Pink Floyd Discography thread v. 'On An Island, end V1'

[Podaar]

Saucerful is a good album yet I tend to peeder-out midway through the title track and it just becomes background music as my mind wanders. The first two tracks are stellar though!

[GentlemanofDread]

Should have a post up about More tomorrow!

[JayOctavarium]

Dude... Kevin never played with Pink Floyd...

[GentlemanofDread]

Or did he?

[hefdaddy42]

Got about halfway through Saucerful this morning.  Thus far, MUCH better than Piper.

[Onno]

I listened to Saucerful a few times over the past few days. While there were still a few tracks that didn't really interest me, there was lots of good stuff on this album too.

[jingle.boy]

I'm running behind, I'll try to get to Saucerful later today or tomorrow. 

Three discography threads running at once is killing me lol

Try being on vacation too!  I got some serious homework to do when I get back next week.

[hefdaddy42]

Finished Saucerful.  God, it's been ages.

They still aren't there yet, but they've come a long way from where they were.

[Orbert]

Yeah, I thought this was a nice step up, though I didn't have any problem with the debut.  I think too many people expect these great classic bands to come out of the gate with their sound already finely honed and polished, and don't take into account how long it can take for a band to find its feet, how different the music scene was back then, and how experimental things were in general.  Pink Floyd would never have become the band they were later if they hadn't gone through these formative steps.

[GentlemanofDread]

I still haven't listened to the next album I'm bringing up yet today. My headphones have been messed up all day and it's driven me mad. But, after Saucerful of Secrets, so I can't do a post, but who's heard the soundtrack album, More? It's their first one, for a french arthouse movie named, well, More! I'd have a better post but, headphones and the fact I'm having a bit of problems.. finding things out about it.

[KevShmev]

I have to admit that I have never listened to More, and I don't intend to because of this thread either.  Nothing I have ever read about it has made me the least bit curious about checking it out, and I am not someone who feels like I have to listen to one of my favorite band's worst album (or 2nd worst) just so I can say I've heard it.  But hey, that's just me. 

[GentlemanofDread]

In my opinion, it's not even in the bottom three of Pink Floyd albums, but that's really just me.

[Zydar]

I've barely listened to More, but I remember Cymbaline being a track I quite enjoyed.

[Sketchy]

I've heard More. I rather like it although there are parts that I just don't remember.

Main Theme has a nice sort of feel to it, I like that one.
The Nile Song is a fun little number, very different from a lot of Floyd, but it works and it's not bad.
Cirrus Minor is wonderful. It's so dark and I love it.
Cymbaline is really lovely too.

The only other thing I generally remember is Up The Khyber. It's... interesting.

[Podaar]

I've gotten through half of More this afternoon but have run out of time. I actually like it quite a bit. So far The Nile Song and Main Theme has stood out to me. Hmmm...I wonder if this is still available!

I listen to the rest tomorrow.

[GentlemanofDread]

Having given this a listen finally again, I remember how good this is. Certainly the weakest track to me in Up the Khyber, but that's more that everything else is really good rather than it being bad. Main Theme is my favourite piece on More, but Quicksilver is up there too! Not the worst, not the best, but a good effort at their first soundtrack.

[emtee]

For those not familiar with the band RPWL you should check out their cover of Cymbaline on their live Start The Fire album.


10/10

[Podaar]

Having given this a listen finally again, I remember how good this is. Certainly the weakest track to me in Up the Khyber, but that's more that everything else is really good rather than it being bad. Main Theme is my favourite piece on More, but Quicksilver is up there too! Not the worst, not the best, but a good effort at their first soundtrack.

I enjoyed it on one full listen. I'll admit to being partially distracted with business but the notes I jotted down listed, The Nile Song, Main Theme and Ibiza Bar as being great. I'll want to listen again with your suggestions in mind.

[KevShmev]

Okay, does anyone else find it funny that all of this discussion about More is taking place before GentlemanofDread's official review of it?  

[jingle.boy]

Nope. He's slacking. His followers are not.

Will listen when I get back from vaca.

[GentlemanofDread]

I DO! Mainly because I can't find shit about it, it just seemed what happened was that the french director, Barbet Schroeder, randomly went "I want them", and Pink Floyd went yeah, sure. I can't find any comments about the writing or recording process, but it went smooth enough, it seems. They certainly got on well with Barbet for this soundtrack because they would work again on other soundtrack albums. This was the first Pink Floyd release without any input from Syd Barrett, and only one of two albums with David Gilmour as the sole lone vocalist on the album, which is surprising.

