The Madcap Laughs

Love it from the bottom of my heart

Sad. Beautiful. Majestic. Chaotic. The Van Gogh of music.

Proto freak folk

Mesmo cada vez mais identificado com as criações do Pink Floyd, não conhecida nada do Syd Barret. Ele pode ter deixado o Pink Floyd prematuramente, mas sua influência no som e estilo da banda é evidente. Este álbum solo é uma prova da sua genialidade musical e criativa. O álbum é uma jornada fascinante pela mente genial e, ao mesmo tempo, atormentada de Barrett, com letras profundas e instrumentais arrebatadores que criam uma atmosfera única.

Truly enveloping and weirdly comforting. Easy listening, but not as a slur.

Love a bit of Syd ❤️

Love it!!!

Trip trip even ho, up down high and low

i actually really enjoyed this! gave me very much coctaeu twins vibes

Love it

it’s a great loss for pink floyd and many psychedelics fans over here. nice lyrics tho.

Album #209 Syd Barrett: The Madcap Laughs In Here I Go, Barrett tells the tale of meeting up with a girl who no longer wants anything to do with him since he left a band; in the end, he ends up winning because he gets with the girl’s sister, and I suppose his old band can take some consolation in becoming the biggest band of the 70s. The legacy of Syd Barrett far exceeds the actual familiarity that most people have with his work; big Floyd fans will be familiar with ‘Piper at the Gates of Dawn’, and probably familiar with the stories of Barrett’s mental collapse which would ultimately inspire ‘Wish You Were Here’, but few actually have delved deep enough into the man to listen to ‘The Madcap Laughs’. I was one of those ignorant people who had never heard this album before, and after getting ‘Piper at the Gates of Dawn’ a few days ago and hearing about this album through David Bowie’s top 25 album list, I became pretty interested in listening to it; fate then took over and presented this album to me today. I had some grievances with Barrett’s lyrics on Floyd’s debut, oftentimes finding them to be a bit too whimsical, yet here he comes across as so vulnerable and captivating that it isn’t hard to be pulled into these songs. His raw, crackly vocals and lo-fi setting make this feel like the ‘In the Aeroplane Over the Sea’ of the 70s. This album displays perfectly Barrett’s undeniable charisma; he truly feels like a one-of-a-kind songwriter and performer, and anyone who had the pleasure of hearing it would surely feel the loss to the music world that his absence left. I almost feel bad that I enjoy his work so much more when he was going through a mental health crisis, though I suppose it is only natural that when we are at our most troubled is when we are at our most vulnerable. I can definitely hear the influence that this album had on Bowie, so I’m not surprised to hear he loves it, and I’m sure that many an inspiring songwriter also had this album close by. Though ‘Wish You Were Here’ is still my favourite Barrett-related piece of music, The Madcap Laughs is definitely an album which proves that he is just as talented as the members of the band he left. Best Songs: Terrapin, Octopus, Here I Go Worst Song: She Took a Long Cold Look Score Out Of 10: 8

Nedstrippet postscript til Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd. Talentet hans for å skrive små-trippy folk-låter er fortsatt på plass, men sporene av undergangen hans er med vilje inkludert -- spesielt synlig på If It's in You. Det er en lo-fi sårbarhet her som igrunn er rimelig tidlig ute. Nå er det lenge siden jeg hørte dette sist, men låtene sitter fortsatt. Spesielt Terrapin og Octopus er låter jeg kan komme på til helt tilfeldige tider.

Syd was troubled, and it shows in the album. It's a brilliant but flawed. It's flaws make it more impact full in a way. Dark Globe is devastating. Terrain and No Good Trying are great. If It's in You has a rough start with Syd failing to hit the high note and having to start over. Once he hits it though, I can see his intent, and though, like some of the other songs, it's not perfect, it's still brilliant. We are lucky Syd was able to record this album

I thought this would be one where it was more fun to read about then listen to but the first half of this was pretty good. The way the tempo of the songs seem to randomly change whenever Syd feels like it is quite cool. Rating: 4.1

La première partie est au niveau des meilleurs albums de la période. Puis, petit, on entend Syd Barrett rattrapé par sa santé mentale et ça devient un peu triste.

I really love how raw and unpolished this is. I loved all of the various takes for some individual songs at the end of the 1993 reissue. I will add this to my regular rotation. A side of Syd Barrett I was aware of but unfamiliar with. A real talent.

I'm honestly surprised to the response this record gets on here, I thought it was a delight! Barrett is a great songwriter and most of the songs here kept me engaged. Highlights-Terrapin, No Good Trying, Dark Globe, Here I Go, Octopus, and Golden Hair

Lite mindre geni, lite mera ordning och reda och detta hade varit på min personliga topplista. Nu anar man bara konturerna av en klassiker där tidig Pink Floyd möter Peter Dougherty. En fyra iaf

Shine on you crazy diamond

In The Aeroplane Over The Sea for Boomers

this one was kinda neat we like this rock

Disclaimer: I'm not very familiar with Pink Floyd. Part of the reason I'm doing this project is to try and get over those big gaps in my musical knowledge. So I don't know if they were any better before or after Syd Barrett left the band. But piecing together the bits and pieces I do know from a brief look at Wikipedia together with the Television Personalities song 'I know where Syd Barrett lives' and you quickly realise his difficulties and years as a reclusive musical genius. Look at the list of great musicians who say he's influenced them. While the album may be a bit of an incoherent mess at times, it's whimsical and beautiful in parts too. It's definitely interesting and worth listening too. It may be exploitative too? It's hard to rank this but I'm going 4 stars. I've had so much filler but this was a different beast altogether.

Очень спокойный, тихий и мелодинчый альбом. Это такой психодел-фолк, но фолк гораздо больше чем психодел. Акустическая гитара и спокойный тихий вокал создают довольно теплую, личную и дружелюбную атмосферу. Вневременная музыка, которая не звучит привязанной к 60м или 70м, создает ощущение таинственного и личного.

I’ve heard this before. I’m a bigger fan of Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd than the later era after he left, and most of the songs on this album make me wonder what they would have turned out to be had he kept his shit together. There are a few songs here that seem a little incomplete and would have helped to have a backing band, and then “If It’s In You” has a false start/studio flub that really distracts from how good of a song it is. There’s some really good psychedelia here at its peak and altogether I dig it.

Actually pretty great. I loved the mixing, the guitars sounded excellent. There's some good shit on here.

I knew a little of his story co-founding Pink Floyd, but had not listened to any of this solo post-Floyd work before. I enjoyed the album a lot, very catchy and fun to listen to.

vibes beattles but more "under" i think

Most either love this or hate it. I am closer to the love it side of the range. The more you listen the better it gets. Even the quirky out-of-tune singing is a joy! 4/5

Too bad he went off the rails so badly that they had to throw him out of Pink Floyd. Really interesting album.

Solid stuff.

Its a good album

Im a huge fan of the first Pink Floyd record so I like this as well. It’s not as good as The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn but still very nice

More twee than I would've thought coming from the Pink Floyd extended universe. But I enjoyed! Great melodies, simple but effective arrangements. More late Beatles and TVU than anything I was expecting. Listened twice.

Very interesting listen. It’s such a mess but that messiness lends itself well to the psychedelic qualities that this album goes for. Not counting the other takes included in the track list, it’s a super solid record that I’ll want to revisit.

Cuando nos dio por escuchar a Pink Floyd en los 80 y descubrimos que habías dos Pink Floyd los de Syd Barret y los de después de Syd. Descubrir que había sacado discos en solitario, pero no tener forma de encontrarlos fue frustrante. Al final el streaming ha permitido que casi nada sea imposible de oír. A mí me ha gustado, me guardo: Love you, Here I go, Octopus y Feel. Le voy a dar 4 estrellas por cariño.

Not a fun album to listen to. Pink Floyd was my first favorite band and introduced me to SO much. Syd have is that band, but not really. His era is not the Floyd we know. But, he still have both to it. This is his final hurrah. Dave and Roger producing as a favor. He can't recreate rhythms. A literal madman recording an album. But there's still so many bangers. Rocks most tragic figure.

I have a really deep fascination with music like this. Stuff like An Evening with Wild Man Fischer by Wild Man Fischer or Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven by Kid Cudi. Music that's written and performed by someone who's clearly incredibly unwell and still tries to make relatively normal-sounding music despite that. Sometimes it brings out some pretty interesting music that I feel wouldn't have been made if it weren't for those circumstances. For all I know, Syd Barrett would've written this album if he was 100% stable, but there really is a feeling that he's barely being held together and I feel like that adds a lot to this otherwise pretty inoffensive album.

As a late Pink Floyd enjoyer, early Pink Floyd rube, I was conflicted about going into this one. I've listened to the Barrett era Floyd enough to know that it wasn't exactly the kinda stuff I latch onto, but it was "fine." This ended up surpassing my tepid expectations absolutely. Many of these songs sound to me like George Harrison if he got into different drugs. I ended up enjoying it quite a bit (not because of the drug part). It's cool to know David and Roger were involved, but it's also sad to hear just how much of a mess this production process was. Drugs are one hell of a drug.

weird and strange and very stream-of-consciousness but i really did like it tbh

fun! maybe longer than it needs to be? thanks mr pink floyd

A direct sequel to Piper at the Gates of Dawn, giving a skewed bend on reality

La verdad me gusta mucho la fase más psicodélica de Pink Floyd, cuando Syd Barret era miembro. Este disco capta su espíritu y es muy entretenido.

