As much as i love 'Dark Side Of The Moon' i am sick to fuckin' death hearing it.That album and 'Wish You Were Here' were always on the turn table at a mates house when the spliffs were rolled and the lager came out.

Then i discovered this gem after watching the Live At Pompei video.Some people have branded the first side as shite but i totally disagree.The opening track 'One Of These Days' is a Floyd classic, their best instrumental with double tracked basses and trippy swirly guitar from David Gilmour.Its halfway mark sounds like the Dr Who theme through a Binson echo unit.
Then after the mayhem comes the bliss of 'A Pillow Of Winds' a relaxing sleepy interlude before 'Fearless' with Roger Waters great lyrics sung by a high register Gilmour, the guitars acoustic lazy shamble and great understated lead work,the fade out features a sample of the Liverpool F.C. kopp choir singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' who knows why the fuck Floyd added this but it works to close the song.

'San Tropez' is another lazy paced treat written by Roger Waters,( i reckon Floyd smoked a load of grass making this record as the tempos and mood are so mellow) the song has a great piano solo by Rick Wright and lyrics about chilling out on holiday.
Closing side one is ( weird even by Floyd standards) 'Seamus' a slow blues with Seamus the dog howling on backing vocals i kid you not.I think only Floyd got the joke but it's a curio and i don't know what the point was in this.

Side twos only song is the absolute masterpiece 'Echoes"
Opening with Wrights submarine piano note it slowly expands with some amazing mournful guitar licks by Gilmour.Wright and Gilmour also sing the breathy vocals that lead to a searing lead guitar,simple bass that eventually break down to an ambient soundscape of weirdness,droning that never gets wanky and knows when to stop.
Gradually a riff starts up to a great build and then the next verse comes in to reprise the music from about ten minutes before.The end slows to fade finishing Pink Floyds best album.Their next lp would be the great movie soundtrack 'Obscured By Clouds'

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