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Editorial Reviews
2012 digital remaster of this classic 1965 studio album from the beloved '60s Pop band featuring both the mono and stereo mix of the album. Digitally remastered by Mark Linett.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The Beach Boys Today! is absolutely among Brian Wilson's strongest productions and clearly, production-wise, points the way to the masterpiece Pet Sounds. The album is full of great tunes, with a lead vocal from every Beach Boy except Carl Wilson. In terms of Beach Boys canon - or rock canon in general - The Beach Boys Today! is a MUST.
Now, for the 2012 mono/stereo review...first off, it appears that Capitol is doing with The Beach Boys what Apple/EMI did with The Beatles -- small digi-paks with the white band on the spine. There are no liner notes other than track listings and notations of which tracks are new stereo mixes. If you own the 1990 or 2001 "twofer" CD with Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!), this and the 2012 reissue of Summer Days... won't REPLACE the twofer, as you don't have the David Leaf liner notes or the bonus tracks. And for some reason, Capitol found it necessary to list each song twice on the back of the cover - once each for mono and stereo, instead of just listing them once and saying "Tracks 1-12 and 24 are mono, 13-23 are stereo" like it's written on the CD itself. ("Bull Session..." is in mono in both instances.)
It's nice to finally hear this landmark album in stereo, but...well, the stereo mixes aren't the end-all be-all. As with Summer Days..., the stereo mix on this album seems to introduce a lot of distracting reverb that's not so audible on the mono version. Some of them are good, but some aren't...particularly "Please Let Me Wonder," which has terrible equalization. Due to situations with original session tapes (i.e. missing vocal tracks), Dennis Wilson's lead vocal on the stereo mix of "In The Back Of My Mind" is only single-tracked, which in my opinion really takes away from the feel of the double-tracked mono. On the other hand, hearing just one Dennis vocal really shows what a great singer he could be when he put his heart and soul into it, and is an interesting hint as to the Dennis we'd hear on the Sunflower album five years later. The same session tape situation exists for "She Knows Me Too Well," which previously was released once with a stereo mix and a single-tracked Brian vocal; however, the vocal on this version is double-tracked, but I have a feeling it was just the single-tracked vocal artificially doubled -- but it still sounds pretty good, to be honest.
As with Summer Days..., the real star on this CD is...the mono mix of the album. Generally I'm a guy who prefers stereo over mono, but the new mastering on the mono mix is incredible! I've never heard this album so lively before! The equalization is really good. The only thing that some people might not like is that you can hear some tape hiss during quieter moments, but I'd rather hear that than the NoNoise destruction used on the 1990 reissue.
But YOU NEED TO BUY THIS. The only reason this isn't a five-star review is that some of the stereo mixes leave much to be desired. Also, there's a problem with the mono version of "Please Let Me Wonder," as the mix is off-balance and is heavy on the left. But the rest of the mono mixes are simply fantastic. Aaaand...The Beach Boys Today! is one of Brian Wilson's best productions.
Now, for the 2012 mono/stereo review...first off, it appears that Capitol is doing with The Beach Boys what Apple/EMI did with The Beatles -- small digi-paks with the white band on the spine. There are no liner notes other than track listings and notations of which tracks are new stereo mixes. If you own the 1990 or 2001 "twofer" CD with Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!), this and the 2012 reissue of Summer Days... won't REPLACE the twofer, as you don't have the David Leaf liner notes or the bonus tracks. And for some reason, Capitol found it necessary to list each song twice on the back of the cover - once each for mono and stereo, instead of just listing them once and saying "Tracks 1-12 and 24 are mono, 13-23 are stereo" like it's written on the CD itself. ("Bull Session..." is in mono in both instances.)
It's nice to finally hear this landmark album in stereo, but...well, the stereo mixes aren't the end-all be-all. As with Summer Days..., the stereo mix on this album seems to introduce a lot of distracting reverb that's not so audible on the mono version. Some of them are good, but some aren't...particularly "Please Let Me Wonder," which has terrible equalization. Due to situations with original session tapes (i.e. missing vocal tracks), Dennis Wilson's lead vocal on the stereo mix of "In The Back Of My Mind" is only single-tracked, which in my opinion really takes away from the feel of the double-tracked mono. On the other hand, hearing just one Dennis vocal really shows what a great singer he could be when he put his heart and soul into it, and is an interesting hint as to the Dennis we'd hear on the Sunflower album five years later. The same session tape situation exists for "She Knows Me Too Well," which previously was released once with a stereo mix and a single-tracked Brian vocal; however, the vocal on this version is double-tracked, but I have a feeling it was just the single-tracked vocal artificially doubled -- but it still sounds pretty good, to be honest.
