Wish You Were Here - PINK FLOYD****

Shine On You Crazy Diamond/Welcome To The Machine/Have A Cigar/Wish You Were Here/Shine On You Crazy Diamond

After the huge international success of Pink Floyd’s previous release there was considerable interest in the follow up Wish You Were Here. The album is dedicated to their early front man Syd Barrett. (US:1 UK:1)

“The album, as a tribute to Syd Barrett, is impressive, heartfelt, and transcendental. Understanding the history of the band and Syd's downward spiral into the depths of his own mind, once brilliant, then slipping slowly into an eventual soft insanity. The shining light of a crazy diamond, as it flickered, and extinguished itself, builds an instant emotional bond between the listener and the longing of Pink Floyd for their long lost friend and muse.”

“The album is haunting, whimsical and painful. It recalls the lost greatness of Syd Barrett, and seems to follow his spectre. This whole album is dedicated to him, and is heartfelt and full of the pain of the band who had lost their front-man genius. This is surely one of their greatest works.”

“Although far more personal than any other Floyd work, this album bristles with anger, self-loss, confusion, and hope. Finally confident in their own ability as artists, the group sought to tackle the demons of its troubled past. Shine On You Crazy Diamond is probably the best song they ever produced, as it attempts to pay tribute to the group's original front man Syd Barrett. This song also aims to make a public statement about Barrett's tragic decline into mental illness.”

“This is a grower for sure. If you're hearing this for the first time, the title track will stand out by a mile, but this will only temporarily obscure the fact that this album is seamless. It takes you on as good a trip as Floyd can take you on.”

“This record is unique in the fact that each and every song is absolutely remarkable, and not one can be taken out, without impacting the album as a whole.”

“I used to fall asleep to this album every night and it is till my favourite Floyd album to this day. No matter how much classic rock stations wear out Wish You Were Here, the song still strikes a chord in me. Yet, I still wonder to this day: how was such an album created? What was going on in their minds? Was this all planned out note for note? The same answer still applies: they are just that good.”