The Madcap Laughs

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.

This record is a perfect example of why all ratings are subjective and mean nothing outside of your own head. I have no idea if this is “good” or “bad”. I recognise Syd Barrett’s contribution to one of the greatest bands of all time. But the two questions I ask when rating an album are - how much did I enjoy it, and how much would I want to listen to it again? And I’m really sorry Syd, but this gets a 1.

Not my thing

"We had very little time...Syd was very difficult, we got that very frustrated feeling: Look, it's your fucking career, mate. Why don't you get your finger out and do something? The guy was in trouble, and was a close friend for many years before then, so it really was the least one could do." David Gilmour (interview with Daryl Easlea for Record Collector, May 2003) In a nutshell: the mad piper having a laugh. Syd Barrett gives me "personality hire" vibes here- likeable yet not entirely capable of doing their job well. What was going on in that head of yours, Syd? I wish I knew... Overall: 1/10

This was super interesting because it shouldn't really be an album. This was just demo's or practice tapings of someone ABOUT to write a song. Sounded like Paul McCartney's outtakes of songs he threw away. Started out with at least some interesting sounds that were kinda 90's then went 60's then went practice recordings. Not a fan but glad I listened so I know.

1.5/5. Any fascination I have with this album lies entirely with the story of Syd Barrett himself and less with the album. His story is a fascinating and extremely depressing one. A legend of psychedelia who was a founding member of Pink Floyd, but was ousted from the band due to heavy drug use and a severely declining mental state. Instead of getting Syd help, his managers opted to take him into the studio for some solo material, which over two years of difficult recording resulted in this album. So is it a piece of genius outsider art that delves into the mind of one of psych-rocks most troubled pioneers? My answer is no. It’s listening to a man having a mental breakdown over what are essentially demo-quality recordings. The opener “Terrapin” is handily the best on the album, but it rapidly plummets from that point until the final few tracks which are basically just outtakes. I found “if it’s in you” so annoying vocally that I looked it up specifically, and now knowing the condition that Barrett was in while recording that song is just depressing. As I said at the start, there is the tiniest bit of interest with this album due to the history of Syd Barrett, but musically it is bad and occasionally very annoying.

Was somehow dissapointed, also because I expected something else,

Unfortunately very much not for me.

British bias, although this album had a Bit more variety and creativity on display than the last one. The vocals are still lethargic and annoying. I don't want to be xenophobic, but it's hard to get over the British inflection on the vocals, and the sameness. Many of the songs are very loose rhythmically which just makes it come off as unorganized stream of consciousness. I liked it less than the last album to be honest

too casual. too long. The version of the album I got included extra takes, even though the album takes are already demo-esque. That excess might knock it down to 1 star. I was liking it at the start. Scratchy guitar in dreamy, druggy haze made "Terrapin" an intriguing opener, but it never got better, only worse and more tiresome.

No way this is an album you ever need to hear, unless it's to illustrate how terrible music can get. Utter garbage... 1/5

Very mediocre album. At it’s best it was uninspired, bland, it sort of had an improvised feel to it - as if he was trying things out with his guitar. At it’s worst it was downright unlistenable. The first song was a bore. I despised Love You. And what the fuck was “if it’s in you”?! Painful to listen to. Painful.

Guy can’t sing on key, can’t play guitar, and the whole thing sounds like it was recorded in a shoe box.

Sad sad sad demos with an occasional glimmer of something almost interesting, but not enough to redeem it.

Says Barrett is the most overrated classic rock figure of all time.

Can’t wait for them to finish the album

Basically unlistenable

This was dire

“This is a song about a girl that I knew/ She didn’t like my songs” Yeah, I can see that.

Apparently historically significant, but that didn't make it an enjoyable listen.

