THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

Dark Side of the Moon certainly takes on an imposing musical task. By taking song titles like "Money" and "Time", Pink Floyd took the duty of producing definitive musical verisons of those concepts. If they failed, it would have been the biggest blunder in nearly all of popular musical history. Lucky for us and them (no pun intended), they succeeded. Dark Side of the Moon is a metaphor for life and death in all their aspects and an incredibly powerful piece of work.

The album begins with Speak to Me, not so much a piece of music as an immersion experience in the world of Dark Side. It starts with a heartbeat, the symbol of life's start. Other sound effects from throughout the album are phased in, along with some of the dark, atmospheric narration that punctuates the points of the work. There is then a flawless transition, as there is between every track, from Speak to Me to Breathe. Breathe's theme is an invitation to life, with the soothing voice of Gilmour exhorting the listener to live life without fear. But this wonderful dream is crushed with the tense, driving synth of On the Run. The listener must strain to hear the muted announcements of plane arrivals but is overwhelmed by the proto-electronic/techno sounds of the track.

A complete musical contrast but tied in thematically is the next song, Time. It has a kind of jazzy feel, and the vocals seem kind of... disgusted with the person the lyrics address. The reprise of Breathe is perfect, an invitation to give up the rush and take back enjoyment of life. But Money shows how that invitation is rejected. The bass work at the start also has a jazzy feel, and the lyrics are dripping with sarcastic anger. Some may discount it as a popular work, but I believe it is more the establishment adopting the song than Pink Floyd making the song for popular consumption. Great Gig in the Sky is perhaps the best song on the album. The stately, dignified voice of an elderly person about rejecting the fear of dying gives way to the atmospheric wail of Clare Torry. It reflects, in some incredible way, at the same time, death throes and the ecstasy of heaven... truly something that must be heard to be believed.

Us and Them shows the separation that can occur when one's life is devoted to the mad rush for wealth. It lyrics are provocative, and although the song lacks the real technical brlliance of Money or Great Gig, its atmosphere makes up for it. Any Color You Like brings back the techno stylings of On the Run, focusing this time a bit more on guitar. And finally is the chilling end duo of Brain Damage and Eclipse. Brain Damage's kind of sing-song feel accentuates the theme of insanity very well.... And Eclipse is amazing. It is one long series of conjunctions leading to a very depressing, moving climax. "There is no Dark Side of the Moon, really.... As a matter of fact it's all dark..."... Incredibly emotional. So ends a brilliant piece of progressive rock, a chronicle of the meaningless style of life in the middle 20th century, and a five-star album. Buy it. You can't regret it.