The Dark Side Of The Moon

There probably isn't a whole lot of need to introduce this album; chances are good that you are one of the countless millions who either own the record, or had one of its two enclosed posters on your bedroom wall or stickers on your notebook. The Dark Side Of The Moon refined a suite of songs Pink Floyd debuted live a year prior as "Eclipse." The band then spent the second half of 1972 recording the album, though recording was interrupted for a US tour. And yet, as the prism on the cover suggests, this was a new direction for the band. Gone were the psychedelic references and lengthy jams, but certainly not the experimentation: Interspersed dialogue, tape effects and the VCS3 added a great deal of imagery to the album's sonic landscape. Ironically, engineer Alan Parsons claimed, "We recorded everything very simply. The album sounds more complex than it actually is." Though the album featured significant contributions from the other members, Roger Waters would begin his mark as Floyd's preeminent songwriter. Here he presents Floyd's most direct and terrestrial collection since their debut. His lyrics, which straddle the various states of the human condition, certainly have universal appeal; and it's no wonder that songs like "Time" and "Money" became radio staples. David Gilmour, on the other hand, shines through as the performer, delivering his most powerful vocal and guitar work on record. The album reached No. 1 in the US shortly after its release, but would have to settle for the No. 2 slot in the UK. The recording is one of the few rock albums that are simply perfect; perhaps even a logical heir to Sgt. Pepper's throne. It would spend the next 14 years on the US album charts, eventually selling over 34 million copies. Floyd, however, would spend the next two years dealing with the aftereffects of this monumental success.