Rating: ***
(3 stars)
Title: Atom
Heart Mother
Company: Harvest
Catalog: SKAO
382
Year: 1970
Grade
(cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: gatefold
sleeve
Available: 1
Price: $10.00
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With a title inspired by a newspaper article suggesting that a British female heart transplant recipient might be given an atomically powered artificial heart, the band reappeared with 1970's
"Atom Heart Mother". Musically the set found the band seemingly content to experiment with a variety of studio effects. Broken down into six movements, the side long instrumental title track suite displayed a couple of interesting passages; notably some attractive quasi-classical vocal arrangements from the John Aldiss Choir and a couple of Gilmour solos. Unfortunately, stretched over the entire side, the end result was something attune to conventional elevator music. The flip side wasn't much better; excursions into avant-garde compositions sinking most of the collection. Water's "If" and Wright's "Summer '68" provided the closest things to conventional song structures. Hey, ever wonder who Ron Geesin was? Apparently he was a Waters golf buddy who was left to finish the album when the band ran out of time and were forced to head off on an American tour. (The two subsequently collaborated on Waters' solo LP "Music from the Body".) Not exactly a must own, hitting #55 the LP still provided the band with their first brush of America commercial success. (The album was originally released with a gatefold sleeve.) (Always loved the cow cover.)
"Atom Heart Mother" track listing:
1.) Atom Heart Mother (Nick Mason - David Gilmour - Roger Waters - Richard
Wright - Ron Geesin) -
a) Father's Shout
b) Breast Milky
c) Mother Fore
d) Funky Dung
e) Mind Your Throats Please
f) Remergence
2.) If (Roger Waters) -
3.) Summ '68 (Richard Wright)
4.) Fat Old Sun (David Gilmore) -
5.) Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast (Nick Mason - David Gilmour - Roger Waters
- Richard Wright)
a.) Rise and Shine
b.) Sunny Side Up
c.) Morning Glow
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Rating: ***
(3 stars)
Title: Meddle
Company: Harvest
Catalog: SMAS
2-832
Year: 1970
Grade
(cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: gatefold
sleeve; minor ring, edge and corner wear
Available: 2
Price: $10.00
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1971's self-produced "Meddle" offered up an interesting mix of commercial moves (remember we're talking about Pink Floyd here) and more experimentation efforts. The first side found Waters and company displayed an unusual sense of focus, tracks such as the instrumental "One of These Days" (a rare composition where all four members shared writing credit), "Fearless" and the breezy "San Tropez" displaying several appealing slices of conventional rock. The band's
willingness to delve into uncharted waters (or their lack of direction) was displayed on the flip side's 23 + minute, side-long "Echoes". Having just listened to it for the first time in a couple of years, the first half of the song's actually surprisingly good - pretty melody and some interesting guitar from Gilmore. Forget about the meandering second section. While the album hit #3 in England, in spite of an American tour, in the States it proved a mild commercial disappointment peaking at #70. (The album was originally released with a gatefold cover.)
"Meddle" track listing:
1.) One of These Days (Instrumental) (Roger Waters - David Gilmour - Nick Mason - Richard Wright) - 5:50
2.) A Pillow of Winds (Roger Waters - David Gilmour) - 5:10
3.) Fearless (Roger Waters - David Gilmour - Rogers - Hammerstein) - 6:03
4.) San Tropez (Roger Waters) - 3:42
5.) Seamus (Roger Waters - David Gilmour - Nick Mason - Richard Wright) - 2:09
6.) Echoes (Roger Waters - David Gilmour - Nick Mason - Richard Wright) -23:31
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Rating: ***
(3 stars)
Title: Obscured
By Clouds
Company: Harvest
Catalog: ST
11078
Year: 1972
Grade
(cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: --
Available: 1
Price: $15.00
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On the surface a reunion with film producer
Barbet Schroeder wouldn't appear to have held much promise. While Schroeder's 1972 film "La Valee"
(The Valley) was immediately forgotten, the accompanying soundtrack "Obscured By
Clouds" (recorded in France) proved otherwise. Propelled by Gilmour's biting guitar and Waters' dreamy vocals, the soundtrack album featured a surprisingly
listenable blend of instrumentals (the title track, "Mudmen" and "When You're In") and more conventional rock pieces ("Childhood's End", "The Gold It's In the ..." and the top-40ish "Free Four"). Certainly not for everyone, but how could you not like an album which included song titles like "Wots ... Uh the Deal" and "Absolutely Curtains". Continuing the group's steady commercial emergence, the album eventually hit #46.
"Obscured By Clouds" track listing:
1.) Obscured By Clouds (instrumental) (Roger Waters - David Gilmour) - 3:02
2.) When You're In (instrumental) (Roger Waters - David Gilmour - Nick Mason
- Richard Wright) - 2:22
3.) Burning Bridges (Richard Wright - Roger Waters) - 3:24
4.) The Gold It's In the .... (Roger Waters - David Gilmour) - 3:00
5.) Wots ... Uh the Deal (Roger Waters - David Gilmour) - 5:03
6.) Mudmen (instrumental) (Roger Waters - David Gilmour) - 4:16
7.) Childhood's End (David Gilmour) - 4:27
8.) Free Four (Roger Waters) - 4:07
9.) Stay (Richard Wright - Roger Waters) - 3:58
10.) Absolutely Curtains (Roger Waters - David Gilmour - Nick Mason
- Richard Wright) - 5:49
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Rating:
***** (5 stars)
Title: The
Dark Side of the Moon
Company: Harvest
Catalog: SMAS
11163
Year: 1973
Grade
(cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: includes
two posters; gatefold sleeve
Available: 2
Price: $20.00
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Having released nine collections with minimal
American commercial success, 1973's "Dark
Side of the Moon" unexpectedly propelled the band into
the ranks of international superstars. While remaining true to their
progressive roots, featuring the band's tightest and most mainstream
collection, material such as "Breathe", "Time", and
"Us and Them" spotlighted Water's literate and thoroughly
depressing ruminations on life, existence, madness and death (always a
Waters favorite). Backed by Alan Parson's crystal clear engineering (in
order to appreciate the sound effects ever rock fan should listen to the
album at least once with headphones), the fluke hit "Money" and an
extensive tour, the album went #1; selling some 25 million copies; achieving
multi-platinum sales; while remaining on Billboard's album charts for a
staggering decade. An undeniable rock classic, the album also proved an
artistic albatross, by which all future offerings were judged. (Released
with a gatefold sleeve, original copies of the album included a pair of
posters.)
"Dark Side of the Moon" track listing:
1.) Speak To Me (Nick Mason) -
2.) Breathe (Roger Waters - Dave Gilmour - Richard Wright) -
3.) On the Run (Roger Waters - Dave Gilmour) -
4.) Time (Roger Waters - Dave Gilmour - Richard Wright) -
5.) The Great Gig In the Sky (Richard Wright) -
6.) Money (Roger Waters) -
7.) Us and Them (Roger Waters - Richard Wright) -
8.) Any Colour You Like (Dave Gilmour - Nick Mason - Richard Wright) -
9.) Brain Damage (Roger Waters) -
10.) Eclipse (Roger Waters) -
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