ANIMALS

When I first heard this album many years ago, I was disappointed. I didn't care for the harsh, intense music and bitter lyrics, so different from the more soothing tones of previous Floyd albums. With each successive listen, however, I grew to like it more and more - and now I think it's among the top few albums by any group. The brief, quiet bookends , "Pigs on the wing" parts 1 and 2, serve their purpose well, providing a conceptual framework and balancing the loudness of the heart of the album. The longest track "Dogs" is my favorite - Gilmour's guitar solos here are among his best work and the music is a perfect match for Waters's vitriol. The brutal ending is superb. "Pigs (three different ones)" opens with pig grunts and Waters's lyrical bass coming to the fore over the repeated synthesizer phrase - one of my favorite moments on the album. Gilmour has another amazing guitar solo near the end of the song; I especially love the first 10 seconds of it at 9:40-9:50 - I've never heard a single note convey so much emotion. Though the studio version of "Pigs" is fantastic, it pales in comparison to the extended live version I've heard on a bootleg concert recording, which is simply amazing - my favorite of any Floyd's live performances. "Sheep" is another great track, but has never had as much emotional impact for me as the others. I love the transitioning of Waters's voice into synthesizer notes, which then head off in unexpected directions. The album as a whole is especially great when you're in a bad mood - it always has a cathartic effect on me. This incredibly emotional album stands alone, sounding unlike anything else from Pink Floyd or any other group - essential!