TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

I know there's a couple of Beach Boys fanatics on this forum, so I'm sharing news of the Feel Flows Boxset :

Just announced - Feel Flows : The Sunflower & Surf's Up Sessions 1969-1971.

Two of their very finest albums, up there with the legendary Pet Sounds (actually, I listen to these more often than I listen to Pet Sounds...) get the full monty 5 CD boxset treatment. Remastered with extra tracks, unreleased material from the vaults including unheard Dennis Wilson songs, essays, photos, etc.

Release date apparently July 23rd 2021.

And here's a (provisional, i.e. don't shoot the messenger if it's wrong or a red herring) track list :

DISC ONE
SUNFLOWER Original Album
1. Slip On Through (2019 master) (2:19)
2. This Whole World (2019 master) (1:58)
3. Add Some Music To Your Day (2019 master) (3:36)
4. Got To Know The Woman (2019 master) (2:43)
5. Deirdre (2019 master) (3:30)
6. It’s About Time (2019 master) (2:57)
7. Tears In The Morning (2019 master) (4:07)
8. All I Wanna Do (2019 master) (2:36)
9. Forever (2019 master) (2:42)
10. Our Sweet Love (2019 master) (2:41)
11. At My Window (2019 master) (2:32)
12. Cool, Cool Water (2019 master) (5:03)
13. Sunflower Promo 1 (previously unreleased) (0:59)
SUNFLOWER Live
Previously Unreleased – Produced by The Beach Boys
14. This Whole World (Live 1988) (2:10)
15. Add Some Music To Your Day (Live 1993) (3:23)
16. Susie Cincinnati (Live 1976) (2:46)
17. Back Home (Live 1976) (3:15)
18. It’s About Time (Live 1971) (3:45)
19. Riot In Cell Block 9 (Live 1970) (3:34)
SUNFLOWER Bonus Tracks
20. Break Away (original 1969 single mix) (2:55)
21. Celebrate The News (previously unreleased 2020 mix) (2:37)
22. Loop De Loop (previously unreleased 1969 mix) (2:59)
23. San Miguel (previously unreleased 2020 mix) (2:33)
24. Susie Cincinnati (previously unreleased 2020 mix) (3:02)
25. Good Time (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:56)
26. Two Can Play (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:06)
27. Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) (2021 stereo mix – previously unreleased) (3:21)

DISC TWO
SURF’S UP Original Album
1. Don’t Go Near The Water (2019 master) (2:41)
2. Long Promised Road (2019 master) (3:32)
3. Take A Load Off Your Feet (2019 master) (2:32)
4. Disney Girls (1957) (2019 master) (4:08)
5. Student Demonstration Time (2019 master) (3:59)
6. Feel Flows (2019 master) (4:44)
7. Lookin’ At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) (2019 master) (1:57)
8. A Day In The Life Of A Tree (2019 master) (3:09)
9. Til I Die (2019 master) (2:32)
10. Surf’s Up (2019 master) (4:14)
11. Surf’s Up Promo (previously unreleased) (1:02)
SURF’S UP Live
Previously Unreleased – Produced by The Beach Boys
12. Take A Load Off Your Feet (Live 1993) (2:35)
13. Long Promised Road (Live 1972) (4:14)
14. Disney Girls (Live 1982) (4:23)
15. Surf’s Up (Live 1973) (4:58)
16. Student Demonstration Time (Live 1971) (4:42)
Surf’s Up Bonus Tracks
17. Big Sur (previously unreleased) (2:35)
18. H.E.L.P. Is On The Way (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:31)
19. Sweet And Bitter (previously unreleased) (2:33)
20. My Solution (previously unreleased) (3:44)
21. 4th of July (2019 mix – previously unreleased) (3:11)
22. Sound of Free (1970 single mix, 2019 master) (2:22)
23. Lady (Fallin’ In Love) (1970 stereo mix – previously unreleased) (2:21)
24. Seasons In The Sun (previously unreleased) (3:27)

DISC THREE
SUNFLOWER SESSIONS
1. Sunflower Promo 2 (previously unreleased) (0:59)
2. Slip On Through (track and backing vocals – previously unreleased) (2:47)
3. This Whole World (long version track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:10)
4. Add Some Music To Your Day (track and backing vocals – previously unreleased) (4:35)
5. Deirdre (track – previously unreleased) (3:34)
6. It’s About Time (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (2:53)
7. Tears In The Morning (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (4:08)
8. All I Wanna Do (session intro, track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:46)
9. Forever (session highlights – previously unreleased) (3:36)
10. Forever (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:01)
11. Our Sweet Love (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (2:39)
12. At My Window (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (2:50)
13. Cool Cool Water (alternate 2019 mix – previously unreleased) (6:24)
14. San Miguel (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (2:57)
15. Loop De Loop (track – previously unreleased) (2:49)
16. Good Time (session intro, track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (4:27)
17. When Girls Get Together (track – previously unreleased) (1:47)
18. Slip On Through (alternate 1969 mix with session intro – previously unreleased) (3:25)
19. Our Sweet Love (string section – previously unreleased) (1:00)
1969-1970 a Cappella
20. San Miguel (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (1:00)
21. Break Away (Tag) (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (0:18)
22. Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (2:44)
23. Good Time (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (0:19)
24. This Whole World (backing vocals section – previously unreleased) (1:05)
25. Add Some Music To Your Day (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (3:30)
26. Got To Know The Woman (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (2:52)
27. It’s About Time (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (0:50)
28. All I Wanna Do (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (2:58)
29. Forever (previously unreleased 2019 a Cappella mix) (2:52)

