It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd (i take my screen name from the title of his first solo album). So for my first review i've decided to review his first (and pretty much only) album with Pink Floyd, The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.
This is my favorite Floyd album, I do like their later stuff, but this will always be better in my opinion. with that said I must point out that this album is not for everyone. It is incredibly psychedelic and much different than anything else that Pink Floyd ever did. This will probably put a lot of people off. I recommend going online and listening to a few tracks before you purchase the album.
The first 4 tracks (Astronomy Domine, Lucifer Sam, Matilda Mother, and Flaming) of the album are in my opinion the best. I feel that these songs show Syd's genius as a psychedelic songwriter the best. these are defiantly the most traditionaly structured songs on the album and the only ones I can recommend to anyone without hesitation.
Another track worth mentioning is Interstellar Overdrive. This song is a trippy 10 minute jam that lacks much structure beyond it's opening and closing guitar riff (it's an awesome riff, by the way). it is a very improvisational song. I personally love it but I can see some people not liking it so listen to it before you buy.
The worst song on the album has to be Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk. this is the only song with no songwriting contribution from Syd. It was written entirely by Roger Waters. It's funny that the man who is usually considered the songwriting genius behind Pink Floyd ends up writing the worst song here. He would get better later in his career, but not as good as some will claim (The Wall is overrated).
The last track i'm going to single out is the album's closer, Bike. This is the single weirdest song Syd ever wrote, with it's nonsense lyrics (I know a mouse and he hasn't got a house. i don't know why, i call him Gerald. he's getting rather old but he's a good mouse), lack of a traditional melody, and it's weird noises (it ends with a duck quacking). It's not for everyone, maybe even more so the Interstellar Overdrive (at least that one had a guitar riff). You will probably love it or hate it.
In conclusion, if you like psychedelic music, you will like this album. I consider it the best psychedelic rock album of all time (Sgt. Peppers can suck it). However, if you are one of the closed minded people who will only accept Dark Side, Wish You Were Here, and The Wall as real Pink Floyd, or if you just don't like psychedelic music, then stay away. In fact, if you are one of those people, you will never agree with me, so just get of my site all together.
Best Song: Astronomy Domine, Lucifer Sam, or Matilda Mother
Worst Song: Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk
