Various Artists
A Tribute To Pet Sounds
The Reverberation Appreciation Society
Before the Levitation Festival in Austin, Texas was cancelled, it was set to feature a performance by legendary Beach Boy, Brian Wilson in honor of the 50th anniversary of the universally acclaimed Pet Sounds album.
Prior to the cancellation, the eventsβ curators, The Reverberation Appreciation Societyβs, made a compilation Pet Sounds tribute album featuring various indie artists. With the exception of two bonus tracks (βGood Vibrationsβ and βHang On to Your Egoβ) the album features covers of all 13 tracks on the original record.
The album opens with the mellow, reverb drenched guitar of The Black Angels which slowly morphs into an incredibly laid back version of βGood Vibrationsβ. While there are some dense harmonies here, it bares more resemblance to Camper van Beethoven than the Beach Boys, which isnβt necessarily a bad thing. It shows that this isnβt just a replica of Pet Sounds, it is itβs own unique animal. The take on the songsβ bridge is particularly unique and possibly even trippier than the original.
Once the fuzzed out guitars of The Black Angles fade away, the official Pet Sounds track list begins with Indian Jewelryβs take on βWouldnβt It Be Niceβ. Itβs dark, dense, and of course soaked to the bone in reverb. Its post-punk vibe takes the listener down a totally different road than the psychedelic Black Angelsβ βGood Vibrationsβ.
Other notable covers on the album are the quirky interpretation of βYou Still Believe in Meβ by The Sheβs, Morgan Deltβs lush take on βDonβt Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)β and Shannon & the Clams zany version of βI Just Wasnβt Made for These Timesβ.
Though it is Holy Waveβs take on βThatβs Not Meβ that takes the cake here. It is the only interpretation that could begin to rival the original material, although it does fall a tad short. Itβs dense harmonies, jangly guitars and lush layers are about as close to the original genius of Brian Wilson as an artist can get.
The albumβs strength comes from the various interpretations of these classic pop tracks, with each artist bringing their own vibe to the originals. From post-punk to surf rock to psychedelic pop, this compilation is filled with a plethora of trippy soundscapes.
The Reverberation Appreciation Society should be very pleased with themselves as theyβve made an excellent tribute compilation to one of the greatest albums of the 20th century. While itβs safe to say itβs impossible to remake Pet Sounds and have it come close to the brilliance of the original, this compilation is a great effort.
Beach BoysΒ Links
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – A TRIBUTE TO PET SOUNDS
Ryan Sagadore
SPILL NEWS: WILL SMITH & DJ JAZZY JEFF ANNOUNCE FIRST EVER UK SHOW AS PART OF LIVEWIRE FESTIVAL 2017
