8-Tracks, an eight-song collection of Pink Floyd music, spans eight years of the band’s history, specifically 1971 to 1979. Transitioning from their post Syd Barrett-led psychedelia era through the monumental commercial breakthrough of Dark Side Of The Moon, this is a band that made phenomenal strides in the span of time represented here. While not chronologically sequenced, mixer master Steve Wilson has used sound effects sourced from the original multi-tracks to create a very Floydian-like continuous listening experience.
8-Tracks begins with the bass thumping classic, almost all-instrumental “One Of These Days,” from 1971’s Meddle, leading into the nearly country acoustic guitar and piano “Wot’s… Uh The Deal,” from the Obscured By Clouds, released a year later as the soundtrack to director the Barbet Schroeder film, La Vallée. Recorded during two sessions in France, this album is regarded as the quintessential ‘stopgap’ release, as Pink Floyd had already started working on The Dark Side Of The Moon, from which two entries are included here: “Money” and “Time.” In all fairness, you have to track through the entire album to experience it properly.
Of course, the beloved title track from Wish You Were Here made the cut. From 1979’s The Wall, we get the obvious hits — “Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2” and “Comfortably Numb.”. For many, the real catch of the collection is the full version of “Pigs On The Wing,” previously only available on the Animals 8-track tape, thus giving this set its name. The last time I recall hearing this was in my buddy Bill’s Chevy Nova, circa the summer of 1978, through his car’s 8-track stereo.
Save for the “Pigs On the Wing” here, even if you are a casual Floyd fan, you might just have all the albums these songs come from. You certainly have heard them played on your favorite FM station. For a completist, though, this is just another one you have to grab. Thankfully, as it’s not part of a box set or anniversary release, 8-Tracks won’t set you back much.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
