Pet Sounds: Most Overrated Album of All Time?

Pet Sounds was the Beach Boys answer to Rubber Soul. In turn
the Beatles were very impressed with Pet Sounds and it was an influence for SPLHCB. I like both albums but neither is my favorite work by either group.

God Only Knows may be the most beautiful ballad of the rock era. Sloop John B, Wouldn't It Be Nice, et al. are flat out great songs. It's hard to understand what you don't understand. The record holds a special historical place because the "sonic palate" inspired the Beatles (as noted above), but even putting that aside, the songcraft is pretty self evident. I guess, you either get it or you don't.

BTW, in the same vein, I don't "get" Hendrix. I understand his music, and appreciate his contribution in the abstract, but I just don't love it. In this instance, I just don't "get it". So, join the club.

Marty

Marty

Pet Sounds has some great songs but I don't consider it a great album.
If you don't "get" Hendrix, you haven't heard it under the right "circumstances". Rock on.

The album is very good and I suppose overrated; personally I prefer "Surfin USA" and "Surfer Girl".

However, it's a marvelous showcase for Brian Wilson's production and vocal arranging skills.

That is the "genius" of the album IMO.

Pet Sounds is not overrated at all. It was one of the few albums at its time that was visioned as a complete work. Before that time, only Sinatra (another performer not recognized for his musical smarts) was putting together thematic albums. The genius of the work is one of those things that you either get or not get or more importantly, like or not like.

Part of considering any album from 40 years ago is understanding what was going on at the time. The Beach Boys were primarily a singles group doing surfer ballads and pop and they came up with a symphonic type work that lit a fire under the Beatles. Look at the top 15 Cash Box Albums for 1966 to see what was popular at the time (source Lillian Roxon's "Rock Encyclopedia"):

1. Sound of Music - Soundtrack
2. Whipped Cream - Herb Alpert
3. Going Places - Herb Alpert
4. Dr. Zhivago - Soundtrack
5. South of the Border - Herb Alpert
6. Best of Herman's Hermits
7. Best of the Animals
8. What Now My Love - Herb Alpert
9. Lonely Bull - Herb Alpert
10. Why Is There Air - Bill Cosby
11. Fiddler on the Roof - Original Cast
12. If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears - Mamas & Papas
13. Big Hits - Rolling Stones
14. My Name is Barbra, Two - Barbra Steisand
15. September of My Years - Frank Sinatra ...
33. Pet Sounds - Beach Boys

Regards,

Rich