Does the world really need another CD version of Pet Sounds? In 1995, Capitol released a remastered deluxe edition of the Beach Boys' 1966 classic; two years later, the label put out The Pet Sounds Sessions, a three-CD, ninety-song box set containing alternate takes, instrumental tracks and the first true stereo mix of the landmark album. Now comes the 40th Anniversary Edition. The two-disc set offers yet another new mix of the album (this time in surround sound) as well as a DVD with about an hour's worth of footage — mostly cobbled together from previous Beach Boys documentaries. "Much has changed (for the better) since I did the stereo mix in 1996," writes producer Mark Linett in the liner notes. The album still sounds amazing, but unless you have a surround-sound stereo or the ears of the dogs barking at the end of "Caroline No," there's not much reason to buy this.

“Time to Pretend”

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”