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100 of 102 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Definitive edition of a British psychedelic classic, and a classic group's first chapter, September 10, 2007
Before Pink Floyd became (deservedly) famous in the mid-70's for Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, and later for The Wall, they were a different band--they were Syd Barrett's band. Instead of the epic, moody, atmospheric, trippy rock forged primarily by the synergy of Roger Waters and David Gilmour later on in Pink Floyd's existence, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn finds the band making music that is very much of its time (1967). The music that became known as "psychedelic" is loosely defined as music that combines creative sonic textures and surprising sounds with bizarre, often whimsical lyrics to either simulate or enhance a drug experience. With the Beatles just down the hall in Abbey Road Studios recording Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Pink Floyd (named after obscure American bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council) were on the cutting edge of the British psychedelic scene while recording The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Now, 40 years later, we're offered a worthy definitive edition of a classic band's classic debut that still endures today as a classic of its genre, thanks to Syd Barrett's unique vision and inimitable songwriting.
What is offered in this 3-CD set? Discs One and Two are Mono and Stereo versions of the album in its entirety. Many fans are passionately divided as to which version is better: younger fans are most likely accustomed to hearing music in stereo, so a mono mix may seem antiquated. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn's stereo mix is pretty awesome--I find it a very well-thought-out stereo mix (some from this era weren't particularly well-done), and some great panning effects happen (especially in "Lucifer Sam" and the finale of "Interstellar Overdrive") that really add to the music's psychedelic impact. On the other hand, the mono version is just as essential. At the time of the album's release, British pop music was more geared toward recording radio singles in mono, so a mono version of the album is likely truer to the spirit of the times and more reflective of how bands and producers approached the recording of music when entering the studio. It certainly sounds thicker, denser, and perhaps a bit more chaotic than the stereo version, which seems to benefit the wild nature of a lot of the album's music. The great part about this set is that you get both versions, so you can decide for yourself which one you like better. In my opinion, they're both essential.
Disc 3 is composed of bonus material--the A and B sides of Pink Floyd's singles from 1967. Of these, several (including the classic singles "See Emily Play" and "Arnold Layne") were available on the hodgepodgy compilation, Relics, but some weren't--the mono and stereo "Apples and Oranges" and the B-side "Candy and a Currant Bun" were heretofore quite scarce on CD. Additionally, Disc 3 offers a couple alternate takes of the classic "Interstellar Overdrive" and an alternate version of "Matilda Mother." Since the early Pink Floyd was definitely a singles-oriented band (they had to have a successful single in "See Emily Play" to record a full-length LP), these are all essential and worthwhile bonus tracks. Just listen to "See Emily Play," and "Apples and Oranges"--they're total British psych-pop gold, with Barrett's playful charm set over a quirky and snappy backdrop of irresistible, concise pop. Fans may be upset that other rarities (i.e. "Vegetable Man," "Lucy Leave," "Two of a Kind," the list goes on...) aren't included on this disc. Although it would be great to have a definitive CD collection of these rare tracks, it's understandable that they aren't included--most were recorded after the sessions that produced this album and the accompanying singles, so it makes sense that they'd all be bundled together. Throw on top of the 3 discs of music a beautiful cloth-covered book designed by Pink Floyd design stalwart Storm Thorgerson full of pictures, information, and an 8-page reproduction of Syd Barrett's notebooks, and this set fills the bill as a definitive package.
As for the music on the album itself, it certainly justifies the fanfare of a 3-disc edition. The Pink Floyd may not have been the only (or first) British band making psychedelic pop rock at the time, but they sure made some of the best. "Astronomy Domine" is a classic opener, with strange radio chatter giving way to Syd Barrett's mysterious and evocative spacey musings sung in his gentle but haunting voice. The backdrop is dominated by Barrett's reverb-drenched guitar and Rick Wright's crazy organ sounds--two musical elements that typify the classic sound of the whole album. Barrett's songwriting really shines for its uniqueness of vision and effortless un-self-conscious whimsy on the groovy "Lucifer Sam," the hazy childhood loveletter "Matilda Mother," and the tripped-out "Flaming." The middle of the album gets really trippy, with the bizarre "Pow R. Toc H.", filled with weird vocal sound effects, Roger Waters' only track on the album ("Take Up Thy Stethescope and Walk") and "Interstellar Overdrive," one of the early band's most classic tracks. Through these songs they show a penchant for jamming centered on virtuosity, but more on a restless urge to experiment sonically and chase down some strange and stimulating sounds. Unlike the tedious jams that typify some music from this era, Pink Floyd pulls it off remarkably well (case in point, the wild ride of "Interstellar Overdrive" sandwiched between the song's surf-sounding primary riff). Barrett's fantastical whimsy returns for the album's last few tracks, especially on the Tolkein-esque "The Gnome," which jollily interrupts the droning embers of "Interstellar Overdrive," the sublime "Scarecrow," and the classic "Bike," which sees Barrett rattling off nonsensical details about his life. The album ends (much like the contemporary Sgt. Pepper) in a chaotic clamor of strange sound effects and percussive noises, marking the end of a particularly distinguished psychedelic journey. Really, what sets The Piper at the Gates of Dawn apart from some of its contemporaries is Barrett's imagination and intuitive knack for catchy lyrical and musical hooks. This is music that, despite its weirdness, sticks with you by virtue of quality writing.
