THE ENDLESS RIVER

Imagine the long instrumental passages of 1975's Wish You Were Here married to the sonic textures of 1994's The Division Ball and you'll have a pretty good idea of what this album sounds like. There's 18 tracks, amusingly divided up into four "sides", but only four exceed the 4-minute mark. Most of the classic Pink Floyd trademarks are here, so much so that this can almost be considered a "career retrospective" album. With a few exceptions ("Talkin Hawkin" being an obvious reprise to "Keep Talking"), there are no overt references to previously recorded material, but long-time listeners will continuously find themselves smiling with recognition upon hearing the band's classic sound.

"It's What We Do" is an absolute must-hear for those (such as myself) who consider Wish You Were Here to be the band's finest album. One could easily imagine it fitting in well amongst the various parts of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", and this track alone justifies The Endless River's release.

All the talk about this being Pink Floyd's "ambient" album is mystifying, when tracks such as "Sum", "Calling", and "Surfacing" are loud and proud of it. "Skins" even has the distinction of giving Nick Mason some soloing space! While there are some quieter moments, this is emphatically not a new-age noodling album. The eerie, ferocious, and menacing textures of the band are fully represented.

Most listeners already know this album is a tribute to the late, great Richard Wright, and his pre-recorded tracks come across very well. Some will consider this "just studio jamming", but it's very good studio jamming and if not previously informed about the recording circumstances, one would not know this is a post-mortem album.

I will admit upon first hearing about The Endless River, I was worried it would be a collection of Division Bell outtakes with a new coat of paint, or simply endless soloing like the aforementioned album's "Marooned". The truth is something entirely different, and the band can now sail off into the sunset without having embarrassed themselves.

So is this an album that will stand the test of time? Will Pink Floyd fans come back to The Endless River year after year with increasing dividends? The references to past glories make it easy for me to recommend the album, but I can't rightfully call it an instant masterpiece. The real mystery of The Endless River is whether the material will make a permanent aural impact and be remembered and savored the way the band's most popular albums are. At the very least, the journey will be enjoyable.

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