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Atom Heart Mother by: Pink Floyd

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Rating: - My favourite Floyd album...

Atom Heart Mother came into my life when I was a teenager - and is part of the mythological "Golden Era" of English Rock Music - along with "the Yes Album", "the Court of the Crimson King" and "The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other".
Each of these albums defines the era (late 60s, early 70s), when the bands were exploring completely new possibilities - with new technology, excellent musicianship and the (apparent) freedom to do what they wanted without restraints from the marketing departments.

Atom Heart Mother evolved from the Floyd's earlier [and wonderful] psychedelic albums ("Piper at the Gates of Dawn" and "Saucerful of Secrets") and delivered a glorious exploration of technical possibilities - mixing orchestral pieces, soaring wordless vocals, a rock band (love Mr. Mason's drumming) and assorted tapes of trains, horses, motorcycles etc - into a logical, coherent piece.

I have lost count of the number of times I have listened to this (and worn out several LPs and a couple of CDs in the process).

The title track lends itself to listening in a gentle environment - low lights, a few beers (or other restful concoctions) - and epitomises everything that was glorious about that era.

The three "little" tracks that follow are some of the Floyd's most delightful tunes, quite unlike anything that followed - but summing up those glorious halcyon Summer days of our youth. Perfect soundtrack to those lazy days punting down the Cam to Grantchester...

No comment on Alan's Breakfast - sort of breaks the spell...

Rating: - eccentric

This shocked and excited me as a 12 year old in 1970. Still great fun all these years later. Buy and enjoy some great british lunacy and great music.

Rating: - An overlooked pastoral, psychedelic gem

Often maligned by the band themselves; Atom Heart Mother is another excellent Pink Floyd album. Although arguably not quite up to the level of the "Holy Trinity" of Meddle, Dark Side Of The Moon and Wish you Were Here that followed it, AHM paved the way for these classics and is superb in places.

The main point of contention for AHM as far as the band are concerned is the opening, side-long Atom Heart Mother Suite. An instrumental also featuring a choir, violin and brass section (the last of whom were hated by the band and embittered collaborator Ron Geesin), the Suite has some excellent, melodic motifs and fine fluid passages. Although not as well structured as later epics Echoes and Shine On You Crazy Diamond, it is still an ambitious, memorable and worthwhile piece of music well liked by many of the band's fans if not the group itself.

The brass and multiple harmonies used on the Suite were also employed on one of the shorter songs on side two, Richard Wright's Summer '68. An overlooked period-piece classic about a rather sweet and innocent one-night-stand, 68 has a rich symphonic arrangement and is the closest the Floyd ever get to sounding like the Beach Boys. More typical of the pastoral Pink Floyd sound of 1970 is Roger Water's acoustic If and David Gilmour's Fat old Sun. An acknowledged favourite of its author, FOS begins as sweet, acoustic psychedelia before David launches into an epic, building electric guitar solo more typical of latter period Floyd.

The above three shorter gems then give way to the 13-minute Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast. An instrumental recorded over talking and cooking noises from engineer Alan Parsons, APB is perhaps an ambient self-indulgence too far though it still include some pleasing musical passages.

A major album in the often overlooked pastoral period between the Syd Barrett era and massive success of Dark Side Of The Moon, Atom Heart Mother is an excellent Pink Floyd LP. Although the band do not remember its arduous recording fondly, it sold handsomely and remains a popular album with the band's true fans. Although some may not place it amongst their very best LPs, it is nevertheless a superb listening experience and is highly recommended.

Rating: - A forgotten Floyd classic

While ELP and Yes were coming up with their pomp version of Prog Rock, the Floyd were showing the World how Prog should be by releasing this gem. The first step on their road to Darkside of the Moon it finally pieced together a fractured Floyd who had been searching for a defining album since their debut. The opening title track is probably the finest priog rock moment in history with a full orchestra based around Gilmours western hero guitar piece. Coming in at around 20 minutes it shows the Floyds genuis but also the fact that they had a way to go yet as there are some weak moments within the track. The other songs highlight the Floyds individual efforts with Gilmours magical Fat Old Sun, Waters beauitiful If and Wrights pulsating Summer 68. The last track could could be described as a throw away with it's sound effects of the Floyd roadie having breakfast with musical breaks, but remember, this is 1970, before computer musical engineering. The sound of the bacon frying actually makes your mouth water. Plus the fact that the original LP pressing had a groove as the end which wouldn't allow the needle to come of the record so the end sound of a dripping tap went on for ever. Pure musical genius.

Rating: - An almost forgotten masterpiece.

It may seem unapproachable at first. Listen to it only a second time and you realise that "Atom Heart Mother" certainly has some of the most unique moments in the Floyd's history. The title track is a collaboration with Scottish composer Ron Geesin. It is a piece of beauty, 24 minutes long, experimental albeit its distinctive main theme, incorporating an orchestral brass section and a choir, a bit of a secret masterpiece that never really made it, perhaps because it's not "Just Floyd".

The original B-side is dominated by 3 solo compositions of Waters, Wright and Gilmour. Despite the fact that all three are some of their stronger ones, Richard Wright is the undisputed winner with "Summer 68", perhaps one of the best Floyd compositions ever. Waters' "If" seems like an early template for "Good Bye Cruel World", and Gilmour's "Fat Old Sun" is a lovely, rather sweet tune with his favourite pedal steels. Both, Waters' and Gilmour's tunes have become regulars in their later solo shows.

The album closes with Roadie Alan's "Psychedelic Breakfast" which might have been considered ground breaking in 1970, but these days is at best a piece for the rock museum. The sounds of a geezer frying eggs and praising marmalade just don't do it after sampling of random sounds has become an art in its own right.

Despite its unnecessary finale the "Cow Album" is a great one. It is often forgotten in the praise for classic Floyd albums although it is absolutely awe inspiring, very Floyd in the 70s, and ultimately Abbey Road.

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