Stack-O-Tracks
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| Stack-O-Tracks | ||
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| Studio album by The Beach Boys | ||
| Released | 19 August 1968 | |
| Recorded | July 1963 - June 1968 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 34:37 | |
| Label | Capitol Records | |
| Producer(s) | Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys |
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| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| The Beach Boys chronology | ||
| Best of The Beach Boys Vol. 3 (1968) |
Stack-O-Tracks (1968) |
20/20 (1969) |
Stack-O-Tracks is a unique album release, not just by The Beach Boys but in all of rock music history. Essentially, the album is a collection of the backing tracks to fifteen of their songs over their career thus far. Considered little more than a penny pincher when it came out, Stack-O-Tracks turned out to be a very educational album for those wanted to know what went into the making of a Beach Boys music track.
Their third and final album release of 1968, coming after Friends and released the same day as the quickly cobbled-together Best of The Beach Boys Vol. 3, Stack-O-Tracks was seen by many at the time as a desperate last-ditch effort by Capitol Records to try anything to sell some Beach Boys records. Unfortunately the strategy backfired. Issued at one of their lowest commercial ebbs in the U.S., Stack-O-Tracks became the first Beach Boys album to fail to reach the U.S. or UK charts. Until 1992's much-maligned Summer in Paradise, it would remain their only official release to have this unfortunate distinction.
Nonetheless, featuring instrumental highlights from the past studio albums, and including a booklet with the bass lines, lead lines, chords and lyrics (to sing along with), Stack-O-Tracks was clearly a gift those who wanted to hear what was going on beneath the lush harmonies. Unfortunately, Stack-O-Tracks quickly disappeared and was out of print for two decades. In 1990, Capitol Records saw fit to re-issue it on CD, and again in 2001 - both releases without the handy booklet that accompanied the vinyl edition.
[edit] Track listing
All songs by Brian Wilson/Mike Love, except where noted.
- "Darlin' " – 2:12
- "Salt Lake City" – 1:58
- "Sloop John B" (Trad. arr. Brian Wilson) – 3:04
- "In My Room" (Brian Wilson/Gary Usher) – 2:13
- "Catch A Wave" – 2:00
- "Wild Honey" – 2:35
- "Little Saint Nick" – 1:49
- "Do It Again" – 2:11
- "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (Brian Wilson/Tony Asher/Mike Love) – 2:11
- "God Only Knows" (Brian Wilson/Tony Asher) – 2:37
- "Surfer Girl" (Brian Wilson) – 2:16
- "Little Honda" – 1:36
- "Here Today" (Brian Wilson/Tony Asher) – 3:06
- "You're So Good To Me" – 1:55
- "Let Him Run Wild" – 2:13
Stack-O-Tracks is now paired on CD with Beach Boys' Party!, with bonus instrumental tracks.
Sadly, Stack-O-Tracks (Capitol (D) KAO 2893) failed to chart in either the U.S. or the UK.
[edit] Sources
- Beach Boys' Party!/Stack-O-Tracks CD booklet notes, David Leaf, c.1990.
- "The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and the Southern California Experience", Timothy White, c. 1994.
- "Wouldn't It Be Nice - My Own Story", Brian Wilson and Todd Gold, c. 1991.
- "Top Pop Singles 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002.
- "Top Pop Albums 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002.
- All Music Guide.com
