Songs: Atom Heart Mother (Father´s Shout – Breast Milky – Mother Fore – Funky Dung – Mind Your Throats
Please – Remergence), If, Summer 68, Fat Old
Sun, Alan´s Psychedelic Breakfast (Rise and Shine – Sunny Side Up –
Morning Glory).
Type of Music: Psychedelic Rock
Comments:
“We know we´re going somewhere but we´re not
quite sure where and how”. The group must have had these kind
of thoughts in 1970. It would explain the cover of the album with the now
famous cow. I think the band wanted to express the fact that the music on it
could be anything made by anybody. Free your mind and let the ideas flow.
When interviewed many years later, most of the
band members do not think very highly of this Album, released in 1970 and
recorded in the Abbey Road Studios in London. I do not agree with their
statements. Stylistically this album is a logical follow up to the studio half
of the Ummagumma Album. Again, one side of the Album contains a group effort
while the other half showcases individual songs written by the various band
members. But this time the Avant Garde music was taken a step further with the
help of Ron Geesin, a full bras section and a choir.
But in comparison to Ummagumma, the musical ideas
here are more defined, with the exception of the Mind Your Throats Please part
of the opening suite that is more a collection of sounds.The actual songs and
melodies however are quite strong and thoroughly enjoyable.
The Album kicks of with the Atom Heart Mother
Suite, one of the longest Pink Floyd songs (23.36). It's one of the first
successful combinations of progressive rock and classical music. The main theme
Father's Shout is very strong. It could have been used as a film
soundtrack but in the end the contract did not go ahead. And although not all
parts of the Suite are equally good they provide us with a very interesting
listen that grows on you with every spin and does not bore easily. And Roger's
guitar playing holds the promise of greater things to come.
The album closer is another long piece called Alan´s
Psychedelic Breakfast. Alan is Alan Stiles, one of the roadies of the group
who is preparing breakfast and is remembering other breakfasts in between the
three instrumental parts. The newly applied production techniques make it all
sound very realistic and funny. Very crispy bacon! The music itself is more
forgettable than the title track but the experiment still manages to hold my
attention after all these years. Still, it's the weakest track on the album.
In between these suites are three shorter songs,
respectively written by Waters, Wright and Gilmour.
The first one If is a nice mainly acoustic
pastoral folk song in the style of Grantchester Meadows. But If has
a stronger melody, very honest introspective lyrics and a great guitar solo.
It is followed by Summer' 68, written by
Richard Wright. A very accurate picture of one night stands and life on the
road in the Summer of Love era. Strong melody. Good Song.
And finally we have Fat Old Sun, written
by David Gilmour, another ode to the beloved countryside. Many have said the
band sounds like the Kinks here but who cares! Great melody, great song.
So there you have it in a nut shell. One
excellent and one at least interesting suite plus three quality Pink Floyd
Songs. I give this Album a very solid 8 and can't understand why the band with
the exception of Richard has become so negative about this album. Atom Heart
Mother makes for a very relaxing listen after a hard day´s work. Try it
out!
Rating: ******** (8 out of 10)
Black = Good Songs
Green = Great Songs
Red = Could Be Better
Who should buy this Record: While it´s not an essential Pink Floyd Album, it's certainly worth owning. It´s got a high
Anti-Stress Factor! Make sure you get the Re-Mastered Version!
