Showing posts with label Syd Barrett. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Syd Barrett. Show all posts
5/14/09
Pink Floyd - A Saucerful Of Secrets - 1968
If it isn't already obvious,
I'm in love with the works of Syd Barrett!
Although this was only Pink Floyd's second album,
it was sadly also the last official studio album
of theirs to feature Syd. Apparently, his heavy drug use
had finally started to take a toll on his mental state
and the life of a rock star only worsened things even more,
so he made the decision to leave the band.
But, as sad and regretful as that is, his spiral down
into insanity did lead to a very odd, yet brilliant in every way,
album that is loved by almost every psych-head who's ever heard it!
The only real complaints I've heard about this album
from those who know how to appreciate the good in insanity
is that it isn't as "raw" as the first album and although that
is true, all that really means is that it's less of an actual
'rock' album and more of a musical theme for both
a trip into insanity and... "other" trips as well!
Though, like all the best psych albums,
it makes it possible to "trip out" with any
other external help needed.
In truth, its kind of a short album,
but after the instrumental journey the twelve minute
long title track takes you on and the psychedelic genius
of the other six tracks, you'll have to agree to that this album
is nothing short of a psych masterpiece! But to me, even outside
the realm of psych music, it should still be considered a masterpiece!
I mean, in parts of this album, there are clear classical influences.
Sure, anyone, with the right instruments, can make something sound
somewhat classical, but few people can pull it off this well while still
containing a solid psychedelic vibe of pure melancholy insanity.
Over all, it's a beautiful album with a sound like no other.
Track Listing
1. Let There Be More Light - 5:39
2. Remember A Day - 4:33
3. Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun - 5:27
4. Corporal Clegg - 4:12
5. A Saucerful Of Secrets - 12:00
6. See-Saw - 4:37
7. Jugband Blues - 3:00
12/21/08
Syd Barrett - Barrett - 1970
Here's the second solo album by Syd Barrett.
It's pretty much the same as the first album,
just with different songs, but that's not a bad thing.
He was just doing his thing and he wasn't really trying
to impress anyone, he just wanted to be heard
and even then, he didn't want that too badly either, heh.
If there is a difference between the two albums,
it would be that he seems slightly more confident in this one
and this one also seems to have had a bit more thought
put into it and more time into the mixing, but not much.
Still, I love this album and it's very relaxing in a really
trippy kind of way.
The third track, 'Dominoes', has a very curious
guitar slow solo sliding throughout the whole thing.
Apparently, when they recoded it, they did the whole song,
the reversed it, then Syd just played the guitar track over it.
When he was done, they re-reversed it and thus we have this
very interesting guitar sound that has yet to be mimicked!
Track Listing
1. Baby Lemonade - 4:14
2. Love Song - 3:08
3. Dominoes - 4:11
4. It Is Obvious - 3:02
5. Rats - 3:04
6. Maisie - 2:54
7. Gigolo Aunt - 5:49
8. Waving My Arm In The Air - 2:09
9. I Never Lied To You - 1:54
10. Wined And Dined - 3:01
11. Wolfpack - 3:44
12. Effervescing Elephant - 1:57
13. Baby Lemonade (Take 1) - 3:49
14. Waving My Arms In The Air (Take 1) - 2:15
15. I Never Lied To You (Take 1) - 1:50
16. Love Song (Take 1) - 2:34
17. Dominoes (Take 1) - 0:43
18. Dominoes (Take 2) - 2:38
19. It Is Obvious (Take 2) - 3:51
2/10/08
Syd Barrett - The Madcap Laughs - 1970
This is Syd Barrett's first solo album
which he made after leaving Pink Floyd. It's
a lot softer then his stuff with Pink Floyd
and there is a lot of acoustic guitar on it,
but it's just as crazy in it's own way
and the vocals are extremely hypnotizing,
while showing an extreme lack of any effort at all
with a pinch of depression.
If his work with Pink Floyd really was
the sound of a man going insane,
then this is definitely the after math!
The first track "Terrapin"
is a hypnotizing love song
which, while beautiful and catchy,
would probably make your girlfriend
worry about you if you played it for her.
No drums in it. Just an acoustic, vocals,
and a soft playing electric guitar
which solos though out most of the song,
but can be easily forgotten.
The second track "No Good Trying"
Is just as beautiful and hypnotizing,
but it's actually a little heavy!
