How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Outstanding
Value for Money
Advantages:
Thought provoking
Disadvantages:
Bad memories
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
One day in the early seventies my dad brought home this record, previously he had shown little interest in music except to shout "TURN IT DOWN" to my sister playing her "Bay City Rollers' records".
Opening with "Breathe/speak to me", the spoken lyric which continues sporadically through the album commences "I've been mad for fucking years", sets the scene for one of the main subject areas of this classic disc.
Madness and the essential futility of many occupations are well explored on this recording.
The instrumental "On the run" is a showcase for future Tangerine Dream soundtrack recordings with a repetitive trance like beat ultimately leading to nowhere much, very like a commuter train.
The seminal "Time" with sound effects aplenty references American philosopher (in days gone by not the oxymoron it is today) H.D.Thoreau with it's mention of "Quiet desperation", in describing initially a day in the life of a commuter at work and later the life of aforesaid commuter.
"The great gig in the sky" uses a simple piano motif set against the soaring vocals of Clare Torry (paid £30 at the time) and is a brief repite from the lyrical politics of the remainder.
"Money" with it's sound effects reminiscent of the "are you being served" theme tune will be familiar to most listeners, reflects on the power of the mighty dollar and continues to be a sign of the times.
"Us and them", is a short treatise on war and class with it's straightforward condemnation of leaders who take no responsibility for their actions,"Forward he cried from the rear and the front rank died The General sat, and the lines on the map moved from side to side".
"Any colour you like", is a further instrumental number which nicely links to the following tracks.
"Brain damage" appears to forecast tensions which will appear within the band and the difficulties in dealing with the success which is yet to come.
The final track "Eclipse" lists all the actions in a day and appears to say it doesn't matter.
The final spoken subtext, "There is no dark side of the moon really, as a matter of fact it's all dark" gives us a choice to make up our own minds about the album.
More details
How does it rate alongside the competition
Outstanding
Cover / Inlay Design and Content
Outstanding
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