegetables", "Heroes & Villains", "Fall", "Little Pad", "With Me Tonight", and "Wind Chimes". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff! Smiley Smile is the issued version of Smile, a classic – and even though some may gripe that it's missing the 50% extra material that was supposed to be on the Smile set, it's still utterly fantastic! Titles include "Vegetables", "Heroes & Villains", "Fall", "Little Pad", "With Me Tonight", and "Wind Chimes". Wild Honey is a great lost album, too – one that has the Beach Boys going back to more stripped-down sounds, but still staying kind of odd and eerie, on tracks like "Let The Wind Blow", "I'd Love Just Once To See You", "Country Air", "Aren't You Glad", and "Here Comes The Night". CD also features 6 bonus tracks, including alternate takes from the Smile sessions! CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A record with "surf" in the title, but one that's light years from the earlier Beach Boys albums of the 60s! This set is a wonderfully mature effort – hardly surf music at all, and one that moves nicely in the same territory as Sunflower and 20/20! Some of the tunes are wonderfully gentle and heartfelt, and others try for some new subject matter for the group – sometimes missing the mark a bit, but still holding our interest strongly in the way they try. Genius work include "Disney Girls" and "Til I Die" – both instant classics – and other titles include "Don't Go Near The Water", "Long Promised Road", "A Day In The Life Of A Tree", and "Surf's Up". Includes the complete album in both the mono and stereo mixes. CD

2 early albums from The Beach Boys, plus 3 bonus tracks, making for a great 27 track set that features some wonderful gems! Our favorite is "The Lonely Sea", an incredible number filled with sadness and longing, set to a sophisticated mellow harmony sound that points the way towards Pet Sounds. Other nice ones include "Land Ahoy", "Cindy, Oh Cindy", "The Shift", "Chug A Lug", and "Heads You Win, Tails I Lose". Also includes "Surfin Safari", "County Fair", "409", "Surfin USA", "Miserlou", "Shut Down", and "Let's Go Trippin". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A pre-Pet Sounds moment of genius from The Beach Boys – a record with some surprisingly wonderful songs tucked in amongst more familiar rockers! There's a growing brilliance here that's clearly evident in Brian Wilson's production, the tunes tender themes, and the complicated harmonics used to carry the whole thing off – a mixture of sadness, lust, and frustration that shows up beautifully on tunes like "Please Let Me Wonder", "She Knows Me Too Well", "In The Back Of My Mind", "Good To My Baby", and "Don't Hurt My Sister". And sure, the album does include the clunky "Bull Session With Big Daddy" – but that's offset by hits like "Dance Dance Dance", "Help Me, Ronda", and "Do You Wanna Dance". Includes the complete album in both mono and stereo mixes. CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Chicago's second album – not as familiar as the first, and with some really great moments! The group is working here in the same extended-length format as on their debut, going for some more complicated tunes spread across the album's double length – jazzy riffing still firmly in place, and going for some vocal moments that almost have a nice Brother-era Beach Boys sound to them. Includes the great "Make Me Smile", plus the cuts "Poem For The People", "In The Country", "Wake Up Sunshine", "25 Or 6 To 4", "To Be Free", "Fancy Colours", "West Virginia Fantasies", "Where Do We Go From Here", and "Memories Of Love". More grooves than you might remember, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Chicago's second album – not as familiar as the first, and with some really great moments! The group is working here in the same extended-length format as on their debut, going for some more complicated tunes spread across the album's double length – jazzy riffing still firmly in place, and going for some vocal moments that almost have a nice Brother-era Beach Boys sound to them. Includes the great "Make Me Smile", plus the cuts "Poem For The People", "In The Country", "Wake Up Sunshine", "25 Or 6 To 4", "To Be Free", "Fancy Colours", "West Virginia Fantasies", "Where Do We Go From Here", and "Memories Of Love". More grooves than you might remember, too! CD

