Beach Boys' Party!/Stack-O-Tracks [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Party! and Stack-o-Tracks are two of the most unusual conceptions of the Beach Boys' Capitol era. After scoring two hit albums and the smash singles "Help Me Rhonda" and "California Girls" in '65, the Beach Boys' label seemed insatiable. So, literally on the brink of recording Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson and company retreated into a studio for a few nights with little more than some acoustic guitars, a couple bongos, and their spectacular voices. Perhaps taking its cue from Trini Lopez's "If I Had a Hammer" and the early "live" recordings of Johnny Rivers, Party! presented what seemed a spontaneous performance of a few band chestnuts, three cuts by archrivals the Beatles, some telling oldies, and even Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin,'" even if the "party" was actually a track of laughter and small talk dubbed in later. Ironically, the album also produced one of the band's last big chart hits, their lively cover of the Regents' "Barbara Ann."

The Beach Boys' plummeting post-Pet Sounds fortunes again inspired Capitol to try and cash in on the band's feel-good hits, releasing Stack-o-Tracks, what was effectively an interactive album: the instrumental tracks of several key hits and album cuts were presented sans vocals (and originally packaged with music, chord charts, and lyrics), allowing fans to sing along. Unfortunately, few in the turbulent summer of '68 were interested in harmonizing to "Catch a Wave" and the album failed to chart. But to hardcore fans it remains a rare window into Brian's remarkable prowess in the studio. This digitally remastered edition features three great new backing track bonus cuts: "Help Me, Rhonda," the still spectacular "California Girls," and "Our Car Club." This long out-of-print twofer package also includes notes from Brian on both albums, as well as the insightful analysis of Beach Boys and the California Myth author David Leaf. --Jerry McCulley

Tracks:

Hully Gully
I Should Have Known Better
Tell Me Why
Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow
Mountain Of Love
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
Devoted To You
Alley Oop
There's No Other (Like My Baby)
Medley: I Get Around/Little Deuce Coup
The Times They Are A-Changin'
Barbara Ann
Darlin'
Salt Lake City
Sloop John B
In My Room
Catch A Wave
Wild Honey
Little Saint Nick
Do It Again
Wouldn't It Be Nice
God Only Knows
Surfer Girl
Little Honda
Here Today
You're So Good To Me
Let Him Run Wild
Help Me Rhonda
California Girls
Our Car Club

Amazon.com

Party! and Stack-o-Tracks are two of the most unusual conceptions of the Beach Boys' Capitol era. After scoring two hit albums and the smash singles "Help Me Rhonda" and "California Girls" in '65, the Beach Boys' label seemed insatiable. So, literally on the brink of recording Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson and company retreated into a studio for a few nights with little more than some acoustic guitars, a couple bongos, and their spectacular voices. Perhaps taking its cue from Trini Lopez's "If I Had a Hammer" and the early "live" recordings of Johnny Rivers, Party! presented what seemed a spontaneous performance of a few band chestnuts, three cuts by archrivals the Beatles, some telling oldies, and even Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin,'" even if the "party" was actually a track of laughter and small talk dubbed in later. Ironically, the album also produced one of the band's last big chart hits, their lively cover of the Regents' "Barbara Ann."

The Beach Boys' plummeting post-Pet Sounds fortunes again inspired Capitol to try and cash in on the band's feel-good hits, releasing Stack-o-Tracks, what was effectively an interactive album: the instrumental tracks of several key hits and album cuts were presented sans vocals (and originally packaged with music, chord charts, and lyrics), allowing fans to sing along. Unfortunately, few in the turbulent summer of '68 were interested in harmonizing to "Catch a Wave" and the album failed to chart. But to hardcore fans it remains a rare window into Brian's remarkable prowess in the studio. This digitally remastered edition features three great new backing track bonus cuts: "Help Me, Rhonda," the still spectacular "California Girls," and "Our Car Club." This long out-of-print twofer package also includes notes from Brian on both albums, as well as the insightful analysis of Beach Boys and the California Myth author David Leaf. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

There ain't no party like a Beach Boys Party!.......2007-05-09

Cuz a Beach Boys Party don't stop!

