Pet Sounds. Two words that usually appear in the same sentence as two others - Sergeant Pepper's. As these two bands (or Brian Wilson in the case of the Beach Boys) tried to raise the bar, these two albums are generally accepted as those that changed the face of modern music.

Here, Pet Sounds gets a dusting down and a brand new pair of pants for it's 40th birthday party on 28th August 2006. And, in line with modern times, it comes in three formats: a two disc vinyl set (a green vinyl stereo mix and yellow vinyl mono mix), a CD and DVD package, and a digital box set.

There's nothing left to say about Pet sounds that hasn't already been said. So all that I'll say is that it includes the classic singles Wouldn't It Be Nice, Sloop John B, and the timeless God Only Knows.

The CD includes both mono and stereo mixes and a bonus (mono) track Hang On To Your Ego (an early version of I Know There‘s An Answer). The DVD is packed with six film and video cuts, a previously unreleased 1966 promo clip for Good Vibrations, and original promos for Sloop John B and the album. And that's in addition to 24 bit stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes.

Both the vinyl and CD/DVD packages are limited editions.

And for Beach Boy fanatics, the download box set includes stereo and mono mixes plus 49 highlights including the final instrumental takes without vocals, vocals without music, early mixes and demos. It's a unique insight into the magic of The Beach Boys.

****

Review by Pete Whalley

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*** OK, approach with caution unless you are a fan |
** Instant bargain bin fodder | * Ugly. Just ugly