If listened to early Floyd, and I thought maybe some solo Syd Barrett, I had some assumptions going in here. I was way off. This was much more approachable and much less strange than I expected. It was really listenable and good! Very noticeable Beatles influence. Lyrics are cryptic in spots but in a an intriguing way, not in an an off-putting way at all. I love Dark Globe. Had forgotten about this gem and didn’t know it was on this album. You can hear Barrett’s musical genius, but you can also hear a little of the madness. It’s a great record that I’m glad I got promoted to listen to in its entirety.

Evidence abounds of the deterioration of this fragile genius, the acid casualty troubadour that is Syd Barrett offers up a few more bits of psychedelic whimsy before he fled from the public eye. This alone makes it a compelling listen

The Madcap Laughs is the debut solo album by the English singer-songwriter Syd Barrett. It was recorded after Barrett had left Pink Floyd in April 1968.

Sydney is not feeling too well today. But Syd is best when he's a little bonkers. I've always loved Terrapin. The Marc and the Mambas cover is worth a listen. There's obvious comparisons here with Bowie of the same period. Syd pours his heart out. It's almost a Pink Floyd Unplugged - which sounds like a very bad trip, but somehow The Madcap pulls it off.

Drugs are bad.

Oh, what could have been! If his mental health had not overtaken him, he could have gone on to become a legendary figure, rather than a musician about whom legends are told about! Not to take away from what he's done with this album or his prior work with Pink Floyd. The album has a timeless feel to it, its the type of album solo artists try to go for now, that are not as good, but get over hyped for. The album is a sad reflection of what could have been.

Moody, artsy, the rockier and more-diverse tracks produced by Malcolm Jones balance out the looser, softer folky tracks produced by Gilmour and Waters, providing a more varied experience overall and it's decently engaging

I quite like Piper at the Gates of Dawn so was looking forward to the most acclaimed Syd Barrett album. I like it for what it is, though I can see how it would be difficult to rate particularly highly and if someone doesn't like his voice then playing 'If It's In You' to them will certainly not convert. Nothing leaps out as much as 'Gnome' or 'Bike' from the first Floyd album and it's much more stripped down for the main. A lot of the lyrics are raging nonsense (he goes on about tigers eating cheese at one point) but other parts are quite charmingly Kinksy in its 1960s London whimsy and it's the simpler songs on the album such as 'Here I Go' that I prefer. The influence on Bowie is unmissable (particularly in 'Dark Globe'). I also have suspicions that there would have been an element of LSD consumed during the making of this album (see the aforementioned turophilic tigers), though I've been wrong before. You know what, this is quite gentle and relaxing to listen to in a dark room (I'll skip the LSD) and I feel this would get better with more listens, so have talked myself into a 4 out of 5.

Big Pink Floyd fan, so it goes without saying I love Barrett’s solo work. You can really see what the Barrett-lead Floyd would have become on his own records, and also hear how specific elements remained a core part of the Pink Floyd sound for years after (the vocal inflections in particular, there are parts of this album where you’d swear it was Roger Waters singing (complimentary)). I think I prefer his self-titled album, but songs like Octopus are among some of my favourites so it was a pleasure to relisten to this album.

What a very strange album. Syd Barrett has an interesting story, slowly losing his mind from mental health issues. Musically it was hit or miss. Near the middle it nearly made me fall asleep, but the beginning and ends of the album were interesting enough to mostly enjoy this record.

Very strange stuff and I knew a few of these songs like Love You and Terrapin because of Phish covering them lol.

in this house, we love Syd Barrett

A wonderfully weird pop record. Octopus is a classic

Me pone feliz que esté este disco. No sé si debería estar en los 1001 discos, pero después de ver otras elecciones no me voy a quejar. Sé que no es un disco para muchos. Syd Barrett fue una persona rara, con inquietudes que iban para todos lados. Una impactante carrera musical que terminó demasiado pronto. Duele saber que su producción fue de apenas 6 años, con grabaciones que van desde Arnold Layne (1966) hasta 1970 (algunas de las grabaciones de Barrett). Y este disco es lo más inaccesible y raro que hizo. Solo o acompañado por miembros de la genial Soft Machine, es un disco que líricamente va por todas partes y nos muestra un reflejo de lo que pasaba por la psiquis de Barrett. Y es difícil de escuchar por eso: más allá de la música, que es RARA, es una ventana a la locura de este gran hombre. Con muchas canciones que son, de una forma u otra, sobre amor (amor perdido que no va a volver, amor roto, amor nostálgico). Por momentos duele. Por otros conmueve: Terrapin es una canción que líricamente va por todas partes pero es muy tierna. Hay imágenes muy lindas y la voz en que canta Barrett llega hondo. No es la única canción así. Hay otras como "Love You" que también transmiten una sensación parecida. Otras de las canciones demuestran que Barrett conservaba su talento para melodías y letras raras ubicadas en mundos de fantasía: Here I Go, No Good Trying, No Man's Land, Late Night, son canciones que me podría haber imaginado ser interpretadas por Pink Floyd si Barrett hubiera mantenido su sanidad mental, si bien No Good Trying parece retratar justamente su expulsión de la banda. Pero después hay otras canciones, que son la mayoría, como Dark Globe (mi favorita del disco y una canción bastante querida, creo, por la gente que escucha a Barrett), que me hacen pelota. La letra no tiene tanto sentido, son versos relativamente independientes pero hay mucho dolor en ellos "When I was alone You promised the stone from your heart" o "Won't you miss me? Wouldn't you miss me at all?", y el tipo los canta con una desesperación brutal. Acá Soft Machine no acompaña, es Syd solo con su guitarra y acentúa el sentimiento de locura. Mucho más acompañado por la música (que también nos protege a nosotros y nos hace sentir menos mal cuando escuchamos esto) está Octopus, otro claro highlight del disco. En la página songmeanings leí alguna vez una interpretación que planteaba que este tema era sobre una discusión esquizofrénica dentro de la cabeza de Barrett y me quedé con eso. Se puede coincidir o no, pero creo que esa imagen refleja bien las sensaciones que evoca este tema. Otro tema así de trágico es "Long Gone", acompañado por un teclado (¿Mike Ratledge? y Barrett regrabándose con coros), Syd nos habla sobre alguien que hace mucho se fue. Puede ser una ex-novia, puede ser su sanidad. En cualquier caso, la canción duele. Las otras canciones que no nombré entran, en mi opinión, en esta categoría: Feel, She Took a Long Cold Look Es un disco muy muy bueno, qué nos deja una sensación de desgarro por dentro, y por eso es medio difícil de escuchar pero, cuando se lo hace, vale mucho la pena. Casi todas las canciones son buenas. Solo "Golden Hair" y "If It's in You" no me gustan tanto (la primera es rara, no se parece mucho al resto de temas del disco; la segunda es de esas que podría haber sido hecha por Pink Floyd, pero al mismo tiempo parece ser improvisada. Me da la impresión de que Waters y Gilmour pensaron que había algo acá pero Barrett no tenía ganas de concentrarse). Lo siento un poco corto para ponerle 5 estrellas, asi que le tocarán CUATRO. Un cuatro fuerte.

Beautiful and haunting album. For a guy that basically went insane, the openness and vulnerability is uncanny.

Started this album not knowing much about Syd Barrett. I thought it had a lot of sounds similar to the Beatles or Pink Floyd. Later learning, that Syd was formerly part of Pink Floyd and he was kicked out of the band due to mental health challenges, erratic behaviour, and heavy psychedelic drug use. Apparently inspiring the popular song in tribute to him “Shine on you Crazy Diamond”. I’m sure he was a big part of the band and it was a difficult but necessary decision to move on without him. The remaining members of Pink Floyd clearly showed their support and respect for Syd as they would collaborate with him on his solo endeavours. Though I’m sure the writing was on the wall and the members of Pink Floyd knew they were not going far with Syd remaining a key figure of the band. So as expected Syd’s music career faded away and apparently he faded away from the public. He is said to have picked up a life of gardening and painting. Which sounds quite nice if you ask me. I’m sure with royalties from his early career with pink Floyd supporting his lifestyle he is in a much better place to manage his mental health. Overall I’m sure his musical talent and crazy ideas helped kickoff what we know of Pink Floyd today. He was probably super fun to party with until he wasn’t. I’m sure we all know someone like that in our lives that we have either distanced ourselves from or rebuilt our relationships so that we can stay connected but in a way that doesn’t drag everyone else down. I hope a life of gardening and painting brings calm and peace to Syd’s life.

This was interesting. I consider myself a Pink Floyd fan, but I’d never listened to any of Barrett’s solo stuff. Cool to get a peek into his mind. Some really interesting stuff here. Some of it well ahead of its time. But guilty of a pet peeve of mine… finish your damn album, man. 4/5 Highlights: No Good Trying No Man’s Land If It’s in You

I just like this guy

Syd Barrett is an odd figure in music history. He seems to be more famous for where he isn't than where he is. Pink Floyd seemed reluctant to part ways with him, even going as far as recruiting David Gilmour to pick up for him when he was on stage and not doing anything. Although they were eventually make the difficult decision to not invite him to some future gigs, the spirit of Syd Barrett loomed large over Pink Floyd for years. Future albums were supposedly in tribute to him and the band always held the doors just slightly open in case he might return, though of course he didn't. Drug use, exhaustion, and mental breakdown would take him away from a rock and roll live like so many others. But his influence as a driving force in Pink Floyd and British psychedelia would always make people wonder what if he'd done more. His solo album isn't as great as anything by his former bandmates, but it's an interesting testament to what he could bring to them. The album sounds oddly like the Beatles if they'd gotten too into their drugs and became obsessed with the Velvet Underground. Shine on your crazy diamond.

