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Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here CD (album) cover

WISH YOU WERE HERE

Pink Floyd

 

Psychedelic/Space Rock

4.64 | 4545 ratings

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FunkyM
5 stars This 1975 follow-up to Dark Side Of The Moon is cited by some as the band's greatest moment and it is hard not to agree with that assessment.

A brilliant, biting conceptual piece about the music industry itself, Wish You Were Here finds Floyd hitting on all cylinders. Beginning with the first five parts of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", and ending with the last four parts, Floyd sets a somber tone. Full of haunting saxophone, :Shine On You Crazy Diamond" has a breezy, jazzy feeling. It doesn't reach back to the music of its subject matter, (ex-Floyd singer) Syd Barrett, but it is an amazing tribute to his lost potential.

From there we are segued into the harsh mechanical tones of "Welcome To The Machine". It is here, between the somber guitar and the heavy synthesizer that Floyd brings the underlying menace they are often known for.

On "Have A Cigar", the band turns over vocal duties to Roy Harper to stunning effect. Harper sounds like one of the band, with vocals that sound like a cross between Roger Waters and David Gilmour.

Finally, there is the title track. "Wish You Were Here", which is the soul of this album. If you're learning how to play guitar, chances are this is one of the songs you've been itching to try. Although I've heard it on the radio ten million times - just like most of you probably have - it is *still* warm and just a little bit heartbreaking.

Pink Floyd would make other albums after Wish You Were Here, but none would surpass the band's passion and playing here. Waters still hadn't yet taken over the band completely... although the writing credits appear to hint towards at what was to come.

FunkyM | 5/5 |

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