You know what I can't stand. This whole all proper roads lead to Pet Sounds hogwash that's become gospel to music geeks and critics. This is an artistic step back, huh? I mean, it's just the Beach Boys playing really catchy songs, sounding great and showing off their pure musical gifts with limited studio trickery. Listen: Pet Sounds is a masterwork, but it's not the only game in Beach Boy Town. They were a rich and eclectic musical force. They had many sides. Brian Wilson had many sides as a composer, producer and performer. If you read his liner notes rather than the Pet Sounds obsessed music critic's, you'll see that Brian has a lot of love for this album and he had a blast recording it with the boys. Heck, just listen to the album itself and that's what you'll hear: One of the best pop acts in history having a great time in the studio. Does it matter anymore that it wasn't a real party than the fact that the Beatles weren't really Sgt Pepper's band? Think of Beach Boys Party as a concept album if that floats your pretentious boat. And whatever happen to rock & roll love? This is even more of a pure rock & roll album than the great Wild Honey. Really. Beach Boys Party is one of their best albums. And it's not an artistic retreat. Nor was Summer Days (and Summer Nights) which actually demonstrated the full RANGE of Brian Wilson's genius far more than Today or Pet Sounds did. The Beach Boys had the sadness, but they also had the euphoria. To ignore this latter side is to shortchange oneself. People don't focus on only the ballads and serious Beatle songs. They enjoy "Back In The USSR" and respect it just as much as "A Day In The Life". The same should be done with the Beach Boys. Beach Boys Party is just as much Brian Wilson as Pet Sounds. Stop thinking about the history surrounding music and just listen to music. This album just fills me with joy. It doesn't hurt that I drove down Sunset Blvd. on a Saturday night while blasting it last week. Try it sometime if you can. Bitchin' stuff, people.

Stack O' Tracks isn't bad either, but it's really the Party you're buying this for.

Let's do "Luau"!.......2006-06-21

In late 1965, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys was working on his masterpiece, Pet Sounds. Capitol Records was pressuring him for a new Beach Boys album in time for Christmas, but Brian wasn't about to rush to finish Pet Sounds. So, a compromise of sorts was reached. The Beach Boys went into the recording studio and quickly banged out the Party album. It features the boys playing acoustic instruments and singing cover versions of some of their favorite songs. No new songs were written for the album. The performances are pretty sloppy, with forgotten lyrics, missed notes and lots of clowning around. The band's wives, girlfriends, relatives and friends were brought in to hang out and talk in the background, to make it sound like a real party was going on. In fact, friend of the band Dean Torrence shares lead vocals with Brian on the hit "Barbara Ann". It's a fun album, but not really one of the band's best.

Stack-o-Tracks featured just the instrumental tracks to 15 Beach Boys songs. That's right, a Beach Boys album without the Beach Boys on it! Well, I suppose that's not technically true, because they did play some of the instruments on their albums, but most of the instruments were played by session musicians. Anyway, hearing just the instruments theoretically allows Beach Boys fans to study how Brian Wilson put together the backing tracks to some of the bands classic songs. It's somewhat interesting to hear, but the songs definitely sound better with the vocals. The CD adds three bonus track instrumental backgrounds, the hits "Help Me Rhonda" and "California Girls", and the obscure "Our Car Club".

The strangest twofer CD from the Beach Boys.......2005-03-18

NOTE: I own the 1990 version of this twofer not the later remaster, so I'll comment on the songs rather than sound quality. Some others have said that the first edition transfers sound better because of the NoNoise processing used but I haven't been able to compare the two yet.

It was June 1965. Capitol was becoming worried that too much time was going by as they waited for Brian to wrap up what would become "Pet Sounds" and they were pressuring him for a new album. Brian's answer was to gather a bunch of friends together in the studio as an "audience" and record stripped back covers of some of their favorite songs. It's not a "great" record, but it is a fun record and Brian succeeds in creating a party atmosphere. It also can be seen as pointing the way toward the "unplugged" records of the 90s and on.

The album it's paired with is definitely for obsessive armchair quarterbacks and intrepid karaoke enthusiasts only, though. "Stack-O-Tracks" consisted of only the musical backing to Beach Boys hits and was released by Capitol in 1968 after sales they were less than happy with of "Smiley Smile" and "Wild Honey". "Stack-O-Tracks" was the only 60s era BB album that failed to dent the album charts.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Spirited versions of 50s party faves "Hully Gully" and "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" stand out, Dennis turns in a tender rendition of the Fab's "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away", a close harmony from Brian and Mike on the Everlys' "Devoted to You", a cover of the Regents' 1961 hit "Barbara Ann" (with an assist from Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean) became a left field smash for the band.

Among the instrumentals from "Stack-O-Tracks", it's nice to be able to hear the intricacy of the bass part for "Sloop John B.". In the "do my lying and my sighing" portion of "In my Room" you can pick out what sounds almost like a church organ following the melody that isn't easy to pick out in the final version. "Wild Honey" sounds almost avant garde by itself with odd organ stabs here and there. It makes you more aware of how perfectly placed everything in a Brian arrangement is to make it cohesive when it's all put together.

