ANIMALS

I wouldn't say that Animals is a hidden gem for Pink Floyd, but at the same time it's not a house hold album name like Dark Side of the Moon or The Wall. While the album structure is very tight, there are a few weak points.

The opening and closing tracks are essentially the same song. The only difference is the lyrics, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. These two tracks provide an easy sing-a-long style vocal pattern and they're easy to get into. "Dogs" is definitely, without a doubt, the focal point of the album. Being the longest track it can definitely be quite a bit to digest on the first listen. While the lyrics and a lot of the guitar work are astounding, the track itself is a bit too long. From the point where "-one" is repeated for about a minute and a half, to the dogs barking, to the trippy synthesizer section, I just get bored. It isn't until Gilmour comes back in playing the rhythm again that I start to get interested in the song again. Overall a fairly top notch song.

"Pigs" follows "Dogs" and is a bit lack luster. The lyrics are interesting to say the least, but the presentation isn't that great. Honestly, I tend to skip this song after all these years of playing the album because it has failed to ever get me singing along. "Sheep" is the next highlight of this album. The part where Waters' vocals evaporate into the synthesizer always gives me goosebumps. The lyrics and musical presentation on this song is probably the best for the whole album.

Maybe it's because I've never done any sort of drug to help me enjoy this album for the six years I have listened to it. Who knows? All I can really say is that this album has always stuck out as the best Floyd recording from their entire discography. Due to the song lengths, I don't think that it gets the appreciation that Dark Side of The Wall get. This is definitely an album for any Floyd fan, or anyone interested in good prog with great lyrics. I'd recommend it for at least a listen, to appreciate the glory years for one of the most celebrated (prog)rock bands of all time.