Listening to this album, I am still shocked how much Pink Floyd have changed. It amazes me that the same band, with only one changed band member, put out
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and only six years later released
Dark Side of the Moon. People purchasing this album expecting the progressive rock style will be greatly disappointed, and wondering if they didn't mix up the CD at the record shop.
This was Pink Floyd's first studio album. The band released several singles before this, notable ones include
Arnold Layne, which is about a transvestite, and
See Emily Play, both composed by Barrett. These songs were just a teaser for what the album would be,
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, heavily influenced by the recently released
Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club.
Syd Barrett was a music genius. Whilst listening to the record, behind all the LSD they were some great music moments in it. Take Astronomy Domine for example, the opening track. At around the 1:15 mark, the descending guitar is a masterpiece. Most songs, true to the psychedelic style, are not in traditional 4/4 time signature, with odd ones like 6/4, and 11/8, or, like Bike, there are multiple time signature changes throughout. Unfortunately, Syd Barrett was fired from the band after overdosing on LSD. He would become catatonic on stage, sometimes playing a few simple chords for the whole show, or sometimes, simply play nothing. David Gilmour was hired to replace him, in thought that Gilmour would play live, and Barrett was to continue writing songs in the studio. This was not to be, and Barrett was fired, to which he had a somewhat successful solo career, and is now living somewhere in England.
Astronomy Domine (4:12)
The beginning of this album, uh, begins with simple guitar chords, over some person talking on a microphone. This is one of the pop songs of the album; it's not really that true to the psychedelic genre, even with the unusual time signatures. And it has that beautiful bridge part (1:15) which I cannot get enough of. Wright explores a bit in this song with his organ, the same to be said about the brilliant Barrett on his guitar. The middle two minutes of this song is basically a big psychedelic jam session, which I have grown to love. It ends with some lyrics, and it has the bridge part again at 3:28... it's so beautiful.
Lucifer Sam (3:07)
This song immediately gets you thinking about the Batman theme, they are remarkably alike. This song's form is similar to
Astronomy Domine, lyrics, and a jam session in the middle and it ends with the lyrics out. A great song, although rather boring in parts. Not up to the standard of the previous song.
Matilda Mother (3:08)
This song is probably the first song that really explores the psychedelic nature of the album. It begins with a simple organ intro, and it has quite simple lyrics, with an amazing bassline. Lyrics are fiddled with, sometimes normal, other times saturated with echo, and often backed with choir sounding vocals. The guitar, sounding like the Arabic snake charmers, is brilliantly soloed over a hi-hat and someone breathing rather heavily. A highlight of the album for me.
Flaming (2:46)
This song starts of rather melancholy-ish, a low motor-like rumble is accompanied by various sounds, like a kettle (at least I think that's what it is!). This song sounds like it has been directly taken off the
Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club album and been put on this one. The lyrics are given to us in an airy, childish way, with a repetitive snare drum. Lyrics such as:
Quote:
Alone in the clouds all blue
Lying on an eiderdown.
Yippee! You can't see me
But I can you,
|
further illustrate the childish nature of the song. This song is pure experimental. It is actually quite hard to listen to in my opinion. The guitar is quite intrusive in parts. The bass is HEAVILY synthesised and is often sounding like it is droning (unless you have huge subs). Wright is very experimental in this song, his odd and clever organ work is a highlight. This song has quite a number of sound effects; a clicking sound has a sort of solo (1:30) and some type of kitchen appliance is used a lot, either spoons or glasses.
Pow R. Toc H. (4:26) (instrumental)
This... is a very weird song, even for an album of this magnitude. It mocks a drum beat; it starts off with a sort of bongo as a bass drum, and someone going che-che (ha) as a snare. A duck (?) or something comes in then. Then it descends into madness. A whole load of different sounds come out to play. A simple piano solo (no synth, unbelievably) follows. This solo is quite relaxing, and it is reminiscent of early jazz (NOT ragtime). A simple guitar line follows, with a whole bunch of sounds, which sounds similar to an Indian (the ones with feathers). Sort of. I'm not going to explain anymore, as it is really too hard to do. You will have to listen to it to fully appreciate it. A great freak-out song nonetheless.
Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk (3:05)
At the Drive-in, surprisingly enough, did quite a good cover on this song, it almost (yes, almost) rivals the original, and I would heartily recommend hearing it (in my total unbiased opinion, I think Omar is a better guitarist than Syd {pay no attention to my 1. username 2. avatar or 3. location}). This wonderfully titled track is remarkably similar to the first track once again, with lyrics to start and finish the epic, and a mad jam session in the middle of it. This jam session OWNS
Astronomy Domine, musically, technically, and aurally. Don't forget,
Astronomy Domine's jam bit is very impressive. In Stethoscope's solo however, there is a mad bassline, which once again is quite droning. The guitar and keyboard (synthed.... ahh) try to outdo each other, which ends up 1. a huge screeching sound and 2. a musical masterpiece. Listen to this song, love it.
Interstellar Overdrive (9:41)
A song in 4/4 timing? I don't believe it. Probably the best drug song of all time. Again, it is so excellent that I will not do a review on it, please just listen to it. Oh... and listen to it through headphones... it's so much better and you get the multi-track experience.
The Gnome (2:13)
This song is so unbelievably cool. Seriously. It has a great intro, possibly the best on the album. It sounds like a weird metronome. Simple yet hilarious lyrics:
Quote:
I want to tell you a story
About a little man
If I can.
|
Whilst not that weird, you will find yourself cracking up with laughter time and time again over the lyrics - they are so good and effective. It gets a bit psychedelic in the middle of the song, there's little music, and Syd's voice gets all airy. A childish song about a garden gnome - only Barrett could make that popular.
Chapter 24 (3:42)
I found this song quite boring. No album is perfect, right? The whole song is just really Syd singing over some synth and drums, it has no humour in it at all, and is rather boring. It has cool basslines though.
The Scarecrow (2:11)
This song starts of incredibly simple (yet, Barrett has taught us throughout the album that simple can mean better) a simple clicking sound followed by an organ riff, which happens to be cool. Barrett's humourous lyrics again are a highlight, and the organ riff is a masterstroke.
Bike (3:21)
Bike. So incredibly simple, yet so effective. This epic begins in the simplest of fashions; two rings of a bicycle's bell. Then, what follows, is simply the oddest lyrics in a song I've ever heard. And I listen to Cedric Bixler a lot. It's a song about a boy who likes a girl and tries to get her to like him by giving her things:
Quote:
I've got a bike, you can ride it if you like
It's got a basket, a bell that rings and things to make it look good
I'd give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it.
|
The chorus re-enforces that fact:
Quote:
You're the kind of girl that fits in with my world
I'll give you anything, everything if you want things.
|
The song tends to again descent into madness that is LSD. Other strange lyrics include:
Quote:
I know a mouse, and he hasn't got a house I don't know why I call him Gerald
He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
I've got a clan of gingerbread men
Here a man, there a man, lots of gingerbread men
Take a couple if you wish they're on the dish.
|
This song, well, is a masterpiece. Listening to it for the first time, you will no doubt think "what the hell?" (Don't worry I thought that too) but analyse it and listen to it many times and you will discover it is an absolute gem. With time signatures changing many, many, many several times, it's not a toe tapper, but is extremely fun to listen to. Syd's bland sort of singing also add to the childish effect - like a child singing about his bike. It also finishes very Sgt. Pepper-esque with a huge experimentation of sorts. My favourite track on the album.
Rating - I don't want to really rate this album. In my opinion it is definitely a 5/5, in the psychedelic genre. I have listened to Sgt. Peppers, and I prefer this one by miles. However, many many people have become accustomed to the Pink Floyd such as the Wall, and Dark Side of the Moon, and will be very disappointed by it. But if you want to try it out, go ahead, it is possibly the best psychedelic album out there.
Screw it - My Rating: 5/5.