Who would I recommend this set to? Die hard fans will definitely want this version--the book is fabulous, both versions of the album are essential, and the bonus material is too irresistible to pass up. If you're interested in the music but don't want to shell out the extra money, the 2-disc version has both Mono and Stereo versions of the album at a lower price. If you're new to this classic music and aren't sure you're willing to go for a fancy version, I urge you to at least grab the 1-disc version that's been out for a while. This is great music and an excellent example of a great musical era that fans of the later Pink Floyd may really appreciate. Once you're hooked on Pink Floyd's take on British psychedelic rock, be sure to check out some of the other classic albums of the genre, like the Zombies' Odessey and Oracle, self-titled Tomorrow, the first two Soft Machine albums, the Small Faces' Ogden's Nut Gone Flake, the Move's Shazam, and The World of Oz, to name a few. I hope you enjoy this classic music!
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22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the greatest albums ever made finally getting the royal treatment it deserves, September 11, 2007
Piper At The Gates Of Dawn is one of my favorite albums, and personally I've always found it to be Pink Floyd's best album(and if any discography is jammed with classic albums it's the mighty Floyd's). Every song featured is a psychedelic gem/masterpiece that pushed the envelope of what was possible at the time. Syd Barrett knew how to write song's that were experimental, but also extremely interesting and to be truthful accessible.
That's just a brief review of the album, believe me I could go on for hours on Piper, its just that great. However the purpose of this review is to go over the particulars of the 40th anniversary edition. Overall it's fantastic. There are two major incentives for true fans that already own the album, and don't want to buy it just for the new packaging. First off the mono mix of Piper(disc one of this set) completely blows the stereo mix out of the water. After listening to the mono mix I can confidently say I will not be listening to the stereo mix all to often. The mono mix was supposedly mixed by Barrett himself, and offers a slightly more psychedelic mix than the stereo mix most are accustomed too. Effects that cant be heard in the stereo mix jump out. The vocals have a much more cosmic sound to them, and the instruments just leap out of the mix in a kaleidoscopic swirl of sound. However there are some interesting qualities in the stereo mix(Disc 2), that make it worthwhile as well. While the mix doesn't leap out like the mono does, the stereo mix offers interest for those with headphones, as instruments move in and out of the left and right channels creating interesting panning effects. Overall I prefer the mono mix but the stereo mix deserves a listen now and then, to decipher its own different sonic textures.
The other big incentive for long time fans is disc three, which includes the early singles which are "Arnold Layne", "Candy And A Currant Bun", "See Emily Play", "Apples And Oranges", and "Paintbox". Also included are 2 takes of "Interstellar Overdrive"(that are substantially different from the version on the album), "Matilda Mother"(with new lyrics), and a stereo mix of "Apples And Oranges". This disc is not your average rag tag collection of bonus tracks the early singles are all top tier Floyd songs, and are finally available by means other than buying a greatest hits collection("See Emily Play", "Arnold Layne", "Paintbox") or hunting down the now hard to find early singles promo, or the currently out of print and incredidbly expensive Shine On box set("Apples And Oranges", "Candy And A Currant Bun"). "Apples and Oranges" and "See Emily Play" especially rank up there in my top ten favorite Floyd songs. The two alternate versions of Interstellar Overdrive are also rather interesting, and the take of "Matilda Mother" is fun to listen to with its new lyrics.
The packaging itself is also great including a twelve page reproduction of one of Syd's actual notebooks.
So overall is this the best way to buy Piper? Well if you already own it and you truly enjoy it than this is well worth it. However if you've never even heard Piper before it might be a good idea to just go ahead and get the regular edition, unless of course you want the singles, as this really the best way to get them. So if you are a true fan of Floyd than consider getting this, I can say this is the best music purchase i've made in a long time and i'd heard Piper at least a thousand times before buying this.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Still a great album by any means -- but there ain't much "special" about this edition..., October 8, 2007
While I'm happy to add this to my extensive collection of things-Floydian, this 3-CD limited version of "Piper" isn't anywhere near as awesome as I had expected it to be. For one, there are absolutely no write-ups ANYWHERE that tell the story of the evolution of the album and its very important place in Floyd history (after all, this is, in a sense, Syd's first - and last - true Floyd album). And, since they've gone through the trouble to put the mono and stereo versions on separate CDs -- AND include a bonus disc chock full of tracks that quite a lot of people think are on the original "Piper" to begin with -- how's about a bit of text explaining why this is so? Nope...not one word. Just lyrics, credits, and some sort of goofy reproduction of one of Syd's notebooks full-o'-scribblings (the latter of which is kinda neat - but ultimately unnecessary). Don't get me wrong...this is still a great album, but there were SO many opportunities that were passed up on that could have made this 40th anniversary limited edition worthy of being called a "special" edition that I'm ultimately left with a feeling of disappointment.
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