The Cavern
Rock & Words
OBSCURED BY CLOUDS (Pink Floyd, 1972)
Artist: Pink Floyd (B+)
Recordng Dates: Feb – Mar ‘72
Release Date: June 2nd, 1972. UKRecord Label: Harvest / EMI
Producerr: Pink Floyd
Rating: 8
Era: Progressive (1968-???)
Subgenre: Art Rock
Best Song: Wot's... Uh The Deal.
Tracklist: 1) Obscured By Clouds; 2) When You're In; 3) Burning Bridges; 4) The Gold It's In The; 5) Wot's... Uh The Deal; 6) Mudmen; 7) Childhood's End; 8) Free Four; 9) Stay; 10) Absolutely Curtains.
George Starostin is absolutely right when he says that Floyd's music has a soundtrack-like quality. Completely. You're catapulted into a variety of images through Floyd's music, from epic battles and volcanic eruptions to comical scenes and dramatic courtroom scenes… almost every song has a backdrop-like feel. And mind you, I'm not saying it's background music; on the contrary, what I mean is that it's transcendent music, full of so many textures and sensations that it can easily become a soundtrack to your own life, and you end up associating its songs with specific chapters, not necessarily from a film… That's why, when Floyd comes out with true soundtracks, that is, music made specifically for a film, like The Committee from '68, More and parts of Zabriskie Point from '69, or this soundtrack for the French film The Valley from 1972, you don't notice the difference.
And the fact is, bands, fans, and critics generally look down on original soundtracks, unless your name is Enio or John and your last name is Morricone or Williams. In rock music, they're generally undervalued. In Floyd's case, this is evident, as this was their only film that received any recognition as a studio album, despite their three previous releases. More! wouldn't start to gain recognition until much later, but even today it's considered more of a rarity than a studio album, and the others are even less so.
In any case, Obscured by Clouds found Pink Floyd at a mature stage, when the band was even polishing live previews of what would become Dark Side of the Moon. I don't think anyone would ever consider Obscured by Clouds among their top five Floyd albums, but I also don't think anyone would put it among their worst. It's actually quite consistent, solid, with carefully crafted melodies, and entertaining. It's true that (like More) it doesn't have a monstrous, historic track that stands out far above the rest, as on most of their other albums. There isn't an epic song that lasts more than 10 minutes. Here, the longest track is the final one, which is perhaps the most soundtrack-like on the album, and it doesn't even reach 6 minutes. The album isn't lacking in experimentation, but it's more rock in the traditional sense, without so much production or effects, which allows the melodies to shine on their own.
Just like with More, the band reviewed an unedited version of The Valley. They timed themselves, took notes, and locked themselves away in the studio for two weeks to record the tracks in record time. It's worth noting that all the songs were completely finished in those sessions, as they were working on and saving the songs they had written for Dark Side. I suppose that's why there are no lengthy solos, strange effects, or overproduction. The songs feel simple, but that's not a waste at all. On the contrary, without a central theme this time, aside from the film, there's a certain unity or direction, perhaps in the atmospheres. There's something that cohesively binds the album together, even the instrumental tracks. Maybe it's Dave's guitar, which is tremendous throughout the entire album, with more of a bluesy feel than on other records. Along with Meddle, Obscured by Clouds is considered one of Pink Floyd's transitional albums, in which they finally stepped out of Syd's shadow, attempting to emulate the aimless, psychedelic acid trips of the past, and began to move towards a more elaborate, melodic, and focused prog-rock sound. Rick, for his part, used synthesizers for the first time, such as the VCS3, which added distinct textures and greatly expanded their sound. Mason, meanwhile, experimented with electronic drums for the first time on the title track.
It's true that Meddle is much more polished and complete. After all, it was conceived as an album, and each song was worked on for a longer period. But that doesn't make Obscured bad. It's true they didn't take many risks, and perhaps the only truly innovative element is "Absolutely Curtains" with its closing track recorded by the Mapuga tribe. But that was more in service of the film, and Brian Jones had already attempted something similar long before. I think what's truly innovative is in terms of the instruments and recording techniques. The band learned a lot in two weeks, trying to make the most of the resources they had. If Meddle is the missing link in terms of songwriting, I don't know if Dark Side would have been possible without the technological horizons the band discovered while recording this album.
