ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 309 THE BEACH BOYS - PET SOUNDS (50TH ANNIVERSARY -1966)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Disclaimer: All info that does not reside in my brain is gathered from wikipedia.com (mostly because Jon can't stand it) unless otherwise noted.

The Beach Boys have yet to be featured here in the Album of the Week forum, so it's time to correct this oversight. Pet Sounds is the band's eleventh studio album, and for all intents and purposes, the band's masterpiece.  According to the critics anyway.  The album reached number ten on the US chart (would you believe The Beach Boys never had a US number one?).  It is certified Platinum and features the Top 40 singles Sloop John B (#3), Wouldn't It Be Nice (#8), God Only Knows (#39) and Caroline, No (#32).

I could list a thousand details about this album, but I'm not gonna do that.  You can always read about it on Wikipedia.  But I will just say that I've always heard about how great this album is.  And for a long time it made me want to buy it, so I finally did a year or two ago.  I can't say that I really understand the critical praise.  I do think it's interesting, but maybe I would have needed to be more than three months old at the time of it's release to understand.  It does have some cool songs, for me, mostly the singles already mentioned.  I had heard three of them prior to hearing the album, but this was the first time I had heard Caroline, No.  And that's a pretty cool song. Oh yeah, the album cover is awful.

What about you?  Does the album hold fond memories for you?  Were you older than three months when it was released?  You don't really have to answer that question.  You can pick up the mono and stereo remasters of the album for $13.49.  I'm pretty sure I read recently that a 50th anniversary reissue is coming this year as well. By the way, the version I have posted is the mono version.

Side One:

1. Wouldn't It Be Nice

2. You Still Believe In Me

3. That's Not Me

4. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Soldier)

5. I'm Waiting For The Day

6. Let's Go Away For Awhile

7. Sloop John B

Side Two:

8. God Only Knows

9. I Know There's An Answer

10. Here Today

11. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times

12. Pet Sounds

13. Caroline, No

 

[Scott]

I have the 40th anniversary edition...  Same track listing too!  So what do you get extra with the 50th?

I have two older brothers, the oldest was a fan of this style of music, but he wasn't really a music nut like my other brother was.  He on the otherhand, preferred the harder edged music that I latched onto as well.  So while this was in the house (so to speak) it was never really heard.  So for me this is just like you said, its a hit and miss affair.  But if I was to transport myself back to 1966, well, I would be 1 years old first of all, so lets say 1970-72.  I was into my brothers Tommy James and the Shondells collection pretty heavily, from there I graduated into Three Dog Night and then the Beatles - pretty sure that's the order of things and we all know my memory never fails me.  So it was the Beatles tune Paperback Writer that got me interested in learning about them and that's the first memory I have of this album, it was a mention by the Beatles that this was some sort of studio breakthrough that inspired them.  OK, cool...  Certainly that's a fact for 1966, but the songs, outside of the hits, are slow and plodding.  For example That's Not Me just barely feels like it might turn into something and it fades out weirdly, and then Don't Talk puts me back into lullaby-ville. 

The album gets back on track with Sloop John B, which is a favorite of mine and then God Only Knows is also really good, great even!   But that's really it for me.  Caroline, No is nice and Pet Sounds is interesting but they're not go-to tracks and the experimental feel of this is exactly that, experimental.  In 1966 that was groundbreaking, in 2016, eh... 

I'm glad I own it, but if I was to reach out to a Beach Boys album it would be their 2012 release - That's Why God Made Radio - its actually pretty good!

[RJhog (Admin)]

I think it has two additional discs.

[Niels (Mod)]

First of all: God Only Knows are among maybe the 10 best songs ever written (if a band or artist only can have 1 song on that list). I think, it's Paul McCartney's favorite song.

I bought this album around 15 years ago, where I decided to buy all the best albums ever released.

This is not one of them, not imo.

It's too (here it comes again) booooooring!!

I like Beach Boys, but I have never been a fan.

GOK and Good Vibrations are stellar songs, but that's about it for me.

Then they have some good songs like Wouldn't It Be Nice and others, but they also have a LOT of slightly/very boring music, that don't appeal to me at all, and this album is full of those songs.

Believe me, I've tried many times, to like this album, meaning I've heard the album quite a few times, but I get bored each and every time.

I'm sure, this is a favorite album for a lot of people. I'm just not one of them.

[Jon]

I have this but I believe it's the 1990 version and it includes 3 bonus tracks. It's also remastered so it looks like there's different versions floating around.

Anyway, I bought this because I wanted to see what all the hype was about. At first I couldn't see that hype, there were a few songs I liked and the rest was kinda just filler. But the more I listen to it and the more I realize when it came out, I can see what the hype is about, maybe. There's some off the wall stuff here, especially for the mid-60's, but maybe that just doesn't carry over to the current times. Hey, that's what Scott said, but coming from me it's more believable.

So, I enjoy this more each time I listen to it, as long as I'm in the right 60's mood. Today I'm thinking that I am, cause I'm digging it.