- Audio CD (15 July 2002)
- Number of Discs: 2
- Label: Msi Music Corp
- ASIN: B0000DEPJ9
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
48 of 50 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I'm one of those people that listened to Pink Floyd in their teens, progressing to the obscure albums in a period of experimentation. I'm not so keen on the later Pink Floyd albums like Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here (played them to death)- though I do like Obscured by Clouds, Meddle & Comfortably Numb (the recent version Gilmour did with Robert Wyatt the best I've heard). And I don't think it's the aura of self-immolation, but I prefer Piper at the Gates of Dawn: when Syd ruled. Then there's this collection of Syd's solo work.
This box set is basically a purple box, with OK liner notes and the three Syd solo albums- The Madcap Laughs, Barrett & the out-takes/rarities collection Opel- complete with extra tracks/alternate takes. Pity that the Peel Sessions is overlooked, ditto the single Vegatable Man/Scream Your Last Scream (which turn up regularly on Floyd bootlegs). Despite this it is well worth buying, because despite the myth (I saw Syd Barrett taking things out of a bin in Cambridge, he must have been 60 stone...) and the allure of the damaged (see also Roky Erikson, Brian Wilson ,Shane MacGowan), these songs are simply wonderful.
The Madcap Laughs was the debut album with production input from Malcolm Jones, Dave Gilmour, Roger Waters & Pete Jenner. His muse is damaged, but far from destroyed- every song is fantastic, highlights including Dark Globe, Terrapin and Late Night (these have been covered by REM, Marc & the Mambas & This Mortal Coil respectively). My favourite songs are Golden Hair (with lyrics from James Joyce's Ulysses) and Octopus- which is damaged and emotional. The extra takes are good, if slightly disturbing- as with songs like The Gnome or Bike, the child-like lyrics compund this fear- such as on I Love You: "Ice (s)cream 'scuse me...".
The follow up album, Barrett, is just as good- Dave Gilmour now the sole producer and conduit for vanishing Syd. Highlights here include Wined & Dined, Gigolo Aunt, Rats & It is Obvious. Faves here are Effervescing Elephant (think Lear, Coleridge, Carroll), Dominoes ("it's an idea") & opening track Baby Lemonade (as great as anything on the 1st Floyd album). Again the alternate takes are nice, the two versions of Dominoes particularly.
Opel was released in 1988 and is a collection of out-takes/anomalies, it's a bit patchy in parts but the early version of Octopus (Clowns & Jugglers) is great, as is the title track, Dolly Rocker & Swan Lee (Silas Lang). The bonus tracks are from both albums and are amongst the finest songs Syd wrote (Late Night, Gigolo Aunt etc).
As with all great art it transcends the era and circumstances in which it was made, the lyrics like poetry (with contributions from those mandrax demons) and Barrett's guitar playing extremely wonderful and original. There is no one quite like Syd Barrett, wouldn't we miss him?
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Chances are, if you're not already acquainted with Syd, you're not thinking of buying this box set. If you haven't heard any of his stuff, and you're thinking of getting hold of something based on his work with Pink Floyd, perhaps you should see if you can listen to some of his solo work first. Don't just dive in. Syd's music is challenging, and it's not for those who enjoy technically flawless renditions of their favourite songs. What these albums offer above all else is honesty, Barrett lays his soul bare for the listener, offering a brief glimpse inside his acid warped mind. There's a beauty in his melancholy psychedelia that all the expertise and studio production in the world can't touch. But it's not for everyone.
If, on the other hand, you are a fan, then what you're getting here is his two solo albums and the "Opel" rarities album. The box set itself is probably nothing to write home about, it's just a big cardboard box with the CDs inside, and I was a little concerned when I first opened it to discover that the albums didn't appear to have their original cover art. As it turned out, though, you can invert the inlay card for the original cover. The artwork on the box is uninspiring to say the least. Also contained is a long, thin booklet with some blurb about Syd and some pictures, which is nice enough.
Buy it for the albums if you don't own them and you want to, they're easily worth the price, but that's all this box set is, it's just the three albums together in a box, don't expect much else of any note.
If, on the other hand, you are a fan, then what you're getting here is his two solo albums and the "Opel" rarities album. The box set itself is probably nothing to write home about, it's just a big cardboard box with the CDs inside, and I was a little concerned when I first opened it to discover that the albums didn't appear to have their original cover art. As it turned out, though, you can invert the inlay card for the original cover. The artwork on the box is uninspiring to say the least. Also contained is a long, thin booklet with some blurb about Syd and some pictures, which is nice enough.
Buy it for the albums if you don't own them and you want to, they're easily worth the price, but that's all this box set is, it's just the three albums together in a box, don't expect much else of any note.
13 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This 3 C.D box set contains all the material Barrett ever recorded as a solo artist and contains no less than 21 bonus tracks. It is an excellent way of aquiring all Barrett's work in one fell swoop. The information booklet and the C.Ds are all presented in excellent detail. The bonus tracks vary in quality and the best ones are on "Opel," On these C.Ds, Syd is at his best when he has backing as some acoustic numbers are barely listenable to. My only query is why didn't they throw in a copy of the "Peel sessions C.D?"
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