But to be fair, Pet Sounds probably wouldn't exist without Rubber Soul.

The Beach Boys have never grasped me in the same way the Beatles did. Not even close. Pet Sounds is a really cool album though and I really oughta check out some of their other work, even if it isn't as consistent.

I just can't really dig that surf rock style of the Beach Boys.

Maybe not, but i haven't heard any Beatles songs as drenched in Classical sound or harmonies like Pet Sounds. There was some influence, sure, but i hear that was more thanks to the producer.

Well there's more to The Beach Boys than Surf Rock, earlier vocal groups like The Four Freshman are considered an influence on their sound for example. And Pet Sounds is more like the Phil Spector wall of sound than anything else.

Then again my posts aren't considered that much here, so who gives a ****.

^^i do, dear

The Beach Boys for me. Sorry, but I have never seen the argument that the Beatles were consistent - I find 60% of their album tracks chaff. Maybe 40% on the 'big' albums, but aside from a few well-covered songs, I am just not that big a fan of th Fab Four. Not that I hold any particular contempt for them, since it's 'cool' to hate them. I recognise their impact, but stick on Pet Sounds or Sunflower and I'm in heaven. Stick on Sgt. Pepper and I'm skipping a lot of tracks.

i do not see this as a contest. I can only think of one Beach Boys album title. Of course my 10,000+ itunes does not have any Beach Boys songs, so I might not be a fair judge.

TBF, Pet Sounds is consistently is listed as one of the all time Great Albums, so I have to give BB some credit.

i really do not hear the "chaff" that you speak of, maybe 4 or 5 duff tracks in their entire discography

even their single B-sides are "killer", as are their outtakes

It's my opinion, and probably quite a controversial one, but Sgt Pepper's... for example, tracks 1-3 are fine, but from Getting Better I'm just not bothered by it. I suppose it doesn't help that I side with Lennon in regards to hating McCartney's stupid vaudeville-style songwriting.

I think Abbey Road is more perfect than Sgt Pepper. But perhaps absolute perfection could be too boring anyway.

For Sgt Pepper I'd say Mr Kite is too dependant on its production, Good Morning isn't one of Lennon's best, and Within You Without You is ok but Harrison did better. Also A Day in the Life ends in a rather overblown way. But I still think all those tracks are listenable and not chaff.