Pink Floyd, Part 1

Pink Floyd - Complete Discography - Part 1

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Top 10 Albums

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1) Dark Side of the Moon

2) The Wall

3) Animals

4) Wish You Were Here

5) The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

6) Obscured by Clouds

7) Meddle

8) The Division Bell

9) The Final Cut

10) Atom Heart Mother

       I'm not even gonna try and describe Pink Floyd. Much like The Beatles, the band has been talked about SOOOO much that I can't really add anything worth saying (on a macro level, at least). Personally? I LOVE the 70s band. The 60s and 80s iterations? Psh. Sure, okay, okay, Piper is quite good, but everything else? There really isn't much that I find essential in those two eras.

       But in the 70s? Oh man, these guys were geniuses. Sure, on a basic level the songs weren't THAT much better than the ones they wrote in the late 60s, but the key thing that the band learned in this period was that merely decent songs can be turned into AMAZING ones simply by the way that they're presented. And in their glory days, no one could present a song better than the Floyd.

       The concepts, the album art, the sound effects, the instrumentation, the production -- every album from Dark Side to The Wall works perfectly in this regard. And while they're normally lambasted to some degree, I actually find Roger's lyric-writing skills to be quite solid. Sure, he was better at ideas, allegories, and concepts than literal lyrics, but usually these concepts were strong enough to hold the albums up perfectly well on their own, despite the somewhat lifeless form in which his lyrics usually take shape.

       At their peak, Pink Floyd were one of the few classic rock bands (in my opinion, anyway) that could truly (this is going to sound so cheesy) motivate both your brain as well as your heart. Again, that sounds horrible, but it's true -- these guys were brilliant when it came to combining more "intelligent" forms of music (prog, jazz) with more "emotional" forms of music (gospel, country/folk, and arguably funk). I'll expound more on this in the individual reviews, but this is really one of the defining features of the band to my ears, and also the reason why I like them so much.

       But the rest of the time? Egh. Again, the debut is quite good, albeit a bit overrated, and easily one of the most unique albums I've ever heard (that's both a compliment and a con), but I really don't think that the band could have ever reached the heights that it did had it remained a Syd Barrett-led affair. 

       Speaking of Syd, I think that he's hailed as a musical genius WAY too often in the world of rock criticism. Yes, it's sad that a man with some degree of talent essentially self-destructed thanks to mental problems and chronic drug abuse, but still -- there's no reason for him to be hailed as some long lost musical god. He was creative and could write a decent melody, that's true, but still...I don't think he could have created a Dark Side of the Moon.

       Continuing down that line of thought, to be completely honest with you, I think that if anyone in the band was to have the title of "musical genius" bestowed upon them, it would have to be Roger. Yes, he was over-controlling. Yes, he wasn't the greatest melody-writer in the world. Yes, his bass-playing skills are somewhat limited. But as far as creating all-encompassing albums in the true sense of the word (that being a group of songs meant to be played together, as opposed to a collection of random songs on a disc), the Roger Waters of the mid-1970s simply cannot be beat.

       Of course, there's also David Gilmour, a guitarist who I feel completely "meh" about. I LOVE some of the stuff that he plays ("Time" stands out in that regard), but it always feels like I'm marveling more at WHAT he's playing than HOW he's playing it. When I think of great guitarists, I don't think of David Gilmour, that's for sure, but I still can't help but respect a great deal of what he plays. He's an average guitarist who has just so happened to be blessed with above-average material.

       And then you have Nick Mason on the drums and Rick Wright on the keys. They're fine, I suppose, but neither of them has ever done anything that sticks out in my mind very strongly. But then again, they do work fine in context, so I have no problems with them. Anyhow, I think I've said all I have to say -- let us begin.

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)

Rating: 12

"Lime and limpid green, a second scene / A fight between the blue you once knew"

Best Song: Astronomy Domine

Worst Song: Chapter 24

       Yes, it's just as unpredictable and weird as you've always heard. The only album where Syd was the sole leader of the man, the majority of Piper strikes an extremely eerie combination of children's nursery rhymes with dark, spacey psychedelic rock. This combo makes for a listen that is both frightening and innocent, and this juxtaposition is one of the coolest things about the record.

       But it's most certainly not the only cool thing -- another amazing facet of Syd is that his style of guitar playing is unmatched; not unmatched in the talent that it takes to play like he does, no, it's in that no one had ever played like him before. It's completely frenetic and chaotic, but it never sounds like he's just making noise for the sake of noise...well, except for parts of "Interstellar Overdrive", but you get my point.

       Heck, at times, the guitar parts actually save otherwise mediocre songs. Take Roger Waters' first-ever composition "Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk", for example. Without the amazing guitar-led jam that takes up the middle section of the song, it'd be...well, it'd be hilariously awful. But hey, the parts of the song that aren't the jam are already hilariously awful, so what does it matter? Yeah, by all means I should hate it, but it's just so dumb that it works somehow. It also doesn't help that the vocal melody is actually somewhat catchy. Oh, and don't you just love those harmonies on the "Realize! Realize! Realize! ReeeeaaaaaLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIZZZEEEEEEE!!!!!!" part at the end?

       The aforementioned "Interstellar Overdrive" is a ten-minute instrumental, and while it doesn't keep my attention for all of its running time, it sure does keep my attention for a good bit of it. The best way I can describe the song is that it basically sounds like a surf-rock song being performed by aliens. (I'm sure that Syd would be very pleased with that consensus) The main "Misirlou"-esque riff is fabulous, and the improvisational bits are just as cool and unpredictable as I'm sure the band meant for them to be to be. Good track, this one.

