Pet Sounds (Beach Boys)

Approval Rate: 85%

85%Approval ratio

Reviews 30

Sort by:
  • by

    spike65

    Wed Sep 24 2008

    Way over rated. The Beach Boys (a great pop band) get serious. Some good songs but not a great album IMO. Sorry.

  • by

    garydavis9361

    Tue Nov 28 2006

    I've rated this as my favorite album. Unique album, though influential, no one could place this as a 1966 recording from listening to it. Gorgeous music and meaningful lyrics, not even the instrumentals are skip overs.

  • by

    rockerrreds

    Wed Oct 18 2006

    A real landmark-heavy shit for its time-and still holds up today.

  • by

    andrewt

    Tue Mar 28 2006

    Only great thing the Beach Boys ever recorded. Sorta easy listening for romantic pot heads and teenage girls who were afraid of rock & roll.

  • by

    tossa42e

    Sat Mar 25 2006

    Production and composing on par with Beatles product. That is indeed a major achievement, something the Stones could never,ever do.

  • by

    djahuti

    Fri Mar 24 2006

    For years I heard that this was a "brilliant" album.The Beach Boys never did much for me,personally,but I saw a copy of "Pet Sounds" for a buck at a flea market and figured I'd give it a listen...after all,I've been wrong about some bands I thought I did not like at one time or another,and everyone said "you have to hear Pet Sounds"-it even got a glorious write up in the "Rolling Stone" top 100 albums issue.Well,I heard it and it stunk.Thank gawd It only cost me $1.00 to find out!

  • by

    cassius111

    Sun Dec 25 2005

    Brilliant. Set a new standard in production values.

  • by

    oscargamblesfr_o

    Sun Dec 18 2005

    I'm not a big fan, in fact I hate most of their music, but the leap in production and the general quality of the tunes is very noteworthy. Surprisingly, it was , relatively speaking, commercially unsuccessful by Beach Boys standards, barely making the top ten albums chart in '66. indeed. Besides the hits, tunes like "I'm Waiting for the Day" and "I Know There's An Answer" were far deeper than the usual Beach Boys fare, touching on themes ranging from isolation to spirituality. By far their best record.

  • by

    anthonymsr

    Tue Nov 15 2005

    classic ... the start of serious true music ..a must for any music lover ... dig

  • by

    robbo59

    Sat Nov 12 2005

    Impossible to overrate the genius of Brian Wilson's masterpiece. Listen to this album with your headphones on and the lights turned off. The beauty and texture of these vocal harmonies are too brilliant for words to describe. The pacesetter for Sgt. Pepper and the dawning of a new musical age. Simply breathtaking!

  • by

    magpiescott

    Fri Nov 04 2005

    Brilliant. Brian Wilson is indeed a tortured genius.

  • by

    cjmyers41

    Mon Oct 03 2005

    You need to read about how this album influenced the beatles, you can hear it too. Just like any good music you need to be able to hear the movement of the music and get rid of the light and close your eyes. I did not like the beach boys until I heard this album....a work of art.

  • by

    canadasucks

    Wed Jul 13 2005

    I can't stand the Beach Boys. Their sound is obnoxious. . .

  • by

    leesburg

    Mon May 02 2005

    Top ten all the way

  • by

    irishgit

    Thu Mar 31 2005

    I've never been impressed.

  • by

    anthonypeace

    Sat Mar 26 2005

    is beyond any lp ... in that time frame ...was the first ... true concept ...lp its gem all around ... never at lost of its beauty and warm sound ...Brian Wilson did it all ... its the start of some serious ....music ... and the use of ... instruments blended with such harmony and since 97 in its true stereo mix even more brillance can he heard ... you have to listen with headphones alone in a rooom ... i bought this still have a decent copy in lp form from may 16 1966 a must for any music lover .... dig !!!

  • by

    kidthatlikesol_dmusic

    Mon Nov 01 2004

    I am only listening to the album a long time after it was released for the beach boys are far before my time(im 11) and i dont really know much about Brian Wilson but i do know that i love some of the tracks, especially Sloop John B!

  • by

    frogger20190

    Mon Jul 26 2004

    Not my favorite Beach Boys record (that would have to be Surfs Up), but the influence of this album is certainly up there with Sgt. Pepper.

