ATOM HEART MOTHER

Pink Floyd was still right in the middle of their psychedelic era at this point and delivered quite an interesting piece of prog here. Especially the title track has always intrigued me a lot. Tremendous variation lasting for 23 minutes, this one is pretty challenging to say the least. And yet there were already the first signs of a straightforward melodic Pink Floyd with this epic. Especially in the first half of the song there are hints to their later master piece epic SoyCD. And it's actually because of this that I manage to have the greatest respect for this epic. In fact it scores higher for my personal taste than the more praised Echoes from the later album Meddle. For I don't mind if a song gets complex and a little weird at times (challenging is a better word really) as long as there is also real music to be enjoyed. And that's what Pink Floyd did very well here. It's a great mix of all sorts of prog in all kinds of tempo and moods.

And this epic alone will determine my ultimate score for the larger part. Because it's so significant and essential in prog history. I mean, this is 1970 and to produce something like this at this moment in time is really a breakthrough and a milestone in progressive rock. Same as KC's debut also here I have ultimate respect for what is achieved with this track and album.

The b-side contains a couple of short songs and a mini epic to conclude with. If is a pretty ballad and quite famous of course. Nothing psychedelic here. Summer '68 is also fairly normal and quiet with dominant piano. Fat Old Sun is third in a row in this more or less same style. This time guitars accompany the restrained vocals.

Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast is a very interesting mini epic. In fact this is one of my earlier prog experiences as I bought the vinyl in the early eighties and after more than a quarter of a century (I just bought the disc and my pick up doesn't work anymore for a long time) I still remember the typical breakfast sounds in the song. Funny that this is actually the moment I remember most of the entire song. The rest is less psychedelic than the large epic I believe but all in all not as attractive if I may say so. Still very intriguing and original.

Leaves me the task to rate this album. It's not a masterpiece for me since it's too far from perfect. But rating it with three stars would be selling it short big time. So that leaves 4 stars as only possibility mainly due to great significance for prog history and also to sheer greatness. After Animals and WywH this is my most favourite PF album.