DISC FOUR
SURF’S UP SESSIONS
1. Don’t Go Near The Water (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:45)
2. Long Promised Road (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:38)
3. Take A Load Off Your Feet (alternate vocal – previously unreleased) (2:28)
4. Disney Girls (1957) (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (4:17)
5. Student Demonstration Time (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:46)
6. Feel Flows (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (5:02)
7. Lookin’ At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) (session intro and alternate mix – previously unreleased) (2:43)
8. A Day In The Life Of A Tree (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (2:55)
9. Til I Die (long version with alternate lyrics – previously unreleased) (4:47)
(Brian Wilson)
10. Surf’s Up (2019 mix – previously unreleased) (4:08)
(Brian Wilson-Van Dyke Parks)
11. (Wouldn’t It Be Nice To) Live Again (extended 2019 – previously unreleased) (6:50)
(Dennis Wilson-Stanley Shapiro)
Surf’s Up a Cappella
12. Don’t Go Near The Water (previously unreleased 2020 a Cappella mix) (2:36)
(Alan Jardine-Mike Love)
13. Long Promised Road (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (4:00)
14. Feel Flows (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (0:33)
15. Disney Girls (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (0:36)
16. A Day In The Life Of A Tree (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (0:32)
17. Til I Die (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (2:36)
18. Surf’s Up (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (4:04)
Bonus Tracks
19. I Just Got My Pay (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:43)
20. Walkin’ (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:44)
21. When Girls Get Together (previously unreleased 2020 mix) (3:45)
22. Baby Baby (previously unreleased) (3:13)
23. Awake (previously unreleased) (3:44)
24. It’s A New Day (previously unreleased) (2:20)

DISC FIVE
Bonus Disc
1. This Whole World (alternate ending – previously unreleased) (1:41)
2. Add Some Music To Your Day (previously unreleased alternate version) (3:27)
3. Don’t Go Near The Water (alternate version – previously unreleased) (2:42)
4. Surf’s Up Part 1 (1971 remake track with 1966 Brian vocal – previously unreleased) (1:41)
5. Soulful Old Man Sunshine (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (3:14)
(Brian Wilson-Rick Henn-Don Ralke)
6. I’m Goin’ Your Way (previously unreleased alternate mix) (2:24)
(Dennis Wilson)
7. Where Is She (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:22)
(Brian Wilson)
8. Carnival (Over The Waves/Sobra Las Olas) (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (1:34)
9. It’s Natural (previously unreleased) (2:35)
10. Medley: All Of My Love / Ecology (previously unreleased) (5:05)
11. Before (previously unreleased) (2:25)
12. Behold The Night (previously unreleased) (2:26)
13. Old Movie (Cuddle Up) (previously unreleased) (3:37)
14. Hawaiian Dream (previously unreleased) (4:33)
15. Settle Down / Sound Of Free (basic session outtake – previously unreleased) (2:17)
16. I’ve Got A Friend (previously unreleased) (2:26)
17. Til I Die (piano demo – previously unreleased) (1:55)
18. Back Home (previously unreleased demo) (2:20)
19. Back Home (alternate version – previously unreleased) (2:34)
20. Won’t You Tell Me (demo – previously unreleased) (2:01)
21. Won’t You Tell Me (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:54)
22. Barbara (previously unreleased 2020 mix) (2:59)
23. Slip On Through (early version track) (2:48)
24. Susie Cincinnati (basic session highlights – previously unreleased) (3:05)
25. My Solution (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:04)
26. You Never Give Me Your Money (previously unreleased) (0:40)
27. Medley: Happy Birthday, Brian / God Only Knows (previously unreleased) (2:47)
28. You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:32)
29. Marcella (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (3:27)

Sweet.  ;D

Oh, lordy mama. It's an expensive year for the box sets....

Sniffing around online it looks like this has been forthcoming since 2019....so let's hope this finally is it.

Holy surf boards.  Absolutely drooling.

Jules

Yep.Another one for the list if it is not over priced. I love those two albums.

I need to find new ways of smuggling things in!

