I don't really see what's so great about Pet Sounds. After hearing all the hype, I gave it a listen, didn't really see any greatness in it. Beatles all the way. I used to think the Beatles were overrated, but after putting some effort into listening to their records, my opinion completely changed. George, John and Paul are such great songwriters and great musicians too.
The Beatles never really had any extended soloing in their songs, but they didn't need it. Their songs were so well constructed and when they did play a little solo, they made every note count. John, George and Paul were good guitar players who were capable of some very tasty lead guitar. The medley on the backside of Abbey Road is epic, it showcases some lead guitar playing from all three. Paul's bass lines were never technically complex - they weren't supposed to be - they were simple and very smooth, just sounded great. John and Paul were pretty decent on the keys as well. But what really made them great was their songwriting. I can't even describe it. The way they would stop and on a dime and change tempos; the way they had songs that sounded like different songs within one song. For example, "A Day in the Life", which actually was two songs combined in one. They were just brilliant songwriters, George, John and Paul. All were great singers too, even Ringo's voice was alright.