  • by

    ellajedlicka21

    Fri Oct 19 2001

    I'd put this as the #3 album ever (behind Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper). This is a brilliant collection of songs written by Brian Wilson, who at the time was bed-ridden after a breakdown. The harmonies and melody singing created are really unmatched by most. It is a look into the mind of a musical genius. It escaped the Beach Boys from their surf rock title. "God Only Knows" is in the opinion of Paul McCartney, the best song of all-time. Also, "Wouldn't it be Nice" is a wonderful song. This is a personification of the Beach Boys at their best.

  • by

    stooge

    Tue Aug 07 2001

    In the recording industry certain albums are milestones that forever change the way music is made. There is no way I can over exagerate the influence this album had on other artists when it first came out. Many artists, including the Beatles, changed the direction they were going, and tried to keep up with the genius of Brian Wilson. In this universe, once in a very great while, everything just comes together and you get perfection.

  • by

    pedrogouveia

    Wed Jul 25 2001

    This is definatelly a masterpiece, not only for Beach Boys fans, but for anyone who can appreciate true music in its utmost form. Beautifully produced by genius Brian Wilson.

  • by

    magellan

    Wed May 09 2001

    After seeing Pet Sounds in a couple of top ten lists for greatest albums of all time, AND after seeing such music afficionados such as Ruby, Medgar Evers, and Shafty write glowingly about it, I finally picked up the CD. There is no doubt that this is an extremely catchy record - "Wouldn't it be nice," "Sloop John B," ""God Only Knows," and "I Know There's an Answer" are all great. However, I'm not sure if Pet Sounds belongs in a class with the greatest of all time. Maybe it's that I just can't shake the image of the Beach Boys as being a poppy, summer band - as opposed to dark brooding geniuses (and I don't know why geniuses have to be "brooding")... maybe it's my bias. Anyway, Pet Sounds is a nice record to have in your collection, but it's not going to change your life.

  • by

    springsteen80s_baby

    Tue May 01 2001

    The beach boys aren't the worst, but they sure ain't the best!

  • by

    beatles_fan_4_ever

    Tue Mar 20 2001

    I never was a big Beach Boys fan but this was a good one. Brian Wilson should've teamed up with John and Paul for a few songs. Bet that would have been something to hear!

  • by

    joebafc7

    Mon Jan 15 2001

    Brian Wilson may be one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. For a guy with one deaf ear, Brian heard beautiful harmonies in his ear and made the band his main instrument. A true necessity for any collection.

  • by

    jessfixy

    Wed Jan 10 2001

    One of the best of our time, obviously due to it's impact and inspiration on other artists. It was at the cutting edge of it's time and still proves to be a creative album due to it's unique sound and effects.

  • by

    sus327

    Wed Jan 03 2001

    If you've had a long hard day, this is the perfect CD to go out to. Brian Wilson was a genius when it came to amazing harmonies. "In My Room" is honest and beautiful.

  • by

    medgarevers

    Wed Oct 04 2000

    Man- unlike most people, I've always liked the Beach Boys. Brian Wilson's (an absolute genius) music is a lot deeper than most people expect, and this is the guys at their best. This is undoubtedly one of the top 5 albums of all time. All of the Boys are so talented and blend together like no one else. Best tracks: "You Still Believe In Me", "Let's Go Away for Awhile", "Sloop John B.", "God Only Knows", "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times", "Caroline, No"...

  • by

    shafty

    Fri Sep 22 2000

    Damn this is a great record. I am not sure if I am into a Beach Boys phase right now or what, but it is the first time I have ever really given them a serious chance and I am now finding that so much of their music is genius. 'Pet Sounds' has to be one of their best records (next to some greatest hits one that you can find anywhere). Listen to it, sing along to it and wonder about it, it is an all-around terrific record. What was Brian Wilson thinking about when he wrote this magic? God only knows.... get it? Pick it up from your local record store or on-line dealer and wish you lived in Califronia for a while.

  • by

    ruby9916

    Tue Oct 26 1999

    One of the most enduring artifacts of the 1960s -- beautiful melodies, inventive arrangements, and a bittersweet tale: Brian Wilson begins wanting to rush from adolescence to adulthood (Wouldn't It Be Nice) and ends looking back longingly on innocence lost (Caroline, No). THIS IS A MUST HAVE RECORD!