I fucking hate the shit out of 'Wouldn't It Be Nice'. Aside from 'God Only Knows', 'Sloop John B.' is the only other song I find palatable, maybe because it's an adaptation.
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:33 (three years ago) link
If Pussy Galore had covered Pet Sounds instead of Exile On Main St., that would have put all this bullshit to bed nice 'n' early.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Monday, 1 February 2021 16:34 (three years ago) link
yes Exile's rep never recovered from that
― Paul Ponzi, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:38 (three years ago) link
I think Pet Sounds is fine, but the quality of Brian Wilson's work scales exponentially. "Surf's Up" is God-like, "God Only Knows" is spectacular, "Good Vibrations" is fine, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "You Still Believe In Me" are all right, and I wouldn't miss much of anything else. "Vegetables" walked the plank many years ago and was eaten by some very healthy sharks
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:38 (three years ago) link
Wild Honey has three songs which are better than anything on Pet Sounds
― Bastard Lakes (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Monday, 1 February 2021 16:38 (three years ago) link
"Wouldn't It Be Nice" has the prettiest bridge in pop history, i will not back down from this!
― Wrong Screamed Barney (Neanderthal), Monday, 1 February 2021 16:41 (three years ago) link
Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about how there will never be a greater disconnect between Pet Sounds's deathless critical reputation and the honest-to-God nausea I experience whenever I hear it, barring a song or two.
― pomenitul, Monday, February 1, 2021 11:00 AM (thirty-seven minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink
I like Pet Sounds, but I wouldn't begrudge anyone for hating it. Substitute Unknown Pleasures for Pet Sounds here, and you've got me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
― J. Sam, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:43 (three years ago) link
Last year we spent some time in the Music Theory thread unpacking the weirdness of those modulations on that song, very crafty!
I think what interests me about Pet Sounds also is just what a step up it is from Today! and all their previous work, but w/e. Pom you're not alone I know at least three other people who are allergic to pets
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:44 (three years ago) link
'Oh, we could be married (oh, we could be married) / And then we'd be happy (and then we'd be happy)' is the 10th circle of Hell.
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:45 (three years ago) link
Tbf I actually like the dorky af album cover.
just think of it as a song about pretending to be married as an excuse for fuckin'
― Mr. Cacciatore (Moodles), Monday, 1 February 2021 16:48 (three years ago) link
Weird to me that anyone would outright "hate" this album (yet still like the Beach Boys in general), but I guess I understand. Its corniness definitely undercuts some of its creativity. At the same time, it's just barely over 30 minutes long, so I can take it. As far as mannered orchestral pop goes, I have more trouble with Burt Bacharach, who I assume Wilson was very into.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:49 (three years ago) link
Dunno, it still sounds like postwar white middle-class American incel dude music to me.
xp
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:50 (three years ago) link
I linke to think of it as "mentally 12-year-old man tries to imagine what adult relationships are" but guess that's sort of the same thing
― Bastard Lakes (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Monday, 1 February 2021 16:52 (three years ago) link
mentally 12-year-old man tries to imagine what adult relationships are
Sums it up, really. Not only do I not get the appeal at all but I fail to see how the Greatest Album of All Time™ could possibly revolve around this theme.
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:54 (three years ago) link
This has been my interpretation as well. It's about teenagers who want to be older so they can have sex whenever they want.
― silverfish, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:55 (three years ago) link
I think Brian Wilson was pretty explicit about trying to present a teen POV in these songs
― Mr. Cacciatore (Moodles), Monday, 1 February 2021 16:56 (three years ago) link
I thought "Wouldn't It Be Nice" was meant to be ironic-utopian, and also the author was what, 23? 24?
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:57 (three years ago) link
I guess the whole thing sounds like a pocket symphonic YA novel.
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:58 (three years ago) link
Sorry, I can't refrain from writing this...I shouldn't. But in french (at least Canadian french) "pet" is a fart. So it took me few seconds to realize I was reading in english (I know "sounds" is an english word...but my brain works like that). I read "fart sounds"...sorry..— Hugues Tremblay (@Hugues_Tremblay) January 30, 2021
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:58 (three years ago) link
He seriously doesn't know it means the same thing in standard French? Christ, that's embarrassing.
Otherwise, otm.
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 16:59 (three years ago) link
The record also chronicles an emotional change. "Wouldn't It Be Nice" to "Caroline, No" is an emotional shift to disillusionment, if not necessarily maturity.
― Halfway there but for you, Monday, 1 February 2021 17:02 (three years ago) link
idk why anyone would listen to the beach boys for the lyrics, but "caroline, no" and "i just wasn't made for these times" has some genuinely moving moments that are enhanced by the harmonic trickery and group vocals.
― tiwa-nty one savage (voodoo chili), Monday, 1 February 2021 17:04 (three years ago) link
Yeah, I like that it ends on a bit of a downbeat, but it takes way too long to get there. I know that some people are unable to listen to it very often because it's too 'depressing', which is o_O as far as I'm concerned.
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 17:04 (three years ago) link
Did you have a take on "Surf's Up" (the song)?
