New Pink Floyd album

Fuzzdog

Roger does seem to know how to pick guitarists, and how to get great stuff out of them - Clapton's playing on Pros and Cons is really great, and that comes from someone who is not in the least a Clapton fan.

Jeff Beck's playing on Amused to Death is some of my favourite playing of his - and that comes from someone who is a humungous Beck fan.  It was actually that album that got me into Jeff in the first place when I bought it back in '92 when I was 16.  I remember putting it on and thinking "This guitar is amazing, who the hell is Jeff Beck...?"  

impmann

OK so no Rog on this one... but he hasn't been a member of Pink Floyd since 1985. That's nearly 30 years, so get over it those of you that bleat constantly about "old misery guts" (David Gilmour's words) not being on the album. Waters did contribute massively to the 1970s era of Floyd and I'd argue that those records wouldn't have been so brilliant without him (despite who actually played the bass parts). 

But remember dear old Rog is responsible for the Final Cut, almost in its entirety. A record so bad that I actually threw my copy in a bin. Jesus, that is a depressing record...

Post-Waters Floyd is a different animal (sic) altogether. I honestly really like Momentary Lapse and the Division Bell. And both are far far far more listenable than 'old misery guts' banging on about suicide on his last recording with Floyd.

The 'new' stuff - from what I've read, this was a slightly dewy-eyed nod to Rick's often overlooked keys work. David has said that he revisited the tapes after trying to work with other keyboard players on his new solo album - and realising that he really missed playing with Rick. 

I like it - but I understand the criticism that its a little disjointed. That's really a result of the source material. All of this stuff was out-takes, so it makes sense that it isn't as glorious as DSOTM or WYWH. But isn't it nice to be able to hear Rick one more time?

And tbh, I don't think Rog would have contributed anything new to these tracks - nor would it have been valid to bring him back after nearly 30 years. He is no longer a member of Pink Floyd, nor has he been since he walked out in 1985 claiming the band was a "spent force". 

not_the_dj

A big fat wisdom for @impmann

Snap

Roger Waters is a bad bass player........

yeah right, cos it has so obviously hampered his career and success as an artist.

Must be awful, being that bad a player....

to be able to evaluate someone's musicianship, IMO, you have to 1) be an able enough musician yourself to make the call, and more importantly 2) sit down an play with them for a while. There's a lot more ot people's ability than what you hear on a recording or see at the odd show.

oh yeah, I really like the album too.

boogieman

I heard one of the new album tracks on the radio the other day without realising what it was and thought "that sounds like some second rate band trying to sound like Pink Floyd". I don't think I'll bother getting the album somehow. I did however buy Obscured by Clouds again recently. My original vinyl went AWOL a looooong time back and it must be 30+ years since I've heard it. What a superb album! Strange it never seems to get the praise it deserves.

not_the_dj

boogieman said:

I heard one of the new album tracks on the radio the other day without realising what it was and thought "that sounds like some second rate band trying to sound like Pink Floyd". I don't think I'll bother getting the album somehow. I did however buy Obscured by Clouds again recently. My original vinyl went AWOL a looooong time back and it must be 30+ years since I've heard it. What a superb album! Strange it never seems to get the praise it deserves.

I guess that track was "louder than words" the only real song on the album (and yes it's a bit poor). I'm loving the rest of it, which is mostly instrumental. 

Alnico

boogieman said:

I heard one of the new album tracks on the radio the other day without realising what it was and thought "that sounds like some second rate band trying to sound like Pink Floyd". I don't think I'll bother getting the album somehow. I did however buy Obscured by Clouds again recently. My original vinyl went AWOL a looooong time back and it must be 30+ years since I've heard it. What a superb album! Strange it never seems to get the praise it deserves.

We literally just finished listening to Obscured by clouds as i read this. Yes it is an amazing album and has great memories for me. I used to drive lorries where i would stay out all week in the cab and this was the album i played one night as i left Sheerness Docks, which look quite pretty all lit up and over the Sheppey Crossing etc. For some reason i then took to playing this religiously every time i went there, which was often back then. We just played it just now and it's the first time i've heard it since those years ago.

I think the first two tracks really do it for me, but then after a while 'Free-Four' came on and i couldn't help singing along and smiling.

I have been listening to the new album, endless river and while it's a good piece of work, it is just indulgence, it's not a proper album like the previous ones are.

I got my copy of Wish you were here out last night and it's the big Immersion box set. In there i discovered a CD of Floyd playing live at Wembley in 1974 and it is stunning. It's them almost at their peak, fresh young voices and such tight musicianship. They play a rendition of 'Shine on, you crazy diamond' which is unlike any i've ever heard and then it hit me - this was 74 while they were still writing Wish you were here. This is an early version that they must have tried out a year before the album came out and it's quite different to any version i've heard before. The iconic guitar intro isn't there at all and the wine glass' aren't used, instead it's a very nice improvised keyboard solo.

The they do a song called 'Raving and Drooling' which a few years later was re-written and altered to be 'Sheep' for the animals album but here it's just them jamming out this really distinctive piece of music.

I love discovering new / old stuff like this.

Lixarto

I like "Obscured by Clouds".

I do have the new album, but can't summon up the enthusiasm to listen to it.

Fuzzdog

impmann said:

But remember dear old Rog is responsible for the Final Cut, almost in its entirety. A record so bad that I actually threw my copy in a bin. Jesus, that is a depressing record...

I do remember - that's one of my favourite Floyd albums, and has some of my favourite Gilmour solos on it.

mart

Another Obscured by Clouds fan here. I always get disappointed when it ends - I just want more of it.

richardhomer

I've listened to it a couple of times. It's somewhat 'noodly', it is quite 'ambient' (redolent of Gilmour's album with The Orb a few years ago), it has pretty much every 'signature' Floyd keyboard sound on it (fat synth leads, Hammond, Fender Rhodes, 'buzzy' synth leads, etc). It has plenty of Gilmour's signature Floyd sounds including the 'Welcome to The Machine twelve string, the 'Have a Cigar' lead tone, etc.

What it seems to lack is melody, structure and dynamics.

I can't say I'm disappointed, as my expectations weren't high - and as I said earlier in the thread - I'd rather we had the chance to hear it than not.

It may be that the structure becomes more apparent with repeated listening - I'm prepared to give it some time....

thomasw88

Yawn thought it was very dull album. Cliched guitar, repetitive music that all sounded very samey. 3/10 and I like pink Floyd.

ToneControl

I'm still really enjoying the new album

reminds me of Meddle, and some of Atom heart mother
tbh, the final track with lyrics seems an intrusion, I now feel PF should have done more instrumental albums in the past