Pet Sounds has always been a puzzle for me. I really liked the Beach Boys in the sixties and still listen to them when the mood takes me. I have a lot of their albums and Brian Wilson's solo albums too. I know the place that Pet Sounds has in the history of recorded music. I was around at the time and know the musical context in which the album appeared, I know the importance and influence of the Beach Boys in 1966. Here Today is one of my all-time favourite Beach Boys tracks. And yet I don't get Pet Sounds. It's not an album I listen to except when I make yet another attempt to understand why people think it's so great. I hate the sound of most of it and many of the songs seem weak and/or self-indulgent. You won't be surprised to learn that my vote goes to Revolver, a remarkable landmark in rock music and a giant step in the Beatles' progress and maturity. It has everything - some of the Beatles finest songs (Here, There and Everywhere, Eleanor Rigby, For No One, Got To Get You Into My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows etc), revolutionary production and even an iconic album cover. I can (and do) play this album regularly and never tire of listening to it.
Pet Sounds has always been a puzzle for me. I really liked the Beach Boys in the sixties and still listen to them when the mood takes me. I have a lot of their albums and Brian Wilson's solo albums too. I know the place that Pet Sounds has in the history of recorded music. I was around at the time and know the musical context in which the album appeared, I know the importance and influence of the Beach Boys in 1966. Here Today is one of my all-time favourite Beach Boys tracks. And yet I don't get Pet Sounds. It's not an album I listen to except when I make yet another attempt to understand why people think it's so great. I hate the sound of most of it and many of the songs seem weak and/or self-indulgent. You won't be surprised to learn that my vote goes to Revolver, a remarkable landmark in rock music and a giant step in the Beatles' progress and maturity. It has everything - some of the Beatles finest songs (Here, There and Everywhere, Eleanor Rigby, For No One, Got To Get You Into My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows etc), revolutionary production and even an iconic album cover. I can (and do) play this album regularly and never tire of listening to it.
That's my take on them both too
You like what you like, and you can't force yourself to like an album (or a band/artist). I tried to like the Moody Blues once (Bromley, 1970, at a neighbours house in New St Hill). It didn't work then, and it ain't going to work now. Now where the worst album in the world thread?!
Pet Sounds has always been a puzzle for me. I really liked the Beach Boys in the sixties and still listen to them when the mood takes me. I have a lot of their albums and Brian Wilson's solo albums too. I know the place that Pet Sounds has in the history of recorded music. I was around at the time and know the musical context in which the album appeared, I know the importance and influence of the Beach Boys in 1966. Here Today is one of my all-time favourite Beach Boys tracks. And yet I don't get Pet Sounds. It's not an album I listen to except when I make yet another attempt to understand why people think it's so great. I hate the sound of most of it and many of the songs seem weak and/or self-indulgent. You won't be surprised to learn that my vote goes to Revolver, a remarkable landmark in rock music and a giant step in the Beatles' progress and maturity. It has everything - some of the Beatles finest songs (Here, There and Everywhere, Eleanor Rigby, For No One, Got To Get You Into My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows etc), revolutionary production and even an iconic album cover. I can (and do) play this album regularly and never tire of listening to it.
That's my take on them both too
You like what you like, and you can't force yourself to like an album (or a band/artist). I tried to like the Moody Blues once (Bromley, 1970, at a neighbours house in New St Hill). It didn't work then, and it ain't going to work now. Now where the worst album in the world thread?!
I'm a bit of a strange case in that it sometimes takes me several listens before I get into an album. Couldn't stand Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica when I first listened to it, but really persevered until I was able to make some sense of it. Pet Sounds I took to straight away. Never loved Revolver (I'm actually a bigger Beatles fan than I am of the Beach Boys).
Pet Sounds has always been a puzzle for me. I really liked the Beach Boys in the sixties and still listen to them when the mood takes me. I have a lot of their albums and Brian Wilson's solo albums too. I know the place that Pet Sounds has in the history of recorded music. I was around at the time and know the musical context in which the album appeared, I know the importance and influence of the Beach Boys in 1966. Here Today is one of my all-time favourite Beach Boys tracks. And yet I don't get Pet Sounds. It's not an album I listen to except when I make yet another attempt to understand why people think it's so great. I hate the sound of most of it and many of the songs seem weak and/or self-indulgent. You won't be surprised to learn that my vote goes to Revolver, a remarkable landmark in rock music and a giant step in the Beatles' progress and maturity. It has everything - some of the Beatles finest songs (Here, There and Everywhere, Eleanor Rigby, For No One, Got To Get You Into My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows etc), revolutionary production and even an iconic album cover. I can (and do) play this album regularly and never tire of listening to it.
