Is This The Life We Really Want?
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=111245
Printed Date: April 28 2024 at 16:41
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Topic: Is This The Life We Really Want?
Posted By: SteveG
Subject: Is This The Life We Really Want?
Date Posted: June 03 2017 at 11:29
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Keeping in mind that Roger Waters is a true rock dinosaur, who was involved with the very first Floyd album Piper At The Gates of Dawn, how do you view his latest and long delayed solo album?
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Replies:
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: June 03 2017 at 11:36
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Go to the Steve Hoffman forums and this similar thread was started in February and is now 80 pages long, 1,986 replies and over 100K views. And not a single captcha! -------------   
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 03 2017 at 11:54
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Yes, many prog and rock forums have a thread on this album that gos on for days, but its PA members that I want to hear from. You dig? ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: June 03 2017 at 15:32
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I dig........but PA members are tired of 'da captcha'...... 1) Read Post 2) Think about reply 3) Write thoughtful reply 4) Re-read reply, correct, edit, add info, delete info.. 5) Admire your post 6) Hit "Post Reply" 7) Phucked by da captcha!!  8) Repeat 1-5 9) DO NOT REPEAT STEP 6 YET!!! 9) Copy 2nd reply to word or some other document, or open a 2nd PA window. 10) Paste 2nd Post 11) Repeat Step 6 12) Complete captcha process a 2nd time, cross fingers...... 13) Did it Post?? 14) If not, once u are done with yelling every curse word known to man...... 15) Repeat 8-12...... -------------
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: June 03 2017 at 15:32
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^ BTW...had to post above 2x....bye!! -------------
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Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: June 03 2017 at 15:34
I'll know when I get it on Wednesday. Unless I get my money sanctioned.  Rolling Stone magazine gave it four stars, Mirror tabloid gave it three stars. I liked the three songs on YouTube. But there's a fourth track, but those are live and I'd prefer to hear how it sounds on the record. There is a Poll to be made between this, Rattle That Lock and The Endless River. Might wait a while to give more people a chance to hear it. |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 03 2017 at 15:50
I'm on about my fourth listen by now, Steve...and I seem to jump between `This is astonishing' and `I'm sick to death of this already' from track to track!  It's a reliable effort....Water's sounds great, he's obviously spent a lot of time writing lyrics about political themes that are of great interest to him, and there's a constantly lovely production. Moments like the middle of `Bird in a Gale' are exceptional (and unsurprisingly remind quite a lot of Radiohead, which is no doubt due to their producer Nigel Godrich working on this). But there's probably just a bit too much Waters singing over piano and big orchestration, often strumming variations on the `Pigs on the Wing/Mother' chords that almost sound identical. Also much of the album has very much a `Paint-by-Floyd' approach - ie this bit sounds ALMOST like `Have a Cigar', `Sheep' etc, which seems very lazy and uninspired. It seems a VERY long 55 minutes too. It's a fine album, no doubt, but I don't think it's going to have the longevity of his previous solo albums, once everyone gets over the `Roger Waters has a new album out' excitement we're all currently wrapped up in. It doesn't really do much that he hasn't offered in the past, especially from `The Final Cut' onwards...and it's frequently very much like `TFC'. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: June 03 2017 at 19:05
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Yeah, but does he play bass ?? Like I said - I prefer Roger the bassist/composer, NOT Roger the singer/songwriter with acoustic guitar in hand...... |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 03 2017 at 19:16
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Roger is credited to bass, but there's also another bass player - Gus Seyffert - listed on the credits. So I'm assuming Gus played the majority of it...Many parts are very much `Rog and his trusty acoustic guitar' kind of thing, and almost all the acoustic guitar stuff sounds exactly like `Pigs on the Wing' and `Mother'....so much so that you'll likely be able to start singing lines from those tracks and they'll fit right in. From what I recall, the bass is hardly prominent except for one or two pieces, or not enough to take too much notice of. It's barely a `prog' album by any stretch of the imagination except for a couple of tracks. Bass is about as prominent as it was on `The Final Cut', so therefore not really at all. |
Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: June 04 2017 at 12:17
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Uploaded on YouTube and after one listen I enjoyed it. I am not replaying it as I would other albums, but rather wanting to listen to it on a CD at louder volume and on better speakers than my Tablet. I love how he sings as if he is lying in bed beside you on the last song. Stronger album thanks other solo work. And I think Pink Floyd would have objected to some of the lyrics if it was put to them in the 70's or 80's. A lot more albums than Rock than this. Also a lot more will PROG than this, but this is the best Roger Waters Music. Can be called Pink Floyd Music, but it sounds as one person vision as The Final Cut instead of Wish You Were Here. I recommend this. Whatever value my opinion is! |
Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: June 04 2017 at 13:05
I prefer wines to Waters 
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Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: June 04 2017 at 16:39
How has this been much delayed...  First time we heard of Waters' new album was around Gilmour Rattle That Lock album release (Sept 2015, I believe). Waters said his album was half-written and it would be ready in 18 months... It's barely two or three months overdue, and he's been touring a lot in the meantime.
