RELICS

An eclectic compilation of early Pink Floyd songs, Relics includes some album tracks and some early singles from both the Syd Barrett and late 60's-early 70's David Gilmour phases. The two Barrett singles "Arnold Layne" and "See Emily Play" are possibly even better and more charactaristic than many of the songs on The Piper At the Gates of Dawn, and Waters' "Biding My Time" is unique to the Floyd canon, a song in the style of early swing, and a good one at that. "Paintbox" is a very creative song from Wright, with great piano, and a truly adventurous vocal part. "Julia Dream" would have sounded at home on More, with it's subdued Gilmour vocals, and those unbelievably trippy guitar sweeps that both he and Barrett always did so well. The only drawback to the album is that it repeats some songs that were already released on their first three proper studio albums, and while they're classic songs, if already familiar with those albums, they're sequenced in such a way as to interrupt the flow of raritism that would otherwise have been there, thus feeling a bit unnecessary. Still, though, if you're just starting to get into early Pink Floyd, it could serve as a good introduction, plus it's always good to hear the studio version of "Careful With That Axe, Eugene."