A strange one this. I'm not a huge Pink Floyd fan and find them a bit pretentious in a serious sort of way. However, Mr Barrett brought oddness to the party. Thus his debut solo album is something I should have listened to, but never did. I've heard 2 different cover versions of 'Golden Hair' and the original is quality stuff. The album has an element of sounded ahead of its time, and I enjoyed his experimentation and oddball humour in the songs. You can tell the album was comprised of different sessions across a long time, as it does come across as a bit disjointed in places, but that does add to the general air of peculiarity. I liked it more than I probably should have, but I'm a sucker for drug influenced experimentation.

hørt en del på før, men har veldig motstridende tanker om det. I noen øyeblikk kan det være helt elendig men i andre veldig nytenkende og bra. Svak firer kanskje.

Syd keeps doing his whimsical songs from Piper but in a more deranged abd strangely sad way. Of course that would give him a cult following

Really good. Didn’t know he had so much variety in his music. Interesting how many bands and musicians played around with exotic or ornate instrumentation.

A bit more put together than I had assumed based on its reputation. It reminds me of the Guided By Voices Suitcase compilations of outtakes, lots of interesting snippets of melodies and incomprehensible but evocative lyrics.

Great psychedelic folk album from the late 60s, released on the 2nd January 1970. Syd was the creative genius of Pink Floyd, before he left the band in 1968 due to mental breakdown. His first solo album is quirky, whimsical and very British, and influenced many artists after him. This album needs to be listened in full as Syd also wanted it to be heard, he said : " I liked what came out, only it was released far too long after it was done. I wanted it to be a whole thing that people would listen to all the way through with everything related and balanced, the tempos and moods offsetting each other, and I hope that's what it sounds like.". Favourite songs: Octopus, Terrapin, Golden Hair, Late Night.

the music of a mad genius, the end of the album felt rough and unfinished but overall a very fun album

Sian - really enjoyed, will listen to more

Syd Barrett briefly became a professional wrestler in Houmous & Chutneys failed attempt to set up a wrestling promotion in Papua New Guinea. HCPNGWF starred mostly musicians - they largely struggled with the athletic requirements! It wasn’t great to watch. 4.1 7/13 Octopur

Enjoyed it a lot more than expected as I was worried it would be a psychedelic mess… Some nice melodies and gets extra credit for Golden Hair which Slowdive turned into one of the best live tracks I have seen…

Oh yea the bomb

Much better than I expected. I didn't know Pink Floyd's story much going into this, so it was cool to learn a bit about that. It makes me want to dive in more. Definitely need another listen for this one.

So fucking cool. Might even like it as much as piper. He is such a cool and interesting songwriter. Gone way too soon

A fun alternate rock album from the UK. A bit too slow for 5/5, but still a great album

Let it be said: Syd Barrett can write one hell of a pop song hook. Arnold Layne, See Emily Play, Baby Lemonade are lovely melodies full of his trademark whimsy married with pop arrangements explored in other bands like the Byrds, Beatles, etc. Here on The Madcap Laughs there are flashes of his brilliance. The album is kind of a mess though, the songs scattered all over with little coherence — unsurprising given its production history and Barrett’s state of mind in 1970. He was a beautiful person whose vision is not totally realized here, but those flashes when they are realized are poignant. 4 stars.

Very British, often rough, sometimes pleasant and bouncy. Feels like it's here on this list because of who he is, and the story of his mental issues. But taken on its own, it’s got a charm to it. I’d listen again.

Favorite tracks: Dark Globe, Here I Go, If It's In You Got this after Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key Of Life, which is a tough act to follow! At first I wasn't sure what to make of this. Then after a few songs I clocked how weird it is, and I really warmed to it. Strange and sad and confusing, but with a strong thread of talent and artistry throughout. Right up my alley, really.

What can I say it’s so original and foundational for outsider music

Yeah, knowing what he was going through makes this a hard listen. 4/5

I love this album so much. Such a special musical moment. Syd was a genius and an original that we got for too short time, and this record feels like a gift from another world. He has a very special kind of weird charisma that shines on every intimate track on this one. As a composer, sure, he was weird, but also had a great pop instinct. For example, octopus is such a hit. It's wonderful

this is lowk banging also I'm getting so mad abt the comments on the other albums

A good album, I liked Dark Globe and Late Night the most.

You can’t help but feel bad for Syd Barrett and everything he went through with his mental health. It’s bittersweet listening to this, knowing what could have been if he’d stayed with Pink Floyd. But if Syd never left and stayed on as a non-touring member, would Gilmour have had enough influence for albums like The Wall or Dark Side of the Moon? That’s hard to say. The Madcap Laughs is a pretty solid album that reminds you of Pink Floyd’s early days. If you enjoy true psychedelia, you’ll really love this one. “Terrapin” is a strong opener that sets the tone. Do any of these tracks make sense? No, and that’s okay because they’re not supposed to. The charm comes from the chaos.

I liked it more than I expected

Deranged. Psychedelic. Infinitely creative. Perfectly imperfect. R.I.P. Syd.

Hear the roots of so many of my favorite artists in the work of Syd Barrett. Most notably Robyn Hitchcock, but also Neutral Milk Hotel, and all those willing to wave their freak flag with an earnest voice. Not always beautiful, but compelling and often playful.

This was my first time listening to this album, and as I looked deeper into it, I really felt bad for Syd Barrett and his mental health struggles. Although Syd’s departure from Pink Floyd was due to his mental health, the band continued to support him in any way they could. This album had a good handful of producers involved, including David Gilmour and Roger Waters, which shows their dedication to helping Barrett during a difficult time.

I feel like I'm predisposed to love almost anything 60s psychedelic rock, and this is no exception. Top to bottom loved every song here. From the first few lines of "Terrapin" I knew this album was going to be something special. Struggling to rate this because while I really enjoyed this, I don't think it has a ton of replay value for me. I wish I could give this a 4.5, but I think I have to round down in this case, sadly. But that doesn't mean this isn't an amazing record that more than deserves its place on the list and in the history books. Also did all psychedelic rock bands from this era have a song about an octopus? Was that the animal of the time for those dropping acid?

An odd recording but I enjoyed it. The story behind it explains why it came out this way

surprisingly good. was expecting some far-out bananas shit, got veryl listenable psych-rock.

Pretty simple but good. Light 4.

Better than Coldplay

This was good. It was lighter and happier. Definitely gave some Beatles vibes. I saved a few songs from it.

