The Sounds Of Summer [Vinyl 2LP]

This collection perfectly captures on a single disc the career arc of one of America's most important pop groups. Stuffing 30 songs into a small space, SOUNDS OF SUMMER checks in with these West Coast sunshine pop wizards at each phase of their development. There's the early chicks-and-cars, Chuck Berry-influenced material ("I Get Around," "Little Deuce Coupe"), the surf songs on which the Beach Boys' early reputation is based (the genre's national anthem "Surfin' Safari," the surprisingly transcendent "Surfer Girl"), and more.
Of course the celebrated "teenage symphonies to God" era is covered nicely, with such untouchable moments as "God Only Knows," "Good Vibrations," and "Wouldn't It Be Nice." The fact that the band didn't dry up and blow away after the 1960s is not lost on SOUNDS OF SUMMER either, as witnessed by the inclusion of Chuck Berry cover "Rock and Roll Music" and the latter-day summer-fun hit "Kokomo."