MEDDLE

Meddle is an excellent album, and is probably the band's best work pre-Dark side. The first half opens with the ominous rocker 'One of These Days' in which Roger Waters achieves a haunting echo effect by plugging his bass into a binson unit. The track also boasts Masons lone vocals in the band's entire career, and the track also features some impressive pedal steel playing by Gilmour. 'A Pillow of Winds' has a dream like quality and is a nice ballad. 'Fearless' and the jazzy 'San Tropez' are descent but dispensible. Closing the first half of the album, 'Seamus' is often cited as one of the worst ever Floyd songs; however, this bluesy number featuring dog vocals proves that the band had a sense of humor. All in all the first half offers some good matieral as well as some "filler".

Meedle's real treasure is found on the second half with the epic sound poem of 'Echoes'. Spanning 24 minutes, 'Echoes' is the ultimate progressive rock musical journey that never becomes old. In fact, I find myself wishing the track would go on forever. Originally entitled 'the Return of the Son from Nothing', 'Echoes' has been cited by Waters as the first set lyrics he wrote expressing human empathy, and what great lyrics they are. Wright and Gilmour harmonize beautifully on vocals and even better Gilmour's guitar and Wrights' organ and keyboards provide maginificent music that paradoxically inspires a harmonious sense of urgency and peacefulness. Pure magic!

Had the first half been as good as Echoes, I'd most definitely grant Meedle 5 stars but it is still an excellent album and well worth the purchasing price.