Well, it's certainly a typical Waters album, and so far I'm enjoying it as much as I enjoyed ATDon the first few spins. And yes, it's nothing new under the sun, but this album's sonics are expanded and I agree with your general analysis, but I doubt this will have a lesser historical impact than KAOS or Rattle That Lock - whose impact is forgotten already, if it wasn't for the RW/DG rivalry to remind us it 's still recent. |
SteveG wrote:Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 04 2017 at 18:54
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On my eighth listen by now....The run in the middle especially of `Is This The Life We Really Want?' that leads right into `Bird in a Gale' is exceptional. That title track has so much f**king danger to it, the intense orchestration and a perfect vocal delivery from Roger. `Broken Bones' is a very nice ballad too. But its so frustrating that `Smell the Roses' rips off both `Have a Cigar' and `Another Brick in the Wall' so obviously, `Picture That' is `Sheep': part 2, and all of the acoustic guitar spots sound pretty much identical to `Mother/Pigs on the Wing'...All very lazy musically, even if Rog sounds great on them and the playing itself is great. I kind of worry that people are so praising of it because musically some of it is so easy...just falls back on almost remaking earlier Pink Floyd songs, so it's a great comfort to hear some parts of it for the first time and pretty much already know it. I'm just kind of disappointed that both Rog and Nigel Godrich did that, though. Didn't Rog once accuse Floyd's `A Momentary Lapse of Reason' album of being "A fair forgery" of the Pink Floyd sound? On this album he's a far worse offender! The album also kind of peters out by the final few tracks, where it falls back on those same acoustic strums and more reprises of the Water/piano/orchestration spots. But, man, when its good.... 
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: June 04 2017 at 20:45
The first time I read about Waters preparing a new studio album was when he was on his "In the Flesh" tour. He even played a pair of songs that would suposedly appear on that album. "Each Small Candle" (which appears on the album from that tour, and which I really love), and Flickering Flame (which appears in a studio version on he compilation album... I think with the same name, and which I find somewhat more boring than the other one). And I think he had worked on some other new songs along the years (there was "Leaving Beirut too, which he played when he toured the whole Dark Side of the Moon album). I hoped / expected these songs to end up on his new album, whenever he did end up releasing it. I also remember something about the concepts he had thought for his new album. One was about a taxi driver and the stories he heard when transporting people, and the other was a double album, with one disc having love songs and the other some other theme (war perhaps? He always want to write about war). |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 00:52
mmmhhh!!!.. I read you well about Flame and Candle, but it never dawned on me that they were supposed to be part of an album - outside fan speculations, I don't remember Waters announcing an album (but Al Zheimer could strike me about that ). I mean those two track titles are obviously "concept-album" inducing fantasies.As for the Beirut track, I have no recollection of it and I vaguely remember the taxi-driver project. ========== The way I'm spinning this album, it's probably ending up on mly top 10 of the year.  |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 04:14
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 04:18
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 04:27
This may be "artistically cheating", but I'm really enjoying the heavy keys and string arrangements and the throwback, on occasions, to the rhythm section from Animals. I'm not being to critical or analytical about it, for the moment, but just enjoying the album for what it is. Multiple times.  ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 04:44
That would probably be what this month long thread has been covering over 8 pages now (for what's it's worth, nothing has changed about it): http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=111123" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=111123 |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 05:12
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^I'm aware of the thread but if the right person isn't reading it, I don't think it does much good. But as a PA colab, you would know better than I. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 05:19
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Sadly, Steve, we're just in the dark as much as everyone! (which is probably the reason for something of an exodus amongst some of the members of the site, unfortunately) Hey, off topic, but I always wanted to know if that is your dog in your photo! My folks have had a few dachshunds over the last thirty years or so, so I always smile when I see your avatar! 