It's said that George Martin helped the band correct the sibilance on the master tapes, as they had been mistakenly recorded at a frequency that greatly emphasized the 's's, 'h's, and 't's. And well, I don't know what happened there, but suddenly, months later, Pink Floyd, still a quasi-underground band, was recording what many consider their masterpiece at Abbey Road Studios, with Alan Parsons (who had collaborated with George Martin years before) on sound engineering. Coincidence?
And in terms of sound, I think it's also a missing link between the psychedelic era and their mature phase. There's no epic giant like "Echoes," but there are several tracks that sound somewhat stripped down, yet could easily be included on Dark Souls of the Moon, such as "Burning Bridges" or "Childhood End," which seems like a younger sibling to "Time." It's a good album; the problem is perhaps that it doesn't reach the heights that Meddle or Dark Side of the Moon sometimes transport us to.
The album kicks off with "Obscured by Clouds", a relatively simple instrumental track, but one in which the band manages to create a dark, chilling atmosphere. Dave's guitar sounds incredible, with plenty of distortion. Nick lays down an abstract, continuous beat, experimenting for the first time with electronic drums, while Rick creates those constant, crunchy synthesizer sounds. The song sounds abstract, distant, yet still modern, with certain bluesy guitar nuances, and a very dense and menacing aura.
Next up is “When You're In”, another instrumental. It begins with a couple of cymbal crashes from Mason on his traditional drum kit. Wright also returns to the organ, which is more colorful and human. Dave continues to lead the way with a devastating guitar riff, which, however, is somewhat repetitive and loses the magnificence and creativity of the previous track, even though this one feels more rock-oriented and powerful. And while it is somewhat repetitive, at least these first two tracks had a very specific function in the film. Let's not forget that this is a soundtrack. Many current films would love to have a song like this.
Then comes the cadence of “Burning Bridges”, which vaguely reminds me of Wright’s great keyboard work on “Comfortably Numb.” Here, that warm, swaying organ carries the entire song, as if the heat of burning bridges were reaching us from afar. Dave and Rick create beautiful bittersweet harmonies in duet. Surprisingly, Roger Waters remains on the sidelines, even though the lyrics are his—cryptic, psychedelic: “Bridges burning gladly, Merging with the shadows, Flickering between the lines.” Once again, Dave steals the show with a spectacular, slow slide guitar solo, drawing delicious tears from his instrument. One of my favorites on the album.
Then comes “The Gold It's In the...”, a rocker that deviates from Floyd's usual standards. Many criticized it for being a generic example of 70s hard rock. And come to think of it, if you told me it was a Status Quo song, I'd buy it without the solo. I don't know if it's actually some kind of parody, considering the lyrics, which use a ton of road song clichés, only instead of roads, it talks about the sea. Well, in the second half; the first half does mention mountains. All things considered, can you tell me it's not enjoyable? A good rocker, reminiscent of the wild mood of “Nile Song” by the other OMS, More.
The album's underrated gem is "Wot's... Uh The Deal", a gorgeous acoustic ballad with an irresistible melody. Crystal-clear, delicate arpeggios from two acoustic guitars. Rick's piano in the background accentuates a warm and intimate atmosphere, and he even delivers a brief solo at 2:35, adding a touch of elegance to the track. This is followed by a great guitar solo where Dave combines fuzz with slide. It's not a killer solo; it seems intentionally to let Rick take center stage, but it works beautifully. By the way, going back to "Comfortably Numb," don't you think the way Dave comes in on the lead guitar is a direct precursor to the intro on that gem from The Wall? Getting back to this track, the lyrics are outstanding. Waters shows the maturity he's reaching as a songwriter, with beautiful imagery, talking about… well, I don't know if it's about growing up or if it's one of the last lyrics in which Roger would speak, indirectly at least, about love: "So let me in from the cold, Turn my lead into gold, Cause there's chill wind blowing in my soul, And I think I'm growing old…" Some of Waters' most beautiful lyrics. Dave sings them with the necessary delicacy and emotion, adding a bunch of overdubs to amplify them. They would never play it live… Anyway, a simple but brilliant song, with a melody that would make even Paul McCartney jealous. In my opinion, the hidden gem of the album.
