Pink Floyd

Released in 1970, Atom Heart Mother is just a flat-out weird record. Sound effects, orchestral passages and the ever-present panning techniques make for some truly psychedelic moments, but the highlights are the way the conventional "If" and "Fat Old Sun" point toward the greatness to come.

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 el... More >

Believe it or not, the, er, suite on the first side is easier to take than the, gawd, songs on the second. Yeah, they do leave the singing to an anonymous semi-classical chorus, and yeah, they probably did get the horns for the fanfares at the same hiring hall. But at least the suite provides a few of the hypnotic melodies that made Ummagumma such an admirable record to fall asleep to. (Grade - D+)