KDAWG Album of the Year - Jonathan's Pick
Pet Sounds by the beach boys is an album released in 1966 that I’ve decided to listen to recently. I am a fan of some of the songs already like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, “Sloop John B”, and “God Only Knows” because of their cheery melodies, but I decided to listen to the whole album in the last few days because in the past I’ve liked the Beach Boys sound and wanted to dig deeper into their discography. So, I sat down outside on a hot day in Palm Springs and played the album on my portable speaker. My initial thinking was that this album was going to be filled with positive vibes and give off the calm feeling of being on the California coast, like some of their other music does, however the music that I ended up listening to was more complex.
Throughout the album, front man Brian Wilson and his band mates sing songs and compose instrumentals that convey the themes of admitting and learning from mistakes, longing for the future, and experiencing the highs and lows of love. I sat out in the heat that afternoon, but it was the music that fired me up. The Beach Boys wrote this album with young people in mind and they make that feeling of youthful excitement and impatience felt in songs like “Here Today” with the lyrics, “Its start with just a little glance now. Right away you’re thinkin’ ‘bout romance now. You know you ought to take it slower, but you just can’t wait to get to know her.” On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Beach Boys convey the feelings of reflection and admitting mistakes in their song, “You Still Believe in Me” with the lyrics, “I know perfectly well I’m not where I should be. I’ve been very aware you’ve been patient with me. Every time we break up you bring back your love to me. And after all I’ve done to you, how can it be you still believe in me?”
Overall, this album expresses a wide spectrum of emotions that I was unaware the Beach Boys show in their music. Listening to the album, I can appreciate the vulnerability and sensitivity expressed by Brian Wilson, Mike Love, and others. Upon further listening and reflection, I don’t think the majority of Pet Sounds is an album to be played on the California sand while you and your friends play volleyball. Instead it acts as a companion when you decide to look at your high school yearbook or think about your past loves and how you can be better in the future. Now I can understand why Pet Sounds is regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time. It isn’t because it’s a mainstream album filled with chart-topping songs; it expresses some of the same themes that other great concept albums by The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Coldplay, or Green Day share in their greatest albums. Pet Sounds is a showcase of the rollercoaster that is experiencing and dealing with the aftermath of the intense animal emotions of shame, regret, and love.