Next comes “Mudmen”, another instrumental. Wright plays a delicate piano piece, over which the others add textures and different atmospheres. It maintains a relaxed, very slow tone, but is always interesting. It somehow keeps you on your toes, wondering what they're going to do next. And Dave once again makes his guitar scream like a master. There's experimentation with some effects and recording techniques, as well as, once again, synthesizers. It's the most complex of the instrumentals, the least obscure, and I think the best.
Next comes “Childhood's End”, the last song composed entirely by Gilmour while Waters was in the band. It begins with a long intro featuring Rick's organ, lending a dark touch, followed by a ticking beat, and then the guitar and keyboards combining into a spectacular riff. Upon closer inspection, even the lyrics have certain echoes of the paranoia of Time. The only obvious difference is the melody, but this is clearly the younger sibling of the great track from Dark Side of the Moon. The solo at 2:50 is beautiful, again with a strong blues influence and minimal effects, conveying Gilmour's characteristic mathematical precision. It's not pyrotechnic, certainly; it needs some polishing, but considering the raw production, it could easily have made it onto DSOTM.
Next comes “Free Four”, which is musically very simple. An acoustic guitar riff forms the two-tone structure, and those dark, drawn-out power chords, which I suspect are actually Rick playing with synthesizers. The ablause and the beat provide a bit of contrast, mixing somber and cheerful notes simultaneously. A furious solo in the middle section, a playful melody, with Roger's almost emotionless voice. This would be the second song in which Waters addresses the theme of his father's death. The first time was in “Corporal Clegg,” and it would gradually become a recurring and obsessive theme. The lyrics are therefore dark and pessimistic, contrasting with the almost childlike instrumentation: “You are the angel of death, and I am the dead man's son.” It would be the album's only single, which is also an odd choice. It's not that it's not even close to being the best track, but it doesn't even sound particularly radio-friendly. But hey, it might give us some clues about the dictatorship that was brewing within Floyd's ranks.
“Stay” is a lovely little song composed almost entirely by Wright. He also sings it. Have you noticed how the three of them manage to sound almost identical vocally? Especially Rick and Dave. Well, the piano dominates, as expected, with a beautiful melody. Gilmour adds tremolo wah to his guitar for that undulating effect. A calm, flowing track about a groupie, featuring excellent teamwork.
The album closes with “Absolutely Curtains”, (technically) the last instrumental. It’s a very strange song, beginning with a dense atmosphere created by Rick’s keyboards and Nick’s syncopated rhythms. At times, it recalls the long intros of the multi-part epics on previous albums. It sounds majestic, as if something very, very big is about to happen. Tension reigns. I suppose Floyd spoiled us with that. At the three-minute mark, it begins to slowly fade away, and just as slowly as Floyd disappears, a tribal chant fades in. It’s a recording of the Mapuga tribe of New Guinea, recorded specifically for the film. So the album closes with a certain sense of strangeness. It will be the “least traditional” track, although it’s not prog, nor is it something new. I maintain that Brian Jones had already gone far ahead with the Musicians of Jajouka from Morocco.
In short, it's a good album. It's quite enjoyable. If you're expecting elaborate tracks or epic multi-part suites with kilometer-long solos, you won't find any of that here. They're fairly standard songs by Floyd's standards, but that doesn't make them bad. On the contrary, it's good to occasionally delve into the band's less pretentious work, and I think both More and Obscured are good examples of more basic and melodic songs. At the end of the recording, Floyd had a falling out with the producers of The Valley, so they decided to change the album's name. The film producers had to rename the film The Valley (Obscured by Clouds) to maintain some connection, although it didn't do very well anyway.
The album isn't great either. Unfairly so, in my opinion. It's not one of Floyd's best albums, but it's quite solid and enjoyable. They say it's a younger sibling to Dark Side of the Moon. I see it more as a younger sibling to Meddle. In any case, it's worth a listen, because from this point on, Pink Floyd would become a true powerhouse, and this album is the final prelude to that classic era.
By Corvan
Mar/21/2013
