#24 - Pink Floyd, Animals
Release Year: 1977
Genre: Avante-Garde Rock
How much do I like my favorite track on the album? 12 points
Pigs on the Wing
The motifs on this are practically identical to “Wish You Were Here”. It’s simple. It’s acoustic. It’s Orwellian. Sets the tone for the album, what would happen if we all just didn’t care? It’s just a weird song, on a weirder album, by one of the weirdest bands. And watching for pigs on the wing.
How did/does this album influence my own taste in music overall? 11.2 points
I think you would have good reason to be alarmed if this influenced my overall taste. Pink Floyd is odd for me, and that this is my favorite in a sea of good albums (in fact, some of the best ever) says a lot. Maybe just about me though.
Does this album hold up since its release? 11.2 points
I’m not even sure it held up when it was released. It’s overtly political. Pigs. Sheep. Dogs.
What percentage of the album do I listen to? 10 points
I judge anyone who endeavors to listen to this album and decides it’s ok to skip a song. IT IS NOT OK. It’s only good, in my opinion, to listen to it in its entirety with excellent quality speakers. How else would you hear the dogs barking, sheep baa-ing, and pigs snorting? I rest my case.
What did/do the critics think of this album? 7.5 points
This album was not looked at super fondly by critics. By this time, Pink Floyd had transitioned to this space of being only political in their undertakings, and critics were getting a little tired of the same messaging over and over - sound familiar? In hindsight, of course, critics now view it as purely ambitious and grandiose.
What is the sentimental value to me of the album? 13.6 points
I have a lot of sentimental attachment to this album. I had a tradition in undergrad of listening to this album every Friday during the day. Why? I couldn’t exactly tell you. Maybe it was just a good cathartic release.
What was the artists involvement of the production of the album - songwriting, instrumentals, vocals, uniqueness? 13.6 points
This album is so heavily produced it’s hard for me to give it a higher ranking than I did.
Overall Rating out of 100 points = 79.1 points
This is hands down the weirdest entry on my list. And I think I will probably get the question of “seriously, Jordin? Animals is ahead of The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon, AND Wish You Were Here?”. And the answer is: yes. What wins here for this album is that as an album, it is phenomenal. It weaves a tale that the others don’t really do in their entirety. It’s the hipster Pink Floyd album and I am not ashamed. Earlier, I reviewed my favorite song - and honestly, there isn’t a favorite, because I sort of think of the album in that it is just one really long drawn out piece of music. Yes, I’m keenly aware that this album is not for everyone, probably more so than any others on this entire list. And that’s ok. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.