I'm with @unreceivedogma ...to my ears pet sounds is undeniably original, but outside of caroline no and god only knows, the songs didn't really stick. Mostly, though, it always sounded a little compressed and lacking in low end---it doesn't swing. which isn't to say it's not a good record, but not earthmoving in the sense of, say, moby grape or blonde on blonde.
Showing 2 responses by loomisjohnson
@bdp24 i always appreciate your comments, especially when they agree with mine... in my missive i was referring to "swing" in the sense of having rhythmic drive and movement. from that perspective, the bb's big influences like chuck berry or the four seasons had swing, while "pet sounds" (with the exception of sloop john b and that short instrumental whose name i can't remember) sorta just lies there, albeit in a pretty manner. delving deeper into google, it seems an accepted definition of swing is "music characterized by a specific type of syncopation that emphasizes the off-beat, giving the music a bouncy, lively feel." from that perspective, "pet sounds" is just the opposite. again, none of this is intended to suggest that the record is unworthy, though i think their best (and best-sounding) songs were "surf's up" and "feel flows", the latter a carl song. |