As I'm writing this, it's been a day over a week since my group got this album, and it's only now that I'm finally writing my review of it. Hell, until now, I didn't even bother to listen to the thing. And unlike that French hip hop album from a while ago, believe me, it wasn't a lack of interest that kept me from doing this. No, of course, once more and again (and perhaps for the last time), it's because of my relation to Syd Barrett's life and work. Obviously, this isn't the first time I've discussed Syd. I've previously spent over 2,000 words discussing my thoughts around him, between PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN (where I admitted to my lack of interest in his music despite my respect for him) and WISH YOU WERE HERE (where I talked about how and why I still had that respect for him anyway). It's not like it's hard for me. Though, you hafta realize, those were both in the context of what he meant to the band Pink Floyd as a whole, first as its founder and leader, then as an inspiration and tribute figure. This is the first time I've had to talk about him all on his own. There's no Roger Waters or David Gilmour to fall back on, except to discuss their roles in helping produce this album. To me, talking about this album is all about discussing Syd and his mental state, and, like... I'm just worried about not doing it right, y'know? I'll tell you, even as far back as PIPER review, I was already apologizing for this one. 'Coz look, even if I don't hold much interest in his personal, artistic works, the last thing I'd wanna do is disrespect a man who not only meant so much to people I admire, but went through what he did. Which, y'know, I'll say right now, doesn't mean I hafta like this album, as if not liking his work is the same thing as not liking the man, no. But there's a level of grace I feel like I need to have about this album, and, well, it's taken me a hot second to build up the courage to take a stab at having it. (That, and finally getting sick of the daily reminder emails.) Although, at the same time, it's also led me to worry if I'm defining Syd **too much** by his illness. Y'know, to completely ignore him as a man and an artist in favor of seeing him solely as his mental condition and a tragic figure. Is that not also disrespectful? It's such a tight balancing act to perform, and, well... It's only because I care so much about not being a jerk **and** because I overthink things as much as I do that it's an issue for me. Y'know? I tell yah, it's times like these with my dang auDHD brain... But in the end, I need to keep in mind, I'm not here to write an essay about Syd's life. You're probably not here to read one, if you've even made it this far. All I'm here to do is talk about the music and whether or not I like it — and like I said above, how I feel about it should be irrelevant to how I feel about the man himself. It's a mindset I **have** been able to put myself in before: just look at OAR. I had nothing but sympathy for Alexander Spence and his story, but regardless, I still wasn't huge on his album. And, true, that was an album where I didn't have as much connection to the artist **or** the band he'd been in (Moby Grape), but if I can hold no ill will towards him and still be honest about my feelings on his work, then I can do the same for Syd. It's the least I can do. (That OAR review, by the way? Another one where I talked about how hard this MADCAP LAUGHS review was gonna be.) So, finally, around 700 words in, let's finally talk about this album directly. No more beating around the bush. I'll say this to start: on the whole, it's not too far off from what I've heard before from Syd. I can absolutely see the line straight from PIPER to this. It's just on this album it's a lot more, y'know ramshackle. Lo-fi. A lot closer to raw demo recordings than not in quite a few spots. I mean, there's spots on this album where they've left in the producer talking and calling out take numbers. On one song, you can clearly hear Syd turning over his lyric sheet. Heck, "If It's In You" starts with an aborted take that Syd cuts short because he sings one of the opening notes off-key, only for him to start singing **even further** off-key once he goes again. It's stuff like this where I can understand the opinion that this album might be a bit, y'know, exploitative of Syd? I mean, this record was compiled from multiple sessions with multiple producers over the span of the year, and the fact that there are tracks on here with that stuff left in... It reminds me a lot of The Shaggs' PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD, actually, which also has a song that leaves in the producer's take call. It can make you wonder just what kinda two-bit production they're running here that they don't even think to snip that off. For my money, though... I'unno, I think it's interesting, honestly. It pulls me in a bit more to be just hyper aware of the recording like this. Y'know, to just push away any illusions of polish and just wonder what it must've been like for Syd at this time. Which, y'know, that might just be the definition of exploitation, but it's not like this is a very normal album, so... I tell you, I don't think it's for nothing that I bring up The Shaggs' PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD, 'coz I feel like they both share some appeal between each other. Of course they're both prime examples of "outsider music," but beyond that, I find myself just so charmed by the childish naïveté they give off. Like, The Shaggs couldn't play their instruments for two bits a'shit, but their simple-ass lyrics were so honest and sincere that it's hard not to like them in spite of their musical incompetence. Meanwhile, Syd (someone who can actually play) has lyrics that are just so... Whimsical. Where, yes n' yeah, it's very easy to read into them to see a darker unbelly, but taking them as they are... Yeah, I don't hear any pretensions in this. This isn't "folk psych hippie" bullshit; it's just the words he wanted to sing to reflect himself, and, yeah, they're nice. And I do like that the music surrounding these lyrics is so simple and lo-fi to match. I mean, if they tried to make these songs sound like "See Emily Play", I just don't think it'd work. The fact that they are presented as-is, mistakes and all, only benefits the words. It's honest, y'know? I mean, like a fellow member of my group, I wanna believe that Syd had at least enough capacity to give the sign off on this. I wanna believe that this wasn't just shit out to have something with Syd's name on it, but rather exactly what he wanted to have out there. And frankly, I'll tell you what: I do believe it. Maybe perhaps just for the sake of not having everyone involved look worse for taking advantage of Syd, but I do hold that belief sincerely. So, color me surprised. 'Coz I'll admit, there was a twinge of doubt I had somewhere in the eight days it took for me to wanna write this review. Not so much a worry necessarily, but the thought that, like, y'know, "What if I don't actually like this album?" I'll stress one more time, that would not reflect on how I felt about Syd himself... But still. Would've been a bit of a bummer, right? Imagine that whole near-700 world preamble being a lead-in for, "Eh... Not really feeling it?" Or worse, "This is actively terrible and I **do not like it**." Like, jeez, way to bring down the mood, huh? But, no, no, I really do like this. I'm not a full 5/5 blown-away by what I heard, but it's good stuff. And it gets me wondering, honestly, just what Syd could have been capable of if his condition hadn't worsened the way it did. If he hadn't gotten to that point when he visited his old band during their WISH YOU WERE HERE sessions, where he'd shaved off all of his hair and gained all that weight. Which is like, I know he didn't keep that weight; he **did** slim down towards the end of his life... But seriously, just imagine where he could have gone from here. Imagine if PIPER, this and its follow-up weren't his only musical statements to the world. Oh, what if, what if... Following this album, Syd would only record one more (which, by Wright's admission, was more about helping him in any way possible more than anything else) and give a few sporadic performances. After that, in 1972, he went to Cambridge to live with his mother, and besides a brief return to London, that's where he stayed the rest of his life. From what I heard, he spent his time painting and gardening, living off of the Pink Floyd royalties that David made sure Syd got. And y'know... I bet he was happy. Probably more so than if he tried to keep on in the industry. As much as I wish and wonder what he could've done if he'd kept on... It was probably for the best. So, one last time: for everything you did and helped inspire, I wanna thank you, Roger. Wherever you are, I hope you're shining on.

Simple, yet elegant tunes from the former Pink Floyd frontman. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

That’s a slightly uncomfortable 4. It’s an intriguing album, that’s for sure. Lyrically, I don’t think I caught most of the references or metaphors involved in it, but I’m not sure this is really an album meant in that sense, at least not by the second half. This feels much more like a documentation of a singer trying to desperately cling on. There’s flaws present in the instrumentation and vocals, there’s the producers chiming in, and there’s just a very, very raw feeling to this album that I don’t think any album we’ve gotten so far has had. There’s no polish for a lot of the second half. It’s a lot of glorified demos that are being documented and put to tape for the sake of putting out something adjacent to an album. I think I kind of love that, though. It feels vaguely exploitative, but I have to imagine Syd Barrett was still in control of enough of his mental faculties that he approved of this releasing in the way that it did. It’s uncomfortable for sure, but it also feels like being this open & honest about the flaws & mistakes present in the album is something more reflective of Syd’s general nature. It is, in some strange way, a proper mirror of the man, or at least that’s how I’m choosing to see it. There’s a chance that this is just entirely exploitative and Syd simply said “fuck it, I don’t care” while wanting to put out something more. I don’t necessarily want to dive any deeper into the making of this album though, so I’ll leave that to my curious brain on another day. I know I’ve harped on the second half quite a bit, but I found the first half to be rather musically enjoyable, and for all the flaws in the second half, it’s just such a compelling listen that I don’t think anything really gets knocked down that badly. I understand why this has the average it does on the site, but I do think this really needs the context of knowing Syd Barrett’s general story to this point to understand how fascinating of a release this is. I think it’s worth being on the list for that reason. Hence, the slightly uncomfortable 4.

Not quite as batshit crazy as his later self-titled but definitely heading in that direction.

Having firmly sunk his toes in the deep end of the river, Syd Barrett unfurled his scattershot, erratic, often strange yet cautious great snapshot of a man clinging onto sanity with just one finger on the ledge. The Madcap Laughs, for all of its icky dwellings into lost grasps of reality by a plethora of listeners since the album's release, is a symbol of what was, what could have been and what had to be left behind. Favorites: Terrapin, No Good Trying, Love You, Dark Globe, Here I Go, Octopus, Golden Hair, Long Gone, She Took a Long Cold Look.

4/5

3.5

Had never listened to this. Very English, in its melodic, idiosyncratic sadness, with echoes of the Kinks and the Beatles. Get why it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but loved it.

The brilliant, but uneven solo debut is great at times! But always a solid listen, especially on a rainy day as I did this time around.

For what it is, the last writings of a mentally ill man in the throes of addiction, it’s necessarily of variable quality, but when it hits it hits. Surreal psychedelic folk- it goes down nice. Pink Floyd was a lesser ban without him.

Хороший альбом. Переслушать

es triste, es grandioso, un pedido de ayuda de una mente cada vez más devorada que incluso así siguió siendo explotada, todo con una capa de nostalgia por encima. es clara su influencia musical, pero no es nada fácil de escuchar. creo que syd es uno de los casos más claros de un talento increíble que acabó muy pronto, es triste pensar en hasta dónde podría haber llegado si su mente no lo hubiera traicionado antes de tiempo.

i more like instrumental in this album that singer. Drums and guitar is exceptional.

you hate to hear that an album was made during a mental lapse, but why do they always sound so good?

Is Barrett getting chucked out of Pink Floyd a sin? Maybe. But it's hard to see that he would do experimental acid folk and acid blues like this when still in the band. So in that respect, it's good that Barrett could do his own thing. Not everything is great but lots of it is starting with the great opening track of a delirium lover declaring his love. We all know those kinds.

Love it!

It is, unsurprisingly, quite weird. I personally like it, but I can't make a case that it is something you must hear before you die.

A bizarre album that put me in a jovial mood. Revisited NO GOOD TRYING and OCTOPUS to listen to the composition. Favorite track: LONG GONE.

Syd Barrett of early-Pink Floyd fame roles out a folksy, psychedelic record just as the other Floyd boys were tip-toeing towards progressive rock. This sounds a lot like Pipers at the Gates of Dawn, which shouldn’t be too much a surprise considering that was Syd’s baby as well. There are a couple of great tracks (Octopus, Here I Go), a couple good tracks, and a few mid songs as well. I remember thinking this was a masterpiece back in my early-20s, but my more experienced and subjective brain is now able and capable of admitting its faults. 3.8/5

More fun than I expected. Kept a couple as favorites.

Sometimes madness has a method. And sometimes, it doesn't, as in here. This is a fascinating album, if not always an easy listen. See also Alexander 'Skip' Pence for that sort of artistic endeavor where mental health issues seem to bring something new on the table. Hints of (post)punk can be found here. But what we mostly have here, are hints of a genius mind slowly sinking into its own solipsistic world. Shine on you, crazy diamond. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4 8.5/10 for more general purposes (4/5 for musical competency + 3.5/5 for the artistry + 1 rare bonus point for the contextual aspect and "mythos" around this record). Number of albums left to review: the 80-ish extra LPs listed on this app, included because different past editions of the book have mentioned albums that have since been dropped in subsequent editions. Number of albums I'll keep in my own list: half, approximately Number of albums I *might* keep: a small quarter, approximately (including this one) Number of albums I won't keep: a large quarter

frábærar melódíur en geðklofinn þvælist fyrir. er samt í frekar miklu uppáhaldi. fær 4,5.

There are few moments of random precision and even fewer worn-out welcomes in this shining diamond's solo debut.

i fit in this world

The first track made me expect another average, forgettable album but I turned out to love almost everything that came after. Almost.

