Pink Floyd, Meddle, 1971;
David Gilmour proclaims it as one of his favorites, "the start of the path forward for Pink Floyd, really." Meddle opens with "One of These Days", a rough and rambunctious number, quite unlike any other on the record. "One of These Days" is one of the very few times Nick Mason's voice was heard on a Pink Floyd record. In addition to playing an electrifying slide piece, David Gilmour also joins Roger Waters on bass, marking the core of the song. "One of These Days" is followed by "A Pillow of Winds", a polar opposite of its predecessor. "A Pillow of Winds" is a mellow, acoustic piece in which David sings of "sleepy time with my love by my side". Once again, he delivers smooth slide work, but it certainly has no similarities with the solos on "One of These Days". A remarkable example of the versatility of not only David Gilmour's superb guitar playing, but also Pink Floyd's entire catalog. "Fearless" comes third on the record, and is perhaps one of the better known songs off Meddle. "Fearless" stays in the style of the record, with its slow, moving tempo, but also boasts a catchy chord progression. Composed by Roger Waters, using tuning he learned from Syd Barrett, he plays both rhythm guitar and his usual bass. "Fearless" fades off with Liverpool F.C. fans singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" (also arranged sporadically throughout the song, in very subtle ways). Ironic considering Roger Waters is an Arsenal fan. Following "Fearless" is "San Tropez", Roger Waters's ode to Pink Floyd's favorite holiday spot at the time, on the French Riviera. "San Tropez" is upbeat tune, with a tropical flair to it. David once again leaves his mark with a short, yet sensational slide solo. The true highlight of the number is Rick Wright's adorable, jazzy piano outro. While the latter days of the band's career may not have been the best to dear Rick, he was certainly on top in the early 70's. He did a splendid job of showcasing his extraordinary talent. The final song on side one is "Seamus". As David Gilmour blows harmonica and slurs seductive blues, Seamus the dog howls with impeccable timing. (A trick taught to him by his singing owner, Steve Marriott, of Faces/Humble Pie fame, who asked Dave Gilmour to watch his dog while he was away touring.) Also accompanying Seamus is David Gilmour playing standard bluesy riffs on the guitar, and Rick Wright playing piano in the same style. I personally prefer the studio version of "Seamus" to "Mademoiselle Nobs", a play off "Seamus" included in Live at Pompeii. (Though seeing David playing harmonica, alongside Rick Wright who is acting as dog wrangler, is quite fun.) Arguably the most well known, and perhaps best, song off of Meddle is none other than "Echoes". Clocking in at twenty three and a half minutes, "Echoes" symbolizes all that Pink Floyd was in their primitive days as musicians not at all restricted by boundaries, completely experimental and absolutely ambitious, and without a lick of thought to what the mass media may think of it all. Throughout the song, each musician in showcased in numerous ways, with "Echoes" proving to be one of the last songs credited to all four of Pink Floyd's classic lineup. "Echoes" is a song brilliantly put together, but with an unconstrained flavor, essential to Pink Floyd's ability to let the chips fall where they may. David Gilmour and Rick Wright's voices blend effortlessly together, in a beautiful fashion, woven so tightly together that they begin to sound like one. Mixing tight musicality, prolific jamming, ethereal sounds, and use of instruments in unworldly ways, "Echoes" is a definitive track in Pink Floyd's catalog and it is hard to imagine any of their better known work that would follow without "Echoes" being a helm of it all and paving the road.
