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Offline xasop

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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #60 on: February 21, 2015, 03:41:48 AM »
David Gilmour
David Gilmour Live 1984
Concert film

Recorded: 30 April 1984, Hammersmith Odeon, London
Released: September 1984

Band

David Gilmour (guitars, piano)
Mick Ralphs (guitar)
Gregg Dechart (keyboards)
Raphael Ravenscroft (saxophone, keyboards, percussion)
Mickey Feat (bass)
Chris Slade (drums)
Jody Linscott (percussion)

Roy Harper (guest vocals on "Short and Sweet", percussion on "Comfortably Numb")
Nick Mason (guest drums on "Comfortably Numb")

All tracks authored by David Gilmour, except where noted.

Songs included (in order of appearance)

Until We Sleep
All Lovers are Deranged (Gilmour, Pete Townshend)
There's No Way Out of Here (Ken Baker)
Short and Sweet (Gilmour, Harper)
Run Like Hell (Waters, Gilmour)
Out of the Blue
Blue Light
Murder
Comfortably Numb (Waters, Gilmour)

Review

This film documents David's About Face tour, and most of the material here is taken from his solo albums. Most of these songs are also played as they appear on the albums, which means that most of what I've said about David Gilmour's solo albums thus far applies here too. I'll focus on the bits which are different for this review.

The first point of note is that after There's No Way Out of Here, David invites Roy Harper to join him on stage for the next song. Roy's first words are "is this my walk-on part in the war?"; a reference to his appearance on Wish You Were Here nine years prior, and undoubtedly also a reference to the problems going on between David and Roger. Roy seems to be a much more engaging performer than David, which livens up this version of Short and Sweet moreso than the album version.

Run Like Hell is dragged kicking and screaming into the '80s, with the synth solo being taken on a bright red keytar. From here, the band moves through three more straight renditions of boring songs, with the exception being the end of Blue Light. After the organ solo, the band all drops out except for Chris and Jody, who proceed to swap fours for a while (although Jody doesn't seem to do much except tap her bongos for her parts in the spotlight), and the band then gradually comes back in an instrument at a time. It's not a spectacular performance, but with a film this dull, beggars can't be choosers.

The band leaves the stage after Murder, and when they return for the encore, David says that Nick Mason will be joining them for the next song, and adds "better make it one he knows", to much cheering. Sure enough, the band then launches into a rendition of Comfortably Numb. This arrangement is clearly a precursor to the Delicate Sound of Thunder and Pulse versions, with the doctor's voice being made up of a harmony between Mickey and Gregg. It's entirely unmemorable except for the ending, where David takes one of his better Numb solos as the ending credits go by.

I won't say this film is bad, and it's probably better constructed than the individual albums its songs are taken from, so it would make a good introduction to David's solo work. But really, you're much better off watching Delicate Sound of Thunder if you want a good time.
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #61 on: February 21, 2015, 10:09:23 AM »
Pete Townshend
White City: A Novel
Studio album


Recorded: 1985
Released: 30 November 1985

Band

Pete Townshend (guitar)
Steve Barnacle (bass)
Mark Brzezicki (drums)
John Bundrick (keyboards)

Tony Butler (bass)
Peter Hope-Evans (harmonica)
David Gilmour (guitar)
Chucho Merchan (bass)
Pino Palladino (bass)
Simon Phillips (drums)
Clem Burke (drums)
Phil Chen (bass)

Jackie Challenor (backing vocals)
Mae McKenna (backing vocals)
Lorenza Johnson (backing vocals)
Emma Townshend (backing vocals)
Ewan Stewart (recitation)

Also featuring Kick Horns:
Simon Clarke
Roddy Lorimer
Dave Sanders
Tim Sanders
Peter Thoms

All tracks authored by Pete Townshend, except where noted.

Side A

1. Give Blood (5:44)
2. Brilliant Blues (3:06)
3. Face the Face (5:51)
4. Hiding Out (3:00)
5. Secondhand Love (4:12)

Side B

1. Crashing By Design (3:14)
2. I am Secure (4:00)
3. White City Fighting (Gilmour, Townshend) (4:40)
4. Come to Mama (4:40)

Review

This album reminds me of exactly why I stopped listening to The Who. Townshend's music consists mainly of repeating motifs that aren't particularly good to begin with, and his lyrics typically take the form of repeating phrases which do little to further the concept this album is supposed to have. The only track on side A that didn't leave me bored to tears was Face the Face, which is saved by a decent groove. However, Townshend's abilities are not what I'm here to critique.

The third track on side B, White City Fighting, was originally written for About Face. David asked both Pete Townshend and Roy Harper to provide lyrics, but ended up not using the material, and each of them used the piece themselves instead. I only intend to review this version, though, because it's the only one to feature David on guitar.

Unfortunately, this seems like it was excluded from About Face with good reason. This song makes Love On the Air look like a poetic masterpiece by comparison, and played here by Townshend's band, it sounds flatter and duller than even the worst material on David's album. I might come back and review Roy Harper's version for comparison, once I've had a chance to get the memory of this one out of my mind.

I'm already regretting wasting 38 minutes of my life on this tripe. Save yourself some brain cells and listen to The Division Bell instead.
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #62 on: March 07, 2015, 01:33:19 PM »
When the Wind Blows
Film (directed by Jimmy Murakami)

Released: 24 October 1986

All tracks authored by Roger Waters and performed by The Bleeding Heart Band, except where noted.

The Bleeding Heart Band

Roger Waters (bass, guitar)
Jay Stapley (guitar)
John Gordon (bass)
Matt Irving (keyboards)
Nick Glennie-Smith (keyboards)
John Linwood (programming)
Mel Collins (saxophone)
Freddie Krc (drums)

Clare Torry (backing vocals on "Towers of Faith")
Paul Carrack (keyboards and vocals on "Folded Flags")

Songs included
Taken from the film soundtrack listing. I am uncertain of the precise ordering in the film.

When the Wind Blows (David Bowie, Erdal Kızılçay)
 * Performed by David Bowie.
Facts and Figures (Hugh Cornwell)
 * Performed by Hugh Cornwell.
The Brazilian (Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford)
 * Performed by Genesis.
What Have They Done? (Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook)
 * Performed by Squeeze.
The Shuffle (Paul Hardcastle)
 * Performed by Paul Hardcastle.
The Russian Missile
Towers of Faith
Hilda's Dream
The American Bomber
The Anderson Shelter
The British Submarine
The Attack
The Fall Out
Hilda's Hair
Folded Flags

Review

This is an animated drama that ended up being almost exactly what I expected for something Roger Waters was involved with in the '80s; a predictable and dull story about tragedies of war. Most of the music is incidental music, and the actual songs are typical Roger sob stories that would have been well placed on The Final Cut.

