PINK FLOYD

In 1970 rock went classic. There had been earlier exploits to recreate classical music with rock instruments (the Nice, Procul Harum,...) but in 1970 everybody suddenly brought a Philharmonic Orchestra into the studio: Deep Purple (ok that was end '69), the Nice, Uriah Heep and of course Pink Floyd. None of these experiments have been met by general approval. Some fans like it, others not at all.

And so fares Atom Heart Mother, a 25 minute psychedelic piece that compares to nothing else in Pink Floyd's output, apart from the guitar solo in the middle that they would redo on Echoes. I value it in the same way that I appreciate Uriah Heep's Salisbury: it has aged badly, it didn't create a very coherent sound and it's definitely over the top. And yet, I find myself liking it, I don't play it too much but when I do I'm always thankful they had the ambition to pull it off. After all there aren't too many similar songs around.

Next to this epic, all band members except Mason added one track each to complete the album, similarly as they had done on Umma Gumma. Unfortunately, the result is worse. If is a nice acoustic track from Waters but Grandchester Meadow was a lot better. Fat Old Sun is a weak track from Gilmour, they would do a few good live renditions of it but the version here is poor. No, The Narrow Way was a lot better.

Wright's Summer '68 might appeal to Beatles fans but it is completely out of place here and quite frankly, very dull. Alan's Breakfast is a band effort but really, I don't see the 'effort' here. Self-indulgent sloppiness is what I call it.

So, an epic monster track that is at the same time astounding and unsatisfactory; completed with 30 minutes of songs that range between tepid and hot air. If someone would release this now it would be a merciless 1 star but given its context I'd say 3.5.

Not everything here is as astonishing as Echoes of course. But still it makes up a consistent album that goes through many different styles. One of These Days does not need an introduction here; it's an archetypical space-rock drone and one of the best ever. A Pillow of Winds is a beautiful melancholic piece from Gilmour, very subtle and understated. His gentle picking around minute 2.00 has served as a blueprint for many future generations: Porcupine Tree, Anathema, Tiamat, Radiohead and so many more have found their inspiration in this soft and textured approach.

Next on is a batch of 3 songs that are often disregarded. I think that Fearless is a very nice blues number though, it evolves into some kind a soccer anthem. It's a style they would revisit on The Wall. San Tropez is slightly out of place. Roger Waters does something in the psychedelic rock style of 4-5 years earlier. It's not bad but it would have fitted better on a Syd Barrett album. Seamus is a real fun blues though. Anyone who has seen the Pompeii video knows how they recorded that howling dog. It's a nice lighter touch that makes the majestic beauty of Echoes all the more overwhelming.

I think that this album contains the best music that Pink Floyd ever committed to tape. The five stars are entirely deserved by the strength of Echoes alone, but also the other tracks contain plenty of grace.

On subsequent solo albums Barrett has continued to prove that he was a songwriter that never got much further then basic chord strumming with only rare hints of his frail genius (yes Barrett fans, you may shoot me now). He might have been a very inspiring and enigmatic figure but musically he's more cult then true talent. Except for Obscured By Clouds, I prefer every other Floyd album to this one.

Despite its obvious flaws I've always enjoyed this one a lot. It has a very dark and moody feel that flashes me right back to those rainy winter afternoons when I was 12 and playing this weird record on constant repeat together with Umma Gumma. Let There Be More Light, the title says it all. It's one of my favourite early Floyd tracks and a defining space-rock track: eastern tinged melodies, dark sound effects, pulsating bass, dazed vocal melodies and spacey guitars. What a departure from the debut. Welcome David Gilmour.

Remember a Day is a Richard Wright song featuring his known hesitant melancholic vocals. It has a very romantic mood, not as strong as the opener but still very charming. Next on is Set the Controls, the ultimate space-rock track, again with a very eastern melody and Nick Mason's invigorating percussion serving as an entrancing base for the sonic outbursts from Gilmour and Wright. Every live version of this track is better then the embryonic form that it still has here, but nevertheless it's a landmark moment, hugely influential on both kraut, progressive electronic and space-rock.

Corporal Clegg would have fitted better on the debut. It's still fun but it has none of the visionary power of the preceding tracks. The title track is the most experimental moment on the album, not as good as The Heart of the Sun but very powerful in its live version on Umma Gumma. See-Saw is the second Wright track but it's less captivating then the first. Jugband Blues is an enjoyable track from Barrett but it pales greatly against the ground-breaking music that preceded it. It's a tough conclusion, but I very much doubt if anyone of us would be marvelling at the Floyd right now if Syd had been able to stay in the band. Who knows.

