This incipient volume in the Sea of Tunes mammoth 58-disc Unsurpassed Masters series contains over an hour of recording session tapes used in creating Surfin' Safari, the Beach Boys' first long-player. While material from only half of the album is represented on this collection, several tunes documented here would remain unreleased until the early '90s. As with all the source material used in the Sea of Tunes catalog, these recordings are direct copies of tapes lifted from the Beach Boys' vault. This easily accounts for the remarkable sound quality on this (and every) volume. In fact, there are several instances where the purity of the bootleg rivals the sound found on the legitimate release. As an inclusive musical quintet, the Beach Boys were well on their way to developing their unique blend of vocal harmonies, early-'60s rock & roll soundscapes, and adrenaline. Although the band struggles in spots to maintain an ever-coagulating tempo, there is unmistakable energetic residue on these tapes, and the astute listener can hear new musical rules being forged and boundaries being crossed. The sessions on this volume are split between three Brian Wilson originals and three cover tunes. Due to the primitive nature of the era's professional recording methods, the band members would usually build a track rather than perform it live. Once an acceptable instrumental take was recorded, they would huddle around microphones and sing to that backup tape. This bit of background helps explain why there are numerous takes of the same song, and likewise why some have vocals and some don't. It's fair to say that only die-hard Beach Boys enthusiasts will really get much out of this volume. Although the material is good and the sound is flawless, many of these early studio outings are not completely supervised by Brian Wilson -- the proverbial missing link. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide