Thursday 8 June 2017

Wish You Were Here. Pink Floyd (1975)




In 1975 came their 9th studio album
a sonic piece of architecture 
abstract forms balanced against 
ornate musical structures 
propulsive with pulsing bass lines and looped
synthesiser patterns 
multitrack construction 
rising up out of a creative funk
a momentary failure of the imagination 
at the Abby Road studios.
Acoustic and electric guitar tracks 
pin-pricked sharp, echoing out across
introspective lyrics from
a psychedelic 60's prog rock band 
contending with global fame and the LA music hucksters 
fat cats chewing on cigars
driving in their Jaguars through 
the sunshine and spaced out soundscapes
music that 
ignited countless bedroom bongs
segueing seamlessly into itself
expressing disillusionment 
in plastic commercialism 
after making the big time
combined with an emotional tribute  
an ode to one of their founding members 
the Crazy Diamond in question
the prototypical acid casualty
self-ejected from the spotlight 
by his own paranoia and rumoured mental illness
a breakdown seven years prior
now a broken man with eyes like black holes
in the sky
while
Rodger worked on increasingly higher concept albums 
further demonstrating higher contempt of the record executives
over at Capital Records
flaunting his demons 
while a stuntman 
standing in front of sound stage 20 
in a polyester 
three-prince suit 
burst into flames.

Reoccurring themes abound 

abuse of power, time, war and the burden of being a rock star
the isolation of modern life
squeezed through a cheap transistor radio
synthetic and highly processed
while altogether 
organic and human
lost connection
with others
with yourself
in the Machine
year after year
lost souls
swimming in fish bowl.

Many prefer the Dark Side of The Moon

or later
The Wall 
which is much heavier
on the therapy and the angst 
but I liked this album
because of it's personal connection 
and it's pathos 
44 minutes divided up into
five songs
of varying length
first discovered on TDK cassette tape 
in your grandfather's music collection 
among all the other music of the day
(good and bad)
owned briefly on dusty vinyl
forgotten about for a number of years
as musical taste changed
but found again
enjoyed loud
on sunny days. 

I hope you enjoy!

No comments:

Post a Comment