Zabriskie Point

1970 soundtrack album by various artists

Zabriskie Point is a soundtrack album to the Michelangelo Antonioni film of the same name. It was originally released in March 1970[4] and features songs recorded by contemporary rock acts of Antonioni`s choosing, including Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead, and the Kaleidoscope.[1]

A 1997 re-release includes four bonus tracks each from Jerry Garcia and Pink Floyd that were used in the film, but not the original soundtrack.[5] Jim Morrison of The Doors wrote the track "L`America" for the film, but was rejected by Antonioni ("L`America" was later released on The Doors` album L.A. Woman). A Rolling Stones track, "You Got the Silver", is featured in the film but not included on this album.

Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd`s contributions to the album were recorded in November and December 1969, after the release of Ummagumma. "Come in Number 51, Your Time Is Up" is a re-recording of "Careful with That Axe, Eugene", originally released as a B-side in December 1968.[5] "Love Scene (Version 4)" is a Rick Wright solo piano composition. "Country Song" (also known as "The Red Queen") is a ballad filled with chess metaphors. "Unknown Song" (also known as "Rain in the Country") is a relaxed instrumental. "Love Scene (Version 6)" (also known as "Alan`s Blues") is a bluesy instrumental. A track entitled "Fingal`s Cave" and another called "Oenone" were recorded but did not appear on the finished album.

Pink Floyd also recorded other unreleased material during the same sessions. Most notable is a lengthy composition which at that time was known as "The Violent Sequence" (later released on Dark Side of the Moon Immersion Box Set).[5] This was later reworked, as "Us and Them" from The Dark Side of the Moon.[5] An additional number of tracks of previously unreleased studio work from these sessions have been released in 2016 on The Early Years 1965–1972 (Volume 4: 1970: Devi/ation).

Critical reception

Village Voice critic Robert Christgau has said the soundtrack album is "considerably deeper and more coherent" than the film.[2] AllMusic`s Steven McDonald later called it "an odd melange of songs" but also "well worth hearing" for the Pink Floyd recordings.[1]

Track listing