More- 1969

1. Cirrus Minor (Written by Waters, 5:18)
2. The Nile Song (Written by Waters, 3:26)
3. Crying Song (Written by Waters, 3:33)
4. Up The Khyber (Written by Mason & Waters, 2:12)
5. Green Is The Colour (Written by Waters, 2:58)
6. Cymbaline (Written by Waters, 4:50)
7. Party Sequence (Written by Waters, Wright, Gilmour, Mason, 5:27)
8. Main Theme (Written by Waters, Wright, Gilmour, Mason, 3:19)
9. Ibiza Bar (Written by Waters, Wright, Gilmour, Mason, 2:12)
10. Quicksilver (Written by Waters, Wright, Gilmour, Mason, 7:13)
11. A Spanish Piece (Written by Gilmour, 1:05)
12. Dramatic Theme (Written by Waters, Wright, Gilmour, Mason, 2:15)

Never actually seen the movie this album is for, but that's because it's not something I really fancy watching. The closest I can get to it is a French drug movie that's nearly as grim as Requim for a Dream, but I'm not too sure. It's not too important to talk about what the movie is about, which is strange considering we're discussing a film soundtrack.  Purely because rather than it being a film score backing the visuals, it was supposed to be like a radio. As Roger Waters said about the process.. "His (Barbet Schroeder's) feeling about music for movies was, in those days, that he didn't want a soundtrack to go behind the movie. All he wanted was, literally, if the radio was switched on in the car, for example, he wanted something to come out of the car. Or someone goes and switches the TV on, or whatever it is. He wanted the soundtrack to relate exactly to what was happening in the movie, rather than a film score backing the visuals."

So, yeah, it's less of a film score and more a bunch of music written to be played at sporadic points in the movie. I think I've done a terrible job explaining this one at least, so let's move onto the music! My official opinion? It's good. Not as good as the first three tracks on A Saucerful of Secrets, but More is good. It's certainly a big stepping point away from their psychedelic stuff, certainly, but there's still elements on it, such as Up The Khyber and Quicksilver. With Gilmour much more involved, there's some of his trademark guitar work and sound starting to rear it's head in some of the heavier songs like Main Theme.

The main talking point rather about this album is, at least for me, how Gilmour took over the main vocal duties for this album, and to be honest? Not the best effort. There's not a lot of confidence there, at least in my opinion, but it's all there, really. The rest of the album? Nothing special really. There's no true stand out appearances, though Main Theme and Nile Song are particularly of note for a more hard rock sound that you're used to for Pink Floyd. Certainly recommend those two, as well as the track Quicksilver, which keeps the psychedelic in one last time, but is a pretty relaxing track. Not much else to comment on. It's not special, it's just good. Listenable. You hear it and move on.

(Which should be Saturday we're moving onto an actual album release and not a soundtrack)

[jammindude]

It's been awhile since I've heard this, and I'm strapped for time.   I do remember that Cymbaline and The Nile Song were standouts.   But I disagree with the statement "a more hard rock sound that you're used to hearing from Pink Floyd".    My first exposure to Pink Floyd was The Wall when I was 10...and it didn't occur to me until later how uncharacteristically "hard rock" that album is.    Pink Floyd is almost never hard rock, and when they are, it tends to be the exception not the rule.

That being said, The Nile Song *is* an obvious exception, and could be one of the heaviest songs they ever wrote in their career.    (and not a bad example either)

[ReaperKK]

Taking a listen to this album now, it's been a while but I remember there being some great songs on here.

I remember reading Nick Mason's book and this album is barely mentioned.

[hefdaddy42]

Listened to More years ago, and I have no real desire to listen again.

[JayOctavarium]

I'm just about finishing up with Nick Mason's Biography. I had something I was going to share regarding More... But I can't find it now. lol


I really enjoyed More. Its very good (almost as good as DSotM) for putting on and letting yourself just drift off to sleep.



Oh and The Nile Song

[ReaperKK]

Just finished listening. I forgot how much filler is in this album which makes sense because it's a movie soundtrack. There are still some great tracks on here. Green is the colour being the highlight of the album for me.

[GentlemanofDread]

Eh, could be worse in the case of filler. Could be the next album (post coming MONDAY evening)

[ReaperKK]

Can't wait!

[jingle.boy]

Listened to Saucerful yesterday.  Thanks for the history lesson/reminder of why I don't listen to old PF - way to psychedelic and experimental for my liking.  Very few redeeming qualities to it, IMO.  I have More, but not sure I'll bother - too much catching up to do with BOC and Devy, as well as trying to figure out how/when to start my Zepplin listening/writeups.

Will definitely follow/listen/participate when we get to Meddle though.

[GentlemanofDread]

In a perfect world..

It's hard to talk about this next album.  Yes, Ummagumma. Well, that's not true that it's hard to talk about it.. I can tell you that it's split into a Studio side and a Live side.  The Live album, despite what the sleeve notes saying it was June 1969, was actually recorded at Mothers Club, Birmingham on 27 April 1969 and the following week at Manchester College of Commerce on 2 May of the same year as part of The Man and The Journey Tour. Also meant for the album was a live version of Interstellar Overdrive, which would have been pretty cool, and a studio piece known as "Embryo", a whole band project, but was dropped. It's a shame, and this rare track is actually pretty good. But why was it dropped?

Because someone (Richard Wright) had the idea that the band members, should individually make "Real Music." They would have half an LP side each to record something, and nobody else in the band could help each other. Yeah. That's right. So, it's essentially, "One college student had an idea and his mates decided to go along with it."

