Atom Heart Mother Review

Released: Oct 5, 1970
Label: Capitol
Genre: Rock
Styles: Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Psychedelic, British Psychedelia, Album Rock
Number Of Tracks: 5
It takes as its title an inscrutable phrase and under the title launches a similarly inscrutable musical concatenation.

Sound:	8.7
Lyrics:	8.7
Impression:	9
Overall rating:	8.8
Users rating:	8.3
Comments:	11

overall: 7

Reviewed by: someone_not_you, on may 29, 2007

Sound: The hated child of all the Floyd albums, "Atom Heart Mother" is perhaps a band not knowing where to go. Sounds interesting sometimes. Sounds like rubbish another ones. Nah, perhaps I'm somewhat underrating it. It's the second (after "A Saucerful of Secrets" and it's title track) prog rock album by the band, and the first of two engineered by Alan Parsons (the other being DSOTM). This should be analyzed track-by-track.

01. Atom Heart Mother - first known as "The Amazing Pudding", and co-written by some avant-garde scottish guy called Ron Geesin. The first side long song the band released. It's 23m 39s long (beating Echoes for about 8 seconds), and it's a classical suite. The first 15 and a half minutes are a deserved classic. The menacing (though at the start it annoyed me) brass intro "Father's Shout", with a lot of motorcycle and horse noises. Then the great statement of the trumpets to come into some riffage of the bass and the organ. Then a 5-minute somewhat long but not bad choir section. Then, the precursor of "Any Colour You Like", a 5 minute jam on which guitarist David Gilmour shines, with a good bass riff from Roger Waters. A brief reprise of the main theme. For me, usually, that's all. After that, a lot of horrible mellotron (? ) notes and loads of noises and "special effects" come in for annoying 3 minutes. Then it gets repetitive, until a very long and high note from choir and brass. End of side one.
02. If - a beautiful folky ballad by Waters, like those present in "Ummagumma" or "More". Easily the best song here.
03. Summer 68' - a Beach Boys-esque piano pop song by keyboardist Rick Wright. Catchy, upbeat, shiny. Contrasts with the rest of the album.
04. Fat Old Sun - a pastoral rock song by Gilmour. At sometime it was my favourite song from here, but, well, it was somewhat boring, but that ending solo is frigging great! Damn! The start of Gilmour's classic solos.
05. Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast - a misguided experiment. Feat. roadie Alan Stiles (who made it to the cover of "Ummagumma"'s live album), the guy prepares and eats his breakfast with some "ambient music" (three rudimentary instrumentals). Funny at the first time, plain stupid the second one. Anyway, is a bit interesting 'cause when you turn on the volume at a high level you'll be able to hear a lot of background noises, and if you own a LP copy, you gotta hear the final sound (the dripping) as the inner groove, repeting endlessly (ala "Sgt. Pepper"). // 8

Lyrics and Singing: 01. Title Track - you gotta be kidding, it's almost instrumental.
02. If - the best lyrics here. Reminds you a lot of "Brain Damage", and has some Syd Barrett-related themes.
03. Summer 68' - wright sings about a one-night stand with a groupie. Very interesting thing, especially in 1970.
04. Fat Old Sun - it invites you to go to the country. Very folky and pastoral. Gilmour would revisit this themes in 2006's "On an Island".
05. Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast - a roadie in acid. // 6

Impression: Well, like "Saucerful", it's a transitional effort, Floyd in the crossroads, not going where to go, or fearing that they would be relics of 1967. An interesting release, but no so strong as the following, er, five. Anyway, it's no a BAD album by any means, it's main problem is that it's unaccesible (even if it hit the number one in the UK, and was their first Top 100 album in the US). However, you can enjoy a taste of it now and then. // 7

Reviewed by: unregistered, on march 18, 2006

Sound: Atom Heart Mother is my favorite Pink Floyd album and the main reason is the music. The first track, "Atom Heart Mother," is probably floyds longest instrumental track but in the top 3 all time floyd instrumentals. The unique thing about it is. It's like a orchestral instrumental rock song, something you dont see too often. The music for, "If," is a lovely acoustic guitar bit played throughout the whole of the song plus a electric guitar bit played during the lyrical breaks which is kind of the 'solo' for this song. "Summer 68" is the best track on here musically because of Rick Wrights amazing piano work. There is not a flaw in this whole song. The thing that makes this track different is the part where the trumpets and horns come in. It just makes this song so much better with that. "Fat Old Sun" is another one of those wonderful musical songs. The chords used go well with the lyrics and make you feel good when you listen to the chord progression. The solo is something words cannot explain. It is the best solo in history of music in my opinion. The solo fits this song perfectly and makes it a 'standout track' on this album. Lastly comes "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast". This track is my favorite instrumental of all time. It is different from anything I've ever heard because of the kitchen noises in the intro and outro. The piano is the best I've ever heard and I love this song for that fact. The guitar solo in the outro is one of the best solos for David Gilmour in my opinion. Overal this album, musically, is a perfect 10 out of 10. // 10

Lyrics and Singing: Lets start from the top:

01. Atom Heart Mother - not really any words in this song except for maybe a few here and there you can barely hear.
02. If - the lyrics for "If" remind me greatly of "Brain Damage" because of the lyric "And if I go insane, please dont put your wires in my brain" + "and if I go insane will you still let me join in with the game." The lyrics are probably Roger Waters best up until The Dark Side Of The Moon. Good chorous as well.
03. Summer '68 - the lyrics for "Summer '68" are very peculiar. They do not rhyme one time I believe but still manage to make this song a 'standout track'. I love this song because the music goes along wonderfully with the lyrics. Awesome lyrical song. Reminds me of "See-Saw" because of the no-rhyming thing.
04. Fat Old Sun - these are in my opinion David Gilmour's saddest and happiest lyrics rolled up into one song. It basically reminds me of when I was younger because the things that he says are the things that I lived around: childrens laughter, smell of new mown grass, distant bells, etc. This is in my opinion the most underrated Floyd song out there but is my favorite song from Pink Floyd. It is the best song on Atom Heart Mother. I love this song and im sure others would if they listened to it.
05. Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast - the talking man in the beginning is very humouous and enjoyable. The song would not be the same if the talking man was not on this track. The frequent "Marmalade, I love marmalade" is very heart warming to me. The different breakfast foods he mentions is very enjoyable to me to listen to. Great lyrics to an even better song. // 10

Impression: Atom Heart Mother compares to The Dark Side Of The Moon if you ask me but does not compare to any other album by the floyd but this one. The songs are all wonderful and joyous which make it a stellar album. I love everything about this album. There is nothing that I hate. If it was stolen from me I would be out there right now tracking one down, it is that good of an album. I give it a 10 out of 10 for Floyd albums. The best track on here is hard to chose because there all good tracks. I would say maybe "Fat Old Sun" because of the well blended music and lyrics along with the solo. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on july 29, 2005

Sound: Atom Heart Mother by the Pink Floyd is no doubt one of the groups most underrated albums. This album is considered the second stepping stone (first is "Saucerful Of Secrets") to creating a the album Dark Side Of The Moon, as it starts to show the newer Floyd, who were still in the transition of leaving Syd. This album is one of the most innovative Floyd albums out there, and all Floyd fans should own it.

01. Atom Heart Mother Suite - the album begins with the instrumental track "Atom Heart Mother Suite," a triumphant 24-minute epic sepereated into five parts. This classicaly orchestrated piece is made up of not only Pink Floyd but of a 30 man orchestra. The main part that it focuses around is a pounding western-esque theme song, with a brass section and horse galloping sound affects. But the suite proceeds with sad violins, a mournful chorus, into a blues jam, and then a huge climax of it all, finishing this 24 minute masterpiece. This is definately one of the highlights of this album.

02. If - a calm and warming ballad written by bassist/vocalist/ and Pink Floyd lyricist, Roger Waters, "If" is a warm acoustic transition from the climactic track before it. Most of the song is made up of an acoustic guitar and Waters singing, but as the song progresses, you can hear faint distorted guitar and the bass drum and high hat ringing in progression.

03. Summer '68 - keyboardist Rick Wright's "Summer '68" also begins as a happy, cheerful composition. As the song progresses to the chorus, with a sudden change, the song becomes an agressive chant. Out of the agression, the Floyd utilize those specific "beach boy harmonies" which then whips you back into that happy vibe. But wait! Again the group uses their brass orchestra that they used in "Atom Heart Mother Suite" for a triumphant, medieval breakdown. The song then ends with what seems like a classical piano piece from Rick into a climactic return of the brass section.

04. Fat Old Sun - written by guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour, "Fat Old Sun" also begins as an acoustic piece. In the style of the rest of the album, the song progresses into a harder ballad, with a powerful electric guitar solo.

