MEDDLE

It's been a little while since I've listened to the whole of Meddle, so I'll go with a level 3 going in. I have long been of the opinion that this album determined the direction that Pink Floyd took through the remainder of the 70s studio albums (Obscured by Clouds which follows this album chronologically, is a soundtrack so it plays by some different rules). I know 3 of the 6 quite well? One of these Days, Fearless & Echoes. Let's dive in!

Track 1 - One Of These Days

This is the only pre- Dark Side track that remained a staple of the live set throughout the rest of PFs touring days (if I'm not mistaken). In looking at the album credits, I see that Gilmour is not only shown on guitar for this one, but also the iconic bass line. (Upon further investigation, I see that he plays in unison with Waters.). We have a bit of a sinister blues shuffle happening here. Wright's organ accents are so cool. Mason's tom-tom fills when the slide guitar enters is a nice touch. The tremolo bass effect that begins at around 2:50 is very effective. Mason provides the line "One of these days I'm going to break you into little pieces" with lots of effects. The section following that disturbing statement is a pure release of adrenaline. Gilmour's slide guitar is sublime, and the rhythm section groove (including the keyboards) is absolutely cookin' Great, classic PF track.

Track 2 - A Pillow of Winds

I know a lot of fans love this track, but for some reason it has never stuck with me. It's got a nice folky feel, maybe a bit influenced by Dear Prudence by the Beatles. This is a mellow track indeed. Very meditative. Gilmour's vocals have a slightly different tone to my ears compared to how he usually sounds to my ears. Nice peaceful track.

Track 3 - Fearless

Another mellow tune, with a slightly country feel, I love the ascending guitar riff on this one. Additionally, Gilmour's vocals are wonderful, as are the harmonies. The guitar chords at 2:30 sound as though they might possibly have influenced Zebra's "Who's Behind the Door." This has always been one of my favorite PF, pre-DSOTM, tracks. As the band begins to fade out, a recording of Football (Soccer) fans singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" takes over. Excellent track.

Track 4 - San Tropez

Interestingly, the only lead vocal by Roger Waters on the album, this is a jazzy little ditty. It's kind of fun, and Gilmour gets to provide a nice Hawaiian guitar-type solo, and Wright plays a melodic piano solo. I, however, think it's one of the weaker tracks on the album.

Track 5 - Seamus

An acoustic blues tune with a dog howling. Again, it's fun, but not really essential PF.

Track 6 - Echoes

The Magnum Opus of the album. It's Floyd's second side-long track following the title track from the previous album, Atom Heart Mother. That "ping" that starts us off is instantly recognizable. Apparently, it was produced by Wright playing a single organ note through a Leslie (revolving) speaker. There is a slow fade in before the first verse begins just before the 3-minute mark. The vocals are shared by Gilmour & Wright. I love the riff that starts at around 3:45. Another verse and riff section leads us to a guitar solo that begins at around 5:30. The groove changes at around the 7:00 mark. Waters & Mason keep a steady groove happening while Gilmour and Wright trade some licks. Gilmour's solo is slightly-Hendrix-like. By around 11:20, we have reached the "whale song" section; very trippy indeed. By around 16 minutes the "ping" returns, and we come out of that section with sustained organ chords. Gilmour begins playing a rhythmic pattern not unlike the one he would use much later on The Wall as the track builds up. Mason plays some nice cymbal flourishes along the way. The vocals return just after the 19-minute mark. The sound of the instrumental parts is so wonderful as we begin to reach the conclusion of the album. Things chill out at around the 21-minute mark. We have some nice mellow playing to take us out of the song and into wind sound effects. An absolute classic.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

A very good album, with 3 great tracks, one pretty good track and 2 so-so tracks. Of course, one of the great ones constitutes half of the album. They were definitely close to where they were headed, but not quite there yet. I'll give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Clicking 4, but REALLY 4.5!!!

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