Woof!

Overall Album Score: 10 out of 10

Everybody and their dogs like to shout out to the moon that Pet Sounds is an enormous and timeless masterpiece, and nothing else like it has ever been made. It would be fun to disagree with this consensus, but I actually agree with it wholeheartedly. Maybe I'd even go a step further and hope that my shout to the moon is louder than everybody else's. This is an enormous masterpiece. This is not just a critical darling, but an album that I enjoy hearing immensely.

This is usually considered a Brian Wilson solo album with somewhat limited help from his other band members. Well, on the conceiving and composing of it at any rate. Brian set out to create a truly fantastic, perfect and timeless album. Simply put, he achieved this. That's exactly what so many critics say about this achievement, and I agree. It's like Ponce De Leon finding the fountain of youth. Quite rare, this album is.

The instrumental arrangements are what it is most famous for. Every track sounds unique in almost unsettling ways. Unsettling in the sense that I can't tell how Brian Wilson ever put this thing together. Usually, I'm able to easily pick out sounds and instruments (whether or not I'm able to correctly name them). Here, it's really difficult trying to dissect it ... even if I were to slow everything down. In fact, it's quite impossible. Listening to the stereo portions of this CD helps a little bit, but that's not even enough. There are too many elements and sounds layered upon each track ... and the songs all seem to take unpredictable and gorgeous terms. Everything is developed enormously well. It was considered crazy at the time --- maybe even futile --- but it's all gorgeous and absolutely nothing is out of place.

Anyway, I had trouble writing the track reviews, because I don't know how to describe the songs. Band-worshipers often say things like: "This song defies all description." Dammit, that's how I felt... I would listen to the tracks overwhelmed with my mouth hanging open. I resorted to generalities, because that's all I could do. Anyway, this music isn't meant for description. It's meant for absorption... And it works. Absorb it, and think about nothing else. I don't need to describe anything anyway, because surely you've heard this album already. If you haven't, then....... you haven't listened to music yet!

But I'm going to have to talk about the melodies. Brian was already established as a superb songwriter with his previous works. Well, he struck gold again with some of the most stunningly gorgeous songs ever on the planet. Wilson was really pulling these things out of his soul. He also proves why composers should pay attention to chord progressions --- everything he does is rich and unpredictable. Very warm and deliberate. Quite nice.

You'd think it'd be hard to come up with a highlight for this album in which every song seems like a highlight. But I can't deny that "God Only Knows" is the cream of the cream. It's so stunning and magnificent. The melody tops everything Wilson ever did. The mood is so heart wrenching, and big kudos goes to the singer Carl for turning in such a great performance. As for the 'second best' song, I'm not even going there. My brain might explode. Every song is a masterpiece.

Of course, it's firmly established in its place in history. One of rock's first concept albums (generally every song is about growing up), and it deeply influenced Paul McCartney to come up with the Sgt. Pepper album. While both albums are great, Pet Sounds is so rich and exotic... You'll never quite be able to put your finger on it...

Overall Album Score: 10 out of 10 (There's hardly any room to deny it... there is no other album like Pet Sounds. It's not only historically important, but it's beautiful and immensely enjoyable.)

Average Song Score: 9.9 (Brilliant work from beginning till the end.)

Album Tilt: 10 (Very consistent... If you're in the right mindset, prepare to be blown away.)

Artist Rating: 10 (One of the most influential albums ever made.)

Track Reviews

I apologize, for these song reviews are horribly written. When I said it's hard to put your finger on this album, I wasn't kidding. I know they all are superb and wonderful, but I'm at a loss of words to describe *why*. I can't even describe the instrumentals... Surely, this is an album that's not from Earth. A parallel universe, maybe, where nothing gets in the way of perfection and innovation... Well, maybe it's not too uncommon that art is so profound and wonderful that it's difficult to describe it.... I tried, though. Sort of...