As with Summer Days..., the real star on this CD is...the mono mix of the album. Generally I'm a guy who prefers stereo over mono, but the new mastering on the mono mix is incredible! I've never heard this album so lively before! The equalization is really good. The only thing that some people might not like is that you can hear some tape hiss during quieter moments, but I'd rather hear that than the NoNoise destruction used on the 1990 reissue.
But YOU NEED TO BUY THIS. The only reason this isn't a five-star review is that some of the stereo mixes leave much to be desired. Also, there's a problem with the mono version of "Please Let Me Wonder," as the mix is off-balance and is heavy on the left. But the rest of the mono mixes are simply fantastic. Aaaand...The Beach Boys Today! is one of Brian Wilson's best productions.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By Jay L. Rudko
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I first bought this album when it was released in 1964, while I was a sophomore in high school. Being a big fan of the Beach Boys, I had all of their albums up to this point. The California sound was appreciated here in Florida, too. And this album marked a turning point in their career. No songs about surfing, and no songs about cars, either. It was more teen angst. And no one did it better.
The songs on this album are nothing short of great. The album starts off with a great cover of Bobby Freeman's "Do You Wanna Dance". The Beach Boys made this one their own, and is the only track on the album not penned by Brian Wilson. The biggest standout on this disc is the original version of "Help Me, Ronda" (spelling as it's on the disc). This version has an intro, doesn't have Mike Love's "Bow bow bow's" in the chorus, and is longer. It's also the version of this song I prefer. (The single version appears on the "Summer Days and Summer Nights" LP.) Also heard here are two of their other singles, "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)" and "Dance, Dance, Dance". The former laments growing older and what the future may bring, while the latter just makes you want to cut a rug along with Brian and the boys. The rest of the tracks deal with teenage life and love as we remember it. All in all, an enjoyable listen.
Until now, this album was only available in mono and in Capitol's fake stereo "Duophonic" process. This Duophonic method introduced a delay on one channel to create a pseudo-stereo effect. Brian Wilson didn't want a stereo mix of this album since he felt he had better control of what the listener heard in mono. Capitol released the fake stereo version to appease those listeners who owned stereo players and insisted on something to make use of it. It was also believed the multi-track masters were lost...but wait!
The new issue of "Today" features the mono version of the album, followed by a brand new true stereo mix. No, it's not Duophonic. It's the real deal. And what a difference it makes! This was first tried a few years back when "Pet Sounds" got the stereo treatment to rave reviews, followed by a 4.1 surround version that was a revelation. While I don't expect the same treatment here, I'd welcome it if it happened. The remastered sound on this CD, in both mono and stereo, is amazing. But it's the stereo mix that reveals textures in the music that mono just can't reveal. It has to be heard to be appreciated. Run...don't walk to your computer to order this. One little note... I paid $13.20 for this album from Amazon, but found it also available, along with the other reissues, for $9.99 at Best Buy. Shop around to get the best price, but you do have to have this CD if you're a true fan of the Beach Boys.
The songs on this album are nothing short of great. The album starts off with a great cover of Bobby Freeman's "Do You Wanna Dance". The Beach Boys made this one their own, and is the only track on the album not penned by Brian Wilson. The biggest standout on this disc is the original version of "Help Me, Ronda" (spelling as it's on the disc). This version has an intro, doesn't have Mike Love's "Bow bow bow's" in the chorus, and is longer. It's also the version of this song I prefer. (The single version appears on the "Summer Days and Summer Nights" LP.) Also heard here are two of their other singles, "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)" and "Dance, Dance, Dance". The former laments growing older and what the future may bring, while the latter just makes you want to cut a rug along with Brian and the boys. The rest of the tracks deal with teenage life and love as we remember it. All in all, an enjoyable listen.
Until now, this album was only available in mono and in Capitol's fake stereo "Duophonic" process. This Duophonic method introduced a delay on one channel to create a pseudo-stereo effect. Brian Wilson didn't want a stereo mix of this album since he felt he had better control of what the listener heard in mono. Capitol released the fake stereo version to appease those listeners who owned stereo players and insisted on something to make use of it. It was also believed the multi-track masters were lost...but wait!
The new issue of "Today" features the mono version of the album, followed by a brand new true stereo mix. No, it's not Duophonic. It's the real deal. And what a difference it makes! This was first tried a few years back when "Pet Sounds" got the stereo treatment to rave reviews, followed by a 4.1 surround version that was a revelation. While I don't expect the same treatment here, I'd welcome it if it happened. The remastered sound on this CD, in both mono and stereo, is amazing. But it's the stereo mix that reveals textures in the music that mono just can't reveal. It has to be heard to be appreciated. Run...don't walk to your computer to order this. One little note... I paid $13.20 for this album from Amazon, but found it also available, along with the other reissues, for $9.99 at Best Buy. Shop around to get the best price, but you do have to have this CD if you're a true fan of the Beach Boys.
