Pinpoint what exactly makes this album so great
The cover
muh Phil Spector
muh harmonies
>>65462081
The train whistle on that one track just holds the whole thing together.
And dog barks are an underrated instrument.
It's the first instance of substantially expanded instrumentation, substantial studio alteration, etc. in pop music.
>>65462081
Protip: you can't
It's just a beautifully put together pop album, it's light yet dour and earnest and concerns itself in vague subject matter that appeals to the listener without getting bogged down in platitudes about summer, fun, partying and the specifics of romance
It's just fantastic
>>65462158
>in pop music.
is this supposed to be impressive?
>>65462081
Opinions
>>65462541
Yes, absolutely
>>65463149
Why? Pop music is always years behind art music. When it finally catches up it's behind in a new way and it just repackages old innovations and experiments in cute little ways for casual listeners.
>>65462541
>>65464165
You forgot your smug anime girl
Let's Go Away For A While
>>65462081
embryos and memes
No one gives a shit about it outside US
>>65464165
I agree. People like Pet Sounds because they never listened to an orchestra before.
Took heavy inspiration from some of the more innovative people in the industry at that time (Spector, George Martin, Beatles etc)
It was unique and a pretty big departure from the original MO of the band or more specifically Murry
It's full of damn good pop songs with a enough melancholy to be interesting
The whole story behind the record, with Brian's health and such
Basically the precursor to SMiLE
On a slightly unrelated note, I saw Brian perform this on the anniversary tour last week and it instantly become one of my favourite live experiences.
>>65462081
>It makes you feel so bad
>It makes your heart feel sad
>>65464342
>damn good pop songs
that's not really an accomplishment
>>65464366
I disagree, but that's okay
>>65464366
try not to cut your self on that edge
just listen to it.
if it isn't for you then there is nothing wrong with that
>>65464366
You seem like a fun dude
>>65462541
at least 90% of threads on /mu/ are about popular music, why would you even come here if you didn't like it?
Consistency
>>65462081
Good melodies, nice arrangements.
>>65464394
>>65464522
if you're a music fan, it's not really edgy or abnormal to dislike pop music, or at the very least not be impressed by it. not once you've listened ti a fair amount of classical/art music anyways.
>>65462081
if you have to ask
you'll never know
>>65465307
Disliking music makes you less of a music fan and more of a music critic.
You're like the critic from ratatouille. You hate pop music, but deep down in your skinny bones you like catchy pop songs. I know it, because I'm like the rat chef from ratatouille.
>>65466801
so I'm supposed to like EVERY form of music ever to be a music fan?
you realize pop/rock music from the 60s onwards is a tiny blip in the history of music as a whole, right? why should I be forced to like it, especially when there is so much more objectively innovative/virtuous/interesting music that has already been made?
how can you not consider this album art rock, or psychedelic rock at the very least?
anyway, like the wiki says, it basically brilliantly combined elements of jazz, classical, rock, and pop into a concept album about the loss of innocence and heartbreak.
using phil spector-influenced production (making many innovations in that field as well), brian's idiosyncratic writing style combined the harmonies of the four freshman, the jazz ideas of Gershwin, and the pop sensibilities that the Beach Boys were known and loved for to create a unique and touching work of pop genius. All the while staying neck and neck (and some say surpassing) The Beatles (at least until '67).
the album took brian's growing sophistication and mastery of songwriting to another level. the harmonies, arrangements, and melodies on this album are original and inventive, especially for the time.
[excerpt from wiki]
"James Perone explains, Wilson's compositions include tempo changes, metrical ambiguity, and unusual tone colors that, culturally speaking, separates the album from any pop music of the era. It also adds to 'the background tenderness and melancholy—as well as the increased maturity—that ebb and flow throughout Pet Sounds.'"
but again, an album is more than the sum of its parts, and the genius of this album seems pretty readily apparent to many people after just a few listens. if it really doesn't click for you after 10+ listens, you might just not get it or like it
>>65467033
>pop genius
this is like saying "good-smelling poop".
>>65467078
>music can't be good if it has a verse-chorus structure and is labelled a certain way
i'm sure you're a very down to earth person who isn't elitist at all
if you honestly can't appreciate any pop music (and there's a shitload of it) i feel bad for you
and this is coming from someone who loves jazz and classical. also that post was me trying to convince you that it in fact is art rock, with pop influences
>>65467152
>>music can't be good if it has a verse-chorus structure and is labelled a certain way
don't fucking put words down my throat. that's not what I said.
there is pop music I appreciate, for example Nico, Exuma, Van Dyke Parks...I just don't find Pet Sounds to be at all musically interesting. people overblow it's "compositions" constantly.
>i'm sure you're a very down to earth person who isn't elitist at all
there's nothing wrong with being elitist if you are actually better than other people. I don't act like an asshole to people IRL though.
>>65464342
> I saw Brian perform this on the anniversary tour last week and it instantly become one of my favourite live experiences.
That's good to hear. I'm going to see him in a couple weeks and I'm very excited. I had heard some disappointment about his voice, which I hope isn't too bad, but I'm happy to go regardless
WOULDNT IT BE NICE
>>65467300
>Van Dyke Parks
literally how i can tell you're an elitist. song cycle is a worse version of pet sounds
>people overblow it's "compositions" constantly
are you honestly putting compositions in quotes? lol.
people don't overblow them, it's just a popular album. the compositions are staggeringly beautiful, original, and poignant. i guess i can't convince you of that but i'm not alone in thinking it
>there's nothing wrong with being elitist if you are actually better than other people
sure man
>>65467382
>song cycle is a worse version of pet sounds
*better
>>65467593
great argument theatre faggot please play more showtunes on the piano for me
>>65467652
nice meme
>>65467300
you mean Chelsea Girls Nico? Or post-The Marble Index Nico? Cause that's not pop my friend, neither is Exuma
>>65467722
what is it then? because it's definitely not art music
>>65467750
we're not talking about "popular music", we are talking about pop. And Nico may be art music, but that's another discussion
>>65464165
>Pop music is always years behind art music. When it finally catches up it's behind in a new way and it just repackages old innovations and experiments in cute little ways for casual listeners.
So? Whats wrong with that?
>>65467876
because it's inferior? kinda self-explanatory
>>65467005
>more objectively innovative/virtuous/interesting music
How so?
>>65467927
How is it inferior?
>>65467932
why don't you do some reading on classical music? why should I have to try and explain such an enormous thing to you?
>>65467962
how does what I described NOT make it inferior? christ Pet Sounds fags are retarded
>>65467996
>why should I have to try and explain such an enormous thing to you?
Because it's your argument silly! You should explain it.
How is it objectively [subjective value judgement]?
>how does what I described NOT make it inferior?
You should tell us, it's your argument.
>>65467996
not that anon, but do you know how sometimes people say the best author is the one that can communicate his thoughts the best, and not the one that uses a lot of pretentious words?
Pop music is about that, and I think Brian Wilson succeeded, making super accesible music yet also complex, innovative and interesting. Of course, we are talking about POP MUSIC, not ART MUSIC. You wouldn't watch 'Dog Star Man' the same way as 'Halloween'. Get my point?
>>65467300
>Pop music
>Nico, Exuma, Van Dyke Parks
what absolute bullshit lmao. I know you think using pop and popular interchangeably makes you look like less of an unbearable elitist but in reality these are not pop music. Nico is an avant-folk/chamber folk musician, Exuma make Caribbean folk, to be fair Parks makes pop music but it's his own unique variant of it. When people say POP MUSIC they're not referring to experimental freak folk weirdo's from an art scene, they're talking about the Beach Boys, the Beatles, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Michael Jackson, Kate Bush, etc. If you were listening to a pop rock band and said "yeah bud do you know any other good pop bands?" it would be completely unhelpful and ridiculous to suggest, let's say, fucking Exuma over the Kinks or something. Don't be such a pretentious tryhard.
Its the greatest
>>65465307
Can I ask, and this is a serious question that should be answered truthfully, how old you are and if you are educated in music?
I ask this because I know many doctorates of music and NONE of them hate on ANY type of music.
One of them almost exclusively listens to opera pieces and pop music.
Another only listens to baroque and minimalism, that man also likes him some prog rock.
I've never heard anyone who truly has a life long passion for music say anything negative for an entire scope of music.
The best pianist I've ever met, 50 years old with 3 masters related to music theory and performance, listens to Coheed and Cambria all the time (no idea why).
Pop (and any other type of music for that matter) offers things other types of music do not.
Stop being pretentious, stop being an asshole, art is art and not even for a second should you think a piece of art is inherently bad just because it doesn't express the qualities that entertain you.
Faggot.
>>65471095
You got me. I'm 22, I don't know shit about music, I just started getting into it the last five years. I didn't even start listening to classical until this year. It's just that /mu/ is so easy to b8 and I akm genuinely tired of seeing Pet Sounds praised as the pinnacle of music. I mean it's good but to me personally it's like a 6.5/10. Smile is better IMO.
Some day I will be the ultimate patrician tho.
>>65471662
Smile is better in my opinion too, if it was completed it would maybe be my favorite pop album.
And one day we both will be hopefully chill as the old educated bastards.
They seriously don't bat an eye at someones taste, only way to get to them is if someone else as educated makes an asinine statement (so and so is objectively better than all these other ones).
>>65462355
This. It captures a feel that's not compatible with the English language
>>65467593
HOLY KEK
>>65464464
get out
