Pink Floyd "Endless River"

neardeathexperience · 11-15-2014, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoNtrivedNiHilism

While I respect your view on the record. I can't keep myself from thinking that you're just a fan that is trying to color in a dull, empty canvas with vibrancy. Magnificent to you, but to others that address it for what it really is, it is dull and a disappointing final album. There's just not enough redeeming qualities of this album to make it noteworthy, other than the fact that there won't be another Pink Floyd record after this one. A shame...to go out on such a dull note.

I don't really know what you were thinking you were going to hear here.....
It sounds like Pink Floyd. Perhaps not Dark Side Of The Moon, or the Wall for that matter, but if you think there is no colour on the canvas here perhaps you should get better paints. I believe from a pure artistic standpoint musically they deliver what they always have. A interesting collection of songs that are not bound by a three and a half minute requirement for consumer consumption.

Trollheart · 11-15-2014, 06:40 PM

I'll have an extensive review of this up in my journal hopefully by next week. If not, then definitely the one after that. It's already signposted, but I want to make sure I take the time to listen to it properly and not be influenced by what I think, or don't think, it should or will sound like.

CoNtrivedNiHilism · 11-15-2014, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

Brave newcomer, Floydy, who goes against the flow with your enthusiasm for this album! but yes, MB is a great place for swapping views - in fact we rather thrive on contrary opinions, so I hope you stick around.

Perhaps I´m not doing the album full justice, as I´ve only heard six minutes of It´s what we do, but I´m already overwhelmed with a soporific sense of deja vu. What sad irony that a band which was once a by-word for innovative music has chosen to lock itself into such a depressingly retro style.

(My apologies if I dent in any way your own perfectly valid enthusiasm, Floydy. Enjoy what your heart tells you to, and don´t worry about tedious wet blankets on the internet, ok?)

^ Sorry to sound pedantic, ContrivedN, but I have to wonder what this means - translated from what to what ?!

It's no worry, Lisna. I can understand why you'd want me to elaborate on that, and I'll try.

This album wants to be grand, it wants to be epic, it wants to flow fluently but it gets in the way of itself. I think it was Ki that said that the album has its moments, but in those same songs, the album stonewalls itself or hits a wall. Parts of the album start of like they're going to go to that grand place we know Pink Floyd can go, that catches your attention fully...but, it never really happens here. So if the band aimed to take this material that they had around, and rework them in to an album that could live up to what other albums they've done lived up to, that's where it got last in translation. Because while this sounds like a Pink Floyd album, it lacks that certain charm or ambition their other albums mostly all had. This album just sounds...empty, dull.

Well, there is your explanation, I tried. Sorry if it doesn't help you understand what I meant, but at least I know what I meant by it haha.

Quote:

Originally Posted by neardeathexperience

I don't really know what you were thinking you were going to hear here.....
It sounds like Pink Floyd. Perhaps not Dark Side Of The Moon, or the Wall for that matter, but if you think there is no colour on the canvas here perhaps you should get better paints. I believe from a pure artistic standpoint musically they deliver what they always have. A interesting collection of songs that are not bound by a three and a half minute requirement for consumer consumption.

I acknowledge your points, but you make it sound as though I said this album doesn't have anything worth while. Yeah, it sounds pretty, but it is still a boring kind of pretty, if you get what I mean. But interesting? I don't agree there. This collection of songs doesn't engage me much at all. I could put on other albums by them, and be fully immersed. This album did little for me. And I also can't agree that they delivered what they always have. I have listened to Pink Floyd for a good length of time. And this is not what they band has always delivered. Not to me, it isn't.

Heathen Dance · 11-16-2014, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floydy

From the lukewarm and largely mediocre reviews of this final release, I wasn’t expecting very much from my favourite band, though dearly hoping that I wouldn’t be too disappointed. The main reason for this was that the album was decidedly and emphatically going to be an instrumental album. The word used being ‘ambient’, which suggests a mellow, soundscape-type recording perhaps in the vein of ‘Tubular Bells’ or something noodling like that. My immediate thoughts were “why?” and how strange that there were not going to be any vocals apart from the final song (of 18 tracks) which presumably was made so that we had a promotional single for the radio.

