Mary Fahl: From the Dark Side of the Moon

 I have never really gotten into Pink Floyd's music until the later part of the 90s when I met a musician from Prague by the name of Floydie. Although there were endless hours of chat about music (he's also a guitarist)it soon escalated into trading of recorded materials. He recorded me songs he composed and even dedicated one instrumental track for me :Man On The Road". I sent him my original materials which was received with favorable reaction. 


  I lost contact with Floydie when he got married and also when I moved to Manila. But hearing Pink Floyd reminds me of him and our friendship at that time. That's why when the buzz in the internet about Mary Fahl doing a song by song interpretation of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon finally came I was so excited. I truly admire her work with October Project and as a solo artist. I wasn't disappointed when I got to hear the copy from a friend. unfortunately, it seems that V2 records folded up even before the album was released and a limited promotional copy is still out there somewhere but it looks like some online stores will sell it to you at $48.00.


  Mary Fahl has an exquisite voice. Gifted with a big contralto, and vocal abilities, she proved to be the only one on her field. As one critic noted, She has the nuance of Enya, the power of Celine Dion and the mystique of Lisa Gerrard. From the Dark Side of the Moon, is more electronic and ambient oriented .There are critics out there who said it's chaotic and goes nowhere. All I can say is that these critics who think so are musical idiots. They don't know what beautiful music is even if it is already kicking their foreheads. 


  There are standout tracks here like” Great Gig in the Sky' where she swoons into aria-like onomatopoeia, and then wine meets cigarettes of "Money" which showcases her jazz influences when he spent time in Holland singing in a band composed of expatriate musicians. This is a special project worth hearing for years to come.