10 Essential 1970s Progressive Rock Albums
8. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Officially on fire in the music world at this point, Pink Floyd decided to shake hands with the good memory of Syd Barrett, a lost but integral founding father of the band.
Barrett, immersed in the hallucinogenic drug culture of the late '60s, had to be dropped from the group, ultimately missing out on Pink Floyd's '70s explosion. A key songwriter during their '60s formative years, Barrett is the subject of the title and the epic multi-part 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' that bookends the album.
Amazingly, the man himself reportedly turned up during recording, now completely unrecognisable, and was unimpressed by the work at hand. Seemingly oblivious to the LP's intention as a love letter to him, Barrett vanished as quickly as he'd turned up. Curiously, many listeners and critics at the time felt the same way, believing the album was dwarfed by its predecessor 'Dark Side of the Moon'.
Dismissed as lacking in passion and scope, Pink Floyd's 1975 effort has really only garnered its acclaim in the years since. Re-evaluations have focused on its technical superiority, pace and production value. Additional re-considerations have focused on its emotional, often troubled lyrical content, atmosphere, watertight pacing and Richard Wright's near superhuman instrumental versatility and watertight pacing.
Overall, it's a near perfect showcase of Pink Floyd at their most introspective and meditative.