Us and Them: Symphonic Pink Floyd- Jaz Coleman

1) Time 2) Brain Damage 3) Another Brick in the Wall Part 2 4) Comfortably Numb 5) Breathe 6) Money 7) The Great Gig in the Sky 8) Nobody Home 9) Us and Them 10) Time (The Old Tree with Winding Roots Behind the Lake of Dreams Mix) 

I've known about this album for some time but I must admit the main reason I'm reviewing it is as a corollary to Franco's Yes review. As can be glimmered through Franco's review the main problem with the Yes Symphonic album is that the title was slightly inaccurate, what with the songs having symphonic accompaniment rather than being fully done with orchestral instrumentation. 

Well this one is a total lie, there's no instruments at all! 

Okay that's not true, this one is fully orchestral and I believe is intended to get Pink Floyd fans into classical music, or something. It's also really good! The orchestral instrumentation really gives the music this grandiose, epic feel to it. That's probably due to conductor Peter Scholes getting The London Philharmonic Orchestra to perform on it. And who arranged it but Jaz Coleman, Killing Joke's Jaz Coleman! Based on what I've read he's received some accolades for his Classical work and he does a particularly good job here, taking the Floyd songs and carving them into something distinctively his. 

This can have drawbacks though, in that the paranoid and pissy mood of Pink Floyd is somewhat lost. Pink Floyd are a divisive band though so it's possible that with this aspect of Pink Floyd removed and their melodies played in this manner this could be an ideal way to enjoy the disputed genius of Roger Waters. Oh, and there's no lyrics as well. To continue further with this theme one thing that I see Pink Floyd accused of sometimes and that I can sympathise with a bit is that they weren't particularly good melody writers. I'm not going to hold up this album as indisputable proof as to the inaccuracy of this because I don't entirely agree with it and of but this really does make the melodies stand out for me personally. Maybe I'm being swayed by the sweeping arrangements but this album really does feel like something some posh guy could whistle and impress his posh family with. By that I mean it's tuneful. 

Another drawback is that the album only features songs from Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. For the most part the song choice is good and it does make sense to choose from their most famous songs but man an Echoes cover would have elevated this (assuming it didn't suck). 

So, how about the song choice? Well it starts off with a great version of Time. The opening in particular is great, with sweeping violin and cool sound effects, than a bit that sounds almost industrial! It settles pretty quickly into a Classical piece. It ends up sounding really sort of majestic, but in an almost snooty authoritative way, but it's varied and can sound pretty dreamy at some points as well, with some tender bits. Brain Damage is interesting as well, having a more whimsical tone than the Pink Floyd original, being quite sprightly and melodic. It could easily be used in a ballet, probably, I don't know, I haven't actually seen any ballet. Money is similarly interesting, sounding like it could have been used in the soundtrack for Brazil (the film, not the country). I should probably elaborate for those who haven't seen Brazil, and because just pointing out instances when songs could be used in a soundtrack is a pretty lazy way to do a review. Well, basically it's mischievous but also weighty, kind of sarcastic almost. Then they screw it up by making it tender and weepy towards the end. 

Not everything will make you wish your mother was a piano though, as surprisingly the version of Us and Them is kinda crappy. Well, relative to the rest of the album, I gave it a 7/10 in my notes. And those fucks at Allmusic liked it! In an otherwise negative review! Well that they liked it should be sign enough of its lack of quality. 

Oh okay I'll review it. 

Well although it is pretty it loses a lot of the uniquely blissed out atmosphere of the original, it feels less individualistic. This would already be enough to make me hold it in lesser regard but parts of it also sound really meandering and uncertain, like the conductor was giving this "oh shit I forgot how to conduct" face and the Orchestra had to compensate. It's definitely nice enough to listen to but it's the closest the album comes to sounding like bland classical muzak. 

There's also an unnecessary remix of Time at the end. 

Okay another paragraph of songs I like. Personally I like Clare Torry's singing but for those who don't the version of The Great Gig in the Sky here is a godsend. She's replaced by a violin! Has a kind of playfully romantic feel, which is new for Pink Floyd. Breathe has organ playing and a staccato trumpet and it's amusing that something previously so mellow and stones is now a brash and celebratory upbeat composition. Comfortably Numb translates about as well as you'd think it would, which is exquisitely, being moody and with a slightly sinister undercurrent, then it gets really epic when the classical equivalent of the chorus starts playing. It sounds like something that could play when someone accomplishes their life goal, like me writing this not at all repetitive and way overdue review! 

