Thursday, December 16, 2010

#34: The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (1966)

Have you missed us? School kinda took over our lives for the past two weeks. But finals are over and we're back with new reviews!

Zack: It’s not difficult to see why this album is on the list. Pet Sounds is one of the best classic rock bands of all time at their absolute best. Sure, it’s a little off balance as far as subject matter (an old teacher of mine once said that The Beach Boys knew three things and that’s it: surfing, cars, and girls). Every song seems to be a hit love song, but that may just be because the way The Beach Boys construct their songs is so poppy and fun that they all feel like love songs. There are a pair of instrumental tracks that help keep the flow of the album moving as a whole. Let’s Go Away for Awhile and Pet Sounds are both awesome on their own rights. But the best part of the album is, without a doubt, Wouldn’t It Be Nice. It’s just such a perfect example of what The Beach Boys are all about. You put that song and it doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re at, or what your day was like, you’re going to be smiling and bobbing your head and loving every second of it.
Favorite Tracks: Wouldn’t It Be Nice; Here Today, Sloop John B

Emily: The Beach Boys seem simple on the surface, singing pop songs about love, girls, and California, but beneath that pop mentality is complex yet beautiful melody. This really shines through on the instrumental tracks, which to me were two of the best on the album. They have a lush and romantic sound complemented by exotic instruments. This sound is reflected throughout the album, but by no means does that mean every song is the same. Each one is intricately crafted with unique instrumentation, melody, and lyrics - and each could stand on its own as a classic pop single.
Favorite Tracks: Wouldn't It Be Nice, Pet Sounds, God Only Knows

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