THE FINAL CUT

The Final Cut is a very poor album when you call it a Pink Floyd album. But when you call it a Roger Waters solo album, it's actually a very strong album. Maybe even more so that The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking.

It opens with The Post War Dream, a very angry song where Waters expresses his anger towards Margaret Thatcher. Me being a proud Irishman, I have to say that I'm not so fond of the former British Primeminister myself. I love this song, and I loved when they played it on University Challenge. The second song, Your Possible Pasts, is all right too. Not the strongest song on the album but I don't find myself skipping it. One of the Few and The Hero's Return are both all right. But like Your Possible Pasts, they offer nothing special. The Gunner's Dream, however, is one of the best songs of the album. It fills me with sadness whenever I hear it. One of my favourite Pink Floyd sax solos. It literally brings tears to my eyes. Paranoid Eyes is also one of the stronger tracks on the album. I've always had a fondness for it. Get your Filthy Hands off my Desert is not musically a strong track, but it has a good meaning and it gets to the point quickly. But then, The Fletcher Memorial Home. One of the darkest songs ever recorded. So much so, that it makes Van der Graaf Generator's Pawn Hearts album sound like a Christmas Carol. Waters sings about a retirement home for all of the worlds political leaders. In the song he mentions Ronald Raegan and Margaret Thatcher amongst others. And in the very last line, he takes them to the gas chambers and kills them. Just like Hitler did. Dark stuff indeed. I also love the brilliant guitar solo from David Gilmour. Southampton Dock is not one of the stronger tracks. It's all right but, again, it's nothing special. The Final Cut, like The Gunner's Dream, sends me to tears and has me appreciating everything I have. I sad, sad song with an emotional guitar solo from Gilmour. One of my favourites from the album. The second last sone, Not Now John, was once one of my least favourite songs from my favourite band. But I have grown to love it. I suppose, after a half-an-hour of Roger rambling on, it's great to hear David's voice. And the album ends with Two Suns in the Sunset, which I really enjoy.

Overall, the album isn't a great work to rival Dark Side of the Moon or The Wall. But it is an album of many emotions, and I do really enjoy it. So, four stars out of five from me.