Without the scaffolding of a concept album as his modus operandi, Waters ends up producing nothing but crappy songs. Sadly, the film isn't that great either; it's a story of two incredibly boring people who get radiation sickness following a nuclear holocaust and die. The main redeeming feature of this film is that it seems like a step up after White City. Do not watch.
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Saddam Hussein

Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #63 on: March 07, 2015, 04:24:06 PM »
Sounds kind of like a poor man's Grave of the Fireflies.

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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #64 on: March 08, 2015, 09:14:30 AM »
Syd Barrett
The Peel Session
Studio EP


Recorded: 24 February 1970
Released: 25 January 1987

Band

Syd Barrett (guitar)
David Gilmour (bass, guitar, organ)
Jerry Shirley (percussion)

All tracks authored by Syd Barrett, except where noted.

Track listing

1. Terrapin (3:02)
2. Gigolo Aunt (3:35)
3. Baby Lemonade (2:37)
4. Effervescing Elephant (:57)
5. Two of a Kind (Richard Wright) (2:28)

Review

This is a collection of Syd Barrett recordings from 1970, released many years later, perhaps to fill the void left by Pink Floyd's temporary breakup in the '80s. Whatever the reason, these recordings provide an interesting glimpse into Syd's live sound; much more raw and chaotic than his studio albums, these recordings contain live-in-studio performances for the Top Gear radio show which lack the endless retakes and overdubs required to coalesce Syd's unpredictable '70s performances into coherent albums.

This is of interest mainly for its historical significance; aside from Two of a Kind, a fairly uninteresting tune which has its authorship disputed between Syd and Rick, these recordings are the same songs previously released on Syd's studio albums, just littered with more mistakes. A forgettable indulgence unless you're a hardcore Barrett fan.
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #65 on: April 03, 2015, 03:46:47 PM »
White of the Eye
Film (directed by Donald Cammell)

Released: 20 May 1988 (originally shown at Cannes Film Festival, 9 May 1987)

All tracks authored and performed by Nick Mason and Rick Fenn, except where noted.

Songs included
Taken from the film soundtrack listing. I am uncertain of the precise ordering in the film.

Intro
Jam
Murder Number One
Vesti La Guibba (Ruggero Leoncavallo)
 * Performed by Luciano Pavarotti.
Customized Stereo
In Bed at Day's End
You Sexy Thing (Errol Brown)
 * Performed by Hot Chocolate.
Green Onions (Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn, Al Jackson)
 * Performed by Nick Mason, Rick Fenn and George Fenton.
Slim Jenkin's Joint (Jones, Cropper, Jackson, Lewis Steenberg)
 * Performed by Nick Mason, Rick Fenn and George Fenton.
Do You Still Hunt?
I Call That Hotel Home
The Grand Tour (Moras Wilson, Carmel Taylor, George Richey)
 * Performed by David Keith.
Why Me?
Peanut Butter
A Country Boy Can Survive (Hank Williams Jr.)
 * Performed by Hank Williams Jr.
Murder Number Two
Joanie
Want Some Soup Mom?
I Can't Believe You Done That
Puke
You Can't Kill What's Already Dead
Don't You Fuckin' Move Bitch
Mommy?
Danielle Gets the Key
Car-Chase
Psycho Killer
Malher's 2nd Symphony (Gustav Mahler)
 * Performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Zubin Mehta.
Ten Years Gone

Review

I went into this completely uncertain of what to expect, both musically and cinematographically. On both counts, I was interested but not enthralled; this manages to be a decent film with a decent score, but nothing more than that.

The film is held back by a storyline that jumps back and forward in time, abruptly and sometimes in quick succession, without always being clear when events are occurring. Coupled with the fact that the characters have no clear motives for their actions, this makes them exceptionally difficult to relate to. Cammell seems content to lean on generic thriller tropes, including moderately graphic murder scenes, to keep the viewer interested rather than building meaningful characters and dialogues.

Musically, White of the Eye is slightly stronger, with more of the interesting synth and guitar ditties we heard on Profiles, with varying appropriateness for the film's mood. The real tragedy here is that Mason and Fenn don't seem to have progressed beyond their work on Profiles; as well-constructed as the music is, they seem to be a one-trick band, which is probably why this would be their last collaboration of any significance. Still, the short-lived musical duo managed to maintain my interest in the film even during the story's less captive moments.

I'm not sure whether to recommend this or not. I'm glad I watched it, and it's certainly better than any of the other feature films I've reviewed in this thread (with the exception of Zabriskie Point), but at the same time it fails to present as much more than a generic thriller. It's probably worth a watch if you're into films; otherwise, don't bother.
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #66 on: April 03, 2015, 07:03:10 PM »
Roger Waters
Radio K.A.O.S.
Studio album


Recorded: October - December 1986
Released: 15 June 1987

The Bleeding Heart Band

Roger Waters (guitar, bass, shakuhachi, keyboards)
Andy Fairweather Low (guitar)
Jay Stapley (guitar)
Ian Ritchie (keyboards, saxophone, programming)
Graham Broad (drums, percussion)
Mel Collins (saxophone)
John Phirkell (trumpet)
Peter Thoms (trombone)

Suzanne Rhatigan (backing vocals)
Katie Kissoon (backing vocals)
Doreen Chanter (backing vocals)
Madeline Bell (backing vocals)
Steve Langer (backing vocals)
Vicki Brown (backing vocals)

Nick Glennie-Smith (synth on "The Powers That Be")
Matt Irving (organ on "The Powers That Be")
John Lingwood (drums on "The Powers That Be")
Paul Carrack (vocals on "The Powers That Be")

Clare Torry (vocals on "Home" and "Four Minutes")

Also featuring the Pontardoulais Male Voice Choir, led by Noel Davis and arranged by Eric Jones.

Characters
Jim Ladd as Jim the radio host
BBC Master computer as Billy
Margaret Thatcher as herself (sampled)

Californian Weirdos
Shelley Ladd
Jack Snyder
Ron Weldy
J J Jackson
Jim Rogers
John Taylor

All tracks authored by Roger Waters.

