Been a bit hasn't it? Well, I decided that, because Album reviews were pretty exhausting, and since I have school coming up I would also take a look at songs I don't like in my newest blog Auditory Abominations which has two posts up already. I also thought I needed a break from Album reviews for a bit because, I think you can get the feeling in the previous review that I didn't really want to review it. It was chosen for me by a friend and I honestly felt as though it was my weakest review of an album. So I decided to swing back around for another album review, because of reasons I really don't want to talk about right now (Here is the reason if you must know), so I thought I'd look at one of my favourite albums of all time. Yes, this one is up there with Octavarium and Holy Diver as one of my favourites and there is good reason, and of course you have read the title, so I'm going to review Pink Floyd's 1973 release Dark Side of the Moon.
The album was the eighth studio album by the Progressive Rock band and has become one of their most well known alongside The Wall and Wish You Were Here. It topped the Austrian, Canadian, New Zealand and Billboard 200 Album Charts and has been re-released several times, I believe the copy I own is the 2011 remaster, and it sounds amazing. It ben certified 16x Platinum in new Zealand, 15x Platinum in the US, 14x Platinum in both Australia and the UK and 2x Diamond in Canada.
The album may start with an instrumental, but it really begins with "Breathe (In The Air)" which is a really calm and mellow song that quickly sets the tone of the album, as it isn't going to be really rock guitar heavy, although the occasional rock guitar solo does appear. It's followed by the instrumental "On The Run" which is probably the weakest song on the album as it really exists to transition to the next track "Time", although it really has a nice sound to it, kind of reminding me of Daft Punk's "Contact".
Thankfully The next couple of tracks are really amazing, starting with the aforementioned "Time", which does start with obnoxious clocks and bells but give it a chance and you will find a really poignant song about the passing of time, and some of the lyrics, really hit home. I'm sure everyone has or will have the feeling that something that happened a while ago happened only Yesterday, just like me and Graduating. The next song "The Great Gig in the Sky" is not only one of my favourite instrumental tracks on any album, it's probably my favourite track on the album. The female vocals give the song quite a bit of power, like a punch to the gut. I also love how it builds on itself and then dies down towards the end, giving the listeners some time to breathe before the next song, which is no doubt the most iconic.
"Money" was the first single released off the album and it is most likely Pink Floyd's most well known song, followed closely by "Comfortably Numb" and "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2". It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and for really good reason. The song has a memorable groove and some easy to remember lyrics, after all the song is about greed. "Us and Them" was the other single off the album, and it is another highlight off the album, and it is one of the most creative, taking a lot of jazz influence and having Saxophone solos and a much louder chorus to the verses, which really gives the song a very nice feeling.
The album ends with the tracks "Brain Damage" and "Eclipse". Both are calming tracks, despite the formers subject matter. "Eclipse" has some more power than "Brain Damage", but doesn't really have the lyrics that "Brain Damage" has. I do say, that "Eclipse" is the best way this album could end and "Brain Damage" is another good highlight off the album.
Overall, I love this album. I think the only thing that comes close to it with how perfect the album is has got to be Dream Theater's Octavarium. If you've only heard the track "Money" off the album than you really need to hear the whole thing, as it really is an experience you don't want to give up. It has more than earned a full score from me, 10/10.
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