Previously I stated that DSotM was best. But I changed my mind. I got this in the mail today from amazon and it is by far the best rock album I have ever heard, and for only $9.99, why shouldn't it be in your cd collection.
1. Astronomy Domine 4.5/5
2. Lucifer Sam 4.5/5
3. Matilda Mother 5/5
4. Flaming 5/5 Best Song
5. Pow R. Toc H. 4.5/5
6. Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk 5/5
7. Interstellar Overdrive 5/5
8. The Gnome 5/5
9. Chapter 24 4.5/5
10. Scarecrow 4.5/5
11. Bike 5/5

The Pink Floyd on their debut, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn", is a much different Pink Floyd than that of "Dark Side" or "The Wall". Mainly, because at this point, Syd Barrett was the frontman, and his style is drastically different from that of Waters and Gilmour.

The best description for this album is storybook psychedelia. There's a lot of happy sounding songs on here, such as "Scarecrow" and "Flaming". The instrumentation is diverse, quirky, and trippy, not too far removed from what The Beatles and Beach Boys we're doing at the time.

"Astronomy Domine" is a classic rock song off the bat; it's spacey and wildly psychedelic. As is the lengthy instrumental "Interstellar Overdrive", the heaviest thing on here.

Songs like "Lucifer Sam" and "Matilda Mother" continue in the vein of trippy pop songs; the hooks on this album are everpresent and really melt in your mouth after a couple listens.

"Pow R. Toc H." is one of the more experimental things on here, an instrumental with equal parts jazzy piano noodling and bizarre high pitched chanting. "Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk" is an early Roger Waters composition, and, well..he got better with time.

"The Gnome" is more lush psych-pop, terrific stuff. And "Chapter 24" has some really nice harmonies.

"Bike" closes out the album on a blissful note. It's wildly catchy, colorful, classic late 60's psychedelia. Syd Barrett had the makings of a true genius, and it's too bad the drugs got the best of them. He'd contribute one song on their follow-up album, but after that, the band went on without him. And the rest, they say, is history.

Nonetheless, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" is one of the best debut albums ever. Since "Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wall" became such massive successes, this tends to get overlooked. But it's really the cream of the crop, as far as Floyd albums go. A classic psychedelic pop album.

This is Pink Floyd's best album next to "Dark Side of the Moon." The sad thing about this album is that a lot of people haven't heard it. I don't even see it at the local music stores. To most people. Pink Floyd are the guys that made "Money," "Another Brick in the Wall, part 2" and did those Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland tricks. There's almost no mention of songs from this album, and Syd Barrett is just a nobody. This album is the beginning of Pink Floyd and also contributes to the psychadelic rage of the late '60s. But for those that worship "Dark Side of the Moon" and probably want to give this album a shot, I caution you. This is NOT another "Dark Side of the Moon." You may be turned off by the (as another reviewer put it) "poppy" sounds here. It's kinda like listening to a trippier version of the Beatles. But like the Beatles, the lyrics here are uplifting and perhaps even humorous. Syd Barrett's lyrics somewhat resemble a children's book (it probably should be since the album title was taken from his favorite childhood book The Wind in the Willows). But Pink Floyd also adds a dark side to this album with their trippy instrumental numbers like the trippy and haunting epic "Interstellar Overdrive." Pink Floyd brought darkness unlike any other band that released an album in 1967. The noise rock sound resembles what the Velvet Underground did. As I've read somewhere, Pink Floyd were once an underground band. Maybe that's why this album doesn't receive the recognition it deserves. But by all means, listen to this album. Order it on eBay, download it (either the right or wrong way), go to your local music store and have them order it for you, do whatever it takes. If you don't like it, well... at least you've heard the band as they once were with their former frontman Syd Barrett before drugs brought him to his downfall. "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" is the best psychadelic rock album that is not "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." But upon hearing this album, you may wonder; What would the band have been like if Syd hadn't gone nuts? Would have they made a "Dark Side of the Moon?" The album just makes us wonder, and that's the beauty of it.

