The Beach Boys - Party! + Stack-O-Tracks (HDCD, Upgrade 2001)

BEACH BOYS' PARTY! was recorded as a studio jam. STACK-O-TRACKS contains instrumental versions of Beach Boys songs. The quotes around the word "Live" in the sub-title give the game away–the Beach Boys recorded BEACH BOYS' PARTY! over a couple of days at Western Studio 2 to buy some time for the band to make PET SOUNDS, which PARTY bafflingly ended up outselling. It's of interest as much for the choice of material as for the somewhat forced goofery. There are a couple of Beatles songs, an Everly Brothers hit, a nod in the direction of Phil Spector, and such '60s kegger faves as "Hully Gully" and "Alley Oop", in addition to the album's big hit, "Barbara Ann". Its companion STACK O' TRACKS is a compilation of the instrumental backing tracks from the band's middle period, which basically means you either get to listen to the nuts and bolts of some of the best pop songs ever recorded, or have a hell of a karaoke party. Or both.

It was probably a wise choice by Capitol Records to put Beach Boys' Party! and Stack-o-Tracks together on one CD because those are the two original LPs by the group that are likely to be appreciated most by hardcore fans. Both of these records provide a look behind and inside of the group, and constitute, in a sense, almost musical documentaries of the work behind their sound – Beach Boys' Party! was a kind of "unplugged" album of its day, with the band and a few friends and colleagues (including an uncredited Dean Torrence) relaxing in the studio, strumming and singing along to some of their favorite songs – and also having some fun at the expense of a few contemporary figures; the version of "Times They Are a-Changin'", for example, may have played to Al Jardine's folk inclinations, but it gave the rest of the group a chance for some frat-boy-style japes at Dylan's and the folk music movement's earnestness. Stack-o-Tracks, by comparison, is sort of the Beach Boys' karaoke album, made up of the finished backing instrumental tracks to the group's songs, including many of their biggest hits – these tracks (which, as one would expect, are thoroughly polished) reveal as much about the internal makeup of the group's songs as the Beach Boys' Party! cuts do about the members' influences, likes, and dislikes. Neither would ever be a first listening choice for 99 percent of the group's fans, although together they make for a delightful evening's Beach Boys ambience, and they are fascinating documents. (This 2-on-1 CD originally appeared in 1990 with okay sound, then in a spring 2001 remastering that is even better, with cleaner and sharper sound).

~ Bruce Eder, all media guide

Tracklist:

01. Hully Gully
02. I Should Have Known Better
03. Tell Me Why
04. Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow
05. Mountain of Love
06. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
07. Devoted to You
08. Alley Oop
09. There's No Other (Like My Baby)
10. Medley: I Get Around / Little Deuce Coupe
11. The Times They Are A-Changin'
12. Barbara Ann
13. Darlin'
14. Salt Lake City
15. Sloop John B
16. In My Room
17. Catch a Wave
18. Wild Honey
19. Little Saint Nick
20. Do It Again
21. Wouldn't It Be Nice
22. God Only Knows
23. Surfer Girl
24. Little Honda
25. Here Today
26. You're So Good to Me
27. Let Him Run Wild
28. Help Me Rhonda [Bonus track]
29. California Girls [Bonus track]
30. Our Car Club [Bonus track]

Reissue produced & coordinated by Mark Linett
Digitally Remastered by Joe Gastwirt at Oceanview Digital Mastering, Los Angeles, CA (2000)

Original Release Date: November 1965 | August 1968
Re-Release Date: April 10, 2001 (1990)
Format: Digitally remastered using HDCD technology
Label: Capitol Records
Catalog No.: 31641-2