This is the Beach Boys' first hit compilation ever. Capitol Records' original catalog number for this album was DT 2545 for stereo LP copies and T 2545 for mono copies. As I said in the review for PET SOUNDS,stereo copies of this album were "duophonic". That means it's best to play a stereo copy on only a stereo phonograph. But then again,you'd get good sound quality if played on a monaural phonograph. On the cover,we see five individual photos of all five Beach Boys with headphones in a recording studio. Unlike PET SOUNDS,this album was released with Capitol's distinctive "the star line" label. Some copies had an orange star on a white label and some had a series of red or orange circles on a white label with the information in black. Now for the songs:SURFIN' USA,from the 1963 album of the same title,contains music by Chuck Berry. From SURFER GIRL is the title track,CATCH A WAVE,LITTLE DEUCE COUPE and IN MY ROOM. The other songs are good. BEST OF THE BEACH BOYS VOLUME 2 and VOLUME 3,also with "the star line" label, would later follow this album. For those who purchased copies of all the Beach Boys' non-compilation albums before this album was released,this album was not necessary for them since all tracks were previously released.
