Pink Floyd: The Endless River (2014)

Well, I won't pretend to be a big fan of this LP. On the other hand, I paid $9.99 for a brand new sealed copy, which is a steal. It's really an ambient affair, and that's fine, as long as your are not expecting something else. It really does sound like Pink Floyd. On a sad note, this will obviously be the final cut from Point Floyd. 

Pink Floyd: A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987)

This is the 13th album fro Pink Floyd. It's not bad, though Allmusic gives it a miserly two out of five stars. 

A David Gilmour solo album in all but name, heavily featuring the kind of atmospheric instrumental music and Gilmour guitar sound typical of the Floyd before the now-departed Roger Waters took over, but lacking Waters' unifying vision and lyrical ability. [source]

Well, The Final Cut was like a Roger Waters solo record, so this is fair enough. Perhaps the most amazing thing abut this record is the cover shot. This was before easy photo editing, so these are real beds! That's amazing and it was a lot of work. 

Pink Floyd: The Final Cut (1983)

 

The Final Cut was not so final after all. It may have been better titled as Roger's Last Cut, perhaps. In any case, I am not a huge fan of the LP. It's almost like a Waters solo record. 

The Final Cut was the last Pink Floyd album to feature founding member Roger Waters, who departed from the band in 1985. It is also the only Pink Floyd album not to feature founding member and keyboardist Richard Wright, who left the band after the Wall sessions. The recording was plagued by conflict; guitarist David Gilmour felt many of the tracks were not worthy of inclusion, but Waters accused him of failing to contribute material himself. Drummer Nick Mason's contributions were mostly limited to sound effects. [source]

Well, OK, so it is not bad, but other PF record are better. 

Pink Floyd: The Wall (1979)

I was only passingly familiar with Pink Floyd when this record dropped. I knew a few PF tracks that were played on FM radio, and these were all from Wish You Were Here and Dark Side of the Moon. And then, The Wall arrived. I think everyone loved Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2), and I thought it was kind of cool, so I went out and bought a copy of the LP. In truth, I found the listening experience to be rather tough going and I found that, although I think I liked the record well enough, I didn't listen to it very often. I sold the record not too long after, which was a mistake. The funny thing is that I had the same experience with the CD version. One day, I saw a copy for a good price and decided to get it. I listened to it and found that, yes, it's a really good record, but I can't say that listening to it is enjoyable. I do love some tracks, like Mother, Run Like Hell, and Comfortably Numb. Others were good, but not so much fun. I found that I didn't really listen to the CD very often, though I kept my copy.

Some years ago, I saw a reasonably-priced vinyl copy in a used bin, and tried again. I listened to it twice, and never again. It's clearly not my favourite Pink Floyd Record. I like it but it just isn't the kind of record one throws on the turntable for a casual listen. You have to be all in. I do love the transition from The Happiest Days Of Our Lives to Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2).

Pink Floyd: Animals (1977)

I would place Animals in my top three PF records. I like it better than The Wall, even though I didn't even hear it until after I owned a copy of The Wall. Back in 1985 or 1986, some friends of mine went on a acid trip, and this was one of the record that they listened to. When I heard that report, I decided to track down a copy (an original Canadian pressing form 1977) and give it a listen. It was totally off my radar, I assume because it did not have a single, like Money or Wish You Were Here or Another Brick in the Wall. I was floored. I loved it immediately, though I gather the not all Pink Floyd fans love it.

Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here (1975)

At times, I think I like this record more that The Dark Side of the Moon. I love DSOTM, but this is a close second, and sometimes, it seems better. It was many years after I heard this record that I realized that Have a Cigar was sung by Roy Harper. I have no idea what I hadn't noticed before.

I have a Canadian CD from 1994 and an a Canadian vinyl pressing from 1975. The notes from Dicosgs state: "Released with an inner cardboard lyrics-sleeve and a postcard insert." Alas, I bought my copy used, and the postcard is long gone. Of course, in the early days, I listened to a tape that my friend, Pete loaned to me. He said that he was a closet Pink Floyd fan. I am not sure why he would have hidden that fact, but I am kind of a closet fan of Hall and Oates, so there's that. 

