Tough one. Seems every summer a new comp hits the market with one or two enticements, but right now I feel the first CD comp from 1986, "Made in USA", is the best. They gloss over the '70s, but then you get two exclusives, both Terry Melcher productions, at the end - "Rock'n'Roll to the Rescue" which is exclusive to this CD, and "California Dreamin'", which can also be found on "The Best of the Brother Years" comp - as good as the original by Mamas and the Papas. The CD is neither compressed nor NR'ed, but there are some stereo mixes where mono would have been preferable. And you need a magnifying glass to read the liner notes, but other than that - great comp!

Speaking for myself, the only two BB comps I've ever purchased were Endless Summer and the now out-of-print Greatest Hits from Razor & Tie that was mastered by Steve Hoffman. The Hoffman one is mainly sixties, but does cover the seventies and even includes "Kokomo." It sounds good to me.

I expect, however, that this could inspire a spirited debate.

I've never seen the Razor & Tie Greatest Hits, but the DCC Endless Summer is a killer. Maybe you can find a better song selection, but no way you're going to beat the sound.

Endless Summer was the first Beach Boys album I ever bought. Originally a 2-LP set, but fits neatly on a single CD. So it's a sentimental favorite of mine. The DCC is top-notch, but I think the Japanese mini-lp also sounds great. DCC/Hoffman followed up with a gold CD of Spirit of America, which was sort of a sequel to Endless Summer--even added a bonus track to the original LP line-up.

P.S. The Razor & Tie comp is a 2-CD set.

Going strictly by song selection,I'd take "Sounds Of Summer" I could do without "Kokomo","Rock and Roll Music", and "Come Go With Me", but it has more than enough to make up for those. I prefer it to "Made in the USA" because I really don't like the last 5 songs on there. "Sounds of Summer" also has "Darlin'" and "Wild Honey", two of my favorites.

I'd go with the DCC "Endless Summer".

You are correct, sir!! What was I thinking??

there has to be 50 beach boys comps, and i don't own one single CD comp. i do have a 2-CD comp, the box set, and the box set sampler (which is one disc, but not really a best of).

renny

Goog, I have always been partial to "Made in the USA" as well. The sound quality is fine, and the song selection is (while missing a few of my faves) just about the best of the one-disc collections.

On a tangential note, I am considering purchasing the "Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys" box set, and was wanting an opinion on whether or not it's worth it. I've heard that some people have issues with the noise reduction used in the remastering.

I liked the box. If you dig hearing that "sessions" stuff, you'll enjoy it for the "Smile" era stuff.

The GV box is DEFINITELY worth it for the only legit release of the SMiLE material. As for a single disc comp., I would also have to vote for Made In The USA.

Problem for me is my fav BB song is Sail On Sailor which is owned by Warner, so it rarely turns up on a comp with the Capitol hits. A perfect BB comp for me would include SOS, Sloop John B, California Girls & Good Vibrations. I think I did see a 2 cd UK b/o with all of those once.

Yes, you get eight SMiLE tracks in sequence, which is about 2/3 of the aborted original album project. As for the NR, we'll just have to live with it. I don't see this box being replaced by anything else (though it happened to The Byrds and Marvin Gaye).

Endless Summer all the way.
Even the capitol version sounds good.