Syd Barrett - the madclap laughs

Syd Barrett left Pink Floyd in 1968 and this was his first solo album released in 1970 (though it included 2 of his former band mates playing and producing), he left the Floyd following increasingly unpredictable and strange antics especially on stage. As you can imagine his solo album is quite a strange experience too, asymmetric and unpredictable... and with some great tunes too. Plus some stuff that might be best described as "less than great". Thats in the minority though.

Tracks like "golden hair" have mysterious lyrics and a delicate fragility about them, the songs sound like they are on the brink of collapsing. "No good trying" sounds like two songs competing at the same time, sounds clashing and jarring, yet its held together by Syd's individual singing style and voice, its one of the best psychedelic songs ever. "Terrapin" meanders with random tempo changes.

When "The madcap laughs" is good its amazing, when its not so good its... well its not terrible. The outtakes and demos added to the release may stretch your patience a bit though.