The Madcap Laughs
SYD BARRETT
Capitol
Barrett's first solo effort following his departure/ejection from Pink Floyd is one of a pair of albums he released before disappearing into total seclusion. The Madcap Laughs has a ragged, almost unfinished quality, but it's this same roughness that makes it so appealing. In songs like "Terrapin" and "Dark Globe," Barrett's earnest warble and rambling, sometimes nonsensical lyrics are accompanied by acoustic guitar, while the grittier "Long Gone" and "No Good Trying" are straight-up 1960s rock, the latter eventually dissolving into psychedelic chaos. All in all, an idiosyncratic effort and an album that every Pink Floyd fan should possess.
This article appears in Mar 15-21, 2006.
