Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon

So I think my next couple of posts are gonna be album reviews of what are some of the best compilations of music that I have ever heard. Each and every one of the following albums are unique in some way. In my opinion I think life should require you to listen to these albums. They explore new frontiers of music and create auditory experiences that not many musicians can duplicate. If you happen to have some time on your hands you should try and listen to the albums, leave a couple comments, and lemme know what you think. So without further ado...

Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon

The now world-famous album cover.

In my opinion...quite possibly the greatest musical album...ever. Since its release in 1973 it would remain in the Billboard Top 200 for 15 years. The longest any album has ever spent in the Top 200. It would go on to become one of the best-selling albums worldwide. And for a good reason too.

The album, in short, is mind blowing. Not just because of the technical ability of the instrumentalists or because of the mind numbing synthesizer effects. What makes this album so compelling is the themes and feelings that are evoked simply by pushing play. If the point of music is to express and convey certain feelings to the listener (which some people believe it is) then The Dark Side of the Moon achieves this goal with flying colors. The album thrusts you into a deteriorated mental state of mind and leaves you there floating in space without a sense of time or purpose. The result is a monumental musical achievement and an album so unique and unparalleled it will be remembered for ages to come.

Pink Floyd

As I listened to the album I myself felt as if time had stopped. As I closed my eyes I felt as if I had left this mortal plane and delved into a dimension like nothing ever heard before. If you listen closely you can hear cash registers, cries for help, and death. (To continue describing what I heard would be nothing short of impossible. Go get the album.) When the music/sounds had finally stopped and my eyes began to open, what felt like hours of listening had turned out to be less then 45 minutes.

If you do plan on listening to this album, I recommend you listen to it somewhere comfortable and with the lights turned off. It's an auditory experience so your other four senses should be temporarily shut down for what I believe to be the full effect. Set aside 45 minutes with no interruptions and just take it all in. It's an amazing experience no matter what genre of music you may be interested in.

Tracks to look out for:

4. Time - Lyrically one of the most impressive songs on the album.

5. The Great Gig in the Sky - The vocals on this track are phenomenal. Improvised by Clare Torry the sheer emotion in her voice is enough to knock you down on your ass. The song itself is about dying.

And that concludes our lesson for today ladies and gentlemen. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!