Often cited as Pink Floyd’s masterpiece, this album perfected a smooth, commercial sound that they had been striving at for years. In fact, the band themselves seem to consider every prior album as being merely the training ground that led to them being able to make this album, which marked the end of their apprenticeship as the band were now making music that was easy to connect to emotionally as well as being aurally pleasing. As such, the album became the band's big U.S. breakthrough, where it sold many millions of copies and enjoyed the longest Billboard chart run ever. Despite being a loosely based concept album (main themes include madness, aging, paranoia, death, and greed), The Dark Side Of The Moon is more song oriented than previous efforts, and is renown for the warm, crystalline sound quality provided by engineer Alan Parsons and mixer Chris Thomas. Prime Pink Floyd qualifies as perhaps the ultimate album band (virtually all of their albums should be experienced as a whole), and here they deliver some excellent songs that cohere together magnificently as one big listening experience (one that's best appreciated through headphones). Indeed, many of these "songs", virtually all of which are (over)played to death on classic rock radio stations, are inseparable from one another: rare is it that you'll hear "Breathe" without it being bookended by "Speak To Me" and "On The Run," "Us and Them" is typically followed by "Any Colour You Like," and it is unthinkable to play "Brain Damage" without "Eclipse." Although perhaps some of the many sound effects (the ominous footsteps on “Time,” the cash registers on “Money”) and spoken word asides aren’t quite as innovative and fresh sounding today as when the album was first released, the melodic, hazy songs seem destined to stand the test of time (besides, many of the effects are really cool). Although the band, with Waters taking sole control of the lyrics and all band members (even Mason) contributing to the music, were at the top of their game, several inspired guest performances greatly add to the overall experience. Among the unsung heroes are saxophonist Dick Parry, who solos extensively on "Money" (where he wails) and "Us And Them" (where he provides a mellower, smoky vibe), Clare Torry, whose incredible improvised vocal wails on "Great Gig In The Sky" give me goosebumps, and several female background singers (who give the album a soulful, gospel element), chief among them Doris Troy, whose transcendent soul diva vocals help make "Eclipse" one of the most stirring album finales ever. Then again, the whole album is pretty much one big highlight, beginning with "Speak To Me“, which briefly but cleverly introduces the rest of the album, much like what "Overture" did on The Who's Tommy. The dreamy "Breathe," with its pretty organ and piano, soulful lead and slide guitar, and unerringly pleasant Gilmour lead vocal (with Wright on harmonies), then leads into "On The Run," an interesting instrumental that's more a synth-led sound collage than a proper song. The epic "Time" is an all-time classic, from its hauntingly hypnotic introductory passage (most notable for its chiming clocks, approximation of footsteps, dramatic riffs, gorgeous tinkly organ, and booming echoed drums) onwards, when Gilmour chimes in with an aggressive lead vocal before Wright settles things down on the mellower, melodic chorus, with help from those female background singers mentioned earlier. The icing on the cake is Gilmour's tremendous guitar solo, one of his best ever, and the high quality continues on the already mentioned meditation on death, "The Great Gig In The Sky“, which by all means shouldn't have worked (how did they even think of it?) but which did, and spectacularly so. I suppose the song from this album that I'm most sick of is "Money“, but that's the fault of unimaginative radio programmers, not Pink Floyd, because it's another classic track with those catchy cash registers, memorably cynical Waters' lyrics, and great soloing from both Parry and Gilmour, whose solo is typically intense and emotional, reaching a screaming high-pitched peak. Although it has its more intense moments too and lyrically tells a darker story, "Us And Them" is musically incredibly mellow and melodic, almost ambient, even if maybe it's a little on the long side, especially when you factor in "Any Colour You Like“, which is really just a little synth and guitar-led (not surprisingly as Gilmour and Wright are the dominant musicians and singers on the album) jam session but a good one. Finally comes "Brain Damage“, the lone lead vocal (though he has plenty of help on the chorus) by Waters, who puts you in the head of a lunatic, likely Syd again, thereby foreshadowing the main theme of Wish You Were Here. I should note that the laughter always cracks my father up, and that many people think that this song is actually called "The Dark Side Of The Moon“, but anyway, when coupled with "Eclipse“, it provides a truly majestic climax to a masterful album. Even the simple yet iconic album cover is perfect (Hipgnosis rebounding big time from the last two disappointing efforts), and as an added bonus the album inspired one of the coolest rock myths out there, that the album synchronizes with the visuals in the movie The Wizard Of Oz (google "Dark Side Of The Rainbow" for details).
Rating: A+

Dark Side Of The Moon was a benchmark record. It turned the musical world on its ear with a hitherto unseen combination of sounds, and changed things considerably for Pink Floyd. For this project, Pink Floyd resurrected older and unfinished numbers, some of which came from the multitude of soundtracks the band members had previously worked on. The film Zabriskie Point, a study of American materialism from a foreigner's perspective, provided "Us And Them" (originally titled "The Violence Sequence"). Waters rewrote "Breathe" after its appearance on his and avant-garde composer Ron Geesin's score for The Body, a surreal medical documentary.
Floyd and their long-time engineer, Alan Parsons, used a multitude of sound effects – from stereophonically projected footsteps andplanes flying overhead ("On The Run") to a roomful of ringing clocks ("Time"). Further adding to the record's mystique,barely audible spoken passages were sprinkled throughout – a result of hours interviewing random Abbey Road occupants about their views on insanity, violence, and death. Floyd musthave struck a nerve: Dark Side Of The Moon remained on Billboard's albums chart for an astounding 14 years. It made Pink Floyd a household name, elevating them to the level of theRolling Stones and The Who in the rock pantheon.