Obscured by Clouds - Pink Floyd (CD 1996)

Some people don't know that Pink Floyd has written the music for a few soundtracks. They scored the music for two Barbet Schroeder films (French director of Single White Female), More and La Vallee.

Obscured By Clouds was recorded for use in the film La Vallee. It's the story of a bored and rich girl (are there any other kind?) named Viviane who decides to go adventuring in a mystical land sounds like perfect ground for The Floyd doesn't it? Luckily for fans, and for rock enthusiasts as a whole, this album is first rate. The lyrics aren't bad for an album that was supposedly "thrown together", and David Gilmour's guitar vision cuts through your ears with magic.

We are treated to two first-rate instrumental tracks right off the bat. Title track Obscured By Clouds and When You're In are both interesting and catchy. From there we're taken into Burning Bridges a Waters/Wright composition that moves with the same haunting beat of numerous tracks on Dark Side of the Moon. The Gold It's in the is probably one of the few Pink Floyd straight-rockers you're liable to hear. It honestly sounds like something you might find right out of the late 70's, or perhaps on the Dazed and Confused Soundtrack. Check out Gilmour's perfect solo, you'll love every single minute of it.

Wot's Uh the Deal is as interesting as its title might imply. The music is marvelous with a sweet acoustic sound. The harmonies are spot on, and this track is yet another example of why I believe Roger Waters and David Gilmour to be one of the best song writing duo's since John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Mudmen is another beautiful instrumental track that sends you floating into the next awesome track. The crisp sound by Nick Mason on drums is something I continue to envy, and the production really brings that aspect out on this tune.

Childhood's End has a typical long Floyd intro. I must admit this is one of my favorite David Gilmour tunes. He uses simple blues chords and licks (and the blues solo in the middle is FANTASTIC), but combined with the spiritual pipe organ I'm hard pressed to find a better example of a true David Gilmour composition.

Free Four is another hand-clapping, knee slapping rock tune, borrowing a bit more from the Syd Barrett days than any of the other tracks. Stay is another melancholy Waters/Wright tune that grips you from open to close. "I want to find/what lies behind those eyes/midnight blue burning gold/a yellow moon is growing cold " Absolutely Curtains finishes up the album on yet another terrific instrumental note.

Obscured By Clouds may not be the most recognized Pink Floyd album, but in my opinion it's a classic that shouldn't be missed. It's in the company of Meddle and Wish You Were Here in that it's one of those that not everyone owns, but should.

OVERALL GRADE: A