       Another space-rocker, and my personal favorite, is the album's first track "Astronomy Domine". Everything just fits together PERFECTLY here -- the haunting harmonies, the unsettling astronaut voices, those bizarre organ swells...it all works like a charm. And heck, even the nonsensical lyrics (the quote in the rating section is from this song) work perfectly in context! Frighteningly good. Literally.

       Ah, but not everything on the album is a jam-heavy, scary space-rock epic! No, a good half of the album is dedicated to Syd's other genre of choice -- ...demented (yet extremely melodic and catchy) children's nursery rhymes. And yes, these sound just as odd in practice as they do in my explanation. But somehow, against all odds, they WORK. Quite well, in some cases.

      "Matilda Mother" is probably my personal favorite of these, with some really clever lyrics about bedtime stories coupled with a BRILLIANT melody in the verses. The hook during that "There was a king who ruled the land / His majesty was in command" is particularly memorable. I'm not so enthralled with the bridge (even though those high-pitched yelps of "Waiitiiiiiingg!!!!" are rather entertaining), but that's a relatively small portion of the song, so it doesn't really hurt it in any way.

       "The Gnome" is another one of these sorts of songs, but this one's really creepy. On the surface, it's completely harmless -- the lyrics are a completely innocuous little story about a gnome named Grimble Gromble. However, the WAY that Syd sings them is positively disturbing. Anyone who's heard that whispered, echoed "Look at the sky, look at the river / Isn't it good?" line knows EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

       There's also "Flaming", a little ditty about hide-and-seek which completely passes me by, save that ridiculously catchy "Yippee! Ya can't see me!" hook. Same goes for "The Scarecrow", which is pleasant, but also quite mediocre.

       The only song here that truly crosses the line to bad for me has to be the droning "Chapter 24", an Eastern-tinged translation of the I Ching that bores me to tears every time I give it a listen. Why did the slowest song have to get the most boring melody? Why, Syd, WHY?!?

       Thankfully, though, the album ends on a very high note with the simply BIZARRE love song "Bike". Its lyrics essentially feature Syd attempting to impress this girl by showing her his bike...and some mice...and some gingerbread men...and other various...erm..."niceties". But the whole thing is set to a BRILLIANT melody, and oh, isn't that gunshot-sounding "*BANG*BANG*" sound effect in the chorus perfect? I can't think of another thing on the album that captures its overall spirit more perfectly -- a completely out of place, frightening-as-heck sound effect in the middle of an innocent, sweet love song.

       You need to hear this album. There's simply nothing else out there like it. Sure, yeah, there's a bit of filler (I forgot to mention the awful instrumental "Pow R. Toc H.", which wallows around in stupidity for three minutes), but there are also a lot of classics on here too. Plus, any classic rock buff worth his salt simply MUST hear this style. This is psychedelia taken to a WHOLE 'nother level. Even at their trippiest, The Beatles never even came close to being this weird. Unique, revolutionary, and imminently listenable -- there's a combination I can get behind.

A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)

Rating: 8

"Little by little / The night turns around..."

Best Song: Corporal Clegg

Worst Song: See-Saw, I guess

       Well, Syd's antics were finally too much for the band -- after one ridiculous act too many, the other guys kicked him out. Ultimately, this was the for the best, as one can easily see that Syd's talent was on its way out, but nevertheless this would COMPLETELY change the band's direction from here on out.

       It should also be mentioned that Syd was replaced by his good college friend David Gilmour, a name you just might have heard of. My thoughts on Gilmour can be found in the introduction, but as far as comparing him to Syd goes...I think he was really a better fit for the direction the rest of the band was wanting to head in.

       And what was this direction you ask? Moody mellowness! Y'know, Dark Side, Meddle, Wish You Were Here -- none of these contain anything resembling the chaotic, bizarre writing style of Syd Barrett. Now, this style definitely didn't fit Syd's voice OR his guitar playing, but David Gilmour fits it to a tee. His soft, folky tones blend perfectly with the soothing, jazzy direction the band would eventually take. 

       But don't think that this album is anything close to any of those soft, moody ones that I mentioned in the previous paragraph. No, it would take some time for the band to get completely in that style. However, the groundwork for the kind of music found in those albums can definitely be found here -- take Roger's "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun", for instance. It's a dark, droning piece that just sorta floats around all meditatively for a good 5 minutes. Is it a great song? Most certainly not. BUT, it's definitely moody, and for a band that would eventually make some of the greatest mood songs of all time, it's an important starting place. And it works good as a chill-out tune, too.

       Also in this dark, moody style is Rick Wright's "Remember a Day", a slide-guitar led piece with an interestingly Egyptian-tinged melody. Much like "Set the Controls", it's not a classic, but the melody is catchy, and yet again, it works well as a soothing agent. 

       So, you're probably imagining in your head right now that this is a relaxingly ethereal album, one that you could use as background music, or as an insomnia aid, or whatever. Almost a lesser version of Before and After Science, if you will. Yeah, that's not the case. 

       While the aforementioned two songs most certainly fit that bill, the rest of the material DEFINITELY does not. (Okay, maybe Rick's dull "See-Saw" kinda fits that description, but whatever. It's forgettable, anyway) The most famous piece from the album is deservedly the title track, a 12-minute sound collage...of sorts, and it's definitely not "relaxingly ethereal". It's supposed to be an aural depiction of a space battle, but that's a bit of a stretch. Here's what it sounds like to me: a few minutes of directionless, "spacey" noises and keyboard sounds, a few minutes of Nick Mason going to town on his drum set while directionless, "spacey" noises and keyboard sounds are layered over it (but this time in an aggressive, frightening way), and then some really awesome organ chords and choral vocals. So...yeah.

