The Smiley Smile Message Board

Smiley Smile Stuff => General On Topic Discussions => Topic started by: Wata on October 01, 2017, 03:14:01 AM



Title: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: Wata on October 01, 2017, 03:14:01 AM
OK, I'm usually okay with negative reviews on my favorite music, because I think everyone's entitled to their own opinions.

But, I've just came across one that I can't stand at ALL. It's about Pet Sounds:

http://www.therollingthunderreview.com/review/b/TheBeachBoys/PetSounds.html (http://www.therollingthunderreview.com/review/b/TheBeachBoys/PetSounds.html)

The points of the review is:
・The (lead) vocals of the Beach Boys sound stupid and like making a fool of the listener.
・The chorus sounds stupid.
・There's no reality or groove in songs
・The melodies are not especially beautiful.
・Everything sounds lukewarm, especially Don't Talk.
・The fans of the Beach Boys must think 'I don't care if their music fits the era, or their new songs are good ones. I'll follow them until I die.'- just like old men who likes popular singers of Enka. (A genre of Japanese music that, well, is treated just like country music in the us)
・The album's high appreciation on musical magazines could make newbies of Western music disappointed, because it doesn't show how great Western music is.
・There must be some 'fans' of the album that aren't moved very much by its music, but pretend to listen to it (closely). Such disgusting fans can make Western music unhip.  
・God Only Knows is the only listenable song, but there are much better songs out there.
 
Ah, very irritating. I think the reviewer has no respect toward the Beach Boys, though he says he does in his review. If all he could do is make a fool of the Beach Boys, he shouldn't have written a review about them.

I respect the opinion of not liking Pet Sounds, or any album, but at least those who review music should have respect toward what they're going to review.



Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: Hickory Violet Part IV on October 01, 2017, 02:16:48 PM

・The (lead) vocals of the Beach Boys sound stupid and like making a fool of the listener



Well I'm happy to be a fool then!

Don't worry Watamushi, there will always be people who just don't 'get it'. 

If you want I'll help you hunt them down.


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: Wata on October 01, 2017, 05:29:55 PM

・The (lead) vocals of the Beach Boys sound stupid and like making a fool of the listener



Well I'm happy to be a fool then!

Don't worry Watamushi, there will always be people who just don't 'get it'. 
I have no problem with their not 'getting' Pet Sounds.(I actually think liking it is an acquired taste.)

But, for the reasons I wrote on the last post, I thought it was not a good review.
If you want I'll help you hunt them down
No, thank you.



Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: KDS on October 02, 2017, 05:23:29 AM
I honestly think sometimes people write articles like this just to get some clicks as they know it'll get a rise out of people. 

Take a beloved band, album, or song, and write a viciously negative review, and it generates traffic to the site. 

Sad what passes for music journalism these days. 


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: Wata on October 02, 2017, 05:44:22 AM
I honestly think sometimes people write articles like this just to get some clicks as they know it'll get a rise out of people. 

Take a beloved band, album, or song, and write a viciously negative review, and it generates traffic to the site. 

Sad what passes for music journalism these days. 
As I think I said somewhere before,  conspiracy theories and making money make the Internet boring day by day.

I'm not sure this is such case, though. Reading other reviews of the reviewer's, he seems to dislike what's not 'rock'. He criticized Simon and Garfunkel for not being 'rock'. Considering that, it's pretty natural for him to suspect the appreciation for PS as the best 'rock' album. Sure it doesn't sound like 'rock' at all.


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: KDS on October 02, 2017, 05:53:48 AM
I honestly think sometimes people write articles like this just to get some clicks as they know it'll get a rise out of people. 

Take a beloved band, album, or song, and write a viciously negative review, and it generates traffic to the site. 

Sad what passes for music journalism these days. 
As I think I said somewhere before,  conspiracy theories and making money make the Internet boring day by day.

I'm not sure this is such case, though. Reading other reviews of the reviewer's, he seems to dislike what's not 'rock'. He criticized Simon and Garfunkel for not being 'rock'. Considering that, it's pretty natural for him to suspect the appreciation for PS as the best 'rock' album. Sure it doesn't sound like 'rock' at all.

Rock and roll isn't always about fast songs and loud guitars.  Just ask The Moody Blues. 


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: Wata on October 02, 2017, 06:18:09 AM
I honestly think sometimes people write articles like this just to get some clicks as they know it'll get a rise out of people. 

Take a beloved band, album, or song, and write a viciously negative review, and it generates traffic to the site. 

Sad what passes for music journalism these days. 
As I think I said somewhere before,  conspiracy theories and making money make the Internet boring day by day.

I'm not sure this is such case, though. Reading other reviews of the reviewer's, he seems to dislike what's not 'rock'. He criticized Simon and Garfunkel for not being 'rock'. Considering that, it's pretty natural for him to suspect the appreciation for PS as the best 'rock' album. Sure it doesn't sound like 'rock' at all.

Rock and roll isn't always about fast songs and loud guitars.  Just ask The Moody Blues. 
Right.


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: KDS on October 02, 2017, 06:29:46 AM
I honestly think sometimes people write articles like this just to get some clicks as they know it'll get a rise out of people. 

Take a beloved band, album, or song, and write a viciously negative review, and it generates traffic to the site. 

Sad what passes for music journalism these days. 
As I think I said somewhere before,  conspiracy theories and making money make the Internet boring day by day.

