The Beatles vs The Beach Boys

Lisnaholic · 09-16-2012, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYSPORTSFAN

I have been reading this thread and it's a pretty interesting thread but as much as I love both groups I easily side with the Beatles. Way before Pet Sounds musicians were commenting about the Beatles melodies and odd chord progressions from 1963.

The closest album that sounds like Sgt. Pepper is not Pet Sounds nor Freak Out but Revolver. Sgt Pepper, IMO is the progressive Revolver the songs are longer; many of the songs change time signatures, really more reliant exotic instrumentation. Most of the songs on Sgt. Pepper segue into each other in a suite like form which was unlike anything from a commercial album.

Pet Sounds reduced the electric guitar to a supplementary instrument but the Beatles also did this on many of the tracks on Revolver. For example on "Eleanor Rigby" is in Dorian Mode back with just a string octet and counter melodies on vocals. "Tomorrow Never Knows" is full odd sounds from live loops, samples, altered vocals and drones from Indian instruments. The only time you hear any electric guitars is a backward solo. "Love You To" barely has any guitars and it's basically World Music meets Psychedlia. This is so far removed from Pet Sounds.

Then again on Revolver the Beatles show how diverse they were than the Beach Boys by not completely going away from rock music either. "Taxman" with it's hard edge guitar sound meets funk is a full six months ahead of Hendrix, "She Said She Said" and the twin guitar sound of "And Your Bird Can Sing".

I am not knocking the Beach Boys musicians like the Byrds, King Crimson, The Rolling Stones and Pete Townshend either formed or were influenced to write there own music largely because of the Beatles. Even a group like the Velvet Underground were influenced by certain Beatles namely "She Said She Said".

If you want to know where early Pink Floyd got a lot of their ideas well it was from Syd Barrett listening intensely to Revolver. The odd sounds and psychedelic lyrical themes on Piper were largely derived from songs like "Tomorrow Never Knows", "She Said She Said" and a Syd Barrett favorite "Yellow Submarine".

The Beach Boys had great vocal harmonies but the Beatles were no slouches in that department but when it came to lead rock vocals Lennon and McCartney trounce the Beach Boys.

^ At last a post which includes an informative, well-thought-out appraisal of the music. Well done, NYSPORTSFAN !

LillyW · 09-16-2012, 04:19 PM

Beatles every time!

**Janszoon** · 09-16-2012, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LillyW

Beatles every time!

Not this time.

Neapolitan · 09-16-2012, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LillyW

Beatles every time!

^ At last a post which includes an informative, well-thought-out appraisal of the music. Well done, LillyW

Rjinn · 09-17-2012, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

That's unpossible.

Recommend an album good sir.

**Janszoon** · 09-17-2012, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rjinnx

Recommend an album good sir.

Pet Sounds is kind of the obvious place to start. But Today! is definitely worth a listen as sort of the definitive example of their early style and Love You is also worth a listen both as one of their best albums as well as one that is very different in style.

blastingas10 · 09-17-2012, 09:06 AM

I was kind of hard on the Beach Boys at first, then I started listening to their music more often. I developed some respect for them, mainly due to Pet Sounds. I listened to a bunch of their other stuff and really cant get into anything besides Pet Sounds, except for a few exceptions

**Janszoon** · 09-17-2012, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

I was kind of hard on the Beach Boys at first, then I started listening to their music more often. I developed some respect for them, mainly due to Pet Sounds. I listened to a bunch of their other stuff and really cant get into anything besides Pet Sounds, except for a few exceptions

What have you listened to besides Pet Sounds?

blastingas10 · 09-17-2012, 10:26 AM

It's hard to remember all the names but I know I listened to wild honey, smiley smile, sunflower, 20/20 and I'm not really sure what else.

**Janszoon** · 09-17-2012, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

It's hard to remember all the names but I know I listened to wild honey, smiley smile, sunflower, 20/20 and I'm not really sure what else.

Sunflower is okay but the rest of those albums are pretty hit or miss imo. If you're interested checking out any more of their stuff I'd recommend giving Love You or Surf's Up a listen as far the post-Pet Sounds stuff goes. If you're interested in the early super-poppy stuff I'd recommend giving Today! a listen or maybe even All Summer Long.

09-16-2012, 04:19 PM	#442 (permalink)
LillyW Groupie Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 15	Beatles every time!

09-17-2012, 09:06 AM	#447 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	I was kind of hard on the Beach Boys at first, then I started listening to their music more often. I developed some respect for them, mainly due to Pet Sounds. I listened to a bunch of their other stuff and really cant get into anything besides Pet Sounds, except for a few exceptions

09-17-2012, 10:26 AM	#449 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	It's hard to remember all the names but I know I listened to wild honey, smiley smile, sunflower, 20/20 and I'm not really sure what else.