Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Sometimes it's hard to grasp reality when you're tripping everyday. Tho, I'm not much of a Pink Floyd historian, I do understand that this is the album that Syd Barrett made after Floyd gave him the boot. And, based on this album, I think we can all agree the band made the right decision.
I managed to not pay close attention to this album for most of its duration, successfully avoiding its annoyances. But near the end “If It’s In You” made those annoyances undeniable.
Dark Globe is terrible and what is happening during If It's In You? The remaining songs are fine but clearly Pink Floyd was better off without Syd.
Like many things drugged out, psychedelic music, there are snippets of good music. But ultimately this is an incoherent mess.
This is a hard listen. I want to like it. I wonder how much of that desire is due to the tragedy that Syd's life became. The album may be more important for the influences it had on other artists; at times you could be forgiven for thinking you were listening to "Hunky Dory" period David Bowie. Perhaps that makes it "important" and so something I should listen to. It doesn't make it "enjoyable", though. I've heard it, I am unlikely to listen to it again. This doesn't work for me, unlike "Piper". Syd's songs need the rest of Floyd. 2/5.
Pretty meh album. I was thinking about giving it a 3, then the song "If It's in You" came on...
I can appreciate the Syd Barrett was an integral part of music history. This was a bit of a mess and meandered around the place, some of those places were interesting, but a fair few were sad and hard to listen to.
Kinda sad to listen to tbh. Syd clearly wasn’t in a good place during this. Still has a couple of good tracks but with his talent that is inevitable.
This is a tough album, both to listen to and to review. It sounds like he’s making up many of the songs as he’s playing them. There’s no production value to speak of, and it’s obvious that Syd’s not well. Still, there are some good tracks here. No Good Trying and No Man’s Land are in some ways predecessors to Sonic Youth’s noise pop, and are quiet interesting. Octopus is maybe the best song, with a nice chord progression and a catchy chorus, kind of réminiscent of The Beatles. From thereon it’s all downhill, outtakes recorded and released for profit.
it was more enjoyable to listen then i tought. almost entire songs on acoustic guitar. The melodys are enjoyable to listen too.
Blind album, knew 1 song and know him from Pink Floyd. So I totally see the influences and how it relates to PF, but this is not, and it's different, and some songs were rough, and the hits aren't huge in my mind either...
If he didn't have the association with Pink Floyd then he'd be nowhere near this list. These sounds like demos. They're quite flat and tedious, and the timing and delivery is really strange and disconcerting.
Terrible stuff. I'm not really a huge fan of Piper at the Gates of Dawn, but surely that is enough of a legacy for Syd Barrett. I feel like this album tarnishes his name, even if the circumstances are interesting from a music history point of view. Don't think I'll ever listen to this again due to the terrible singing and lyrics, but I guess I see why it's in the book.
Like fortune telling but backwards.
i'm glad he had fun, anyway
Please stop singing. +1 star because of the guitar
Didn't really like this. It feels like The Beatles but with no depth. I think it was fine at best, and headache inducing at worst. Maybe this album caught me at a bad time.
I had high expectations, after all Syd Barrett is an original Pink Floyd! But, I was sorely disappointed. Some of the songs are fundamentally good but the album sounds like a demo tape cobbled together on a drunken evening (drugs, more likely). Is it too much to ask for a retake if the vocals are way off ("Dark Globe") or the guitar isn't even tuned ("Octopus")? Some songs are psychedelic Pink Floyd'ish but not nearly as good, and some songs are jus too Monty Pythonesque (but again not quite as good or with the necessary sense of parody). A pity.
This is bad. Not the worst thing ever, but actually kind of obnoxious. I had never heard of Syd Barrett and maybe that's for a reason. Trying to give me Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Beatles vibes, but just missing the mark.
Why is this on this list? 2.
This was truly bizarre and not really in a good way. Every time I thought I'd find myself getting into it, it would end, or change or some lyrical content was zap me straight back, I don't think this is very good
Only really interesting for inside baseball reasons, and I still wouldn’t exactly call this essential listening for those reasons either
boring and slow 2 stars.
Couldn’t get through it.
Meh
This was a big ol' fat disappointment. For such an interesting title, the Madcap Laughs was lackluster, just like how a lot of folk is. And damn, those vocals were doing too much and it was very yikes. The reason singers that lack good voices (Alice Cooper, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits) do so well is that they don't strain their voices like Syd Barrett does.
3/10 - I do not like his singing like at all. The songs without his singing are quite boring. There are multiple times that he starts and then has to re-record and its a part of the song? I just do not get it, it does not sound good.
Good example of psychedelic rock. But not a great one.
Do not want. This is purely fan service for Pink Floyd fans.
Was alright
Aight
boring ahh album
Sounds like if John Lennon took too much heroin and just noodled around with some half baked song ideas.
Eh. Thought I was going to like this more.
Two stars because although it reminds me of early Floyd (obviously!), it is very definitely not Floyd. It sounds like a poor imitation. No slight to Barrett is intended: he was an important part of the band, but his solo work, if this is typical, is not up to the same standard.
There's a couple decent songs here but it's mostly not great listening. It's certainly odd and tragic in about equal doses.
not to sure about this one
This is a very weird record, equally horrible and amazing. At times it felt like listening to the unloved, disfigured child of David Bowie and Nick Drake. I take consolation in knowing that Syd Barrett from Pink Floyd sucked on the guitar as much as I do, but if I have to listen to fucking Love You again, I swear to David Bowie I'll revive Syd and stab him myself. 2.5/5.