25 of 29 people found the following review helpful
By Matt Coker
Format:Audio CD
I looked for TODAY! in almost every record store I went into, and wound up buying a used cassette copy. There is no reason why TODAY should be out of print in Capitol's domestic catalog. The company spends way to much time re-hashing the early surf material on waste-basket compliations, than allowing listeners the enjoyment of hearing the innovative creations Brian Wilson made. TODAY! is almost as good as PET SOUNDS. Its a consistent and enjoyable album, and its essential for any Beach Boys fan or a collector of great music. Not a single track on this album is anything less than excellent. Gems like "Please Let Me Wonder", "When I Grow Up", "Kiss Me Baby", "Help Me Rhonda", and "Do You Wanna Dance" are some of the album's best and most notable tracks. "Kiss Me Baby" comes complete with the classic harmonies, and is one of my favorite Beach Boys songs. The song was on the original BEST OF album, but Capitol has ignored it on the two GREATEST HITS: 20 (MORE) GOOD VIBRATIONS albums. "Please Let Me Wonder" is every bit as advanced as the songs from PET SOUNDS. "When I Grow Up" is a classic, with the perfection only Brian Wilson could manage. The version of "Do You Wanna Dance" is better than the original. "Dance Dance Dance" is a great uptempo tune. "Good To My Baby", "I'm So Young", "Don't Hurt My Little Sister", and "She Knows Me Too Well" all display Brian Wilson's musical genius, with the exceptional harmonies and outstanding melodies. TODAY also is the beginning of The Beach Boys evolution out of surfing and teen music to the best of pop and rock music. TODAY! is a milestone in the pop-rock world, a classic with ten magnificent songs, all majestically performed. The CD definately must be re-issued in domestic print for music buyers! THIS ALBUM SHOULD BE FOUND IN THE DOMESTIC CATALOG, AND NOT BE AN IMPORT. INSTEAD OF RE-ISSUING "Surfin' USA" ANOTHER 20 MILLION TIMES, BRING ALBUMS LIKE TODAY!, SMILEY SMILE, SUMMER DAYS-SUMMER NIGHTS, ETC. BACK IN PRINT!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
a must for the true fan
This is the 1964 album when the band ( yes the band, not only Brian) hit its stride as artists. If you are intrigued by the Beach Boys' influence, and don't have this album, get... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Harold
4.0 out of 5 stars
Almost complet on the ultimate beach boya Collection
This might be the last CD I need in my ultimate Collection beach Boys and summer Surf Music With exellent sound and your chose of ten STEREO< Songs or ten MONO Songs I always... Read more
Published 3 months ago by bill walker
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Service
Item as described and arrived as expected. Would recommend this vendor, very professional and efficient. Very good service and product.
Published 4 months ago by Arlene V Seitsinger
5.0 out of 5 stars
Today Recalls a Terrific Beach Boys Yesterday
Nearly every BB album in the Sixties was a 'Greatest Hits' collection of wonderful musical compositions and heartfelt lyrics, experiences of American adolescent interests. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Robert Titus
5.0 out of 5 stars
dis is sum "primo beach" fo yo headz kiddies
Today is an album in da Hawthorne Five's canon that had never been done true justice in it's CD format availiability. Read more
Published 4 months ago by dee's sososikwitit
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classics from the "Boys!
Most tracks on this disc are pure Beach Boys! Classic southern California sounds. A must for all fans of the genre!
Published 4 months ago by PolitixLUVR
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great must-have album
THE BEACH BOYS TODAY!, the group's first Capitol album of 1965, is probably their best album (along with the follow-up, SUMMER DAYS (AND SUMMER NIGHTS!!!). Read more
Published 6 months ago by steve_manassas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stereo mix soars!
Great new mixes by Mark Linett and his crew. The separation is decent and it isn't covered up by too much reverb, which is often the problem with this type of tweeking. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Wolf at your door
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolute best Beach Boys record.
In my opinion the best Beach Boys record. If you are a fan at all, you should own this, especially on LP (I own three different pressings myself).
Published on June 22, 2010 by Terrell Quinn Lamperez
5.0 out of 5 stars
Authentic Sound - a must-have!
This is one of several recent Beach Boys vinyl reissues from Capitol. Some of the albums (Sunflower, Surf's Up) have the "newly remastered for vinyl" sticker, while others... Read more
Published on December 22, 2009 by Cory Geurts
