Been away for a bit but this interested me enough to reply/hold forth. It's pointless tying to convince anybody that a record is good or bad so I won't bother but amongst the 'popular classic rock' records...shudder...'Dark Side Of The Moon' is certainly a cut above the rest. Your resident genius has succumbed to the mental illness that, with hindsight, informed 'Piper' and the brilliant singles of the era so what do you do? Write an album's worth of songs detailing the pressures that drive us all close to the edge, which is undoubtedly an acknowledgent of Syd's illness and a stark mirror for the rest of us. Roger Waters' lyrics are as bleak and comfortless as anything in pop music, with the exception of Dylan's 'Time Out Of Mind' and the rather more arty 'Pink Moon' yet, like these records, they illuminate aspects of the human condition that few writers dare to approach, at least in such a fearless fashion. If 'DSOTM' had been recorded by some unknown band, shelved and rediscovered by a later generation it would be hailed as a masterpiece: Waters would be regarded as a dark, messianic and literate lyricist, Rick Wright would get the credit he deserves as a very fine keyboard player and Gilmour and Mason as more than adequate contributors to the sonic majesty of this rather too popular and beautifully-recorded record. And that's it really isn't it? It was too damn successful for its own good, ie it lacks the cool credibility of the great outsider rock record, so it's easy to take a pop at it's mainstream status. Perhaps it's a bit too serious and self-consciously grim, unleavened by the humour of a Morrissey, for example, or more pertinently, a Barrett. I don't listen to it very often but when I do I'm totally engaged by it.
As for the Barrett solo stuff, well, as a study of mental disintegration, matched only by Skip Spence's 'Oar', it's a roaring success. I love 'The Madcap Laughs' but my God it's an uncomfotable and ghoulish listen despite containing some unbelievably beautiful songs. Even on 'Pink Moon', in fact, especially on 'Pink Moon', Nick Drake's musicianship and performances are focused and coherent.
These days, given the terrifying state of everything I prefer a jolly tune. Apologies for going on a bit but I love music.
As for the Barrett solo stuff, well, as a study of mental disintegration, matched only by Skip Spence's 'Oar', it's a roaring success. I love 'The Madcap Laughs' but my God it's an uncomfotable and ghoulish listen despite containing some unbelievably beautiful songs. Even on 'Pink Moon', in fact, especially on 'Pink Moon', Nick Drake's musicianship and performances are focused and coherent.
These days, given the terrifying state of everything I prefer a jolly tune. Apologies for going on a bit but I love music.
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