UMMAGUMMA

After the huge dissapointment that was the soundtrack to the film More, Pink Floyd finally get back to form with a double album: one side studio, one side live. The results show the best from both facets of Pink Floyd.

The studio album is split up into five songs, one by each individual member (except bassist Roger Waters, who has two). The studio side starts off with the brilliant, startling composition "Sysyphus" by keyboardist Rick Wright. This four- parts suite play more like a Mozart song than a Pink Floyd song, yet works out beautifully.

Next, Roger Waters treats us with the soothing "Grandchester Meadows", probably the most 'normal' song on the album, with brilliant lyrics and Waters not-really soothing voice making the song a unique part of this otherwise odd and delightful album. He follows it up with what may very well be the oddest song in Pink Floyd's library, "Several Small Species of Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict", which can only be considered as an early techno song made up entirely of animals.

Next up is Dave Gilmour, who performs the best song on the album "The Narrow Way", a guitar song that goes from mellow to thriving to soft before you know what's going on.

Finally, Nick Mason rounds it up with "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party", which is basically a 7-minute drum solo (but what else is a drummer going to do by himself?).

On to the live album, there's not much here that you won't hear on the splendid DVD "Live at Pompeii", but for those who haven't seen it, the song are performed great live and sound different than the album versions. It also includes the best version of "Carefull With That Axe, Eugene" you'll ever hear.

Overall, this is a great album for Floyd fans and a good comeback from the snore that was More.