ECHOES - THE BEST OF PINK FLOYD

This was perhaps my first prog experinece. I remember picking this CD compilation up at the store and sampling the tracks and boy did I love them. There was something different about this music, something I had not found in music on the radio, on television, etc.... Sure, I had known people who claimed Dark Side of the Moon to be the best album ever made, but even they were most likely not prog fans. As far as compilations go, this one is great.

The first disc starts out with two earlier tracks in the Floyd discography. "See Emily Play" is, in my opinion, the best pop single Pink Floyd ever produced. I never get tired of listening to it. "The Happiest Days of Our Lives" serves as an intro into perhaps the most famous (and over-played) song in their discography, "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2." It is obvious that these tracks would be placed on a "best of" compilation. Song number five, "Echoes," is perhaps the first truly Progressive song on the album, and is one of the best in all of Pink Floyd's discography. The main problem here is that around five minutes of the song is shortened.

This best of had to also include "Hey You," another song from The Wall, seeing as it is/was another major radio hit. The compilers also managed to edit "Marooned," a great instrumental track from The Division Bell that was nominated for a grammy (best instrumental performance if I rememeber correctly. "The Great Gig in the Sky" is a really good track off Dark Side that features Rick's piano and Clare Torry's wordless vocals; man does she have a great voice (on a side note, you can also hear her on roger Water's underrated solo album, Radio K.A.O.S.). "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" is another early psychedelic recording of the group. The next song, "Money," is still a Floyd classic today and another radio hit with the instantly recognizeable Waters bass line. Out of the last three tracks on the first disc, "Sheep" is obviously the best (although not the best track off of Animals). I have never understood why "Sorrow" was included here. It's very drawn out and boring at times. There was much better on A Momentary Lapse of Reason.

Disc Two starts off with "Shine on You Crazy Diamond," again edited. This by far one of the best Floyd compositiosn ever. When I first heard the whole thing, I remember thinking "I wan t to listen to more music like that." "The Fletcher Memorial Home" is the only track included from The Final Cut. Although I like it, the title track or "Not Now John" would have made a better choice here. "Comfortably Numb" is another Floyd staple and fan favorite. This track has really worn on me, and I don't really like listening to it that much anymore. "When the Tigers Broke Free" is a bonus track recorded around the same time as The Wall. The next song, "One of These Days," is the only song to feature Nick Mason on vocals. "Us and Them" is my favorite track from Dark Side; I never get sick of listening to it! I really like the rest of the album. The standouts here are "Learning to Fly" and "Arnold Layne," another early psych pop treat.

I would recommend this compilation to any prog newbie. I can testify that this album made me want to listen to more and more prog. Although there are some editing problems here, the compilation is still pretty good. Another minor problem is that some albums are not represented at all (those albums being the weirder in all of the Floyd discography). Anyway, this a great intro to a great band, or a person who just wants one Pink Floyd cd. Four stars, excellent addition to any collection!