Groovy vocal group material from this legendary combo that went onto change the style of harmony vocals for the next 50 years! The group's led by Gene Puerling, who later went onto form the Singers Unlimited for MPS, and the orchestrations are by Frank Comstock – in a line with The Four Freshmen, Beach Boys, and Tamba Trio! LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool look at albums that never happened – planned projects that were almost produced, but which fell apart at some point in the creative process – leading to a surprisingly large legacy of lost albums by some of rock music's biggest stars! Sure, everyone knows a few of these – like The Beach Boys' Smile – but this book opens the door to lots lots more – including projects by The Kinks, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Buffalo Springfield, Madonna, The Sex Pistols, Beastie Boys, and many more. Best of all, the book presents the albums almost as if they actually existed – in short sections within larger chapters that each feature an imagined cover, projected release dates, and a short section that tells the story of the record – which often features a "what happened next" sidebar to show where the creative process landed. The great presentation really helps illuminate the material – and the book is 256 pages, in color throughout. Book

Drag strip rockers to more vocals based surf and otherwise pop numbers by The Rip Chords – 2 early 60s albums back-to-back! Hey Little Cobra has a wealth of numbers, with the vocals kind of floating over the arrangements and a surreal way – be they duo harmonies or more layered Beach Boys & 4 Seasons style – with seedy & pulpy rockers and sweeter numbers. Includes "Hey Little Cobra","409", Shut Down", "Drag City" and many more. Three Window Couple is full of chugging little drag strip and beach combing pulp rock. "Titles include "Three Window Coupe", "Bonneville Bonnie", "Beach Girl", "Surf City", "Wah-Wahini", "Red Hot Roadseter, "Summer USA", "One Piece Topless Bathing Suit" and more. 30 tracks in all! CD

A fantastic collection of work from The Shangri-Las – one that goes way past the hits to include some great obscure tracks, and even some rare radio commercials too! If you don't know them, The Shangri-Las are maybe the undisputed queens of the girl group sound of the 60s – able to blend heartbreak and pride, fragility and power – all while set to some stunning productions that only seemed to amplify the core energy even further! These guys are one of the few groups who could really get past the sweetness, and touch on the pain and trouble that kids were really feeling – maybe at that level, like The Beach Boys right around Pet Sounds – and although you'll know a few of their hits, you'll find yourself marveling at the range of work that's presented here. CD features 32 tracks in all – some in true stereo – and titles include "Long Live Our Love", "Bull Dog", "Simon Speaks", "The Boy", "Out In The Streets", "What Is Love", "Give Us Your Blessings", "Heaven Only Knows", "Right Now & Not Later", "The Train From Kansas City", "I'm Blue", "Paradise", "Past Present & Future", and lots lots more! CD

Gary Usher's Super Stocks go full bore into surf pop on Surf Route 101 – the excellent results of a Beach Boys knock off as created by a studio genius on par with Usher and his excellent team of players! The Super Stocks, as many other Gary Usher projects, are much more adventurous in their sailing of the 60s pulp waves than most contemporaries – and these buzzing little period gems are a prime example! Tracks include "Surf Route 101", "Muscle Beach Party", "Ventura", "Santa Barbara", "Surfin' Scene", "Balboa Island", "Oceanside", "My First Love", "Midnight Run", "Malibu Blues", "Newport Beach" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Wire magazine's always filled with plenty of ways to open up our ears and minds – and this time around, the issue features a great article on machine learning and music, a look at the underground scene in Prague, the work of Grouper, UK keyboardist Pat Thomas, and lots more too! There's the usual huge section of reviews – with special strands on Space Afrika, The Beach Boys, and Michael Mantler – and a look at books and films as well as music – and there's even a cool feature on the revolutionary instrumentation of Nicolas Collins! Plenty more too – including DJ Bus Replacement Service and Surgeon on the Invisible Jukebox. Magazine

Music from the Kingsmen, the Coasters, Gene Chandler, the Champs, the Beach Boys, the Dells, Tommy Roe, Jerry Butler, the Shirelles, Lee Dorsey, the Crests, DJ Thomas, Tommy Tucker, Gene Pitney, and more – 28 cuts in all. CD

