Pink Floyd’s album Dark Side of the Moon, released on March 1st, 1973, is one of the most interesting and influential albums in Rock history. A certified multi-platinum album, it has maintained its presence on the billboard charts for over 14 years. The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and Pink Floyd was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
Pink Floyd is a British based band formed in 1965. The band’s lead singer and guitarist’s name was Syd Barrett. Barrett was with Pink Floyd for the first two years, but due to his mental health and drug usage, he left the band. Pink Floyd brought in singer David Gilmore to cover Barrett’s spot. Bass player Roger Water’s took over Barrett spot as lead singer when he officially was done with the band. In the following four years, Pink Floyd dropped three albums: A Saucerful of Secrets, Meddle, and Obscured by Clouds. While these three albums weren’t as successful as their following albums were, they were fundamental for the growth of Pink Floyd’s unique sound. Most people view 1973 to 1979 as the prime of the band’s work.
Dark Side of the Moon is an interesting album in the way that it makes you feel. When I listen to this album, it has an effect that barely any other albums have. The album flows continuously with all of the songs having a relationship with each other. I’d recommend listening to this album on auto mix as the songs transition to each other very nicely. My favorite songs in the album are “Time”, “Breathe (In the Air)”, and “Money.” Dark Side of the Moon has proven to be a timeless album with many people claiming that from the beginning to the end feels like a movie. Some fans claim to listen to the album while watching a specific clip of The Wizard of Oz as they match up well.
Overall, I would recommend this album to anyone who wants to listen to something unique and experience quality, timeless music. According to music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine from All Music, Pink Floyd’s music, rather than lyrics, is what makes Dark Side special. “By condensing the sonic explorations of Meddle to actual songs and adding a lush, immaculate production to their trippiest instrumental sections, Pink Floyd inadvertently designed their commercial breakthrough with Dark Side of the Moon. The primary revelation of Dark Side of the Moon is what a little focus does for the band. Roger Waters wrote a series of songs about mundane, everyday details which aren’t that impressive by themselves, but when given the sonic backdrop of Floyd’s slow, atmospheric soundscapes and carefully placed sound effects, they achieve an emotional resonance. But what gives the album true power is the subtly textured music, which evolves from ponderous, neo-psychedelic art rock to jazz fusion and blues-rock before turning back to psychedelia. It’s dense with detail, but leisurely paced, creating its own dark, haunting world. Pink Floyd may have better albums than Dark Side of the Moon, but no other record defines them quite as well as this one” (Erlewine).
Some faculty members identified as music aficionados have also weighed in on the album. Mr. Hickman had an interesting take saying, “For me there are only a few albums that you can say are timeless, meaning they would be good now, 100, or 1000 years from now. Dark Side of the Moon is one of those albums. I think that part of its longevity is related to its themes and lyrics still are not dated and it is an album that very few would even think about skipping a track. Another thing was that it seemed to happen at the perfect time based on sonic capabilities and gear to produce it. As to one of my favorites YES, but still partial to Meddle because of frequency of play of songs in the universe from Dark Side of the Moon, and I like live recordings more as I age. But historically and culturally, one of the most important albums of its generation and a gold standard to be held up against.”
Mr. Bowlby had a different perspective claiming the album was maybe a little over hyped. “It has catchy tracks like ‘Money’ and ‘Breathe”. It is a good album in that pretentious, self-aware, 70’s concept album sort of way. It is not the greatest album of all time. It has taken on that mythos over time, however. I think it is mostly because so many people have been told how great it is, and that belief has picked up an energy of its own.” But Mr. Hayes disagrees, saying, “ Dark Side is one of the all-time great albums. It would be hard not to include it in my top 10. It’s a relatively short album at only 42 minutes, but the songs all flow into one another beautifully to create a masterpiece. The range of melodies and musical styles is so unique and varied; a psychedelic fusion of rock, jazz, blues, and soul. It’s hard to explain how it makes you feel. Intense, pensive, but also relaxed; almost in a meditative state. Simply put, it’s awesome.”
I would also recommend listening to Pink Floyd’s following critically acclaimed albums. Wish You Were Here, released in 1975, is a tribute to former member Syd Barrett. Animals, released in 1977, touches on the problems of inequalities and greed. Then The Wall, released in 1979, was a successful album that contains music about trauma and isolation. The Wall has my two favorite Pink Floyd songs: “Comfortably Numb” and “Another Brick in the Wall.” Pink Floyd’s impact on rock and roll will always be honored, and their legacy will continue to impact today’s music.
