Pink Floyd
Animals

In '77, Punk exploded, and Pink Floyd, one of the most hated bands by the punks, released an album that, despite being composed largely of pieces from some years prior, did not stray far from the intentions of Punk.

"Animals" is nihilism, pessimism, it is Punk disguised as luxurious rock. In those years, Floyd had already distanced themselves from Psychedelic, as they had from Progressive. With "The Dark Side Of The Moon," they had practically found their path, a floating and enchanting rock, incapable of enchanting or astonishing. The four knew how to strike the listener with their highly classy melodic ideas and could go on indefinitely without ever tiring. Thus it was for this album.

The structure is practically identical to "Wish You Were Here," the sounds are at least recognizable, and the melodies as always are impeccable. One could talk about monotony, of limited imagination, and partly it is so. But there is something that makes "Animals" different from the other works of that period. The riff that suddenly flows from the sweet keyboards of "Pigs (3 Different Ones)" is driven by a different vehemence, a desire for immediacy that then mixes with the alternating tones of the singing. A particularly sparse and minimalist track, the band relies on the hoarse guitar and thin, almost intangible sounds, that then blend with filtered screams and robotic sounds.
It has to be said that it is a rather exhausting song, the variations are minimal, and the music repeats itself for too long. Of course, the band is a master at painting frescoes with polished and always similar colors. The sounds remain original for the band, no longer enchanting, but in a certain sense depressing, disheartening, we are faced with the musical setting of Time's line "Quiet Desperation," a long spiral leading to nowhere.

The three long central songs are flanked by the two parts of "Pigs On The Wings," a rather insignificant track, certainly not ugly, but like many others in the band's career, characterized however by Waters' icy lyrics, in pure Punk style. The acoustic guitars of "Dogs" introduce us to the circle of social climbers; the dryness of the song sets it apart from the band's usual repertoire. Everything seems much more detached; we are at the antithesis of the '75 work, which was pure sentimentality.
The subsequent changes in register do not change the mood of the piece, always permeated by an aura of decadence and desolation (aided by the barking of dogs). Gilmour's electric drift, although pleasant, no longer strikes as it once did. The words are what strike, what hurt. The music proves more than once too formal and soulless.

Despite these negative aspects, the album remains very peculiar and difficult to define. It is like a Pink Floyd revisitation made by Nick Drake or Tim Buckley. "Sheep" starts strong, still in the band's style, but with that cordial cockiness that had never been seen before. No wonder, the rhythm becomes more sustained and the sounds louder. The voice fits perfectly with the rhythms and perhaps goes on to form the best song of the album.
The sheep, the people who feel safe without worrying about what the powerful do, are the protagonists of this violent attack, which often assumes very fiery tones, like when it says, "The Lord is my shepherd... He converteth me to lamb cutlets." Then the guitar riff, for once effective, adds the finishing touch.

In conclusion, "Animals" is a negligible album, enjoyable, but not essential. Musically, we find nothing new; the band focuses more on rhythms, but it is a really imperceptible style change. Waters' cosmic pessimism leads him to create this concept that divides men into pigs, dogs, and sheep.
Rhetoric? Gratuitous pessimism? Seeing the developments of the 'Animals' tour and the productions of Pink Floyd and their leader, you wouldn't say so. Rather, this album seems like a pessimistic and punkish reissue of "Wish You Were Here." It's not bad, but it won't change your life.