Music from the McCoys, the Byrds, the Beach Boys, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, the Righteous Brothers, Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs, Len Berry, Roy Head, and Barry McGuire. CD

Music from The Monkees, the Lovin' Spoonful, the Troggs, Tommy James and the Shondells, the Supremes, the Righteous Brothers, the Mamas and the Papas, the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, and the Four Tops. CD

Sunshine Pop from the top of the charts – a great look at some of the best-remembered tunes from this sweet 60s genre! Lots of other Sunshine Pop collections focus on the obscurities of the scene – but honestly, some of the hits really represent the best work of the groups included – the kind of sublime studio magic that few others could match back in the day – catchy pop, but with a darker psych undercurrent – all wrapped up with wonderful vocals and some really groovy instrumentation! There's plenty here you'll recognize – the kind of cuts that always make you sit up and take notice on an oldies radio show, but which you can never remember the artist. Titles include "Younger Girl" by The Critters, "It's Getting Better" by Mama Cass, "I Could Be So Good To You" by Don & The Goodtimers, "She Lets Her Hair Down" by The Tokens, "A Girl Like You" by The Young Rascals, "Darlin" by The Beach Boys, "If You Don't Want My Love" by Robert John, "Morning Girl" by The Neon Philharmonic, "Back On The Street Again" by The Sunshine Company, "Anything Goes" by Harpers Bizarre, "Love" by Mercy, "The Rain The Park & Other Things" by The Cowsills, "The River Is Wide" by The Forum, and "Look At Me Girl" by Bobby Vee & The Strangers. 26 tracks in all – with a great set of notes! CD

Music from the Beach Boys, the Rivieras, the Lovin' Spoonful, the Surfaris, Billy Stewart, the Beach Boys, Mungo Jerry, Robin Ward, and Chad & Jeremy. CD

Think what you want about Captain & Tennille – the set's a monumental bit of 70s pop, and one that found a way to push the 60s hipness of A&M Records to the next level! The set's got a mainstream polish, but it's the summation of all sorts of cool elements that had been bubbling under on the LA scene – not the least of which is the career of The Captain, aka Daryl Dragon – a guy with great experience in the studio, and a strong ear for a keyboard line too! The group tip their hat strongly to the Beach Boys – with a great reading of "Disney Girls", and a take of "God Only Knows" that's pretty darn nice too – next to the global hit "Love Will Keep Us Together", and other tunes that include "I Write The Songs", "Gentle Stranger", "Honey Come Love Me", and "The Good Songs". CD

A beautiful collection of Gary's groovy recordings for the Skye label, issued in this posthumous package that features some nice words about the man after his untimely death. The material here shows Gary's late fascination with Beach Boys/Beatles-type production, and it adds in a fair bit more vocal tracks than usual, all of them groovy! Includes the cuts "Flea Market", "God Only Knows", "Because", "Slaves", "Shadows Are Falling", and "80 Miles An Hour Through Beer Can Country". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure soft rock magic from Chris Rainbow – an under-recognized 70s genius, and an artist we'd rank right up there with some of the best AOR talents of the time! There's a warmly compressed feel to the whole record – a smooth, slinky groove that echoes the accomplishments of the Steely Dan generation, but which also retains just a bit of 60s sunniness in the lyrics of the tunes – especially in the way that Rainbow often uses multi-tracking to harmonize with himself, almost in ways that remind us of the Beach Boys' approach during the era – but much better. Titles include the great Brian Wilson tribute "Dear Brian", plus "Allnight", "You & I", "Gimme Just A Little Beat Of Your Heart", "Show Us The Sun", "Solid State Brain", "Dansette", and "Give Me What I Cry For". CD

