THE PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN

In August of 1967, the band released their first full-length album: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Even if this had been the only album Pink Floyd ever released, they would still be remembered as psychedelic royalty. The kaleidoscopic cover art only hints at what's held within the grooves of the record.

"Astronomy Domine" is my favorite song that Barrett ever wrote. It is mind-boggling how far ahead its time it sounds to the modern ear. The guitars are jagged and angular in a way I'd describe as post-punk, if post-punk weren't more than a decade away from existing. The melody is stranger and more complex than almost anything else that existed in the contemporary psych scene. The chromatic, descending organ and guitar duets make this song feel weird and off-kilter, and Nick Mason's tom-heavy drumming adds serious weight.

"Lucifer Sam" has a groovy, bluesy backbone with a bizarre, Dick Dale-sounding guitar solo. "Matilda Mother", in contrast, has a dreamy, childlike feel to the verses, undercut by sinister minor-key lines. The organ solo is notable for utilizing the Phrygian mode, which lends an unusual, Eastern Mediterranean flair. Also aiding in this regard is the fact that Wright played a Farfisa organ, which has a distinct sound from other organs, such as the omnipresent prog standard, the Hammond organ. (Wright would later deploy a Hammond as his primary organ, but these early recordings prominently feature the Farfisa.)

"Flaming" is the weakest song on Side 1, but its wide-eyed innocence is a fascinating time capsule of the late '60s. It's not a bad song, either; it simply pales against most of the other songs here.

"Pow R. Toc H." was a full-band effort, and it shows some of their earliest jazz influences, as well as some of Roger Waters's earliest weird-ass screeches. Side 1 ends on the one song without a Barrett writing credit, the Waters-penned "Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk". This is a manic, anxious piece that skitters along without any breathing room. Barrett's jittery guitar is key to this song's success, and Wright's organ solo is as inspired as anywhere.

Side 2 opens with the seminal "Interstellar Overdrive". Comprised of nearly ten minutes of psychedelic freakiness, this is one of Pink Floyd's defining pieces. The downward riff which opens this song never fails to grab me, and its rapid dissolution into echoing, meditative, brain-melting glory could be seen as a direct precursor to subgenres like zeuhl and krautrock. The rapid panning between audio channels in the song's final minute is disorienting in the best way, and my memories of the first time I heard this piece stick with me to this day.

Unfortunately, Side 2 isn't nearly as strong as Side 1. "The Gnome" is fucking insufferable, and "Chapter 24" is just boring. "Scarecrow" has some interesting folk touches, but it fails to make much impact.

Piper closes strong, though. "Bike" is another slice of madcap psychedelia. The music is dense, and Barret's simple melody and silly lyrics only serve to complement the more complex elements of the composition.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2021/03/01/deep-dive-pink-floyd/