Just got the big deluxe edition delivered at work. Smiling. Won't open till I get home. The Amazon box says "big smile" too!

Everything I had hoped for, and more.

I got the 2 CD version at J&R - 21.99. I'm just not a big enough fan of that era of the Beach Boys to justify the money for the mega box. (Not to mention the fact that I am out of space at home for big boxes like that.) I got the free T-shirt that J&R was giving away - they had size L only.

My big box just shipped out from Amazon, woo hoo !!

Why hasn't anyone asked if the vinyls are digitally sourced. Oh, wait, this isn't TOP. Heh...

+1

Rick A.

No kidding, folks. It's got that '67 POP to it me likes.

I have to say that I like some of the album, but I think all the hype is overrated (other than Good Vibrations), just as Pet Sounds is overrated. While playing it last night (the 2CD version), my daughter and my wife hated it so much I had to turn it off!

I'ts conceptual, I believe that was the public failing initlally for "Pet Sounds" and then of course Brian trying to take it the next level in concept for "SMiLE". It's more of a song cycle, a long form movie than and episode.

Not an easy listen if you have a pretext that it's like everything else.

Rick A.

My two-CD set came today from Amazon (along with Aqualung -- THAT was a nice package to open). I'll confess I'm not the biggest Beach Boys fan in the world, but it's a thrill to finally hold this in my hands after all these years. So, I put disc 1 in and press play, and my first impression is the material lives up to the legend. This clearly would have been a worthy follow-up to Pet Sounds. And I think it sounds great.

I'm trying to decide if I should wear my "Smile" button to work tomorrow.

Glad you enjoyed it Greg, and YES wear your SMiLE button tomorrow and you'll see how many smiles you get in return.

Rick A.

Wanna bet a stereo mix follows on the 50th Ann'y?

My copy of the big deluxe edition arrived about 15 minutes ago. Christmas has come early!

As Royal Scam just observed above, we'll probably get the stereo version in a few years. I'll skip the mono version, this music deserves the stereo traetment, just like Pet Sounds.

I was really disappointed when I found out the original SMiLE album was going to be presented in mono, and I'm still trying to get used to it after a few listens (I've been listening to the bootlegs for years). Even after reading the producers notes, I'm not convinced it couldn't have been done in stereo, and probably/hopefully will be issued in stereo at some point. I'm glad somebody else brought this up as I had been biting my tongue. The review in AMG also pointed out this issue in a somewhat negative light. I remember the original stereo version of Pet Sounds (what a revelation that was) had an alternate bridge in WIBN, then some time later it was reissued with original bridge intact. And what happened to getting some of the other '60s albums, like Wild Honey, reissued in stereo?

No need to bite your tongue. I think I speak for most, if not all, of us here when I say that we want to hear what you really think, as long as you are civil about it. Honestly, it hadn't even occured to me that I was listening to a mono recording. I just liked what I was hearing. But I haven't been listening to bootlegs for years, either.

I have no idea why the stereo-lovers always want things recorded in mono to be remixed to stereo, as if their ears are offended by the idea of sound coming out of one speaker or the same sound coming out of two speakers. There are people who actually prefer black and white films colorized as well.
I guess we have to just realize that everyone is different and no one thing can satisfy everyone.

When I hear the bonus Stereo tracks the more I want the entire 1st CD in Stereo as well. Smile is far better in Stereo because of the intricate instruments and layers of vocals. Pet Sounds in 5.1 is a good example.

Just opening the box is a nice surprise. The LP is on heavyweight vinyl as are the 45s. Not too thrilled how they packaged the CDs but they will have new homes outside of the box. I think I'll be listening to the vinyl first.

Did anyone in the UK or EU buy the box? Where was it manufactured? I ordered my box from Amazon US and it's made in Mexico. I recently bought Pink Floyd's Discovery box from Amazon UK expecting UK cds but they were made in Poland. The US Immersion box for Dark Side was also made in Mexico.

If something is recorded in mono, it can't be remixed, as the very defintion of mixing presupposes at least two "ingredients", whether you're talking about music or baking. But if something was actually recorded on more than one track -- and I'm pretty sure Smile was recorded on many -- a stereo mix will have far more detail, depth, and "presence" than mono.

Long live DUOPHONIC!

OK... I officially like the original Beach Boys version of SMiLE.
Brian's release a few years ago was fine but the original just sounds right.