Side A

1. Radio Waves (4:58)
2. Who Needs Information (5:55)
3. Me or Him (5:23)
4. The Powers That Be (4:36)

Side B

1. Sunset Strip (4:45)
2. Home (6:00)
3. Four Minutes (4:00)
4. The Tide is Turning (After Live Aid) (5:43)

Review

It's rare that I criticise a Roger Waters album for not being long enough, but that's exactly the main problem with this record. The amount of material used to fill a single LP just isn't sufficient to tell Billy's story in full, which is perhaps why the liner notes expand on some of the finer details. There were other songs written for the album that got scrapped but were included in the tour, and it didn't help that Roger added a happy ending at EMI's insistence that Four Minutes was too bleak, forcing additional material to be culled to make room for The Tide is Turning.

That aside, this is Roger's best work in a long time. I prefer it to Pros and Cons, The Final Cut and even The Wall. That's no doubt partly down to the cheesy '80s synths and drum sequencing, but Roger also (barring aforementioned problems with length) presents a much clearer and more interesting concept than any of those previous works. The album is presented as a fictional radio station (for which it is named), hosted by Jim Ladd, who narrates throughout the album. Much of the narration takes place while Billy (a cripple who is able to speak over the phone using speech synthesis) is on the line, and the interplay between those two characters forms the foundation for the plot.

The first few tracks deal with Billy's history and situation; at home in Wales, his brother Benny gets into trouble with the law for a crime he didn't commit and ends up in prison. Billy then moves to California, where he calls into a local radio station, marking the start of the album. Like much of the album, this part of the story is inspired by real-life events in the mid-'80s; the crime for which Benny is convicted is based on the manslaughter of David Wilkie by striking Welsh miners.

From The Powers That Be onwards, the album gets much more directly political, leading up to what would (were it not for EMI's objections) have been the climactic ending, Four Minutes. At the start of Four Minutes, Billy informs Jim that "they pressed the big red button" and that there will be a nuclear holocaust in four minutes' time. The end comes with a sample of Margaret Thatcher announcing that "our own independent nuclear deterrent has helped to keep the peace for nearly forty years", just as the nukes go off.

Musically, this is some of Roger's most varied solo work. While it doesn't have the depth of anything his former bandmates had released, each of these songs stands quite well on its own, in stark contrast with the strongly album-focused nature of Pros and Cons. He also seems to have left behind the classic Floyd sound, allowing his backing musicians to find their own groove, which helps a lot. For example, The Powers That Be has some catchy interplay between the horns and guitars during the chorus which is distinctively unFloydlike, and helps to add character and distinctiveness to the album.

The Tide is Turning quite obviously doesn't belong here, and is highly unusual for Roger in that it has a very positive outlook on current events, having been inspired by the charity performances at Live Aid. The song suggests that the social climate is changing to favour peace and cooperation over war; Roger makes the bold claim that Live Aid "wrested technology's sword from the hands of the warlords". It comes across as one of the weaker tracks on the album, partly because it just doesn't add anything to the story.

This album certainly isn't without its flaws, but it represents a calibre of composition and performance we haven't seen from Roger in the past decade. The story doesn't involve Roger dramaticising his own life as the protagonist for once, and instead he focuses on real issues to create a relevant commentary on then-current events. Coupled with the solid songwriting and steady backing band, this is an album that every Pink Floyd fan should hear.
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #67 on: April 04, 2015, 03:21:27 PM »
Syd Barrett
Opel
Studio album


Recorded: 1968-1970
Released: 17 October 1988

All tracks performed solo by Syd Barrett, except "Clowns and Jugglers", featuring:

Mike Ratledge (organ)
Hugh Hopper (bass)
Robert Wyatt (drums)

All tracks authored by Syd Barrett, except where noted.

Side A

1. Opel (6:26)
2. Clowns and Jugglers (Octopus) (3:27)
3. Rats (3:00)
4. Golden Hair (Barrett, James Joyce) (1:44)
5. Dolly Rocker (3:01)
6. Word Song (3:19)
7. Wined and Dined (3:03)

Side B

1. Swan Lee (Silas Lang) (3:13)
2. Birdie Hop (2:30)
3. Let's Split (2:23)
4. Lanky (Part One) (5:32)
5. Wouldn't You Miss Me (Dark Globe) (3:00)
6. Milky Way (3:07)
7. Golden Hair (instrumental version) (1:56)

Review

Yet another collection of early Syd recordings, this one mainly consists of just Syd playing guitar and singing. The alternate versions of previously released songs are generally better done elsewhere; exceptions being Clowns and Jugglers and the instrumental version of Golden Hair, which are both fantastic on this release. But it's the new material that really sets this album apart.

Most of the new songs on side A are fairly boring, evidently suffering from the lack of overdubs that the material included on The Madcap Laughs and Barrett would later accrue. The title track is interesting while Syd is singing, but the verses are separated by lengthy portions of strummed chords. Dolly Rocker isn't much better, with Word Song being a highlight of side A; it just consists of Syd saying various words while strumming the same chord repeatedly, which I find entertaining in spite of its inanity.

Side B brings a huge improvement right from the start, with Swan Lee being one of the best Syd songs I've yet heard; an exemplary presentation of Syd's inimitable eccentric rock 'n' roll. The next major highlight is Lanky, which is a lengthy instrumental consisting entirely (it would appear) of improvisation; parts of it sound a lot like the midsection of Interstellar Overdrive, albeit with more percussion and less organ. Milky Way, as the final new song on the record, doesn't disappoint either.

Unmistakeably a Barrett album, and with all the standard flaws and caveats that come with his unhinged post-Floyd career, this has more variety than Madcap and more soul than Barrett. Overall, I'd rate it as on par with those releases, and definitely better than The Peel Sessions. A must-hear for any Syd fan.
« Last Edit: April 04, 2015, 03:24:16 PM by Parsifal »
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #68 on: April 11, 2015, 10:45:49 AM »
Roger Waters
Amused to Death
Studio CD


Recorded: 1988-1992
Released: 7 September 1992

Band

Roger Waters (bass, synth, guitar)
Jeff Beck (guitar)
Geoff Whitehorn (guitar)
Andy Fairweather Low (guitar)
Tim Pierce (guitar)
B.J. Cole (guitar)
Steve Lukather (guitar)
Rick DiFonso (guitar)
Bruce Gaitsch (guitar)
Patrick Leonard (keyboards, programming)
John "Rabbit" Bundrick (organ)
James Johnston (bass)
Randy Jackson (bass)
John Pierce (bass)
John Patitucci (bass)
Graham Broad (drums)
Denny Fongheiser (drums)
Jeff Porcaro (drums)
Brian Macleod (snare, hi-hat)
Steve Sidwell (cornet)
Luis Conte (percussion)

Additional vocalists

Marv Albert
Katie Kissoon
Doreen Chanter
N'Dea Davenport
Natalie Jackson
P.P. Arnold
Lynn Fiddmont-Linsey
Jessica Leonard
Jordan Leonard
Don Henley
Jon Joyce
Stan Farber
Jim Haas
Rita Coolidge
Alf Razzell

Also featuring Guo Yi and the Peking Brothers (dulcimer, lute, zhen, oboe, bass).