The debut album from Pink Floyd is in my opinon they're greatest work but very different then the pink floyd people became to know them as. This is where it all started with there founder/songwriter/frontman Syd Barrett. Syd wrote great lyrics and great music which in this album is probably the best debut album in history. Every song on here is great. The albums starts of with the spacey Astromony Domine which is one of the albums and pink floyd's best songs. It gets even better from there With Lucifer Sam, Matilda Mother, Flaming and a couple of intrumentals Pow R Toch H and Instellar Overdrive. the later half has equaly great songs like The Scarecrow, The Gnome this one's pretty funny, and everyone's favorite Bike. If you haven't heard this album before click on buy now because you are in for a treat but be warned this is no Dark Side of the Moon. As I said this album is excellent a pure masterpiece, don't let anyone tell you different. It's definetly an essential. Trust me buy the album you'll thank me for it.

'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn', Pink Floyd's first studio album, released in 1967 marked the birth of one of the most influential and experimental bands of all time. Formed in the mid-1960's, getting their band name from musicians Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, Pink Floyd were very much an up and coming innovative band and quickly gained a good underground following. Having achieved pretty good successes with their first two singles ('See Emily Play' and 'Arnold Layne'), Pink Floyd decided to concentrate their efforts thereon purely on album making and so early in 1967 went to the recording studio and cut this impressive debut effort.

I don't think I've quite heard an album that is as off the wall as this one - if you're expecting the 70's sound that Pink Floyd had, you will not find it on this album. Pink Floyd are pretty much the wacky, psychedelic band with this album, but it is no way inferior to their later work. This album is also an exception to the other Floyd albums as it is the only one whose songwriting is dominated by Syd Barratt, the original Floyd frontman. Syd Barratt was a one off as a songwriter and musician and for me he was the pioneer of Pink Floyd's greatness as he gave their music the original alternative directions which ultimately put the band in a class of their own. Eventhough he was to be thrown out of the band during the second album (Saucerful of Secrets) recording due to his LSD addiction, his influence on the band lived on - 'Piper at the Gates of Dawn' is a document in real terms of just how much a genius he was, even if the music is totally bizarre. This is why, for me, this album is more than just psychedelia - it doesn't just embody the style of the time, it also incorporated sound effects, atmospherics and keyboard styles that other bands had never thought of even trying to add to their music but the Floyd did and it works a treat! 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn' like many of Pink Floyd's works attracts a lot of criticism from people who don't give the band a chance. Although I would never recommend this to a new listener to Pink Floyd - I will always advise to never pass off this work as incoherant rubbish, as some people have. What this album is about is not catchy, melodic tunes BUT instead is a great piece of experimentation with the aim to make the music thought provoking to the listener. There are many dimensions to the music in Piper (a fact that is true for a lot of Pink Floyd's music) and this makes the album a new experience every time you listen to it.

So prepare for something different from the very start. 'Astronomy Domine' opens the album - it has a very futuristic and space style, with some great experimental playing on the guitar from Syd coupled with some blistering effects on the keyboard from Rick Wright. 'Lucifer Sam' is a bit darker in complexion, with lyrics about a siamese cat over plenty of scratches, wails from the guitar and dissonent riffs which are very effective. The whole thing slows down with 'Matilda Mother', Syd sings with his fairytale style lyrics - something which is common in the stuff he penned. 'Flaming', starts with the effects of a train running out of a station - the lyrics on this one are quite babyish and again fairytale like but again it works with the instrumentation. 'PowR TocH' is a great track - with plenty of wierd voice overs from Syd with some jazzy piano playing from Wright - its quite amusing to listen to. 'Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk' is the only Roger Waters effort on the album - a bit of a sing along with some slap dash drumming from Nick Mason but its a fun listen. 'Interstallar Overdrive' is the most experimental piece on the album though, starting off actually quite tunefully, it becomes very wacky - you cant tell it in words. 'The Gnome', 'Chapter 24' and 'Scarecrow' are all solid tracks with more fairy story lyrics from Barratt. 'Bike' closes the album, a final sing along from Barratt on this album were he sings about bikes, mice and gingerbreadmen - all the simple things in life! It rounds off with bells chiming and then the honking of geese!

'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn' was very ahead of its time and more importantly was a great debut effort from Pink Floyd even if it is completely bizarre in parts. As a big fan of Pink Floyd, I really enjoy listening to this album, it has grown on me over the times I've listened to it with its unique style. Pink Floyd might have started here but I would certainly not recommend this to any new listener to Pink Floyd. 'Dark Side of the Moon' and 'Wish You Were Here' are the places to start but any fan of the band will love this album and will enjoy journeying into Interstellar Overdrive!