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 1 February 2021 17:11 (three years ago) link
"Wouldn't it Be Nice" is apparently getting some new attention from woke youth (e.g., my 13yo daughter and her online circle) who see it as a stand-in for queer relationships: if you read "we could be married, and then we'd be happy" from the perspective of LGBTQ+ folx, it takes on a different cast
I have no strong opinion but am noting that it this view is out there
― Copybara / pasteybara (Ye Mad Puffin), Monday, 1 February 2021 17:13 (three years ago) link
Not sure that I've even heard 'Surf's Up'. Will listen and report.
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 17:13 (three years ago) link
I remember when Olivia Tremor Control and all the E6 stuff was really hot, Pet Sounds used to get mentioned all the time...and I always felt a little obnoxious saying that I thought Olivia Tremor Control were much better than Pet Sounds.
― The return of our beloved potatoes (the table is the table), Monday, 1 February 2021 17:22 (three years ago) link
jesus, let the hate flow
― brimstead, Monday, 1 February 2021 17:24 (three years ago) link
'Surf's Up' is more self-consciously 'psychedelic', which is to my liking, and it's got more twists and turns than the average PS track, which is also to my liking, but the stench of tweeness remains overwhelming. Maybe part of the problem is that I hated kiddie music even when I was a kid and much of Wilson's shtick consists of trying to reactivate those supposedly nostalgic neural pathways?
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 17:34 (three years ago) link
thanks pomenitul for giving me cause to listen to Pet Sounds this afternoon. It has been a pleasure.
― All cars are bad (Euler), Monday, 1 February 2021 17:36 (three years ago) link
Any time.
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 17:36 (three years ago) link
I'm putting on She's Going Bald on repeat
― Wrong Screamed Barney (Neanderthal), Monday, 1 February 2021 17:44 (three years ago) link
Tbh I revived this quarantine thread in part because I swore I wouldn't shit up the 77 rollouts this year, as it's gotten stale, and I figured an anachronistic outlet couldn't hurt.
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 17:49 (three years ago) link
Man I love "Surf's Up" so much, I rate Bacharach much higher than Wilson overall but it's the best song either ever wrote, it's as good as the best Gershwin, the best Schubert imho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu7C60NNJTQ
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 1 February 2021 17:58 (three years ago) link
agreed. masterpiece.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Monday, 1 February 2021 18:04 (three years ago) link
columnated ruins dominooooooooooooooo
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Monday, 1 February 2021 18:07 (three years ago) link
i love pet sounds but i spent a lot of time as a kid trying to square its reputation with what i was hearing. smile in every form i've heard it actually lived up to what i imagined from reading about it for years; seeing wilson perform it live in a very small room in a vegas casino in 2005... highlight of my life lol
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Monday, 1 February 2021 18:09 (three years ago) link
Aw <3 jealous
I was non-plussed when Smile was finally finished I think mostly because of the old-dude vocals but I should revisit
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 1 February 2021 18:11 (three years ago) link
i think the i prefer the officially-released assemblage credited to the beach boys at this point, but god almighty did i love the bw smile, did not even care about his old voice
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Monday, 1 February 2021 18:12 (three years ago) link
btw pom "Surf's Up"'s lyrics (as all the lyrics on Smile) were written by Van Dyke Parks
Even if you don't like the lyrics, take pleasure in the fact that Mike Love fucking hated them
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 1 February 2021 18:12 (three years ago) link
I was thinking there was too much positivity on this thread so I thought I might put on my perennial classic-album-that-I-hate Reign In Blood and post something like "this isn't speed metal so much as music for turnips" but it sounds real good today
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 1 February 2021 18:21 (three years ago) link
mentally 12-year-old man tries to imagine what adult relationships areSums it up, really. Not only do I not get the appeal at all but I fail to see how the Greatest Album of All Time™ could possibly revolve around this theme.
― pomenitul, Monday, February 1, 2021 10:54 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink
I mean the only way to understand Brian Wilson is as a victim of child abuse so if you don't like it fine but you seem to be trying to frame it in the cruelest possible way
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 1 February 2021 18:31 (three years ago) link
I think Brian Wilson presents Smile was a total triumph, it's a more realized work and I think you can get the spirit of him working with people who care about it and want to do it justice
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 1 February 2021 18:32 (three years ago) link
i would like to reexperience hearing "our prayer" for the first time
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Monday, 1 February 2021 18:33 (three years ago) link
also like I know "incel" doesn't mean anything anymore but he was married in 1964 and has 7 children
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 1 February 2021 18:36 (three years ago) link
And didn't write the lyrics on "Pet Sounds" anyway.
― Waterloo Subset (Tom D.), Monday, 1 February 2021 18:39 (three years ago) link
Thanks, I needed that.
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 18:45 (three years ago) link
ums, I was not aware of that biographical background. It's not what I usually listen for in music tbh, but I'll read up on it.
As for the 'incel' quip, you don't need to be one to soundtrack it.
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 February 2021 18:47 (three years ago) link
Both Brian Wilson's Smile and the officially released unfinished BB Smile are worthwhile.
― Wrong Screamed Barney (Neanderthal), Monday, 1 February 2021 18:47 (three years ago) link