Syd Barrett The Madcap Laughs Import LP

"Precisely what does Syd Barrett's legend rest on? Well, for starters, he was the artisan behind Pink Floyd's remarkable debut, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. And like Kenneth Grahame's book that Piper's title sprang from, Barrett infused his work with charming English whimsy, cosmic paganism, even. Then there is the reclusive painter reputation, and history of LSD mingling with mental illness. For, after his departure from Pink Floyd (for reasons he never openly discussed), Syd's solo career was brief and erratic.

"Recorded over a few days, Madcap sounds hastily prepared, as implied on the false start to 'If It's in You.' Indeed, without help from Roger Waters and Dave Gilmour (the latter replaced Syd's Floydian role) it might never have surfaced. Barrett's guitar playing is patchy, and his voice often a tuneless wail. You hear the rustle of lyric sheets being turned mid-song. Yet the album's Eastern-tinged melodies, and eccentric English pop, inspired a host of rock mystics including Julian Cope.

"There are moments of genius, naturally. 'Dark Globe,' with its fabulous lyric and hammered waltz chords, is gripping. And 'Late Night,' where gentle percussion checks Barrett's excesses, features lovely slide guitar - played with a cigarette lighter. Elsewhere, there is an eerie setting of excerpts of James Joyce's poetry in 'Golden Hair,' and the spontaneously catchy 'Here I Go.'

"Depression, schizophrenia, and other forms of mental trauma are forever misunderstood and misdiagnosed. Syd Barrett only gave us a few hours of intensely recorded creativity, but history affords him the contentment of a man who left his mark." -Gareth Thompson, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die