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 07:39
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Yes, he was. Unfortunately, he's gone off to the great dog pound in the sky. He was extremely inquisitive, as you can see, and could always make people laugh without even trying.
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Posted By: Pekka
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 09:42
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I think Amused to Death is a masterpiece and the best Floyd related album since Animals, after one listen this new one feels like it might be a worthy successor to that one. Some surprisingly overt nods to the Floyd Sound, but it didn't bother me one bit, just warmed my heart to hear new music made in that style. ------------- http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=42652" rel="nofollow - It's on PA! 
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Posted By: Cosmiclawnmower
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 09:54
Sorry to hear about your dog; as a lifelong doggy person i know how that feels.. But everytime i see that picture it reminds me of one of the photos of Peter Gabriel around the time of Foxtrot in one of those box/ mask/ head gear arrangements he used to wear.. its also something in your dog's expression as well! Better make a comment about the topic... havent heard it yet; not sure if i want to.. something about RW's solo lps leaves me cold and i'm sure i mentioned to a friend about 10 years ago that he should get Nigel Goodrich into do the production as it worked so well with radiohead.. but i was being a bit tongue in cheek so.. ------------- |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 13:23
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I listened to several tracks on you tube and I was not impressed but then I have never been a fan of his solo albums.....much rather listen to the old Floyd things. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: deandob
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 14:38
| +1, nothing too interesting here. Prefer the older Floyd, although Amused to Death is also very good (much better than this one). |
Posted By: Pastmaster
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 14:48
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Oh, this is about an album. At first I thought this was another one of PA's famous philosophical trolling threads.
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Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 18:23
Very sorry to hear that, mate, I bet he meant the world to you. My folks have had three of them in their lifetime, and they've always been the most amusing, energetic, friendly and (using your perfect description) inquisitive pets imaginable. They've been trying to convince me to get one as well since I split with my long-term partner a while back, but I work shift-work (ie lots of late nights), so I don't think it would be fair to leave one alone until late at night at my place. Maybe in the future. Cheers, Steve, hope it wasn't inappropriate to ask about it
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 20:40
I don't think he ever announced the album officially (neither of the 2 I have some sort of memory about), but at least he did talk about them on interviews or whatever. As for the new album itself, I just gave it a listen on Youtube and really wasn't much impressed. I guess I'll buy it this weekend, though, and hopefully with more listens I'll warm up to some songs. Some bits got my attention, and they may grow on me later on, but most of them are perhaps the ones that sound like he's rehashing old Floyd stuff... and for that matter, those bits actually sound weaker if compared to the true Floyd stuff. Mostly, the songs just sounded tired and unisnpired... but then again, lot's of Floyd stuff sounded that way to me before it clicked with me and became some of my favourite music. |
Posted By: dickmusic
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 22:05
| The production (especially the drums) reminds me of Black Star. It's like Amused to Death part 2 but more personal. I love the album and it's nice to hear that Roger hasn't changed. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: June 05 2017 at 23:08
| I listened to this on the toob. Apart from a really cool, synth passage abut 14 minutes in, was just another, tedious rant with acoustic guitars and pompous orchestral arrangements. Sorry, but not parting with my cash for this one. |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: June 06 2017 at 03:11
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What irks me a bit is the very average artwork (but we knew that was
happening ever since the release promotion began) , but the booklet is
ugly and the lyrics difficult to read for my eyes. At least he didn't go the digipak way, though. I mean, if youy're going to go carboard, don't put any plastic at all (outside the disc itself, of couse) |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 06 2017 at 03:19