Hey, remember how Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 l was kind of a funky discoey song, well now it sounds like something that could be played by sad poets with their heads hanging down gloomily in gloom. Very brooding with a tender core, with some guitars it could almost be a Killing Joke song! 

So, I probably liked this album a lot more than I should. There's something intrinsically cheesy and tacky about converting rock songs to classical music, it feels almost dishonest and ultimately pointless, like remaking sitcoms without the jokes. However I think the highest accolade I can give this album and none which makes those potential criticisms null is that if I had heard this before hearing Pink Floyd, or if these had been original compositions even, I'd still like it a lot. It's tastefully done, conveys a good range of emotions and has memorable hooks

Stoned: A Psych Tribute To The Rolling Stones

1) What a Shame - Lorelle Meets The Obsolete 2) Sympathy For The Devil - The KVB 3) Under My Thumb - Shiny Darkly 4) Sway - Yeti Lane 5) It's Only Rock & Roll (But I Like It) - Clinic 6) Gimmie Shelter - Sons of Hippies 7) She Smiled Sweetly - The Vacant Lots 8) Child of the Moon - Celestial Bums 9) Take It or Leave It - Tashaki Mijaki 10) Stoned - Allah-Lahs 11) Satisfaction - Pink Velvet 12) Beast Of Burden - Pure X 13) As Tears Go By - Cheval Sombre 14) Wild Horses - The Tulips


Mmmm, The Rolling Stones. Not a while ago, there was a point in my life where I thought this group was the most overrated rock band in existence. As of recently, I have started to get into them, and I've realized that The Rolling Stones were more than just a generic hard rock band. They tackled many different styles, were willing to experiment and expand their sound, and overall were extremely versatile in more genres than you would believe. Nevertheless, when they played rock music, they played it with soul and grit, and no one rocked out better then they did.

So, here's this tribute album, which features a large amount of indie artists giving psychedelic treatments to songs by the Stones, resulting in an overall sound that is similar to the music of Tame Impala and Warpaint. Does this all work out? Let's fine out!


What A Shame - Lorelle Meets The Obsoleteor

Ah, I have not heard this song, so I don't know how it compares to the original, but I do enjoy this cover. It plays like a standard upbeat R&B tune, except layered with phased guitars and special effects. You would think this would result in a mess, but it all comes out pretty coherent, listenable, and tight. Nice job! 8/10

Sympathy For The Devil - The KVB

This classic is given a different spin, as the Latin-esque feel of the original is replaced with a style that reminisces Jesus and The Mary Chain. The vocals are shoved way back in the mix, with airy feedback laced guitars being placed in the front, which makes it sound as though the group is playing this in a large empty cathedral. It's not a serious improvement over the original, but it's fairly good. 7/10

Under My Thumb - Shiny Darkly

This is basically done in the same way as the last track, but I like this better, because while I enjoyed the other track, this one seems to sound better in thi style, and the group stays true enough to the original for the piece to sound incredibly catchy. A light 8/10

Sway - Yeti Lane

At first I didn't like this Stone's track very much, but now the piece has grown on me quite a bit, and so has this cover. Basically, the production is again almost identical to the last two tracks, except there seems to be a lot more emphasis on synthesizers in this case. Not sure what else to add, but I'll give it a high 6/10.

It's Only Rock And Roll - Clinic

I'm quite a big fan of Clinic, so I had set my expectations far too high before I heard this track. On my initial listen of this album, I hated this so much that I was actually going to give it a 0/10. However, I realized that, really, no one is taking this tribute album THAT seriously (other than me), so why should Clinic? They are clearly just having good clean fun. Basically, everything about the original song is changed. EVERYTHING. Gone are any traces of "rock n' roll" in the song, as the instrumentation is replaced with a drum machine, some synthesizers, and...yeah that's it. The lead vocalist, drenched in reverb, doesn't actually sing any the verses, just the chorus, which he doesn't so much sing but rather whimpers through it. Then, in the bridge of the song, he suddenly just says, for no reason in particular, "I'm a 45 year old man trapped inside the body of a 45 year old man, and I like it". In the end, Clinic's cover ends up sounding more like bizarre circus tune than anything actually reminiscing rock and roll, and while it's not good at all, it's so intentionally bad that I can't help but find this absolutely hilarious. So even though I'm giving this a 3/10, please do yourself a favor and listen to this at least once, because it should probably give you a good laugh. 

