ANIMALS

Roger Waters and David Gilmour composed "Animals" at a time in England when the face of rock music was drastically changing, 1977. Punk music and punk bands were forming everywhere, and they all hated Pink Floyd's brand of drawn out, ethereal music - stuff they felt was pompous. Thus, given the times, "Animals" turns out to be a guitar driven album, fairly sparse compositions that despite it all, are also drawn out and ethereal, as only Pink Floyd can be. The middle of this great album courageously contains three quite lengthy songs, much too long winded for radio, thus spoiling the album's commercial viability. Also, "Animals" strangely opens and closes with two very short and pleasant acoustic songs about love gone bad with "Pigs on the Wing," parts 1 & 2, which somehow works very well with the overall vibe of the album. Call it a settling of the nerves. In many instances, "Animals" is fairly stripped down, with David Gilmour's soothing voice completely missing, and Richard Wright writing absolutely nothing, thus nixing past creative keyboard parts. The possessive Roger Waters writes all lyrics, and the concept of "Animals" is entirely his. In his harshest manner, he rips late 1970's society through the use of three types of animals: Dogs, the materialistic and glib "yuppies" of a decade later, concerned only with wealth, good times, power, and their own well being. "Pigs" are no less flattering, high positioned and self-righteous, they preach and dispense their high minded moralist views from atop the world's ranks. Then on to "Sheep," the aimless and docile masses who get used and abused by the more powerful Dogs and Pigs. It's pretty acrimonious stuff, and hating lyrics like "all alone and dying of cancer" don't do much to lighten the mood. Weary of the corrupt and crumbling society surrounding him, Roger Waters went on a rampage. Political foes, economic hardships, and sleazy low-lifes all get their medicine from the non-apologetic Waters, within the confines of these thematically devised tunes.

Though he writes good, astute, observational lyrics, Waters is a bit of a "Dog" himself, and he often comes across as self-imposing and self-righteous as the album moves on. Ultimately, "Animals" is great because of the actual MUSIC. Enter David Gilmour, thankfully rescuing this one man monopoly on creativity. Gilmour remains his melodic self, pushing forth the fairly paltry compositions with his brand of tunefulness and soaring guitars.

On "Dogs," an interesting moment occurs after Waters cheerily advises "have a good drown/dragged down by the stone." The word "stone" is then repeated countless time through a haze of electronic muffling, as dogs bark chillingly in the background and a synth sizzles quietly. Music like this is not heard everyday, and Pink Floyd should be commended for seriously reviving their music and changing with the times a bit back in '77. Their days of singing about lazy nature scenes or fairy tale scenarios where one merely observes are long over with on "Animals." It's now socio-political music with a harder edge, all run by Roger Waters and David Gilmour. There's a sense of purpose and direction from Waters on "Animals" that is eerily 1-dimensional, but it's a prelude to an even better concept album to come. Though it's not his creative apex (that would be "The Wall"), "Animals" is astoundingly excellent, profound music, and the continuation of the civil war within this band.