And with that..

Ummagumma- 1969 (October)

Live Album
1.    "Astronomy Domine"   (Syd Barrett)   8:29
2.    "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" (Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason & David Gilmour)     8:50
3.    "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"  (Waters)    9:26
4.    "A Saucerful of Secrets"  (Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour)    12:48

Studio Album
1.    "Sysyphus (Part 1)"      1:08
2.    "Sysyphus (Part 2)"      3:30
3.    "Sysyphus (Part 3)"      1:49
4.    "Sysyphus (Part 4)"   (All Wright)   6:59
5.    "Grantchester Meadows" (Waters)      7:19
6.    "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" (Waters)     5:01
7.    "The Narrow Way (Part 1)"      3:25
8.    "The Narrow Way (Part 2)"      2:54
9.    "The Narrow Way (Part 3)"  (All Gilmour)    5:51
10.    "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party (Part 1: Entrance)"      1:00
11.    "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party (Part 2: Entertainment)"      7:06
12.    "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party (Part 3: Exit)" (All Mason)     0:38

FIRST THING'S FIRST. This album is special even though it's pretty bad for one reason, to me, and it's that song you've not seen before, unless you brought Point Me At The Sky single. Careful With That Axe, Eugene. From the Pre-Meddle era, it's my favourite Pink Floyd song. But why? The long build up? The fact you can feel it building to something? The impressive scream from Waters? The mental climax? All. Just, if you've somehow missed listening to it, then fix it. Any version. Infact, the live side of this album is easily the best bit, it's a pretty good recording all in all, though none of the songs featured are their best versions.

And then, of course, the experiment. The Studio side. What's the verdict? This, to me, represents some of the worst that Pink Floyd has done. From here on in, everything gets better, but we've got to get through this. I don't really like Sysyphus,  Grantchester Meadows is very average. I can't call Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict something I'd ever recommend to someone, but it's a little guilty of pleasure of mine. The tape effects is something unique and it's all a bit new and a decent attempt at an experiment.

I don't like The Narrow Way, and as it turns out, my original thoughts that it just sounded a bit.. lacking in the trying department were true! Gilmour said that he bullshitted his way through the piece, and I feel it shows. There's nothing inspired here. Gilmour tried to break the rules of the no band helping approach and tried to get Waters to write lyrics for him, but quite rightly, Waters said no.

Oh, and Mason delievered the best piece, with his then wife on flute and it's essentially a drum solo, but it's got the nice party atmosphere to it.

I feel like we had to have this. The low, you see, makes what comes after it just that little bit sweeter and that little bit richer.

[KevShmev]

I like the concept of the album cover (even though its execution could have been much better).

I like the live songs.

I do NOT like Disc 2.  At all.

[Ultimetalhead]

This is easily the most average thing to ever come out of a stellar band. Everything before and after Ummagumma is at least good based on its creative merits. This is just...yeah.

[hefdaddy42]

This is another album that I haven't listened to in years, and I'm not sure that I want to listen to it again.

Maybe.

[Orbert]

I love the live stuff.  I had this album on LP  (and still do, of course) before I had either of the first two albums, so for a long time this was the earliest Pink Floyd I had.  "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" still kills me.  Perhaps that was a poor choice of words.  You know what I mean.  But all the live stuff is great.

I re-listened to this album the other day, and wow, I remembered the individual studio works all being pretty experimental, but I somehow remembered them being better.  The idea of giving each member of a band the freedom to do solo stuff isn't bad as a concept, but it helps if everyone's on board with it, and it helps even more if they have material they actually want and need to share.  Emerson Lake & Palmer had Works, Volume One, but that was late into their career when they all had different solo stuff going on anyway.  They were all more mature musicians and there wasn't a whole lot of experimental stuff going on.  Here, it's just a chore to get through.

Rick Wright's contributions seem the most fully formed.  Keyboard players, most of whom started by taking piano lessons, seem to have a bit more affinity for Classical music, and a certain number of them will aspire to write a Classical opus.  But since this was the 60's, somehow it couldn't just be that; it had to have weird experimental stuff thrown in.

"Grantchester Meadows" isn't horrible, but that stupid bird loop ruins it for me.  It has a certain rhythm to it, but it's semi-random (since it's an actual bird loop) and I can't tell if it's supposed to be the rhythm track to the piece or is just there for atmosphere.  But either way, it's annoying.  I too have a soft spot for "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict".  It's so crazy silly Waters that it actually works and I admire the result even if I can't say I care to listen to it more than once a year or so.

Gilmour's piece is rather aimless, but it would be tolerable if it didn't have that weird sound effect coming in once in a while just to be experimental and cool.  Dude, have some confidence in your own ability and just record a guitar piece.  It's not horrible, just not great.

I like the flute in "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party" but after that it loses me.  I rarely bother finishing this one.  By this point, I've had enough 60's acid Pink Floyd.  Maybe I'll give it another go since you say it's the best of the lot, but I don't know when.

[jingle.boy]

The Live disc isn't the worst thing I've listened to this thread.