Gimmie Shelter - Sons Of Hippies

Hey this is a solid cover! Unlike much of the other tunes on here, this cover is very straightforward and polished, the trippiness of the sound being more subdued and less obvious than before. No way in hell does it even compete to the original, but overall, I would say this is a good cover! 7/10

She Smiled Sweetly - The Vacant Lots

I don't think I've heard the original of this song, but can't say I like this too much. The lead vocalist just sounds robotic and unemotional, reminding me more of the lead singer of Kraftwerk than Mick Jagger, and as far as it's musical texture goes, it's just more of the same, with there being a drum machine and some guitars and some synths and a lot of reverb. I like the beat of the song, and it still sounds catchy despite all this, but overall this doesn't impress me very much. 4/10

Child Of The Moon - Celestial Bums

Here we go, a song from the Stones psychedelic era! This is a great cover! Much like everything else here, there are layers of guitars, the lead singers voice is pushed back, and everything is soaked in reverb. However, they took what was once a three minute pop song and expanded it into a five and a half minute shoegaze epic. This is very well arranged, having a very gothic sound sound to it. A strong 9/10

Take It Or Leave It - Tashaski Miyaki

I like this cover because I really like the melody to this song, although not sure how to describe tit without repeating myself. It's soaked with reverb, there's lotsa guitars mixed in, and there some effects here and there...but the song has a great melody, the retro-psychedelic vibe seems to fit in very well. Not spectacular but adequate none the less. 6/10

Stoned - Allah-Lahs

This is different, but it still seems to fit in pretty well nonetheless. It has a more early 60s surf rock vibe going than a psychedelic vibe, but it's pretty fun, though not anything special. 5/10

Satisfaction - Pink Velvet

I'm going to go honest here, I try my hardest in my reviews to specifically explain why I like or dislike something, but this is a case where I am honestly stumped. Maybe, I think my issue with this piece is that sounds too sluggish, and, redone as a Motown-soul number, nothing seems to gel well together. Hmmm...I don't quite know, but I'm going to give it a 5/10 either way, because there's nothing truly bad about it.

Beast Of Burden - Pure X

This one is strange, but I like it. It contains a drum machine, layers of synths sounds, a whispering sound, and a falsetto voice singing the lead that I can't tell whether is or male or female. Overall, I find myself engaged by soundscape this piece builds, and while a lot of does seem pointless, they were probably just having fun and not trying to make a serious statement. So while not great, it's pretty fun. Probably not worth more than one or two listens though. a strong 5/10

As Tears Go By - Cheval Sombre

This one is too dreary for me enjoy. Unlike everyone else on here, this one is acoustic, with special effects being spiced in it. However, they phasers sound, with some of the effects almost sounding like tear drops. However, I don't feel anything out of the effects, and to me, they just don't fit into the piece.  So while it's not horrible, my feelings towards this piece unfortunately drift toward a 4/10. I do kinda wish I could rate it higher, since I get they are trying to create a gloomy atmosphere.

Wild Horse - The Tulips 

Saving the best for last, I see. Now this cover is different from anything else on here. It still fits in, but it's not over drenched in phased guitars or synthesizers, nor is in engrossed in special effects. Instead, there seems to be much more of a sad, but ethereal, indie/alternative rock vibe. The lead singer emotes the lyrics in a beautiful, mournful way, and as for the texture, there is a very moody, but upbeat, sound to it. Jonathan Moss describes it as sounding "Kind of like shoegaze but without the off the walls sound", and I couldn't agree more. I try not to hand out 10/10 too often, but I think this one deserves it. Not only does it do justice to the original, it manages to basically create a whole new masterwork of out of it.  What a great way to finish off this album.

Overall, while this certainly is not an amazing album, it's still pretty enjoyable. I do like how, rather than going for the easy route and just covering all the songs from their psychedelic era, most of the artists on here decided to branch and arrange songs from their 1963-1965 and 1968-1978 period. Overall, I would say that they were moderately successful, in that most of the artists stilll manged to preserve the greatness of the Stones even when they give their songs such different arrangments. Fans of The Rolling Stones may not enjoy this, but for fans who love indie and/or psychedelic rock, this is highly recommend, whether or not you are a Stones fan.