All tracks authored by Roger Waters.

Track listing

1. The Ballad of Bill Hubbard (4:19)
2. What God Wants (part I) (6:00)
3. Perfect Sense (part I) (4:16)
4. Perfect Sense (part II) (2:50)
5. The Bravery of Being Out of Range (4:43)
6. Late Home Tonight (part I) (4:00)
7. Late Home Tonight (part II) (2:13)
8. Too Much Rope (5:47)
9. What God Wants (part II) (3:41)
10. What God Wants (part III) (4:08)
11. Watching TV (6:07)
12. Three Wishes (6:50)
13. It's a Miracle (8:30)
14. Amused to Death (9:06)

Review

I'm quite ambivalent when it comes to this album. On the one hand, it has the direct, biting lyrics Roger used to deliver without fail in the '70s, and the addition of Jeff Beck on guitar injects these songs with a dimension of musicianship that has been missing ever since The Wall. On the other hand, Roger seems to have developed little as a musician, only occasionally producing a song that couldn't be mistaken for something straight off Wish You Were Here or The Wall. Still, I would rate this as being Roger's best solo album yet, and most certainly better than The Wall.

The main underlying concept of the album is the idea that television is a double-edged sword; that as powerful a medium it can be for good, so too is it a powerful weapon of evil. Accompanying that are the usual Roger Waters themes of war, religion, commercialism and globalisation, and the damage each one can do to society. The lyrics are very heavy on symbolism; throughout the album, "the monkey" is used to represent the young and innocent part of ourselves which is gradually diminished by all of these influences; in What God Wants (part III), it is said that "the monkey in the corner [is] slowly drifting out of range".

The opening track, very unusually for a Roger Waters album, is instrumental. It does have the voice of Alfred Razzell, a World War I veteran, taken from a documentary in which he recounts being forced to abandon a fellow soldier, Bill Hubbard, in no-man's land. However, there are no sung lyrics, and the music is very reminiscent of the start of Shine On You Crazy Diamond, with full-bodied synth chords and Jeff Beck performing a guitar solo over the top.

In very typical Waters style, the opening instrumental abruptly cuts, with the sound of a television changing channels, to a sample of a young boy saying "I don't mind about the war, that's one of the things I like to watch, if it's a war going on". This heralds the start of What God Wants, a three-part song which, by dealing with both the harmful nature of religion (part I) and commercialism (part II), draws a connection between the two, in that both are revered and worshipped by many people incapable of thinking outside those paradigms.

Perfect Sense serves to deliver a back story for the aforementioned monkey symbol. It begins with the very dawn of civilisation ("the monkey sat on a pile of stones, and he stared at the broken bone in his hand"); a reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey, from which Roger wanted to include the famous "stop, Dave" monologue at the beginning of the song. Stanley Kubrick, however, refused permission for Roger to sample the film, and so it was replaced with a backwards message expressing Roger's frustration with the situation.

Continuing with the story being told in Perfect Sense, the monkey is revealed to have been presented with a series of confusing lectures and given "command of a nuclear submarine and [sent] back in search of the Garden of Eden". What Roger seems to be saying here is that as young minds grow and mature, they are preyed upon by the commercial giants, especially in terms of propaganda shown on television as they grow up. The second part of Perfect Sense addresses this point far more directly, claiming that everything that has happened "makes perfect sense, expressed in dollars and cents, pounds, shillings and pence".

The Bravery of Being Out of Range and Late Home Tonight are a return to the self-indulgent, war-oriented Roger we know and love. The former is a commentary on the bravery (of lack thereof) shown by the US military when they bomb targets that can't possibly fire back with anything capable of reaching the people in charge, with a direct reference (though not by name) to George H. W. Bush, then president of the USA. The latter tells a more personal story of the 1986 US air strike against Libya, with Roger as narrator taking on the perspective of various individuals (one not directly involved in the strike, but watching it on TV; one pilot involved in the strike; and one victim).

Too Much Rope is where this album begins to show its true potential. Until now, Roger's voice has been a mere shadow of what it was on The Wall and Pros and Cons, but his performance on this track, while still noticeably worse than his prime, is far better than I remembered from my last listening. It's no Hey You, but he manages to hit some pretty powerful high notes here. Likewise, while the composition isn't mind-blowing, it's one of the few songs on the album that manages to set itself apart from Roger's earlier work with Floyd. Definitely a high point.

Watching TV is another high point, and my overall favourite track. Musically, it's very unusual for Roger, bordering on country rock. Indeed, the vocals are sung in harmony by Roger and Don Henley (of Eagles fame), itself one of very few instances I can recall where Roger harmonises with anyone for the lead vocal. But lyrically, I would rate this song as among Roger's best work.

It starts out as a very personal, melancholy story about losing a loved one in the Tiananmen Square massacre, with the protagonist giving a very detailed, intimate description of the person. As the song goes on, it is gradually revealed that the source of grief (who is consistently referred to as "my sister") is actually a protester whose death happened to be captured on TV ("she's the one in fifty million who can help us to be free, because she died on TV"). It's an extremely effective way of communicating what is at once the powerful informative capacity of television and its tendency to encourage viewers to shut out all else from their mind while watching.

Three Wishes, while it is another powerful song, introduces a fantasy element that doesn't seem to belong on this album; it revolves around finding a genie, making three wishes, and then remembering a long lost one ("who you've just learned to miss") and being too late to bring them back. It's a Miracle brings us crashing back down to the album's theme of commercialism, with various aspects of modern globalisation (from McDonald's in Tibet to a benevolent doctor in Manhattan) being described as miraculous. Roger also can't seem to resist taking a shot at Andrew Lloyd Webber; "Lloyd Webber's awful stuff runs for years [...] then the piano lid comes down and breaks his fucking fingers", an event which is also claimed to be a miracle.

