Rock Reviews

Animals

Review

Real progressive rock. Despite being released in 1977 and just 4 years after Dark Side of the Moon, this album seems so different. To start off with Animals contains just 5 songs, 3 of them a very vast majority of the time of the album versus 10 songs, from 1-7:50 length on DSOTM. But musically this seems different but not to knock eitiher one down. Dark Side of the Moon is clearly more accessable to non-Floyd fans, people new to progressive rock or that time period of music overall. Animals is very much about long musical compisitions and more instruments than vocals. But one significant strength they both share is quality, but partciluary flow.

Even though Dogs, Sheep and Pigs (Three Different Ones) are all 3 different not just the message of Animals (which is absolutely fantastic and is just as good of a message then as it is now), but style of the song but just flows from one to another.

With an album like this it is very hard to review individual songs which I'm not going to do at this time. What all of the big three songs share is overall incredible instrumental quality. Dogs is the most well known song and for good reason, weighing in at a bit over 17 minutes the entire song is well worth the listen. In this track you will hear some excellent guitar work and an overall awesome execution of all the instruments and vocals coming at the right time.

All three songs have excellent intro's and endings and although not the strength of the album, the only weakness here is Pigs in the Wing Part one and Two. There purpose is served and are completely different from the other three not just in tone (lighter compared to darker themed), but instrument wise with just a strumming guitar and singing by Waters. While Part One has a viewer perhaps a bit put off, for whatever reason Part Two seems to end the album well.

This is one of those rare moments where I can say an album is one of my favorites and yet not have a whole lot to say about it. There are specific hooks and intense drumming moments or solo's I can remember and certain lyrics that are classic but for whatever reason I don't have a whole ton to say about this album in specifics other than how fantastic it is in every way. Drumming by Nick Mason is great, also having some of the best guitar work you'll hear from Gilmore and probably the best singing by Waters out of the heavier days. 

This is a must for progressive rock fans and while not the best album to start with for Pink Floyd, I find it hard to believe that there are many rock fans out there that would not like this album even if they hadn't heard Pink Floyd before.

9.7

Songs