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I LOOOOOOOOATTTHHHEEE (say that in over dramatic fashion for best effect!) those digi-sleeve things even more, Sean! . They feel so insubstantial to me, at least the plastic digi-pack thing holds just a bit more weight to it. Sadly, as environmentally unfriendly as it may be, full plastic case all the way for me is my preference! As for the artwork, I think I looked at it and the CD booklet once, ripped the CD to burn and play as a copy without damaging the original and then banished it to my shelf - likely never to be looked at again! |
Posted By: Thatfabulousalien
Date Posted: June 06 2017 at 03:23
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I actually don't think I'll listen to this album at all (despite how important Amused To Death is to me) ------------- Classical music isn't dead, it's more alive than it's ever been. It's just not on MTV. https://www.soundcloud.com/user-322914325 |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: June 06 2017 at 03:43
Actually I even prefer the jewel case  to the digipak ... It's filled with plastic, but it's replaceable if something breaks, whereas you're screwed with the digipak ...I would've appreciated the digibook format (as Gilmour seems to be a fan of), though
Yup, insignificant artwork, but then again if it gets worn or scratched, I won't cringe |
Posted By: Meltdowner
Date Posted: June 06 2017 at 03:45
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 06 2017 at 04:24
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 06 2017 at 04:32
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Still digging the album 4th day in a row, but the ending is starting to drag now. No masterpiece but calling Trump a leader "with no f**king brains" is always worth listening to. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 01:31
Oh yeah, man, those lavish weighty digibooks of the last two Gilmour albums! How spoiled have we been with that blobby thing in the middle that the CD slots into?! 
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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 04:03
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I love Waters as a competent bassist. I do hold him in high esteem. This new album. - well, I loathe Dylan (love SPIROGYRA though - Barb always gets me....) Apart from the Floydian synth section around the 13th / 14th minute mark (which whips most recent Gilmour) - well, Roger just rants too much. I'm not into politics - and this theme seems like a very common-place theme to reach the public. Damn you Rog, I thought you loved playing bass............ |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 04:19
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Feel the same Tom. I've heard the album a couple of times now and I find it extremely irritating. The man simply won't shut up for more than a few seconds at a time. The Floydian section of Smell The Roses is a lone dove. The rest is The Final Cut take 4 nahh strike that 5? I'm not sure but he is obviously stuck in the same groove and has been there ever since completing The Wall. It's not that I expected a complete musical u-turn from a 73 year old man yet I am still massively disappointed. Maybe it is because the surrounding musicians beg for the spotlight - the music screams for it at times - yet it is, yet again, the grumpy old man vocals that remain the focal point of the album. I'm sure there are a lot of folks over a certain age who will adore this. As for myself? I'll never reach that level of maturity ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 04:23
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I'm not sure why many refer to Waters' vocals as "Dylan like." Dylan can sing in a winey high pitch while Roger just recites his lyrics. He's basically talking and that's why his "vocals" have not degraded as compared to his contemporaries like Ian Anderson or Gary Brooker. IMO. I've finally viewed the album booklet greatly enlarged so I can actually see it. Very poor coming from a former Hipgnosis artist.
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Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 04:31
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But did anyone expect some kind of psych/super proggy blowout from this album? It's pretty much long established since `The Final Cut' that the lyrics are the prime concern for Roger, and sure enough that's the case on this album. To be honest, I was even stunned to find that he was credited to bass on it! Anyway, occasionally there's some cool instrumental passage that's crafted around his voice and words, although he likely didn't have much of a hand on that side of things (hello, Nigel Godrich!) Equally praising and damning review on the way, though, if I can pull it together successfully! I don't like my chances though.