The final track, Amused to Death, brings a finality to the concept in a distinctively Waters-esque fashion. Despite another cheap shot (this time at Nick Mason's racing hobby), Roger brings the album's story to a close by describing the exhaustion of the resources which feed commercialism ("we ate our last few jars of caviar"), and hypothesising that aliens who stumble upon the dead human race huddled around their television sets would be baffled as to what had caused their extinction. Finally, a short sample of Alfred Razzell closes the album in the same vein as it is opened, with him relaying his own sense of finality upon seeing Bill Hubbard's name on a list of missing soldiers at a war memorial many years after the war was over.

This album is far from perfect, but given the extremely inconsistent nature of Floyd members' solo works, coupled with Roger's tendency to go way overboard in his self-indulgence, it turned out to be far better than I might have hoped for. The weaker points that don't add anything new to the catalogue (The Ballad of Bill Hubbard, The Bravery of Being Out of Range) are nicely balanced by the more distinctive, challenging numbers (Too Much Rope, Watching TV) to create an album that is pretty damn good, all things considered.

Roger himself has characterised this album as the third installment in a set with The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. I'm not sure I'd agree with that assessment, but it's good enough that if you enjoy those two, you really ought to give this a listen and make up your own mind.
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #69 on: June 06, 2015, 07:42:19 AM »
Richard Wright
Broken China
Studio album


Recorded: 1996
Released: 26 November 1996

Band

Richard Wright (keyboards, programming)
Anthony Moore (programming)
Tim Renwick (guitar)
Dominic Miller (guitar)
Steven Bolton (guitar)
Pino Palladino (bass)
Manu Katché (drums)

Sian Bell (cello)
Kate St. John (oboe, cor anglais)
Maz Palladino (backing vocals)

Sinead O'Connor (lead vocals on "Reaching for the Rail" and "Breakthrough")

All tracks authored by Richard Wright, except where noted.

Side A

1. Breaking Water (Wright, Anthony Moore) (2:28)
2. Night of a Thousand Furry Toys (Wright, Moore) (4:22)
3. Hidden Fear (Wright, Gerry Gordon) (3:28)
4. Runaway (Moore) (4:00)

Side B

1. Unfair Ground (2:21)
2. Satellite (4:06)
3. Woman of Custom (Moore) (3:44)
4. Interlude (1:16)

Side C

1. Black Cloud (3:19)
2. Far From the Harbour Wall (Wright, Moore) (6:19)
3. Drowning (1:38)
4. Reaching for the Rail (Wright, Moore) (6:30)

Side D

1. Blue Room in Venice (Wright, Gordon) (2:47)
2. Sweet July (4:13)
3. Along the Shoreline (Wright, Moore) (4:36)
4. Breakthrough (Wright, Moore) (4:19)

Review

Broken China is a concept album about Rick's then-wife Mildred's depression. It has a much clearer focus and a much darker atmosphere than either Wet Dream or Identity, and is perhaps the best representation of Rick's solo capabilities. Ambience and mood are the focal points here, not melody, and the tracks that do have lyrics seem to use them to enhance the mood rather than as a driving force in themselves.

Even on the CD release, the album is clearly divided into four parts corresponding to the sides on the LP, which is why I've divided the track listing that way. The first part is certainly the darkest, the ambient instrumental bookends being given some more explicit direction from the lyrical material in the midsection. Night of a Thousand Furry Toys is one of the few tracks on the album which approaches conventional pop song structure, while Rick recites Hidden Fear's lyrics more like poetry than music. The delicate balance between ambience, rhythm, melody and lyrics leaves me wanting for nothing more, and is representative of the album as a whole.

Side B is mostly instrumental, save for Woman of Custom, and it speaks volumes for Rick's musicianship that the instrumental tracks say far more than Anthony Moore's lyrics. Unfair Ground and Satellite in particular make a fantastic pair, building up tension after the gloomy conclusion to side A. The short track Interlude finishes the album on a final note of suspense; a marked contrast from the sense of hopelessness imparted by Runaway at the end of Side A.

The recovery begins in Side C, illustrated with the crude but effective imagery of a person drowning. The tracks' titles are sufficient to give a sense of progress, as the protagonist starts out "Far From the Harbour Wall" and ends up "Reaching for the Rail". I enjoyed this part less than the others, primarily due to its increased lyrical focus, which has never been Rick's strong point, even when it's someone else writing the lyrics for him. Reaching for the Rail, sung by both Rick and Sinead O'Connor, ends with a derisive reference to attempts at medication; in this case, the ominous instrumentation reveals the true intent of the words.

The final part brings us to a resolution, starting with a focus on human interaction; a stark contrast from the isolation and medication referred to previously. Sweet July is a particularly masterful instrumental, somehow managing to convey the paradox of simultaneous hope and despair that accompanies depression at times. This leads us into Along the Shoreline, which all but concludes the narrative, reusing the drowning imagery from Side C to finalise the journey to recovery.

The album's final track, "Breakthrough", serves as both an epilogue and an anthem of sorts for depression. As someone who suffers from depression myself, the lyrics to this four-minute song present (at least from my experience) a very direct and profound summary of the difficulties involved, many of which have been explored instrumentally in other parts of the album. Last time I listened to this was many years ago, and this speaks to me now a lot more than it did back then.

This album is both a fantastic musical work and a document of some of the challenges involved in battling depression. If you're into ambient music, you'll probably enjoy this either way, but if you suffer from or have suffered from depression, you're likely to get a whole lot more out of it. I didn't appreciate this album for what it was until I came back to it now, with the experiences of the past few years as context. This is a must-listen.
« Last Edit: June 07, 2015, 07:56:10 AM by Parsifal »
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #70 on: June 07, 2015, 03:53:42 PM »
The Legend of 1900
(aka la Leggenda del Pianista sull'Oceano)
Film (directed by Giuseppe Tornatore)

Released: 28 October 1998

All tracks authored by Ennio Morricone, except where noted.

Songs included
Taken from the film soundtrack listing.

