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CD > POPULAR MUSIC > ROCK

This compilation and "greatest hits" package has the odd distinction of being released well before the band hit its stadium-filling prime in the mid-to-late '70s. This album essentially bridges the considerable gap between original leader Syd Barrett's baroque psychedelic pop-single bent (exemplified here by the band's first chart hit "See Emily Play" and the cross-dressing mini-epic "Arnold Layne," both stellar singles left off the band's debut album) and the more ponderous musical pretensions of Roger Waters, the band's de facto leader after mental illness sidelined Barrett early on. It's a good introduction to the band's foundations for Floyd novices, and the inclusion of the early singles and two early outtakes ("Julia Dream" and "Biding My Time") make it a must for aficionados. --Jerry McCulley