This was a bit painful. Started with some good stuff. Devolved into not so good stuff. Knowing a small bit of the personal troubles of Syd during this time, especially, it didn't help me find the good in the bad. 2
This didn't do much for me. It's another one where I assume the lyrics are significant part of the draw. 2.2
I like psych music and was under the impression Syd Barrett was cool so I thought I’d like this. I didn’t, in fact it bored me quite a bit. The girl referenced on the track, Here I Go was right to dislike Syd’s songs. 2 stars
This runs runs the gamut from uninteresting to pretty awful. Kept waiting for the finely written tune - never heard it.
Inget speciellt.
Jesus this was a long 37 minutes. I mean, what exactly is supposed to be good or interesting about this? This just sounds like every other guy with an acoustic guitar who can’t sing (I should know, I am one). No wonder Pink Floyd didn’t become successful until after this guy left.
Sorry Syd, not for me lad. I’d have kicked you out of Pink Floyd as well tbf. Simpsons: I don’t think Pink Floyd references count?
this wasn't good but I'm not sure it's bad enough for a one.
There's something interesting about this I guess but in a bit of a dull way. I'm happy for Syd that he managed to make his art but I don't love it. It's kind of awkward that the best bit of art related to him is Wish You Were Here which he had nothing to do with apart from being missed.
Seemed mostly like it was just being weird for weirdness' sake. I kinda liked "Octopus" but otherwise I just waiting for it to be over.
I don’t get it
Respect the hurmuri syd 3< >3 <3 <3<3
- Über diesen Typen muss es irgendwann noch einen Film á la Bohemian Rhapsody geben. Ultra spannende Figur. - Habe den bisher eher aus Interesse um den Menschen gehört und nicht, weil mir die Mucke so unfassbar gut gefällt, war mir irgendwie immer zu konfus. - Dabei bleibt es leider auch. Die einzelnen Elemente der Songs laufen eher so nebeneinander her, werden durch weirde Parts akzentuiert und er labert monoton darüber. - Der Typ war zu diesem Zeitpunkt im absoluten LSD Nirvana und so klingt es auch. 2/5
British singer song writer? If it wasn’t by someone in Pink Floyd that would be a huge red flag. Now that I have listened, that flag was justified.
I actually bought this in 1982 out of curiosity. What a pile of crap! Definitely not a must-hear-before-you-die album.
Not everyone deserves a record deal.
More like Brown Floyd. Because it sounds like doo doo
not really into it. Seemed unpolished in a bad way.
Not sure I get him.
I expected this to be fairly dreadful, but it was a bit better than that - yes, that's clearing a low bar. What a mess "If It's In You" is, though. What possessed them to include that on the album in that state?
At times, glimmers of cool things that could've been. But the majority is something I didn't particularly enjoy, and it seems the story behind this album is horribly depressing. 2/5
Not for me. Some songs sounded like they were meant to be Beatles covers.
This one is not a very cohesive album and that probably has a lot to do with how it was produced basically 3 times. The music just kinda failed to hold my attention, it almost felt strangely monotonous and bored in it's delivery Standouts No Man's Land 2/5
I liked a couple of tracks, but not really my thing overall.
So I see why Syd did not have much success outside of Pink Floyd. But how did this get on the list? It's not bad, but I don’t see what it influenced, nor anything so unique it warrants inclusion.
Didn't love this one
Niet heel sterk begin Ok Niet heel erg Syd fan 2/5
There are some interesting things here musically, and it's kind of adventurous to listen and see if Syd can land these tricks. Sometimes he does, but most often he does not. And could you blame him?
Syd with Pink Floyd, thumbs up. Syd solo, thumbs down.
I recognize Syd Barret's importance for music history, but I cannot handle a very well-produced rehash; sorry about that.
Sounds like "The Beatles" without "The Beatles". Just o.k.
The kind of whimsical psychedelia that sets my teeth on edge. A couple of songs cut through. However, this stripe of toffee-nosed Englishness, sheep-dipped in the poetry of Edward Lear, has aged like fine milk. It is ripe for parody, and indeed, Barrett's speaking voice even resembles Christopher Guest's character from This Is Spinal Tap. Ultimately this all sounds like second rate Incredible String Band - who do have the capacity to annoy, admittedly. But where their lysergic meanderings could charm, these annoy.
Has moments but this is largely an uncomfortable listen
The opening song is a snooze IMO and an odd choice to kick off the album. There are other more fun songs, but overall I’m meh about it. I’d have to listen a few more times to really get it, but without having any substantial historical significance, I’m not inclined to listen again. 2.8
Interesting, though not to the extent that I need to explore to much further. I feel bad for this but in a crowded field it's a low score for me
Wails. Not my jam.
Starts ok, gets wierd quick
I understand why people love this album. It's one of the most authentic experiences I've heard. But just because it's genuine does not mean it's good. Some of the songs feel unfinished and unmastered. They literally start a song over. In many respects, it reminds me of works by Kafka. There are pieces of brilliance, but it doesn't feel finished. Best Songs: Here I Go, Octopus, Worst Songs: If It's In You
I think Syd Barrett has a really cool approach to writing. His lyrics are kinda surreal and he does a lotta wild chromatic stuff. I think he shined more on Piper which is an album I love but when he's left to his own devices I feel like he wasn't quite mentally healthy enough to bring a solid project together.
Reminds me of John Lennon (Derogatory)
This album is a pendulum swinging from nice whimsical songs to utter nonsense and back again
When i saw this album i was sure it would be a direct 1/5. But it is surprisingly okey. It is still what you expect from a psychadelic album but the songs are way more listenable than other albums i've heard. The voice gets a bit annoying but not unbearable. If it had been less expirmental i would have been a 3 for me.
The songs were just so demo-y. It's a shame, because I just kept going back in my head to "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn," and kept thinking of how much these songs would have evolved with a full band writing with him as opposed to him doing it all by himself. The lyrics definitely had that psychedelic feel, which give you no coherence whatsoever. It's one of the things that frustrate me about some of Cream's songs. I just would have. liked these to have been more developed. Not something I'm coming back to. As soon as I heard it, I wanted to hear "Piper" again.
