Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason

This is Dave Gilmour trying to prove to Roger Waters that he didn't need him to make a Pink Floyd album. It went on to make millions, with a long world stadium tour, but that was more down to the Pink Floyd legacy and 'sound' rather than the content of this record. The tracks on here are lumbering dinosaurs, with dollars and dollars of production thrown at them. It's fine if you like the Floyd 'sound', with layers of echoey keyboards, Gilmour's liquid solo guitar and a lazy beat, but there's not much substance behind it.

As a rule, Dave can't write lyrics, and the vocal melodies generally consist of just repetitive single-note chanting. One pleasing exception is "Learning to Fly", whose evocative words of aspiration excuse its lack of musical flair. "One Slip" is a lackluster attempt at 80's driving radio rock, with the pretty production its only redeeming quality. But the depths are plunged on the raucous "Dogs of War", Floyd's most extreme example of noise and bluster triumphing over substance. The expansive tracks on the second side are ear candy for those who are satisfied with Gilmour's guitar solos and washes of keyboard gloss, but the stubborn refusal to include a single decent melody can be infuriating.

I'd firmly recommend Division Bell instead for a better example of Roger-free Floyd.

August 12, 2003

6 out of 10

previous | next