Apparently producer and engineer James Guthrie has mixed together the Pink Floyd anthology into one piece of continuing music lasting well over two hours and twenty minutes. The actual release will be spread either over 2CD’s or you can treat yourself to the four-album vinyl box set. Made with the active participation of Gilmour, Mason, Wright and Waters, this release certainly sees the band take a step in the right direction. It certainly is not an easy task to sift through the tremendous output of Pink Floyd, starting out from their unpolluted psychedelic days together with good old Syd right up to their stadium status. Comparing the sixties material to the latest studio material from the late nineties of course, there is also a big difference where quality is concerned. That’s why this release will not only be seen as a product of the "prog four" but as a wonderful "tour de force" from producer and engineer James Guthrie. Before we can caress our very first copy of the complete set, here’s a small sampler that puts together six of the band’s most immortal songs, beginning with the Barrett weirdness of "See Emily Play," sporting a feel that was also to be found in the music of the Small Faces at the time. Because the song ends with a fade out, the producer has combined it with the sound of cluttering pennies which starts "Money." Luckily they have gone for the album version here, using the helicopter sounds of "The Happiest Days Of Our Lives" to mask the "Money" outro. As on the actual The Wall album "The Happiest Days Of Our Lives" neatly glides into the blockbuster "Another Brick In The Wall Part 2." After the immortal words "stand still laddie," the first chords of "Learning To Fly" immediately follow, introducing a danceable beat beneath the interesting lyrics. During the fade out, the first sounds of the radio station that begins "Wish You Were Here" can be heard. I have to say "Wish You Were Here" sounds ever so clear and detailed, which is very enjoyable when the acoustic guitar sets in. Needless to say, a sampler in this context isn’t very useful because one has to wait for the real McCoy anyway. If this were a sampler of material from a newly discovered artist then it would be OK, but here it serves mainly as a teaser for what is still to come. So I’m a bit curious to know in what way the other songs have been segued together, how the sound has been spiced up in order to create one lengthy listening experience. As no new material will be included, all our attention will be going towards the sound, and because it’s Pink Floyd we’re talking about, it'd better be good! Reveiwed by: John 'Bo Bo' Bollenberg |