This was boring amd at times bad. No need for it to be on this lost, no matter what his credentials are.
2/5. An interesting possible future for a Pink Floyd sound. Psychedelic as heck, drawn out rock. Half of the songs, Syd doesn't even want to be there, as his vocals err on the side of mumbling on some songs. I think there is potential here and I can even hear future Pink Floyd songs being inspired by this album. Dark Globe fits on the Final Cut. It is more sad than anything listening to the album, as a lost artist to history. Best Song: Terrapin, Dark Globe, Octopus
At least it was short. A big thanks to Syd for that.
Ég tengi ekki nóg við Pink Floyd til að finnast þetta vera sorglegt, en skemmtilegt er þetta ekki. Octopus finnst mér flott lag og nokkuð vel unnið, en restin virkar eins og eintóm demo, og ekki vel unnin demo í þokkabót. Ansi frjálslega farið með takt og gítarleikurinn ósannfærandi. Þarf ekki.
It was okay
Aquejado por problemas mentales, Syd Barrett había dejado Pink Floyd dos años antes después de haber dejado dos discos que definirían la psicodelia británica en adelante. En 1970 grabó en solitario este disco con la ayuda de sus antiguos compañeros de banda, Waters y Gilmour, y de un amigo, Malcom Jones, director a la sazón de Harvest Records. El sonido parece una continuación de los discos psicodélicos de su antiguo grupo, pero adolece de incoherencia y el atractivo creativo de aquellos álbumes inspirados por el propio Barrett. En The Madcap Laughs importan más las letras, nacidas de una conciencia atormentada, que el nada innovador sonido. Así ocurre con "Terrapin", el hipnótico tema que abre el disco. También hay espacio a la alegría, como la brillante "Love You", con un piano a lo music hall que cubre una letra inane y sin sentido. Mucho mejor en esta línea es "Here I Go", una canción en la que aceleraciones y frenazos en el ritmo confieren a la canción un halo inquietante. Totalmente en solitario encontramos uno de los mejores temas del disco, "Dark Globe", un espeluznante retrato en primera persona de la esquizofrenia que sufría el autor. Y resaltar una canción sencillamente preciosa, "Golden Hair", adaptación de un poema de James Joyce.
Not surprised Pink Floyd thought they could get along without him …
So, I wasn't loving this even from the start. There were a couple of moments that sounded okay and I hoped that maybe it would turn around for me...it did not. Then as we got towards the end, I really really wondered if I was being punked. You think I should listen to this?!?
I had high hopes for something from 1970 called The Madcap Laughs from a former member of Pink Floyd assisted by other members of that band. Instead it felt like I got roped into a house party by a friend. When we arrive just as I am being introduced to the host some guy gets out his guitar and everyone excitedly hurries to seat themselves in the living room. My lack of familiarity leaves me stuck on the floor in the far corner with my knees pulled up to my chest. How did I end up here?! Halfway into the second song my drink is empty but I'm stuck and can't easily get out to the kitchen for a refill. Can I interrupt the concert? God it's hot in here. My leg is completely asleep, it'll take several minutes of stretching before I can hope to even put weight on it now... I need to stretch! Another song, really?! Shit now I have to pee.... is this all one song?! No, he's stopping. Wait, another song?! Didn't we hear this? Is no one going to put a stop to this?! At times there were moments approaching ok but I never reached enjoyment.
Pink Floyd from little with an extra shot of obnoxiousness. Stand-out: Love You
Kinda boring too be honest, I was actually excited for this one
Just Okay
I think that critics like this album because they like and feel bad for Syd Barret. Barret famously was ousted from Pink Floyd because his mental illness caused him to become unreliable. There are stories of him standing blankly on stage with his guitar hanging around his neck, while the rest of the band tries to play the concert. David Gilmour was brought into the band initially to back up Barret in those moments. The Madcap Laughs, recorded in a moment of lucidness, was tired even when it came out. Psychedelia was on the way out and the Prog Rock of Meddle was the future for the band. The Madcap Laughs looks backward not forward and, by Pink Floyd standards, is mediocre. Not bad, just meh. Listen to it on Spotify but don't spend money on new or vintage vinyl for this album.
This is a set of demos, right?
It's a pleasant enough sound, but he could just be making it up as he goes along. No permanence. If you like wacky lyrics, go for Robyn Hitchcock instead, he's funnier.
Can this record reconcile the fact that so many acts I love are influenced by Pink Floyd and yet I’ve never liked a Pink Floyd album? No it can’t
Not surprising that there is a strong early Pink Floyd feel here (before they were commercially successful). Some of this album is tough to listen to but given the checked and extended time to record it, one would expect it to be uneven. Don't think I need to dive into this one again.
It’s weird and funny and interesting but it’s just so unpleasant musically. Octopus was the only song I knew.
So strange but listenable
Pretty much whatever
This sorta hits a 2.5 on the head for me. Had some nice moments and I didn't really hate listening to it, but I'm not sure why I'd want to come back for more. Out there psych-folk has been done a lot better elsewhere imo.
First album in a long time I have considered not finished. Listened to about 2/3 and just wasn’t vibing with it. Decided to read a little bit about the history to figure out why it would be on this list. I see the Pink Floyd vibes now but it just feels like 1-2 acid trips too far for me.
Boring?
A challenging listen. A lot of it strikes me as an attempt to squeeze an album out of a person who wasn’t completely ready or able. Dark Globe is haunting as hell.
Painful 2 stars but it just didn't do much for me. Bummer. Maybe it'll click someday.
