Pet Sounds is turning 50 this month and to celebrate we’re hosting events around the world to celebrate an album that helped change the course of pop music.
Produced and arranged by Brian Wilson, the album was one of the most ambitious rock album ever recorded along with The Beatles. Bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, Electro-Theremin, dog whistles, trains, Hawaiian-sounding string instruments, Coca-Cola cans, and barking dogs were all used to create a sonic experience that was unparalleled.
With it’s striking orchestration, multi-layered lyrics and symphonic sound, Pet Sounds paved the way for music to come. Written in response to The Beatles Rubber Soul, inspired by the fact that the whole album was filled with great songs and no fillers, Wilson rushed to his wife and proclaimed, “Marilyn, I’m gonna make the greatest album! The greatest rock album ever made!”.
Later he would say “Yeah, it was sort of my answer to Rubber Soul and their response to Pet Sounds was Sgt. Pepper. They really wanted to top us, and they did. It’s just the way it works; it goes two ways. But Paul McCartney, who’s a good friend of mine, says “God Only Knows” remains his favourite song to this day.” Although fans like to pit the two bands against one another, The Beach Boys and The Beatles had more of a symbiotic relationship – it has been said The Beatles looked outward and Wilson looked inward.
The warm soothing sounds on the album convey deep emotion often packaged in childlike whimsy to create a listening experience that is still regarding as a truly unique piece of music and one of the most important albums of all time. Still influencing contemporary artists such as Panda Bear and Animal Collective, Pet Sounds probably has more impact today than when it was released. Read more about the album here.
Join us at one of our sessions to hear the album as never before on our state of the art audiophile hi-fi soundsystems. And we are delighted to feature the new Analogue Productions pressings of Pet Sounds. They have recently reissued ten mono and stereo remasters of The Beach Boys’ early catalogue. Classic Album Sundays’ Colleen cried when she heard the Analogue Productions remaster of ‘In My Room’ from the Surfer Girl LP. Our listeners are in for a treat!
London
Sunday May 8th 4 – 7pm
Brilliant Corners, 470 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4AE
Tickets: £10 online here and £12 on the door if available
Presenter: Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy
Audio Menu: Dynavector D17D3 MC Cartridge, Rega P9 Turntable, Simaudio Moon 310LP Phono Stage, Audio Note Jinro Integrated Amp, Chord Signature Speaker Cable, Chord Signature Tuned Aray interconnects, ISOL-8 Substation Integra Power Conditioner and Klipschorn Loudspeakers
New York City
Sunday, May 22nd, 4 – 7 pm
Good Room 98 Meserole, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Tickets: $8 online soon / $10 on the door
Presenters: Ron Like Hell
Audio Menu: Rega Apheta MC Cartridge, Rega P9 Turntable, Audio Note UK pre-amplification and power amplification, AudioQuest Interconnects and cabling, Klipsch Loudspeakers, Klipsch SW-115 Subwoofers
Brighton
Date and Time: 22nd May 15:00 – 17:30
Venue: Dead Wax Social, 18a Bond St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1RD
Tickets: £4 in advance here & £5 on the door (if available)
Presenter: James Meadows
Audio Menu: provided by Audio Note UK
Kansas City
Sunday, May 22nd, 1 – 4:00 pm
Waldo Pizza Tap Room, 7433 Broadway Street, Kansas City, MO 64114
Tickets: $5 in advance here and $8 on the door if there are any available.
Presenter: Kelsyn Rooks
Audio Menu: Audio Note Turntable setup – TT2 Turntable, Deluxe Arm 3, IQ3 cartridge; Audio Note Ankoru Amplifiers and M6 Phono pre-amplifier; Audio Note interconnects and cabling, Klipsch La Scala II loudspeakers, Klipsch R-115SW subwoofers
Oslo
Sunday, May 29th, 6 to 9 pm
Venue: Cafè Mono
Tickets: NOK100 in the door or in advance here, Students/Seniors half price.
Presenters: Kent Horne with editor and artist Knut Schreiner (Tidal, Turbonegro), artist Anne Lise Frøkedal (Harry’s Gym, I Was A King, Frøkedal) and artist Marcus Forsgren (Jaga Jazzist, The Lionheart Brothers, Bror Forsgren)
Audio Menu installed by Duet Audio and Midas Reference: Cartridge: Ortofon Cadenza Black, Turntable: Dr. Feickert Woodpecker, Tone arm: Jelco 750 LB,Preamp: Auralic Merak 4x200W Monoblock, Integrated Amp with phono stage: Soulution 520, Loudspeakers: Piega Classic 80.2, Interconnects: Midas Reference Silje, Speaker Cable: Midas Reference Silje, Power Conditioner: Oyaide
Chicago
Date and Time: Sunday May 29th 18:00 – 21:00
Venue: Transistor – 3441 North Broadway Street, Chicago, IL 60657
Tickets: $5 in advance here and on the door if available
Presenter: Sam Willett
Audio Menu: provided by Saturday Audio and will include McIntosh Tube amps and Monitor Audio Gold tower speakers
Amsterdam
Sunday, May 29th, 2 – 4:30pm
Doka, Wibautstraat 150 (basement Volkshotel)
Tickets: €10 in advance here, more on the door.
Presenter: Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy
Audio Menu supplied by Avantgarde Acoustic: Acoustic Signature Challenger Mk3 turntable, Acoustic Signature TA-1000 tonearm, Ortofon SPU Royal N MC cartridge, Air Tight 300B amplifier, Avantgarde Acoustic Duo XD loudspeakers in Pearl White, Furutech cables and power conditioning
Los Angeles
Sunday 5th June 4 – 7pm
Flora Chang, 607 E 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (this is a private venue, ticketed attendees only)
Tickets: $10 in advance here
Presenter: Zach Cowie
Audio Menu: Audio Note Jinro Shochu Amplifier, Audio Note M5 Phono Preamplifier, Audio Note S3 Step Up Transformer, Audio Note TT2 Turntable w/ Audio Note Tonearm 3 & Audio Note IO1 Cartridge, Klipschorn Loudspeakers, All interconnects & cabling by Audio Note