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Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 04:42
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I guess you're right Michael, but I must admit that I did expect something "new" or at the very least "fresh" from the album considering Godrich's involvement. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 04:42
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No, I did not expect it or Godrich as the producer and song arranger. Waters always needed a musical partner, if you will, to put his songs across and I believe that Godrich is the man. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 04:46
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There definitely is an `Imagine if...' element to it, especially if Godrich was given total free range. You can hear it pop up here and there, but it's definitely truncated by Rog's precious words! I suppose those who are politically minded will find much more of interest in the album, ie those willing to really dig away at the lyrics and decipher what they're all referring to. Sadly, I don't follow politics one little bit, and I even just got a fine for apparently missing some local region voting just around the corner from me!
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Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 04:55
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Agreed. Peeps into politics will most likely find something to chew on in the lyrics...and they will probably also enjoy the album more...from a lyrical standpoint. But to me it genuinely sounds like he is saying the exact same things now as he did on The Final Cut or even Amused To Death. New dressing but the same salad. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 04:56
| The bottom line is - you can hear he is more than capable of composing 'music' - music that means a lot to a large percentage of his listeners, however, he chooses to rave and drool about the current worldly situation. That's all well and good, but to the extreme that he does - bah. Just play awesome music, not commentary please, Rog. |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 15:19
A bit strange ... what made him famous were his wording and his stories that ended up in song form ... and we bought them all. Doesn't make sense! This is not the PF era of experimentation and "sound textures" any more, and while Roger went through that, he will be the first to admit that it just is not something he was too happy with, and he (sometimes) still says a lot of that early stuff was rubbish. ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 20:52
Roger's vocals have not degraded? They are just a pale shadow of what they used to be. There's no way he could try to sing Shine On you Crazy Diamond as he did in the album, nor sing and scream and do the angst thing as he did on The Wall and The Final Cut. His voice was already compromised by the time of the Live in Berlin concert. |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: June 07 2017 at 22:22
Its everything I expected.  I am mostly in his corner politically, but the delivery is just not stimulating. I feel the same about it musically as I did "Blackstar". Hopefully nobody else does.
------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow">  https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: June 08 2017 at 02:38
I have the album! Going to listen to it, but I've read elsewhere (Unless it's a hoax!) that there is a problem with the album as it distorts when played loud!  Roger is meant to be furious about this. So if true that would appear in reviews right? 
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Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 08 2017 at 02:48
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Hmmm, I've listened to `...Life' closely about fifteen times at this point, and I can't say I've really noticed any distortion. Anyone else care to jump in? By comparison (and unrelated), I was listing to Griot's `Gerard' album a few minutes ago, and the first track on that pretty much crumbles apart in the speakers!
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Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: June 08 2017 at 03:05
I feel the same way after one listen. The new album doesn't disappoint me. ------------- 
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Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: June 08 2017 at 03:41
Well, often it's not the size of the text in the bookle , but the police itself ... in this case, it's OK on both (well the credits on the last page is my visual comfort limit) , but it's that awful red highlighting that makes it difficult to read it... or else they should've widened the underlining itself so that the text is really encapsulated in the red... here, you've got white letters touching the white background and the red high-lighting serves no purpose
Never heard the Dylan comparison.... But in the last few years, I have seen some Leonard Cohen concerts , and TBH, I made a link with Roger Waters' vocal delivery
yup, maybe the poorest of all Floyd alumni |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 08 2017 at 04:07
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 08 2017 at 04:16
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 08 2017 at 04:18
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Captchas are running on double time today. I'm out of here for now.
