'PET SOUNDS'-bestpopalbumalltime?

-The Beach Boys - 'Pet Sounds' rel: 16-5-1966.

In a couple of months time;this monumental pop l.p. album will be celebrating it's '40th anniversary'.
I listened to it the other night from start to finish;choosing the 'original mono mix' not the digital stereo re-mix.
I don't think I have come down to Earth yet;my head is still in the clouds.
Yes music - lovers :It is as good as everyone says it is & even better than that. It is an ethereal pickling of compressed 1966 Californian teen-angst love laments -preserved forever more.It is damn near perfect.Each song is a mini-pop symphony.
It's is far superior to any single pop album of: 'The Beatles' 'Bob Dylan' or 'The Rolling Stones'.
Please,anyone who's heard this pop masterpiece from start to finish.Do you agree with me?.......

 

it doesn't come close to many of The Beatles albums, most notably Sgt. Peppers, Revolver and The White Album

 

Thanks.Fair comment.

I have heard all three of those 'Beatle' albums on numerous occasions.I wouldn't take anything away from the dynamic brilliance of the them.'Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' is considered by many as the best pop album of all time.
The reason that I plug for 'PET SOUNDS' is because this Beach Boys album is chocka-block full of the most sensitive & moving love songs, ever.
Sgt Pepper doesn't contain a single love song.
I can't speak for the U.S.A. or Europe but 'Pet Sounds' had a profound influence on the British record -buying public in the early summer of 1966.Many will tell you that It was the first 30/- l.p. anyone was willing to purchase.(Vinyl pop l.p.s were a bit of a luxury).
Brian Wilson stated in an interview that he wanted to express the 'love' he felt at that time,in music.
I think that in 2006 - It is more of a listening experience to hear 'P-S' ,than ever because we've forgotten how beautiful & aurally exchanting the best music of 1966 was.

 

I think Rubber Soul edges it out by a bit, for me at least.

 

Pet Sounds is great, a true pop gem, but like others, I wouldn't say that it beats out all Beatles albums, especially The White Album. Of course, The White Album contains more great songs than most bands release in an entire career...

 

Great album,crap cover,in fact one of the worst album covers of all time.

Unless you know any ?

 

The album cover is a classic! Well, I like it anyway... You see some lame looking guys feeding animals, and you think the album will suck; but then you actually listen to it and find out that it's great! Good stuff.

 

I like this album, but I dont think its the best pop-record ever!

*singing Wouldn't It Be Nice*

 

I love that cover!

 

certainly one of the best!

 

Pet Sounds influenced much of Revolver and especially Sgt Pepper...gotta keep that in mind

 

pet sounds was created in responce to the beatles'revolver

 

Certainly a contender for best pop album in the USA and Beach Boys crowning achievement. Revolver takes the world crown as best pop record of all time.
Sorry mates. Brian Wilson is no match for Lennon & McCartney.
But a valiant effort nonetheless.

 

The best by far! I've been a Beach Boys fan ever since I heard it.

 

.

 

I still dont see whats so great about this album?? its in my collection for sure...... and there are some great moments on here, especially GOD ONLY KNOWS and sloop john b, caroline no, etc....... but the rest is quite tame?? I dont know how to quite put it, but it really doesnt feel like a complete album too me, way too much filler for my tastes... and I know it inspired the beatles more than anything....... still I just dont see how its that great. so many other great albums came out during this time.

 

that is incorrect, my friend....... it was in response to rubber soul. revolver and pet sounds were recorded around the same time.

when brian wilson was doing drugs heavily, most notably, acid, he was listening to rubber soul and realized how great the album was with no filler songs, and he wanted to put out an album just like rubber soul. so he did pet sounds, which in turn, influenced the beatles to do sgt peppers....

but it wasnt revolver, it was rubber soul.

 

Pet sounds has a unique haunting quality to it in my opinion. It's so simple yet so complex, when I hear it's almost like i'm in an entirely different place.

 

I just get a kick out of how Wilson jumped a huge wall, and with enormous risk, to go from dumb happy pop songs to a trippy wide sound with much greater maturity by comparison. He went from Be Good To Your School/Barbara Ann to God Only Knows/Caroline No within a few months. Then goes to a sonic orgy with Good Vibrations.

But there were some blips that pointed towards greater Beach Boys works prior to Pet Sounds, particularly "Warmth Of The Sun". Ever notice the odd chord progressions on that song that sound out of place yet it fits perfectly? The intro to California Girls is another example.

Response to Rubber Soul. RS was released in late 1965, as PS was released in April of 1966. Revolver was out in August 1966.

Unfortunately, there was no Smile. I've heard about all of the "bits" and it's some really good shit. Almost has a Dark Side of The Moon way about it in some places.

 

Seems I remember liking "Holland" also,but haven't listened to it since the 70's.