Very similar Pink Floyd vibes, but not the music of Floyd’s that I enjoy. Interesting to see Syd Barrett’s musical voicing, but won’t listen again. 2/5
Bad 70s
I looked up the lyrics to some of the songs and it just seemed like nonsense. I'm having some difficulty understanding or relating to the material. Is he speaking in James Joyce or something? “Let us leave theories there and return to here's hear.” ― James Joyce, Finnegans Wake Songwriting is okayish. A little odd, but not necessarily in a good way. His singing is not really very good. Recording quality and instrumentation is not very great. This is just not my cup of English tea. Sorry Syd.
A glimpse into an acid casualty's mind that has been romanticised by numerous music critics. The lyrics could be called whimsical if one was being generous - nonsense if one wasn't. I'm sure teenagers with white dreads probably love this album. It's fine - but fucking hell this list loves these 60's psychedelic albums. Give it a rest. If anyone ever tells you this is their favourite album - don't bother listening to anything they have to say as they are a try hard. Best Tracks: Terrapin; No Good Trying; Octopus
A lot of droning.
I did not like this album. However, I don’t know how much blame I can attribute to Barrett himself. It’s clear he can write songs and sing but the album sounds rushed and a lot of the production is awful. The studio was probably the last place he needed to be at the time.
Nothing very remarkable or of interest to me.
this was fine. Unrefined, haphazard. But I didn't hate it. I regret rating Imagine 2 stars because this is better than Imagine but not worth 3 stars.
Alright. Bit mopey
Don't know anything about this artist, but he sounds British. So weird.
2.5. This was fine, I guess. Lmao!
Not very remarkable.
A lot of the reviews have pointed to the background to this album quite rightly. It's whimsical, wayward and offbeat. Not very coherent as you'd expect and basically a continuation of the psychedelic vibe in Piper. There are a few good moments but it's such a mishmash. Sad but true.
I like my fair share of early Pink Floyd material so I was intrigued to hear a solo album of Syd Barrett’s. Nothing stood out from this project. If Syd Barrett’s name was attached to this album, would it warrant inclusion on this list?
Pretty unmemorable. While yesterday’s album wa terrible to me, at least it was memorable. I can’t say the same for Syd Barrett. Occasionally I would hear a touch of Pink Floyd in it, but it was just kind of boring. Not a fave of mine.
not great. Kind of annoying.
I’m not won over by the Pink Floyd legacy because I don’t really like the 60s psychedelic rock, so I’m not giving any allowance to Syd Barrett’s drivel just in the same way John Lennon’s rubbish albums get my low votes. This is a very weak album. It is musical, but just rubbish, so it doesn’t get the utter low of a one star vote.
Right what was this. Seemed barely finished! Durgy dreary meandering waffle. No thank you! Delighted this was a 37 min jobby
I agree that the history of Syd Barrett is a tragic one, but I never understood his phenomena. After listening to his album, I have even more question marks - what's so great about that? I didn't find early Pink Floyd albums interesting in the same way as I don't like "The Madcap Laughs". It wasn't in any way terrible, but certainly boring and just simplistic, from the lack of better word. Misunderstood, probably by a lot. But I'm not interested in trying to "get it".
Didn’t get it at all
Minne om dei Pink Floyd-sangane som aldri traff meg heilt
I'm not sure if I've ever heard of this artist. I like how chill track 1 is...it just drags a bit. I'm on track 4 and I have to admit...I'm bored. This psychedelic rock type of music doesn't usually resonate with me. The further I get into this album, the less I like it. Track 12 is kind of grating on my nerves. 2/5 This type of music is typically loved by critics...but I'm not a critic.
I was not personally a fan. It, for some reason, reminded me of the Beatles Sgt. Pepper album.
This album is super interesting, because it really helps to delineate what was Pink Floyd and what was Syd Barrett on the Piper at the Gates of Dawn. It's really hard to get around the elephant in the room here: if they hadn't exiled (this version of) Barrett from the band, I really doubt Pink Floyd would have reached anything close to their heights. He was clearly talented and a musical mastermind at one point, but he really is starting to succumb to his addiction here. Especially compared to the band.
Syd Barrett might have been the driving force behind the early Pink Floyd, but this collection of songs is nothing to write home about. And I didn't like the early Pink Floyd anyway, really. This is psychedelic pop/rock without any business of being on this list. 1.5/5
Who let him get away with that
Yet another album that's a lot more interesting to read or talk about than listen to.
60’s vibe, didn’t know it existed, an interesting listen but nothing profound. 2/5.
I’ll leave this to the real connoisseurs of crazy British sad boys.
interesting but not something i will go back to.
Not much groove, very lyric focused, bit pretentious.
Some albums are obvious inclusions, even if I don't really prefer the genre. Some are hard scratchers, and this is one of those. I know who Syd Barrett was, but had never heard any music from his post Pink Floyd days.... I didn't even know there was any. After listening to this, I'm still not sure why it is on this list. It's not necessarily "bad", but it's surely not good. Parts of it sound like a guy playing to a handheld tape recorder, The best moments are generic hippy trippy late turn of the decade stuff, kind of a poor man's version of Strawberry Alarm Clock (the deep cuts, not the hit). Or Strawberry Alarm Clock meets Velvet Underground, all get high and record the resulting jam. The album was recorded over 16 months, starting shortly after he was dismissed from Pink Floyd for his "increasingly erratic and unpredictable" behavior. And it features 5 different producers, over 13 songs filling 37 minutes... Again, it's not bad, but neither good. It's rather disjunct, unfocused. The sound quality varies from cut to cut, and occasional songs seem to just stop (as opposed to a fade out or finish). And often feels sloppy, as if these were 3 years' of demos slapped onto a record. Frankly, it is a mess. Still I'll give it 2 stars, for the effort, and small props for being different.
Didn’t really find this particularly exciting. Not likely to listen again.