Update to yesterday's news :

The Beach Boys "Feel Flows" : The Sunflower & Surf's Up Sessions 1969-1971 is to be released July 30th 2021, according to this rather official-looking YouTube ad :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8g4xNNs7wE&t=56s

And here's a feature previewing the set :

https://theseconddisc.com/2021/06/03/long-promised-road-beach-boys-feel-flows-box-set-for-july-release/

Any thoughts on a price point yet?  (I only put that 'point' in to annoy myself.  Honest).

Not yet, let's hope Universal take care to get the discs right, unlike the last big BB's boxset !

The vinyl is on Amazon for £75 but no price on the CD yet. The two disc version was about £12 I think.

This is my favourite Beach Boys era. I'm obsessed by this stuff. Very excited.

Jules

Ditto...'69-'73.  That's where it's at  :)

£89.99 on the RecordStore website for pre-order. That is £40 too much, as I suspected it would be, sadly.

The vinyl is cheaper than the CD?  £90 for a 5-CD set is ridiculous.  I was expecting £49.99 too (and to complain about that).

Thirded. Up to and including "Holland", their last serious attempt at creativity before the release of the "Endless Summer" compilation and the band transforming into a travelling sun and fun oldies jukebox, albeit with the occasional glimpse of brilliance later on.

It's interesting how even Mike Love has realised the commercial worth of the "deep cuts" - I've seen the touring Beach Boys play "All This Is That", "All I Wanna Do" and even "'Til I Die" in concert. Their current live activities are even billed as the "Feel Flows" tour.

All this, of course, is a result of having to up their game due to the quality of Brian Wilson's stellar touring band.

It'll be interesting to see how the recent acquisition of their intellectual property by Eagles mogul Irving Azoff's Iconic Artists Group will affect the legacy of The Beach Boys going forward.

Some days my very favourite....

Quite so. The vinyl is four discs and does not contain everything from the CD set. But really £90 is laughable. Cheapest price is currently £66 from Amazon France but that will be subject to tax and duties. It needs to get under £50 from a UK seller for my money (literally).

If it was like the Deja Vu set with a nice slab of vinyl in there as well....(even then)

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/aug/27/it-was-the-happiest-time-the-beach-boys-on-their-strange-second-coming

Giving the set a first listen now. Halfway through Disc 2 (or part 2 of my download copy). The mixes of both core albums are excellent, but they always were sonically pretty good. Getting the feeling I'm just coming to the interesting stuff...

Mine is due to be delivered any minute now.

And it's wonderful. At their creative peak, they were truly the best vocal group on the planet, there was no one to touch them !

This set also contains plenty of "what ifs" and "could have/should have beens", and it's amazing to hear some of them now. Dennis Wilson's input, in particular, was so underappreciated, especially by his own band...

They, and by 'they' I mean Mike, Al, and Bruce, just didn't want Dennis to be a major force in the band.  It wasn't about not appreciating what he was bringing in, it was about ego, jealousy, and slicing up the pie.

Really looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of this set.

Jules

Another factor is that they signed recording contracts with Reprise and later Columbia stipulating that at least 80% of the composition and recording credits had to be by Brian Wilson. After all, he was the hitmaker with the golden touch, and this formula had always worked in the past. Therefore, some rejection of Dennis' work became inevitable...

This box was released sort of at the wrong time for me as I have been too busy this weekend to work my way through it. I have (fingers crossed) an entirely empty Bank Holiday Monday which I hope to spend watching the paralympics and luxuriating in music.

Having said that, I have now made it as far as disc 3. The two core albums are of course wonderful and the bonus tracks on discs one and two are very satisfying but disc 3 is an absolute joy. It is a weird thing to say but these backing tracks lose nothing for the absence of the lead vocal. They are wholly fulfilling entities in their own right, a riot of lush harmonies and beautifully mixed and mastered. I am absolutely loving this, perhaps more than the 1967 set (which I adore) and definitely more than the Smile box which, whilst fascinating, is ultimately fragmentary and frankly goes on a bit.

I have always loved This Whole World. It is one of my favourite Beach Boys songs but I always wished it was longer. The new box contains a much longer alternative backing track so I have spent a grey and gloomy Bank Holiday Monday cheering myself up by creating my own mix/edit using elements of the original released version and this alternative recording. I am really pleased with the results.

I have become quite adept at this sort of thing after creating a few of these alternative/unique versions lately with the help of Audacity, including George Harrison's Hear Me Lord, Lennon's Happy Xmas (War Is Over), The Beatles' The Long One (the final section of side 2 of Abbey Road) and Gary Clark's Setting Sail.

I never got around to getting this, but have just noticed there seems to be a large number of "Disc only" sets for sale up on eBay.  I've just bought all 5 discs sans any packaging for £15 inc postage.  Suits me fine as I can digitise it.  Just wondering if any BB fans know of anywhere one can access a digital copy of the cover/literature that came with the box?