I'm not sure this is such case, though. Reading other reviews of the reviewer's, he seems to dislike what's not 'rock'. He criticized Simon and Garfunkel for not being 'rock'. Considering that, it's pretty natural for him to suspect the appreciation for PS as the best 'rock' album. Sure it doesn't sound like 'rock' at all.

Rock and roll isn't always about fast songs and loud guitars.  Just ask The Moody Blues. 
Right.

Sadly, that's not enough the most ridiculous assessment I've ever read of Pet Sounds.  There was one that was published last year, and there's probably still a link on this forum somewhere, that said Pet Sounds is a product of racism. 


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: HeyJude on October 02, 2017, 07:37:45 AM
The problem with that article from last year discussing PS and race is that an interesting article on the topic (more concerning BB music on the whole rather than specifically PS) *could* be written and discussed. Unfortunately, that particular article was just a hack job. As I (probably) said at the time, it read like someone in college had been given a list of Topics and then a list of Critical Theories, and then told to pick one from each and conjure up a paper. If you're going to write a piece like that, you HAVE to have a deep understanding first of Brian and the Beach Boys. Otherwise, you end up simply making the mind-blowing, groundbreaking observation that the BBs of 1966 were all white.

I don't know if the "review" mentioned in the top post was even an actual article published from a reputable source, or just some person on the internet bloviating. But PS has experienced the same see-saw back and forth that other things like Sgt. Pepper has.

It's the best album. Then it's "overrated." Then it's somehow the "worst album of all time." Then it's cool again. Then someone has to start parsing boilerplate critical theories (feminism, race, etc.).


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: hideyotsuburaya on October 02, 2017, 08:09:15 AM
the most insipidly idiotic of them is that 'the melodies are not especially beautiful' - Caroline, No is exquisite

i'll use this opportunity to debunk an old even generally accepted remark about Pet Sounds "happy songs sell records, sad songs sell beer",  because I can think of many as I'm sure you can sad songs that made the chart top 10 (i'll allow Caroline No happens not to be one of them, since it was a 45)


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: KDS on October 02, 2017, 08:13:11 AM
the most insipidly idiotic of them is that 'the melodies are not especially beautiful' - Caroline, No is exquisite

i'll use this opportunity to debunk an old even generally accepted remark about Pet Sounds "happy songs sell records, sad songs sell beer",  because I can think of many as I'm sure you can sad songs that made the chart top 10 (i'll allow Caroline No happens not to be one of them, since it was a 45)

I think for awhile Elton John's Candle in the Wind '97 was the biggest selling single of all time.  Not the happiest song I ever heard. 


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: urbanite on October 02, 2017, 12:36:18 PM
Songs that relate the heartache of a relationship that has broken up, often become big hits.


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: Magic Transistor Radio on October 02, 2017, 04:21:51 PM
If I were to do a negative review of a classic album like this, I would at least acknowledge that it had an impact on a lot of people and for that deserves praise. Also, I don't think I consider Pet Sounds rock music, but symphonic pop.


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: Alex on October 02, 2017, 09:21:42 PM
I honestly think sometimes people write articles like this just to get some clicks as they know it'll get a rise out of people. 

Take a beloved band, album, or song, and write a viciously negative review, and it generates traffic to the site. 

Sad what passes for music journalism these days. 
As I think I said somewhere before,  conspiracy theories and making money make the Internet boring day by day.

I'm not sure this is such case, though. Reading other reviews of the reviewer's, he seems to dislike what's not 'rock'. He criticized Simon and Garfunkel for not being 'rock'. Considering that, it's pretty natural for him to suspect the appreciation for PS as the best 'rock' album. Sure it doesn't sound like 'rock' at all.

Sounds like one of those "PLAY FREEBIRD!!!!!!!!!!!"/"Zeppelin/Kiss/Van Halen/Metallica rules!!!" idiots.


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: KDS on October 03, 2017, 05:12:35 AM
I honestly think sometimes people write articles like this just to get some clicks as they know it'll get a rise out of people. 

Take a beloved band, album, or song, and write a viciously negative review, and it generates traffic to the site. 

Sad what passes for music journalism these days. 
As I think I said somewhere before,  conspiracy theories and making money make the Internet boring day by day.

I'm not sure this is such case, though. Reading other reviews of the reviewer's, he seems to dislike what's not 'rock'. He criticized Simon and Garfunkel for not being 'rock'. Considering that, it's pretty natural for him to suspect the appreciation for PS as the best 'rock' album. Sure it doesn't sound like 'rock' at all.

Sounds like one of those "PLAY FREEBIRD!!!!!!!!!!!"/"Zeppelin/Kiss/Van Halen/Metallica rules!!!" idiots.

As a fan of all of these groups, I can say that there are some close minded fans in hard rock fandom, and unfortunately, they tend to speak the loudest. 


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: JK on October 07, 2017, 01:36:49 AM
Songs that relate the heartache of a relationship that has broken up, often become big hits.

Albums on this theme sell well too. Think of Spiritualized's Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space and John Newman's Tribute.


Title: Re: The only negative review on Pet Sounds I can't stand...
Post by: KDS on October 09, 2017, 06:47:44 AM
Songs that relate the heartache of a relationship that has broken up, often become big hits.

Albums on this theme sell well too. Think of Spiritualized's Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space and John Newman's Tribute.

In modern pop, Adele is making a lucrative career for herself with a catalog of misery songs.