THE FINAL CUT

Although the critical consensus is that The Final Cut falls short of the standards of Pink Floyd's classic albums, I've actually always thought it was a cut above The Wall, which by comparison is an extremely self-centred and self-pitying work. (By comparison, the lyrics here are a bit more outward-looking, empathetic, and compassionate - why, Waters is even able to feel sorry for the abused teacher from The Wall.) Because the themes and lyrics once again pay attention to the world outside of Roger Waters' head, the album does a better job of reclaiming some of the social commentary and vitriol which spiced up Animals.

The lack of Richard Wright and the diminished role of Nick Mason results in an intriguingly sparse sound, and its intriguing soundscapes and carefully constructed arguments about the destruction of liberal Britain result in an album which at least more original and satisfying than the empty hard rock cliches of The Wall. Recommended for fans of movie soundtracks, especially considering the more significant role played by Wall collaborator and regular soundtrack merchant Michael Kamen.

Indeed, I'd tend to regard it more of a Waters/Kamen solo collaboration than a true Pink Floyd album, and would suggest listeners coming to it fresh do the same: it'll help you put away some of the Floydian expectations that the album will simply not deliver on, and it sort of sits nicely in that swathe of dark 1980s ruminations that Kamen scored such as Brazil, Edge of Darkness, and the movie version of The Wall.