Customer Reviews

Pet Sounds [Vinyl]

5 star:		(73)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

There are some good and bad aspects of this release.

Good:
- The sound is much better than the official CD and marginally better than the bass-heavy DCC. If you like the DCC's sound, then save your $30. If you think the DCC is a little bottom-heavy, then splurge on this. It is more open and present, though one should keep in perspective the fact that we're talking about a mono recording from the '60s. It's no sonic marvel.
- That's about it. Try before you buy on your local BitTorrent tracker to see whether the sound is for you.

Bad:
- A weird tape drop-out at the beginning of "I'm Waiting for the Day" that is not present in the DCC or any other CD versions.
- A huge gap between "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows" that supposedly mimics the time in between flipping a record. One of the nice things about listening to CDs is that you don't have to take time to get up and change sides. I have never noticed this on any other digital release and think it's annoying. Others may disagree.
- Why and how does this sound different from the DCC? Both of them say they were from the original master tapes, which is obviously false information as noted in previous reviews. I don't buy this stuff about the so-called Kensei Audio Transformer--there has been EQ tweaking on the DCC, the AF, or both. This is either a good or bad thing depending on your opinion of the results.
- The packaging, advertised as "deluxe," is embarrassing. The slipcase looks like it was printed on grandma's 10-year-old inkjet and my copy has little bubbles under the sticker on top of the CD. I have read a lot about broken teeth and cracking, which is not surprising given the flimsiness of the case. Audio Fidelity is clearly a slapdash operation skating by on Hoffman's name recognition.
- The price. Then again, it's cheaper than a used copy of the DCC.

All in all, I don't regret my purchase but I'm close. The 1970s C&TP vinyl reissue is better, but this is probably the best available digital version.

I'm young (26) and had always thought of the Beach Boys as kind of a tired, hear-it-while-you-shop-at-Kmart type of band. I only bought their Endless Harmony CD to hear "Heroes and Villians" because the lead singer of one of my favorite bands (Barenaked Ladies) claimed in the Wall Street Journal that the above song was one of five songs he felt most influenced by.

On this same CD was a rehearsal version of "God Only Knows," and I was, well, MOVED. I rushed out and bought Pet Sounds and began to explore this un-Beach Boys album.

I really fell in love with the super-personal level of the lyrics, how Brian Wilson expressed his insecurities and wishes for safer places, and how the album seemed to use a metaphor (in the form of an audible train) to get across the idea that he was on the inevitable path to growing up, and how he'd have to leave any childish longings behind.

The last song on the album, "Caroline No," is as personal and moving to me as any piece of music I have ever heard, especially after reading about the life of Wilson.

Pet Sounds is certainly Wilson's goodbye to childhood, and, unfortunately (in my opinion) his goodbye to writing and producing such beauty.

everyone's heard it, Pet Sounds is the greatest album of all time. come to think of it, it's all true. Immediately on the first listening anyone can recognize that Pet Sounds contains some of the most beautiful harmony on record. Wouldn't It be Nice, Sloop John B, and God Only Knows are inarguably three of the most beautiful songs in music. But wait, there's more. Beneath this wonder of sound mixing that would make Phil Spector drool is a story of angst and yearning and all those other emotions that young people experience. It is the story of a person in love chronicling both the highs and the lows. From the daydreams and wishes of Wouldn't it Be Nice to the bittersweet denoument of Caroline, No it is obvious that this is a hearfelt statement. And sprinkled within are such masterpieces as That's Not Me and I Just Wasn't Made for These Times, obviously personal messages from one of the greatest musical geniuses of the twentieth century. Fear not: this is no Surfin' Safari. This is an emotional and groundbreaking classic.

I was among those who thought of the Beach Boys as a lightwieght band with great harmonies that did surfer ditties, and consequently never gave them the serious listen they deserved. I bought Pet Sounds two years ago based upon its reputation as a materwork. It exceeded even my wildest expectations. It is musically more sophisticated than anything the Beatles did, even with Geroge Martin at the producer's helm. Not better! Just more complex. Only Frank Zappa was creating popular music with this level of sopistication in the 60's, though Zappa's cynical sensibility is as far from Brian Wilson's sweet sincerety as you can get. In a way this music defies comparison. You can hear the influence of Bach, Mozart, the Four Freshman, Esquivel, Spector, and the Beatles. But Wilson ultimatley created a unique work of art that has stood the test of time and that continues to move listeners to profound expereinces. You can't say that about many (any other?) pop albums. Plus, it is purely an American sound! No Brit band could have made this.

Don't be a fool like I was. I missed years of enjoying this masterpiece simply because I closed my ears and my mind. If you love music, buy it. You won't be disappointed. (The Pet Sounds box set is also outstanding.) Also, be aware that Capitol released a remastered version with mono and stereo mixes on 7/13. That's probably the copy to get.

Pet Sounds was Brian Wilson's response to the Beatles and their increasingly sophisticated music. Unlike the Beatles, Wilson worked alone, without a musically sophisticated George Martin to help him get the sounds he heard in his head, or a critical collaberator, which makes his accomplishment all the more impressive.