Musically, it sounds like a Kinks rip-off. Other than sounding very much like a lot of other music of the time, there's not a lite of substance to any of this. I'm giving this an extra star because I know what he was going through in his life at this time. It breaks my heart to think of the effort that it must have been for him.
Big ol' pile of meh
возможно я слишком больна чтобы насладиться таким, но очень тяжело
Weird like his stuff with Pink Floyd, but much worse musically
Not sure what to make of this. I can see this album being important to tell the Pink Floyd story but it’s definitely not my thing
Just like Pipers, this just isn’t my thing. 2.5
Meh nothing special
Æ þetta finnst mér ekki sérstaklega skemmtileg plata. Allt of mikið bull eitthvað, eins og eins manns band sé að reyna að gera C-hliðina á Sgt. Pepper. Svo fannst mér raddbeitingarnar hans og kassagítaraglamrið bara orðið pirrandi í lokin og sá þá að þetta er bara tæplega 40 mínútna plata. Leiðinleg en áhugaverð saga samt sem áður sagan hans Syd.
Vaikka en voisi enempää hyljeksiä varhaista Pink Floydia, tämä on omalla tavallaan vetovoimaista. OK, levy on osittain täysi kaaos, ja vain puoliksi itsetietoisesti sitä, mutta viimeistelemättömyys ja tietty löysyys tekevät artistille hyvää. Plussaa erikoisesta, mukaansatempaavasta alusta.
Folk. Rock. Un poco inclasificable.
Oh my lord!!! There’s a lot to be said for English whimsy but this is just overkill. Do you remember those parties you went to in your late teens when there would be some guy strumming guitar very badly in the corner and girls would fawn over him? I felt like I was at one of those awful parties where my ideal would be to drink in the kitchen and then go home early and not have to listen to all that talentless pretentiousness. There’s only so much of the same songs played over and over and with tuneless vocals that I can bear. I know his pedigree but this is a man gone nuts and it ain’t pretty!
Good for a pub
Oh man. This was a tough one. At its musical best (songs like "octopus") are fairly decent psychadelic rock tunes. At other times, Barrett sounds like he's auditioning for a okay beetles cover band. At its worst ("if it's in you") it's hard to not feel bad for an artists who clearly had talent but got lost along the way duento mental illness and probably overuse go psychadelic drugs. It feels as if the album could have been decent had it happened earlier in his carrer, but alas.
I would lose interest in rock music, too, if my friends produced my album to sound like this.
Joa nicht so meins
Not a gel for me. I really don't remember anything about it and I listened yesterday. Probably means I should give it another go but nothing compelled me to. All felt pretty bare and basic for mine. Fave track: Late Night
I suppose influential to a pretty phenomenal degree, but I can't help but feel that Syd Barrett is a pretty overrated figure. This album feels a little too thrown together and incohesive to leave me convinced that it's all part of its charm. There were moments I did enjoy here, but really they were few and far between. Two and a half. Fave track: Octopus
Dross
Putting aside Barrett's contributions and influence, this simply doesn't come together as a body of work. The most obvious shortcoming is that of energy, not strictly necessary and partially compensated by the thread of desperation. Madcap does have peers in that, though, peers which are simply better: More layered, more affective, less (or more!) disorganized).
Meh
Trying not to think about the Pink Floyd tie which would likely increase the stars I give. With that, I’m not impressed with this album. Nothing really grabbed my attention.
A couple of these sound like late Beatles outtakes. But mostly it sounds like “semi-polished ideas for a record” from a very talented guy. Who’s also kind of out there.
This is music for people who think doing drugs makes them more interesting, and that is why they do them. No one would care about this adequate but unmemorable album if this guy hadn’t been in Pink Floyd. You shouldn’t have to know the whole tortured artist acid casualty story to provide context for why this album merits revisiting 50 years after its release. Has a bit of the feel of being obliged to attend your friend’s band’s house show, Like this is fine or whatever I guess but I will never voluntarily listen to it again.
"The Madcap Laughs" by Syd Barrett is an album marked by its eccentricity and tumultuous recording process. Released in 1970, it was Barrett's debut solo effort following his departure from Pink Floyd. The album's tracks, like "Octopus" and "Terrapin," reflect Barrett's unique songwriting and whimsical lyricism. It's a far cry from his earlier work with Pink Floyd, characterized by a lo-fi and somewhat dissonant production style. However, the album's notoriety often stems from its haphazard production, with multiple takes and a generally unfinished quality. This can make "The Madcap Laughs" a challenging and uneven listen, even for fans of Barrett's idiosyncratic style. While the album has a cult following and is viewed as a window into Barrett's creative psyche, its haphazard nature and the challenging listening experience might not appeal to all. A 2/5 rating reflects its divisive nature and the difficulties some listeners may encounter while trying to connect with it.
idk who picked these albums but they had awful music taste
Definitely could live without hearing this
Pour le gars qui a fondé Pink Floyd, c’est assez moyen
Es un disco raro, a lo Barrett, de la onda del primero de Pink Floyd. No es lo que más me gusta, sin embargo rescato cosas.
I did not need to hear this before I died, sorry
a hard listen but it has some brightish moments.
2-
if you asked me if i thought the writer of this album had lost his mind by hammering LSD straight in to his third eye then my answer would be yes because no one who listens to this thinks its anything other than the ramblings of the weirdo at the back of the real ale pub that you desperately try to ignore.
Q. What does SHACK eat for breakfast? A. Lamb chops
Really weird, messy, incoherent. I found this a hard listen but I am conflicted about the scoring. There's some stuff in it to like - Here I Go is easily the most "finished" song on the album. I enjoyed the songwriting. However Jesus Christ what a mess tracks like If It's in You are.
Meh... I think that pretty much sums it up... Not even a glimpse of a Pink Floyd-ian music here.
