ANIMALS

This is Pink Floyd's most arguably progressive and notable achievement, a true mark of any genius for which the band is oft praised. THIS is the only album I believe to be a masterpiece by this influential quartet.

1. Pigs on the Wing (Part 1)- Intro acoustic number with great lyrics and vocals by Waters; this really fits into the context of the album perfectly, but isn't much of a song on its own without its counterpart or the 3 main songs. 8/10

2. Dogs- Want to hear what Pink Floyd is all about? Look no further! Great vocals, great guitar, great atmosphere, this is such an inventive, sophisticated performance! Gilmour shines, the instrumentation and atmosphere are always interesting, and this illuminates a side to Pink Floyd that leaves music on the previous albums (and subsequent, unfortunately) a bit lacking. Whereas Dark Side had a brilliant concept but the music wasn't up to par, Animals fixes every problem that Dark Side had: the instrumentation is more intriguing, progressive, and the song is much more tight compositionally without being too empty. Fantastic. 10/10

3. Pigs (Three Different Ones)- My favorite Pink Floyd song of all time, easily. I absolutely love this song; every moment is magic. The pig sounds complement it as a cherry on top of an elaborate cake. Waters's lyrics are at his shining moment here, and the instrumentation is hypnotic. I love Wright's keyboard work especially. HA HA, charade you are! Flawless. 10+/10

4. Sheep- From the jazz-tinged keyboard intro, this is another solid song, but for me doesn't quite reach the perfection of the previous two tracks. Occasionally this track may drag a bit if I'm not in the mood for it, particularly the repetitive ending, but for the most part it continues the wonderful trend of what came before it: more effective use of instrumentation, tighter compositions, and more experimental and progressive tendencies. 9/10

5. Pigs on the Wing (Part 2)- This mirrors the first track. A perfect closer to this album... I wouldn't have it any other way. 8/10

If you want to hear Pink Floyd, pick up this album first. This is their short-lived pinnacle, as their other albums aren't quite the genius that they are cracked up to be, despite being decent rock albums. A perfect psychedelic mix of Pink Floyd's concepts and music.