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Pet Sounds
Beach Boys
Pet Sounds
Genres: Pop, Rock, Classic Rock
 
  •  Track Listings (16) - Disc #1

Only a small commercial success upon its original release in 1966, Brian Wilson's "teenage symphony to God" has grown in stature over the years, even spawning an exhaustive box set chronicling the sessions. To hear it is t...  more »

     

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CD Details

All Artists: Beach Boys
Title: Pet Sounds
Members Wishing: 3
Total Copies: 0
Label: Capitol
Release Date: 11/26/1996
Album Type: Extra tracks
Genres: Pop, Rock, Classic Rock
Style: Oldies
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
Other Editions: Pet Sounds
UPCs: 077774842129, 077774842112, 077774842150

Synopsis

Amazon.com essential recording
Only a small commercial success upon its original release in 1966, Brian Wilson's "teenage symphony to God" has grown in stature over the years, even spawning an exhaustive box set chronicling the sessions. To hear it is to understand why; Wilson and his contingent of fellow Beach Boys, guest lyricists, and session musicians expanded upon the lushness of LPs like The Beach Boys Today and Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) to create a song cycle celebrating--and tracking the downhill course of--a young man's romance. There are few lonelier sounds in pop than the last notes of the final song, "Caroline, No," fading into the sound of a distant train, Wilson's dog barking as it passes. --Rickey Wright

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Member CD Reviews

Evan M. (myrke) from WAKEFIELD, MA
Reviewed on 2/22/2011...
Classic record that still sounds serenely enjoyable after many years. This version comes with "Hang Onto Your Ego" which, as the original version of "I Know There's An Answer", sounds excellent.
Christine N. from GAINESVILLE, VA
Reviewed on 3/4/2007...
Can't find the exact UPC match but the track listing matches perfectly.

CD Reviews

Regarding the Audio Fidelity version
Cabinessence | USA | 05/06/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)

"There are some good and bad aspects of this release.



Good:

- The sound is much better than the official CD and marginally better than the bass-heavy DCC. If you like the DCC's sound, then save your $30. If you think the DCC is a little bottom-heavy, then splurge on this. It is more open and present, though one should keep in perspective the fact that we're talking about a mono recording from the '60s. It's no sonic marvel.

- That's about it. Try before you buy on your local BitTorrent tracker to see whether the sound is for you.



Bad:

- A weird tape drop-out at the beginning of "I'm Waiting for the Day" that is not present in the DCC or any other CD versions.

- A huge gap between "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows" that supposedly mimics the time in between flipping a record. One of the nice things about listening to CDs is that you don't have to take time to get up and change sides. I have never noticed this on any other digital release and think it's annoying. Others may disagree.

- Why and how does this sound different from the DCC? Both of them say they were from the original master tapes, which is obviously false information as noted in previous reviews. I don't buy this stuff about the so-called Kensei Audio Transformer--there has been EQ tweaking on the DCC, the AF, or both. This is either a good or bad thing depending on your opinion of the results.

- The packaging, advertised as "deluxe," is embarrassing. The slipcase looks like it was printed on grandma's 10-year-old inkjet and my copy has little bubbles under the sticker on top of the CD. I have read a lot about broken teeth and cracking, which is not surprising given the flimsiness of the case. Audio Fidelity is clearly a slapdash operation skating by on Hoffman's name recognition.

- The price. Then again, it's cheaper than a used copy of the DCC.



All in all, I don't regret my purchase but I'm close. The 1970s C&TP vinyl reissue is better, but this is probably the best available digital version."
A Moving Look into the Sensibility of a "Pop Star"
Jon B. Truelove | Chicago, Illinois | 11/10/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm young (26) and had always thought of the Beach Boys as kind of a tired, hear-it-while-you-shop-at-Kmart type of band. I only bought their Endless Harmony CD to hear "Heroes and Villians" because the lead singer of one of my favorite bands (Barenaked Ladies) claimed in the Wall Street Journal that the above song was one of five songs he felt most influenced by.On this same CD was a rehearsal version of "God Only Knows," and I was, well, MOVED. I rushed out and bought Pet Sounds and began to explore this un-Beach Boys album.I really fell in love with the super-personal level of the lyrics, how Brian Wilson expressed his insecurities and wishes for safer places, and how the album seemed to use a metaphor (in the form of an audible train) to get across the idea that he was on the inevitable path to growing up, and how he'd have to leave any childish longings behind.The last song on the album, "Caroline No," is as personal and moving to me as any piece of music I have ever heard, especially after reading about the life of Wilson.Pet Sounds is certainly Wilson's goodbye to childhood, and, unfortunately (in my opinion) his goodbye to writing and producing such beauty."