When it comes to the Beach Boys, "Pet Sounds" (1966) is an outlier, the moment when Brian Wilson harnessed the energy and inspiration that he gleaned from repeated listenings to the Beatles' "Rubber Soul" (1965) and transformed his experience into an artwork for the ages. The degree to which the Fab Four returned the favor when it came to making
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (1967) is an ongoing matter of debate, but there's little doubt that the Beatles' groundbreaking album is filled with brilliant colors and breathtaking exuberance, qualities that "Pet Sounds" harvests by the spadeful.
Prior to "Pet Sounds," the Beach Boys were essentially a boy band with soaring vocals and an impressive hit parade. And afterward, when it became clear that Brian Wilson wouldn't be able to sustain his feats of artistry with "Smiley Smile" (1967), they reverted to their default gear, the one that would manifest itself years later in their comeback hit "Kokomo."
