Customer Reviews

Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary Stereo Digital

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This really is one of the great albums ever, and the remastered sound is very good. The only big difference between this MP3 version and the two-disc set of the same recordings is that the set gives you a DVD with a "making-of" documentary and both the original mono mixes and new stereo mixes, plus a bonus track. This MP3 set has only the remastered stereo mixes.

"Pet Sounds" was a groundbreaking record, and had a huge impact on other musicians. It is definitely the high-water mark for the Beach Boys. This is not anything like their early Jan & Dean-inspired surf music. It invented a whole new vocabulary of sounds and forms for pop music.

More than ever before, the Beach Boys' leader, Brian Wilson, decided he was going to go in a new direction and write a cohesive album, over the protests of many others in the band. He was definitely right. The Beach Boys never reached this level of creativity again, but "Pet Sounds" was enough to put them in the pantheon of the greats, even if this quality of artistic achievement was not sustained over time.

Wilson says he was inspired to make the record by the Beatles' "Rubber Soul" album. The Beatles in turn credited "Pet Sounds" as the inspiration for "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". Paul McCartney still says he is crazy about the album, John Lennon even acknowledged it, and George Martin said Sgt Pepper's would never have been made without "Pet Sounds". Eric Clapton says it's one of the greatest pop albums of all time and Elton John talks about how it changed the way he and everyone else approached recording. I say this just to underline that it's hard to underestimate the impact this record had on the development of popular music as we know it.

There are plenty of "greatest hits" here. The album starts out with the classic "Wouldn't It Be Nice", one of the most optimistic and upbeat romantic pop hits ever -- and which also includes incredible layers of sound that deserve a good listening to with headphones. "God Only Knows" was the B-side to that single, but became a major hit on its own. "Caroline, No", "Sloop John B", "Let's Go Away for a While" and "Here Today" were also singles and are probably known at some level by most listeners.

But don't just get it for the hits. A lot of the other songs are slower and more complex, but are really marvels of both pop composition and sound engineering, especially when you think about the 1960s technology they were working with. There are layers upon layers of crystal-clear sounds to enjoy and get lost in.

This album is every bit as impressive a recording as something like Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" -- it just seems "lighter" because, well, it is. It's an optimistic, feel-good record even when its gets sad and melancholy, which it does pretty often. I still can't figure out quite how Brian Wilson pulled that off.

If you don't know Pet Sounds, this deal can't be beat, especially at the $1.99 "Deal of the Day" price on May 1, 2009. Once the price goes up again, also consider one of the CDs or CD sets available out there. You won't regret it!

I am rating the MP3 download version, not the audio CD version or the album itself. Everyone knows this is one of the greatest albums ever made. The MP3 download version does NOT include the original mono versions of the songs that are included on the CD version. It also doesn't include the bonus track "Hang On To Your Ego" that is in the CD version of "Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary" and most re-released Pet Sounds albums. All that being said, it is hard to beat the special download price.

The quality of this re-master is excellent. Apparently, for this set, 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' has a new re-master (from the 1996 re-master). I can't tell a difference between the 1996 re-master and the 2000 re-master but this is because I haven't really compared them. No this version does not come with 'hang on to your ego' but notice the reduced price of this version compared to the mono+stereo CD version...you get what you pay for - and keep in mind you are getting Rolling Stone's #2 album-of-all-time pick for only $7.99. About 15 seconds after the train chugs away after the ending of 'Caroline, No' the listener will be surprised with a stunning a cappella from 'Wouldn't It Be Nice'

If you are considering getting this version I'd say just go ahead and get the mono+stereo version: Pet Sounds - only two dollars more and you get the mono tracks plus 'Hang On To Your Ego'.

However, if you just want to enjoy a phenomenal album at a reduced price, go ahead and get this.

5/5

If you love The Beach Boys, this is a must have album, and you probably already own it. If you like The Beach Boys, already own their Greatest Hits album but are looking for a little more definitive, Pet Sounds is a fantastic album to add to your collection. It has a lot of music beyond the Greatest Hits, and all of it is pretty amazing stuff. The sound is legendary, as are the stories of how this album impacted the music industry and John Lennon in particular. It may take a couple of listens to really appreciate it, but this stuff is REALLY GOOD. It definitely gives you an idea of what the group was capable of doing beyond their well known material. Highly recommended!

Purchased this on special and was totally pleased. It's a true classic album and it's great to have in mp3 format to go with my original vinyl.

This album contains many songs that I had not heard before. It was a pleasant surprise.

My favorite way to listen to this album is with the volume turned all the way down. That way I only have to imagine the off-key singsong falsettos and the lyrics filled with banal emotionality. I would say it was boring if I didn't give me such an earsplitting headache. Ugh.

I always thought this was one of the most over rated albums ever. There have been other albums that I've come to appreciate if not love over the years that I didn't care for when they came out but I've just never warmed up to "Pet Sounds". It's slow and dreary and by about the sixth or seventh track it all starts to sound alike.