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Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: June 08 2017 at 06:37
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Had a morning of playing it over. The sound is weird as it sounds like it would be as expansive as Wish You Were Here, but there's this muffled sound. And then Roger's voice comes in crystal clear.. I love the title track and Bird In A Gale. Wait For Her is the only poetry interpretation since Golden Hair on his friend's album. Having a break from listening, but I can say although it's his best solo album, but no idea how this will stand when compared to other albums considered best. I'm more satisfied with this than the last three albums Roger made with Pink Floyd. I recommend a listen but it isn't even Autumn! |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 08 2017 at 06:46
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: June 08 2017 at 21:33
Oh yeah, he certainly can sing it. And he does... but it just doesn't sound nearly as great as on the original one, even with the backing singers. And about Have a Cigar, once I read that one of the main reasons they got Roy Harper to sing on that one was because Roger had just recorded Shine On, and he strained his voice because of the high notes and couldn't do that one right. On the other hand, Waters may not have been the best singer around, but he certainly was unique, and I do enjoy a lot of what he did singing. He could put great emotion into his parts, on his own way, and go soft and scream and show angst and all (true, he's no Peter Hamill, but he didn't need to be either). And through time he has just been loosing that edge... he can't do the soft parts sound as soft anymore, nor the screaming angst parts can have the same emotional impact anymore. By the time of Amused to Death, the comforts of the studio seem to have helped deliver better, but now not even that really helps him. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 09 2017 at 04:23
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I don't want to come off as negative about Waters' singing. He is the dark voice, sardonic and theatrical voice of Pink Floyd and was always an integral part of many, many Floyd songs. Gilmour singing Mother, for example, would simply not have had the same gravitas. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: June 09 2017 at 17:36
I do love Waters singing in Pink Floyd. I believe each song (or part of a song) was sung by whom fitted it best, and though I do think Gilmour was (and still is) a better singer, Waters was more emotional and unique. And even now, when Waters or Gilmour tour solo (or when Floyd toured without Waters), the vocals sung by someone else just don't sound right, either Gilmour or Waters take the parts of the other, or someone else sings them altogether. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 10 2017 at 04:18
^Agreed, 100%.  ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Watchmaker
Date Posted: June 10 2017 at 12:21
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Musically bland, lyrically a treasure. But who has time for these things nowadays, anyway. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 12 2017 at 04:16
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I believe this is one of those "love it or hate it albums", which is not surprising to me. There is a Roger camp and a David camp and perhaps that's why.
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Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 12 2017 at 04:38
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Can't we have both?! I don't know, Steve...when you're younger it's so much `cooler' to like Waters over Gilmour, etc (same too goes for Lennon over McCartney)...because they're the `edgier' ones with more weight to their material. Easy to get caught up in the `Waters IS Floyd and that's it' nonsense. But when you add up all the nasty comments, feuds, dismissal of the others work, the heavy-handed lyrics. etc...I just find myself more drawn over to the `lighter' ones. Personally these days I'd take a warm Gilmour solo, that mellow voice and more melodic approach over Water's self-indulgent, histrionic, tiresome ego. (mind you, that's still coming from someone who digs the new album, `The Final Cut', etc etc!). Hmmm, I'm trying to make a point but essentially falling flat!
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Posted By: Meltdowner
Date Posted: June 12 2017 at 05:21
| I don't think I'm in any camp, but when an artist gives much more thought to the lyrical content than the music itself, it's generally not for me. If I don't find it instrumentally interesting, I don't even care about lyrics. |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 12 2017 at 05:24
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Must be why you dig Peter Hammill/Van der Graaf Generator and `The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway' so much, eh Sam?
