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Rating: What I'm about to describe is a magnificent gem from the band that ruled the '70s, giving a great shake-up and a different imprint to the entire musical world. 6 unreleased tracks, 5 of which were written by the immense Syd Barrett and one ("Paint Box") by Richard Wright. All of this lasts just 17 minutes and 41 seconds of extreme beauty, as only Pink Floyd knew how to do.
Released on November 17, 1967, it includes 6 unreleased tracks never published on any album, all recorded in mono. The first two tracks were produced by Joe Boyd, the remaining 4 by Norman Smith.
"Arnold Layne," which opens the record, is a fairly fast track characterized by a driving drumbeat and a quite funny lyric ("Arnold Layne had a strange hobby
Collecting clothes
Moonshine washing line
They suit him fine
On the wall hung a tall mirror
Distorted view, see through baby blue
Oh, Arnold Layne"), Doors-style keyboards, and dominant vocal parts with full, even overwhelming Pink Floyd-style choruses and guitars.
"Candy and a currant burn" has its best part in the guitar sections, the drums somewhat recall the rock'n'roll style of the Who. There are also small nods to solos. In the final part, hints of psychedelia begin to surface with distortions that would characterize the band's sound. A fairly different lyric from Barrett's style ("Oooh, don't talk to me
Please just fuck with me
Please you know I'm feeling frail").
In "See Emily Play," bass and keyboards dominate throughout the song's 3 minutes. Vocal parts are quite homogeneous compared to the rest of the album, with the usual choruses raging throughout the duration of the song. Dizzying guitars at the top of psychedelia, they seem like a few seconds' dizziness that hits you and doesn't let go...instead, it's just the magic the English lads know how to give us. The bass stands out even in the final part, in fact, it's with a simple and pointed bass riff that the song concludes. Perhaps Syd gives his best here in these 6 episodes.
"Scarecrow" still has keyboards as its dominant part, the introduction feels like a horse galloping, the keyboards evoke Indian melodies....
"Apples and oranges" is classic '70s rock'n'roll, with extremely pounding and beautiful guitars and drums to listen to. The voice is often supported by a slight cymbal noise in the background that enhances its harmony and beauty. In the intermediate part, extremely melodic falsettos emerge.
"Paint Box," the only song not written by Barrett, is structured around a nice bass line (at times very powerful) and notably simple but impactful keyboard parts. It's worth noting the presence of acoustic guitar accompaniment...the lyric probably talks about a night spent in complete merriment ("Last night I had too much to drink
Sitting in a club with so many fools
Playing to rules
Trying to impress but feeling rather empty
I had another drink
Drink - a - drink - a - drink - a - drink")
In short...17 minutes of rarity of exceptional craftsmanship. From here, one understands how immense the band would become. All the psychedelia is encapsulated in one phrase:
" I open the door to an empty room
Then I forget".
From another planet.
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