The Psych Ward–Meddle by Pink Floyd
The Psych Ward–Meddle by Pink Floyd
Meddle was the sixth studio album released by renowned British group Pink Floyd. One of the band’s least heralded releases of the 1970’s, it is a sonic oddity that flows from the Mediterranean into celestial territory, owing greatly to its centerpiece “Echoes.” Recorded and released in 1971, Meddle documents the band’s transitional and collaborative era after Syd Barrett’s departure and before the unchecked ego of Roger Waters became their albatross. It captures the group in a state of flux with no pre-prepared material, determining their future trajectory without fractured frontman Barrett.
Some who were born after its original release likely encountered this album as I did, randomly delving into Pink Floyd’s back catalog after being captivated by their more accessible and radio-friendly songs. Meddle is largely neither.
The album’s opener “One of These Days” is downright scary. Governed by Waters’ ostinato bass line containing only two notes, the musical tension is elevated by David Gilmour’s clambering guitar theatrics, Richard Wright’s spooky organ flourishes, and Nick Mason’s thundering drum rolls and crashes. It is the musical equivalent of walking into an unfamiliar forest expecting a carefree jaunt, only to be entrapped in pitch-black crepuscule by a terrifying, monstrous menace. By the time the song reaches its crescendo, ushered in by its only lyric “(o)ne of these days I’m going to cut you into little pieces,” the listener is left aghast at the forbidding peril within.
“A Pillow of Winds” is lighter acoustic fare that lets us take a deep breath, with musical motifs hinting at their later concept albums. As Gilmour’s acoustic guitar continues to play a prominent role, “Fearless” ascends gently into the clouds. The jazzy “San Tropez” effortlessly displaces us to the breezy beaches of the French Riviera, while a hound dog steals the show on the unambitious blues “Seamus.”
The finale and cosmic masterpiece “Echoes” uses submarine pings from Wright’s piano to launch into a doleful jam that voyages through interstellar quietude, before returning to a fierce reprise that recalls the album’s opener. My fond experiences of this psychedelic opus include memorably performing it live with Stone Groove two decades ago under a starry sky at Legend Valley. “Echoes” alone makes this Floyd album a worthy addition to any psych music lover’s collection. With the requisite amount of English melancholy, Meddle is a moody journey from dashed hopes and cloudy skies into the terminal darkness of outer space.
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