UMMAGUMMA

I'm one of those who thinks the studio album from UMMAGUMMA is some kind of near- masterpiece. If you love Brian Eno's instrumental albums, you might really enjoy this album; it's some sort of prototype, and sits comfortably beside albums such as Cluster's ZUCKERZEIT. (If this isn't a "rock album," it is the vein of what some "Krautrock" bands were doing at the time.) Floyd fans might want this for Waters' "Grantchester Meadows" and Gilmour's "The Narrow Way," the two vocal numbers on this album. Waters' song perhaps could have done with some editing; and while I think Parts 1 and 3 of Gilmour's suite are both perfect, I do find that part 2 mars both the album and the song. If I had the technology, I would edit it out entirely and somehow connect part 1 with part 3 (I wish it was done for the ECHOES compilation; part 3 really is one of Gilmour's finest moments and, for me, far more preferable to the overrated "Fat Old Sun"). Richard Wright's "Sysyphus" is awesome as well, and has some beautiful moments, and Nick Mason's conclusion is fine as well.

Too bad "Embryo," which was recorded for the album, was left off (it appeared instead on the compilation WORKS). I'm not positive, but I think "Biding My Time" was also recorded at the UMMAGUMMA sessions (it appears on the comp RELICS). Perhaps one day these two songs will hopefully be featured as bonus tracks.

As for the live album, it really is a great snapshot of the band's live sound (although that would get better and more interesting in subsequent years), and most of the songs are an improvement over the studio versions. I wish however that it was released separately from the studio album; it really doesn't make sense for the two to be paired together.