A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF REASON

We all know the story; Roger Waters took more and more command over Pink Floyd around the time of The Wall and his complete control culminated on the very disappointing The Final Cut until the rest of the band had enough and they split up. Momentary Lapse Of Reason is the band's comeback album and in my view a return to form. Roger Waters is no longer here and this fact was evidently very liberating for David Gilmour. This album is dominated by David Gilmour's guitars and vocals and he sounds completely rejuvenated in both departments! His vocals are strong and his guitar sound was never as distinctive and powerful as this. Also as a songwriter, Gilmour had matured a lot and he had a hand in all the songs on this album, but he is helped out by several others. Songs like On The Turning Away and Learning To Fly give a strong indication of what was to come on the excellent follow-up album The Division Bell, for which Gilmour's song writing skills would improve further.

A Momentary Lapse Of Reason is not just a comeback album after a longer absence, but a return to form after the disappointing The Wall and The Final Cut albums, and also, in a way, it is a transitional album; it is both backward-looking and forward looking at the same time. It is partly a return to the sound of Animals and Wish You Were Here, where Gilmour and keyboardist Rick Wright had a much larger influence, and partly also the birth of something brand new that would culminate with the excellent Division Bell (and the equally great live album PULSE). The titles of Dogs Of War and New Machine are probably not coincidental. Dogs Of War remind of Dogs from Animals and New Machine remind of Welcome To The Machine from Wish You Were Here.

It is a bit weird that Rick Wright is not listed as a full member of the band, but as a session musician! He finally became a full member of the band again for the Division Bell album and tour.

The title of the album possibly refers to the time when they let Roger Waters take complete control of the band. The period between Animals and The Final Cut was perhaps 'a momentary lapse of reason' on behalf of the other members?

Personally, I find A Momentary Lapse Of Reason better than many older Pink Floyd albums and a very good album in its own right with several good songs and a few excellent ones. The almost folky On The Turning Away being particularly noteworthy - one of Gilmour's finest vocal moments ever!

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