If you've heard a lot of The Beach Boys on the radio recently, this is why: Pet Sounds is about to celebrate its 60th anniversary. And how better to celebrate such a landmark record than with its most audiophile edition ever.
Pet Sounds is the latest in the Vinylphyle range of reissues. This brings back classic albums in 180g black vinyl pressings, which are billed as "a premium vinyl experience for people who love vinyl".
Other albums in the series include The Velvet Underground & Nico (by The Velvet Underground), Exodus (Bob Marley & The Wailers), I Want You (Marvin Gaye) and Peter Frampton Comes Alive! (Peter Frampton).
Pet Sounds was a landmark album in pop music. It contains the songs Wouldn't It Be Nice, God Only Knows and Sloop John B.
Like other Vinylphyle releases, the Pet Sounds reissue features all analogue mastering from the original sources by some of the best engineers in the business today. The albums are pressed at Record Technology, a world-class audiophile vinyl pressing plant in Southern California.
These pressings are similar to jazz label Blue Note's Tone Poet series, with packaging that's as premium as the vinyl – think tip-on wrapped gatefold jackets in a satin matte finish, printed on clay-coated board, with archival poly sleeves and four-panel inserts. There are new liner notes too, with contributions from notable music journalists, personalities and fans.
The series is from UMe, the the global catalogue division of Universal Music Group.
Pet Sounds is out on Vinylphile on 15th May.
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