The sounds of summer in the years before the Beach Boys and surf music – songs that proclaim the glory of the warmest months of the year, but in raunchy styles from the early years of rock and roll! Artists run the gamut from rockabilly singers, to R&B groups, to some surprisingly strong contributions from more pop-oriented acts – and as with other Bear Family packages of this nature, the whole thing is plenty playful – put together with a good deal of wit in the song choices and presentation! Titles include "Sunday Barbecue" by Tennessee Ernie Ford, "The Sun Is Shining" by Elmore James, "Banana Split For My Baby" by Louis Prima, "Summer's Coming (demo)" by Ronnie Dawson, "Strollin On The Beach" by The Hollywood Flames, "Beach Time" by Roger Smith, "Suntan Tattoo" by The Valiants & Sandy Vale, "Summertime Love" by Roy Head & The Traits, "Beach Comber" by Jo Ann Campbell, "Night Theme' by The Mark II, "Moonlight Swim" by Nick Noble, "26 Miles" by The Four Preps, "Sunglasses After Dark" by Dwight Whitey Pullen, "Summertime Rock" by Rodney & The Blazers, and "The Big Beach Party" by The Jades with Pacer's Music. CD

Features performances by Joan Baez, Linda Ronstadt, Country Joe McDonald, Kris Kristofferson, Merry Clayton, and the Beach Boys. CD

A dozen songs from the Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, the Duals, the Gants, Bert Convy, Robert Mitchum, Jimmy Dolan, and the Cheers. CD

Fantastic dreamy pop from one of the greatest harmony groups of the 60s – a set that really has The Association hitting their stride, and finding a way to really let their vocals soar! The sound here really sets the group apart from some of the more old-school harmony acts of the decade – and the shift is almost like that in the Beach Boys at mid 60s, the way that things got more complicated and sophisticated, but more powerful too – even when the tunes have some really sing-song charms that made them hits! Production is by Bones Howe, who really gets the sound right – and the album features the giant hits "Windy" and "Never My Love" – plus "Happiness Is", "On A Quiet Night", "We Love Us", "Reputation", and "Requiem For The Masses". This great expanded mono edition has 11 bonus tracks – including "Autumn Afternoon", "Windy (Mono 45)", "Requiem For The Masses (Mono 45)", "Sometime (Instrumental)", "We Love Us (Instrumental)" and more. CD

A wonderful collection of work from Swan Records – the legendary Philly indie who was one of the city's first great sources of rock, pop, and soul – presented here in a special focus on female artists who recorded for the label! The package has some very well-chosen cuts – as a number of these were issued only as promo singles, which makes the whole thing essential even if you've got other Swan work in your collection – and even better as an introduction to girl singers and groups who were first beginning to forge the Philly sound! Titles include "Ladies Choice" by Patty Saturday, "Laughin" by Ginger Davis & The Snaps, "My Special Boy" by Kathy Lynn & The Playboys, "I'd Rather Fight Than Switch" by The Tomboys, "Where Is Johnny Now" by The Sapphires, "Nothin Much Tom Cat" by Ruth & Sherry, "He's Mine" by The Swans, "Hang It Up" by Joy Dawn, "Gonna Find The Right Boy" by Audrey Slo, "When He Comes Along" by The McKinleys, and the unissued cut "Bongos On The Beach" by The Three Degrees. CD

A wonderful collection of work from Swan Records – the legendary Philly indie who was one of the city's first great sources of rock, pop, and soul – presented here in a special focus on female artists who recorded for the label! The package has some very well-chosen cuts – as a number of these were issued only as promo singles, which makes the whole thing essential even if you've got other Swan work in your collection – and even better as an introduction to girl singers and groups who were first beginning to forge the Philly sound! Titles include "Ladies Choice" by Patty Saturday, "Laughin" by Ginger Davis & The Snaps, "My Special Boy" by Kathy Lynn & The Playboys, "I'd Rather Fight Than Switch" by The Tomboys, "Where Is Johnny Now" by The Sapphires, "Nothin Much Tom Cat" by Ruth & Sherry, "He's Mine" by The Swans, "Hang It Up" by Joy Dawn, "Gonna Find The Right Boy" by Audrey Slo, "When He Comes Along" by The McKinleys, and the unissued cut "Bongos On The Beach" by The Three Degrees. LP, Vinyl record album