       I get it, it's supposed to be revolutionary, but...eh, as far as noise/sound collages go, I'd take "Revolution #9" or "L.A. Blues" over this any day. But I must admit, the final few minutes, what with the choir and such, is really quite nice. Of course, The Flaming Lips would essentially condense this into its own standalone song 40 years later with "Gemini Syringes", and I still think that the F'Lips song is better than this. But eh, it's a least a little interesting...even if I'll probably never ever have the urge to hear it again. (Seek out the live version on Ummagumma to see just how good this song could actually be)

       Also noteworthy is the album opener, "Let There Be More Light". It starts out as a dumb (but enjoyable) ripoff of The Doors' "Break On Through", but after a few minutes the main body of the song begins. It's essentially a Piper-esque space-rock song, and while it's not quite as good as something like "Astronomy Domine", it's not too far behind!...Oh wait, no, it actually is, because instead of having the common sense to cut the song off at its logical end, the band decided to throw in David Gilmour's very first guitar solo. Yes, this is a jam by early-period Pink Floyd, and yes, it is truly horrible. Really bad. Oh yeah. But the rest of the song's good, so cut it off after the 3.5 minute mark, mmkay?

       I don't really like this album. But then again, I don't hate it either. There really isn't anything on here that I love--HOLY CRAP I FORGOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE BEST SONG EVER!

       "Corporal Clegg", another Waters addition, has to be one of the most horrible songs ever written. It is so, SO dumb that it works amazingly. Trust me, folks, as accidentally funny as "Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk" was, this thing's better. WAAAYYY better. There's a freakin' KAZOO solo, for crying out loud! No, wait, TWO KAZOO SOLOS! IT'S AN ANTI-WAR ROCKER WITH TWO KAZOO SOLOS!! Plus, it features the band doing all sorts of dumb cartoon voices, AND the melody's actually great! Seriously! It'll be stuck in your head for days!

....

       Anywho, as I was saying. With the obvious exception of "Corporal Clegg", there really isn't anything here that I love. Then again, there aren't many songs on here that I hate either. It just swirls around in slightly interesting mediocrity for 40 odd minutes. And...you know what? Slightly interesting mediocrity, when filtered through a band as creative as these guys were in the late 60s, can be enjoyable! Of course, when you filter mediocrity through a band like...I dunno...late 80s Pink Floyd, it can become something truly awful, but we'll get there soon enough. If you really like Piper and other early stuff like Atom Heart Mother, go ahead and get this. It ain't a classic, but it's at least rather enjoyable. AND, it has "Corporal Clegg", so yeah, go ahead and boost that rating to a 15. 

(sarcasm)

Ummagumma (1969)

Rating: 7

"*pretentious noodling*"

Best Song: A Saucerful of Secrets

Worst Song: Sysyphus

After releasing a few albums where he had little to no input, Richard Wright approached the band and said that he wanted to make "real music", whatever that means. After hearing this, the band decided that for their next album, they would split up and work separately. Thus, they created a studio album with four clearly defined sections, one for every band member.  After making this studio LP, they also decided to throw in a live disc as well, thus making this their first double album.                              

       We'll get to the live album in a bit, but for starters, allow me to expound upon you the merits of the studio album...oh wait, there are none. "Sysyphus" (Rick's song) is weird, boring noise with keyboards, "The Narrow Way" (Dave's song) is weird, boring noise with guitars, "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party" (Nick's song) is a drum solo with a woman playing flute over it, "Grantchester Meadows" (Roger's first song) is a dull folk song, and "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" (Roger's other song) is nothing but a bunch of chipmunk noises for five minutes.

       If you can't tell, the studio album is EASILY the second worst disc in the band's catalog (obviously, the worst is A Momentary Lapse of Reason). I can find no reason for anyone to ever seek it out, and I will never, ever be revisiting again. In case you can't tell, I do not enjoy it in the slightest.

       Sure, okay, maybe some parts are decent, but listening to all of that meaningless, atonal drivel for 40 straight minutes is pure agony, to my ears. So then, why in the heck do I give this thing a 7? Well, the live half is pretty great, actually.

       The first track, "Astronomy Domine", works just fine, if not a bit worse than the studio version. I sure do miss those perfect harmonies and sound effects...but hey, the studio version didn't have the cool, eerie middle section where the band breaks apart save for Rick's organ, only to come busting back in a few moments later. Great effect, that one.

       But if it's a great effect that you want, you'll get your kicks from the AMAAAAAZING rendition of "Careful with that Axe, Eugene". It starts off as a slow space-rock jam that just keeps building and building....soft drumming, ominous whispering, frightening organ chords.....it just goes on and on, the intensity rising over time....and it rises....and rises....and then it starts to get louder. Just a little. And then the scream hits. And when I say "scream", I don't mean "Aaahhh!". I mean "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!" That's what I mean. 

       After the big release, the song turns into a great, rocking jam section, filled with great drum fills and guitar riffs. And then it slowwwwwly makes its way back down to where it started from. If there's anything truly essentially on Ummagumma, "Careful with that Axe, Eugene" is it...

       ...or maybe not. After those two, we get renditions of "A Saucerful of Secrets" and "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun", and you may be surprised to know that for whatever reason, I really love this rendition of "A Saucerful of Secrets". Okay, I'm still not too crazy about the "battle" section (but heck, even that part sounds pretty good in this format; the effects Dave gets out of his guitar are quite cool), but the last half of the song? Geez, that's the most epic, awe-inspiring that the Floyd had done up until this point. Heck, the most epic, awe-inspiring thing they'd do until "Echoes"! It really is that good...somehow. The keyboard chords, the omnious, wordless vocalizations, the rolling bass lines -- it works really, really well at being really, really anthemic. The closest comparison I can make would be the "Würm" coda to "Starship Trooper" by Yes, and trust me -- that is very high praise coming from me. I'm not a big Yes fan, but MAN, I love that coda. And yes, I love this song. This version of the song, anyway.

