Rating:
Genre: Rock
Release Date: 06/29/1993

A five-CD box set, containing a whopping 142 tracks and covering the group's entire career, that manages to feel like too much and not enough at the same time. True, all of the key hits and most of their finest album tracks are here. The group's decline after 1966 -- and very sharp decline after 1970 -- is inescapable, and even though most of the material here is from the 1960s, the fourth disc especially (spanning the early '70s to the late '80s) is very rough sailing indeed. It's true that about 50 of these tracks are previously unreleased, but be warned that many of them are demos, backing tracks, and alternate versions of well-known songs that aren't a great deal different from the officially released versions. Also, some of the unreleased "tracks" are radio spots. That's not to say that these rare items aren't interesting for the fan; they are. It's just that it's too overwhelming a package for the nonfanatic, and a rather expensive, spotty one for the devoted fan (who will undoubtedly already have at least half the contents). By far, the most interesting unreleased tracks date from the legendary Smile sessions (nearly an album's worth). Never actually completed, they aren't quite the masterpiece that some have claimed, but are extremely interesting, often beautiful excursions into psychedelic production and songwriting that often resemble sound paintings more than songs. Comes with a 60-page booklet by Beach Boy historian David Leaf.

~Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

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Glen Campbell - Guitar
The Beach Boys - Producer
Leon Russell - Piano
Brian Wilson - Producer
Frank Capp - Percussion
Barney Kessel - Guitar
Don Randi - Piano
Lou Blackburn - Horn
Jerry Cole - Guitar
Frank Marocco - Accordion
Lyle Ritz - Bass
Julius Wechter - Bass
Blondie Chaplin - Producer
Bruce Johnston - Producer
Mike Love - Producer
Terry Melcher - Producer
Carl Wilson - Producer
Carl Wilson - Mixing
Billy Strange - Guitar
Murry Wilson - Producer
Jim Gordon - Percussion
Ron Altbach - Producer
Hal Blaine - Drums
Bruce Botnick - Engineer
Chuck Britz - Engineer
Roy Caton - Horn
Al DeLory - Piano
Steve Desper - Engineer
Gene Estes - Percussion
Ricky Fataar - Producer
Carl Fortina - Accordion
James William Guercio - Producer
David Hassinger - Engineer
Jim Hilton - Engineer
Alan Jardine - Producer
Carol Kaye - Bass
Larry Levine - Engineer
Steve Levine - Producer
Mark Linett - Engineer
Mark Linett - Mastering
Mark Linett - Compilation Producer
Jim Lockhart - Engineer
Earle Mankey - Engineer
Scott Mathews - Drums
Scott Mathews - Vocals
Jay Migliori - Horn
Tommy Morgan - Harmonica
Tom Murphy - Engineer
Andy Paley - Compilation Producer
Jeff Peters - Engineer
Bill Pitman - Bass
Ray Pohlman - Bass
Sid Sharp - Strings
Sid Sharp - ?
Armin Steiner - Engineer
Tommy Tedesco - Guitar
Nick Venet - Producer
Dennis Wilson - Producer
Dennis Wilson - ?
Marilyn Wilson - Photography
Brad Benedict - Photo Research
Larry Walsh - Mastering
Wayne Watkins - Executive Producer
David Leaf - Liner Notes
David Leaf - Compilation Producer
Steve Moffit - Engineer
Dorinda Morgan - Producer
Hite Morgan - Producer
Tommy Steele - Art Direction
Andy Engel - Art Direction
Andy Engel - Design
Andy Engel - Illustrations
Michael Ochs - Photography
Ron Larson - Cover Design
Clark Duval - Executive Producer
Ron Slenzak - Photography
Tom Shannon - Photography
Steve Douglas - Horn
Craig Butler - Cover Design

Angel of the Morning
    Merrilee Rush & Chip Taylor / CD / 1968
All Time Greatest Hits
    The Grass Roots / CD / 1996
Just the Right Sound: The Association Anthology
    The Association / CD / 2002
SMiLE
    Brian Wilson / CD / 2004

Release Date: 06/29/1993
Genre: rock