A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF REASON

At the moment this album appeared, I was very expectant about it. At first I liked it very much, but with the years it has not the same attractive for me. I think that AMLOR, lacks from diversity and musically is not so strong. It has some good moments, but as a progressive piece has not much to offer. The instrumental side of the album is a bit weak, and in a small doses. The album starts with the instrumental Signs of life, rather good, specially when the keyboards gives some powerful drama to the track, but is too short. After that we get into the most known song of the album, Learning to fly. It's a really good number, addictive, with a solid support on a keyboard/guitar riff, but not a progressive one. Gilmour shines with his voice and some little electric solos. The Dogs of War is an aggressive track over an strong synth bass pattern and with some saxophone parts. One slip is the pop one, but a high quality pop. It`s a good track which brings the title to the album. On the Turning away is a non conventional ballad, but really good. The melody line is fantastic and here we can listen the first Floyd classical guitar solo. The last three tracks (I'not counting the fillers A new machine I and II), approach the album to the progressive rock, but just approach it. Yet another movie is really good track with two strong instrumental parts based on electric guitar. Terminal frost is the other instrumental, is really poor and uninspired. Finally Sorrow is a great composition by Gilmour. A strong track with superb guitar solos supported by keyboards.

It was a rebirth of the band. Wright even was not there, and Gilmour wasn`t much inspired, and he recurred to several external musicians for the songwriting. It was a good effort but not much than this. In our progressive context, is good but not essential. 3 STARS and MAYBE A BIT MORE.

The cover is great.