A bit better than I was expecting, some typically whimsical offerings and can hear how this may have influenced some Britpop. But overall cannot hear anything on a par with Arnold Layne for example
Not a great album
Strange: coming from an ex-Floyd member I was expecting a lot more. From the weird almost creepy album cover to the music itself feeing slow and uninspired it wasn’t smth to really love listening to. Was it god awful? No but I wasn’t having fun listening to it. Meh.
A little out there for me. I might revisit someday.
I was never a fan of Pink Floyd's debut, so didn't have high expectations going into this. Was still left feeling pretty disappointed. I'll always struggle to see why Syd has been held up in such high regard in history, when all his musical contributions that I can see were pretty mediocre. Maybe it's the whole 'tortured artist' narrative. Does nothing for me though.
Nothing egregiously bad, but it's just basically more of the same Brit folk I've already heard without anything memorable or pushing the genre in any meaningful way
- first song was by far the worst, had me scared for the full thing - A couple songs were fun, but overall this wasn't my favorite
- I dislike this album - weird vocal style and poor lyrics - 1.5
psychedelic rock. Ex-componente de Pink Floyd. Sin pena ni gloria.
Genres: Psychedelic folk, folk rock, psychedelic rock Formed: 1968 Run time: 13 songs, 37 min, 47 sec The debut solo album by the English singer-songwriter Syd Barrett, after he left Pink Floyd. He was a founding member of Pink Floyd. Spotify: Least popular song: >723k Most popular song: >9.4M plays. His style is whimsical and playful with surreal elements laced with psychedelic imagery. The general theme is love; looking for it, finding it and losing it. No one song stood out above the rest. The album just had nothing to hook me in. Listen Again?: No My Rating: **
Really a tragic story for Syd but this album is still pretty dull. 4/10
It’s sad to listen to this album knowing Syd’s fate. That being said, not really a great album. Kinda all over the place
This is like being confronted with something very awkward and then trying your very best to not look at it. Look, I get it, co-founder of Pink Floyd and a figurehead of its psychedelic beginnings but this sounds downright uncomfortable and in hindsight shows his deteriorating grip on reality.
Portrait of an artist well on his way to insanity. Critics got this wrong. This would have rightly gotten zero attention without his tenure in Floyd. I am giving the extra star myself for this reason.
The first half had some pretty decent songs in it. I really liked the opener Terrapin, but after Octopus it went downhill really quickly with If It's in You being the worst offender.
Not for me.
this was…. messy. i think it’s clear what the rest of floyd did, without them it just doesnt sound good
Was a hard listen. Cautiously optimistic heading into it based on knowledge of the individual and genre, but mostly found it hard going. Some clear sparks of genius in there, but largely lost in the madness
Musician from famous band strikes out on his own and records a solo album that you must listen to before you die! Even though nothing about that album is particularly interesting
Not a huge fan of this one.
Nope, nuh-uh, didn't like this. "Love You" and "If It's In You" actively pissed me off. 😾 The best thing that ever happened to Pink Floyd was having this particular vein of twee foolishness excised. Fave track - "No Good Trying", let's say, but I'd cheerfully never listen to any of this again.
I knew that I recognised the name Syd Barrett, but couldn’t place where from until resorting to trusty Google. He is one of the founders of Pink Floyd - one of the most respected rock bands ever. This should be god then, right? Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Love You, Octopus There are album by Pink Floyd that I’ve loved, and albums where I didn’t see the fuss. This falls somewhat into the latter category. The songs range from decent to terrible, with a fairly strong start at the front of the album, then abysmal at the end. The vocals feel very lazy a lot of the time, as if he’s reading turn for the first time and doesn’t care much about being there. Overall, I could recommend some songs on here to people who already like Pink Floyd, but beyond that I’d say not to waste your time with this one.
The instrumentals are experimental and psychedelic as expected but the vocals are the worst part. The overall production is also lackluster. Knowing the history of Syd Barrett I guess he wasn't quite alright when this was made which is a bit sad. I rather go back and listen to Pink Floyd.
All a bit too half arsed, hard work without the right drugs
I feel thoroughly depressed now. Not technically accomplished or particularly sophisticated, but brutal in his honesty about the mental health struggles he had, which ultimately consumed him.
This is more of a novelty/curiosity than actually something that i would consider "good". Uneven vocals and pretty casual song structure... I do get the similar vibe to Piper and Saucerful, but those definitely have more attempts at pop/psychedelic songs.
Not a great album but interesting to see a number of the tracks produced by Dave Gilmour. You can hear early PF but this has regressed rather than progressed. But nonetheless part of rock history.
I respect syd’s creativity, but it’s not for me
Bleak (but sometimes whimsical) psychedelic folk rock. Reading the background of how this album came to exist is quite sad, and it’s easier to understand the album in that context of mental health issues. Some good melodies in here and the lyrics are almost humorous if not depressing. The vocals are very hit or miss for me - I It’s In You was notable in how much I disliked the vocals.
Kinda nothing here which is wild since he’s a Pink Floyd guy
Listened a couple times now and another album I have no idea how to score. First time through, I expected Pink Floyd sound and style, which this album is not. Really kinda folkish sounding to me with nothing really standing out. Dark Globe was the closest sounding Pink song, but I had to tell myself to get off the trying to make this guy into Pink and listen. Wasn't for me. Nothing I wanted to download. Nothing like I was expecting. Dark Globe and Here I Go were OK. My side Syd Barrett story. I was a 15 year old kid, living in Ann Arbor, working for Hardee's for $2.85 an hour. There's was an older guy who worked there, mid-20's who was obsessed with Syd. Would constantly tell me how great this guy was, he made Pink Floyd. The dude was a strange one an I would listen to his stories, but I never became a fan of Syd or this dude, but I let him ramble on. He wasn't there very long, but whenever I hear the name Syd Barret, I think of the strange guy working at Hardees who loved to talk stories of Syd. My rating is a 2. Not outright terrible. Just not my thing and happy I listened once, well twice, but you get the idea 2
Went from a Beatles rip off to a Donovan rip off. Barely even well executed. 2
Tää ei kyl oikein lähe! Jotenki tällänen ihme hyssyttelypaska. 2/5
Ei tää ihan toimi, vaikka Syd herättääkin paljon sympatiaa ja arvostusta.