That's my take on them both too
You like what you like, and you can't force yourself to like an album (or a band/artist). I tried to like the Moody Blues once (Bromley, 1970, at a neighbours house in New St Hill). It didn't work then, and it ain't going to work now. Now where the worst album in the world thread?!
I'm a bit of a strange case in that it sometimes takes me several listens before I get into an album. Couldn't stand Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica when I first listened to it, but really persevered until I was able to make some sense of it. Pet Sounds I took to straight away. Never loved Revolver (I'm a bigger Beatles fan than I am of the Beach Boys).
Congrats. I gave up trying...saw him with the magic band at kent university in 73 or 74. Brilliant.
Pet Sounds has always been a puzzle for me. I really liked the Beach Boys in the sixties and still listen to them when the mood takes me. I have a lot of their albums and Brian Wilson's solo albums too. I know the place that Pet Sounds has in the history of recorded music. I was around at the time and know the musical context in which the album appeared, I know the importance and influence of the Beach Boys in 1966. Here Today is one of my all-time favourite Beach Boys tracks. And yet I don't get Pet Sounds. It's not an album I listen to except when I make yet another attempt to understand why people think it's so great. I hate the sound of most of it and many of the songs seem weak and/or self-indulgent. You won't be surprised to learn that my vote goes to Revolver, a remarkable landmark in rock music and a giant step in the Beatles' progress and maturity. It has everything - some of the Beatles finest songs (Here, There and Everywhere, Eleanor Rigby, For No One, Got To Get You Into My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows etc), revolutionary production and even an iconic album cover. I can (and do) play this album regularly and never tire of listening to it.
That's my take on them both too
You like what you like, and you can't force yourself to like an album (or a band/artist). I tried to like the Moody Blues once (Bromley, 1970, at a neighbours house in New St Hill). It didn't work then, and it ain't going to work now. Now where the worst album in the world thread?!
I'm a bit of a strange case in that it sometimes takes me several listens before I get into an album. Couldn't stand Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica when I first listened to it, but really persevered until I was able to make some sense of it. Pet Sounds I took to straight away. Never loved Revolver (I'm a bigger Beatles fan than I am of the Beach Boys).
Congrats. I gave up trying...saw him with the magic band at kent university in 73 or 74. Brilliant.
Music is not sport, subjectivity rules, so neither album is better than the other. Neither of these albums would be in my top 20. However I like the Beatles album so much more than the Beach Boys offering. The Beatles (esp Lennon/McCartney) are far more creative and diverse than Wilson, and the Beatles have influenced many many more artists than the Beach Boys IMO.
Music is not sport, subjectivity rules, so neither album is better than the other. Neither of these albums would be in my top 20. However I like the Beatles album so much more than the Beach Boys offering. The Beatles (esp Lennon/McCartney) are far more creative and diverse than Wilson, and the Beatles have influenced many many more artists than the Beach Boys IMO.
Two Classic albums, with a narrow victory for Revolver
US Beatle Albums had fewer tracks than their English counterparts, presumably as a way of making more money for the record company. Indeed, as a result Capitol were able to issue another album in between Rubber Soul and Revolver! This was originally issued with the famous butcher's sleeve...
The Beatles for Pepper managed to stop this process, and insisted that their LPs would be the same in the US
I took advantage of the lock-down period to give Pet Sounds another listen this week.
I totally understand the context of the production being different and revolutionary for it's time, but what's the reason most of us like music? For me it's because either it's catchy, the tune is good, the lyrics are good, it means something to us personally/captures a moment in time or there is just something you can't put your finger on. If you're lucky a piece of music or a song can tick more than one of those boxes for you - maybe even all of them.
But "listen to the production values on that" just doesn't float my boat - at least not on it's own.
And when I listen to Pet Sounds apart from the two obviously great tunes (God Only Knows and Wouldn't it be Good) the rest just sounds like some depressing, droning, drunk, barber shop quartet. It's monotonous and, dare I say it, over produced.
