 | Tracklist:
1. Cluster One
2. What Do You Want From Me?
3. Poles Apart
4. Marooned
5. A Great Day For Freedom
6. Wearing The Inside Out
7. Take It Back
8. Coming Back To Life
9. Keep Talking
10. Lost For Words
11. High Hopes
| Ranking: #75 for 1994 | |
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On 35 Lists
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| Summary: With the absence of Roger Waters, Pink Floyd salvages their previous effort, with a fitting farewell record. |
2 of 2 thought this review was well written
Following the blunder that was “A Momentary Lapse of Reason,” David Gilmour and company had to prove that Pink Floyd could make it without Roger Waters. The 1987 release failed for several reasons. There was too much filler, the songwriting was sub-par for the most part, and the music relied too much on synthesizers. A few gems were spurned from the record such as Learning to Fly, On the Turning Away, and Sorrow, but the majority of the record was far below average for Pink Floyd. In 1994, David Gilmour would get his last chance, and made it count.
"The Division Bell,” is the final Pink Floyd album that was recorded. While the record has material nowhere near the quality of “Dark Side of the Moon,” “Animals,” “Wish You Were Here,” or “Meddle,” many of the aspects that make Pink Floyd so great are present here. Gilmour’s songwriting is very good, and his guitar playing is undeniably the highlight of the record. Gilmour’s vocals are soothing and even haunting at times, and Rick Wright’s keyboards make an impact here as well. There are saxophones and backup singers, whose impact is not unlike their influence on “Dark Side of the Moon.” The album obviously suffers to an extent due to the absence of lyrical mastermind Roger Waters, but somehow succeeds without him.
Gilmour’s tremendous guitar work is the underscore of nearly every track here; his style is familiar and powerful, even beautiful at times. Marooned is one of the best instrumentals written by the band; it is spacey and driven by lead guitar and keyboards. This track is truly beautiful and is one of the top Gilmour-era Pink Floyd songs. A Great Day for Freedom is haunting as Gilmour delivers his first lines, “On the day the wall came down, they threw the locks onto the ground and with glasses high, we raised a cry for freedom had arrived.” Take it Back is upbeat and hopeful, and Lost for Words is an acoustic track that isn’t a far cry from Wish You Were Here.
Gilmour’s guitar may stand out the most in Coming Back to Life, which is written perfectly, beginning slow, and picking up just over 2 and half minutes. This track really has everything, from soaring guitars, to soothing vocals, to excellent keyboards. The ultimate highlight of the record is the 8 and a half-minute High Hopes which begins and ends with the sound of church bells. Keyboards and vocals are again haunting, and the track builds to a powerful climax equipped with none other than a mind-blowing guitar solo. As the final track of Pink Floyd’s career, it does them justice for everything they have done.
With the absence of Roger Waters, Pink Floyd salvages their previous effort, with a fitting farewell record. Twenty-one years had passed since “Dark Side of the Moon,” and to ask for that quality from Pink Floyd was at this point impossible.
Recommended Tracks:
Marooned
Coming Back to Life
Lost for Words
High Hopes
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
I've really been back and forth on whether this is a 3.5 or 4, but I guess my Gilmour bias got the best of me.
| | | Album Rating: 3 | Sound Off
High Hopes is amazing
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yes it is. One of my favorites of all-time.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
amazing album that cops a lot of shit. it's obviously shallow compared to waters-era floyd, but the instrumentation is perfect.
nice review.
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this isnt a bad record at all. good review dude, exactly how i'd rate it.
meddle and animals kill this in my opinion though
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Nice review indeed. I'll give this the pos it deserves and hasn't gotten as of yet.
Digging: Pink Floyd - Live At Pompeii | | |
This is a good review. For some reason this is the Floyd album I listen to the most.
Digging: Art By Numbers - Reticence: The Musical
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Thanks guys. I really wanted to do a Pink Floyd review and I felt I had the most to add to this album.
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The PULSE version of Keep Talking is awesome. Don't know how the album is though.
Digging: Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I Digging: Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Great review, man. Coming Back to Life is one hell of a song.
Digging: tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l | | | Album Rating: 4
awesome job. I completely agree. I love this album. may bump up again.
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Track number 10 is crap!!!
Its title actually!
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thought you'd be a pink floyd fan with that user name
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
he's havin a gag man
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yeah I know
| | | Album Rating: 4
Listening to this now and I'm really digging it. Awesome review, pos'd.
| | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
The dawn mist glowing
The water flowing
The endless river
Forever and ever
Digging: Meshuggah - obZen Digging: Meshuggah - obZen | | | Album Rating: 4
gd song
Digging: Gary Glitter - kiddy diddler Digging: Gary Glitter - kiddy diddler | | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
Amazing song with an unbelievable solo
The saddest lead I've ever heard.
Only an old man with a full life can write this song
Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon
Though down this road we've been so many times
| | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
Sad but unbelievable beautiful
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