From the Vault...

06/16/2002
#790

info
Pink Floyd
"A Momentary Lapse Of Reason"


© Columbia Records

Year of Release: 1987
Rating:

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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    Previous Review: #789
    Talking Heads--Remain In Light
    Next Review: #791
    Rolling Stones--Dirty Work
    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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    Previous Review: #789
    Talking Heads--Remain In Light
    Next Review: #791
    Rolling Stones--Dirty Work