Not to be cruel but was he shagging some music executive that had to blow budget money on crap they could write off? Otherwise there was no point to this drivel
The thing is, I've always been a huge fan of the Barrett-era Floyd. I adore the whimsical, childlike, and colorful nature of it. It's weird, but not weird for the sake of being weird. It's sad that Barrett is only seen as "that guy who went mad". While it does add a drama to the story, I think it tends to ignore the "genius" in his Pink Floyd works. This album did not help. Entitled "The Madcap Laughs", it capitalizes on Barrett's situation. It does not have the colors and the soul of his works in Pink Floyd. While it has interesting instrumental parts, it's overall a mess of noise. Did Barrett really devolved into that? A tragic story, I guess, but for some reason it made me angry.
It was something...not really for me. Not a fan of his voice, sounds whiny
“Pink Floyd guitarist auditions to be part of the more irritating songs in the Beatles catalogue.”
Surprisingly not my cup of tea. I just felt like the loose feel created a vibe of being at a drug dealers house, smoking joint and then having to suffer through him playing you his songs.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: No, very dreary and monotonous Favourite song: Track 6 - Here I go
Syd est un extrêmement mauvais artiste. Ce petit con se permet même de faire le malin en chantant faux sur la fin de l'album. Les 37 minutes promises m'ont semblées interminables, va te faire foutre Syd.
weird album filled with weird, mostly bad songs. love you is a banger though, wish it had a vacuum solo.
Вроде неплохой альбом, но меня не зацепил :(
Really liked the first half, but it felt weird listening to all the extra takes at the end
A aquest disc se li té més afecte per la història que l'envolta que per la seva qualitat en si mateix. Tothom sentim pena per la vida malograda de Barrett i certament un cert misticisme envolta els temes del disc, però el material no té gaires nanses per on agafar-lo
The Octopus
Song 1 (Terrapin) Miking the plectrum to replace percussion is always a terrible idea - see also Cat Stevens wild world.
Cute to hear once.
Is het een iconisch album? Ja. Is het daarom goede muziek? Nee.
I can see where Pink Floyd started out from this album but it didn’t appeal I’m afraid. 2*
A bit disappointed to be honest. A bit dull....
Boring
singing kinda sucked but the end carried at least for me
It's just boring. Just makes we want to listen to proper Pink Floyd
Best Song: Octopus. At least it has a sort of raw, silly quality that is kind of endearing. Worst Song: Terrapin. Good god if this wasn't the sleepiest introduction I've heard in a while. Overall: I hope it was influential because good god there is little of value here to a modern listener. It never exceeds what feels like the author's first attempt at each song given.
Favourite track(s): Long Gone A bit like a Prog Rock Album without the cool instrumentals. The strumming of the acoustic and squeeking of the electric guitar alone just don't do it for me. Having started this album several times, I have never felt the urge to finish it. Even if it is only a little longer than half an hour. The vocals, in part off rhythm, also don't do it for me. Some interesting parts, especially in Long Gone and If It's In You is kind of funny in the beginning. But that is about it. Not for me.
A worse version of the Beatles
The day would have to be particularly lazy for this album to feel an apropos listening choice. Thing is, there are few, if any, days lazy enough. This album wants to be something more than it is, and Syd Barrett seems to be trying to try so that he could try but somewhere along this line the man forgot his heart at the expense of this album's soul. The album is not suffering a deficit of music or talent, but it is very deficient of soul. The album is the shell of something else, perhaps someone else.
Crap
Boring, greatly dislike this style of music. The fact that it's pretty short is the only thing stopping it from being a 1.
I would like to like this, because of the sadness of the story and the lost genius turning mad is an interesting concept. The album consists of half finished songs with some good ideas and mediocre performance. Only "Golden Hair" (not on the original release) is a great song.
This sounded like someone trying to be the Beatles
Big "meh" from me. It was OK but nothing struck me as interesting
Een soort van lekke opblaasboot, deze plaat! In het begin drijft ie nog wel en ben je nog vol goede moed dat je de overkant haalt, maar uiteindelijk zwem je in je natte box toch maar terug.
Hebben we net eerder deze week Pink Floyd gehad, moet uiteraard het solo-geneuzel van elk voormalig bandlid ook nog in de 1001 albums lijst voorbij komen. 'Onbegrepen genie' noemen ze Syd Barrett dan. Voor mij blijft het hangen bij 'onbegrepen'.
Best een zeikplaat eigenlijk.
Meh. Feels a bit thrown-together and sloppy. I can see the influence, from groups like Belle & Sebastian to something like Coconut Records.
Basic.
Slow psychedelic folk rock
About as meandering as I expected.
I was excited to hear this one, as it went on and on, that excitement faded. I liked the Octopus song though.
2/5 nope
Wan and whimsical and extremely wearing. A disappointing, unfocused record.
I can see how there were bands that maybe branched off of the Syd Barrett tree (possibly Pavement as an example, don’t laugh at me). A few songs I quite liked, and yet some of this just sounds like some guy with a tape recorder and a guitar singing nonsense.
Didn't really connect with it. Wasn't a Pink Floyd person.
Kind of reminds me of a B-rate Beatles or Neutral Milk Hotel with lower sound quality. Don't really even want to finish it, but that may be because it's not great stuff for thesis work more than anything. Did not enjoy.
