I agree that it's the last album where all 4 members worked on it. The music was developed organically for the last time instead of being written to fit the lyrics. From Wikipedia: "Raving and Drooling" and "You've Got to Be Crazy", two songs previously performed live and considered for Wish You Were Here, reappeared as "Sheep" and "Dogs" respectively. After this album Waters took over and it was no longer Pink Floyd in truth. We wouldn't hear that guitar/keyboards sound again until "A Momentary Lapse of Reason."
Great review. I always considered Animals, the Pink Floyd Album - for Adults. It requires patience to soak in and then you realize how amazing it is IMO.
I love this album! I don't now if it's the best Pink Floyd album, to me it's certainly one of the "big four" alongside Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Wall, but in terms of the lyrics, this is probably their greatest work ever.
For me, it's THE overlooked Floyd album, and second only to DSOTM. I used to sneak into my older brother's bedroom when he was out and play this, in awe of its strange majesty.
Great Review for a Great Album. Fully agree with this being one of their best albums. The album is even more relevant today. Enjoyed watching your other reviews as well !!
Hi John.. wow couldn't agree more with you on this one.. it's my go-to floyd album.. every track a classic, brings on laughter and tears through the lyrics and music.. I love Roger Waters when he does those tender tracks, pigs on the wing, nobody home, moment of clarity, eclipse, Southampton dock. Great Review
A good review - certainly a 10/10 album. I remember a friend, who lived in our road, crossing with something under his arm - as we met and said hello, he revealed a copy of Animals he had just bought and was obviously keen to get it on the turntable. This was 1977; little did I know then what a masterpiece I had just encountered in that brief moment four decades ago.
A fine review. I used to fall asleep listening to this record when I was in high school, back in the 1980s. It's obviously dark, gloomy music, but it didn't trigger any nightmares or anything and wasn't a reflection of my mood at the time (even though I was a teenager). I just liked the music.
Hi John I've been patiently waiting for this.... Ha!! That album was spot on w what was going on back then!! I love the guitar riffs all through this album.. It has always been my favorite. It just flows so well.. The lyrics are the way we were feeling at the time in the States anyway..I didn't know that about whitehouse cool...thanks for reviewing this great Floyd album. -- Lis
Great review, John. Took me a while to get into Animals but it's now one of my favourite PF albums. Also, all trotters on the Battersea Power Station are intact . . . but it's now a block of luxury apartments!
@John Heaton I think the very unusual socioeconomic conditions that prevailed in Britain in the late 1970s explains a lot of the mood and the lyrics of the album.
great album ,great Review.mainly waters gives a Social and political character here and start to dominate in the band-best song?difficult to say perhaps dogs-the photo cover of the lp perhaps somewhere industrial area in london
Another great review. Agree this is one of their best albums, for me showcases all the individual members talents, especially David Gilmour who's guitar blows me away
Great review as usual. This is tied at number 1 with the wall for me. It always confused me why Gilmour and waters often say that Richard wright wasn't pulling his weight on this album. In addition to the overall amazing accompaniment of the whole album, he gives two really intense keyboard/synth extravaganzas in the middle of dogs and sheep
Hey John another great review, I really liked the info on Whitehouse. I also like the fact that you tell of the reviews the album got when it came out. I hate to correct you on something though. Waters doesn't play bass on the albums, that is Gilmore. Whenever Waters would win best bass player in a rock magazine poll he would laughingly thank Gilmore for it.
Zlort is incorrect. Roger plays the vast majority of the bass on PF albums. On Animals Roger Waters plays bass on Dogs (which takes up almost half of the album) and rhythm guitar on Pigs on The Wing, Pigs (3 Different Ones) & Sheep (which is quite phenomenally good I'd say) as well as adding tape effects. David plays all the guitar on Dogs, bass & lead guitar on Pigs, & bass & the final guitar riff on sheep. All phenomenal playing. They each contributed musically & had their own moments that shined. Animals is an unusual PF album where they switched instruments more than usual. But across their careers it wasn't unusual for Gilmour to play some bass & Waters to play some rhythm guitar on their albums.
Hi John I was wondering wether you could go through your turntable setup in a video I think it would be quite interesting and very good video I always liked animals better than wish you were here I find them quite similar in some ways more so than the wall and dsotm or atom heart was to either of them anyway thanks for the video
I never used to like this album but I’m now not sure why. I just had it on repeat in the car and it is fantastic. On a separate note how about some Dr Who content? I hear you may be a fan?
Quite something to realize The Wall was the last album with all four classic (read: Dark Side Of The Moon) members. The band would release four subsequent albums, each missing either Wright or Waters. IMO Wright was the bigger loss.
i understand your point but i think they missed Roger's artistic vision a bit more...after all Wright had not composed anything for the band post 'Wish You Were Here'
What means Pigs on the wing ?! Is “on the wing” a commun British expression or a Waters phrase to describe a Floating pig ?! Or Just a metaphor to speak off about people in command ?!
