MEDDLE

Meddle, though somewhat inconsistent of an album, is one of the greatest works by Pink Floyd. It began what most call Pink Floyd's 'progressive' era due to the final track taking up the entire 2nd side of the record.

The first half of the album is mostly a harmless side. "One of these Days" is pretty much the only notable great track on the album, with a cool energetic atmosphere and an awesome buildup, creating a masterful spacey sound only reproduced again in parts of "Echoes" and "Sheep". The other tracks are nice, mostly acoustic ones, but all soft, like the laid-back San Tropez which brings the listener to a serene beach vacation. Of course, there is "Seamus", a track horribly marred by the sounds of a dog, and is often pointed out as the most notorious track in all of Meddle.

Those tracks are nice, but fans will ultimately get the album for "Echoes", a lengthy track with a wonderful atmosphere. Beginning with a simple ping, the elements of the composition draw together slowly, gradually forming into a slow gentle laid-back song as Gilmour meditates, "Overhead the albatross lies motionless above the air". The song continues, and eventually the composition evolves into an instrumental jam which continually fades away into the ambient sounds of the ocean. Some complain about this section, but true prog fans will know that this may be one of the most brilliant ways to invoke atmosphere into a piece of music, and should adore it as much as the rest of the song. More musical attributes start to flow in, and eventually everything builds into a dramatic crescendo, ending the song with a final verse and a dramatic closer.

Echoes alone will draw many a prog fan to listen to its splendor. Although the first half of the album may get mixed opinions, Echoes is a masterpiece and should be listened to by every prog fan.