Playing Love
The Legend of the Pianist On the Ocean
The Crisis
Peacherine Rag
A Goodbye To Friends
Study For Three Hands
Tarantella In 3rd Class
Enduring Movement
Police
Trailer
Thanks Danny
A Mozart Reincarnated
Child
Magic Waltz (Amedeo Tommasi)
The Goodbye Between Nineteen Hundred and Max
Goodbye Duet
Nineteen Hundred's Madness No. 1
Danny's Blues
Second Crisis
The Crave
Nocturne With No Moon
Before the End
Playing Love
Ships and Snow
Nineteen Hundred's Madness No. 2
I Can and Then
Silent Goodbye
5 Portraits
Lost Boys Calling (Roger Waters, Morricone)

Review

Either I'm being very inattentive, or the Roger Waters song on the soundtrack isn't actually included in the film. I did manage to find it on YouTube, and it's pretty uninspired, even for Roger. As such, this review is going to have absolutely nothing to do with Pink Floyd.

Despite narrowly avoiding wanky art film territory at times, Tornatore has created a gripping tragedy filled with biting symbolism. Admittedly, a large part of my enjoyment of this film is the romanticism of 19th-century behemoth ocean steamers, one of which is as much the star of the film as Novecento, as he is called in the film's Italian credits. Born, raised and died on a ship, his life is intertwined with the ship's own fortunes through the first half of the 20th century.

I won't even attempt to go into all the details of the plot here, but this film is at once a document of 20th-century society and a critic of it. Through the eyes of a character who never once set foot on land during his 45-odd years, we gain a unique perspective on some of the more ludicrous aspects of the lives of "land people", as he calls them. Conversely, through his conversations with passengers in the late 1920s when most of the film is set, we learn that he is deaf to "the voice of the ocean", as one passenger puts it. He longs to see the ocean from the land, but is unable to overcome his own unwillingness to venture off the ship, which is the real tragedy of the story.

I will most definitely be watching this again at some point, as the density of imagery was a bit much to take in all in one sitting. Even so, I can give this the highest of recommendations. It's not Pink Floyd, but it's good.
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #71 on: June 13, 2015, 05:49:17 PM »
Roger Waters
In the Flesh - Live
Concert film (directed by Ernie Fritz)

Recorded: 27 June 2000, Rose Garden Arena, Portland, Oregon
Released: 5 December 2000

Band

Roger Waters (guitar, bass)
Doyle Bramhall II (guitar)
Snowy White (guitar)
Andy Fairweather Low (guitar, bass)
Jon Carin (keyboards, lap steel, acoustic guitar)
Andy Wallace (keyboards)
Norbert Stachel (saxophone on "Set the Controls" and "Money")
Graham Broad (drums)

Katie Kissoon (backing vocals)
P. P. Arnold (backing vocals)
Susannah Melvoin (backing vocals)

All tracks authored by Roger Waters, except where noted.

Songs included (in order of appearance)

In the Flesh
The Happiest Days of Our Lives
Another Brick In the Wall (part II)
Mother
Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert
Southampton Dock
Pigs On the Wing (part I)
Dogs (Waters, Gilmour)
Welcome To the Machine
Wish You Were Here (Waters, Gilmour)
Shine On You Crazy Diamond (parts I, II, IV, VI and VIII) (Waters, Gilmour, Wright)
Set the Controls For the Heart of the Sun
Speak To Me (Mason)
Breathe (Waters, Gilmour, Wright)
Time (Waters, Gilmour, Wright, Mason)
 * Includes a reprise of "Breathe".
Money
5:06 AM (Every Stranger's Eyes)
Perfect Sense (parts I and II)
The Bravery of Being Out of Range
It's a Miracle
Amused To Death
Brain Damage
Eclipse
Comfortably Numb (Waters, Gilmour)
Each Small Candle

Review

This film, coincidentally recorded on my 11th birthday, documents Roger's In the Flesh tour. While it wasn't in support of any particular album, he was aiming to showcase Amused To Death, which never had its own tour. The four Amused songs are mixed in with a selection from all of his other albums, both with Pink Floyd and solo, since The Dark Side of the Moon. There is also one from A Saucerful of Secrets, and one previously unreleased. A pretty balanced set list all around.

The band is pretty solid, with a good mix of old and new blood. Snowy White is the most seasoned Floydian, having worked with the band as early as Animals. Jon Carin has joined Roger after his work with Gilmour-led Floyd, and rejoining Roger after working with him on K.A.O.S. are Andy Fairweather Low, Graham Broad and Katie Kissoon (who also appeared on Pros and Cons). P. P. Arnold had previously appeared on Amused To Death, while Doyle Bramhall II, Andy Wallace, Norbert Stachel and Susannah Melvoin are the true newcomers.

As usual, Roger has selected the most boring guitar player to play most of the lead parts, which for this tour is Doyle Bramhall II. The most interesting feature of his guitar playing is that he plays a right-handed guitar in left-handed style, so that the strings are the wrong way around. You can hear his chords being strummed from highest to lowest at times as a result. Thankfully, Snowy White also gets his fair share of lead parts, with Andy Fairweather Low also having a few moments in the spotlight.

The first few pieces are fairly routine, without much deviation from the album versions. The exception is Another Brick In the Wall, which somehow manages to sound even more boring here than it does on The Wall. The selections from The Final Cut are somewhat bizarre, as both Filthy Hands and Southampton Dock serve as little more than filler on that album. Something like The Fletcher Memorial Home would have fit in far better.

Things take a serious turn for the better once Roger picks up an acoustic guitar to play Pigs On the Wing. The band here recreates the entire side A of Animals, and the contribution Gilmour made to the Pink Floyd sound was never quite so appreciated as it is here. Clocking in at over 16 minutes, this version of Dogs features Doyle and Snowy harmonising together on the powerful guitar sections, looking very symmetrical with Doyle holding his guitar left-handed. Also, during the keyboard solo, Roger, Doyle, Snowy and Andy F all partake in a game of poker on stage while Graham, Jon and Andy W keep the song going and the irrelevant ladies watch from afar while sipping cocktails.

The Wish You Were Here section is mainly played as on the album, although Welcome To the Machine has a more steady beat, given the band's inability to rely so much on studio effects. I also find it interesting that Roger's arrangement of Shine On is much better than David's was for Pulse, due to a combination of Roger being much better at singing the lead vocal than David is, and stepping back to allow his band members some kickass improv during part VI (which segues in somewhat jarringly from the end of part IV).

Those part VI solos are one of the highlights of the entire film, with Jon Carin taking two solos (first on synth, then lap steel), followed by Doyle Bramhall II on guitar. Finally, Snowy White steps up and seems to challenge Doyle's tactics of relying on his chops to disguise his lack of talent by opening with a single, long note that says more than Doyle's entire solo. The segue into part VII, heralding the final verse, is just as powerful as on the album. This may be my all-time favourite Shine On live arrangement.