1) Wish You Were Here 2) Dark Side of the Moon 3) The Wall 4) Meddle 5) A Momentary Lapse of Reason 6) The Endless River 7) Animals 8) Piper At the Gates of Dawn
i never liked this album. Im not a huge Pink Floyd fan, but I do enjoy their big three albums. (wish you were here, the Wall, and Dark Side of the Moon which are all pretty great). Animals just didn't hit for me. I think its because Roger Waters sings on most ifof it, and Gilmour is the better singer. Plus, there are no real standout tracks that rise to the level of a Wish You Were Here. and a few songs sound like other songs which were done better. Sheep reminds me a bit of Run Like Hell for example. Its not terrible, but I never saw the reason for the love.
I really don't get why he says that musically is an up-toned album. This album musically and lyrically is depressed as fuck. Are you serious? Animals? Musically up lifting? Ok, maybe the ending solo for "Sheep" is up-lifting but generally? I really don't think so..
Μichalis V not uplifting lyrically (one has to be in the mood!) but great musicianship (and lyrics in my opinion) throughout with Roger and Dave working well together
I agree that it's the last album where all 4 members worked on it. The music was developed organically for the last time instead of being written to fit the lyrics. From Wikipedia: "Raving and Drooling" and "You've Got to Be Crazy", two songs previously performed live and considered for Wish You Were Here, reappeared as "Sheep" and "Dogs" respectively.
After this album Waters took over and it was no longer Pink Floyd in truth. We wouldn't hear that guitar/keyboards sound again until "A Momentary Lapse of Reason."
Great review. I always considered Animals, the Pink Floyd Album - for Adults. It requires patience to soak in and then you realize how amazing it is IMO.
*'Animals'* is definitely my favorite from PINK FLOYD
Absolutely Fantastic Album !!!
My favourite album of all time, also has my favourite guitar solo of all time.
I love this album! I don't now if it's the best Pink Floyd album, to me it's certainly one of the "big four" alongside Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Wall, but in terms of the lyrics, this is probably their greatest work ever.
For me, it's THE overlooked Floyd album, and second only to DSOTM. I used to sneak into my older brother's bedroom when he was out and play this, in awe of its strange majesty.
Great Review for a Great Album. Fully agree with this being one of their best albums. The album is even more relevant today. Enjoyed watching your other reviews as well !!
ck17873 cheers mate
Terrific, nuanced review. Yes - love that part when Roger reappears .... “Gotta admit .... I’m a little bit confused.”
Hi John.. wow couldn't agree more with you on this one.. it's my go-to floyd album.. every track a classic, brings on laughter and tears through the lyrics and music.. I love Roger Waters when he does those tender tracks, pigs on the wing, nobody home, moment of clarity, eclipse, Southampton dock. Great Review
Such a great album, also “Dogs” is the smallest 17 minutes EVER
A good review - certainly a 10/10 album. I remember a friend, who lived in our road, crossing with something under his arm - as we met and said hello, he revealed a copy of Animals he had just bought and was obviously keen to get it on the turntable. This was 1977; little did I know then what a masterpiece I had just encountered in that brief moment four decades ago.
Great story...thanks Mark
This is Pink Floyds masterpiece for me and my favourite album.
A fine review. I used to fall asleep listening to this record when I was in high school, back in the 1980s.
It's obviously dark, gloomy music, but it didn't trigger any nightmares or anything and wasn't a reflection of my mood at the time (even though I was a teenager). I just liked the music.
jaybone23 thanks. Yes this album is actually quite uplifting as the musicianship and material is so strong
Hi John I've been patiently waiting for this.... Ha!! That album was spot on w what was going on back then!!
I love the guitar riffs all through this album.. It has always been my favorite. It just flows so well.. The lyrics are the way we were feeling at the time in the States anyway..I didn't know that about whitehouse cool...thanks for reviewing this great Floyd album. -- Lis
L Englehardt thanks Lis!
Great review, John. Took me a while to get into Animals but it's now one of my favourite PF albums. Also, all trotters on the Battersea Power Station are intact . . . but it's now a block of luxury apartments!
Jason Brayshaw ha...doubt roger would approve of that!
Haha . . . I know, it's a painful irony!
Brilliant album. I could just go on and on about it.
To me it has it's own sound unlike what they did before or after.
And a great review John.
Paul Sontag thanks Paul
Thanks John for the great review. This is my favorite Floyd, and really resonates now for us here in the U.S..
James Finn thanks james yes i think this album would resonate even a hundred years from now...that's the beauty of the lyrics they would never date
@John Heaton
I think the very unusual socioeconomic conditions that prevailed in Britain in the late 1970s explains a lot of the mood and the lyrics of the album.
great album ,great Review.mainly waters gives a Social and political character here and start to dominate in the band-best song?difficult to say perhaps dogs-the photo cover of the lp perhaps somewhere industrial area in london
This review resonated with me like the album did. Subscribed.
Absolutely amazing album. I love it so much, still sadly overlooked compared to the rest.
Alec Kerrell agree...thanks alec
Another great review. Agree this is one of their best albums, for me showcases all the individual members talents, especially David Gilmour who's guitar blows me away
Ross Goodall thanks ross agree
More more thing - how about the killer little synth flourishes by Wright on opening of side two Pigs.... way ahead of his time.
