Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb (cover)

This is (again) that beautiful moment, when my favorite band covers another favorite band of mine. To all this, they chose a beautiful song to cover.

Pink Floyd is rock history in itself. I will not get into details about them. You know them. You worship them. If any of these does not apply to you, please, kindly learn to photosynthetize. You know, to produce oxygen from carbon-dioxide. That way you'd have at least a bit benefit for humankind. 😒

It's my opinion

not that I would accept any other opinion

covering Pink Floyd requires a LOT from a musician. Skills. Experience. Maturity. Focus. A Pink Floyd song is not just a row of tunes and beats, each of them is an experience in itself, a thoroughly built-up work with fine details - and we haven't mentioned that certain, aethereal atmosphere that is the characteristics of every Pink Floyd song. It has got a lot of layers, each layer has got a lot of details and depth. Not every band, not every musician can play Pink Floyd.

Cygnus can.

Of course they can! They are all amazing and wonderful and talented and skilled and... Cygnus 💓

This cover by them is not just perfect and beautiful, but it's also full of gems, full of unbelievable gifts and those with their ears, heart and soul wide open can see the real, true talent of these four wonderful musicians as well. 

The very first gift arrives right at the beginning of this cover. Cygnus has made a special intro for the song the original one doesn't contain. It's a bit dream-alike

for some odd reason this idea reminds me a bit of Dream Theater and their album "Metropolis, Pt. 2" - another band (and album) I love

very creative, very unique and beautifully prepares the atmosphere for the song itself.

I really, really wonder where this idea came from, to add this little intro to the song. It's beautiful, I love it. Just for this little creative endeavour these musicians deserve all the love and appreciation. And the song hasn't even started yet!

The beginning is epic. Already the beginning, but you're breathless. Not only did Cygnus grab the entire atmosphere of the song, not only do they prove right at the very first tunes that they are skilled, experienced and mature enough for covering Pink Floyd, but they give such a strong, overworldly, almost transcendental sound to this piece that leaves the listener speechless.

Yes, I hear the rhythm section taking a MAJOR part in it! 💓

The guitar is a wonderful extra at this point. Blu didn't spare with the distortion, it gives a deep, harsh, rock sound to the original, bit psychedelic sound, gently keeping the listener grounded. Perfectly dosed, exactly the amount that makes it special already in the very first beats, but very carefully taking care of not getting overdosed. Wonderful. Professional. So beautiful, so Cygnus. 💓

The vocals are just beautiful. Ruxx and Deneb sing it in a duet, and the most beautiful in it

besides their voices and their talent

is that they divided the vocal parts in a way that can show the very best quality of their voices.

Deneb starts it. He sings - in fact it's a part where in the original song Roger Waters performs in "parlando" style, somewhere between talking and actually singing -, in fact talks with a voice that is, in comparison with Waters's bit "floating", bit "aery" style is warm, earthy and soothing. And I especially love that - unlike the original song - the reverb is there on his vocals for the whole time, sometimes stronger, sometimes a bit weaker, but again, just like with the guitar distortion, perfectly dosed and perfectly taken care of.

This collectedness, this creativity and professionalism gives you goosebumps all over your body and brings tears to your eyes. And we're just barely a minute into the song!

Then comes the pre-chorus, where Ruxx takes it over. He's singing Gilmour's emotions-soaked, bit psychedelic, bit transcendental part with tangbile control over his vocal chords, transmitting the aethereal atmosphere - yet he is 100% himself, adding the characteristics of his very own voice, those certain characteristics that make his vocals so unique.

And then comes the best part. Get ready, dear Reader. Tears will flow uncontrollably from your eyes, your heart will soften up and melt - the more it was filled with sadness, hopelessness or grief, the more cathartic it will be.

Ruxx and Deneb join their forces. They sing the 2nd stanza of the pre-chorus together. Both are letting their voices flow, Deneb's mellow baritone pairs up with Ruxx's characteristic tenor while Reny plays professionally those very distinctive, thick, carpet-alike keyboard themes that are Pink Floyd's trademarks. And what I love the most

though I'm not sure if I hear it well, I might be wrong

at this part the original song contains some orchestration. In Cygnus's version, if I can believe my ears, the orchestration part has been removed and Blu continues to play the acoustic guitar. This is amazing. Very creative, very unique, very Cygnus. Beautiful. This is one of the things in this cover that I love the most. 

And the most beautiful in it is that you really, really have to open your ears and heart to find it. It's very soft, very humble, it's playing hide-and-seek. You need to know well the original song, too, and even then it won't be obvious at first listening. You have to pay attention, listen and re-listen this cover.

First you discover it, then at the next listening you feel the flavor of it. At the third re-listening you want to take it all, to stuff it in yourself, wanting more and more and more. At the fourth re-listening you're already addicted, you can't and don't even want to live without it.

That's how it always is with Cygnus. 💓

Blu's solo is flavorful and precise, while in the background he constantly keeps playing the acoustic guitar. The rhythm section is massive and heart-warming, and when the chorus arrives back with the voices of these two wonderful Colombians, it will caress your heart with soft hands.

Then Deneb is back. 

I try - but obviously can't - imagine how difficult it can be to perform these "parlando" parts. You have to sound as if you are just telling something, but you have to keep the tempo, the melody, in fact you're singing but still you're "just" talking - I see it as something very complex, that can be achieved with thorough and dedicated practice and a lot of time.

But Deneb could make it, because he's this amazing.

Ruxx continues, his voice is now in full power. Deneb plays bass arpeggios (once with a little sliding added), Blu joins them with the acoustic guitar, Reny is practicing magic behind the keyboards and then, then these two Colombian superheroes again start to sing together, pulling the listener into another catharsis. 

Just let yourself go, dear Reader. Reach out for these wonderful men, allow them to hold your hand and pull you through this portal where they will show you a completely new universe. Just let it all happen to you. Miracles like this happen rarely, sometimes just once in a lifetime. These rockers now brought it right into your hands.

And here comes a breathtaking, epic, monumental solo. I think we can call it one of Blu's greatest moments - not only for him but for all 4 musicians here.

This solo, dear Reader, is 4 and a half minutes long, while the original song it's less than 2 minutes (in fact after a minute and a half it starts to fade out). And not only Blu makes a masterpiece of it, but Reny, Deneb and Ruxx are building up this part all together, Ruxx playing his trademark fills, Deneb being massive, robust and powerful, and Reny putting these thick, magic carpets of keyboard themes under the feet of his fellow musicians... it's a pure catharsis, probably one of the most sweeping ones Cygnus has ever made.

If I believed in purgatory and things like that, I'd say you listen to this solo, it washes out all the sins from you and you can enter heaven. But I don't believe in any sort of bullshit like that. Yet I do fucking believe in the greatness and talent of these wonderful musicians and I do believe that this piece - because I can't call it "cover" anymore, it's a masterpiece - is one of the best ones they have ever come up with. It's NOT for a casual, background listening. You must sit down, you must give a thorough listen to the original first, you must grasp the atmosphere of it and then you can listen to this version. Remember to keep your ears, your heart and your soul wide open. If you can do it, you will be showered with gifts from these wonderful rockers.

It may require time and patience, but the beauty it gives right into your hands is immeasurable. 💓