       As for "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"? Eh, it's a bit better than the studio version, but there's still no reason for it to go on for NINE MINUTES. Still though, I like how it's slightly sped up from the studio version, and the mood it creates works out alright, so I can tolerate listening to it...for about five minutes or so.

       So there you have it -- a little of it's really great, a little of it's decent, and most of it's bad. If the live version was sold separately, I would be able to recommend it quite heartily -- it'd get an 11, or maybe even a 12. But as it is? Man, I can't find a single positive thing to say about the studio disc.  Unmelodic weirdness for the sake of weirdness, that's what it is. Approach with caution...the studio stuff, anyway.

Pink Floyd, Part 2

Atom Heart Mother (1970)

Rating: 9

"And if I start to go insane / Please don't put your wires in my brain"

Best Song: Summer '68

Worst Song: Atom Heart Mother

       After the scatterbrained individuality of Ummagumma, the band decided to do a complete 180* and release good ol' Atom Heart Mother, which while far more "normal" than Ummagumma (or any other previous albums, for that matter), is still a rather bizarre experience. 

       The main thing to note about this album is that it's extremely impersonal. It feels more like this album was conducted, as opposed to performed by Floyd. 

       And that's not too far from the truth either -- the first side, composed of only one track, is essentially a straight classical movement with a few avant-garde touches here and there. It's definitely an interesting idea, particularly for 1970, but as for its actual quality...eh. The main theme, entitled "Father's Shout", is actually rather good. It's a pompous, regal horn progression, and to be completely honest...it's pretty awesome. It feels like a really well-written film score (which could be the reason why Stanley Kubrick wanted to use it in A Clockwork Orange), full of energy and vigor. But the rest of the track I could do without. OK, the viola solo is pretty cool, and some of Dave's guitar work is decent, but the sections with the chorus and the avant-garde noises are pretty awful, to be honest. But still, for a psychedelic rock band to attempt a classical-fusion piece for their very first side-long track is at the very least admirable. Just not completely listenable, that's all.

       The second side is somewhat better, albeit a bit sleepy overall. The first track is Roger's "If", a gorgeous acoustic ballad with a terrible title. The main vocal melody is quite good (even if it is somewhat inferior to the similar "Wot's ...Uh the Deal" from Obscured by Clouds), and that guitar solo that pops up in the background from time to time is mighty pleasant. 

       Next up is Rick Wright's "Summer '68", which is an absolute winner. First off, the soft, piano-driven verses are absolutely amazing. Rick's vocals are gorgeous, and those organ parts are just so beautiful and inviting...and then you hit the chorus. The song then turns into something of a rocker, rife with bombastic, Beatles-esque horn progressions and dynamic, Beach Boys-esque harmonies and wordless vocalizations. Okay, maybe the horns are a bit over the top at times, but even so, they still manage to be nowhere near as dorky as any one section of the title track. One of Floyd's very best songs from this early period, for sure.

       "Fat Old Sun" is another folky, acoustic ballad, and while it's really pleasant and REALLY pretty...didn't we just have one of these five minutes ago? Ah well. It's gorgeous and melodic, so it isn't *bad* in any way, it's just...couldn't they have stuck in a rocker or something else? I mean, I get that folky ballads were one of the band's calling cards at this point, but...egh. If I want that, I'll listen to a Simon and Garfunkel album. They do it better, anyhow.

        The final number on the album is the thirteen minute "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast" (What a title!), a...sound collage? Kinda?? The entire piece features the sounds of roadie Alan Styles preparing, and then eating, his breakfast. But no, the song doesn't merely consist of 13 minutes worth of a man saying stuff like "Yes, porridge is nice!" and making crunching noises. No, throughout the song, there are three snippets of music. The first section is a boring, uneventful jam, the second is a pretty acoustic guitar solo, and the third is a triumphant, piano-driven piece with some decent soloing. None are really that great (however, the last one is pretty good, and the second section is rather pretty), but then again, none are really that bad, either. It's just....meh. Heck, if not for the entertaining breakfast sound effects, it might just be a flat-out poor song. But whatever the case, I guess it's alright in this form. I guess.

       It's nowhere near a classic, and there's only one truly great song (that being "Summer '68", but I still can't help but like this thing....to some degree. I don't see myself returning to it much in the future, but as far as making a recommendation goes, if you're a diehard Floyd fan -- pick it up. Parts of the title track really rule, and the rest of the album ain't half bad. Heck, none of the songs are really *bad* (well, parts of the title suite are, but I digress), they're just...alright. Nothing too bad. Nothing too great. Just...alright.

Meddle (1971)

Rating: 11

"So I throw the windows wide / And call to you across the sky"

Best Song: Echoes

Worst Song: A Pillow of Winds

       Maturity!!! After the painful (and slightly humorous) clumsiness of Atom Heart Mother and the like, the Floyd finally found their unique style. And what is it, you ask? Well, it's mellow, it's soothing, it's gorgeous, and it mixes just enough elements of prog rock into those attributes to make the sound interesting. The sound effects wouldn't be incorporated too strongly for a few albums...but that's okay, because for now, we get Meddle, which is pretty great, as far as pre-Dark Side Pink Floyd albums go.