Maybe I just don't "get it". And that's fine. And it's fine if you do like it. But having heard so much about it over the years and how it gets mentioned as one of the greatest albums of all time, my considered view is that it's largely a droning bore and very underwhelming. I wasn't impressed when I listened to it before and I'm even less so now.
Next on my list to revisit - Sgt Pepper.
(Sorry to resurrect a thread after more than two years , but this seems the best place for it. )
Pointless me saying the Beatles were rubbish or I hate the Beatles because (a) they clearly are of huge significance in popular music and (b) I haven't listened enough to their music to make an objective comment.
They just were never played by my mum and dad or at family parties growing up, it was always Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and occasionally Elvis. We did have a copy of Pet Sounds on vinyl though and this thread inspired me to play it now (it helps that I am writing a paper on the Tet Offensive and up to my eyes in Vietnam books), my lad Georgie says he thinks its pretty cool.
I often feel I missed out when people talk about the genius of the Beatles music, I have just been too lazy to try and listen to it.
As an aside why is Sloop John B used in SO many football chants? It's a great terrace tune, but does seem to be used excessively. Off the top of my head
"Bowyer had a dream, to build a football team" "Luton's a sh*thole, I wanna to go home" "How sh*t must you be, we're winning away" "He scores when he wants, he scores when he wants" "Jeremy Kyle, he's coming for you"
I took advantage of the lock-down period to give Pet Sounds another listen this week.
I totally understand the context of the production being different and revolutionary for it's time, but what's the reason most of us like music? For me it's because either it's catchy, the tune is good, the lyrics are good, it means something to us personally/captures a moment in time or there is just something you can't put your finger on. If you're lucky a piece of music or a song can tick more than one of those boxes for you - maybe even all of them.
But "listen to the production values on that" just doesn't float my boat - at least not on it's own.
And when I listen to Pet Sounds apart from the two obviously great tunes (God Only Knows and Wouldn't it be Good) the rest just sounds like some depressing, droning, drunk, barber shop quartet. It's monotonous and, dare I say it, over produced.
Maybe I just don't "get it". And that's fine. And it's fine if you do like it. But having heard so much about it over the years and how it gets mentioned as one of the greatest albums of all time, my considered view is that it's largely a droning bore and very underwhelming. I wasn't impressed when I listened to it before and I'm even less so now.
Next on my list to revisit - Sgt Pepper.
(Sorry to resurrect a thread after more than two years , but this seems the best place for it. )
I know music is a personal choice. However Pet Sounds is universally rated by music critics as one of the greatest albums ever, a a ground breaker in 1966. Brian Wilson produced the album with just one good ear and you cant "hear it" with ( hopefully) two good ears :-)
I would hate to hear your comments on Brian Wilson's SMiLE album !!
Pointless me saying the Beatles were rubbish or I hate the Beatles because (a) they clearly are of huge significance in popular music and (b) I haven't listened enough to their music to make an objective comment.
They just were never played by my mum and dad or at family parties growing up, it was always Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and occasionally Elvis. We did have a copy of Pet Sounds on vinyl though and this thread inspired me to play it now (it helps that I am writing a paper on the Tet Offensive and up to my eyes in Vietnam books), my lad Georgie says he thinks its pretty cool.
I often feel I missed out when people talk about the genius of the Beatles music, I have just been too lazy to try and listen to it.
Then go listen to Revolver, Sgt Peppper & Abbey Road. Can't be 3 better albums by a band that span just 4 years.
Pointless me saying the Beatles were rubbish or I hate the Beatles because (a) they clearly are of huge significance in popular music and (b) I haven't listened enough to their music to make an objective comment.
They just were never played by my mum and dad or at family parties growing up, it was always Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and occasionally Elvis. We did have a copy of Pet Sounds on vinyl though and this thread inspired me to play it now (it helps that I am writing a paper on the Tet Offensive and up to my eyes in Vietnam books), my lad Georgie says he thinks its pretty cool.
I often feel I missed out when people talk about the genius of the Beatles music, I have just been too lazy to try and listen to it.
Then go listen to Revolver, Sgt Peppper & Abbey Road. Can't be 3 better albums by a band that span just 4 years.
