OBSCURED BY CLOUDS

Obscured by Clouds is one of the most unjustly overlooked Pink Floyd albums. It was written as a soundtrack just like the equally great "More". Its instrumentals, the title track; "When You're In;" "Absolutely Curtains" and especially "Mudmen," are some of the finest wavy, lavalamp psychedelica I have ever heard.

It was all recorded during two, one-week sessions, between which a tour of Japan was sandwiched. It still seems to work well as a cohesive whole, in spite of the short recording time. The ballad, "Burning Bridges" is a highlight which was written by Roger Waters and Rick Wright. It has a certain quality, a sound, that seems to be a harbinger of "Dark Side Of The Moon." Another cut, with the unlikely title of "Wot's...Uh, The Deal," is also a terrific song, which is somewhat wistful and introspective. It's right up there with any of Floyd's best songs.

Another Waters-Wright composition is the somewhat melancholy "Stay," which has a sense of quiet intensity about it. Then there's the rollicking "Free Four," which is tremendously upbeat, especially when you consider the dark content of the lyrics; it's one of the first instances in which Roger Waters musically deals with the death of his father, which would become a recurring theme later on, especially in "The Wall," and on "The Final Cut."

Though this is one of the lesser-known pieces of the Pink Floyd canon, "Obscured By Clouds" is, nevertheless, a remarkable album in it's own right; and it definitely must be included in any Pink Floyd collection. It is particularly enjoyable listening to this while relaxing at home. 4 stars.