THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

It has sold so many millions of copies, the band probably stopped counting many years ago, and its success, in my opinion, was owing to two main reasons aside from the fact that the performances were simply so good. It was made at a time of economic recession in the UK, when everything was becoming extremely bleak and the lights were, literally, starting to turn off at night. In addition, its release coincided with the boom in reasonably priced hi-fi equipment, made even more accessible to the great unwashed masses by the advent of hire purchase repayments. This, and Tubular Bells, took full advantage.

This is the first of the great quartet of albums the band released that more or less defined the progressive rock era of the 1970's, bringing that genre to the masses in a way no other artist had managed before (or since, for that matter). The compositions, at a time when the band were still fully functioning as a coherent unit, were incredible, and the lyrics, in which Waters gave a treatise on life, war, insanity, and the general unfairness of it all, touched a massive raw nerve. Forget the whoary old chestnut about lying down to have sex stoned listening to this, it was, and is, an album which demanded to be listened to, and one of those greats which brings something new each and every time you listen, no matter how many times you listen.

Although a collection of individual tracks, the whole thing moves along so seamlessly, you could be forgiven for thinking it was one whole piece. There are also far too many highlights to list, but special credit goes for the sheer bleak emotion that Gilmour wrings out in his solo during Time, the incredible vocal performance of Clare Torry on Great Gig In The Sky (Richard Wright's last great moment writing for the band), the iconography of Money and the finest sax solo ever delivered on a rock album, the sheer manic intensity of Brain damage. It goes on and on.

A masterpiece not just of progressive rock, but of rock music as a whole. An album that literally changed the world, those who belittle Roger Waters should really dig this out, give it a spin, and wonder in astonishment as to the genius behind such a lyricist.

Five stars. I won't say buy it, because surely there is nobody left out there who hasn't got it?

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