by Pink Floyd
Released January 21, 1977 via Harvest Records / Columbia Records
Reviewed January 20, 2022
Top tracks (based on community voting)
Dogs (90%), Pigs (75%), Sheep (67%)
Where do you go after releasing back to back highly acclaimed and praised records in The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, while also being heralded as the finest act of a generation? Pink Floyd’s response was to create an album centered around social observations and political conditions, of course. See it as an artist's duty to reflect the times and all the chaos intrinsically attached with them. After wrapping up the human condition on The Dark Side of the Moon and the loss of a loved one to the ether on Wish You Were Here, Floyd turned to the streets and their ruling forces. In a very Orwellian way Pink Floyd use animals––dogs, pigs and sheep––as a way to speak on socio-political issues. Tension persists through smooth rhythms and bouts of acoustic bliss. Things on the outside look calm, but under the surface a storm is brewing. – Peter (8.5/10)
Many rock artists have implemented a drawn-out approach to their music quite beautifully—Godspeed You! Black Emperor, among other post rock bands especially. But, Pink Floyd’s laborious Animals doesn’t quite hit the same spot. The album’s social commentary peels back the layers of how Roger Waters felt at that moment in time, as well as providing an interesting interpretation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. But the constant build-ups—which really go nowhere—obscure his insights to the point where it’s nauseating at times to continue. The soundscapes the band is able to create remain impressive, it’s just not all that entertaining by the end of its 42-minute runtime. – Ben (Synth) (7/10)
Hadley: 9.5/10 | Cam: 9.3/10 | Jared: 9/10 | Henny: 8.5/10 | Peter: 8.5/10
Pablo: 7.5/10 | Ben (Synth): 7/10 | DeVán: 7/10 | Dominick: 7/10
