I agree. Animals as a whole is probably my favorite album. I think it is largely a band composition but I also think the obvious "Waters bite" makes it the wonderful piece that it is. This is not to discount the others contribution which was surely large (some more than others). Its a shame that the great gig survey puts animals with the waters era and not the post syd. that is my only hesitation about claiming it as my favorite time period.
what makes Animals (slightly) better than the later waters works is the more floydian way of puting something in front of you but not shoving it in your face, which is the style that Roger seemed to tend towards after Animals. It keeps you thinking and is soothingly depressing and critical of our situation but also is not as outright apacalyptic.

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We don't know what the hell it is, except that it's very large and it has a purpose.
-Dr. Floyd, 2010