THE DIVISION BELL

I must admit to mixed emotions regarding Dvision Bell. While the sheer quality of material cannot be denied [well, in most cases anyway!], ultimately the album fails to ignite the flame of desire like some of its predecessors. While tracks like Cluster One, Keep Talking and the very special High Hopes are all of a very high quality, the album as a whole falls flat. For me, the atmosphere is too cosy and laid-back, and I get bored with Gilmour's endless soloing - you get the feeling the songs are there simply as a vehicle for his guitar solos. I adore Gilmour's guitar technique, but here the solos are far too dominant and over-powering. No denying it is a good sounding album, and taken in small doses, the songs are great. But when placed in the overall pantheon of Floyd's heritage, it has to be said the bite and lyrical angst of Roger Waters is sadly missed.