Nick Mason's Drumming on Pink Floyd's "Fearless"

Today's album is "Meddle" by Pink Floyd. Mmmmm. Sweet.

I was hesitant when reaching for this CD this morning. When I think of Meddle, the song "One of the Days" is all I can think of. It's the first track and it's a cool, mean sounding, kind of silly, fun, scary piece. But for some reason it has remained in my head as what that album is about, when in fact, it is kind of the only track of it's type on there.

You have to be careful with your first track. I did a similar thing on "Looks Like I'm Tall". I kicked it off with the upbeat, goofy, jaunty "But We Did" which is pretty much not at all like anything on the rest of the record. The first track really is the keystone of the record. Oh well.

Anyway, while I was looking at my CD shelf, I hesitated on grabbing "Meddle". Was I really in the mood for that? But I'm so glad that I did. Because after "One Of These Days" there are three sunny acoustic pretty moody melodies.

So, as I was walking in the bright sunny freeeeezing morning, staring at my shoes as they busted through the icey-edges of the winter sidewalks, I was noticing the drumming on "Fearless". It's a song I've listened to a bazillion times in my life, but I never paid attention to the drums before. They really sound like Nick Mason, just wasn't very familiar with the song or something. It's not like he messes up or anything, it's just that he plays so carefully and simply that it sounds like it might be the second or third time he'd ever heard it before.

Is it just me or does the drumming sound like the drummer is just really trying not to mess anything up?