This weeks’ reviews (7/22/16): The Beach Boys, FKA Twigs, Michael Jackson
Pet Sounds (1966) – The Beach Boys
Oh, how this record has been picked and plucked apart by historians and musicologists across the world. Yet, it still needs to be said: This record is great. Some may claim it to be a milestone, although, in my opinion, it isn’t among the absolute greatest. Had Smileactually been released properly, then maybe The Beach Boys could’ve had a chance competing against The Beatles in their own time. A great record this is, but is it the songs you enjoy, or how gorgeous the production is on each one? Brian Wilson helmed this record beautifully, but only half the songs come off as memorable. If you’ve given this record an in-depth listen, you’ll know that there are the classics, the good ones, and then the ones you don’t really listen to. The less-than-memorable songs are decent, but you’ll more often than not find yourself skipping ahead to “God Only Knows” or “Caroline No.” But the baroque-pop production is so near perfect that it tricks you into thinking the other songs are just as good. It’s sad to see that this record is only a warm-up for what could’ve been, but as it stands, this is still a fine record. Whether or not this is a milestone for pop music or for The Beach Boys themselves is irrelevant. For all its overpraise, it did give us classics, including the greatest song in the English language. In case it’s not clear, that song is “God Only Knows,” and I have a hard time believing that anything will beat it in my lifetime. A
(Key Tracks: "God Only Knows," "Caroline No," "Wouldn’t It Be Nice," "Sloop John B")
LP1 (2014) – FKA Twigs
For some reason, I always have a hard time getting on board with these “atmospheric” artists. Above all, it’s enjoyable, but I’m still not convinced if these songs elicit any true emotion. They’re seductive, intimate, but I’m still not sure if Tahliah actually feels the intimacy she herself is trying to convey. She hardly sounds bothered that she was just a number to some guy. It’s dreamy, transcendent even, but it’s the equivalent of a robot trying to point to where its heart is. The only true moment of catharsis is in “Two Weeks,” which I can listen to with little reservations. “Give me two weeks, you won’t recognize her.” Maybe it’s the synth build-up that does most of the work, but there’s definitely something going on there. For electronic R&B, it’s better than most, but I’ll be waiting patiently for an album full of songs that evoke real emotion, like “Two Weeks” (and maybe “Pendulum” too). B+
(Key Tracks: "Two Weeks," "Pendulum," "Closer")
Bad (1987) – Michael Jackson
When you think about it, both Thriller and Bad are bags of singles. The only difference is that one is essentially a money-grab, and the other is the greatest pop album of all time. While Thriller could also be considered a money-grab, it’s worth every penny in exchange for songs like “Billie Jean” and “Human Nature”. I’m not complaining. But here, Bad follows the same template, coming up short in just about every aspect. Five number-one hit singles, yet the album is still less than the sum of its parts. Thriller had only two album cuts that weren’t singles, but I’ll happily listen to “Baby Be Mine” just as much as “Beat It.” “The Lady In My Life” is an underwhelming, yet acceptable closer at its worst. And I’d still rather listen to those two than half of Bad. The singles aren’t half as brilliant, but just as listenable. The songs are also noticeably louder and funkier than the ones on Thriller, but none of them are true dancefloor standards. As much as I adore Stevie Wonder, “Just Good Friends” isn’t “The Girl Is Mine.” The ballads are nice, if somewhat average. “Man In The Mirror” has a nice, if obligatory, message, and “I Can’t Stop Loving You” is nice but nothing else. Maybe “Man In The Mirror” is as good as it is inspiring, but only “Leave Me Alone” rises up to the occasion. For all of its problems, it’s super consistent and it would be the last time Quincy would produce for Jackson. Case in short, it’s just not Thriller. Am I glad it exists? Yes, but money-grabs are usually subtler than this. B+
(Key Tracks: "Man In The Mirror," "Leave Me Alone," "Bad")