Pulling another rabbit out of his hat, or perhaps Snowy White's hat, Roger decides to bring back an old favourite of his that never quite did anything for me back in the '60s. Set the Controls has been transformed from psychedelic wankfest into Eastern-influenced rock 'n' roll, and while Norbert Stachel's sax solo seems kind of pointless, Snowy White livens up the piece with a very interesting and unexpected guitar solo. This is, without qualification, my favourite version of this song.

Next up comes the first of the Dark Side selections, which couldn't be more routine. Roger takes lead vocal on Time, a somewhat questionable decision, but ultimately it doesn't matter very much because the arrangement fails to produce anything of value anyway. The one high point is that Andy Fairweather Low takes a guitar solo in Money which can only be described as "explosive blues", played in that distinctive rhythm guitarist style that Lennon uses on "The End". Likewise for the Amused To Death section; Roger might as well have just put on the album and walked off stage for a while.

Brain Damage/Eclipse is another story. While it's still played very faithfully to the album version, it's noteworthy because it's substantially better than the Pulse version, on which David sounds like he's thinking about what to eat for lunch instead of focusing on the music. By contrast, you can tell that Roger is immediately engaged with the theme of these lyrics, and that makes all the difference.

The show finishes up with a better-than-average rendition of Comfortably Numb, made worthwhile for the guitar duel between Doyle and Snowy at the end (Snowy wins, of course). Then we get a horrific preview of the direction Roger's career is going in; Each Small Candle is a newly written song, in which Roger has discovered that if he repeats the same phrases and riffs over and over for nine minutes instead of three or four, he can bore even more people to sleep before the song finishes.

This performance is very inconsistent. When it's good, it's some of the best work Roger has released solo, but when it's bad, it's like The Final Cut all over again. This probably isn't worthwhile unless you already know you like the material being played, but if you are a Pink Floyd fan, it is most certainly essential. I enjoyed it.
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #72 on: July 05, 2015, 10:37:48 AM »
Roger Waters
Flickering Flame: The Solo Years Volume 1
Compilation CD


Recorded: 1983-2001
Released: 13 May 2002

Band

Roger Waters (bass, guitar)
Andy Fairweather Low (guitar)
Snowy White (guitar)
Doyle Bramhall II (guitar)
Eric Clapton (guitar)
Geoff Whitehorn (guitar)
Steven Lukather (guitar)
Jay Stapely (guitar)
Clem Clempson (guitar)
Michael Kamen (keyboards)
Jon Carin (keyboards)
Patrick Leonard (keyboards)
Andy Wallace (keyboards)
Ian Ritchie (keyboards, programming)
Andy Bown (organ, guitar)
Matt Irving (keyboards)
John Linwood (programming)
James Johnson (bass)
John Gordon (bass)
Graham Broad (drums)
Andy Newmark (drums)
Freddie KRC (drums)
Luis Conte (percussion)
Ray Cooper (percussion)
Mel Collins (saxophone)
Ian Ritchie (saxophone)
Raphael Ravenscroft (horns)
David Sanborn (saxophone)
John Phirkell (trumpet)
Peter Thoms (trombone)
Kevin Flanagan (horns)
Vic Sullivan (horns)
Katie Kissoon (backing vocals)
Doreen Chanter (backing vocals)
P. P. Arnold (backing vocals)
Suzannah Melvoin (backing vocals)
Madeline Bell (backing vocals)
Suzanne Rhatigan (backing vocals)
Clare Torry (backing vocals)

Also featuring the National Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Michael Kamen.

All tracks authored by Roger Waters, except where noted.

Track listing

1. Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan) (4:06)
  * Originally from the film The Dybbuk of the Holy Apple Field (1998).
2. Too Much Rope (5:12)
  * Originally released on Amused To Death.
3. The Tide is Turning (5:24)
  * Originally released on Radio K.A.O.S..
4. Perfect Sense (parts I and II) (7:22)
  * Originally released on In the Flesh - Live.
5. Three Wishes (6:49)
  * Originally released on Amused To Death.
6. 5:06 AM (Every Stranger's Eyes) (4:47)
  * Originally released on The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking.
7. Who Needs Information (5:55)
  * Originally released on Radio K.A.O.S..
8. Each Small Candle (8:34)
  * Originally released on In the Flesh - Live.
9. Flickering Flame [new demo] (6:45)
  * Previously unreleased.
10. Towers of Faith (6:52)
  * Originally from the film When the Wind Blows.
11. Radio Waves (4:31)
  * Originally released on Radio K.A.O.S..
12. Lost Boys Calling [original demo] (Ennio Morricone, Waters) (4:06)
  * Finished version used in the film The Legend of 1900.

Review

This sorry excuse for a compilation album opens with a cover of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" so dull and unimaginative that it makes me consider doing just that. Knowing how into the concept album shtick Roger is, I was at least hoping that the remainder of the album would come across as a coherent whole. Instead, it appears to be a randomly selected and sequenced array of tracks from his various solo albums, with awkward crossfades in between. The only reason those crossfades work at all is that Roger likes to drag out the start and end of his songs with ambient sound effects.

The title track, Flickering Flame, is an explosive failure of an attempt at country music, with Roger putting on one of the most hilariously awkward Southern American accents I've ever heard. It seems as if he's trying to outdo his own worst effort with every new song; as catastrophes go, this blows Each Small Candle right out of the water. Somehow, he manages to keep it going for nearly 7 minutes, which just happen to also be among the most painful minutes of my life.