Interesting Syd ablum. Have not listened to this. I enjoyed it because I'm a Pink Floyd band but the album isn't earth shattering. Overall I give it a 4 stars but I'm being pink floyd impartial

Typical Syd

I feel like I objectively didn’t love it but subjectively I like it does that make sense

Definitely the best of Syd’s solo works. That said, it’s not as great as anything on Piper at the Gates of Dawn which is a shame. Terrapin, Octopus, No Man’s Land, Here I Go, Long Gone and Dark Globe are probably my favorites. Some sound a lot like hits by later bands but with less production. The album definitely gets weird and some songs are very nonsensical but there is a charm to that. Like nursery rhymes being sung by someone on acid. Which is basically what this was. Fun, but not something I would put in regular rotation

Charmingly depraved is the best way I can describe this. The songs vary from sounding freshly hungover to freshly high. Octopus is definitely the best track but nothing was unenjoyable to me.4/5

Kinda got Pink Floyd vibes from this

I really liked this!! excited for this list to force me to listen to a lot more floyd !!

Easygoing charm

Shine on you quirky fella.

Another great Brit album

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this album. I love Pink Floyd but I find their earliest stuff to be a bit of a challenge. And I’ve heard lots of stories about the eccentricities of Barrett. So, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy this record. There are moments that produced genuine emotional reactions. Most especially “Dark Globe”. https://richcain.substack.com/p/project-1001-the-madcap-laughs-by?r=4ztyq

I'm honestly a little shocked how much I enjoy this, as I not only am not that big of a fan of Syd Barrett's contributions to Pink Floyd, but I'm not the biggest Floyd fan in general, but the folky, amateur style of this album feels just quirky enough to come off completely earnestly, and oddly charming. Syd Barrett's voice isn't the strongest, the compositions aren't the most enthralling, and the instrumentation is usually pretty simple, but because of all of that this just feels like predicting the sound of 90s twee twenty years in advance, and comes off as in tandem with Nick Drake's discography to create an all new sound in folk, something light and breezy but still oppressing in their lyrics and under the surface oddities. This album has some great moments, and while sometimes I think Syd lets that strong songwriting get away from him at times, most of the album is surprisingly concise and well-written, and in turn I find myself enjoying a lot of this album.

Beautifully damaged music from a beautifully damaged genius. "Golden Hair" is such a jam

Oooooh boy did I enjoy this!! I don't know why I've always had a soft spot/felt sorry for Syd, which may influence my affection for his distinctive sound, but this album was a real pleasure - It sounds like he was enjoying himself when he was playing. Glad this was on the list and not surprised.

Reminds me a bit of 8 Songs for a Mad King. With hindsight, it appears like a view into madness. Kinda dig it.

very good, sounded similar to early Pink Floyd as one would expect. Would like to listen more, probably 4.5

Delightfully mental and wacky. Shine on you crazy diamond

I Like it :)

I actually enjoyed this album for what it was, but it's pretty brutal given the state of Syd Barrett at the time.

I think if I were coming into this blind, my patience for this wouldn't be so solid. One of the few solo records from Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett before he left music altogether, it feels almost like it mirrors his life: a solid start, but as it progresses, it feels like it falls apart and results in only half-finished compositions. There's still a solid "something" to this, underneath. It's a little 60s pop, psychedelia, and I for one like the rawness. Meh. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Terrapin", "No Good Trying"

OK - I love this album. It has everything that Pink Floyd never had after Syd left because it connects with the emotions. Sadly this includes listening to a man beginning his disintegration, so it can be a hard listen, but it's an amazing album for all that.

This reminds me of when I was 9, and I would sit at my parents’ computer playing Webkinz, just singing any lyrics that rhymed. For hours. Syd Barett really captures that childlike whimsy here, and I’m super into it. The music was great too — a very fun, very easy listen.

ProtoPink

Given Syd's condition at this point (kicked out of Pink Floyd and rapidly spiraling due to drug abuse), I was expecting something much less coherent, and honestly more in line with his weird cuts from Saucerful and Piper. Instead, we have quirky Beatles rock. Maybe it's the Pink Floyd fan in me taking over, but this is some of the finest Beatles-esque rock I've heard. Syd has a lot of character in lyrics and delivery, and it helps the songs stand out. I genuinely really enjoyed this, though I can only hope it stays great on repeat listens. Highlights include No Man's Land, Octopus, and Golden Hair.

The Bowie - Beatles midpoint in a way really vibed with. Favourite track: Love You.

More than expected

This was a great album, love the whimsical psychedelic nature of Syd Barrett's music and lyrics. Just a great collection of songs and a great record.

There is no point in theorizing about Syd Barrett; when he left London for good, he left Syd the MadCap behind to be filled with elegies, eulogies, fan theories, Nick Kent's musings and Roger Waters's bitter envy, Bob Geldof as ersatz Syd and the ghost that haunts Dark Side of the Moon. There is no point in explaining Barrett to the cinematic self-serious Post Dark Side partisans; Waters et al. wrung out all the whimsy and pastoral terror themes in favor of Grand Theorizing. Gone are the janky psychedelic effects and chaotic fuzz evolved into towers of recording technology, true audiophile shit. Gone is the Zippo slide cosmic guitar, and instrumental excursions into altered outer and inner weirdness. Homemade light show gives way to full arena rock extravaganza. What we can do is think about the work Barrett left us, as much as it pains me to nod to very important men like Eliot or Ransom, and their delusions of transcendent, ahistorical meaning. "Piper" is the apotheosis of general psychedelia into both space rock and unhinged insanity in the mundane. The hit singles, "See Emily Play" and "Arnold Layne" take the latter and make it somewhat disturbing. I like disturbing pop songs. And "MadCap" is all of the latter; no space rock here. Just ditties from different perspectives, all light and shade. Barrett had an ear for pop hooks, and does not disappoint here. But these are not easy songs. The highlight for me has always been "Golden Hair", the adaption/cover of the Joyce poem, all mist and mystery, aching in the shadows. A few of the song seem to reference/take lighthearted swipes at Waters and Co. and the whole business of Rock N Roll and Syd Barrett as a cautionary tale/LSD totem. The MadCap wasn't really that MadCap, and not the cripple-fried genius. Jimbo Lizardpants can have that. What's here is the hand of an artist, making art without a thought to commerce. And in our late stage Capitalist Dystopia, I suppose that counts as crazy.

The story behind this album was incredible, and incredibly sad, and I'm glad I researched it before listening.

enjoyable 4/5

Weird, rambly album with some good moments.

me copó bastante, 8/10

A very chill yet also engaging record that strikes a solid balance between acoustic folk rock tones and some more psychedelic offerings that show that Syd Barrett still had some juice left in him after leaving Pink Floyd. The back half of the record is sort of whatever and a bit meandering but tracks like "Octopus" and "No Man's Land" in the front half more than make up for it. Could say its better than some Floyd records to be honest.

This is a strange one for sure. For those who don't know, Syd Barrett was the original frontman of Pink Floyd, but left the band in the late 60s due to mental health problems (presumably brought-on by his persistent use of psychedelics). He released two (?) solo records before quitting music. This is his first one. He makes great use of unusual and sometimes dissonant chord progressions and commonly sings out of key. His stream-of-consciousness lyrical style is disjointed and whimsical. However, I think this record is really appealing for some reason. Sure it's weird, but it's got a cool avant-garde and psychedelic feel to it.

Starts out interesting and somewhat whimsical but as you listen it's like you're witnessing a genius's slip with reality (particularly with the last 3 songs). Here I Go and She Took A Long Cold Look are my favorites.

There seem to be some conflicting stories of exactly why Syd and Pink Floyd parted ways. Did he really go crazy? Sounds like maybe he just took so much LSD so regularly that he wasn’t a reliable band mate. Hard to say for sure. Creative geniuses are often a little mad. This is a beautifully composed album with poetic lyrics. If he did go mad, he certainly reined it back in for this.

This is a bit of a round-about story, so bear with me... Karl Wallinger of the Waterboys and World Party fame died a few weeks back, and I have been thinking about him a lot recently. My flatmates and I were big World Party fans, and in very early 1992 (I think) we managed to see a secret gig they played on a Monday night at the Three Weeds Hotel in Sydney, Australia. They were doing a press tour with no official shows, but played this unannounced show. The gig was very small, to a small audience in a pretty small pub. I distinctly remember Karl saying that, flying into Sydney, he noticed the luggage tags all marked "SYD", which had reminded him of Syd Barrett, and they then played a cover of a Syd Barret song (Gigolo Aunt, I think, or maybe Effervescing Elephant). I was a Syd Barret fan at the time, and it was magical. When I was a teenager, I really dug Syd Barrett and listened to both his solo LPs quite a bit. I had the American re-issue with both albums in a 2LP pack, so I think of the albums together as a single piece of work. I enjoyed the whimsical psychedelic pop songs and the ramshackle playing. Truth be told, I think I generally preferred the Barret LP. There are a few strong songs here; Octopus, Terrapin, Golden Hair, and especially Dark Globe, which I find quite sad and moving. But there is a quite a bit of unfocussed and disorienting material that probably reflects poor Syd's sense of mental organisation at the time. I stopped listening to Syd a long time back, but I enjoyed the nostalgia of listening to this charming album again, particularly to be reminded of the sad beauty of Dark Globe. I worry that people fetishize Syd's mental health issues in the same way that they did with subsequent and similar outsider musicians, like Wesley Willis or Vic Chestnutt or Roky Erickson or even Brian Wilson. It was sad (maybe) that Syd didn't go on to sell a bajillion albums with his former bandmates, but I am sadder still that nobody found a way to support Syd's musical creativity in a sustainable fashion, although I understand he maintained a fulfilling visual artistic practice for the rest of his life. Listening objectively, I enjoy the charm and original expression of these albums and the ramshackle aesthetic, which was highly unusual for a time when studio time was so expensive. This became very influential, even if not widely heard. But if you know, you know.

