THE WALL

The Wall is certainly one of the most powerful and influential albums ever recorded. It was the first Pink Floyd album I listened to and ever since I've been hooked on the Floyd's music. However, I'm a bit ambivalent about this album because while this is NOT a Waters' solo album as many have claimed (both producers Gilmour and Bob Ezrin made considerable contributions)in many respects the Wall is not a true Floyd album. Before this album the band played all the instruments themselves with the exception of Dick Parry on sax, but on the Wall a number of session musicians contributed. Furthermore, gone are the long dreamy instrumentals which showcased Wright's soothing keyboard performances and in their stead are 26 rather snappy more traditional rock songs which showcase Waters' lyrical narrative. However, the dramatic change is not entirely bad because Waters' lyrical concept is so gripping and relevant. While I'm not a rock star who feels isolated from my audience, I do conceal my true feelings from the ones I love quite often and I'm sure the feeling detachment is felt by people on a universal level, which is really what the Wall is all about. Furthermore, I can empathize with Waters' sadness at the loss of a parent at a young age. However, I do find the rock star turned dictator bit near the end and Waters' comparison of rock concerts and war farfetched though as Gilmour put it I can get into it as fiction.

Although most of the material for the Wall was written by Waters, Gilmour's contributions are nonetheless significant and moving particularly his dazzling guitar solos. In fact, the three songs Waters co wrote with Gilmour on Comfortably Numb (best song ever), Run Like Hell, and Young Lust along with Hey You and Another Brick are the albums best songs. My biggest criticism of the album is that the lyrics are too often over empathized at the expense of the music, something that usually didn't happen on previous albums, and which is also indicative of Waters' increasing control over the band. However, if Floyd music is to be obscured by lyrics I wouldn't want them penned by anyone but Waters. All in all while not nearly as musically experimental as the group once was, the Wall is a great album and probably Waters' crowing artistic achievement with Pink Floyd which is saying a hell of a lot. So check it out.

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