Pet Sounds - classic or dud

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I wonder... has anyone released a mono record in the post-stereo era?

Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 17 May 2007 19:41 (sixteen years ago) link

Can you still parse stereo separation somewhat even if you're only hearing in one ear?

Tim Ellison, Thursday, 17 May 2007 19:51 (sixteen years ago) link

I would think it depends on where you place your good ear in relation to the speakers.

Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 17 May 2007 19:57 (sixteen years ago) link

I think it would sound different, but not in the way it's intended to. Maybe some of the music would take longer to get to the good ear, that would be weird.

dan selzer, Thursday, 17 May 2007 20:02 (sixteen years ago) link

Well, we've come to associate it with the album, so there are strong feelings for the cover for sure. But to me it doesn't capture anything of the music (for one thing, it's less a "Beach Boys record" than what came before, so it's almost weird to have the whole gang there). Plus the photograph seems so random. Not sure how many they took at the zoo, but was this really the most interesting one? It's almost like a Jandek cover in that respect. And certainly the design is none too interesting. I dunno, it just struck me that of all the major records out there this one has a very dull cover.

Mark Rich@rdson, Thursday, 17 May 2007 20:09 (sixteen years ago) link

The cover photo is perfectly chosen for one reason and one reason only:

PET SOUNDS IS TEH G.O.A.T.

Jon Lewis, Thursday, 17 May 2007 20:14 (sixteen years ago) link

I wonder... has anyone released a mono record in the post-stereo era?

Depends how you define the post stereo area. The hit version of "Shame Shame Shame" by Shirley & Company, released in 1975, was in mono.

Geir Hongro, Thursday, 17 May 2007 20:15 (sixteen years ago) link

According to Mike M's book much of Loveless is virtually mono, but that doesn't count for the purpose of this question.

Mark Rich@rdson, Thursday, 17 May 2007 20:26 (sixteen years ago) link

why not?

Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 17 May 2007 20:27 (sixteen years ago) link

that's easily one of my favorite album covers ever. it's so charming and cobbled-together and offhand. not trying to make a big statement. it also strangely chimes with the mood of the album.

J.D., Thursday, 17 May 2007 20:29 (sixteen years ago) link

Mark R. hilariously off the mark (once again).

"Pet Sounds" (the song) is an epic, epic classic.

Steve Shasta, Thursday, 17 May 2007 20:32 (sixteen years ago) link

All those goats are dead now.

Pleasant Plains, Thursday, 17 May 2007 20:42 (sixteen years ago) link

wtf? its a great cover!

696, Thursday, 17 May 2007 22:42 (sixteen years ago) link

I wonder... has anyone released a mono record in the post-stereo era?

Many people. Here is a cool making-of article about a recent one.

St3ve Go1db3rg, Thursday, 17 May 2007 22:54 (sixteen years ago) link

OK, everyone likes this cover. I learned something here today.

What records have parodied this design? I know I remember seeing a couple.

Mark Rich@rdson, Thursday, 17 May 2007 23:12 (sixteen years ago) link

that's a whole other Cover Connections thread methinks

Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 17 May 2007 23:14 (sixteen years ago) link

http://tisue.net/orourke/covers/smilingpets.jpg

PappaWheelie V, Thursday, 17 May 2007 23:15 (sixteen years ago) link

Indie bands use that Cooper font to death these days.

darin, Thursday, 17 May 2007 23:29 (sixteen years ago) link

I wonder... has anyone released a mono record in the post-stereo era?
http://www.themummies.com/images/releases/albums/tr005cd_front.jpg

abanana, Thursday, 17 May 2007 23:36 (sixteen years ago) link

Cover is great. Isn't there a kind of comical T. Moore bit in the Brian Wilson documentary about how Avant and Out it is? If there was, I remember laughing.

bear, bear, bear, Thursday, 17 May 2007 23:57 (sixteen years ago) link

Cover is awful. Looks/feels like a press photoshoot.

Classic album font, though. That shouldn't be overlooked.

Jamesy, Friday, 18 May 2007 00:19 (sixteen years ago) link

It's better than Capitol's cover for The Beatles' Second Album

http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/amg/pop_albums/1/8/1/g18111ly719.jpg

Tim Ellison, Friday, 18 May 2007 01:09 (sixteen years ago) link

Re the recent mono subject, there are a few mono songs on the "Sons Of Nuggets" box set. The tracks in that box set were all released from the late 70s through the mid 80s.

Geir Hongro, Friday, 18 May 2007 01:11 (sixteen years ago) link

two years pass...

oh god reading this shit made me so depressed. does anyone around here likes this album? its so beautiful. all this hate seems so reactionary

lukevalentine, Saturday, 24 October 2009 21:44 (fourteen years ago) link

It is absolutely glorious and fantastic througout. Beautiful melodies, beautiful vocal harmonies.

The Beatles were better than Beach Boys generally, but they never made an album as fantastic as this one.

Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Saturday, 24 October 2009 22:20 (fourteen years ago) link

yes i agree with this, i've always felt that the beatles are superior but never made a record as consistent as Pet Sounds which is way more consistent than say sgt. pepper's both sonically and songwise. it has that same solid gold feel throughout... presumably this is due to the fact that Beatles albums are compilations of the songs of three different songwriters and this album is Brian's vision alone. although it's not like any of the solo Beatle albums are as good as this either...

lukevalentine, Saturday, 24 October 2009 22:44 (fourteen years ago) link

someone mentioned odessey and oracle upthread.... I think that record has the same consistent feel. I have never really compared that record with Pet Sounds though. I have no idea which is better

lukevalentine, Saturday, 24 October 2009 22:47 (fourteen years ago) link

second thought - "god only knows" probably gives this album an edge over other contenders in this category. it's just perfect

lukevalentine, Saturday, 24 October 2009 23:02 (fourteen years ago) link

it is somewhat overrated, but its a great pop album and god only knows is perfect

FACK, Sunday, 25 October 2009 00:04 (fourteen years ago) link

"Odessey & Oracle" is another album that I consider better than anything by The Beatles.

Their only other album, "Begin Here" is considerably weaker though.

Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Sunday, 25 October 2009 00:14 (fourteen years ago) link

wait are we talking about the zombies?

FACK, Sunday, 25 October 2009 00:15 (fourteen years ago) link

it's always a good time to talk about the zombies IMO

lukevalentine, Sunday, 25 October 2009 01:28 (fourteen years ago) link

I think one of the reasons Pet Sounds' reputation is so huge as opposed to similar LPs is because it supposedly influenced The Beatles, I mean McCartney has raved about it and many other pop stars. Radiohead have talked about it and referenced it as well

lukevalentine, Sunday, 25 October 2009 01:30 (fourteen years ago) link

It is absolutely glorious and fantastic througout. Beautiful melodies, beautiful vocal harmonies.

I don't loooooooooooove the Beach Boys from their heyday period like many others here do. But I agree with Geir about this album.

Daniel, Esq., Sunday, 25 October 2009 02:10 (fourteen years ago) link

all this hate seems so reactionary

PappaWheelie V, Sunday, 25 October 2009 02:52 (fourteen years ago) link

Weird album in that I both love it and think it's overrated.

Mark, Sunday, 25 October 2009 03:53 (fourteen years ago) link

it's sort of "overrated", sure, but against what?

Stormy Davis, Sunday, 25 October 2009 03:59 (fourteen years ago) link

it's not as good as pet sounds

iatee, Sunday, 25 October 2009 04:00 (fourteen years ago) link

not asking to be a dick, but I think it's curious ... what are those rock albs that are so clearly superior to this second-tier 'Pet Sounds' ?

Stormy Davis, Sunday, 25 October 2009 04:00 (fourteen years ago) link

http://img.maniadb.com/images/album/119/119099_cda_f.jpg

iatee, Sunday, 25 October 2009 04:02 (fourteen years ago) link

'Revolver', sure I could get that

actually I think the essence of 'Pet Sounds' diminishness lies in something like "Highway 61 Revisited"

because "Highway 61 Revisited" is clearly better than 'Pet Sounds'

:) but this obviously comes down to preconceptions about what "rock music" should "do"

i personally think it should "do" what Dylan did on 61, but I love and live 'Pet Sounds' until my dying day.....

Stormy Davis, Sunday, 25 October 2009 04:05 (fourteen years ago) link

god, somehow that post got all f'd up

oh well

every album in this thread rocks ... not sure about Ian's last gap BB rec though!!

Stormy Davis, Sunday, 25 October 2009 04:07 (fourteen years ago) link

er, iatee, i mean

Stormy Davis, Sunday, 25 October 2009 04:08 (fourteen years ago) link

"Odessey & Oracle" I like FAR better than Pet Sounds. Same with "Piper at the Gates of Dawn". Same with "Revolver" and "White Album". I need to hear Pet Sounds in stereo though, I have only ever heard it in mono. Also it's been a long time.

I remember the first time I heard it, it was so hyped up for me that it couldn't possibly live up to it. I still really loved it but in particular the instrumental tracks seemed like 101 Strings BS. Later when I heard them they were some of the trippiest and most fun parts of the record!

Never cared much for "O Caroline". Never got the huge love for that track. It's kind of boring and sappy.

Adam Bruneau, Sunday, 25 October 2009 07:41 (fourteen years ago) link

I like Brian Wilson's "Smile" better than "Pet Sounds" come to think of it.

Adam Bruneau, Sunday, 25 October 2009 07:43 (fourteen years ago) link

Neither.

Moka, Sunday, 25 October 2009 08:12 (fourteen years ago) link

I love "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times." it's so plaintive in a really personal way. it's like a musical self-portrait of Brian

lukevalentine, Sunday, 25 October 2009 08:47 (fourteen years ago) link

A lot of overrated albums are still classic. But this one is not even overrated.

Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Sunday, 25 October 2009 13:12 (fourteen years ago) link

Except for Sloop John B, which gets a pass because of an injoke with my cousin involving hoisting my, erm, rather large grandmother's underwear in the air on laundry day and running around screaming "Hoist up the john b sails!" over and over. So, yeah. Anyhow.

― Ally, Wednesday, May 2, 2001 8:00 PM (8 years ago) Bookmark

Figured this for an lj post.

alexfromnycderpoolera (kingkongvsgodzilla), Sunday, 25 October 2009 15:06 (fourteen years ago) link


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