WISH YOU WERE HERE

What is there to be said about this album that has not already been said. It's been one of the top 3 albums in the archives since I first started checking that list, and many Floyd fans hail it as their best. Though I personally prefer Dark Side and Animals, I can see why WYWH is such a beloved album- all throughout there are incredible performances, especially the guitar and synthesizers- this album sounds a lot like Tangerine Dream at points. Another remarkable thing about this album is the emotion- the song topics are split between remembrance of fallen angel and former band leader Syd Barrett, whose famous visit to the recording studio has become a legendary story. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (both parts) and Wish You Were Here may be some of the most emotionally charged songs ever made, an area the Floyd certainly excels in. As for the second and third songs, these are scathing criticisms of the music industry. Welcome to the Machine may contain more cosmic synthy effects than any Floyd song, and rivals Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream as far as spacey goodness goes. As for Have a Cigar, it sounds a lot like Pigs (Three Different Ones) from Animals, with incredible interplay between bass, synth, and guitar that makes this a very angry-sounding song. WYWH is a downright masterpiece and an essential for any fan of really good music.