ANIMALS

I've always had a strange relationship with this album: first I think it's underrated, and then I wonder why I ever liked it so much in the first place. I suppose that's not a great sign for a masterpiece.

There's a clear lack of creative collaboration from the group on this album. I think that most Floyd followers can feel it. For example, Nick's drumming on Sheep is almost tragically simple. Fortunately, the band were still in a place that there was room for Rick and Dave to add much-needed musical complexity and melody to work that would increasingly be credited to Roger. Waters may have written the songs, but many of the musical ideas were not his, and that's why I think this album works as well as it does.

Interesting theme, good lyrics, famous album art, and lots of good playing make this essential listening (though, of course, we all know this already, given the Floyd's uniquely large share of the crossover prog market!). Not as good as what came before it, but inspired enough to make me just a bit sorry for what came after.