But, as a whole it’s awful schmaltzy and a little vapid. And, there are sounds that draw pictures. Before the album ends with the quirky tape-loop. Covering the first side of the original LP, the 23-minute instrumental title track is wonderfully grandiose, featuring some killer David Gilmour guitar solos and the bands first (and last) extensive use of orchestra and choir. As Impressionism, it’s occasionally effective, but on a very imitative level. 1970 found Pink Floyd at their wildly experimental peak. It turns out to be an Impressionist orchestral sketch of (I think) a morning that includes some rock elements.

The best that can be said for it is that it’s craftsman-like and that in spite of its many parts, it’s an entity. They use orchestral elements and a choir. Their last album, Ummagumma, while a bit drawn-out, had all their best elements.Ītom Heart Mother is a step headlong into the last century and a dissipation of their collective talents, which are considerable. Pink Floyd used sounds no one else thought of and could make them lyrical besides. Most other groups, when they thought in terms of electronics, thought only of painful feedback. And their music, if it wasn’t memorable, reached into the limits of their experimentation. Their use of a third, rear, sound source anticipated quadraphonics.

Their work in the electronic capabilities of rock was more advanced than most people recognize. At one time, Pink Floyd was far-out, freaky even.

Atom heart mother pink floyd cover