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From the Vault...
06/16/2002
#790 |
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info
Pink Floyd
"A Momentary Lapse Of Reason"
© Columbia Records
Year of Release: 1987
Rating:
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track listing
Signs Of Life
Learning To Fly
The Dogs Of War
One Slip
On The Turning Away
Yet Another Movie/ Round And Around
A New Machine Part 1
Terminal Frost
A New Machine Part 2
Sorrow
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Pink Floyd "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason"
1987 was a turning point for Pink Floyd. Roger Waters left the group, and
despite the remaining members of the band wanting to continue, Waters sued the
group for using the Pink Floyd name, and lost. Call it a battle of egos,
Roger Waters was made out as a "My way or no way" kind of guy. Waters did
acoomplish a mediocre solo career, likewise David Gilmour. (Even Richard Wright
and Nick Mason released solo albums, but did not receive as much recoginition
as Waters and Gilmour). Yet Pink Floyd remained together as a trio (Gilmour,
Wright and Mason), and shined with their 1987 release, A Momentary Lapse Of
Reason.
Pink Floyd has always been a fascination experience. Their music is a
musical journey into mystery and wonderment. Take the opening of Wish You
Were Here's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," with its mystery and
sound and sound effects, the opening track on Lapse, the instrumental
Signs Of Life has that mystery, and with this song title, its appropriate
for the Pink Floyd fan to wonder if there would be signs of life after the
Roger Waters era. The answer is, YES...
"Learning To Fly" should be no stranger, as it was heavily played
on Rock Radio. It's definitely Pink Floyd, with the unmistakable sound of
David Gilmour's guitar and vocals, it's another classic song to add to the
list of Pink Floyd favorites.
"The Dogs Of War" can be a continuance of the Waters era, describing
the One world it's a battleground, One world and we will smash it down, One
world ... One world... It's a flashback to The Wall and/or The
Final Cut, with references to war in general, and the possibility of the
"war" between Roger Waters and the remaining members of Pink Floyd.
"One Slip" is a flashback to David Gilmour's solo album,
"About Face" and from it, a song called "Blue Light"; having
the pop sound of the 1980s, and even a slight comparison to the dance/pop of
Duran Duran (!!!).
"On The Turning Away" is a classic. I discovered this tune from the
orchestrated
Music Of Pink Floyd: Orchestral Maneuvers release. And comparing
the original version to Palmer's, they are both highly exceptional.
Once again, "Yet Another Movie/Round And Around" is another journey
into sound. It has a mystery aura about it, and while you listen to it, it's
easily determined that Pink Floyd is the name of the band, that has always been
mysterious at times, yet entertaining at all times.
"A New Machine (Parts 1 and 2)" returns to the mystery; another
great instrumental, "Terminal Frost," has a somewhat new age jazz
sound, and Gilmour's work can also be compared to another great guitarist, Joe
Satriani. The album's closure, "Sorrow" is another mysterious and great
tune, that can also relate to Satriani.
A Momentary Lapse Of Reason is an exceptional release. Where in
most cases, some bands continue on after a prominent member has left. In Pink
Floyd's case, it is easily heard, that the remaining members enjoyed recording
this album, as it places Pink Floyd where it left off after Roger Waters left --
they can still record great albums.
This is the 3rd stage of Pink Floyd's career: Phase One began with Syd Barrett
as the leader of the band. With Barrett's overbearing drug use, he was replaced by
David Gilmour after their first album was released. With Gilmour, Phase Two
was a period of greatness, with albums such as Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish
You Were Here, and The Wall. With Roger Waters departing, Phase Three
emerged, and with the Lapse album as the start of a new era, Pink Floyd
still remains as one of Rock's greatest experimental bands, in sight, sound,
and in the end, entertainment at is best.
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Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Columbia Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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