Check this out, from Wikipedia, and scratch your head:

Wish You Were Here received mixed reviews from critics on its release, who found its music uninspiring and inferior to their previous work. It has retrospectively received critical acclaim, hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time, and was cited by keyboardist Richard Wright and guitarist David Gilmour as their favourite Pink Floyd album. It reached number one in the US and UK, and Harvest's parent company, EMI, was unable to keep up with the demand. Since then, the record has sold over 20 million copies.

And, this more specific idiocy:

On release, the album received mixed reviews. Ben Edmunds wrote in Rolling Stone that the band's "lackadaisical demeanor" leaves the subject of Barrett "unrealised; they give such a matter-of-fact reading of the goddamn thing that they might as well be singing about Roger Waters's brother-in-law getting a parking ticket." Edmunds concluded the band is "devoid" of the "sincere passion for their 'art'" that contemporary space rock acts purportedly have. Melody Maker's reviewer wrote: "From whichever direction one approaches Wish You Were Here, it still sounds unconvincing in its ponderous sincerity and displays a critical lack of imagination in all departments. [source]

Critics are idiots.

Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

What can anyone say about The Dark Side of the Moon that hasn't already been said? I am always astounded when I hear people say that they do not like this record. This LP is in my top two Floyd records.  I can say that I have a near mint Canadian pressing from the 1980s, complete with stickers and posters. I purchased it in a record store in Guelph, but I can't recall which one. If you have never heard this, you are missing out. 

Pink Floyd: Meddle (1971)

My copy of the band's sixth LP is the Canadian fourth pressing. It contains some of my favourite Floyd tracks, like Fearless, San Tropez, and Echoes. 

The album's title Meddle is a play on words: a medal, and to interfere. Storm Thorgerson of the art-design group Hipgnosis originally suggested a close-up shot of a baboon's anus for the album cover photograph. He was overruled by the band, who informed him via an intercontinental telephone call while on tour in Japan that they would rather have "an ear underwater". The cover image was photographed by Bob Dowling. The image represents an ear, underwater, collecting waves of sound (represented by ripples in the water). Thorgerson later expressed dissatisfaction with the cover, claiming it to be his least favourite Pink Floyd album sleeve: "I think Meddle is a much better album than its cover".Thorgerson's colleague Aubrey Powell shared his sentiments, saying: "Meddle was a mess. I hated that cover. I don't think we did them justice with that at all; it's half-hearted." The gatefold contains a group photograph of the band (Floyd's last until 1987's A Momentary Lapse of Reason). [source]

I agree that this cover is awful. The tunes are great, and much better than anything the band had released prior and loser to what came next.

Pink Floyd: A Nice Pair (1973)

A Nice Pair is a compilation album that collects Pink Floyd's first two records, those being The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and A Saucerful of Secrets. About the scandalous cover art:

The cover is by Hipgnosis, who designed many other Pink Floyd covers, and consists of four grids of nine small images including some proposed but previously unused album cover designs. Several images depict a well-known phrase or saying in the form of a visual pun; for instance, the centre right-hand panel on the front depicts "a fork in the road", while the bottom right represents "a fine kettle of fish". Another picture presents two puns on the album title: a nice pear, and an image of a woman's pair of breasts; the latter is censored with a black bar on some copies, while other US copies opted to cover it with a purple and white sticker over the shrink wrap. Initial copies had a picture of a Mr. W.R. Phang's dental surgery on the cover (a genuine business photographed in Hammersmith, west London), but Dr. Phang objected because NHS dentists were not permitted to advertise, and the picture was replaced with one of a gargling monk. US editions from the 1980s restored both the nudity and the W.R. Phang photo. The selection of band photos on the inside cover also varies, with some copies including a photo of a shirtless, disturbed-looking Syd Barrett from The Madcap Laughs cover photo session, while others replace it with a photo of a smiling Barrett sitting by a car. [source]

My copy is a Canadian pressing, and I would guess it's from the 1980s (but it might be an earlier copy), though Discogs does not have a date for mine. It has the restored images that had been censored by pecksniffs in the past. 