This is the worst album I've reviewed yet. If you find a copy, buy it and destroy it. You'll be doing humanity a service.
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #73 on: July 05, 2015, 08:21:45 PM »
Usually Volume 1 has all the good stuff on it. Good luck with Volume 2! If there even is a volume 2.
« Last Edit: July 05, 2015, 08:23:30 PM by EnigmaZV »
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #74 on: July 25, 2015, 03:21:12 PM »
David Gilmour
David Gilmour In Concert
Concert film

Recorded: 22 June 2001 and January 2002, Royal Festival Hall, London
Released: October 2002

Band

David Gilmour (guitar)
Neill MacColl (guitar)
Michael Kamen (piano, English horn)
Chucho Merchán (double bass)
Nic France (drums)
Caroline Dale (cello)
Dick Parry (saxophone)

Sam Brown (backing vocals, choir leader)
Chris Ballin (backing vocals)
Pete Brown (backing vocals)
Margo Buchanan (backing vocals)
Claudia Fontaine (backing vocals)
Michelle John Douglas (backing vocals)
Sonia Jones (backing vocals)
Carol Kenyon (backing vocals)
David Laudat (backing vocals)
Durga McBroom (backing vocals)
Aitch McRobbie (backing vocals)
Beverli Skeete (backing vocals)

Robert Wyatt (vocals on 2001 "Comfortably Numb")
Richard Wright (vocals on "Breakthrough", keyboards on "Breakthrough" and 2002 "Comfortably Numb")
Bob Geldof (vocals on 2002 "Comfortably Numb")

2001 Meltdown Festival songs

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (parts I-II, IV, V) (Waters, Gilmour, Wright)
Terrapin (Barrett)
Fat Old Sun (Gilmour)
Coming Back To Life (Gilmour)
High Hopes (Gilmour, Polly Samson)
Je crois entendre encore (Georges Bizet)
Smile (Gilmour, Samson)
Wish You Were Here (Waters, Gilmour)
Comfortably Numb (Waters, Gilmour)
Dimming of the Day (Richard Thompson)
Shine On You Crazy Diamond (parts VI-VII) (Waters, Gilmour, Wright)
A Great Day for Freedom (Gilmour, Samson)
Hushabye Mountain (Robert B. Sherman, Richard M. Sherman)

2002 songs

Dominoes (Barrett)
Breakthrough (Wright, Anthony Moore)
Comfortably Numb (Waters, Gilmour)

Review

Given David Gilmour's track record with solo releases, this was a lot better than I expected. In large part, the calibre of this release comes down to abandoning the cliche Floyd "let's give everyone huge amplifiers and overpowered spotlights" approach and going for a more relaxed, acoustic feel, but the more varied set list also plays a part. David probably felt he could branch out a bit more, given that he wasn't performing in support of an album.

Right from the opening track, it's evident that this isn't going to be Yet Another Floydian Concert. The arrangement of the first half of Shine On is almost entirely acoustic, and almost entirely performed solo by Gilmour; no backing vocals, no drums, no keyboards, and with the opening drone created using a pedal that sustains his chords. The only other performer on this song is Dick Parry, taking his usual saxophone solo. Modulo a bit of excessive blues wankery at the start, this arrangement works incredibly well, and certainly sets itself apart from the tried and tested "rock arena" approach.

Gilmour throws in a Syd Barrett classic for good measure, still played in minimal acoustic style, before turning things up a notch for Fat Old Sun as a dozen or so backing vocalists and an additional guitarist come on stage. Describing it as a "blast from the past", this throwback to a much-neglected portion of Floyd's historical catalogue presents another way for this film to distinguish itself from its predecessors.

The slow buildup of Coming Back To Life is used as a means to gradually bring more instruments into the fold. This piece starts out with just Gilmour and his guitar, but by the time his guitar solo comes around, the band is in full swing. This is perhaps my favourite version of this tune, and its placement within the concert couldn't be better chosen.

The remainder of the 2001 material is made up of a healthy mix of classic Floyd, Division Bell songs, covers and one new song. Most of the old material has awkward moments where the band vamps for a few bars while David switches guitars, but I like it; it's a refreshing change from Roger's senseless insistence that all his live performances exactly match their studio counterparts. When it comes around to the new song, Smile, David tells the audience "if you're bootlegging, start your machines now", a casual attitude to unofficial taping which I appreciate.

Smile itself is a fairly dull acoustic ballad, but it still manages to be a lot more enjoyable than Roger's Each Small Candle, so you won't catch me complaining too loudly. Highlights of the latter part of the show are Comfortably Numb (with Robert Wyatt filling in, somewhat awkwardly, for Roger Waters as the doctor) and the second portion of Shine On (with a kickass slide guitar solo from David). The Meltdown set concludes with a cover of Hushabye Mountain, a pleasant finishing touch to this distinctly unFloydian show.

The tracks from 2002 include another Barrett number, which is always nice to hear, followed by guest appearances from Richard Wright and Bob Geldof. I think Sinead O'Connor sang Breakthrough better on Broken China, but a rare onstage sighting of Richard Wright is never a bad thing. The final performance of Comfortably Numb contains a less-awkward-than-Wyatt vocal rendition by Bob Geldof, and a better guitar solo than the first.

All around, this is one of the better live solo films I've reviewed, mainly because it doesn't try to be anything greater than it is. Its low points are somewhat dull, rather than being outright bad, and it adds newfound lustre to some old Floyd songs. Well worth a watch for any Floyd fan.
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #75 on: July 25, 2015, 05:06:21 PM »
Just curious because I had no idea how voluminous this discography was: how many more works are there to review?

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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #76 on: July 25, 2015, 05:15:54 PM »
Just curious because I had no idea how voluminous this discography was: how many more works are there to review?

9, or 10 if you count the one that's due for release in a couple of months, or 11 if I can find a recording of a thing I'm pretty sure wasn't recorded.
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Re: The Pink Floyd discography listen-through
« Reply #77 on: July 26, 2015, 10:48:59 AM »
Syd Barrett
The Radio One Sessions
Studio EP


Recorded: 24 February 1970 and 16 February 1971
Released: 29 March 2004

Band

Syd Barrett (guitar)
David Gilmour (bass, guitar, organ)
Jerry Shirley (percussion)

All tracks authored by Syd Barrett, except where noted.

Track listing

1. Terrapin (3:09)
 * Originally released on The Peel Session.
2. Gigolo Aunt (3:42)
 * Originally released on The Peel Session.
3. Baby Lemonade (2:34)
 * Originally released on The Peel Session.
4. Effervescing Elephant (1:02)
 * Originally released on The Peel Session.
5. Two of a Kind (Richard Wright) (2:35)
 * Originally released on The Peel Session.
6. Baby Lemonade (2:23)
7. Dominoes (3:02)
8. Love Song (1:27)

Review

The first five tracks are the entire length of The Peel Session, which I've already reviewed. The last three tracks are taken from an off-air recording of a 1971 radio show, with significantly worse recording quality. It seems like the archivists were really scraping the bottom of the barrel here, as these are three very muffled recordings of songs that were done better on the original studio albums. They manage to be even duller than the Peel Session tracks. Don't even bother with this.
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