Not vibing with this

Album plat à mourir

Als Pink Floyd niet de fenomenale band was geworden in de jaren hierna, had niemand hier ooit naar geluisterd. Crazy dat dit verwant is aan Floyd. Echt een grafbende van een album. Een soort rommelige demo's met dertien-in-een-dozijn psychedelische, folky instrumentatie en de meest belabberde vocals die je je voor kan stellen. Harde nope van mij.

Pure shite

Painful

Gear: SIMGOT SuperMix 4 Artwork: 🥀🦶📷 Production: 📏🥾😑 Music: 😳🤨😖 Rating: 🤡(🤡)/5

The sound of early 60s London except awful.

This is really f*&%*$g bad!

At best it reminded me of Neutral Milk Hotel but worse in almost every single capacity or late era Beatles but worse in almost every single capacity, and at worst, I just desperately wanted the song to finish without me having to hear more outtakes and wails or w/e else. Felt like a waste of 40 minutes honestly.

I was excited for this album. I hadn't listened to a ton of Syd Barrett. I was bored. A lot of these songs sounded exactly the same. I was also not enjoying his voice that much. Sorry, Syd.

Not great.

In a vacuum, it kinda sucks. You really need the rock history context to understand the meaning and purported importance of this album. More than half a century on, this sounds as obscure and irrelevant as you probably think it is. Because the album requires backstory, it doesn't stand on its own merit (what merit?) and thus shouldn't appear here.

A brain ruined by acid and other psychedelics, post ego death and post shame. I want to call it self-indulgent, but the music doesn’t sound like Barrett was able to indulge in much at all anymore. Listening to this just bummed out in a way that feels masochistic rather than cathartic

I was begging for mercy after listening to a couple of songs. It does have that 70's vibe, but only the cheesy one!

loquis

The Beatles had many imitators, and this is one of them. The only real laugh (madcap or otherwise) is that there doesn't seem to be anything interesting or comprehensible here.

The best I can say about this album is that at least it’s not Britpop. The song Feel reminds me of trying to learn the guitar, jumping from one discordant chord to another. Then came the song If it’s In You where he abandons any attempt to hit a note. My feeling is if the name Pink Floyd were not attached to this album it would not have seen the light of day.

I don’t know Syd Barrett, and I don’t really care to get to know much of his work after this. It just felt messy and not sure of itself. I also felt many of the songs could have been left out, especially at the end. Not every album needs to be an hour for the sake of it.

Just don't think this is actually any good. Half formed ideas that don't sit right together, an album that just peters out to the end and it's barely 35 minutes long at that. Trading on past glories.

Bored 🥱

Kanskje det svakeste albumet hittil.

ugh, so annoying. it's like listening to a hippie egomaniac in his band room and there's no way to escape

Boring. Unmelodic

Ich wäre gerne so reich dass ich die master tapes hiervon kaufen könnte, um zu verhindern dass sich jemand das jemals wieder anhören muss. Was soll das? Das ist schlecht produzierter Müll von nem Typen der zu viel LSD für Pink Floyd (!) genommen hat. Schlimm.

I don’t like his style anyway, Piper At The Gates of Dawn got ⭐️ and this is terrible and made me feel uncomfortable. I imagine a mentally well Syd would be mortified at this being out there but I guess how can I know that? Anyway, this doesn’t need to exist let alone be one to hear before I die

Not for me.

What a freaking mess. But that’s even in the lyrics: This is a story 'bout a girl that I knew She didn't like my songs And that made me feel blue She said: "A big band is far better than you" You know, she was goddamn right.

Meh? I think this might be my least favorite debut album I’ve listened to on this website. It just felt disjointed, boring, and odd to me. Overall, this album was a slog to listen to and I don’t see myself returning to this anytime soon.

Mediocre

This put me in a bad mood

Was one of the first albums I was going to rate early at a 2 but then the last 3 tracks of godawful demo tracks that sound like Spinal Tap outtakes put the nail in the coffin.

More like the madcap cries, because it’s what I wanted to do after hearing two tracks of this terrible album.

He had mental health issues. This is not his fault.