Those three are up there, Golfie - I was always a Stones man over The Beatles but their influence and genius cannot be ignored. But I give you four in 6 years:
Pointless me saying the Beatles were rubbish or I hate the Beatles because (a) they clearly are of huge significance in popular music and (b) I haven't listened enough to their music to make an objective comment.
They just were never played by my mum and dad or at family parties growing up, it was always Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and occasionally Elvis. We did have a copy of Pet Sounds on vinyl though and this thread inspired me to play it now (it helps that I am writing a paper on the Tet Offensive and up to my eyes in Vietnam books), my lad Georgie says he thinks its pretty cool.
I often feel I missed out when people talk about the genius of the Beatles music, I have just been too lazy to try and listen to it.
Then go listen to Revolver, Sgt Peppper & Abbey Road. Can't be 3 better albums by a band that span just 4 years.
Those three are up there, Golfie - I was always a Stones man over The Beatles but their influence and genius cannot be ignored. But I give you four in 6 years:
The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Wish You Were Here (1975)
Animals (1977)
The Wall (1979)
Not a Floyd lover and as a Stones fan will go
Beggars Banquet Let it Bleed Sticky Fingers Exile on Main St
As a much better run of great albums
There isn't anything to touch Wild Horses on either the four Beatles or Floyd albums.
Pointless me saying the Beatles were rubbish or I hate the Beatles because (a) they clearly are of huge significance in popular music and (b) I haven't listened enough to their music to make an objective comment.
They just were never played by my mum and dad or at family parties growing up, it was always Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and occasionally Elvis. We did have a copy of Pet Sounds on vinyl though and this thread inspired me to play it now (it helps that I am writing a paper on the Tet Offensive and up to my eyes in Vietnam books), my lad Georgie says he thinks its pretty cool.
I often feel I missed out when people talk about the genius of the Beatles music, I have just been too lazy to try and listen to it.
Then go listen to Revolver, Sgt Peppper & Abbey Road. Can't be 3 better albums by a band that span just 4 years.
Those three are up there, Golfie - I was always a Stones man over The Beatles but their influence and genius cannot be ignored. But I give you four in 6 years:
The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Wish You Were Here (1975)
Animals (1977)
The Wall (1979)
Not a Floyd lover and as a Stones fan will go
Beggars Banquet Let it Bleed Sticky Fingers Exile on Main St
As a much better run of great albums
There isn't anything to touch Wild Horses on either the four Beatles or Floyd albums.
As an aside why is Sloop John B used in SO many football chants? It's a great terrace tune, but does seem to be used excessively. Off the top of my head
"Bowyer had a dream, to build a football team" "Luton's a sh*thole, I wanna to go home" "How sh*t must you be, we're winning away" "He scores when he wants, he scores when he wants" "Jeremy Kyle, he's coming for you"
It’s a standard, so not written by the Beach Boys. It’s one of those melodies that has somehow seeped into the western consciousness.
Pointless me saying the Beatles were rubbish or I hate the Beatles because (a) they clearly are of huge significance in popular music and (b) I haven't listened enough to their music to make an objective comment.
They just were never played by my mum and dad or at family parties growing up, it was always Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and occasionally Elvis. We did have a copy of Pet Sounds on vinyl though and this thread inspired me to play it now (it helps that I am writing a paper on the Tet Offensive and up to my eyes in Vietnam books), my lad Georgie says he thinks its pretty cool.
I often feel I missed out when people talk about the genius of the Beatles music, I have just been too lazy to try and listen to it.
Then go listen to Revolver, Sgt Peppper & Abbey Road. Can't be 3 better albums by a band that span just 4 years.
Those three are up there, Golfie - I was always a Stones man over The Beatles but their influence and genius cannot be ignored. But I give you four in 6 years:
The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Wish You Were Here (1975)
Animals (1977)
The Wall (1979)
Not a Floyd lover and as a Stones fan will go
Beggars Banquet Let it Bleed Sticky Fingers Exile on Main St
As a much better run of great albums
There isn't anything to touch Wild Horses on either the four Beatles or Floyd albums.
When I was young I liked the Sones’ singles, but I was a bit put off because they sounded so American compared to someone like the Kinks, or the Beatles for that matter. Satisfaction is ace though.
Pet Sounds v Sgt Peppers is a tie for me. Both have aged pretty well.
