ATOM HEART MOTHER

Atom Heart Mother represents an evolution, a new cycle in Pink Floyd music. Absorbed by the classical/rock music fusion tendencies performed by MOODY BLUES and particularly emphasized by the previous year KING CRIMSON debut album, Pink Floyd started to establish themselves as classical composers, in their own way. So they picked their psychedelic ideas and fuzzed them with classical music. They probably couldn't reach it without the precious help of Ron Geesin, who managed to add the orchestra to the record.

So what to expect from listening to the album? You have a first track, the title track, which is a fine suite and the soul of the record with its classical arrangements built with orchestral instruments (trombones, horns, mellotron, piano, bass, violin) and choir, and some discrete rock interferences performed by one solo guitar and some drumming. The 3 middle tracks are much poppier and the album ends with a psychedelic purist, though not reaching the level of the best tracks of their previous phase.

The main arrangement of Atom Heart Mother is achieved with trombones and horns and it certainly is a nice catchy motif, followed by nice violin, but another highlight of the track is the crescendo chorus with background mellotron and bass sadly playing, very peaceful and emotional! The chorus changes a little bit further, after an brief guitar solo, becoming more explosive and somewhat psychedelic leading again to the main motif. Then we have psychedelic arrangements remembering Interstellar Overdrive which conducts to the conclusion. The following track, If, from Roger Waters, is a very calm melody with acoustic guitar. Summer'68 is from Richard Wright and my favourite from the 3 middle "commercial" songs, with classical piano, catchy refrain a la BEATLES with energetic acoustic guitars and joyful piano added by classical instruments. That is followed by the calm country track Fat Old Sun from David Gilmour. These 3 tracks have little from progressive, very little indeed. The last track is what I said before. Well, we actually can listen to the preparation of the breakfast and eventually get hungry, but musically nothing of very transcendent.

The album worth's it mainly because the first track, a memorable suite. The 3 middle tracks little have with progressive music itself, though Summer'68 is a memorable song.

My rate: 7/10