The music sounds so messy,
but it all falls in place.
The drums are almost constantly doing rolls,
while electric guitars play at the same time:
one semi soloing and the other one
soloing through out the whole thing
on a reverse track.
Plus, all the other seemingly random sounds
which pop up all over the place
really add to the crazy vibe
that Syd's voice and lyrics are producing!
The third track "Love You"
isn't really hypnotizing,
but Syd still sounds like he's insane in it!
It's set at a faster tempo then the first two
and has somewhat... "cute" lyrics,
but the way Syd sings thing still makes them seem
a bit creepy and crazy, but that's why I like it!
Also, the old time piano playing going on
is pretty cool two even though it doesn't stand out much.
The fourth track "No Man's Land"
is probably the most experimental song
on the whole album! The drums keep a
steady rhythm through out it,
while the guitar noises sound like they
should be extremely loud,
but actually they're not that loud at all!
Syd's voice is even louder then them.
But, the craziest of of this
is towards the end where
the vocal track got messed up
and Syd liked the way it sounded,
so he kept it like that.
You can't understand anything he's saying
and it sounds like he's speaking in tongue,
but that's why it's so cool.
The fifth track "Dark Globe"
isn't as good as the rest musically and vocally wise,
but the lyrics are pretty amazing at times!
It really sounds like he's speaking to the world.
"Won't you miss me? Wouldn't you miss me at all?"
The sixth track "Here I Go"
is done on guitar, drums, and bass,
but still has a slight swing sound to it
and it sounds even more old school then it should!
But, it's actually one of my favorite songs on this album.
It's a love song about a girlfriend who treats a guy badly
leaving him and he ends up falling for her sister.
Probably the catchiest and easiest to sing along to songs
on this entire album!
The seventh track "Octopus"
isn't that easy to sing along with,
but just the way i sounds
makes you want to learn all the lyrics
and sing with Syd.
It's the most fun song on here!
This is THE best song on here
and you just have to listen to it yourself.
"The madcap laughed at the man on the border
The eighth track "Golden Hair"
is one of the slower and darker sounding songs.
Not too many parts to it,
but the lyrics a stolen from a really old poem
and Syd makes them sound almost scary!
It sounds as if you're in a dark cave
somewhere in the middle of Spain...
The ninth track "Long Gone"
is also slow and dark and at first,
you might mistake it for a really dark
country song, but it's not.
The only thing country about it
is that opening guitar part.
What I really like about this song is
when the music picks up and
the vocals are tripled tracked
and each track is singing in a different pitch.
The highest pitched one is far in the background
and almost has to yell just to be heard at all,
but that's what makes it such at trip!
The tenth track "She Took A Long Cold Look"
is all acoustic and not nearly as dark
as the last two tracks!
You can tell he did this in one take
do to the fact that he comes close to stopping
just to think of what the next set of lyrics are
and you can kind of hear him
turning the music sheet over.
Plus, at the end he says "That short?"
Great song though and it's really nice to lay in bed
listening to this song thinking about your relationships.
The eleventh track "Feel"
isn't much different from the rest of the album,
but still a great song and it sounds awesome
when they sneak in the echo effect!
The twelfth track "If It's In You"
isn't dark at all, but it's one of the more
hypnotizing sounding songs and is probably
the only song that he actually puts even a little effort
into trying to sing at all. Plus, the lyrics are great too!
"Did I wink of this, I am.
Yum, yummy, yum, don't, yummy, yum, yom, yum...
Yes, I'm thinking of this, in stream.
Skeleton kissed to the steel rail."
The thirteenth track "Late Night"
is probably the most mellow track on this album
and the drums are playing so soft you can barely hear them.
Like most of the songs on here,
it really makes you just want to lay down
and stare at the ceiling.
This is actually a love song
that you could sing to someone you love!
Just don't sing it as crazy as he does.
"And the way you kiss
will always be a very special thing to me."
Track Listing
1. Terrapin - 5:05
2. No Good Trying - 3:28
3. Love You - 2:30
4. No Man's Land - 3:03
5. Dark Globe - 2:02
6. Here I go - 3:13
7. Octopus - 3:48
8. Golden Hair - 2:01
9. Long Gone - 2:51
10. She Took A Long Cold Look - 2:07
11. Feel - 2:36
12. If It's In You - 1:57
13. Late Night - 3:13
2/5/08
Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn - 1967
This is another one of my all time favorite albums.