       The thing opens with "One of These Days", an aggressive, slow-building instrumental that would easily be the best thing on here if "Echoes" didn't exist! (We'll be there soon enough...) It starts out with a dark, ominous bass line that continues to build and build with guitar riffage and cool, icy synth chords being layered on top until everything instantly dissipates, and we hear a creepy robotic voice screaming "WON UH DEESE DAYS / IM GUNNA CUT CHU INTO LEETLE PEECES" in a way that's both laugh-out-loud hilarious and incredibly scary. After this, an incredibly cool guitar solo begins wailing away in an incredibly awesome, intense manner. This eventually leads into the sound of blowing winds, which leads us into, what do ya know, "A Pillow of Winds".

       "Pillow" is a dull, overlong acoustic ballad, the likes of which had been done to death by Floyd at this point. Yawn. This leads into "Fearless", yet another overlong acoustic ballad, but this one's actually pretty decent! It's got a good riff, the chants at the end are cool...yeah, I don't mind it.

       I don't mind "San Tropez" either! I know I'm supposed to hate it and call it a dumb British riff on Jimmy Buffet-esque island music, but...come on, it's fun! And it's catchy! And it's short! So why do people hate on it so much? I dunno.

       Same goes for "Seamus", a funny little blues song that features a howling dog on lead vocals. Yeah, sure, it's goofy, but I really don't think it hurts the album at all. So there.

       And then we hit it, oh yeah, the big one -- the side-long "Echoes". I don't find it to be the Floyd's crowning moment or anything, but I do think that it's definitely one of their best songs. In my Floyd top 10, definitely. But anyways, it starts off with this pinging sonar noise that gradually leads into the mellow, soothing main section of the song. The vocal melody here is quite good, as is that neat, passionate guitar riff that pops up after every stanza. After this comes the universally praised "jam" session, which absolutely puts anything like "Any Colour You Like" to shame. Fantastic playing from all members of the band here, and the whole thing is just absolutely aces. Awesome.

       Sadly, after this we go into my least favorite part of the song, the sound collage. As far as sound collages go, it's...alright, but I still think that the band probably could have come up with something better to fill in this part of the song. But who cares, because after a few minutes of this we go back into a reprise of the triumphant main section! Woo hoo!

       When all is said and done, this is undoubtedly the best thing the band had done since Syd left. There's only a bit of filler, and the whole thing flows quite well. It would be bested slightly by the band's next release, but nevertheless, Meddle is still a very enjoyable listen. Highly recommended for anyone who's already familiarized themselves with the band's greatest (and more famous) works.

Obscured by Clouds (1972)

Rating: 11

"The memories of a man in his old age / Are the deeds of a man in his prime"

Best Song: Wot's... Uh the Deal? or Mudmen

Worst Song: Everything is pretty much equal

       Hey, not bad! It's not a classic or anything, but this shows the Gilmour/Waters-led band at their pre-Dark Side best. The boring acoustic ballads are gone, Gilmour's guitar playing has fully morphed into its most famous form, and for once, the band made an album with no lengthy wank-a-thons. The longest thing on here is about five minutes, and given that I haven't really been thrilled with any of Floyd's previous lengthy pieces (the awesome parts of "Echoes" notwithstanding), I definitely feel like this is a good thing.

       As for the contents of the album, it's yet another soundtrack for yet another French film entitled La Vallée (Translation: The Valley), which was directed by the same guy who directed More. Even more important than that, however, is the fact that this album was developed at the same time as another little album you may have heard of entitled The Dark Side of the Moon. And in all honesty, these songs aren't that much worse than the songs on there. But as I'm sure you know, the crystal-clear production, sound effects, and lyrics are just as important as the actual songs on Dark Side, and this album has absolutely none of that.

       That's not to say that this isn't a worthy album, though. No, any fan of Floyd's later works most definitely needs to hear this -- heck, I'd call it the unofficial start of the band's "classic period". 

       But sadly, the album doesn't exactly start with a bang. No, it starts with more of a whimper. The title track is a three minute instrumental that essentially goes nowhere. It's just this repetitive, keyboard heavy pseudo-jam that builds and builds until...it ends. Yeah. Not the most exciting piece of music. 

       The title track then leads into another instrumental, the bizarre "When You're In". The piece sounds like a cross between an Indian war chant and a glam rock stomper (think a really slowed-down "Suffragette City"), and the overall effect of having a song that sounds like THAT be a two-minute instrumental is...quite strange, to say the least. Still, it doesn't really bother me, and it probably works perfectly in the movie, but on here? Not so much.

       But hey, after those two downers, it's pretty great! Following "When You're In" is "Burning Bridges", an excellent combo of the band's previous folk stylings ("Fearless", "Grantchester Meadows") with the lush, jazzy style of Dark Side tracks like "Breathe (In the Air)". It's not a classic, but it's short, pretty, and blows the band's previous folk songs out of the water. 

       Speaking of folk songs, there's also the brilliant "Wot's... Uh the Deal?" (what a weird title). To me it sounds more like a neo-traditionalist country ballad than a folk song, but whatever the case, it's got one of the band's prettiest melodies ever going for it, as well as a beautiful acoustic backing, so if that's not enough for you, I don't know what would be. I'm serious, folks, this is "Wish You Were Here" territory. Just listen to those breathtaking harmonies! And that piano solo! Ah, as far as "peaceful" forms of acoustic music go, it doesn't get much better than this.

