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More
: Really, two signature songs make this soundtrack worth listening to. 1. Cymbaline and 2. Green is the Colour. I'd like to tout Cymbaline. Unethically, I've got several bootleg recordings of some early Floyd, and I strive to collect different versions of Cymbaline. Brooding lyrics and an intriguing bass line conspire to make this one of the most interesting Floyd songs written. For that reason alone, makes this relatively obscure Floyd album worth whatever you shelled out for it.
 "More" is probably the least-noted studio album in Pink Floyd's history. This is not very surprising; these thirteen tracks were written and recorded for Barbet Schroeder's 1969 hippie-film of the same name, which was about--what else?--a junkie couple addicted to heroin. Why Schroeder appointed Pink Floyd--a band relatively inexperienced in film scoring--to create this soundtrack is questionable, but the result isn't really as bad as it would be with lesser bands.
There are as many fine songs on the "More" soundtrack as there are poor ones. Bassist Roger Waters reveals his blossoming songwriting talent with remarkability. This is exceptional when one looks at the strong hold the bassist would have on the band in the years to come. But there are also some wonderful "group tracks," those written by the entire body of Pink Floyd. Such Waters staples as 'Cirrus Minor,' 'The Nile Song,' (probably the only Floyd heavy metal song) and two cult classics, 'Cymbaline' and 'Green is the Color' are good songs that prove music can be psychedelic without the futile use of drugs. Speaking of which, another thing that makes "More" somewhat of a stepping stone for Pink Floyd is that it was their first work in which they were completely rid of Syd Barrett, their former leader whose damaged mental state as the result of drug use forced him out of the band a year earlier. "More" shows how Pink Floyd had taken the absence of their leader and used it as an oppurtunity to create a whole new set of craftworks in which to vent their talent; group compositions like the raw 'Ibiza Bar,' the groovy 'Main Theme,' and the tiring 'Quicksilver' show their ambitions.
The tracks here that do not live up to Pink Floyd's talent however, are 'Crying Song' which starts out fairly but becomes uninspired and repetitive, the pointless 'Up the Kyhber' and most notably, a musical joke 'Spanish Piece' (which was the first song in which guitarist David Gilmour received sole credit).
All that aside, "More" also contains many songs that would later be used in parts of Floyd's live suite "The Man & The Journey" which they performed throughout 1969-70. So it is a supreme studio document of an integral part of the band's history, though some songs are quite drab. But when the listener finds the quality of "More" becoming overwhelmed by some of the less notable songs, they can take comfort in the thought that after all, its purpose was to accompany a hippie film, and not necessarily to make a true "Pink Floyd album."
this is pink floyd's most unambitious and therefore best effort. I think I read somwhere that they wrote and recorded everything in 8 days.
Hallucinations, syncopations and Nick Masons. The early Pink Floyd were undoubtably the most creative bunch of stoners to ever commit their genius to tape. A keen sense of surrealism, off-the-wall genius composing ability, experimental, innovative, vital and relaxed all at the same time, the Floyd's eclecticism and brilliance is unparralled and More proves what A Saucerful of Secrets promised. That the band were moving into their second breath. This album has the togetherness and effortless quality of the debut, which was often missing in the second album. The group sound confident and wonderfully chilled-out (you can almost smell the dope smoke as you listen to ballads like "Green is the Colour"). More has a mellow, sun-soaked, freedom to it, which I haven't found on any other album except parts of the Floyd's own Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother albums. The band sound so free and so alive as they play a rambling but strangely continuous flow of folky ballads, trippy organ, washing cymbals, artsy jazz piano, lovely singing, blistering heavy metal and an imaginative use of percussion. Nick Mason was in his prime at this stage in the band's career. The More, Ummagumma, Atom Heart Mother and Meddle period show him as probably the most creative drummer in rock. On this album he uses pounding bass and snare, tom-toms, bongos, jazz rhythms and hypnotic tribal beats. Dave is obviously gelling with the rest of the band and Roger is writing uncannily effective folk songs and poetic lyrics. Rick adds colour with jazzy piano improvisations and spacey organ throughout. The whole band write some amazing atmospheric instrumentals and experiment like there's no tommorrow. Add a novel selection of instruments, including tin whistles, flutes, bongos and a spanish guitar, and a convincing flirtation with ambient and you have the perfect summertime album, clouded in a sleepy narcotic haze and overflowing with original ideas. It really is a fascinating album. Their next release, the experimental masterpiece Ummagumma, included a studio album which acted as a showcase of the individual members of the band. More, on the other hand, often showcases the band as a whole (as did the Ummagumma live album) and is full of group written pieces. Although I have a definate liking for Ummagumma I do think that More holds together much better as an album and is much easier on the ears, but don't think that means it's commercial soft rock. Right from the first track, "Cirrus Minor", which starts with birdsong, goes into folky guitar, then trippy singing which becomes more and more echoey as it goes and finishes with a celestial organ fade-out and psychedelic effects, you know this is no pop album. This is confirmed by the uncompromising powerchords of "the nile song" and the rest of the album continues to delight with such gems as the avant garde jazz instrumental "Up the Kyber", the masterpiece "Cymbaline" and the trippy "Main Theme", which is somewhere between ambient bliss and rhythmic juggernaut. If you take my advice you should buy this forgotten masterpiece without hesitation.
"Green is the Color" is the greatest song I have ever heard. This is EASILY Pink Floyd's best album. There are so many groovy, funky jams. The first time I listened to it I was hooked. I listen to it every day. It's just delicious.
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