An Album You Should Own - 3/27/09

Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

"Dark Side Of The Moon"
"The Wall"

They are legendary titles.

However, few people dip far enough back in the Floyd discography to consider the amazing work they did on their very first album. Released in 1967, "The Piper at the Gate of Dawn" is considered one of the finest psychedelic albums ever released - if not the best.

It is also the finest hour of the Floyd's work with the enigmatic Syd Barrett.

The album is full of memorable, melodic acid-tinged songs that stand as a stark contrast to the longer, more experimental freakouts. This album is the beginning of what many people began to call "space rock". It is also one of the earliest examples of rock music using space travel as a metaphor for hallucinogenic drug use.

"The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" is not an easy listen. The songs are a curious mix of bright sounding melodies set against dissonant soundscapes and random noises that seem to suggest chaos and disorder. When you listen, you can almost feel the highs and lows of drug experimentation. There is the soaring pleasure of trance-like states of mind - where all things are possible and beautiful. But, there is always the danger of the acid-induced meltdowns, mental disorder and lunacy.

Eventually, Barrett became a victim of his own excesses. Too many experiences with LSD left him a broken shell of a man who could barely perform or function. Sadly, Syd Barrett's career with Pink Floyd would end with the band just deciding not to pick him up on their way to a gig, one day. However, the band remained fiercely loyal to Barrett. They made sure he was well taken care of until the day he died.

Roger Waters and the rest of Pink Floyd had many differences in their storied years together. They have loved and, more often, hated each other since their break up. But, they put aside their differences to make sure that Barrett never missed a royalty check for the rest of his life.

And, when they spoke of Barrett, they always did so with reverence. In fact, the image of Barrett is carefully woven through the band's work as a mythic, lost figure. The album "Wish You Were Here" is a soaring outburst of grief and longing for him. The band was never able to shake the specter of Barrett and the influence he had on their work was immeasurable.

"The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" is Syd Barrett's finest work with Pink Floyd and it is an album you should own.

Further listening: "Meddle", "Wish You Were Here", "Dark Side Of The Moon", "The Wall"