How Do You Rate Obscured By Clouds?

[FloydCouncil]

Free Four is the best song ever!

[moom]

1, 2, 3, 4!

[srginc]

I gave it a middle of the road rating of 5. Not my favorite album (Animals, WYWH), but certainly not my least favorite (Ummagumma studio). In agreement when read post about sounding "rushed". The right mood also helps perhaps.

[alma]

There is absolutely nothing about this album that appeals to me. ... It's just not good.

PI it was you who lectured me about how brilliant Mudmen was. Did you make up your mind in the last 3 months?
I like this album, especially Free Four which I think has brilliant lyrics. So 8 out of 10 from me.

[moom]

People get bored eventually, I guess that's the PI's case, alma.

[danielcaux]

As far as the album not sounding " Floydish " enough, is probably because it's a movie soundtrack and the songs were written for the theme of the movie.

If you program your CD player to play the album like this:

-'Obscured by clouds' (= SOYCD Intro)
-'Burning Bridges' (= 'Breathe')
-'Wots...oh the deal' (= 'Meddle' era folky ballad)
-'Mudmen' (= 'Any Colour You Like'-like instrumental)
-'Childhood ends' (= 'Time' even including the tick tock rhytm pattern)
-'Absolutely Curtains' (= Something straight out of 'More')

you would end with a very "Floydish" sounding EP

I always assumed the OBC songs were composed as they were recording them, so they would postdate all the Dark Side songs except On the Run and Clare Torrys contribution to Great Gig
as those were never performed live until after the album came out in 1973
depending on what those recording dates for OBC were (I dont know), the Mortality Sequence changed shape completely some time mid1972, so maybe all of Great Gig postdates OBC

Here are some relevant 1972 dates for OBC:

-OBC Chateau recording session Feb 23 - Feb 29
-OBC Chateau recording session Mar 23 - Mar 27
-Obscured By Clouds UK release Jun 3
-Obscured By Clouds US release Jun 15
-OBC-WYI Live Premier Nov 22

[moom]

I think it's totally Floydish, like I've said before - a good transition between Meddle and Dark Side I don't hate Dark Side, in fact, it's a genius album, and I'm glad it's still breaking records, but to my personal they should have stopped being mainstream with OBC. I mean, OBC sounds alike, yet it still gives me a space for fantasy, - an important thing that Dark Side doesn't give me, take it or leave it .

[nosaj]

I listened to the whole album last night on head phones...It is an incredible piece of working out bits, that transition from Meddle to DSotM...obviously Childhood's End is a bit of a test for Time...And Stay is so strange, almost haunting as the last full vocal performance by Richard for over 20 years...I'd love a reunion four-man Floyd to include Stay in the set, like maybe the third song in, as a kind of plea to hang out with the band for the night.

[Parpa]

I like this here (below) means to arriving at an answer (though I'll preface all of it by saying that Obscured By Clouds is among my 3-4 favorite albums they've ever done - for a few basic reasons). Chiefly, that they were still (barely) a band that hadn't "made it" yet in America. They were a band in the true sense of the word and this album illustrates a looseness and openness (sure, it was a soundtrack, but...) that was very short-lived - - that space in time where David Gilmour was no longer simply the "new kid" and when Roger Waters still had not become...uh...let's say, "the author of Dark Side of the Moon." I love this album as many of the tracks hold up extremely well today (evidenced by Dave's latest tour). A very Gilmour/Wright affair - but who doesn't love that? For the Rogheads you get Free Four - which would be a great tune to reprise should the Floyd ever dare...

Anyway, on with it:

1."Obscured by Clouds": Heavy, hypnotic, stoney, fuzzed-out fun. Not great, but interesting. 7

2."When You're In": many of the same qualities of track one - only now it's getting old. 6

3."Burning Bridges" : Indeed, the first proper song on the album. Very mellow, midDay haze. Dreamy, but non-descript. Nice guitar playing but kinda sounds like a soundtrack so far...6

4."The Gold It's in the..." It might take a few listens, but how often do we get to hear Gilmour have this much fun playing rock and roll? He's on fire on that solo! No man can play that solo as it was played on that track. Definitely a cut and paste job (as David likes to do), but wow! Incredible jam. 8

5."Wot's... Uh the Deal": The crown jewel of this album. Beautiful, wistful delicate. A great Gilmour vocal and gorgeous slide guitar and piano. Near perfection. David and Richard played the heck out of this song last year! Watch for the DVD! 10

6."Mudmen": A bit of a letdown after the previous two tracks - and an obvious piece of music written for a film. Not necessarily intended to stand on its own one might imagine. Dreamy, meloncholy...barely happening at all...if not for the wild, almost bleary-eyed solo. 7

7."Childhood's End" - the next song David needs to revive (if not Fearless). This is a great tune, great arrangement, excellent vocals, trademark guitar - it has it all. Would be a great opener to the album if it wasn't a soundtrack. Classic Pink Floyd sounds abound! 10

8."Free Four": Gotta love Roger Waters! His voice is rarely heard on this album and it's refreshing to have him come into view on this tune. Very cryptic lyrics, yet very tongue in cheek...uh, English? Love it! He sounds great - and Dave's screaming guitar lines again sound very energetic and joyful! "All aboard for the American Tour!" 9

9."Stay": Another rocker would have been better than Rick Wright's "Stay", but it's not really a bad track - just hard to find a good place for it. Occasionally, this song grabs you (nice wah-wah playing by Gilmour) but generally, this is not one of the songs I gravitate to. 6.5

10."Absolutely Curtains": A curious track, again very "Pink Floyd." Almost sounds like a lead-in to something off of Amused to Death and at times showing qualities seen on Shine On You Crazy Diamond. Too bad this track gets lost at the end of the album. It is more or less a cinematic piece but works without the film - particularly if in the mood for this sort of thing. Not exactly toe-tapping music, but quite gripping. 8

SCORE: 7.75

[corie]

1.

There is absolutely nothing about this album that appeals to me. I can tell that it was composed and recorded in a rush, because the production and general standard of the songs is quite awful. I don't suspect that I will ever listen to this album again. It's just not good.

Mud men is a really good track. give it a listen again im sure its better than a one ? and welcome back we all missed you when you were away

[PublicImage]

PI it was you who lectured me about how brilliant Mudmen was. Did you make up your mind in the last 3 months?
I like this album, especially Free Four which I think has brilliant lyrics. So 8 out of 10 from me.

Is that the instrumental reprisal of Burning Bridges? Yes, I think that's quite good, although I didn't know that it was on this album.

[corie]

PI it was you who lectured me about how brilliant Mudmen was. Did you make up your mind in the last 3 months?
I like this album, especially Free Four which I think has brilliant lyrics. So 8 out of 10 from me.

Is that the instrumental reprisal of Burning Bridges? Yes, I think that's quite good, although I didn't know that it was on this album.

Well i guess that answered my question...

[PublicImage]

Alright, the only redeeming features of the album are Mudmen and Burning Bridges. And I'll give it a 1/5 rating.

[my breakfast.]

Alright, the only redeeming features of the album are Mudmen and Burning Bridges. And I'll give it a 1/5 rating.

Those songs are the most tolerable. I would prefer Absolute Curtains if it didn't have that indian tribe hollering away on the outro.

[PublicImage]

Indeed. I'd even prefer to listen to Learning To Fly than that part of the song. It sounds really horrible and out of place.