More Dark Side Reviews

In the 1973 Rolling Stone review of DSOTM, Loyd Grossman says that the album has to do with the "fleetingness and depravity of human life, hardly the commonplace subject matter of rock." Grossman notes that "Time," "Money" and "Us And Them" offer the best glimpse into the album's overall meaning. Grossman also mentions the different techniques used on the album, including "synthesizers, sound effects and spoken voice tapes. The sound is lush and multi-layered while remaining clear and well structured." Rolling Stone praises Dark Side as a "fine album with a textural and conceptual richness that not only invites but demands involvement."

According to a 1973 review in the Montreal Gazette, Pink Floyd "does not concern itself with snappy intros and cutoffs or quick changes in tempo. Its music just drifts and drifts then drifts some more." Reading these different reviews, it has become quite clear that Pink Floyd is in fact a progressive rock group. Their tracks are more like compositions, strikingly different from punk rock songs that are short and simple. Pink Floyd qualifies as a progressive rock band if we consider their use of instruments like the saxophone, electronic keyboards, synthesizers and various electronic effects. Another progressive characteristic is Pink Floyd's literary lyrics that have to do with introspection and social issues. We can also consider Pink Floyd progressive because the group orchestrated such elaborate light shows and stage effects that often made the band members seem secondary in performance. Quite the opposite, the punk movement was all about stripping everything away and bringing the artist down to the level of the audience.