While the music is sophisticated, the lyrics are still very naive and not all that far removed from the ealry Beach Boys songs. "Wouldn't It Be Nice" is written from the viewpoint of a teenager, after all. And yet, Wilson and Terry Asher still managed to create songs of unbelieveable beauty like "God Only Knows" and "Caroline No", as well as the moving, introspective "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times".

Listening to "Pet Sounds" over 30 years after it was released I'm still impressed by what the sophistication of what Wilson created, and I'm still moved by the simple beauty of so many of the songs.

Judging by the number of reviews just on Amazon, this album is still impressing and affecting people after 30+ years, a good sign that Brian Wilson must have tapped into something that people identify with--according to Brian (and I'm paraphrasing, forgive me), through the music he wanted people to feel loved. And, there is that here, in the joyous strains of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (with probably one of the most famous opening drumbeats in pop history), and "You Still Believe in Me", but there's also a lot of longing, loneliness, questioning and disappointment between the grooves, all complimented wonderfully by the atmospheric and ethereal arrangements played mainly by Brian and session musicians. This is probably one of the first and finest examples of a true studio creation--a concept album where all of the tracks seem of a piece. Even the lyrics have grown past the cars, girls and surfing; intentional or not, "God Only Knows" has deceptively simple verses that double back on their meaning ("I may not always love you/but long as there are stars above you/you never need to doubt it/I'll make you so sure about it..."). Maybe it doesn't come through just reading it, but that's about as close to poetry pop music comes in my opinion--the second verse does the same trick (even better). Two evocative instrumentals here as well. I think it's futile to compare this with "Sgt. Pepper," though many people do--let each rest on their own merits (and remember, "Pet Sounds" came before "Sgt. Pepper"--the Beach Boys' "rebuttal" was going to be "Smile", the project that never made its way to record as a whole). A lot of people helpfully say, "If you like so-and-so, then you'll like this", but I think this is one of the few records that anyone who loves pop music (or heck, even "music" in general) should have in their collection.

PLEASE NOTE-THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE NEW AUDIO FIDELITY GOLD VERSION OF "PET SOUNDS" FOR SOME REASON AMAZON IS GROUPING REVIEWS OF THIS ALBUM UNDER ONE HEADING.

One of Brian Wilson's masterpieces "Pet Sounds" was his response to the increasingly sopisticated albums by The Beatles. Working with the best session musicians in the business (something Wilson would do while The rest of The Beach Boys were touring), Wilson composed and produced "Pet Sounds" and then invited the band to come in and do the vocals, contribute lyrics as needed, etc.

This new Audio Fidelity remaster is the second time that Steve Hoffman has done this popular title. Evidently the original mastertapes are in fragile shape so Hoffman used a first generation copy that was unequalized (the same one he used on the DCC release)to remaster this again. I never had the DCC but I did have the Capital mono master and this edition blows away that version which used noise reduction. The album sounds warm and inviting with nice detail and isn't compressed or too loud. The disc is also HDCD encoded for those with high definition CD players. After the debacle with the reissue of "Heartbeat City", it appears that Audio Fidelity got this one right.

The booklet includes Brian Wilson's note on his intent with "Pet Sounds" as well as photos but it doesn't include the extensive booklet that came with the previous Capital editions of the album which is a bit disappointing. I should note though that all the musicians that played on this classic release are credited in the booklet. Other than that this is a terrific reissue and is available for a limited time with each edition numbered on the cardboard sleeve that houses the jewel box.

Brian Wilson's classic song cycle has never sounded better to me. Highly recommended.

I was a few months shy of 20 when I bought "Pet Sounds." I had heard little of it except the hits, but knew it was more than an average Beach Boys album.

Hearing those hits amidst the other beautiful, orchestral songs on this album -- "That's Not Me," "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times," "Here Today" -- made me realize that Brian Wilson, through his brothers, cousin and the musicians and writers they assembled, made an album that spoke to me personally. If he lived to tell the tale, I could, too (I didn't know how much worse for wear Brian Wilson would be).

The album got me through two breakups, one more painful than the previous. Three days after the second breakup (itself three days after Christmas)I returned to my ex-girlfriend's house wanting not the presents or anything else I gave her -- only "Pet Sounds." One person's music is another's medicine.

I would just like to say that Pet Sounds is my favourite album, and for many reasons: (1) Its musical sophistication and beauty, molded by Brian Wilson's natural gifts, represent THE pinnacle of good music; (2) The whole album is one complete movement, from the beginning harpsichord notes of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" to the last barks from Banana and Louie on "Caroline, No"; (3) Even today, it is a work well in advance of its time.

I could go into many more reasons, citing examples from every song, but that would detract from any potential listener's experience of the album. There is a 1000 word limit to these reviews, but 1000000 words couldn't even describe Pet Sounds accurately. My final point--just listen to it!

A brilliant song cycle starting with the optimism of a brand new, fantasized love affair ("Wouldn't It Be Nice") and ending with the inconsolable pain of a breakup ("Caroline No"), Pet Sounds is the best album of the "rock era."I've listened to this album for more than thirty years, far more than any other in my collection, and never tire of its beauty.