Pointless me saying the Beatles were rubbish or I hate the Beatles because (a) they clearly are of huge significance in popular music and (b) I haven't listened enough to their music to make an objective comment.
They just were never played by my mum and dad or at family parties growing up, it was always Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and occasionally Elvis. We did have a copy of Pet Sounds on vinyl though and this thread inspired me to play it now (it helps that I am writing a paper on the Tet Offensive and up to my eyes in Vietnam books), my lad Georgie says he thinks its pretty cool.
I often feel I missed out when people talk about the genius of the Beatles music, I have just been too lazy to try and listen to it.
Then go listen to Revolver, Sgt Peppper & Abbey Road. Can't be 3 better albums by a band that span just 4 years.
Those three are up there, Golfie - I was always a Stones man over The Beatles but their influence and genius cannot be ignored. But I give you four in 6 years:
The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Wish You Were Here (1975)
Animals (1977)
The Wall (1979)
I would have to go for Bowie ('71-'73) with:
Hunky Dory The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust......... Aladdin Sane
I will say that The Stones wrote better individual songs (You cant always get what you want, Wild Horses, Gimmee Shelter etc) but The Beatles recorded better albums. The 4 Stones albums mentioned above I feel have some duff tracks on them & couldn't/wouldnt be played on the radio, whereas virtually any song on the 3 Beatles albums I mentioned would get airplay.
Comments
I tried to like the Moody Blues once (Bromley, 1970, at a neighbours house in New St Hill). It didn't work then, and it ain't going to work now.
Now where the worst album in the world thread?!
However I like the Beatles album so much more than the Beach Boys offering. The Beatles (esp Lennon/McCartney) are far more creative and diverse than Wilson, and the Beatles have influenced many many more artists than the Beach Boys IMO.
US Beatle Albums had fewer tracks than their English counterparts, presumably as a way of making more money for the record company. Indeed, as a result Capitol were able to issue another album in between Rubber Soul and Revolver! This was originally issued with the famous butcher's sleeve...
The Beatles for Pepper managed to stop this process, and insisted that their LPs would be the same in the US
Next match up should be posted later today
I totally understand the context of the production being different and revolutionary for it's time, but what's the reason most of us like music? For me it's because either it's catchy, the tune is good, the lyrics are good, it means something to us personally/captures a moment in time or there is just something you can't put your finger on. If you're lucky a piece of music or a song can tick more than one of those boxes for you - maybe even all of them.
But "listen to the production values on that" just doesn't float my boat - at least not on it's own.
And when I listen to Pet Sounds apart from the two obviously great tunes (God Only Knows and Wouldn't it be Good) the rest just sounds like some depressing, droning, drunk, barber shop quartet. It's monotonous and, dare I say it, over produced.
Maybe I just don't "get it". And that's fine. And it's fine if you do like it. But having heard so much about it over the years and how it gets mentioned as one of the greatest albums of all time, my considered view is that it's largely a droning bore and very underwhelming. I wasn't impressed when I listened to it before and I'm even less so now.
Next on my list to revisit - Sgt Pepper.
(Sorry to resurrect a thread after more than two years , but this seems the best place for it. )
They just were never played by my mum and dad or at family parties growing up, it was always Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and occasionally Elvis. We did have a copy of Pet Sounds on vinyl though and this thread inspired me to play it now (it helps that I am writing a paper on the Tet Offensive and up to my eyes in Vietnam books), my lad Georgie says he thinks its pretty cool.
I often feel I missed out when people talk about the genius of the Beatles music, I have just been too lazy to try and listen to it.
"Bowyer had a dream, to build a football team"
"Luton's a sh*thole, I wanna to go home"
"How sh*t must you be, we're winning away"
"He scores when he wants, he scores when he wants"
"Jeremy Kyle, he's coming for you"
I would hate to hear your comments on Brian Wilson's SMiLE album !!
Beggars Banquet
Let it Bleed
Sticky Fingers
Exile on Main St
As a much better run of great albums
There isn't anything to touch Wild Horses on either the four Beatles or Floyd albums.
I won't argue with that.
Satisfaction is ace though.
Hunky Dory
The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust.........
Aladdin Sane
I thought Goats Head Soup was a good album.
Joni Mitchell 71-75
Blue
For The Roses
Court And Spark
The Hissing Of Summer Lawns