As a true Pink Floyd fan, I couldn't resist buying this album when I stumbled upon it the other week in a record store, although it was a bit expensive. But the chance of getting Pink Floyd's early single releases on vinyl was too tempting to resist, songs that are not found on any of their LPs (I have the songs on CD, though, since many years) .
Besides the single releases there are some songs from their first album The Piper Of The Gates Of Dawn. A string of psychedelic creations, most written by Syd Barrett. Why then is David Gilmour on the cover and where is Syd, man of order probably wonders? The songs are from the years 1967-68 and recorded before Gilmour came into the picture. According to sources on the internet, he only appears (in secret) on Julia Dream. EMI, which released the album, probably thought it was better to show the 1970 version of the band, I suppose. But fact is that the album was reissued later with Syd Barrett instead of Gilmour on the cover. After the crazy succcess with Dark Side Of The Moon the record company wanted to earn even more money on Pink Floyd, and re-released The Best Of Pink Floyd under the new name, Masters Of Rock, a serie that was made under the same name with a number of artists. That's when Syd got a spot on the cover.
The songs are of course quite different from the Dark Side Of The Moon and Pink Floyd's other 70's creations. This is the very definition of psychedelia, often with a dark touch, as if the music predicts Syd's future fate. Some might dismiss a few songs as a bit whimsical, but not me. I think all the creations are really groovy. Apples And Oranges is perhaps the song that most reminds of the music on Syd's solo albums that were released a few years later, with a peculiar timing of the vocals. Rich Wright and Roger Waters also contributes with a few songs. One might miss Point Me At The Sky, it was created , however, when Syd in practice had left the band, so perhaps it's OK. But personally, I would prefer it got a spot on the album instead of some song from Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.
The Best Of Pink Floyd invites the listener to the band in its younger years, filled with youthful energy and experimentation. Fun, trippy, sad and somewhat dark. Knowledge of Syd's later fate surely enhances this darkness.
Tracklist
Side A
1. Chapter 24 3:36
2. Mathilda Mother
3:03
3. Arnold
4. Candy And A
Currant Bun 2:38
5. The Scarecrow
2:07
Side B
1. Apples And Oranges
2. It WouldBe So
Nice 3:39
3. Paint Box 3
4. Julia Dream
2:28
5. See Emily Play
2:50
