Opel [180-Gram Vinyl]

by Syd Barrett

Overview

For several years, the existence of "lost" material by Syd Barrett had been speculated about by the singer's vociferous cult, fueled by numerous patchy bootlegs of intriguing outtakes. The release of Opel lived up to, and perhaps exceeded, fans' expectations. With 14 tracks spanning 1968 to 1970, including six alternate takes and eight songs that had never been officially released in any form, it is equally as essential as his two 1970 LPs. The tone is very much in keeping with his pair of solo albums; ragged, predominantly acoustic, melodic, and teetering on the edge of dementia. At the same time, it's charming and lyrically pungent, with Barrett's inimitable sense of childlike whimsy. The production is generally more minimal than on his other albums, even bare-bones at times, but if anything, this adds to the music's stark power. Highlights are the lengthy brooding title track, the multi-layered swirl of "Swan Lee," the alternate take of "Dark Globe" (with much better, more restrained vocals than the previous version), and the exuberant, infectious "Milky Way." Meticulous liner notes and excellent sound complete this lovingly archival package. ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	07/01/2014
Label:	Harvest / Rhino / Wea
UPC:	0825646310777
Rank:	45986

Tracks

1. Opel
2. Clowns & Jugglers
3. Rats
4. Golden Hair [Vocal Version]
5. Dolly Rocker
6. Word Song
7. Wined and Dined
8. Swan Lee (Silas Lang)
9. Birdie Hop
10. Let's Split
11. Lanky, Pt. 1
12. Wouldn't You Miss Me (Dark Globe)
13. Milky Way
14. Golden Hair

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Syd Barrett   Primary Artist
Robert Wyatt   Guest Artist
Hugh Hopper   Guest Artist
Mike Ratledge   Guest Artist

Technical Credits

Syd Barrett   Composer,Producer
Gareth Cousins   Mixing,Engineer
Roger Waters   Producer
Peter Jenner   Producer
Brian Hogg   Story,Remix Supervision
David Gilmour   Producer
Phil Smee   Remix Supervision
Malcolm Jones   Producer
James Joyce   Composer,Lyricist
Tim Chacksfield   Project Coordinator