There isn’t one individual thing that makes Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys a classic. On the contrary, every single ingredient is imperative to create this all American recipe. Everything from the youthful, catchy surfer pop innocence of the Beach Boy’s previous records, to the nervous breakdown that Brian Wilson experienced right before starting this album, to Wilson’s attraction to the innovative work of Phil Spector.
Wilson was determined to pour out his heart and soul on the melodic and lyrical content of Pet Sounds and he did just that. Amazingly, Wilson managed to explore darker, more sophisticated themes like the heartache on “Caroline, No” while still maintaining the youthful innocence of “Wouldn’t it be Nice”. “God Only Knows” is touching, heartfelt, haunting and honest in arrangement, melody and lyrics.
The Beach Boys accomplished much more than just a personal evolution with Pet Sounds. Through well crafted songs, interesting arrangements and vocal harmonies, unique instruments like Hawaiian ukuleles and the unusual, groundbreaking sampling of coke cans and animal sounds, Pet Sounds set the bar and inspired an industry-wide evolution. Pet Sounds sounds like thinking outside the box.
keithweidner 