THE PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN

This album is Godhead. This album is Genius. This album is Pop Art! This album is like no other. It was the first and will be the final word on UK psych. From the opening rumble of "Astronony Domine" to the psychotic ending of "Bike", this ride is one hell of a technicolor rampage. It is second to none for the era from which it came and for which it captures. Syd was a genius, he was also slightly insane, but his tenure with this combo was their brightest time without question. The singles that came before, Arnold Layne & See Emily Play, well...See Emily Play is one of thee greatest singles of all time. That single alone, all 3 minutes of it, is the definitive pop/psych/prog record ever. It's crammed full of everything and it's still a pop song! Bravo to that! "Interstellar Overdrive" is a unique tour de force, but...it's the demeneted 3 minute gems these guys came up with that still shine on. That, my friends, is the real acheivement...putting all you can into small space...not half hour space jams or songs about the war and someone's dad and so on. This is a concept album with no concept, and really...ain't that the best kind.