       But for those of you who prefer your music with a little more grit to it, not to worry! "The Gold It's In the..." (again, weird title) features Gilmour's take on traditional hard rock, and when I say "hard rock", I mean it -- this is White Album territory. Heck, it's close to Exile on Main St.. Of course, it's no "Helter Skelter" or "Soul Survivor", but still...it's not bad. The riffage and soloing is quite excellent, and the rhythm section is no slouch either. The melody's even pretty great. No, the main problem with the song is that Gilmour just can't sing this kind of music. In Mick Jagger or John Lennon's hands, this could be a minor classic, but here? Eh, it's pretty good.

       My favorite bit of the album, however, is most definitely the duo of "Mudmen" and "Childhood's End". "Why," you ask? Simple -- it's obvious that these two songs are DEFINITELY the starting place for "Time" on the next album. And being as I love "Time" to death...it should be obvious why I like these two so much.

       The best of the two is definitely "Mudmen", as it essentially takes the intro to "Time" (the part with the keyboard tinklings and guitar lines, not the clock part) and stretches it out to 4 minutes. Again, since the production isn't nearly up to the standards of Dark Side, the song isn't better than the intro itself, but still -- it's definitely quite good. Gilmour gets to let loose quite a bit here, and I must admit...there are several really cool sections that definitely allow for some good 'ol fashioned air guitar and grimacing at the sky. Not that I would ever do such a thing, of course.

       However, if "Mudmen" was pretty obviously a precursor to "Time", then "Childhood's End" is extremely obviously one.  I mean, come on, it opens with the EXACT SAME "tick-tock" sound effect that "Time" does! And the main portion of the song consists of Gilmour singing over a jazzy funk background, complete with guitar riffage identical to that found on "Time". Heck, at times it even reminds me of "Any Colour You Like". Of course, the vocal melody isn't as good as the one on "Time" (but what vocal melody is?), but it's still a rewarding listen, and one that I enjoy freely.

       "Free Four" is often cited as a highlight of the album, but I've never really been too sure as to why. Sure, I love the ironic effect of having some of Roger's most depressing lyrics ever (now THAT'S saying something) sung over a cheery, acoustic pop song (complete with handclaps!), but the song itself has never really stood out to me. Sure, I guess it's catchy and pleasant and all, but eh...not a highlight, to my ears. Still a fun little number, though. 

       The album closes with the dark, moody "Absolutely Curtains". I could see someone really hating this one, but I dunno...to me, it sounds like a three minute version of the last minute of The Beatles' "Long, Long, Long", and being as I adore that portion of the song, I naturally like this quite a bit. The eerie synths, the rolling drums -- this is a genuinely creepy song! Of course, the last two minutes are just an African tribe singing something, but eh, it doesn't detract from the song too much. That's what the "stop" button is for, eh? (Oh, and if Peter Gabriel didn't have this song in mind when he made "Biko", I'd be shocked)

       To be honest, I actually enjoy this album quite a bit more than Meddle. Heck, I'm really close to bumping it up to a 12, but there's one simple problem -- there really isn't anything that I would consider "classic" on this record. "Mudmen" and "Wot's...Uh the Deal" come close, but still...I just can't give it a 12 in good conscience. But it's a really high 11! 

Pink Floyd, Part 3

The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

Rating: 15

"I'll see you on the dark side of the moon"

Best Song: Brain Damage

Worst Song: On the Run

       And here we are. The album that everyone knows and owns. But you see, I had a somewhat strange experience with this album -- I bought Wish You Were Here first! Early in my album buying days, I read somewhere (read: Pitchfork) that WYWH was a better album, and that DSotM was overrated. Well, Wish truly is a good album, but I'm still not convinced that Dark Side is that overrated. Is it the best album of all time? No, but it's pretty close, in my opinion. 

        So, why don't I take a few minutes to address some of the complaints that most people raise about the album? Firstly, most people claim that the actual songwriting and melodies aren't that great, and the generous sound effects are used to try and cover up that fact. I admit, the sound effects do make up a large amount of the appeal of the album, but hey, the songs are friggin' excellent! Take "Time", for instance. Sure, the clocks at the beginning are cool, but man...the part after that? The real intro? That thing blows my mind every time I hear it. It just builds a mood like almost no other song I know. I mean, it literally feels like you're floating in the album cover, doesn't it? That minimalistic, but extremely effective drumming? That dark, mind-blowing riff? Those little keyboard tinkles? Ughghghg, it gives me shudders just THINKING about it! I can't think of a single other piece of music (well, maybe the "Moonlight Sonata") that inspires THIS much of an feeling of infinite, awe-inspiring, beautiful darkness. Just plain, simple darkness.

       And that's most certainly not all! The jaw-droppingly gorgeous piano theme to "The Great Gig in the Sky", the mind-blowing choruses of "Us and Them" and "Brain Damage", the rollicking instrumental break in "Money" -- the album's just chock-full of amazing moments like these.

       Now, the only song that in my opinion truly matches up to the "poor songwriting, great sound effects" description would be "On the Run". Sure, it fits into the story (I'll get to that in a bit), but it’s nothing but a decent keyboard loop accompanied by some basic drumming and sound effects! And this goes on for THREE MINUTES! No variation, no changing, just that same loop, over and over. But, as you can see, this still isn't enough for me to knock the score down to anything lower than perfect. 

        Another problem that some have with the album is that they think that the concept/storyline isn't too great. Heck, some (read: Cap’n Marvel) even think that there isn't a story at all! Well, I think that there's a story, AND I think it's fantastic. So, if you need help deciphering the story, look no further. Reagan's here to help. 