Wouldn't it Be Nice 10/10

This is such a great song! It's an upbeat tune that both musically and lyrically expresses feelings of youthful optimism. Naturally, the melody is perfect and instantly memorable. The instrumentation is godly... Of course, the development is varied and interesting. This song isn't even close to three minutes long, and there are many distinct textures. Lovely, lavish and beautiful.

You Still Believe in Me 9.5/10

This is another gorgeous track... A ballad this time, and that's always been The Beach Boys' real strength. The melody is pretty, but the harmonies are even prettier. This is so precise!

That's Not Me 9.5/10

The melody is another nice one. It doesn't quite strike me like so many of their other songs. Again, it's the mood is what's going to get you. The lush production coupled with those lovely lyrics about a kid who is ready to move onto new and more exciting things about life... Well, this is another priceless moment.

Put Your Head on My Shoulder 10/10

Even slower than the previous two ballads, but this is even prettier. The instrumentation consisting of such pretty violins (though as far from cheesy as it gets). Brian was really tapping into different dimensions (of the sci-fi variety) when he was writing this song ... It's hard to say what was inspiring him...

I'm Waiting For the Day 10/10

A more upbeat song although not really in ways you'd think ... This is such an off-beat album that the whole experience is so difficult to describe. He sort of goes back and forth between sweeter, lighter sections and more thunderous ones --- with drums that are just crazy. He nails the moods, naturally --- the development is wild and creative. Cool!

Let's Go Away For Awhile 10/10

Ah, now here's a touching instrumental. This showcases all the extravagant steps Brian Wilson took to arrange these songs... Well, he took revolutionary steps. Not just the historical background is relevant --- it's the music that counts. The arrangement is beautiful and weird --- wild and exotic --- freakishly wonderful. Xylophones, pianos, violins, saxophones, sharp drums ---- all playing a calming and exotic chord progression. Hey, wonderful...

Sloop John B 10/10

I was at geology field camp (it lasted five weeks in low civilization areas) when this came up on the radio. It was a horrible day and we were all tired. And so... this became our theme song for the rest of the trip. The melody is quite good --- no, they didn't write it. This is an old ditty. The lavish instrumentation is what makes it revolutionary... It's put to a rock 'n' roll symphony! It develops wonderfully ... the push to the end was nailed perfectly. Wonderful!!

God Only Knows 10plus/10

However, this must have the prettiest melody of the whole album. Of course that's arguable, but ... well, I'm arguing. The melody is certainly one of the best ever written in rock music all together! The instrumentation is something else. Something else, indeed. Something something else...

I Know There's an Answer 10/10

A wild song ... So freaking wild... It starts out with some strange loop. The development is really weird and unpredictable. At the same sense, there's nothing even remotely awkward about it. Especially with this track, I like hearing the stereo version. I'm even more dumbstruck.

Here Today 10/10

Another gorgeous track with phenomenal and thundering instrumentation --- the melody is pretty. The development is classical-like (with plenty of strange and unpredictable yet completely perfect 'diversions'). Apologies for these horribly written track reviews, but words are really escaping me. Such a daunting task. This song is only three minutes long, and there's way too much going on....

I Just Wasn't Made For These Times 9.5/10

More of that freaking beauty!! The busy instrumentation is utterly dazzling, and he even turns in another wonderful melody. The chord progressions make this even more warming.

Pet Sounds 9.5/10

Another instrumental. Again, I appreciate these immensely, because you can concentrate exclusively on the wonders Wilson did in the studio. Such excellent and exotic sounds and textures here. Again, hard to pinpoint much of this...

Caroline No 10/10

Dammit, here's another heart-melting ballad. It is a hugely wonderful classic. Everything about it is classic. Everybody shall love it. It's too good for the Planet Earth. Oh, and at the end he inserts some train sound effects and *gasp* the pet sounds! (Dogs...)

BONUS TRACKS

"Hang On To Your Ego" is the same song as "I Know There's an Answer" except with the original lyrics. You can tell that these vocals weren't meant to be the final ones. Mike Love hated these lyrics so he wrote new ones. Mike Love sucks.

Go to bed with your own opinions here.