Unlike the good people at Vulture, the thought of a Beach Boys jukebox musical doesn't completely horrify me. Where I agree with them is on the choice of era. Despite the revival of Hawaii Five-0, which is actually pretty decent, I don't think there is a gnawing hunger for surfing movies among the American public. But Pet Sounds, on the other hand, could be the core of a deeply moving movie. "You Still Believe In Me" may be the saddest, most adult pop love song ever written:
In an age when we're all supposed to be loving someone just the way they are, or looking for someone who loves us just as we are, can you imagine a pop singer writing: "I try hard to be more what you want me to be" and then confessing failure? Carl Wilson's rendition of "God Only Knows" on the Live In London album makes it sound as desperate and terrified as the song actually, inherently is. That's grown-up stuff.