How to respond nicely to someone who says Pet Sounds is the most over-rated album in the world?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Brian Lux, Nov 24, 2021.

  1. Vangro

    Vangro Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    More like 99.99%.
     
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  2. JosepZ

    JosepZ Digital knight of the analog masters

    Location:
    Barcelona, Spain
    Yes, I know I must give Steely Dan a chance at some point. The thing is that it seems they were less successful in Europe than they were in America. I had never really heard of them until around 1998 when I got a CD copy of the Heavy Metal (movie) soundtrack for cheap, and there was a track called True Companion by some Donald Fagen. At first I thought it was boring but eventually it grew on me and I came around to really, really like it. So I got to listen to his album from the same year (1981's The Nightfly) and... it was interesting, great blend of styles, wonderful arrangements and musicianship, and it sounded great, I couldn't find anything to criticize, but it wasn't really my cup of tea. I kept doing my research though and found out, reading a rock encyclopaedia my dad had, about Steely Dan and thought I should give them a chance eventually. I was 18 and now I'm 41. At some point I will.
     
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  3. 7solqs4iago

    7solqs4iago Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    99% of attempts to discuss jazz and half of classical music consists of the other person waiting for me to say something, then they attack me... :(

    but we still persist in loving music and seeking out someone to talk to :D

    (more than a few have been found on here, thankfully)
     
  4. Tim 2

    Tim 2 MORE MUSIC PLEASE

    Location:
    Alberta Canada
    LOL, sad but sometimes true. :whistle:
     
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  5. juss100

    juss100 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    I'm not quite sure why this is directed at me. I personally don't give two figs what people think is overrated or not. I do come here to have interesting conversations so I'll probably prod people in that direction ... I'm more likely to be uninterested by people regurgitating the same old opinions they read in a music magazine, whether that's Pet Sounds/Revolver are the greatest thing ever or Prog Rock/Opera sucks. I dunno, I've long since stopped being offended if people don't like my favourite records - I like Jpop, prog, Classical, Jazz ... You have to accept the reality of people thinking you have bad taste. Or the reality that they think you're "negative" if you don't think the critical darlings are absolute perfection.
     
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  6. Big Blue

    Big Blue Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Well, I went ahead and put Pet Sounds on for a spin just now. As I’ve admitted previously in the thread, I haven’t listened to this entire album a whole lot, as it didn’t grab me when I first checked it out years ago and I only just bought a copy recently.

    Guys, I still don’t know how to know how this album is “rated” by people, in general, but it’s pretty good.
     
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  7. Penny24

    Penny24 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco, Ca
    I went into that album without any expectations and was impressed the whole way through, but if I read all of the praise and worship it has received over the decades beforehand I'd expect something even grander. With that being said, this is as good as it gets, and there's only a few albums I'd place in the same tier as Pet Sounds.
     
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  8. Wild Horse

    Wild Horse Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    ok zoomer :laugh:
     
  9. Drifter

    Drifter AAD survivor

    Location:
    Vancouver, BC, CA
    It’s worth noting that Brian Wilson Co-wrote all of those songs and sang on some of them, other than “The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)”.
     
  10. Big Blue

    Big Blue Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    I guess I’m not sure what else would be expected. None of the acclaim I have ever seen promises wall-to-wall-hits or anything like that.
     
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  11. Big Blue

    Big Blue Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Right. They sound like the Beach Boys for a reason. Because they’re basically Beach Boys songs, with one iconic part of the Beach Boys’ harmony literally on the records.
     
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  12. Rich C

    Rich C Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northbrook, IL
    Maybe they are more confident of their opinions than you and maybe they are right.

    It is childish in parts. Bicycle bell ringing isn't all that interesting to me. Maybe "Wouldn't It Be Nice" should have a lyric or two about the need to earn a living and support a wife before complaining about not be able to "keep house" with a girlfriend.

    Those are legitimate critiques that I would just as soon not even consider except for you asking the question and being hurt about it.

    What is this? The Manchurican Candidate where mentioning Raymond Shaw elicits the responses that "he is the greatest human being of all time"?

    It seems that everyone must sing its praises even if they don't like it. It is also consistently number 1 or 2 for most important album ever made.
     
  13. Huxley

    Huxley Forum Resident

    And so it follows that it is overrated?

    Not seeing the logic here. I don't much care for DSOTM, but would never argue that it's overrated.
     
    Big Blue likes this.
  14. healter skealter

    healter skealter Human animal

    It's probably one of those 'you had to be there' albums. I was alive, but not old enough to have 'been there'...and if by having 'been there' I'd been fooled into still thinking nearly 60 years later that this was one of the most important albums ever recorded, then I'm glad I wasn't 'there'.

    Absurd level of hyperbole and boomer-splaining surrounding this unexceptional & horribly dated release. Personally, I'd rather listen to Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons.
     
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  15. TeleKing

    TeleKing Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nebraska
    Way overrated.
     
  16. Big Blue

    Big Blue Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Nope. My parents turned eight years old the year it was released, and I like it.
     
  17. HfxBob

    HfxBob Forum Resident

    Or even 'the overratedest'.
     
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  18. Penny24

    Penny24 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco, Ca
    As soon as I finished Pet Sounds it became quite clear why it's regarded as the GOAT
     
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  19. Moonbeam Skies

    Moonbeam Skies Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, Arizona
    The part about Pet Sounds being overrated isn't that bad because a lot of Beach Boys fans might agree. Mike Love might agree. I like the album myself. But to suggest the band's entire recorded output sounds not like children's music, which would be bad, but like AWFUL children's music is going too far!
     
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  20. rfs

    rfs Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lansing, MI USA
    I'm ambivalent to Pet Sounds, but like the other groups you mention. Maybe your experience is somewhat limited?
     
  21. Terry

    Terry Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee
    My response? “Okay”
     
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  22. Drifter

    Drifter AAD survivor

    Location:
    Vancouver, BC, CA
    Perfect, especially with the right tone: "Ohh--kay..". :thumbsup:
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2021
  23. dalecooper

    dalecooper Forum Resident

    Location:
    Athens, GA
    Wouldn't talk to them much further, and certainly wouldn't waste much breath trying to convince them.

    To me, the lowest conversation about nearly anything is like/dislike. The second lowest is overrated/underrated. The same people that fixate on these two lines of thinking usually also either don't understand subjectivity, or are obsessed with it and think it's a good way to wrap up any conversation (as in, "well, it's all subjective anyway so who cares"). None of this interests me a lot. There is so much to talk about with regards to music; I can't waste my time trying to coach people who prefer to wander down dead-end alleys and stop there.
     
  24. ARK

    ARK Forum Miscreant

    Location:
    Charlton, MA, USA
    It’s overrated
     
  25. ARK

    ARK Forum Miscreant

    Location:
    Charlton, MA, USA
    Where does speaking in universal statements rank in your pantheon?
     
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