ANIMALS

While the previous album began and ended with two extended tracks, filling the middle with shorter ones, this album has two extremely short tracks on the ends, with the epic pieces sandwiched in between. The lyrics depict the flaws of capitalism as the band saw them (perhaps ironic at the time, biting the hand that fed them, but Pink Floyd apparently had no qualms about doing that). The album concept is similar to George Orwell's animal farm. While the lyrics are well-written, they are not nearly as effective without the backing of the excellently crafted music one finds here. Each song has its own identity. This is one of Pink Floyd's most outstanding efforts.

"Pigs on the Wing (Part One)" Waters sings a delicate song with an acoustic guitar that serves as an introduction.

"Dogs" Twelve-string guitar and amazing singing dominate this song. Gilmour does a fantastic job through, showing himself to be an amazing guitarist and a capable singer. This song moves through several phases, describing the backstabbing businessman. I love the many aspects of this epic song; it is one of my favorite Pink Floyd songs. The subtle synthesizer work is wonderful, as is the vocal repetition that carries on until it is faded out.and then faded back in. Waters finishes up the song with some misanthropic vocal work. Gilmour's guitar work (electric and otherwise) stand out throughout. The track is one of the longest Pink Floyd songs, but unlike some of their other lengthy efforts (such as "Echoes" or "Shine On You Crazy Diamond"), the psychedelic passages fail to become stale.

"Pigs (Three Different Ones)" Beginning with snorting, this song has Waters play some high end bass notes over a keyboard riff, and Gilmour throws in some crunchy guitar. Waters's vocals are at their best on this one. Gilmour employs a talkbox during his solo in the middle; some of his licks remind me of "Rotten Apple" by Alice in Chains, but he doesn't overdo it. The percussion isn't very creative, but, almost humorously (because this album references animals), there's some major cowbell action.

"Sheep" Over the braying of the titular animal, Wright plays a panning electric piano, and Mason soon enters. Waters's voice becomes a synthesizer after he sings each line in the main verses. Waters would use this effect later on "The Gunner's Dream," only then, morphing his voice into a saxophone. In an odd way, the singing sounds a lot like that of Adrian Belew. The repeated vocal from "Dogs" returns here, albeit briefly, having a profound lyrical effect, since the sheep are warned, "You better watch out- there may be dogs about." There is a twisted, mechanical-sounding version of the twenty-third psalm recited in the middle.

"Pigs on the Wing (Part Two)" Waters sings the second part of the first song, vaguely summing up his concept. Apparently, this was written for his wife, and given the context of "Bring the Boys Back Home" from a later album, this theme makes perfect sense. He apparently identifies himself as a dog, and wants shelter from the pigs. But companionship can overcome all, he implies.