THE PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN

What we have here is a perfect example of the Psychedelic/Space Rock genre. It is the kind of album we think of when we think of the year 1967. One of the problems with many albums from this psychedelic era is that you will have a variety of brilliant gems mixed in with songs that just don't work, kind of sound the same, or are too experimental to be enjoyable. I have no such complaint for this album. All of the songs on this album maintain the bizarre, fresh style of Syd Barrett that makes Piper so enjoyable.

The songs on this album can be divided basically into two sections based on style: 1. Astronomy - 7. Intersteller, and then the last four. The first seven have the dark, spacey sound that sets Piper (and Barrett-ere Pink Floyd in general) apart from other more whimsical sounds commonly used at the time, and makes it such an exceptional album. The spazy guitar Syd is known for proliferate most of these songs, mixed in with the more relaxed sounds of Flaming and Pow R. Toc. H.

The last four songs take on a much different style than the first seven. The Gnome and Scarecrow have a light, folkish sound which can be quite surprising after emerging from the murky depths of Piper's preceding tracks. Chapter 24 sounds most other psychedlic tracks of the era, with a mystical sound and lyrics which could hold the secrets of the universe or just be random blathering. The album finishes with the puerile Bike, which has a catchy sound and amusing lyrics.

Piper is essentially just what a psychedlic album should be, and is the epitome of that genre. A must.