Loose, shambolic, Beatleseque, the band this reminds me of the most is The Libertines. I really liked it.

very chill loved the folk influences 4/5

The more I hear it the more I love it. 4.5

Let's not kid ourselves; The Madcap Laughs sounds absolute shit. Over 13 non-finished demo tracks, Syd Barrett refuses to play or sing the right notes, and despite being, by all accounts, a talented and inventive guitarist, his strumming is sloppy and the production uneven. But Barrett's debut is without a doubt deserving of a spot on this list - what an unparalleled talent and visionary. Although the ideas are never fully developed, the sheer amount of creativity on The Madcap Laughs is staggering. The melodies are inventive and impossible to predict with Barrett's lyrics ranging from British folktales to the depressingly introspective, giving us a glimpse of his internal turmoil at the time. And while definitely not intentional at the time, the raw recording quality and sparse production serves as an early example of the lo-fi movement emerging decades later - Jeff Mangum must have had this spinning on repeat when writing In The Aeroplane Over The Sea.

Good stuff. You can tell this is a former pink floyd member. Some songs are mid but i like the album as a whole.

Lump me in with the psych suckers who truly enjoy this brand of jam. My cuppa tea! Not into his other stuff but I truly do love a couple songs on this record.

Really enjoyable listen, especially if you are a fan of Sgt Peppers era Beatles music.

Cool album, personality and character came through. I liked the song subject matter and content. Enjoyed the vocals and lyrics. Light 7

Love this album. Found it a few years ago through research on Pink Floyd.

Rock, Psychedelic rock, Psychedelic folk, Folk rock, Blues rock, Experimental rock

I got very into Syd’s story for a time. People have a lot of theories about what happened, but it seems pretty apparent to me that he had schizophrenia or similar—perhaps worsened or accelerated by his drug use. It most often shows up in men in the early-mid twenties. We see social withdrawal, behavioral changes and disorganization, appearance changes (Syd in 1975 is shocking compared to just years before). It happened so quickly. We understand these things so much better now. You can hear his deteriorating mental state here, and it’s a bit haunting. The music is fascinating if you’re into that. And the melodies are often catchy with quirky, sometimes childish, lyrics. I genuinely enjoy much of it musically, in a strange way. There’ll never be another Syd, that’s for sure.

Bowieasto

Frábær plata. Átti von á einhverri sýru, en þetta er bara mjög skemmtileg plata. Fínustu bítlalög og smá Scott Walker í þessu. Fyrri hlutinn þó betri en seinni. Syd greinilega mjög góður lagahöfundur sem við misstum því miður í sýru og geðsýki. Dark globe alveg nístandi lag. Ég á potttþétt eftir að hlusta oft á þessa plötu, svo ég held ég skelli bara 4 stjórnum á hana.

It is wonkily charming, and full of odd whimsy, but also real feeling, expressed in strange ways. At some points it feels a bit stuck, but if you want an album that sounds like little else ever, this is your one!

Fragmented moments of expression from an artist locked outside of time. An album almost couldn’t be more expressive of an artist’s mind-state P.S. I have been addicted to this album recently, I have no idea how this website gave me this

This is where we discuss the true brilliance of Pink Floyd being Syd Barrett, but getting into it will deliver us to madness. Instead, we'll just enjoy the work.

4.0

Right, this definitely drifts at times and can appear a bit messy, but overall I think it’s great. Find it more interesting than some of the Pink Floyd records thats for sure. And, dare I say it, more interesting than some of the Beatles’ records. It has that surreal, trippy sound without trying to hard to get there. Clear that it is from the 60s, and equally clear that he probably had a little bit of drugs when he wrote this, but it’s all to its credit. I’ll definitely be back

Weird in a good way. Very Beatles influenced but the chord progressions were very ahead of their time, most of the tunes went off in directions I wasn't expecting. Reckon Graham Coxon is a fan. You really get a sense that Syd is functioning very differently to most people, I imagine that's where a lot of the creativity comes from but it does lead to a lot of the songs barely holding together, particularly the later tracks. Really compelling listen but I'm unlikely to stick it on again, I'd say 3.5.

Best thing about this was hearing the rhythm of the pick against the strings of his guitar. Real odd album in a good way, sounds like Bowie and Syd influenced each other a lot maybe

The essence of a list suggesting albums one "should listen to before you die" goes far beyond the mere statement: "This sounds good." The richness of music isn't merely about the melody, rhythm, or lyrics. It's about the history it carries, the influences it exudes, and the legacy it leaves behind. Take "The Velvet Underground & Nico," for instance. On a personal note, I'd rate it 4 stars. Yet, if look at its history, one could reasonably argue it's among the most influential albums ever. To genuinely appreciate music, one must embrace the journey of its creation, the roots of its inspiration, and its impact on subsequent generations. It's not just about the question, "How does this resonate with me?" but also, "How has it shaped the musical landscape?" Even if you don't care about musical history, you can't truly rate how good an album was when it came out if you don't understand what came before it. If, say, a Model T Ford was invented in 1800, that would be amazing! If it was invented in 2000 (long after modern cars were common), it would be a poor "invention". A creation depends on what came before it. But based solely on the sound I'd wouldn't give this more than 3 stars. But I know the role that Syd played in creating one of the greatest bands ever. No, this album didn't do that, but given that David Gilmour and Roger Waters helped complete it, it's certain that Syd continued to influence them after just the one Pink Floyd album that Syd was an active part of. Having said all that, even with the history and influence that this album had, I'd probably only give it 3.5, maybe 3.75 stars, but given that I believe some reviewers are just listening and asking "Do I like it?" w/o asking if there's more to why an album would be on the "1001 list", I'm rounding up. 4 stars.

I had no expectations and loved every second of this. Where has this album been all my life? Whimsical and groovy and light and clever and fun. Go, Syd, go! Kinks / Beatles / Eno and Floyd vibes all at once.

8/10. Huh, I didn't even know Syd Barrett made a solo album, but I guess he actually made two in one year and then stopped. Pretty good, though.

Odd that I got Syd Barrett’s solo album before any by Pink Floyd, but unlike those albums, I haven’t heard this one before. It really captures his degrading mind and insanity at this point - really sad. The music is great anyway, somehow. I really liked the songs ‘Terrapin’ and ‘Here I Go’, especially the latter’s sort of twist in the middle. Great album from a legend who sadly lost his mind at a young age.

4/5 There is something good about this one. It's old, never heard of him or any other music before but I dig it, baby...yeah... Standouts: Terrapin, No Good Trying, Others: Love You, No Man’s Land, Dark Globe, Here I Go, Golden Hair, Long Gone, She Took A Long Cold Look, Feel, If it’s in You

Album 83 of 1001 Syd Barrett - The Madcap Laughs Rating : 4 / 5 Favorite Track : Here I Go Timely, as he has been popping up lately in posts from various music pages I follow. I heard this for the first time a few weeks ago as I was listening through the playlist. Didn't stick with me all that much, though I don't often stop and put much time into thinking on an album as I'm doing the playlist. I save that for the album a day generator. Have seen many other reviews that just totally panned this album. After my first listen, I was prepared to come back and do the same, but I listened closer and gave it a bit more consideration. I feel that one has to listen to this while forgetting that Syd Barrett was once an integral part of Pink Floyd and the direction they took and how far they went after he was gone. Then again, you have to listen to this while not forgetting the same. Dude was in a bad place, mentally. Some say that this album is just the result of him being humored in his thought that he still had something to offer musically. I like it. I hear the man and his creativity. It may not have the polish of the Pink Floyd albums that many seem to compare it to (even if subconsciously) but it is what it is and I like it...as unorganized as it may seem...I like it.

Lol @ “children’s songs for people on acid” 😂😂😂 I was actually kinda lukewarm to start and then the weird campy offness started to really grow on me. Enjoyed it. 3.5/5

Eh not bad, not my kind of “rock”. 7/10

Probably the most prog thing to ever happen - pretty good but very strange. I liked it, but preferred his work with his former band.

What a wonderful surprise of a record - reminiscent of the Beatles and Nick Drake but with a darker sound. At the core though Syd is writing earnest and heartfelt songs - and it feels real. The production also is subtly clever and it’s just the right length and the songs flow excellently into one another. It kind of tapers a bit on the last three songs which sound plasters on mindlessly - even though they’re not unwelcome.

One my first playthrough I wasn't really sure about this album, having no idea who Syd Barret even was but was thinking this was a 3. Second listen made me realise how much I enjoyed No Good Trying, and Love You (where it sounds like he is actually saying "Ice Cream" instead of "I scream") and instantly made this a 4. After reading more about Syd I am keen to hear more.

Enjoyed this slightly of the wall musings didn't really say much or go anywhere but I didn't mind. Think he was addled on LSD at this point and the album defiently feels as though you are lost.

The strange mix of Pink Floyd and The Beatles. Nice one!

Ostin tän levyn aikoinaan siksi, että Syd Barrett mainittiin Television Personalities -yhtyeen biisissä ”I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives”. Onneksi ostin, en enää muista, millaista elämäni oli ilman tätä levyä.

Good psychedelia that mostly makes me kind of sad. Sorry Syd.

4 stars, could be a 5 star album but I'd need to listen to it more to know.

3.5

This was more interesting historically than anything, but I generally did enjoy it.

I think part of rating this a 3 over 4 is because I don't know much about Syd Barrett and it was interesting to learn a little more about the artist

Nice sensitivity and fragility.

