OBSCURED BY CLOUDS (1972)
Yet another Floyd film soundtrack? Yes, but what sets this apart is that it was delivered in a break from DSOTM sessions and was knocked out in two weeks flat. It is also one of my favourite Floyd albums and represents a band on a much more organic level. Time constraints pushing the band to be spontaneous and deliver recognisable themes.
The first thing apparent on this album is the almost total absence of Roger Waters. Although he contributed most of the lyrics and (obviously) played Bass, it is easy to deduce that his energies were firmly concentrated on DSOTM. The second recognisable element is a huge David Gilmour presence on the album. Contributing significantly to no less than seven tracks on here. The third is the bands first use of the VCS3 synthesiser. Even Nick Mason got in on the VCS3 act. Utilising a beat that is prevalent on the title track.
The title track and Gilmour dominated tracks such as when Youre In and The Gold It's In The are simple tracks based around guitar motifs, but are nevertheless refreshingly free of bombast. Childhood's End is quite simply one of my favourite Gilmour tracks. It is simple but utterly effective. His guitar work is unfussy, uncomplicated and utterly beguiling.
Richard Wright contributes some of his best keyboard work on here. Free from the regimented Roger Waters school of songwriting, his work soars on tracks such as Mudmen and Stay.
The album does throw up two very interesting tracks within the Pink Floyd cannon. Namely Free Four and the albums closer Absolutely Curtains.
Free Four is completely dominated by Waters and the lyrics are the first time that Waters used Floyd as an emotional catharsis regarding the death of his father. However the juxtaposition is (obviously) puzzling. The song is an acoustic led upbeat track, yet the lyrics are poignant and touching.
Absolutely Curtains closes the album. The song's structure, sound and album placing could almost seem prophetic. The Floyd's next album was the phenomonem that was DSOTM which sent them into an altogether different stratosphere. The tracks oblique quality bridges their acceptance that Barrett was truly gone, coupled with the knowledge that their next album would take them to a different level all together. Whether this is for better or worse is borne out by the tribal choruses that close the track. It's a world that they and you are unfamilar with and the transition is not completely known.
I am probably reading far too much into the last track but stylistically the song seems out of joint to the rest of the album and (unbeknown to the band) marked the beginning of the end for the band as a co-operative 4 piece.