LOW SPOTS:
A loose version of "I Should Have Known Better" fares poorly, Mike's sense of humour was weak at best much of the time..(witness his "reworked" lyrics for "I Get Around/Little Deuce Coupe") and did anyone really WANT a "Stack-O-Tracks" version of "Our Car Club" to analyze in detail??

BOTTOM LINE:
If you find it cheaply, you may enjoy having the "Party!" tracks but unless you're a fanatic about the BB music, you probably don't need "Stack-O-Tracks". Let your level of enthusiasm for their music be your guide....

Maybe better loved by early Beach Boys fans...........2005-03-04

This twofer pairs two albums that, honestly, I have little use for.

It could just be me, I'm definitely a fan of the artistic peak of the Beach Boys rather than the hits stuff, but the whole "Party!" concept sits wrong with me. The idea (if you don't know) was to record stripped back versions of songs like would be played at a party (acoustic guitars, hand drums, multiple lead vocals in sing-a-long fashion) and then add background noise to it to sound like a party. The result? Good performances are marred by background noise.

Mind you, I don't really feel there's many good peformances on the disc-- its all pop songs from the past few years, largelyfiller except a pretty fun version of "Tell Me Why" and a great "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" by Dennis.

"Stack-O-Tracks" is interesting, conceptually-- Beach Boys songs without vocals, but largely unnecessary-- the better of the material is the Pet Sounds stuff, all available as backing tracks in the Pet Sounds Sessions box, the balance of it is a couple songs from "Wild Honey" ("Darlin' and "Wild Honey") and a bunch of older tunes, most of which lack the complex instrumental arrangements that were present on later Beach Boys albums.

Really only for completionists or anyone who would be interested in hearing the backing tracks isolated from the vocals.

Should be 5 Stars Except for One Thing...........2005-03-04

The Stack-O-Tracks part is missing the music booklet so I had to order the reissue of the original album on eBay in order to get it. They explain the size was the reason in the new booklet but any Beach Boys fan devoted enough to want to get these albums is going to be a little pissed when they realize it's not in there. Party is kind of interesting but there are about 2-3 songs on it that are really good. Barbara-Ann being the only hit. But singing along to to Stack-O-Tracks is a lot of fun and great vocal practice- especially if you love the Beach Boys!

Average customer rating:

If you don't know it, then shut up and go home!
Surprisingly interesting "live-in-the-studio" LP
Beach Boys 'uplugged 'if you will...
For The Beach Boys Fan That Has Everything
Both Are Geared for the Collector

Beach Boys' Party!/Stack-O-Tracks
The Beach Boys
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 1990-08-20

Tracks:

Hully Gully [Live]
I Should Have Known Better [Live]
Tell Me Why [Live]
Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow [Live]
Mountain of Love [Live]
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away [Live]
Devoted to You [Live]
Alley Oop [Live]
There's No Other (Like My Baby) [Live]
Medley: I Get Around/Little Deuce Coupe [Live]
Times They Are A-Changin' [Live]
Barbara Ann [Live]
Darlin' [Instrumental]
Salt Lake City [Instrumental]
Sloop John B [Instrumental]
In My Room [Instrumental]
Catch a Wave [Instrumental]
Wild Honey [Instrumental]
Little Saint Nick [Instrumental]
Do It Again [Instrumental]
Wouldn't It Be Nice [Instrumental]
God Only Knows [Instrumental]
Surfer Girl [Instrumental]
Little Honda [Instrumental]
Here Today [Instrumental]
You're So Good to Me [Instrumental]
Let Him Run Wild [Instrumental]
Help Me, Rhonda [*][Instrumental]
California Girls [*][Instrumental]
Our Car Club [*][Instrumental]

Album Description

Digitally remastered two-on-one featuring their Capitol LPs'Party!' (1965 live album) and 'Stack 'O' Tracks' (1968singles compilation) together on one CD, and with threebonus tracks added: 'Help Me Rhonda', 'California Girls' &'Our Car Club'. 30 tracks to

Album Details

Two Releases on One CD. Includes Original Artwork, Extensive Booklet with Liner Notes and Previously Unreleased Photos. Digitally Remastered from the Original Master Tapes.

Customer Reviews:

If you don't know it, then shut up and go home!.......2006-06-21

Surprisingly interesting "live-in-the-studio" LP.......2000-08-15

When this was originally issued as part of Capitol's two-fer series, it was perhaps the biggest surprise of all. After the run up to Pet Sounds, it seemed as if this would be a big disappointment, but Party! turns out to be a real treat.

Recorded "live" in the studio with acoustic guitars, harmonica, bongos and vocals, there is an element of spontaneity here that was missing from the increasingly serious Brian Wilson studio productions. Even Mike Love's clowning around is enjoyable - which is quite an accomplishment.

The sound is excellent, and the track selection is quite interesting. Besides the requisite covers of hit pop tracks (e.g., "Hully Gully" "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" "Alley Oop"), there are also some more contemporary covers ("I Should Have Known Better" "Tell Me Why" "The Times They Are A-Changin'"), and some nice, goofy acoustic versions of Beach Boys classics ("I Get Around / Little Deuce Coupe", and the hit single of "Barbara Ann").

Stax-O-Tracks is another story entirely. This disc is absolutely maddening to listen to. Hearing such familiar recordings with the central vocal element removed is incredibly frustrating. It turns out that it's a lot more fun to sing-a-long when you have the Beach Boys to back you up (and keep you honest).

Still, Brian Wilson's arrangements are fascinating to hear stripped of lead and harmony vocals. It's mystifying how he could come up with these sounds for the instrumentalists to play, knowing - in his head - just how the vocals would fit. This is probably of interest mostly to budding musicians and producers who want to pick apart Brian Wilson's work. For pleasant Beach Boys listening, you're better off with the original recordings.

Mastering and packaging is top-notch, as with all the other Capitol Beach Boy reissues in this series. The only thing missing is the original Stax-O-Trax insert that gave the chord charts and sheet music. The liner notes claim that they simply couldn't be reproduced in the CD-format booklet. Too bad Capitol didn't see fit to make the insert available some other way....

Currently out of print in the US, but rumored to be returning.

Beach Boys 'uplugged 'if you will..........2000-07-12

I love this album. First half is an informal unplugged session of beautiful harmonies on Beatles, Dylan, etc.. You can hear all the recording studio chatter and goofing around and small talk as their wives/girlfriends were present and even sing background on a couple songs. A very informal party-like atmosphere and even Al and Dennis get to sing! Just to hear Brian really having a good time with Papa ooo mow mow makes it worth it. Second half is all instrumental without vocals. You will find yourself holding back from jumping in on the vocals. To hear these arrangements without vocals makes one realize why people call Brian a musical 'genius'. Flawless!

For The Beach Boys Fan That Has Everything.......1999-11-17

Stack of Tracks is one of the most interesting Beach Boys records. You can hear how Brian Wilson put things together and get fascinating insights on how his creativity works. This should be made available again domestically but this import is more than adequate.

Both Are Geared for the Collector.......1999-10-14

"Party" is a fun album to listen to and it gave the Beach Boys a hit single "Barbara Ann". It also includes a medley of their own songs "I Get Around" and "Little Deuce Coupe". It also features 2 Beatles songs, a Bob Dylan song (done so charmingly bad you forgive them). But this was put out merely to satisfy their contract. 3 stars for this one, but listen only on rainy days.

Now for one I prefer: "Stack-O-Tracks". This is more for collectors but it's fun to listen to. In one speaker, you have the music instrumentally and in the other, you have the vocals. You can sing along or play along if you can play the guitar or piano. 4 stars for this one, but only for those who like to play with their speakers.

Party/Stack-O-Tracks
Average customer rating:

If you don't know it, then shut up and go home!

Surprisingly interesting "live-in-the-studio" LP

Beach Boys 'uplugged 'if you will...

For The Beach Boys Fan That Has Everything

Both Are Geared for the Collector

Party/Stack-O-Tracks

Manufacturer: Pid
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Classic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
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Friends/20-20 (Capitol)

Carl & The Passions - So Tough / Holland

Concert/Live in London

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ASIN: B00000AFMS
Release Date: 1998-09-08

Tracks:

Hully Gully
I Should Have Known Better
Tell Me Why
Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow
Mountain Of Love
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
Devoted To You
Alley Oop
There's Nothing(Like My Baby)
Medley: I Get Around/Little Deuce Coupe
The Times Are A-Changin'
Barbara Ann
Darlin'
Salt Lake City
Sloopy John B
In My Room
Catch The Wave
Wild Honey
Little Saint Nick
Do It Again
Wouldn't It Be Nice
God Only Knows
Surfer Girl
Little Honda
Here Today
You're So Good To Me
Let Him Run Wild
Help Me Rhonda
California Girls
Our Car Club

Album Description

Album Details

Two Releases on One CD. Includes Original Artwork, Extensive Booklet with Liner Notes and Previously Unreleased Photos. Digitally Remastered from the Original Master Tapes.

Customer Reviews:

If you don't know it, then shut up and go home!.......2006-06-21

Surprisingly interesting "live-in-the-studio" LP.......2000-08-15

Currently out of print in the US, but rumored to be returning.

Beach Boys 'uplugged 'if you will..........2000-07-12

For The Beach Boys Fan That Has Everything.......1999-11-17

Both Are Geared for the Collector.......1999-10-14

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Music Review

Music Review