Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason

Released in 1983

Pink Floyd had a long and fruitful career, but by the time the 1983's The Final Cut was released the band found itself falling apart at the seams. Rick Wright, their previous keyboardist, was no longer a member of the group and leader Roger Waters took firm control over the album's direction and song creation, making it a group effort in name only. In reality, The Final Cut was a Waters' solo album.

It is nearly impossible to get Pink Floyd fans to agree on which albums were representative of the band's best and worst, which is understandable when you're dealing with an artistic and often spacey rock band such as this one. In addition while the band had some impressive selling albums, they managed to do so without really catering to mainstream radio audiences or trends. The closest they came to infusing pop into their eclectic rock mix was in their previous album, The Wall, so it's no coincidence that that album was so well received by older fans and radio audiences alike.

The Final Cut contains none of the experimentation, mainstream appeal or life of its predecessor. The majority of the tracks are piano-driven ballads occasionally complimented by Dave Gilmour's proficient guitars and/or electronic sounds (though not the same type associated with 70's Floyd). While some of the tracks such as the haunting and well-written Gunner's Dream show some hints of what the band once was, for the most part the songs don't possess any real sense of identity. Each flows into the other, but in a way that approaches drudgery rather than perfection.

I generally do not mind when a musician draws forth lyrics from their past experiences and/or beliefs, but I do object when they relegate band members to being side musicians rather than partners by fashioning an album that is purely personal in nature. Roger Waters was guilty of this pretentious behavior, focusing most of the album on his personal experiences, criticisms of war, etc. Such material should be relegated to a solo album, not done at the expense of other band members on their album.

The album is dark, angry and self-serving rather than creative and inclusive, so as such my final impression was very negative. Some Pink Floyd fans do enjoy this album, and due to the artsy nature of the band this is perfectly fine. Suffice it to say, it just wasn't my cup of tea, and it was a horrible start for the new decade.

Rating : 3 stars

Track List The Post War Dream Your Possible Pasts One of the Few The Hero's Return The Gunners Dream Paranoid Eyes Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert The Fletcher Memorial Home Southampton Dock The Final Cut Not Now John Two Suns in the Sunset

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• A Momentary Lapse of Reason Review

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