Pink Floyd: Dark Side Of The Moon : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

One of Britain's most successful and long lived avant-garde rock bands, Pink Floyd emerged relatively unsullied from the mire of mid-Sixties British psychedelic music as early experimenters with outer space concepts. Although that phase of the band's development was of short duration, Pink Floyd have from that time been the pop scene's preeminent techno-rockers: four musicians with a command of electronic instruments who wield an arsenal of sound effects with authority and finesse. While Pink Floyd's albums were hardly hot tickets in the shops, they began to attract an enormous following through their US tours. They have more recently developed a musical style capable of sustaining their dazzling and potentially overwhelming sonic wizardry.

The Dark Side of the Moon is Pink Floyd's ninth album and is a single extended piece rather than, a collection of songs. It seems to deal primarily with the fleetingness and depravity of human life, hardly the commonplace subject matter of rock. "Time" ("The time is gone the song is over"), "Money" ("Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie"). And "Us And Them" ("Forward he cried from the rear") might be viewed as the keys to understanding the meaning (if indeed there is any definite meaning) of The Dark Side of the Moon.

Even though this is a concept album, a number of the cuts can stand on their own. "Time" is a fine country-tinged rocker with a powerful guitar solo by David Gilmour and "Money" is broadly and satirically played with appropriately raunchy sax playing by Dick Parry, who also contributes a wonderfully-stated, breathy solo to "Us And Them." The non-vocal "On The Run" is a standout with footsteps racing from side to side successfully eluding any number of odd malevolent rumbles and explosions only to be killed off by the clock's ticking that leads into "Time." Throughout the album the band lays down a solid framework which they embellish with synthesizers, sound effects and spoken voice tapes. The sound is lush and multi-layered while remaining clear and well-structured.

There are a few weak spots. David Gilmour's vocals are sometimes weak and lackluster and "The Great Gig in the Sky" (which closes the first side) probably could have been shortened or dispensed with, but these are really minor quibbles. The Dark Side of the Moon is a fine album with a textural and conceptual richness that not only invites, but demands involvement. There is a certain grandeur here that exceeds mere musical melodramatics and is rarely attempted in rock. The Dark Side of the Moon has flash-the true flash that comes from the excellence of a superb performance.

LOYD GROSSMAN
(RS 135 - May 24, 1973)

(Posted: May 24, 1973)

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Give us your review of Dark Side Of The Moon

Review 1 of 4

5of 5 Stars

whoever only gave this 4 and a half stars is a loser. i should be at rolling stone not them

Jul 22, 2007 21:24:42

Review 2 of 4

5of 5 Stars

It's pretty easy to sum up this album, though you could go for days on end trying to capture its entire worth. Basically, it's one of the top ten albums of all time, without question. If it wasn't for Pink Floyd, there'd be no Radiohead, no Tool, no Mars Volta, on A Perfect Circle, and this album is the epicenter for all that creative inspiration. Epic.

May 18, 2007 12:53:41

Review 3 of 4

5of 5 Stars

Pink Floyd’s 1973 monumental album THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON reminds me of a portrait of the Duke of Lerma painted in 1603 by Pieter Paul Rubens. Mounted on a dashing white horse with a gorgeous mane, he sits stiffly in his ceremonial attire, with watery eyes and pensively sulking brows.
This is how Pink Floyd’s magnus opus displays its noble status – in a melange of wit, philosophic quest, rhythmic power and poetic sensitivity never heard before in the realm of rock. Not even the four Beatles had been able to convey so much force in their revolutionary music. To the kingdom’s commoners, the members of the post-Barret Pink Floyd were neither friends nor foes; according to these indifferent people, the band members did much to impoverish the music of the original Floyd and to weaken its originality overall. Nevertheless, in order to keep their fans happy, Roger Waters & Co. provided tuneful food for thought for many future generations of lovers of “serious” music. Not once, they compared their idols’ music – especially THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON – to the music of Beethoven, Wagner, and Stravinsky. Pink Floyd is also credited with having taken significant steps to modernize rock music. THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON has truly swept out the old guard of rockers, and has favoured forward-looking artiste musicians.
The extraordinary vision of all the Pink Floyd members has created immortal masterpieces, little symphonies to last forever, even as those by Beethoven or Mozart. Songs like TIME, MONEY, or ECLIPSE are now iconic; however, when the album was released in the early 1970’s, this kind of music was totally serendipitous.
The singers and instrumentalists who have created this album have wedged themselves into the not overly large space of the studio, but the result is fabulous: there is a sense of familiarity on this album that has also contributed to its cult status. Almost miraculously, the pieces fall into place. It must have been an incredible sensation for these musicians to participate in what amounts to a shamanistic ritual. And that sympathetic magic – to quote Fraser – in such songs as ON THE RUN, THE GREAT GIG IN THE SKY, or US AND THEM is passed on to the listener. Stylistically, the music of THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON goes many different places – from polyphony to intimate interludes. Some of the variety is hinted at just by the pitches – for example, in ANY COLOUR YOU LIKE and SPEAK TO ME / BREATHE.
This great album, which is fascinating both musically and historically, is just like that coat which proclaims itself “fit for a king.” You can truly wear it in your heart without guilt. DANIEL DELEANU

Apr 4, 2007 21:03:36

Review 4 of 4

5of 5 Stars

this is the ultimate album in progressive rock. Every track shows what a diverse band pink floyd are. Breathe is beautiful, melodic track that shows how serene the english language is.money's fantastic bass line is a work of genius from Roger Waters, it wangles it's way into your memory and the lyrics have such power behind them that you can't deny.

A brilliant album by four immensely talent men,they prove that any fool can pick up a guitar and play but it takes a true talent to merge many genres and create an audio masterpiece that can be enjoyed by so many people.

May 31, 2006 14:23:55

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