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Rating: Perhaps I'm shooting myself in the foot, perhaps I won’t be up to the task of accomplishing this feat, perhaps I don't even deserve to talk about this masterpiece, but my admiration is such that it drives me to do it.
It’s the distant 1970, Pink Floyd decides to give their psychedelia a slight turn, producing an album that seems more like a symphonic work than rock music.
"Atom Heart Mother", written by Waters, is simply majestic; 24 minutes of orchestra and apocalyptic choirs envelop you in total trance, continuously offering you the initial part of the work (it always gives me goosebumps).
After the whirlwind of sounds and atmospheres of "Atom...", the sweet "If" appears, another creation by Waters, lulling you with a melody typical of Floydian sounds. It’s the moment for "Summer '68" and "Fat Old Sun" written in order by Wright and Gilmour, and in my opinion, the only pieces of the album that deviate a bit from their style, still gifting us with deep classical piano performances that give chills.
The suite closes with "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast", filled with psychedelic sounds that take them back to their origins.
In essence, a work executed to step somewhat out of their purely experimental style (The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn - 1967, A Saucerful Of Secrets - 1968) while still preserving their imprint.
I hope, with this small review, that I haven’t taken anything away from the album, and have helped those, a little younger than me, who are approaching this fantastic band that has left its mark in the history of rock.
Tracklist and Videos
01 Atom Heart Mother: a) Father’s Shout / b) Breast Milky / c) Mother Fore / d) Funky Dung / e) Mind Your Throats Please / f) Remergence (23:44)
05 Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast: a) Rise and Shine / b) Sunny Side Up / c) Morning Glory (13:00)
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Other reviews
By FLOYDMAN
Atom Heart Mother is an extremely varied album, capable of moving from the orgasmic explosion of sounds mixing brass and electric guitars to bare and raw acoustic guitar.
The album is structured on two long suites, placed at the beginning and the end, around which the other short and sweet compositions revolve.
By Viva Lì
Atom Heart Mother is more definable as a 'musical work at the limits of lyricism' rather than pop music or, worse yet, sophisticated psychedelia.
Waters' bass and David Gilmour's guitar are, as always, a guarantee of genius and perfection.
By DaveJonGilmour
For me, perhaps, this is the most coherent work of Pink Floyd, and the most choral.
Brass and choirs make an impact, Quadraphonic, and I’m scattered in the room.
By Sharkste
If humanity possessed a video of the Big Bang and music had to be introduced for a documentary, I would use the finale of Atom Heart Mother.
Pink Floyd was the greatest band that ever existed is not enough. Because even just defining them as a 'band' is reductive in proportion to what they were.
By david81
Pink Floyd managed to create a work worthy of their name despite being far from the perfect structure of later albums.
The suite is a colossal audio creation capable of conjuring epic visions in the human mind.
