UMMAGUMMA

When listening to this album, you can be one of 2 people. You can A: find the album to be quite weird and to be just random noise and to be honest, is a bit unlistenable, or you can B: find it as a major achievement in experimental music and hail it as a classic piece of experimentation.

I will go with B, due to the fact that this album is incredibly intriguing and very interesting. The album is incredibly experimental and, like Yes' Fragile, it puts across solo efforts from the band.

The album easily could have been fiddly virtuosic solo pieces that show off the instrumentalist's skill, or it could show each member's own experimental sides and their achievements as songwriters and how to go beyond with the use of their instrument.

Ummagumma personifies this expedition and shows us what really does go on in Pink Floyd's heads.

The live album that came with the studio album is very good as well (live albums don't really interest me, either you're their for the experience, or you're not.

1.Sysyphus - Rick's experiment. A great intro. Now we know where Antonius Rex got their influence from. Part 2 is an intermezzo, with some nice piano playing, with some classical styled discords thrown in. Part 3 sounds like monkeys kicking a harpsichord to death. Part 4 has some very beautiful mellotron parts that remind me of King Crimson. The bit in the middle of the song scares the hell out of me. The piece ends with the Antonius Rex part, just like the beginning.

2. Grantchester Meadows - Roger's experiment part 1. This song is very beautiful and has a John Martyn vibe to it. The birdsong in the background adds more solemn to the song. I felt sorry for the fly at the end of the song.

3. Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together In A Cave & Grooving With A Pict - Roger's experiment part 2. The first time I ever heard this song was on a cold winters afternoon, when a friend of mine told me about the song and made me listen to it on his iPod. To be honest, the song was quite weird and I had stories about this song from my dad. This song is incredibly experimental. Roger did all the noises and voices in this song and to be honest it does sound very much like an orgy of animals. I didn't think that repeated mention of the word cum was a good idea. The Scottish bit at the end was a bit weird as well.

4. The Narrow Way - Dave's experiment. Part 1 reminds me of Black Sabbath fighting with Hawkwind. Part 2 again has a very Black Sabbath feel to it. The last part also has some beautiful themes presented. I think the lyrics at the end were also improvised.

5. The Grand Vizier's Garden Party - Nick's experiment. The entrance and the exit have a very nice Jethro Tull vibe to them. I like how the entertainment section has a more experimental side to the percussion section. A great piece of music.

CONCLUSION: This is probably one of the best examples of experimental music. Go and buy it now.