05. Alan's Psychidelic Breakfast - as in the beginning of the album, the closing track on the album is another instrumental written by drummer Nick Mason. APB, is a very creative song, but isn't considered anywhere near a masterpiece to any other Floyd song. Its thirteen minutes contain breakfast sound affects between its three parts, which are boring instrumentals. In my opinion, this is the only disappointment on the album. // 8

Lyrics and Singing: Although 3 out of the 5 tracks on "Atom Heart Mother" are instrumentals, they are all very unique and interesting. I also found it very admirable that each band member wrote a song and sang lead vocals on their own song. The vocal quality on all three songs are soothing and/or agressive, whatever fits the song that they are singing. // 10

Impression: "Atom Heart Mother" is considered a true Pink Floyd album. From its epic and calming tracks, to its memorable Storm Thogerson cover of a cow, AHM is or should be recognized as a great album by any Floydians. I would not recommend this album to anyone looking to introduce someone to Pink Floyd, that is where Dark Side of Wish You Were Here would come in, but Atom Heart Mother is definately a must for your Floyd collection. It is also one of their more different and experimental albums which is considered by Gilmour to be another stepping stone to the creation of "Dark Side Of The Moon" and to the climactic completion of the Pink Floyd. // 10

Comments

[apples&oranges]

Alans Psychedelic Breakfast is a standout in my opinion and 2 out of 5 are instrumentals.

[Nilcerise]

this is a good floyd album but not really showing much towards what they can truely do and show in music capability

[walkinbazooka]

Nilcerise wrote:

this is a good floyd album but not really showing much towards what they can truely do and show in music capability

Maybe not as far as technical ability wanders but what about in the matter of composition?

There is no way that you cannot say that the orchestral leads and arrangements in Atom Heart Mother and Summer '68 are not absolutely amazing.

[the piper]

I have to say that the Suite, and Summer 68 are extremely genious. I have tabbed Atom Heart Mother Suite and believe me I'm not even ure if some of the brass is right or the choir.

[R0CKER1220]

I've heard the suite many times and the rest of the album once or twice and I definitely plan on making this my next pink Floyd album purchase.

[strong_wizard]

How is this album not a 10. Imo beats dsotm easily.

[Tele Echoes]

^^^^^
You would get a collective bitch slap if the band ever heard you say that.

Despite the parts of genius spread throughout the title track, there are large chunks of the song that leave you wondering "hey, where did the music go?"
The track "Atom Heart Mother" is a great idea, and the parts that are done right are masterful. The only sad part is that they didn't find anything to put in between these bits of genius.This is another one of those long ass 20 plus minute songs (like Echoes,ASFOS), followed by "If I", which is a very dry, depressing, but overall pleasant sounding solo piece from Roger Waters. The song seems to either be about Syd, or about Roger's own personal fears of insanity, since I'm sure Roger wouldn't say Syd wasn't a good man for not talking to hiim more often than he did. "Summer Of 68" is a song that has a very early Floyd sound, which is fitting since Rick had much more influence on the music in the 60s ("Paint Box", anyone?), and it's a pretty darn good lively tune to branch "If I" and "Fat Old Sun" together. Well at least for an album as strange as this one was.
Last but not least, "Fat Old Sun" is by far the best of the solo compositions on the album, with it's sweet melodic tide and Gilmour's soothing, parental lullaby-style singing, this song could put you to sleep, that is if you weren't too wrapped up in it's genius. Out of the 3 choices to use as the last song, this was the best. I won't mention that crap collage because while it may have been good fun recording, it doesn't belong on the album.

While this album holds a soft place in my heart (We share the October 10th release date, while I was released in 1988...), it is very much hated by both David Gilmour and Roger Waters.

Roger claimed this to be a dust bim album, while Gilmour claims that he's glad that he's at a point in his career that he'll never have to play what he feels is absolute crap. I believe they've been confusing Atom Heart Mother with Ummagumma...

[Tele Echoes]

"which is considered by Gilmour to be another stepping stone to the creation of "Dark Side Of The Moon" and to the climactic completion of the Pink Floyd"

Actually David Gilmour has claimed countless times that this album wasn't them moving forward at all, just lost in the dark....You're either full of bullshit, or you're putting words in my heroes mouth. Either way, cut it out.

[Tele Echoes]

Maybe you're thinking of "Meddle", since that's the actually album the band feels was the giant song writing leap that led to DSOTM. That's also fittingly to album that preceeds DSOTM.

[FungusInMyMilk]

Obscured by Clouds is a much more DSOTM 'stepping stone' candidate than this, or meddle, or Saucerful of Secrets

[Elrafa]

in my opinion, the whole record is majestic, starting by the title track, maybe, as said before, they didn't knew how to link the whole parts, but I think that everything in this song is perfect, I also enjoy the rest of the album; my least favorite is alan's psych breakfast because in my opinion they weren't able to fit each of the parts with some bridges, so they used alan's breakfast... I've heard gilmour says the's glad he doesn't have to play this stuff anymore, but I find that contradicting, since he played fat old sun in his last tour, and also had a one night show with ron geesin in which he played the suite...