The slighted album

seamusz · Post by **seamusz** » Tue Jul 08, 2003 2:18 pm

Just curious why most here seem to think of Ummagumma as below par for Floyd. I love it, granted some of the songs aren't as classic as others, but the album its self was and is a one of a kind. Who ever thought of releasing a two record set one live and one studio? IMO the same genius that gave us The Wall, DSOTM, ect. made Ummagumma, and is just as inspirational as any other album to me.

quicksilver · Post by **quicksilver** » Tue Jul 08, 2003 2:52 pm

I love ummagumma. It's easy now to look back and form an opinion based on the records that followed it but if you really listen to the record, you can hear bits and pieces of those songs in future recordings. In other words, Dark Side which many consider their opus would not be had they never experimented with albums such as Ummagumma.

Post by **drafsack** » Tue Jul 08, 2003 3:07 pm

Ummagumma should get more credit than it does, for most people it would have been the first time they heard PF live with a megga collection of live cuts. A lot of people critisise sides 3 & 4 (showing my age here) as
some of the "songs" are poor.

Sysphus starts good, finishes good but looses it in the middle.

Granchester Meadows if fantastic, you can just feel the aura of that riverside meadow flooding through the speakers

Several Species Of Small Fury Animals Gathered Together In A Cave and Grooving With a Pict what more can be said aboot this track - Roger on a trip!!

The Narrow Way David at his best a brillient track

The Grand Vizier's Garden Party This has the slight edge on Sysphus- its good in parts and has the one time Mrs Mason on Flute

Over all I rate it better than More

Spirit Catcher · Post by **Spirit Catcher** » Tue Jul 08, 2003 5:00 pm

quicksilver wrote:I love ummagumma. It's easy now to look back and form an opinion based on the records that followed it but if you really listen to the record, you can hear bits and pieces of those songs in future recordings. In other words, Dark Side which many consider their opus would not be had they never experimented with albums such as Ummagumma.

Of course

JML · Post by **JML** » Tue Jul 08, 2003 8:48 pm

I think same thing can be asked about More, Obscured By Clouds, Atom Heat Mother, Saucerfull Of Secrets, Final Cut, A Momentary Lapse Of Reason and The Division Bell, they're great and not so great albums, some people dig them, some people doesn't. For me the least good albums are TFC, TDB and AMLOR and people can ask me why don't I like them (well my cousin thinks that TDB is the best record by Pink Floyd

)but I can't explain. There has to be always few albums that are not as appreciated as others and it's good that way. People have their opinions and people who think that every albums by band X are great may be blind. If you can give some criticism to your favourite band, it doesn't mean that you are not a big fan, it's just that you can listen and think objective.

Did I say too much?!

Ridan · Post by **Ridan** » Tue Jul 08, 2003 10:01 pm

JML wrote:Final Cut, A Momentary Lapse Of Reason and The Division Bell, they're great and not so great albums, some people dig them, some people doesn't. For me the least good albums are

I love these albums. Especially TFC and TDB.

Ummagumma is also a good album.

JML wrote:Did I say too much?!

Nope you didn't. It's never too much for Pink Floyd.

white rabbit · Post by **white rabbit** » Thu Jul 10, 2003 9:42 pm

the only thing i don't really like about ummagumma is that it doesn't have the same organized, thought out sound that about all the other floyd music has. and, personally, i think sysphus is just annoying. overall (other than TFC) it's my least favourite. but grantchester meadows and the narrow way are great songs, nonetheless.

movement · Post by **movement** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 1:45 pm

Well, when you consider the fact that the album is basically a long experiment, it works better than you would expect. I agree that the process was important for them to achieve what they did. However, that does not mean that I enjoy listening to (the studio side of) that album in any way. Sysyphus and GVGP don't interest me at all anymore. I thought SSOSFAGTIACAGWAP was the coolest thing ever when I was 14, but now that I am twice that age, I simply don't want to hear it. Grandchester Meadows and parts of The Narrow Way are nice, but I'd rather listen to them on Concertgebouw.

I take the CD out once a year for Halloween. Other than that, it gathers dust.

princessDungan74D · Post by **princessDungan74D** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 2:29 pm

its one of my personal favorites. I like the track Set the control or the heart of the sun the best.

Tommy · Post by **Tommy** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 6:18 pm

is it true that Ummagumma was actually pretty popular at the time? and their most popular pre - dark side album?

MoreOrLess · Post by **MoreOrLess** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 6:23 pm

It depends what album you are talking about really, the studio one I think is very hit and miss but I'd put the live one down as the best thing the band has ever released. The live album is just so ahead of it's time the only other band I can think of that were pushing it that far in 1969 were Can and even then I'd put the Ummagumma live album beyond Monster movie.

As far as the studio album goes the only tracks I listen to anymore are Grandchester meadows, the first part of the Narrow way and sometimes several speices. That said I think it sevred an important purpose not so much towards DSOTM(the man and the journey did that IMHO) but in getting Gilmour to actually write on his own. Plus the first part of the narrow way is the dawn of the layered acoustic guitar with slide in the background type effect that Gilmour would use so well for the next few years on the likes of pillow of winds.

Personally I think the band should done one of the following instead...

1.Gone for a double live album instead with IO and a few other things on or recorded the man and the journey.

2.Made 3 sides of the album live then stuck the best studio stuff on the 4th side.

3.Kept the album as half live/half studio but dumped the studio stuff that wasnt up to standard(mason and wrights stuff IMHO) and stuck in some other tracks from the period such as BMT and the Embyro.

4.Kept it half live/half studio but dont release the more soundtrack and take the best of that and the ummagumma studio tracks to fill out the studio disk.