Pink Floyd: Atom Heart Mother : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

At one time, Pink Floyd was far-out, freaky even. Their work in the electronic capabilities of rock was more advanced than most people recognize. Their use of a third, rear, sound source anticipated quadraphonics. And their music, if it wasn't memorable, reached into the limits of their experimentation. Most other groups, when they thought in terms of electronics, thought only of painful feedback. Pink Floyd used sounds no one else thought of and could make them lyrical besides. Their last album, Ummagumma, while a bit drawn-out, had all their best elements.

Atom Heart Mother is a step headlong into the last century and a dissipation of their collective talents, which are considerable.

Side one is a suite, almost a symphony. It has a lot in it. They use orchestral elements and a choir. The best that can be said for it is that it's craftsman-like and that in spite of its many parts, it's an entity. But that's all.

It turns out to be an Impressionist orchestral sketch of (I think) a morning that includes some rock elements. As Impressionism, it's occasionally effective, but on a very imitative level. The beginning does sound sunrisey. And, there are sounds that draw pictures. But, as a whole it's awful schmaltzy and a little vapid.

Side two is generally worse. "If" is English folk at its deadly worst. It's soft and silly. Ditto "Fat Old Sun."

The only redeeming feature on this side is the last cut, "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast" and then only partially so. The part is not the music, but the integrated Arising and Breakfast sounds.

I was listening through earphones, and so three-dimensional and realistic were the sounds that I took off the phones to see who was breaking in. I couldn't believe it to be part of the record. Once I got over that, though, it was the same insubstantial melange as the rest of the record.

If Pink Floyd is looking for some new dimensions, they haven't found them here.

Try freaking out again, Pink Floyd.

ALEC DUBRO
(RS 72 - December 10, 1970)

(Posted: Dec 10, 1970)

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3of 5 Stars

While David Gilmour described this album as a 'load of rubbish' and Roger Waters said that it should be 'thrown in the dustbin and never listened to by anyone ever again', well, has some interesting material, but it's unfortunately flawed. There are only 5 tracks here, the opener -which occupied side 1 of the original LP- is a 23-minute instrumental suite, their longest song ever (not counting the two halves of Wish You Were Here's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", of course) composed with help of an scottish experimental artist called Ron Geesin. The first two or three minutes (or, the section called "Father's Shout") are mind-blowing, with an orchesta providing emotion to the track, followed by amazing solos by Rick Wright (keyboards) and Gilmour (guitar). Then for 5-minutes a choir starts singing... it may leave you asleep! Minutes 10-15 have an amazing solo by Mr Gilmour... however, the solo section (or "Mother Fore") is suddenly followed by horrible experimental synth noises that totally ruin the track, after that (like minute 17 or 18) the suite starts repeating itself pointlessly (in my case, I almost skip the track just before the synth -or "Funky Dung"- section), ending with a long note from the orchesta and the choir, and with mixed feelings by my side.

Side two is just three solo songs by Waters ("If", a folky ballad, just as those found on earlier album "More", but this time with a pessimistic flavour), Wright ("Summer 68", a piano pop song about a night with a groupie), and Gilmour ("Fat Old Sun", a pastoral ballad, a bit boring, but contains a great solo at the ending), with a psychedelic sound collage ("Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast") feat. one of their roadies. When you listen to it for the first time, it may be both interesting and funny, but for the second one is quite dull and boring.

AHM is, basically, a transitional era between the experimental/space rock Floyd of the 60's, and the 70's "classic Floyd" sound. A bit interesting, though.

Apr 4, 2007 20:20:19

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