A bizarre album, with some nice songs, though it feels a bit low production value, quite distorted in not a good way. Saved tracks: Terrapin, Love You, No Man's Land, Octopus

Fractured genius.

psicodelia escrachada, rimas bobinhas, gravado de maneira podre, incrivel. mas falando serio, o syd barrett é um dos meus compositores favoritos, um guitarrista fenomenal e unico tambem. o jeito que ele faz as coisas na musica é completamente fora da curva. por mais que nesse album a habilidade na guitarra dele não seja tão presente quanto nos tempos do pink floyd, o poder de composição dele aqui fica explicito. destaque em love you, no mans land, octopus

This album is a great example of his superior creativity to the rest of his former band mates. He has incredibly original chord changes and song structures that make it impossible to guess what is coming next, without ever letting you down. Very sad that we couldn't see him develop more as an artist. I think he was only scratching the surface of what he had to offer. 4/5

Elsku Syd <3 Þetta er svo mikil kaotísk einlægni. Elska Syd. Elska tónlistina hans.

Pretty cool

A pleasant surprise. Don't love it but added 90% to the mega playlist

I love Terrapin.

The thing that always struck me about Syd Barrett was his odd sense of timing. It's so wonky it makes you feel like you just stepped off a carnival ride and you don't quite have your bearings.

Never listened to this solo material before. I enjoyed the album,

Mad jammer

I don’t even care about the Syd Barrett story man, this is just wacky, totally nutty, absolutely bonkers.

the whiteboy sangs

I know of the tragic story of Syd Barrett so I had some trepidation listening to this album but honestly I didn't think it was too bad.

I need to see what else Syd has done besides Pink Floyd

I'm listening to a brilliant songwriter who didn't give two cents about commercialism and that's abundantly clear. It's getting better with every listen. On the 4th listen I still hear more amazing transitions. It's a very curious album that is walking a thin line between unbridled creative genius and rambly outtakes that could've stayed that way. I'm putting it on 4 stars but wouldn't be surprised if I find myself coming back to this album in a few years and giving it the full 5

Syd Barrett is quite a story, and heartbreaking every time I learn more about it. Reminds me very much of someone I know who died at age 18 from an OD, and it haunts me. I can't hear 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond,' which from the music and lyrics alone already brought me to tears, without thinking of the story behind the song and, more recently, of the crazy diamond I knew personally, too. I tend to listen to post-Syd Pink Floyd a lot more than Syd-Era Floyd, but no matter what, Syd's influence on Floyd is forever. Syd's solo stuff is usually not to my liking, but I can deeply appreciate the artistry, poetry (although I'm not good at knowing what's absurdist humor in it...quite possibly all of it?), unusual melodies, and creative spark. This album might be my favorite of his solo work. There are some tracks I like here, like 'Terrapin,' and there are quite a few that sound sloppy and I'm not skilled enough to know how much is on purpose for effect and how much is due to his condition. It's all very textured and complicated and often jarring. I have a feeling it's a strong mix of intentional composition and just a straight-up reflection of him.

4.5/5. Dude definitely had vision and talent. Rip Mr. Diamond

Very interesting to hear from a historical perspective, considering his contributions to Pink Floyd. Knowing the history, however, I couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for Syd Barrett.

I loved how the psychedelic sound to this record is so lo-fi. I also loved the distortion at the end of No Man's Land. It was both fun and dark. Sweet and mad. Reading about the difficulty in producing this album was interesting, knowing how it came out. I really felt the lyrics in Dark Globe, with most of it feeling a little nonsensical, but then with that croon of "won't you miss me?" and "please."

Not sure when this album was released on the timeline of Syd's spiral into madness but this proves his songwriting capabilities outside of Pink Floyd

I really enojoyed this album. It was sort of weird. sort of engrossing. and in a very interesting way sort of lilted along. loved long gone.

Great psychedelic rock album from the legend that started Pink Floyd. Shame he went crazy.

good, creative, weird, interesting

This little album >>>>>>>>>>>everything pink Floyd has ever done

To the best of my knowledge, The Madcap Laughs is the most comprehensive documentary of schizophrenia in music to date. Reading the background of this album make you cry.... similar to a bad trip... (7/10) Favourite Songs: Here I Go, Octopus

Syd Barrett was a gifted musician and songwriter. Mental health is still poorly understood. But out of tragedy comes a great album.

Thank you Sydney

Uh, ovo je baš sirovo, baš se vidi droga na ovom albumu. Koliko je tužno u neku ruku (hehe), tako je zapravo dosta i dobro. Meni se sviđa, i to mi je ako ćemo već govorit, najbolji solo album od nekoga iz Pink Floyda. Amen.

With Gilmour and Waters producing a good chinch of this one, you can really hear where they were heading as well. Great album, practically Pink Floyd

alternativo not bad solo ecuche una cancion

Strange album, like a trippy, raw Beatles album. RIP Syd. Wish you were here.

Actually better than I thought it would be. I like the grooves it has

It's so easy to get lost and loose yourself in this album, it's perfect for vinyl

4.0 + This album probably isn't a crowd pleaser - definitely rough in parts ("If It's In You") but there are also so many catchy tunes here! Also, the bedroom recording vibe feels vital to me, especially for the era when so many bands were obsessively layering on the studio lacquer.

As expected quite experimental but still not too eccentric. Should listen more closely again!

Added to my Spotify library!

Love a good psychedelic album!

Very psychedelic

7/10 FT:Octopus

honestly i wasnt expecting to ever listen to this. not much of a pink floyd fan and the whole album seemed a tiny bit exploitative to me? upon listening it's actually really good! lot of nice melodies and pretty guitar here.

This is definitely someone going through it, but I like the songwriting and it has the feel of stumbling upon a dude with a guitar in a coffee shop going for it. Without this I wonder if we get Robyn Hitchcock or other off kilter artists. R.E.M.'s cover of Dark Globe is a highlight of their outtakes, so I recommend people check that out if they want to hear what these songs would sound like with more production.

It’s okay

Meget behageligt lyt, nogen gange lidt for goofy

Definitely sounded like something from it's time - not necessarily in the bad way, but just... something to be expected?

Terrapin - 3.5/5 No Good Trying - 4/5 Love You - 2.5/5 No Man's Land - 3.5/5 Dark Globe - 3.5/5 Here I Go - 2.5/5 Octopus - 4/5 Golden Hair - 2.5/5 Long Gone - 3/5 She Took a Long Cold Look - 3/5 Feel - 3/5 If It's In You - 2.5/5 Late Night - 3/5 Is it weird to be listening to what is the musical equivalent of someone having a mental break. Or who thought it was a wise idea to give the guy who was booted out of Pink Floyd for mental issues a solo album so we get to hear his mental breakdown? There are some interesting things in here, some proto-punk hidden within the end-of-an-era British folk, but it definitely feels like both the genre and Barrett at the ends of their respective ropes. Some highs, some equal lows, so a score right in the middle makes sense. Overall: 3/5 Favorites: No Good Trying, Octopus

Jeg får lidt samme vibes som når Beatles er mest fjollede. Det er ikke mega godt, men heller ikke ulideligt at høre på.

"If it's in you" was a bit much. Otherwise, this was good. Not amazing. Totally not what I expected. Way more folky. Good on ya, Syd! 3.79

In retrospect, this album probably shouldn't have been recorded or encouraged. It was though and it's rather sad to hear the voice of someone who was seriously fucked up. I had a copy of this decades ago and thought it was cool, now it's just a bit sad really and not desperately cool at all.

Been wanting to check this out as I am a huge Pink Floyd fan. Admittedly I've always been more into the post-Barrett era but I can't deny that he brought something unique to the band while he was involved. It was really cool hearing more from the guy Shine on you crazy diamond... 🫡 Favorite track: Octopus

This is quite a hard album to rate. I really wanted to enjoy it as it is Syd Barrett but like some of mentioned it’s quite a hard listen. It starts off quite well, cohesive and coherent but then does it seem to unravel as it goes on and is this a reflection on the artist making it. I am not sure. On the whole I did enjoy it and will listen again definitely

A much more sleepy Pink Floyd

This wasn’t bad. Had some Beatles vibes at times. 3/5

First time for the songs let alone the album… Tough one to grade. Some of it was Floyd and Beatles-esque while others seemed like a demo. Not bad though. My standout songs: No Good Trying Love You Here I Go Octopus Late Night

Makes you wish it were Pink Floyd. It's like Diet Pink Floyd. Eh.

Perfectly fine. I think the reason why I didn't completely get on with it is the fact of the situation behind it. Syd Barrett was clearly a genius, as seen in his work as part of Pink Floyd, however you can tell the copious amounts of substances were really catching up with him here, and it's a shame how people took advantage of him. Only about half of this stuff really works, with the rest being actually a little grating. Favourite track: No Good Trying Least favourite track: Here I Go

I found it hard to be objective. It hasnt dated well and the tracks needed Floyds music. Piper at the gates of Dawn was Syd Barrett at his best his lyrics Roger Waters et al music. All tracks were capable of being See Emily Play with the right music/production.

achei q a lanne gostaria desse

3 e meio

This was a weird one to get as a birthday album, but I respect its place in the pantheon of Floyd. Dark Globe gives me major The Wall down in that raw strange Roger Waters way.

Interesting sound, very chill indie narriative

Ihan ok. 3/5.

gold music history lesson

Intéressant

Blimmin mad, this fella. Blimey. Far more interesting than most of Floyd's wank. Admittedly, not particularly good. Outsider music by a former insider.

