UMMAGUMMA

With time I have grown to like this peculiar album quite much. The slang term of sexual intercourse used as the album title does not much refer to the record's themes, which also are lost to myriad paths of musician's psyche, like illustrated on the gatefold cover.

The first LP has wonderful live recordings from their "The Man and The Journey Tour". Though "Astronomy Domine" works best as opener of their debut studio record, it is interesting to hear extended improvisational play of now tighter quartet. Real high lights when compares to studio recordings are in my opinion both "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" and "Saucerful of Secrets", escaping the sterile calculations into organic interplay awesomeness.

The second vinyl with each musician having their personal art rock fantasy suites is fun, though the musical quality of these innovations seems lower as the revelation of personalities shimmering from these raunchy avant-garde displays. Wright's "Sysyphus" keeps futile pushing the rock on the mountain ever and ever again, the human psyche confronting its internal contradictions being protected from this divine fate via mortality. Maybe some related allegory is found from this unclear keyboard tests. Roger Waters managed to create two "songs" with silly names, visiting experimentation with recorded sounds and more soothing impressions from the summer-caressed pastures. From the album's inner gatefold cover, I was happy to see hove lovely lady a man is able to get, if being quite ugly bass player and beat-boxer of the group which focuses playing stoned shit. Richard Wright had circled around some ideas already on their earlier BBC radio sessions, crystallizing here as the random studio activities named "The Narrow Way". Nick Mason's final "Grand Vizier's Garden Party" aroused like other ca. ten minute long drum solo mannerisms of the 1960's rock record. Luckily his lady friend brought some flavor to these parties with her magick flute.

As a whole, I think these fine concert captures from the band's best live touring era and weird psychological study of the musicians form a personal double LP. For me this album proved that sometimes musical recording can be interesting and informative, though not being most favorable for intense listening.