This is really a good collection to have because early copies of the first two Floyd records -- even from the 1980s -- are a challenge to find for a good price and in reasonable condition. Of course, Dark Side of the Moon was released earlier in 1973, and it represented a radical departure in sound, moving away from psychedelia to a prog rock sound. So, this was kind of a call back to earlier days. I have to assume that the record label decided to cash in on the success of Dark Side of the Moon by releasing this compilation. 

Pink Floyd: Relics (A Bizarre Collection of Antiques & Curios) (1971)

Wikipedia has a wealth of information bout this release, such as:

The release of Relics occurred because the band's record company, EMI, were concerned that they had gone into the studio to record what would become Meddle without any songs or ideas, effectively starting from scratch. This, combined with their ever-increasing touring schedule, made EMI realise that no new product would be released for some time, possibly not until well over a year after completing their previous album, Atom Heart Mother. In order to issue some more "product" for fans, they decided to release a budget priced LP on their Starline label, combining early singles, B-sides, album tracks and one unreleased song, "Biding My Time". The compilation contains material from the first three albums: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, A Saucerful of Secrets and More. [source]

So, I guess for completists, this is important as it was the only way, until then at least, to have Biding My Time on vinyl. I do not love that song, but Relics is a really good collection of early material.

I have a 1981 Canadian pressing. You could probably find a copy of this pressing for $20-$25.

Pink Floyd: Atom Heart Mother (1970)

Atom Heart Mother is my least favourite PF record. I prefer side two. Somehow, I have an unofficial release, which I have to assume is sourced from a digital file. I guess this is what happens when you cannot wade through hundreds of releases on Discogs to try to figure out what version it is. It sounds OK, but I would rather have a real pressing. 

Pink Floyd: Ummagumma (1969)

Now, here is where I need to mention that I sold some of my record collection back in the day when CDs came onto the scene. I bought a few records as replacements in later years, but I am still angry with the decision to part with some of these records. My copy is a 1983 Canadian repressing. 

From Wikipedia:

"The album's title supposedly comes from Cambridge slang for sex, commonly used by Pink Floyd friend and occasional roadie, Iain "Emo" Moore, who would say, "I'm going back to the house for some ummagumma". According to Moore, he made up the term himself." [source]

I had no idea. Also, from Wikipedia:

The first disc consists of live recordings from concerts at Mothers Club in Birmingham and the College of Commerce in Manchester that contained part of their normal set list of the time, while the second contains solo compositions by each member of the band recorded at Abbey Road Studios. The artwork was designed by regular Floyd collaborators Hipgnosis and features a number of pictures of the band combined to give a Droste effect. It was the last album cover to feature the band.

From Discogs:

Pink Floyd's first release on Harvest Records.
Originally released on October 25, 1969.

The First Disc (SHDW 1) is a Live Album.
Sources of the original studio recordings:
- A1 ‎– "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn"
- A2 ‎– "Point Me At The Sky" Single
- Side B ‎– "A Saucerful Of Secrets"
(Total Duration: 39:15)

The Second Disc (SHDW 2) is a Studio Album.
At 16 words, track C3 has the distinction of having the longest name ever carried by a Pink Floyd song.
(Total Duration: 48:44)

Cover Design Trivia;
- Album's cover utilizes infinity mirror effect.
- The album, whose package is shown on cover (over the band's name) is MGM's Gigi - Original Cast Soundtrack Album (which was released 11 years earlier) was removed on US Vinyl Pressings.

My copy also has a black album jacket. I think this is better than the reviews suggest.