It's Pink Floyd's first album and probably best one too!
It's one of the two Pink Floyd albums with Syd Barrett on it
and you can literally hear him going insane!
This album is so amazing,
that there's not much I can actually say about it
and really, you just need to hear it for yourself.
It's truly the music of a mad genius!
The first track "Astronomy Domine"
makes you feel as though you're in a space ship
going into outer space. The vocal work is great
and sounds as if it's just another instrument!
The rest of the music is laid on soft,
but still maintains a heavy feeling to it
which at times will make you feel like you're floating
and at other times will make you feel like you're falling.
If you're obsessed with space,
then you NEED to hear this song.
The second track "Lucifer Sam"
is heavier and actually has somewhat of a structure to it!
Not much is spacey about this,
but it's still an amazing sound
with great lyrics and guitar parts.
But, it's the bass and background sounds
which really holds this song together.
After you hear this song,
you'll most likely be randomly shouting
"THAT CAT'S SOMETHING I CAN'T EXPLAIN"
for at least a few day, but who cares!?!
It's a great song!
The third track "Matilda Mother"
is party spacey, but it also
has many other feels to it.
Some parts seem to give a desert vibe,
but it might just be my imagination...
Either way, it's a great song
about a mother reading a book to her child
with amazing vocals, music, and lyrics!
Even the noises they make with there mouths
make for pretty good music mixed with that echo!
The fourth track "Flaming"
is one of the more uppity tunes,
but there's a sad, insane feeling about it.
It sounds as if you are walking through
a magical forest somewhere
with giant flowers and mushrooms.
Like everything on this album,
the music, vocals, and lyrics are great!
But, there's just something creepy
about Syd singing
"Yippee, you can't see me, but I can you". >.<
The fifth track "Pow R Toc H"
I suppose could be called an instrument...
There is vocal work in it, but no actual lyrics.
It's just noises made to sound like instruments
and they did an amazing job with it!
Aside from that, there's a
little mumbling in the background,
but you can't really make it out.
The jam they get into in this
is whats really amazing in it though.
The drums a bass are almost making
a jungle sound and rhythm,
while the piano plays as though
it's in an old run down bar somewhere.
Then it gets into all sorts of things...
Probably one of the best tracks on the album!
The sixth track "Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk"
is probably my favorite track on here!
Not a lot of lyrics, but the lyrics are great
and you could almost call them catchy!
But, they go a bit to fast to actually be too catchy.
Oh, and once again, they get into an amazing jam session!
Also, this has weird vocal noises too.
Syd seemed to have loved them!
The seventh track "Interstellar Overdrive"
is a short, but fairly good instrumental jam
which plays into the next song.
It almost gives the feeling of falling...
The eighth track "Gnome"
is a fun little song about a
gnome named 'Grimble Crumble'
a has a big adventure amidst the grass.
But, to me, the coolest part
is when Syd says
"Look at the sky. Look at the river. Isn't it good?"
Don't know why... just the way he says it...
The ninth track "Chapter 24"
probably has the best bass parts on it
and the gong, piano, and other misc. instruments
are also used quite nicely!
Don't know why, but I think I like the lyrics in it
more then any of the other songs...
But all the lyrics Syd writes are great!
The tenth track "Scarecrow"
is about a black and green scarecrow
who is sad that he can't move,
but doesn't mind because life's not unkind.
The coolest sounds in this song
are coming from the keyboard...
or at least I think that's what they're using...
Either way, it's a great and weird song
with some interesting lyrics
and no bass at all, but the emptiness of that
works with the lyrics.
The eleventh track "Bike"
is probably the weirdest thing on this album!
The main corus sounds nothing like the rest of it,
the music sounds like an insane marching band,
and everything in it sounds really messy,
but like everything else on here,
it's perfect if you wanna hear the mind of a mad man!
It end the album kind of upruptly,
but hey! That's just Syd's style!
Track listing
1. Astronomy Domine - 4:06
2. Lucifer Sam - 3:05
3. Matilda Mother - 3:05
4. Flaming - 2:44
5. Pow R Toc H - 4:24
6. Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk - 3:04
7. Interstellar Overdrive - 1:33
8. Gnome - 2:11
9. Chapter 24 - 3:39
10. Scarecrow - 2:08
11. Bike - 3:21
*re-uploaded*
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