ATOM HEART MOTHER

Some people may be entirely too harsh on this record, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Rick Wright and Nick Mason to name a few. However, while it is still not even close to the best of Pink Floyd's work, this album does retain a certain charm that makes it enjoyable and unique in the Pink Floyd collection. This album marks the start of a short lived period in Pink Floyds career, that i like to call the "pastoral period".

Side one opens with the ambitious title track, this is what has caused so much controversy among the band themselves, and their critics. In truth the piece has some beautiful moments, the choral arrangements are quite stunning at times and their is some excellent cello to be heard also. The brass arrangements have their moments but sometimes come in a little too harsh, the piece is also too long and not enough strong ideas are put forward to match the ambition of the work. It also sees some members of the band struggling to keep in time and sometimes feels only half finished and rushed, nevertheless it is a very interesting piece and an experiment worth trying out.

Side two is a vast improvement, containing some of the most peaceful and relaxing works the band ever did, which can be a break from the darker Waters led albums of the late 70s (The Wall). Although, Waters became their most significant songwriter in later albums, his composition "If" is the weakest song on the album. Moving forward though, Rick Wrights sole composition "Summer 68" is an excellent track, and one of the best songs he ever wrote, A lively (almost psychedelic) piano led track featuring powerful vocals and some more brass arrangements from Geesin. David Gilmour's "Fat Old Sun" is another memorable track from the album, A dreamy, almost lazy song containing wedding bells and a nice solo to finish. The last track on the album is another instrumental, the wonderful "Alan's psychedelic Breakfast", this may be regarded as the bands silliest moment (you can hear a roadie talking to himself as he cooks his breakfast) but it is also one of the more pastoral tracks, wonderful piano, sweet acoustic guitar, a great track to unwind to.

Overall the album does lack the spark that would be so evident on their next effort, meddle. But it did give us some wonderful tracks and a great topic of dicussion. 3.5 stars.