Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
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Artist: Pink FloydEdition: Music CD
Format: Extra tracks, Limited Edition, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2007-09-11
Music Label: Capitol
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Astronomy Domine
- Lucifer Sam
- Matilda Mother
- Flaming
- Pow R. Toc H.
- Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk
- Insteller Overdrive
- The Gnome
- Chapter 24
- Scarecrow
- Bike
- Astronomy Domine
- Lucifer Sam
- Matilda Mother
- Flaming
- Pow R. Toc H.
- Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk
- Insteller Overdrive
- The Gnome
- Chapter 24
- Scarecrow
- Bike
- Arnold Layne
- Candy And A Currant Bun
- See Emily Play
- Apples And Oranges
- Paintbox
- Interstellar Overdrive (French EP)
- Apples And Oranges (Stereo Version)
Music reviews of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Music Review: "Piper" remains the bible for Space Rock 40 years later
Rating: 5 Stars
This is less a review and more a personal account. This collection remains of limited value to a more headbanging Floyd fan who thinks the apex of their output remains "The Wall." It does not. While that 1979 work was imaginitively and magnificently packaged, as music it was a self-absorbent paean to rock excess - and an embarrassment to fans of Nick Mason and the late, great Richard Wright.
"The Wall" describes a moment in time but is not especially enduring in the way that "Piper" remains the blueprint and the Bible for Space Rock throughout the world. It deliciously takes on territory only accessed at the time by Sun Ra both thematically and in approach to performance - and establishing a chapter and verse music theory still in use by Space Rock musicians some forty years later. Absent only synthesizers and sequencers which were unavailable to the band in 1967, it's all there: Eastern influences conveyed through Wright's surefired right hand; the sliding guitar technique masterfully hatched by Barrett (and dubbed "Glissando Guitar" by Gong's Daevid Allen, who appropriately credits Barrett as the inventor of the technique); nuanced percussion that ranges from bells and vibes to gongs and kettle drums, played with incredible dynamism by Nick Mason; and Waters, leading the way both with his bass guitar played in the melodic range, and with the various sound effects he produced simply with his mouth.
As regards the various criticisms about the songs not presented: "King Bee" and "Lucy Leave Me" were Screaming Abacabs demos at best, and will never be officially released. Forget it. As for "Vegetable Man"... once again, forget it. Neither the remaining members of Pink Floyd, nor the estates of Wright and Barrett, nor EMI, will ever allow it. Chances are, if you wanted to hear it, you've already heard it. You know how incredible it is. You know it was remastered pretty admirably in the lawless gray area known as Italy. Accept matters for what they are.
The remarkable things about the 3-disc set include the presentation of an original artistic booklet by Barrett which is truly incredible and beautiful; the version of "Matilda Mother" with completely different lyrics; and one of the versions of "Interstellar Overdrive" which is tougher and grungier, more garage-y, than any live version or studio take I have ever heard. It's a revelation. The power bespeaks the energy of Barrett's Floyd, and lays to rest any notion that Space Rock has to be morose, or laid back, or wishy-washy. It doesn't. It never did. As per this bold example, Space Rock can invoke almost a street toughness and remain inspirational, spitirual, and visionary.
Description of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
To mark the 40th anniversary of the original release of Pink Floyd's first album 'The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn', a special edition is planned for release via EMI Records on Tues 28th August in North America, and Monday September 3rd in Europe. The packaging, designed by Storm Thorgerson, resembles a cloth-covered book, and holds 3 CD discs, along with a 12-page reproduction Syd Barrett notebook. Discs 1 and 2 will contain the full 'Piper' album, represented in both stereo and mono versions. Both have been newly remastered by James Guthrie. Disc 3 includes bonus tracks, including the following: all the Pink Floyd singles from 1967, ('Arnold Layne', 'See Emily Play', and 'Apples And Oranges'), plus the B sides 'Candy And A Current Bun' and 'Paintbox'. Other tracks are a version of 'Interstellar Overdrive' - Take 2 of the original recording sessions, previously only available on an EP in France - and the 1967 stereo version of 'Apples And Oranges'. EMI. 2007.At the time The Piper at the Gates of Dawn was originally released in 1967, it was one among many aurally ripped, acid-tripped albums including Jimi Hendrix's Are You Experienced, Cream's Disraeli Gears, Jefferson Airplane's After Bathing at Baxter's, and, of course, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which the Beatles were recording down the hall from Pink Floyd at Abbey Road. But as those albums have gracefully slipped into the mainstream of our music consciousness, Piper, along with The Velvet Underground and Nico, still sounds like it broke through from another dimension. Pink Floyd were employing musique concrete techniques, inventing glissando guitar, and exploring areas of trance with tunes like "Interstellar Overdrive," actually two takes of an extended rave-up laid on top of each other. Mixing sci-fi imagery with swinging London metaphors and pastoral fantasies (the title is lifted from The Wind in the Willows), Pink Floyd's music was even more dappled, swirled, and surreal than the light shows that accompanied their performances. Piper represented Syd Barrett's vision as the sole composer of all but three songs. He was yet to have his acid-induced meltdowns, and all things were possible and beautiful. Barrett mixed whimsy on "Bike" with cynicism on the wordless but ominous "Pow R. Toc H."; goofy innocence on "The Gnome" and mysticism on "Chapter 24." But there's no doubting the contributions of Richard Wright with his swirling, reverb-drenched organ fugues and jazz ellipses and Roger Waters's earth-rooted bass. Nick Mason's underrated drumming, time-shifting polyrhythms, and colorful flourishes pushed Barrett's elliptical pop even further over the edge, especially on the space-music opus "Astronomy Domine." This deluxe edition, designed by Storm Thorgerson with three discs nestled in a clothbound book, almost seems a bit staid for an album this hallucinogenic. But it's full of great period photos of the band and a reproduction of one of Barrett's original notebooks with collages, poetry, and other writing that reads like a schizophrenic's diary. The original album was recorded on only four tracks, making stereo effects and panning somewhat rudimentary and often annoying. But this expanded release includes a full mono mix of the album which provides a more coherent sound and, surprisingly, a bit more depth. This triple-disc release also contains a CD of all their 1967 single sides, including "See Emily Play," a vintage slice of psychedelic pop, and two alternate, single run-through takes of "Interstellar Overdrive." Some of the songs are just wacky, some of the technology and tape edits rough-hewn, but The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is one of those albums that actually appears more radical in retrospect. --John Diliberto
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