Pink Floyd's Atom Heart Mother: A Full Album Review

Pink Floyd's seventh studio album, Atom Heart Mother, released in 1970, is a unique and ambitious project that showcases the band's eclecticism and experimentation. The album is often criticized for its lack of cohesion and direction, but upon closer examination, it reveals itself to be a fascinating exploration of different musical styles and themes.

The album opens with 'If,' a tender folk ballad written by Roger Waters, which features numerous references to insanity that fall flat due to the song's overall credibility. The track is pleasant and sympathetic, but ultimately forgettable, making it hard to imagine James Taylor not doing justice to this material.

Next up is 'Summer '68,' a mix of music hall, autumnal French pop, and Mamas & Papas-style vocal harmonies that people often single out as the highlight of the album. However, I believe it lacks sharpness, much like everything else on the album, and cannot endorse it higher than Gilmour's 'Fat Old Sun,' the first bona fide song he wrote completely on his own.

David Gilmour contributes another psychedelic piano-driven track, 'Moonhead,' which is more of a mood piece than a fully-fledged song. The album's title track, 'Atom Heart Mother,' is a 23-minute epic that features a collage of breakfast noises and banter about food, making it feel like the poor drummer's fate is to suffer through another lazy vacation.

The state of (not too) high art is reflected in Roger Waters' moodily complaining lyrics, while Rick Wright's synthesizers create an atmosphere of weakness and apathy. The album's general feel is one of languidness, which might be a reflection of the band's own creative exhaustion at the time.

In conclusion, Atom Heart Mother is an album that showcases Pink Floyd's experimentation and eclecticism but lacks sharpness and direction. While it has its moments, such as 'Summer '68,' it is ultimately a disappointing effort from one of rock's most iconic bands.

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