“The Pet Sounds Sessions Highlights” - The Making of an American Masterpiece

A 2LP primer of tracks from the long-out-of-print box set

Valentine's Day 2016 was a day in my musical journey that left an influential impression. I bought a copy of Pet Sounds and listened to it with headphones in the dark, as per mastermind Brian Wilson’s instructions from an old interview. My head was swirling–listening to harmonies that sounded like they came from the heavens and being astounded how the Wrecking Crew brought Brian’s grandiose arrangements to life. Tony Asher’s introspective lyrics stung me so hard as someone feeling so much entering the early phases of adulthood.

Up to this point, my journey into the Beach Boys was typical of adolescents in the 2000s: hearing “Kokomo” and “Forever” on reruns of Full House. It wasn’t until the Love & Mercy biopic from 2015 that I became aware of Brian’s tragic story and that there was more to his artistry than what I shamefully perceived as ‘oldies surf music.’ Flash forward to August 2016: I’m sitting within the Circus Maximus Theatre at Caesars Palace in Atlantic City, shedding tears as I witness Brian Wilson and his tremendous backing band perform a note-for-note rendition of “God Only Knows”; I was in the presence of an American legend that night.

Brian Wilson in Atlantic City, August 2016. Photo by Bill Peggin

The Pet Sounds Sessions box set from 1997, the 2CD 40th anniversary set from 2006, and the 50th anniversary 'book-set' from 2016

Pet Sounds is typically recognized every mid-decade by some type of anniversary release or reissue. What got the celebratory ball rolling was the release of The Pet Sounds Sessions box set–containing the album’s first and newly crafted stereo mix by Mark Linett, session outtakes (backing tracks, a cappella mixes, etc.), and the original mono mix–released 18 months after the album’s 30th anniversary in November 1997. Considering the 2006 40th-anniversary edition was a measly pairing of the mono/stereo mixes and all the recycled Sessions content appeared on the 50th-anniversary set 10 years later, the 1997 release still holds up as the gold standard for giving one of the beloved records of the 20th century a warranted deep dive.

Now, in 2026, audiophiles are beaming for the Definitive Sound Series one-step pressing (sourced from an EQ’d copy that matches the highly regarded cut from the Carl and the Passions twofer) and the Vinylphyle edition (analog cuts of the mono/stereo mixes). After A/B-ing these pressings and seeing how they compare ad nauseam, consider a detour to another widespread release relative to this 60th anniversary campaign, The Pet Sounds Sessions Highlights. 

The recently released Definitive Sound Series one-step and Vinylphyle pressings of Pet Sounds

The Pet Sounds Sessions Highlights is a 2LP compilation cherry-picked from the long-out-of-print 1997 box set. The textured jacket is stark, bearing an opaque emerald-green background that brings out the text in shades of white and yellow in the synonymous Cooper Black font. Brian Wilson’s introduction–lifted from the ‘97 box–is featured in the gatefold, along with Howie Edelson’s newly-penned essay and session photos seen plenty of times before. A 4-panel insert inside features an in-depth sessionography that provides the play-by-play of every track that appeared on the final album or was recorded, notating when they were initially cut and which of the Wrecking Crew members appeared. Each LP bears the iconic rainbow-rim Capitol label, just as Pet Sounds first appeared upon its initial release in May 1966.

Side 1 consists of ‘Vocals Only’ versions of most of the album’s tracks–the antithesis of Stack-o-Tracks (remember that 1968 release?). These are national treasures to marvel at, exemplifying how the Wilson brothers, Jardine, Love, and Johnston meticulously mastered the art of harmonizing, making the vocal arrangements just as intricate as the instrumental backing tracks. The outro to “You Still Believe in Me” is a hair-raising moment, where the intertwined ascending/descending melody transforms into a pure moment of cascading euphony.

Side 2 features various alternate versions of tracks that feature radical differences that make them unique. Brian’s demo of “Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)” is embryonic, featuring hammered-out piano chords sketching the track’s foundation before his sweet falsetto and a lush string arrangement gave the song a dreamy, hazy quality. Some songs display arrangement approaches that were eventually swapped or discarded, such as Mike Love singing lead on “I’m Waiting for The Day,” Carl Wilson’s soft vocal delivery on “Sloop John B,” or a saxophone solo from Jay Migliori on “God Only Knows.” A notable highlight is the alternative mix of “Hang On To Your Ego” and its original lyrics alluding to LSD before being revised to fit a more self-reflecting angle and titled “I Know There’s an Answer.”

Side 3 is notable for including ‘Highlights from Tracking Date’ curations of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Trombone Dixie,” and “That’s Not Me.” These mini audio documentaries give the listener a fly-on-the-wall perspective as these tracks came to life in the studio, exemplifying the notion that Brian had a vision and didn’t hesitate to halt takes until he got the sound he was seeking. Although “Trombone Dixie” is deemed the only true outtake from the recording sessions, the choice not to include the finished version–initially released on the first CD edition of Pet Sounds–is a notable omission from this collection. 

Side 4 starts dubiously with the ‘Vocals Only’ version of “I’m Waiting for the Day,” which already appeared on Side 1; why this appears twice is unknown. “Caroline No” appears at its original speed before being sped up a semitone on the final album to give Brian’s voice a more youthful sound. Pet Sounds’ undisputed moment of glory is “God Only Knows,” and the ‘Highlights from Tracking Date’ rendering is the most in-depth of the collection, let alone the box set. The collection concludes and points towards the future with an early stereo backing track of “Good Vibrations,” which subsequently became the Beach Boys’ last No. 1 hit for 20 years and was intended as a highlight for the group’s next project, SMiLE.

Purists who subscribe to Brian Wilson’s ideology of Pet Sounds being experienced solely in mono will whinge at the idea of experiencing stereo counterparts. Not to play devil's advocate, but the arrangements–albeit vocally or instrumentally–are so grandiose and cinematic that they deserve to thrive across two independent channels, hence why one of my favorite versions of this album is Analogue Productions’ 2xLP 45rpm stereo cut. Despite engineer Mark Linett’s efforts to transfer the multitracks via a Scully 280 and process the final mixes through United Western’s tube console, the slightly artificial soundstage–aided by a Lexicon 300 reverb unit–smoothes over a lot of intricate detail on this release. Listen to the Definitive Sound Series one-step pressing, where every compactable nuance of the original mono mix is magnified to a high degree. 

On a more critical note, The Pet Sounds Sessions Highlights doesn’t break any new ground in unearthing never-before-heard bits of brilliance during the sessions for the Beach Boys’ best album, let alone Brian Wilson’s masterpiece. It’s such a noble masterwork that it’s questioning why it has yet to receive the most exhaustive treatment: releasing every second of the session tapes to make a COMPLETE Pet Sounds Sessions box set, just like the Monkees’ Headquarters and the Stooges’ Fun House have had. Otherwise, this 2LP primer does its job at spotlighting Wilson’s creative process, singling out elements that make up one of the 20th century’s crowning musical achievements. 

Extra thanks to senior editor Michael Fremer for lending me a test pressing of the newly released DSS one-step pressing while preparing this review.