Pink Floyd Instrumentals
It's not exactly the in thing these days to profess an affinity for the music of Pink Floyd, but back in the day, these prog-rock giants were virtual masters of all they surveyed, and then some. However, a little-mentioned but highly essential part of this rock institution is their ability to craft carefully constructed, highly atmospheric instrumentals. While these non-vocal tracks are nowhere as well-known as certified standards like "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)", "Comfortably Numb" or "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", it's still worthwhile to take stock of their structures and how they figure in the Pink Floyd scheme of things:
A SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS (1968)
This twelve-minute behemoth is as avant-garde as Pink Floyd can ever get, with lots and lots of organ drones, guitar feedback, clanging percussion, spacey oscillators and spooky ad-libbed vocals. Divided into four parts ("Something Else", "Syncopated Pandemonium", "Storm Signal" and "Celestial Voices"), and an essential component of the Pink Floyd live experience.
SEVERAL SPECIES OF SMALL FURRY ANIMALS GATHERED TOGETHER IN A CAVE AND GROOVING WITH A PICT (1969)
Without a doubt, the most spaced-out and greatest song title in Pink Floyd's repertoire, this sound experiment in vari-speed features sped-up and slowed-down samples of rodents and birds that eventually culminates in a few stanzas of lyrical hogwash spoken by frontman Roger Waters in a thick Scottish brogue. Great for those late-night magic-mushroom sessions.
GRANTCHESTER MEADOWS (1969)
A restful, pastoral piece that is built from acoustic-guitar figures and several different types of birdsong, almost Nick Drake in overall nature. Arguably the most idyllic of all of the band's instrumental compositions.
ATOM HEART MOTHER (1970)
A suite in six parts that clocks in at a mind-warping twenty-four minutes. Organ solos, slide guitars, horn charts, choir samples, public announcements, drum solos: everything but the kitchen sink is tossed into the mix for this one.
SIGNS OF LIFE (1987)
A logical opener to the first post-Roger Waters album, 1987's "A Momentary Lapse of Reason", "Signs of Life" takes in liberal samples of rowing boats and computerised voices, and meshes it all with sweeping synth chords and delicate acoustic-guitar pluckings, deftly building up a sense of ominous anticipation. One of the strongest opening tracks on any Pink Floyd record.
MAROONED (1994)
1994's "The Division Bell" was mostly derided as a tired effort from an increasingly disinterested and ageing band, but "Marooned" showed that Pink Floyd still can cut it, at least when it comes to cutting instrumentals. An apt for David Gilmour's expressive, measured high-pitched guitar chops, "Marooned" makes fantastic use of pitch shifters to transpose his notes to a higher octave. It also unexpectedly garnered the band their only Grammy to date (for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1995 event).
A SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS (1968)
This twelve-minute behemoth is as avant-garde as Pink Floyd can ever get, with lots and lots of organ drones, guitar feedback, clanging percussion, spacey oscillators and spooky ad-libbed vocals. Divided into four parts ("Something Else", "Syncopated Pandemonium", "Storm Signal" and "Celestial Voices"), and an essential component of the Pink Floyd live experience.
SEVERAL SPECIES OF SMALL FURRY ANIMALS GATHERED TOGETHER IN A CAVE AND GROOVING WITH A PICT (1969)
Without a doubt, the most spaced-out and greatest song title in Pink Floyd's repertoire, this sound experiment in vari-speed features sped-up and slowed-down samples of rodents and birds that eventually culminates in a few stanzas of lyrical hogwash spoken by frontman Roger Waters in a thick Scottish brogue. Great for those late-night magic-mushroom sessions.
GRANTCHESTER MEADOWS (1969)
A restful, pastoral piece that is built from acoustic-guitar figures and several different types of birdsong, almost Nick Drake in overall nature. Arguably the most idyllic of all of the band's instrumental compositions.
ATOM HEART MOTHER (1970)
A suite in six parts that clocks in at a mind-warping twenty-four minutes. Organ solos, slide guitars, horn charts, choir samples, public announcements, drum solos: everything but the kitchen sink is tossed into the mix for this one.
SIGNS OF LIFE (1987)
A logical opener to the first post-Roger Waters album, 1987's "A Momentary Lapse of Reason", "Signs of Life" takes in liberal samples of rowing boats and computerised voices, and meshes it all with sweeping synth chords and delicate acoustic-guitar pluckings, deftly building up a sense of ominous anticipation. One of the strongest opening tracks on any Pink Floyd record.
MAROONED (1994)
1994's "The Division Bell" was mostly derided as a tired effort from an increasingly disinterested and ageing band, but "Marooned" showed that Pink Floyd still can cut it, at least when it comes to cutting instrumentals. An apt for David Gilmour's expressive, measured high-pitched guitar chops, "Marooned" makes fantastic use of pitch shifters to transpose his notes to a higher octave. It also unexpectedly garnered the band their only Grammy to date (for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1995 event).
posted by C.T. Chua at 3:16 PM
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