       We start off with "Speak to Me", which is nothing more than a sound collage of the various effects used throughout the album. If you can tell me what the meaning of the title is, I'd be more than obliged, but from what I can see, it's nothing more than an "Overture" of sorts, and it has no real relation to the story. "Speak" then segues into "Breathe", which I like to think of as our narrator giving us his advice on life. He kind of comes across as an old man, telling us the lessons he's learned over the course of his life. From this sort of intro track, we go into "On the Run", which kicks off the main body of the album's story, i.e., a list of things that would cause a person to go insane. "On the Run" is about the hustle and bustle of modern life. From here on out, the various songs represent other things that would cause someone to go crazy: Time, Money, Death, Conflict, and Decision Making (Hopefully you can figure out which songs each correspond to). 

        After that, we come to what is, in my opinion, the highlight of the album: the "Brain Damage" / "Eclipse" suite. Side note: The first time I heard "Brain Damage", I was shocked. I had no idea the actual phrase, "Dark Side of the Moon", was used on the album at all, and for some reason, the song had (and still does, to some degree) a major effect on me because of that reason. Anyway, back to the story. So, "Brain Damage" signals the return of our narrator, as he tells us the different ways that, well, brain damage enters our lives. The news, lobotomies, and more! So, once we finally cross over into the world of madness, we enter what the Floyd calls The Dark Side of the Moon. So, in case you're wondering, the phrase "Dark Side of the Moon" means, it's essentially a euphemism for insanity. At this point, most people seem to think that this is essentially the end of the story, and that the album is essentially very pessimistic. But there's still an entire song left! That's right, "Eclipse" is actually a happy ending! Let me break this down a bit. 

               So, what's going on here is that our narrator is listing all of the GOOD things in life. "All that you touch, all that you feel", "everything under the sun", etc. Now, let's think about this. If we take that "under the sun" line literally, then we see that the sun represents everything good in life. SO, we arrive at the last line: "And the sun is eclipsed by the moon". Think about that. If the sun is eclipsed by the moon, then that means the moon moves in front of the sun. NOW, if the moon's in front of the sun, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? That's right! The sun LIGHTS UP THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON! HALLELUJAH! So, in essence, everything listed in "Eclipse" is what COMBATS the Dark Side of the Moon, aka insanity. 

       And that, my readers, is the storyline of Dark Side of the Moon. Oh, and the music's pretty good too......All joking aside, my main goal here was to do a review of Dark Side that was different than the other thousands of reviews out there. But, let's be honest, if you're reading a rock album review site, you probably already have Dark Side, and you don't need to be convinced to buy it....but if, on the other hand, you DON'T have this album.....get it, now. And that, my friends, is The Dark Side of the Moon. I'll see you there.

Wish You Were Here (1975)

Rating: 12

"Remember when you were young? / You shone like the sun"

Best Song: Wish You Were Here

Worst Song: Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Parts I-V

       This is a very pretty, enjoyable album. It's not necessarily gripping, or exciting, but it is indeed very pleasant, and even moving...in parts. You see, I quite enjoy the space-y noodling found in the first half (and final third) of "Shine On, Parts I-V", but I don't find it interesting enough to be worthy of a very high grade. It's almost like really, really awesome ambient music -- it's great in the background, but when you give it your full attention...eh, it's just alright. It's fine, yes, but it's just not as hypnotizing as something like, say, the intro to "Time", which actually seems to be going for something similar to "Shine On", i.e., a strong feeling of catharsis. 

       Of course, I wrote that paragraph assuming that you already knew what the album was like. Let me explain, for those of you who don't know. The main point of the album was to honor Syd Barrett, as Waters felt that all of the new bandwagon jumpers who the band had attracted with Dark Sideneeded to know who the band's founding member was. He also wanted to use this album as a eulogy of sorts, forever honoring the man's legacy. The main bulk of this honoring comes in the form of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", a 26-minute, mostly instrumental piece of music. 

       Initially, the band wanted to put "Shine" on one full side of the record and put various other songs on the other side, but eventually someone in the band had the idea to split the song in half, putting one 13-minute segment at the beginning of the album and the other segment at the end. Very clever, if you ask me, as it makes the album have a very finished, "we've come full circle" feel at the end. 

       The actual music of "Shine On" mostly consists of mellow space-rock, but in my opinion, it's a bit more directionless than most of the songs on Dark Side, Animals, or heck, even "Echoes" from Meddle. It's very...floaty, and thus never really reaches the visceral level that most Floyd tracks do. Well, at least the instrumental parts don't; the sung sections are a different story. The melody is genius, the lyrics are touching, the choirs are earth-shattering...yup, these sections are just as good as the best stuff from DSotM. However, they sadly only take up about...eh...four or so minutes of the 26-minute song, so...uh...yeah, I wouldn't have done that. The band did, though, so now we have to sit through minute after minute of jazzy keyboard tinkles to get to the mind-blowing part. But hey, the keyboard tinkles aren't necessarily bad, are they? 

       Unlike most people, I actually prefer the latter part of "Shine On". I find the soloing to be much more interesting and lively, and while the lengthy keyboard coda is indeed overlong and a bit meandering, it actually works, since it's the actual end of the album. It's a lot easier for me to tolerate directionless prettiness as a relaxing finale to an album than as a beginning to one. 

       Ah yes, but I'm ignoring the other tracks, aren't I? Well, there's the proto-industrial "Welcome to the Machine", which is completely awesome. I know it's a bit depressing, but that's the point, isn't it? And don't you just get chills when you hear "Where have you been? / It's alright, we know where you've been!" and that eerie-as-heck synth squeal kicks in? Chilling stuff.

       There's also the jazzy rocker "Have a Cigar", sung by Roy Harper. Some people don't like it, but I just can't understand that. It's catchy (particularly the "gravy traaaaaaaaaaiiiiiinnnnn" hook), it's fun, and it's a welcome respite from all the slow seriousness that pervades the album. A thumbs up for "Have a Cigar".       