It's sure not the most consistent album in music history, not by a long stretch. But this is from 1968 and back then, Pink Floyd was pretty much inventing everything they did while they were doing it, without any examples to emulate, without anyone to advise them but their own stubborn will to explore and create music history.

The album sounds as some transition work between The Wall and Waters solo albums.In fact, you have there everything you are waiting from good PF album: melodic songs,guitar solos, perfect sound, Floydian atmosphere. The main difference is I think the music there is too dark,too slow and too depressive (even for Waters era PF).

Because of that all album sounds a bit bulky, not focused, or even heavy depressed. You can't help. No-one can help. It just like the end of the world. And the music is enough monotonious as well.

For me, this album is something in between of great PF albums ( WYWH,DSOTM,Animals) and Waters best solo albums. Strong 3,5.

Who makes the album, the artist or the equipment?

In think that in this case the record was mainly like because of it's splendid production and gentle key-sounds, drums and dreamy guitars. It wins on all fronts to all the other prog albums made before this one when comparing with the overall sound of the album. BUT.. did Pink Floyd themselves make a great record? No, I think they didn't. If you are already in an emotional mood quit reading right now, because this will make a lot of people furious or sentimental.

The first thing I've got to cope with is the extremely boring opening section of Shine on you Crazy Diamond part one. Great symphonic key presets, great guitar amplification, but a total lack of interesting composition or progressive thinking. The following main guitar part is nice, but one simple guitar chord doesn't fill up minutes of music for me. When the vocal melodies appear the tracks become quite nice, but to poppy for me. The main melody is fine though.

Welcome to the machine and Have a cigar are both tracks that must have been written in the studio using all the perfect equipment. Pink Floyd completely looses itself in the sounds of the keys and does nothing interesting at all on the composional side of the tracks. Just simple chord changes with massive amplification and a no-risk guitar approach of Gilmour. This doesn't satisfy me at all, quit hiding Pink Floyd! As if I wan't tormented enough the down tempo country classic Wish you were here. I'm not even going to discuss this pop-song. On part two f Shine on You Crazy Diamond Pink Floyd succeeds in trying to get to their old level of compositions. It's better then part one.

Conclusion. The production of the album is perfect, what did I say? Angelic! The compositions are very simple and Pink Floyd completely lost itself in it's amazing sound. For this I can't really see this as a progressive album, it just sounds progressive. Maybe my musical training did no good in liking this album, but I do want to be honest about who limited this album actually is, beneath it's cover of sounds and emotionally driven themes. Three stars for this one.

More then just Echoes?

After the masterpiece called Atom Heart Mother Pink Floyd went back into the studio and experimented with their equipment until enough material was written to record the new album. Two songs became famous among fans and in the progressive community; the spacey One of these Days and the epical side-long Echoes. Other songs are often forgotten by most of the people and It think that's a pity. They were confronted with heavy critics; these songs are just songs... they aren't progressive at all! No, the aren't indeed, but they do are great psychedelic songs with a warm approach on mainly unplugged guitar music. I would like to state that Pillow of Winds and Fearless are as good as the One of these Days and Echoes material! A appreciate how Pink Floyd made this very easy listening progressive/psychedelic rock album. It's soothing, it's girlfriend-frienly, I doesn't make you parents scared and it's OK for a Sunday morning. The San Tropez track has some funny moments and has a gentle jazzy vibe. Seamus (madam Nobs) is a bluess song with a dog as a vocalist, this is VERY progressive in a way.

And yes, Echoes and Days are perfect tracks. It took me some time to appreciate them completely though. I think both track became alive on the Pompeii concert, which I owned before Meddle. I still prefer the live versions, but that might be due to the excellent film material.

Conclusion. Essential prog-listening. Don't skip on the song material of the album though. I give it four stars, the five star potential of it's two main tracks will be reached on the Pompeii dvd.

If in case with studio album, I enjoyed with some great songs, but all album was too bulk and too long for me ( I believe that one LP work with concentrated and reworked The Wall material could be a really great album!). In live version this minus is not so obvious: as in all live recordings, there is enough place for longer solos,improvs and you usualy prepared for longer recording.

Another strong side - many songs sound heavier and with higher energy, than in studio album. In case with The Wall it is a positive change IMO. All the album ( as often happens when you're comparing studio and live recordings) sounds more rock. A bit more acoustic, with slightly simplier arrangements, sometimes a bit faster.

Still very close to studio original, this live album is as strong and contains even some attractive sides. But I can recommend it to band's fans: for regular listeners it's too similar too studio The Wall album.

All other songs are kind of psychedelic beat mixture. Plenty of acoustic piano, mellow sound, melodic,but simplistic pieces - all that is quite usual for psychedelic sound of the time, but still don't have that unique floydian signature on it.

I think that this album is still mixed bag, strong 3,5.