1throne Presses "Rewind Button" for Beach Boys
(March 22, 2012)

When invited to participate in the "Rewind Button" project, I approached the offer with trepidation. The Top-40 albums of all-time, one reviewed each Thursday. I debated what place the "40th best" album would have on 1throne.com. This site has a hard-earned reputation to protect. On the other hand, I was assured only the internet's most elite sites were participating. And none of those bastions of riff-raff, like Google or Facebook.

So last night, I struggled with these questions: Would 1throne join the chorus of greatness? Would 1throne answer the call?

And then I answered those questions with another: When has it not?

Thus, 1throne pronounces upon the Beach Boys album: "Pet Sounds." Pet Noises

Put delicately: If the album were really filled with pet sounds, I'd be a happier man this afternoon. Several of the songs stretch beyond 2.5 minutes; practically a symphony. There are reasons why symphonies are extinct.

Yet it was not all bad. For "Wouldn't it be Nice" and "Sloop John B," I found myself embracing the throne and dancing with it. Apparently feeling rejuvenated, her legs moved nimbly across the dance floor. For other songs, though, the throne was not pleased. It took-on a stern, wooden look. It refused to join me in dance, no matter how much I tried to talk reason into it. Those songs would include basically every other one on the album.

And so 1throne decrees: the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" is only to be listened to at low volume in front of a barking dog.