Pet Sounds: Most Overrated Album of All Time?

Geez, if George Martin and Paul McCartney were heaping praise all over an album, and I didn't "hear what all the hoopla is about", I would not admit it in public. ;-)

I'm in the minority (though not alone) in considering Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album the most over-rated album in Pop music history. Both Rubber Soul and Revolver are better albums. IMO. 

I love how Pet Sounds ends: with the sound of a far-away train clattering down the tracks, a distant dog barking in response. When I was a little kid, we lived a few blocks from the train tracks that run alongside San Fernando Blvd. in the Valley, and I awoke every morning to that exact sound. If that ending doesn't give you a clue as to what the album is about, and the emotional response the music is intended to evoke in the listener, I don't believe I'm interested in knowing you. No offense intended. 

In regards to Epstien, yes he was not an engineer- that was Emerick (and a talented one at that). But I think you are missing the "vibe" on an english studio of the early to mid 60s. The engineer was a technician in a lab coat, saying what they could do and what they could not (from a technical perspective) and dutifully recording what the client paid for. He was not to interact with the artists or offer input- he was there to operate the studio and keep everything working. While that changed later, at the time engineers where in many ways bystanders to the events in their studios. Paul has even spoken publicly about how they argued with the engineers on earlier records that why couldnt they keep a recording that "touched the red" (clipped) as the engineers were taught to never allow distortion. However, the band (being a creative bunch of kids) actually liked certain kinds of distortion (such as a distorted guitar amp).

Epstien was a huge influence over the conditions, the style, the songs, all of it.  They would not have sounded like they did or record the songs they did without him.  He was their #1 mentor.   As I recall, Paul himself said Brian and George were the two biggest influences on their "music" at this time. Could have certainly changed later.

Brad

Hey I just saw that HDTracks (David Cheske's label) has the Beach Boys HI Rez "Sounds of Summer" with a bunch of extra tracks.  He has all their hits AND multiple tracks from my favorte BB out of print "Surf's Up"  88.2K/24 Bit.  This looks like a defintive collection to me- post if anyone buys this and has a listen. 

Brad