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Posted By: Meltdowner
Date Posted: June 12 2017 at 05:49
Eh, the last time I heard The Lamb, I lowered the volume and read actual literature 
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Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: June 12 2017 at 06:29
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Michael, in another thread D vs R round 6, you say that Godricj built around Waters' acoustic guitar strumming, but how do you figure this sounds more like a Floyd album, rather than a Radiohead album... Yup, this sounds Floydish, but then again which Waters album doesn't?? There are two or three places where Godrich's production is flawed IMHO: The first is the alarm... it's good to have one there, but it's too loud and ends the song abruptly (this is good, but we wanted more of that song. Then there is an annoying KB drone in one of the middle song, which overstays its welcome The second alarm is not nearly as well placed I also find a sudden change of subject halfway through the album.... Somehow, Rog seems more concerned with the place of women in society and how they are getting abused. Before that point, he was more concerned with the planet
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Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 12 2017 at 06:44
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It's not that the album `sounds Floydian' from an atmospheric/conceptual point of view, but littered throughout the album are so many lazy moments that are almost straight remakes of earlier tracks. Pretty much all the acoustic guitar passages sound like variations on the same `Pigs on the Wing'/'Mother' chords (I mean, just start singing the lyrics of those songs and they pretty much slot right in...I know when I first got the album I started accidently singing the words of `Mother' and they fit in perfectly before I even knew what I'd done!). `Smell the Roses' comes very close to `Have a Cigar', ditto `Picture That' to `Sheep'. It sounds like Godrich might be a die-hard Floyd fan, but instead of crafting music in the style of Floyd, he kind of settled for `songs that sound very much like past Floyd songs but with just the most minute of detail changes to stop it being complete forgery' in several parts of the album. Hmmm, you might be right about the subject change...oddly the album only 55 minutes, when wasn't `Amused to Death' somewhere close to the full 80 CD limit? That crammed in a hell of a lot of subjects, so I was very surprised this one didn't run as long. |
Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: June 12 2017 at 07:12
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"Wait For Her" was written by the Palestinian Poet Mahmoud Darwish. For me it's the only other poetry interpretation since Syd's "Golden Hair". Plus I think the reason the album was shorter than Amused To Death was Nigel asked Roger how long DSOTM was. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 12 2017 at 07:58
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: June 12 2017 at 10:59
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I borrowed the CD from a friend, pretty much agree here with those that are in the mehhh camp. I'm not a big Waters fan, but that's prolly cause I am a big Gilmour fan. There are some moments, musically, but IMO nothing like Rattle That Lock. Which has a more fluid pattern and how can you ignore Gilmour's playing and singing...Huge props to Polly Samson!! I gave the CD back and have zero intentions of buying it. -------------
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: June 12 2017 at 21:31
Good to hear someone who liked Rattle that Lock. I really liked that album very much... my favourite from Gilmour... the most consistent one. This Waters one, I just got it, and I'm sure I'll enjoy it, but it has no Gilmour guitar solos, nor are the vocals as good. In general, I think the music is better with the Gilmour one, even if it's nothing new. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 13 2017 at 04:23
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A new Roger Waters album discussion thread with no word yet from Lazland? If Laz doesn't surface in three days, let's send out a search party and hope for the best!! ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: June 13 2017 at 06:50
he's been identified as and a robot and annihilated by Craptcha
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: June 13 2017 at 11:15
He sent me an email......He has been trying to post but is on his 419th attempt to get thru captcha. Persistent little bugger.... :) -------------
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 17 2017 at 11:06
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Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: June 17 2017 at 16:48
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Good Roger review from you on the front page the other day, Steve!
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Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: June 17 2017 at 17:02
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A 4.29 first listen. Excellent! ------------- |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 19 2017 at 04:25
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^Thanks Aussie Byrd Bro. On quick reflection Barbu, I changed my rating from 3.5 stars to a solid 4 stars. I must have been having a senior moment at the time. Or partying too much. Or just digging the album. All three probably, while really enjoying myself!
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Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: June 22 2017 at 19:06
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^ A slightly more sober 3.83 7th or 8th listen last night. I think this one will oscillate between 3.75 and 4.25 for me. It's a damn fine record for sure and worth many spins. ------------- |
Posted By: MortSahlFan
Date Posted: March 01 2018 at 16:57
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Of course the lyrics are great, but the mixing is awful.. So compressed, and not a single guitar solo.. I like the title-track, Picture That, and Smell the Roses.. I guess it's better than nothing, but it's not comparable to Pink Floyd, and neither is Gilmour's stuff.. I think they were the most complementary duo in rock, although Waters did write most of the music, and sang half the songs, but Gilmour made everything better. |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: March 01 2018 at 23:07
| To me this is the best Rog solo. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: March 02 2018 at 02:10
To me the song writing credits in PF are strange to say the least. There are a lot of songs credited to Waters but then you hear Wright and Gilmour doing a lot of things in those songs. I mean how is Welcome to the Machine a Waters song when the greatest thing about that song is Wright's keyboards. And many other songs...