       And how could you not love the title track? The lyrics are truly emotional, the melody is absolutely gorgeous, and the intro? Isn't it amazing how it gradually, brilliantly shifts from radio static to the song itself? And when the band kicks in at 2:04? Just, wow. And those heart-wrenching slide guitar licks! And those "doo doo doo"'s at the end! And the way it gradually fades into a cold wind before leading into the ominous opening of the second half of "SoYcD"! I think you get the point.

       So no, it's not as good as Dark Side, but it's beautiful, and there are some fine melodies in here, too. A little bit of needless noodling mars it a bit, but still...a fantastic album.

Animals (1977)

Rating: 13

"Who was found dead on the phone / Who was dragged down by the stone"

Best Song: Dogs

Worst Song: Pigs

       ...y'know, I was going to give this one a 12, but I listened to it one more time, and it just barely makes it to a 13 for me. For those of you who don't know, this is the closest thing to their "prog" album; it's got only three songs (two short bookends, as well), all of which are at least 10 minutes long, and all of which feature lengthy instrumental sections and mood shifts. Of course, to me at least, no Pink Floyd album has ever really sounded "prog". Prog is more classically influence; I feel that the Floyd owe more to jazz, really. But yes, technically they are a prog band, even if nothing they've made sounds like Genesis, or Yes, or ELP, or...you get the idea. 

       But yes, these are very much prog songs; they shift, they change, they're very intricately arranged, and overall, they're very well put-together. But I'm getting ahead of myself. First off, the album's concept. Apparently, Roger wanted to make an entire album based on George Orwell's Animal Farm. Now, I'm a major Orwell fan, and Animal Farm is one of my favorite books, but I've gotta say...concept-wise, I think this is a little weak. It seems to me that Roger basically wanted to use the very basic ideas of Animal Farm and use them to express his various political ideas. None of the songs actually get into the literal plot of the book. "Dogs" is nothing more than Roger's indictment of capitalists, and "Pigs" is Roger taking down Mary Whitehouse, a British morality advocate who claimed the band promoted sex and drugs. I find this rather funny, being as Pink Floyd hadn't released a remotely sexual song up until this point, and while I think that everyone and their mother knows that the band had a fondness for smoke, none of their actual lyrics promoted, or heck, even MENTIONED drugs. (Again, up until this point. On The Wall they would address both topics, although not particularly positively)

       And "Sheep", well, that one actually does a pretty good job of expressing the novel, except for the whole "The dogs are dead!" line, which almost gives the album something of a happy ending, strangely enough. But even if I'm not too crazy about the concept relating to the book, I do feel that the lyrics themselves are very strong. Okay, maybe not "Pigs", but both "Sheep" and "Dogs" do an excellent job conveying the meaning that Roger is trying to show. The whole middle section of "Dogs", the "dragged down by the stone" part that's become pretty synonymous with the album over the years, is very well-written, and the "Have a good drown as you go down all alone" line is absolutely chilling. Oh, and the line "It's too late to lose the weight you used to need to throw around" is an extremely clever play on words.

       I probably need to start talking about the actual music, don't I? Well, the album's weakest link is definitely the 12-miniute"Pigs", an attempt at something resembling funk. The vocal melody itself is alright, and the closing guitar solo is absolutely awesome, but everything else...yeah, it's pretty much take it or leave it. The entire middle section of the song is a slow jam with nothing but some Rick Wright noodling, and Gilmour making pig noises on his guitar. It's entertaining for about a minute, but it goes on for seemingly forever, and there really aren't any notable changes to the pattern throughout the entire section. Yawn.

       "Sheep", a rollicking rocker, is much better. It opens with a fantastically mellow, jazzy keyboard solo, before busting into the main section of the song. The whole thing's got absolutely fabulous guitar work, and Roger's vocal line is spectacular. Oh, and the section where he recites a twisted version of the 23rd Psalm through a vocal filter? Awesome.

       But while "Pigs" isn't very good, and "Sheep" is just pretty good, the reason that the album gets as high of a score as it does is most certainly "Dogs", and it's probably in my top 3 (or even 2) Pink Floyd songs ever. I mean, it's 17 minutes, and it manages to keep my attention and captivate me for that entire length! What more could you want?!?

       So anyway, "Dogs" starts off as a basic Floyd rocker with some great singing from Gilmour over a nice little strummy background. However, after a bit, the song drops out and one of Gilmour's greatest ever guitar passages begins. This solo (and all of them on "Dogs", really) is absolutely brilliant, and it contributes greatly to what makes the song so great. After the solo, both Roger and David come in to sing the famous "dragged down by the stone" section, after which the word "stone" is gradually repeated and distorted until it sounds like a dog barking! Genius! After this is a section that lasts for a couple of minutes where we continue to hear various dogs barking as Rick plays these fantastic chords. Is it amazingly captivating? Not quite, but the section's short, and the rest of the song is so amazing that it doesn't bother me in the slightest.

       After that, we come back to the original melody, before kicking into my personal favorite part of the song -- the ending. Roger keeps repeating the same melody over and over again, his voice and David's guitar rising in intensity the entire time. It's absolutely spell bounding, and when he finally reaches the final "who was dragged down by the stone", my mind is absolutely blown. Wow.

       A fantastic album. I'm not gonna sit here and tell you that every single minute of it is impeccable and attention-grabbing, because that's not true. But I've gotta say, there is some seriously great material on this album that any fan of Floyd...no, any fan of classic rock has got to hear. Fantastic.