25/05/2026 Sorry Syd, I didn't think you were that good. Spotify listeners: 104.4k

The sound of mental illness and old friends tying their level best to stay in time and punctuate Syd's demo like acoustic recordings. Having Gilmour, Waters and Robert Wyatt couldn't hide the fact that Floyd's original management made a catastrophic error when they went with Barrett. Even Terrapin and Octopus can't deflect that thee was a reason the band didn't pick Syd up for that gig in early '68. A young person with no prior information would turn this off and think it was some amateur, but those of us in the know will continue to want this to work.........an important album to hear before your die, but mainly to warn you to stay off acid!

Honestly having a tough time deciding on a score for this one. I think it's probably a 3.5 for me, but which way to round? Obviously sounds closer to Pink Floyd's first album, kind of psychedelic folk more than prog rock. It worked for me better than "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" though. Not sure it's one that I needed to hear before dying, but I don't regret listening to it. I quite liked the droning, repetitive chords of Terrapin. The general vibes of the album are kind of depressing. I do think there's some good music in here, even though it's occasionally rough (Especislly Feel through Late Night). I do think it'll be one I revisit for the earlier songs if nothing else.

Simple seeming songs with simple rhymes not the worst, reminiscent of early Pink Floyd

I very randomly listened to this organically 4 days ago when I saw a song added from it to a Thom Yorke created playlist. Unique sound, good not great 3.5 rounded down

There are a few good songs tucked away on this album, but the final product is somewhat erratic. A quaint quirkiness struggles to be heard throughout, and there is a very British aesthetic to the record. With better discipline and execution, there is probably a very good album hidden away, but it seems that Syd Barrett lacked the capacity for either. The opening track, ‘Terrapin’, along with others such as ‘Long Gone’, gives a glimpse of what Pink Floyd might have been had Barrett remained in the band - particularly in terms of the vocal melodies, and lyrical content. It is a fascinating and sad album because of who recorded it and the circumstances behind the sessions. For these reasons, I find it a little difficult to rate. Without a doubt, Barrett was hugely influential, and in a strange way, one can appreciate how this album is too. Overall, "The Madcap Laughs" possesses a certain charm, and there is a great album in there somewhere, struggling to get out. It remains a musical curio, teetering on the point of collapse, especially as some of the material on side two seems incomplete in its final structure and delivery - 'If It's in You' being a prime example. Three stars. A final point: the album cover photograph by Mick Rock is fantastic. Side one 1 "Terrapin" (4/5) 2 "No Good Trying" (4/5) 3 "Love You" (4/5) 4 "No Man's Land" (3/5) 5 "Dark Globe" (4/5) 6 "Here I Go" (3/5) Side two 7 "Octopus" (4/5) 8 "Golden Hair" (3/5) 9 "Long Gone" (3/5) 10 "She Took a Long Cold Look" (3/5) 11 "Feel" (3/5) 12 "If It's in You" (2/5) 13 "Late Night" (3/5) Total - 43 Average - 3.31 328/1001 179/328 albums reviewed were new to me.

Final Pink Floyd album ever forever, huh? This list has really been burning off their music lately. I listened to Piper at the Gates of Dawn 26 albums ago, Dark Side of the Moon 19 albums ago and now it's time for Barrett's solo album. I was initially skeptical of this album being in here because I thought Pink Floyd's debut album made it in on account of Syd Barrett's tale being one of the most storied in music history, but it turns out that the album also had a measurable impact on psychedelic music. I'd say I'm open to this album being on the list, though Piper at the Gates of Dawn was much too avant-garde for me and I'm not expecting an album where Barrett has complete creative control to be any better. Here's hoping I'm wrong. Hmm. This thankfully wasn't as abrasive as Piper at the Gates of Dawn, so major points there. I didn't mind this album. The twee subject matters, stripped-back sound and short runtime makes this album difficult to dislike, though the lo-fi sound also limits its appeal. Still, this was a respectable listen. Barrett is an adept, if muddled vocalist, the bluesy/acoustic guitars guide these songs along effectively and the lyrics are likeable, if a bit aimless and rambling. There isn't much else for me to remark about this album, however - it's very simplistic. Still, I had a decent time listening to this. Book time. Recorded in only a handful of days. Roger Waters and David Gilmour assisted with this album, which the book says was necessary help because of how scuffed the instrumentation was. The Eastern-influenced tracks and eccentric style "...inspired a host of rock mystics including Julian Cope." I'm favourable to Syd Barrett having a list album. Mostly because of how storied his history is, though partly because I pity him. I cosign this inclusion.

This is a great album. While listening I felt this beautiful, fragile atmosphere full of love, longing, and quiet hope. It has a very unique, almost intimate charm that’s hard to describe. The production is surprisingly good considering the circumstances, and the songs are full of character. Syd’s guitar playing is loose and expressive, the lyrics are poetic and personal, and his voice has that gentle, whimsical quality that makes everything feel slightly unhinged but deeply human. Syd Barrett was such a talented guitarist and artist, and you can really feel his personality all over this record. The fact that David Gilmour helped finish and produce parts of it really worked — they did a good job balancing the rawness with some structure. It’s a charming, eccentric, and heartfelt album. Not perfect, but that’s exactly why it works so well. A must-listen for anyone who wants to understand Syd’s genius.

a bit slow today too

Kinda reminds me of the Beetles. Decent

Deserves to be on the list, glad to listen to it again, still don't find it all that enjoyable to listen to.

Interesting album, seems Beatles inspired. 5.9/10

Fav song: If It’s in You

A deep journey to the mind.

Classic album

Honestly I’m getting so jaded by the amount of 70s/80s normcore on this list that the mental breakdown exploitation record sounded quite refreshing

Great

I enjoyed listening to it, even though it went a bit off the rails towards the end, and the ensuing wiki/reddit rabbit hole I went down about Syd Barrett was pretty chill.

Mostly acoustic, folk leaning psych-rock

While I am familiar with Pink Floyd. This solo work doesn’t really appeal to me as much as pink Floyd albums would. 5/10

(66/100)

Octopus Golden Hair Feel

Terrapin - 3 No good trying - 3 Love you - 3 No man's land - 2 Dark globe - 3 Here i go - 3 Octopus - 3 Golden hair - 2 Long gone - 3 She took a long cold look - 3 Feel - 3 If it's in you - 2 Late night - 2

nice, ambiental, it really feels eccentric

I think I liked this

I really love a couple of these songs and could live without the rest.

Nice.

Syd Barrett needed Roger Waters.

This was such a cool album to listen to and read the history about. Syd Barrett was originally in Pink Floyd but left the bad before this album was released. It sounds like Barrett kinda went bananas (too much acid, maybe?) and crashed and burned in Pink Floyd. I used that for context on some of the songs and it made the album richer. Also I learned that the falling out of Pink Floyd and Barrett is one of the inspirations for work on Dark Side of the Moon which adds a new layer to that phenomenal album (one of my top albums of all time). As for the music itself, it was an interesting style blend of Beatles + Kinks + psychedelic with a bit of humor and whimsy sprinkled in liberally. I don't see myself listening to this one much, but I appreciate that it was part of the project.

A nice and easy psychedelic album from a legend

Kivaa! Tosi beatlesmäistä vibaa. Letkeetä ja leppoisaa, aika helppoa kuunneltavaa.

Pretty interesting and slightly experimental songwriting here. I think it's interesting how the album sounds psychedelic, even though some songs are just Barrett singing with a guitar. Liked Songs Added: Love You

Sloppy, but I like some of the musical ideas. 3.5 stars

I like the more fleshed out tracks here like "Octopus" and "No Good Trying", but a lot of it comes across as half-assed demos. 3 stars.

Haphazard yet also crazy cool album from the painter, piper, prisoner, raver and seer of visions. There are a few shining solo cuts like Terrapin, Dark Globe and the shimmery beautiful Golden Hair. A bit of madcrapness on the first side where Soft Machine want to join in and play. A bit of hell-in-a-hand basket cringe where the producers leave in hideous studio outtakes from Syd to show how painful and protracted the recording sessions were. Quite a lot of tortured genius here whereas his other solo album Barrett made with Gilmour and Wright is more of a case of smoother, relaxed madcap genius. “An effervescing elephant With tiny eyes, and great big trunk Once whispered to the tiny ears The ears of one inferior That by next June he'd die, oh yeah! Because the tiger would roam And the little one said oh my goodness I must stay at home And every time I hear a growl I'll know the tiger's on the prowl but I'll be really safe you know The elephant he told me so And everyone was nervy, oh yeah! And the message was spread To zebra, mongoose, and the dirty hippopotamus Who wallowed in the mud and chewed His spicy hippo plankton food And tended to ignore the word Preferring to survey a herd Of stupid water bison, oh yeah! And all the jungle took fright And ran around for all the day and the night But all in vain because you see The tiger came and said who me, You know I wouldn't hurt not one of you I much prefer something to chew and You're all too scant, oh yeah! He ate the elephant” Is the tiger in that song called Tony because that stuff is Grrrrreat! An album with the calibre of that deserves to be in the book even above this one which gets a respectable 3.5.

Good to nap on a plane to Florida

An interesting record, feeling almost Daniel Johnston-esque with how much of Syd's inner workings is going on here in the music, combined with his interesting singing style. Sadly, this record is a bit too inconsistent for me overall. There are some pretty good, and even catchy songs here. "Octopus" and "No Good Trying" are genuinely some decent psych rock tracks, and "Dark Globe" actually wowed me a bit with it's haunting lyrics. Unfortunately the second half of the album drops off pretty steeply with some forgettable songs and one or two just unbearable tracks one of which being "If It's In You". Yeah, I can confidently say that I am not too eager to hear this in full again, but it is a pretty interesting listen, if not for all the right reasons at the end of the day.

Easy to listen to but didn’t feel special.