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Posted By: MortSahlFan
Date Posted: March 02 2018 at 02:58
Roger usually gave the best songs for Gilmour to sing. There's a "Making of Wish You Were Here" and I believe Roger did most of the synth stuff, sound affects.. I'm guessing that beautiful 20 second finale might be Rick's pleading synth/keyboard. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: March 02 2018 at 03:03
sound effects yes, but Rick did the synths/keys. Roger was a total a*hole to Rick. Rick ended up a hired musician status in the band after '77.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: March 02 2018 at 03:05
| Roger is good at creating a concept but he always had to surround himself by great musicians to pull his ideas off. He had Clapton on Pros and Cons and Jeff Beck on Amused... |
Posted By: MortSahlFan
Date Posted: March 02 2018 at 04:32
They added guitar solos - that had nothing to do with his songs.. They were done (you can hear some demos during the PF days), and they added on top of what was done. Each guy only had one decent solo, anyway (title track, and What God Wants).. I wonder how "Pros and Cons" would have heard had the other 3 in PF chose that instead of "The Wall". |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: March 02 2018 at 04:45
Nothing to do with songs? Their presence made the songs better, solos add a lot to songs if you ask me. I wonder what The Wall might have sounded if it were a collective effort. The Wall might have been Roger's work, but Gilmour, Ezrin and Kamen added a lot to the final product.
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Posted By: MortSahlFan
Date Posted: March 02 2018 at 05:01
Just sounded like you inferred he depended on those guys. Jeff Beck said he always wanted to work with him, especially after hearing he drove to the Middle East in a car with hardly any cash, and said he wouldn't leave his yard if he didn't have at least 10 quid on him... I love guitar solos, but I think if he would have used Dave Kilminster, he still would have good something great - Roger has a good ear.. The producer doesn't like guitar solos, and Roger said this was the first time he let someone else really produce, but most think it's mixed real poorly, with some sanitized Radiohead-esque sound affects - that's not what Pink Floyd was about. Roger's songs were mostly cowboy chord songs with a little bit of polish. I expected more considering it had been a few decades since his last one. Even as recently as a few years ago, Roger said that Gilmour was great, and mentioned how the three co-produced it. I know he only has 3 credits, but as I've mentioned before - David will take ANY song and make it better. He plays a cool solo on Supertramp's "Brother Where You Bound" (Helliwell later played some sax on a later album). Have you heard any of The Wall demos? The longer, but slower and funkier version of "Young Lust" is really cool. Also nice to hear all the variations of "Another Brick" - including the tribal tom-tom drumming on one version, and added lyrics/melody. |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: March 03 2018 at 00:16
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Posted By: MortSahlFan
Date Posted: March 03 2018 at 05:54
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I think you and others might enjoy this.. It's really cool! Reminds me of the show "Classic Albums" in a way. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: March 03 2018 at 05:59
| ^ I've seen that :) |
Posted By: MortSahlFan
Date Posted: March 03 2018 at 06:01
Why did they remove that cool bass line in "Welcome to the Machine"? -- sounded so groovy! |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: March 03 2018 at 06:06
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^ why do artists do a lot of things, I have no idea. For instance, I listened to some demos/early version of sorts of songs from Marillion's Afraid of Sunlight, and these days I enjoy them more than what's on the album (LOL). |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: March 03 2018 at 06:43
agreed completely man.. Look at Gilmour's contribution to Brother Where Are You Bound. Sure as was nothing more than a hired guitar gun.. but man alive did he add something special to it. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |