So here we go. Before I start, let me just say WTF?? "The smile sessions" is like four discs or something! I ain't listening to that without a very good reason. So this will have to do ya.
For
Pet_Sounds, who certainly knows the meaning of perseverance...
Title: Pet Sounds
Artiste: The Beach Boys
Year: 1966
Chronological position: Eleventh album
Previous experience of this artiste?: Oh, you know, the singles
Why is this considered a classic? Apparently not only a founding member of the psychedelic movement, this album is also considered one of, if not the, first progressive rock albums.
My thoughts
One minute (or thereabouts in) ---- Good, great, bad, meh, still waiting or other? Good, but I know this track so let’s see how it develops
One track in --- As I say, good, with the caveat above
Halfway through --- Good
Finished --- Good
Comments: The man whose username is this album has been asking me --- almost begging me --- to listen to this, so I decided to go for it. It should be noted that I do not like surf rock, especially the Beach Boys (who am I kidding? I don’t know any other surf rock: I just naturally assume I’d hate it!)
so this may be a hard sell. But I do know the first song so that’s not too bad. Of course, I know it from the many ads it was used in, but I have heard the original before. Nice bit of sitar to open the second track, like the accordion too. It’s a bit slow and boring though: plodding I would say, especially after the opener, even if I did know it. Mind you, I can see where ELO got some of their influences.
The next track doesn’t exactly speed things up either. Nice organ work sure, and I can see how with all the different instruments used and the way they’re played this was a pretty revolutionary album, especially the vocal harmonies. It’s just not doing it for me, yet anyway. And the pace continues slow and boring with “Don’t talk (Put your head on my shoulder)”. I do like this, I’m just waiting for something a little more uptempo which, since the opening track I have not yet heard. Lovely cello and violin here.
Okay, this is a bit more like it. “I’m waiting for the day” is a little bouncier, although to be fair not that much. Bit more energy coming in now, and yes, I think I’m enjoying this one. Best yet. I hear some violin there that sounds like Prince robbed it for the closing section of “Purple rain”. But now we’re back to slow and relaxed with some nice digital piano and vibraphone (?) for “Let’s go away for a while”. Oh, it’s an instrumental. Interesting. And on that basis quite nice, few too many touches of jazz in it for me though. And of course I know “Sloop John B”.
Oh, and I know “God only knows” too. So the next one I don’t actually know is “I know there’s an answer”, which starts like “Sloop John B” at first. It’s ok; I can hear the sort of Phil Spector Wall of Sound production there. “Here today” by contrast is terrible --- did I just hear something Survivor may have ripped off for “Eye of the tiger”?? Man that song was miserable. What’s next? “I just wasn’t made for these times”. Yeah that’s okay. Back to the slow stuff and it has a lot of later Beatles in it (yeah yeah, vice versa, whatever) and it’s quite pleasant but not much more than that. Bit meh really. The title track is another instrumental, nice but a bit loungey. Closer is nice. Very nice in fact. One of my other favourites. Great ending, but what the hell is with the dog and the train??
Favourite track(s): Wouldn’t it be nice, Don’t talk (Put your head on my shoulder), I’m waiting for the day, Sloop John B, God only knows, Caroline, no
Least favourite track(s): Here today
Final impression --- Kind of what I was expecting really. It’s a good album but I just don’t like the Beach Boys and this hasn’t changed my opinion of them. It’s music that does little for me. The album may occupy, and deserve, its position in music history, and 99.9% of the world may love it, but that doesn't mean I have to. I don’t. It’s okay. I don’t hate it. But I wouldn’t listen to it again. Sorry Mister P!
Do I feel, at the end, A) I wish I had listened to this sooner
B) I'm sorry I bothered
C) I might end up liking this
D) Have to wait and see
E) Bit underwhelmed; was ok but a classic?
F) Definitely enjoyed it, but again would I consider it a classic?
G) Enjoyed this album just purely on its own merits
H) Glad I listened to it
E I do believe
As the above codes don’t always properly reflect how I actually feel about am album, and I’m running out of letters (!) I’m going to rate each album here. When I have time I’ll go back and rate the ones I’ve already done. The rating system will be the same as “Bitesize”, with five being top and one being bottom. Most albums would in that case probably rate out at three, but since these are all (supposed to be) classic albums, I expect a higher instance of fours and even fives, but we;l see. As for this one, it gets a solid