Didn’t care much for this album. Felt that this had little similarities to Pink Floyd. This was a few years before they got bigger but we’re still around. This album felt more like a recording session than an album. Some may like that but it wasn’t for me. 4.4/10
I'm going to come back to this one. It's a case study.
Sounds like a drunk Englishman performing karaoke... A massive lack of any melody in pretty much every song. Only redeeming quality might be that the silliness makes some of the songs kind of silly and memorable. 3/10
Ah Poor old Syd, a little too much acid and a fried brain of a genius. You just have to listen to early Floyd to here his songwriting prowess. Whilst nothing on The Madcap Laughs compares with say
Può essere che io non sia il più adatto a parlarne, ma mi pare che questo disco abbia più fama per la sua storia che per altro. Mi paiono tutte canzoni scollegate e che hanno molto più senso per il cantante che per noi. 'Octopus' perché dovrebbe distinguersi?
Bueno a secas
Too depressing...
Overall pretty boring.
Not really my preference. Kind of mopey and weird. Didn't enjoy the melodies much.
BAF
Melko tylsä tämäkin levy. Ei herättänyt juuri mitään tunteita
The best of this album IMO: - No Man's Land - Here I Go Really not a fan of the voice (especially in If It's In You). Music is minimalist, calm, nothing big and feel-good. Not really my thing though? 2.4/5
Not much substance
i was expecting more of a pink floyd sound
Discordant ramblings of a drug-addled brain. Maybe I’m being too closed minded but I think I’d need some serious chemical assistance to expand my mind far enough to see the appeal of this one.
I’m not a fan of psychedelic folk, something I hadn't realized pre-1001, and this batch seems late to the game in 1970. It’s interesting historically based on who Syd was and the fact that his fellow Floyds “helped him out” on side 2, but it's not my cup of tea.
This was too raw and unfinished for my taste, he sounded like he slapped together these songs while high, or performed them stoned, or all of the above.
In which outsider folk makes a terrifying anti-drug PSA.
I would give this 1.5 stars if I could, but I'll round up. It's weird, but not actively offensive.
For some reason I thought this was Syd Barrett and was expecting something very different
Didn't really get on with this, dunno why, just found it a bit annoying, sorry I guess
Yeah, I don’t know. Bowie loved it, eh? Yeah, I don’t know.
Not really in to this.
The only thing I knew about syd barret was this lyrics "Thou shalt not take the names of Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer, Johnny Hartman, Desmond Dekker, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix or Syd Barrett in vain" so was somewhat excited to hear his solo stuff but wasn't too impressed by it. Bit all over the place for me. 2, not for me but not bad, possibly could listen again but not worth a 3 for me.
This is reminds me very much of The Kinks album. In that it reminds me very much of The Beatles but not as good. It has some silly nonsensical lyrics and a couple of tracks that I like. I like the lyrics in Love You for instance. It's not too bad but I do prefer that album to this though overall.
Meh. Nothing really stands out, every songs sounds like the precedent.
Love Pink Floyd, but didn’t manage to get into the Syd stuff so far…
Did not enjoy
Харизматичный наркоман открывает дорогу юношам с томным взглядом в следующую сотню лет. А гитару все же следует настраивать.
Like eating plain rice or cornflakes without milk. Bland in the extreme.
Didn’t dislike this but got the impression it was pulled together with some scraps and ideas - his story is a sad one and far more interesting than his music
Pink Floyd is my favorite band, yet I never really liked Barrett's music.
There's a reason Pink Floyd's albums become more enjoyable after Syd's departure. That said, I was pleasantly surprised with this album. There are a few bangers, though the rest is somewhat hokey, silly, forgettable.
A mixed bag of oddities. Love Syd’s voice with Terrapin, Octopus and Gold Hair being the most enjoyable tracks. The others I can take or leave. Mostly likely to leave.
I listened to some of this, and it was below average early Pink Floyd. This may be an unfair rating as I didn’t hear the whole album, but I just couldn’t fight my way through it.
Starts off alright then gets a little unfocused.
Mostly whimsical. On in the background and didn't grab my attention.
Not my cup of tea
psychedelic rock. Ex-componente de Pink Floyd. Sin pena ni gloria.
Sounds like an audition tape for a Beatles Act in Vegas. I am starting to think I have terrible taste in music. All of these "100 most influential albums" are like... nails on a chalkboard to my ears. The live recorded, and intimate vibe is cool and different. nasal flat vocals out of 5
The only value in this one is the historic documentation of Syd’s degradation. Some of the songs I know mostly from covers that Fishman would do before he played the vacuum. I’ll round a 1.5 up to 2 just being generous.
Modern Leonard Cohen. Weak production
I liked some of the songs, but there were some total turds on here. I prefer Donovan when feeling these vibes.
@@. Really weird album, especially the singing.
-Very psychedelic. -Not the greatest vocals
ehhh
Didn't care for Syd's nassaly vocals, songs were whimsical, but almost unpleasantly so. guitar work was very basic.
Thank God this guy was booted out of Pink Floyd.
JL : 1, Late Night
Alright, so this one was a very awkward listen. I looked into the history and Syd was essentially forced to complete this album despite him having been kicked out of Pink Floyd due to his mental struggles. Um...yea man, the first half is okay, but the lyrics are just not it and the instrumental passages don't ever really impress me, especially for psych rock things that were popular at the time. And then as you keep listening the album is just very struggled and hair brained and they all feel like drafts of songs? Some other review said outtakes and yeah, it kind of feels like that. The dude had no business putting this album together and it just feels like a view into this dude's brain. I don't think this should be on this list. I don't think this would exist if Pink Floyd wasn't the behemoth in music that it is. Sorry. This is no offense to the musician who was pushed to release this.