Great review as usual. This is tied at number 1 with the wall for me. It always confused me why Gilmour and waters often say that Richard wright wasn't pulling his weight on this album. In addition to the overall amazing accompaniment of the whole album, he gives two really intense keyboard/synth extravaganzas in the middle of dogs and sheep
Alex Diachok yes agreed he is fully pulling his weight and more on here i think...really adds to the atmosphere of the record
Alex Diachok yes agreed he is fully pulling his weight and more on here i think...really adds to the atmosphere of the record
Hey John another great review, I really liked the info on Whitehouse. I also like the fact that you tell of the reviews the album got when it came out. I hate to correct you on something though. Waters doesn't play bass on the albums, that is Gilmore. Whenever Waters would win best bass player in a rock magazine poll he would laughingly thank Gilmore for it.
Zlort Nikto thanks Ziort that is interesting i never knew that!
Zlort is incorrect. Roger plays the vast majority of the bass on PF albums. On Animals Roger Waters plays bass on Dogs (which takes up almost half of the album) and rhythm guitar on Pigs on The Wing, Pigs (3 Different Ones) & Sheep (which is quite phenomenally good I'd say) as well as adding tape effects. David plays all the guitar on Dogs, bass & lead guitar on Pigs, & bass & the final guitar riff on sheep. All phenomenal playing. They each contributed musically & had their own moments that shined.
Animals is an unusual PF album where they switched instruments more than usual. But across their careers it wasn't unusual for Gilmour to play some bass & Waters to play some rhythm guitar on their albums.
That appears to be something of a myth. Gilmour did play a lot of the bass on Animals and The Wall, but aside from that, no.
My own personal favourite Pink Floyd album.
I used to live in a shitty flat by the Battersea power station so the album feels special to me
John, please please give us your review of the 2018 remix! I think we would love to hear your views on that.
My first and favorite Floyd Album!
17 minutes for dogs haha
Hi John I was wondering wether you could go through your turntable setup in a video I think it would be quite interesting and very good video I always liked animals better than wish you were here I find them quite similar in some ways more so than the wall and dsotm or atom heart was to either of them anyway thanks for the video
James Culton thanks james. i could do that but my hi fi is nothing too special!
A Great Album,love it classic
IMO, this is Floyd's underrated and forgotten masterpiece. Brilliant, dark, searing rock record.
I think Battersea Power Station looks more like a dead upside down sheep with a pig on the wing.
Pigs on the wings should be longer the only track that hits me on the album
Got sick of most of their albums not so much on this one. Continues to be captivating.
I never used to like this album but I’m now not sure why. I just had it on repeat in the car and it is fantastic. On a separate note how about some Dr Who content? I hear you may be a fan?
Simon Barnes ha! Well I’ve done a couple of dr who vids already!
Super album
Quite something to realize The Wall was the last album with all four classic (read: Dark Side Of The Moon) members. The band would release four subsequent albums, each missing either Wright or Waters. IMO Wright was the bigger loss.
i understand your point but i think they missed Roger's artistic vision a bit more...after all Wright had not composed anything for the band post 'Wish You Were Here'
@@johnheaton5667 My bias is that I dislike Roger's singing.
my fav from pink floyd but unfortunatly the production is a bit weak it deserves a rrrreal better remastering
Sheep is the best track.
What means Pigs on the wing ?!
Is “on the wing” a commun British expression or a Waters phrase to describe a Floating pig ?! Or Just a metaphor to speak off about people in command ?!
Pigs on the wing is apparently a metaphor for something that's never gonna happen
1) Animals
2) Wish You Were Here
3) The Final Cut
4) Dark Side of the Moon
5) The Wall
6) Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Thanks...interesting
1. DOTSM
2. Animals
3. The Wall
4. WYWH
5. Meddle
Depends what mood I am in but atom heart mother and saucerful of secrets are amazing works as well.
1) Wish You Were Here
2) Dark Side of the Moon
3) The Wall
4) Meddle
5) A Momentary Lapse of Reason
6) The Endless River
7) Animals
8) Piper At the Gates of Dawn
animals is better than the wall pink floyd could have done better oh im bulding a wall around me screw the wall
i never liked this album. Im not a huge Pink Floyd fan, but I do enjoy their big three albums. (wish you were here, the Wall, and Dark Side of the Moon which are all pretty great). Animals just didn't hit for me. I think its because Roger Waters sings on most ifof it, and Gilmour is the better singer. Plus, there are no real standout tracks that rise to the level of a Wish You Were Here.
and a few songs sound like other songs which were done better. Sheep reminds me a bit of Run Like Hell for example.
Its not terrible, but I never saw the reason for the love.
John R I think you should give it a relisten it’s has aged well and is still great :- )
Dang that really sucks for you. Sorry to hear
I really don't get why he says that musically is an up-toned album. This album musically and lyrically is depressed as fuck. Are you serious? Animals? Musically up lifting? Ok, maybe the ending solo for "Sheep" is up-lifting but generally? I really don't think so..
Μichalis V not uplifting lyrically (one has to be in the mood!) but great musicianship (and lyrics in my opinion) throughout with Roger and Dave working well together