Pet_Sounds

Now that Briks has told us all what he was listening to a few years ago, I thought I'd put on my former "favourite album of all time". I played it a month or so ago, but before that hadn't listened in about a year.

2012… What a summer. I was hitting puberty, playing out-of-town baseball for the first time, and meeting the girl I'm still pretty crazy for. This was the soundtrack to it all.



The title track and opener, Your Imagination, has an edge to it unusual for a Brian Wilson record. There's some distorted guitar and pretty cool Hammond organ licks going on in the background. After two verses seemingly about the Beach Boys, the bridge strips down, and finally fades out with some lovely trumpet. Definitely my favourite song on the album.

Up next is She Says that She Needs Me, a track recycled from some old Beach Boys sessions. It's on this track that Brian doing all the vocals becomes evident. It seems to have a slight Latin vibe with the acoustic guitar (another rarity on a Brian Wilson record) and what seem to be maracas in the background.

Jimmy Buffett enters the scene on South American, which is the album's weakest track lyrically. Brian's and Jimmy's voices blend nicely, though, and the piano is nicely played. The best part of almost any Wilson-penned song is the bridge, and this is no exception. Brian sings "I'm not on some trip" near the ending. Hehe.

Where Has Love Been is a very cheesy song, and one that I used to love. The lyrics are still lovely:
"I've been places I can barely talk about
Sunny days that died away in tears
Tumbling like a leaf out on a sea of doubt
I've seen nights that seem to last for years…."

An old Beach Boys classic is next in Keep an Eye on Summer. It has its moments, especially the key change, but I can never listen to it without comparing it to the original, which is far superior.

A fun, catchy song is next in Dream Angel. True to Brian, though, it's backed by some mellow horns. The nice thing about Brian singing all the vocals is evident here - it feels like one voice. Some classic Beach Boys surf guitar in the fadeout.

My least favourite track, Cry, is next. More acoustic guitar here, and overall it feels almost like a strange mix of country and progressive rock. There is some catchy piano playing, but it feels too long. One positive, though, is that we get to hear Brian's falsetto for a short time. He hadn't quite lost his range in 1998.

The beginning of Lay Down Burden feels like Simon and Garfunkel's "El Condor Pasa". The lyrics seem slightly… suicidal. It's too slow, especially coming after "Cry". The chorus is kinda catchy. There might be a trace of trademark bass harmonica in there.

One of my favourite Beach Boys songs, Let Him Run Wild is next. It's not as good as the original, but has more of an edge. Brian's voice sounds a bit weak on this track. It feels overproduced compared to the original.

Sunshine is bluesy and has a SMiLE feel to it. Trademark Mike Love "bow, bow, bow" backing vocals (although sung by Brian) and the sunshine lyrics make this the closest thing to a Beach Boys song on the album. Once again BW gives us a great bridge, despite the repetitive lyrics. It builds up from solo piano and turns into music box… oh wait, that's the ending….

…But it segues into Happy Days, the weirdest song on the album, with its whispering and neat saxophone licks. The lyrics are obviously about Brian's escape from the influence of his corrupt psychiatrist, Eugene Landy. It concludes the album with the statement that Brian is back.

Overall, I certainly wouldn't call this myr favourite album of all time anymore, but it's the album that got me into popular music in general. It's got some catchy songs, though, and is Brian's strongest solo album other than his version of SMiLE.

3/5

__________________
Everybody's dying just to get the disease