THE DIVISION BELL

For me, this is the first prog album I've heard, but is it really prog? Yes, it is (an excellent addition to any prog rock music collection), it's a strong album which feels very Floydian but also offers enough new sounds for Floyd fans.

Speaking of which, the first is one of the nicest intro tracks Pink Floyd have recorded. It starts out mysteriously with (you could see this coming) sound effects and then flows into a calm river of a musical conversation between Rick and Dave. But we now need some more of the jolly old Gilmour guitar work. Putting in more energy, the concept of the album also is revealed in the second track.

We hear a more sweet sound next, also pretty up-tempo for Pink Floyd standards. Frankly, that would be a good allegory for the 'new direction'. Indeed satisfying the main public's ears more, fewer and less extented intros and interludes; but enough of Gilmour's axe, sophisticated sound(scapes) and just Floydian things.

Speaking of which, only this could be done by the legendary Floyd (yes, also a Floyd without Waters): an intrumental beginning with a short keyboard intro with added suitable sound effects, where the rest of the track is only filled with cool guitar phrases. All kinds of sounds are added, making it quite interesting for every prog fan. Also I think Mason is in good shape on this album, hitting it exactly where needed and in his not-too-complicated-or-difficult-but-fitting- exactly-every-floyd-track style. If this track doesn't move you (emotionally and to a marooned island)... Eerrr, wel... than that's weird. I can't change that though.

And that's exactly the same with the next, anti-war song. The words 'powerful' and 'moving' (not too poetic and difficult, I know) come instantly to mind if I had to describe what I think about it, which I have to do here. To make this review not too positive, I don't really like what Gilmour does at the end here, to be honest. The background is very strong, but the solo above it is much less, also caused by the sound of the guitar.

After this we get a more Wright orientated song, jazzy, which is quite refreshing, if only for the sake of variety. Oh how I like that sudden powerful solo of Rick there, his singing too is more to my liking than Daves voice and manner of singing. Also the combination with sax here feels very justified.

The thing which I find very pleasing about this album is the way it perfectly gives what you want, the songs shouldn't be shuffled in a different order. Namely we now need some energy, and Gilmours voice gives you what you want but maybe did not expect.

The following two tracks are a bit boring in my opinion, I regularly skip these, and so will I do now, leaving it with 'just a bit boring songs'.

I quite like the next one though. It feels like a reprise of Cluster One in the beginning and I quite like the lyrics which come after it too. "Beyond your tunnel vision, eality fades like shadows into the night" for example, I don't care (nor know) who wrote that, but it's beautiful. He even dared to sing the f-word!

To close the best way Pink Floyd probably could - and this says more about how good the song is, rather than how bad Pink Floyd were at the time, because this song is one of their best ever-made. Unfortunately the only one which builds so much tension from beginning to end; this will (yes will, forever) keep you at the edge of your seat, I almost fell. The orchestral additions are unmissable if you've heard this track which probably came right from heaven! In contrast with some Floyd songs (even some classics) it doesn't feel repetitious and is far from boring. Building up to one of the best solos ever recorded, this is... no, don't try to put it in words; enjoy the music for as long as you can.

Although it does not have a lot of flaws and there's not much wrong about this album, the average of the album isn't something you (or maybe I should say I) could listen to endlessly. All in all, it's an album you can enjoy a lot though, it offers enough to listen very close. My final rating therefore is 4 stars out of 5.