Search - Beach Boys :: Pet Sounds Sessions

GOD WAS SMILING ON BRIAN WILSON DURING THE PET SOUNDS SESSIO

Patrick Miller | NEW YORK | 01/20/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An amazing journey into the creation of a musical masterpiece. Pet Sounds Sessions might be overkill to the casual Beach Boys or rock fan but it should be listened to by all music lovers. Pet Sounds Sessions lets you hear the construction of each of the Pet Sounds songs. All thirteen Pet Sounds songs are extensively examined and disected. The Beach Boys talk during the recording demos is a fantastic trip into the construction and start of the psychedelic 1960s. You hear the genius of Brian Wilson verbally and the harmonies of his fellow Beach Boys as well as the professionalism of record producer and writer Phil Spectors wrecking crew. Brian needed this wrecking crew (musicians) to make his vision and sound come out properly on Pet Sounds. I dont believe Brian really knew what the finished result of Pet Sounds would be during these recording sessions. That is how far ahead Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys were vocally and musically with Pet Sounds over any rock band of the time, yes including The Beatles. There are two booklets with this Sessions box set discussing in depth the Pet Sounds recording sessions. Disc one tracks 1-13 are the stereo mix of the complete Pet Sounds. The vocal sessions on disc three are an incredible listen and sound like a chorus of heavenly angels and will have you singing along with the included song lyrics. On the fourth cd you get to hear Pet Sounds as it was originally presented in 1966 with a new remastered 1996 mono mix). Here is how to listen to Pet Sounds Sessions: Start on cd-1 with track 14 (SLOOP JOHN B highlights) and listen all the way through to disc four to the Pet Sounds Mono Mix. After you listen to the this new mono mix you realize the greatness of Pet Sounds and how far ahead of its time it was and still is. The Beatles were so amazed and blown away with Pet Sounds and "Good Vibrations" that they tried to emulate the Pet Sounds sound in their 1966-1969 recordings. The Beatles 1966 Revolver' through their final recording 1969s "Abbey Road" were rock masterpieces but could never match the sound and creativity of "Pet Sounds" or Good Vibrations". "Pet Sounds" and "Good Vibrations" served as a blueprint for all Beatle recordings through 1966-1969. Beatles producer Sir George Martin has stated "if I had to pick one living musical genius it would be Brian Wilson". Sir George Martin has also stated that Sgt. Pepper was an attempt to equal Pet Sounds. Attempt??????? this came from Sir George Martin the producer of the worlds greatest musical band. Pet Sounds is definitly the Tchiakovsky of rock music..........."

What else can be said

Dave Henderson | usa | 09/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What more can be said about Brian Wilson? I always knew he was great and hard working, but I somehow didn't realize that he wrote all the charts for this project. It's no wonder Paul McCartney was so impressed. The Beatles had George Martin, the Beach Boys had Brian."

Angels Revealed

David E. Maurer | 09/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Any fan of any music secretly wishes that she or he can peek behind the curtain to witness the moment of creation. With the release of The Pet Sound Sessions we get more than just a glimpse of creation. What we get instead is a front row seat to the reinvention of Brian Wilson's Beach Boys as they conjure one of the most beautiful, touching, and enduring soundscapes ever produced. When Pet Sounds was first released, the Beach Boys were viewed, from the perspective of the 60's, as an antiquated hold-over from a more innocent time when rock and roll had been bleached and tamed to make it less liberating and revolutionary. Performing in striped shirts and white pants and singing about summer, surfing, cars and chaste romance, the Beach Boys created the impression that parents had won the generation war. As a result, Pet Sounds received a luke warm reception from a rock press more attuned to the likes of the Beatles, the Stones, and the emerging West Coast scene.

The Pet Sounds Sessions proves that everyone was wrong in their judgements about the Beach Boys. Hindsight is, truly, 20-20. From acapella arrangements, through instrumental run-throughs, and culminating in both mono magic and a reworked stereo masterpiece, this collection sets the record straight. Not only does it affirm Brian Wilson's genius -it offers hard-core and casual listeners insight into the mystery of creation. However you approach it, Pet Sounds is a great piece of art. Accessable to everyone, it demonstrates how good music transcends the boundaries of age and attitude, race and gender - and whatever categories we set up to pigeonhole music. In truth, wonder is unsayable. Close your eyes. Listen. Feel. Pet Sounds is Brian's gift to you."