What it is, you see, is a tribute in the most part to Floyd keyboardist and effects wizard Richard Wright who died in 2008. All of the music features his playing, the sound arguably which defined the band – alongside David Gilmour’s unmistakeable guitar. And the record is far, far from being mellow…

After a brief introductory sound effects piece, which was always the norm on a Pink Floyd album, the music comes in. And does it just. Loudly, it positively CRASHES its way in like a juggernaut. I actually turned my headphone selector down a notch and almost leapt from the floor where I was situated for this event. Nick Mason’s drums have never sounded so powerful, so up to the forefront of a Floyd album and it’s a joy to behold. Gilmour’s guitars are incredible. He never disappoints of course but he even excels his own considerable talents on this record. For the next hour the listener is subjected to a wonderful and incredibly well-produced album and when the final ‘song’ “Louder Than Words” ends the disc, it’s almost as if it doesn’t belong; As if the album perhaps SHOULD have been wholly instrumental, being the technically sound occasion that it is.

To this listener at least, it’s a magnificent record.

Interesting review. I haven't heard "Endless River" yet. Lots of great albums have bad feedback. Sometimes it's even a good thing. And I didn't know this one was mostly instrumental. I assume that will push away most people, who connect mostly with the singing. I love The Division Bell, and I'm looking forward to listen to this one.

Floydy · 11-16-2014, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heathen Dance

Interesting review. I haven't heard "Endless River" yet. Lots of great albums have bad feedback. Sometimes it's even a good thing. And I didn't know this one was mostly instrumental. I assume that will push away most people, who connect mostly with the singing. I love The Division Bell, and I'm looking forward to listen to this one.

A lot of people are divided by the album, as it were.
All Pink Floyd's albums have instrumentals on them, but this is almost the full record. No matter, I enjoyed it

Key · 11-16-2014, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floydy

A lot of people are divided by the album, as it were.
All Pink Floyd's albums have instrumentals on them, but this is almost the full record. No matter, I enjoyed it

My biggest gripe with the album is the fact that I can't even consider it a traditional studio album. It's just a bunch of tracks that were never released, and judging by how it's been received, they probably should have kept the songs unreleased. It just seems like a final grab at people's money to me which really puts a damper on the ability to enjoy it.

Lisnaholic · 11-16-2014, 05:05 PM

Thanks for the explanation, ContrivedN; a nice description of the disparity that can arise between an initial concept, glorious and grand, and its ultimate appearance, paulty and lack-lustre. So, yes, "lost in translation" is a good phrase for it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoNtrivedNiHilism

Well, there is your explanation, I tried. Sorry if it doesn't help you understand what I meant, but at least I know what I meant by it haha.

^ Bottom line, that ´s the important thing !

Shouldn´t judge a book by its cover, of course, but even the album art of Endless River suggests that we´re in for something that is saccharin but not substantial; put a ribbon across the corner and it´d make a good design for a chocolate box. How Syd Barratt would´ve loathed it !

Anyway, I´m glad Trollheart is going to give us his opinion. At present, I have more curiosity about his review than I do about the album.

Machine · 11-16-2014, 08:20 PM

I liked it, didn't love it just liked it. It did it's job and for guys in their 70's not too shabby not a great album, but certainly not bad.

duga · 11-17-2014, 02:31 PM

I'm not viewing it as a Pink Floyd album. It's a b-sides collection, essentially. Looking at it like that, I wasn't disappointed or impressed. It was just a curiosity.

I'm also trying to remember that this is a tribute to Richard Wright. It's pretty clear they wanted the keyboards to shine through the entire album, and I think they did that brilliantly. Unfortunately, Richard Wright's keyboards always worked better in the context of the band. That's where his genius was...without him, the Pink Floyd sound would not have existed. It was subtle but essential. Focusing on him, however, yields some pretty boring drivel.

To me, the Division Bell was their final album (and still not really that great). This is just something to check out if you are curious.

Trollheart · 11-18-2014, 02:22 PM

Full, extensive review now up http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ml#post1509822

11-15-2014, 06:40 PM	#22 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	I'll have an extensive review of this up in my journal hopefully by next week. If not, then definitely the one after that. It's already signposted, but I want to make sure I take the time to listen to it properly and not be influenced by what I think, or don't think, it should or will sound like. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-16-2014, 08:20 PM	#28 (permalink)
Machine moon lake inc. Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Detroit Posts: 2,125	I liked it, didn't love it just liked it. It did it's job and for guys in their 70's not too shabby not a great album, but certainly not bad. __________________ boost my ego listen to me stroke my delay pedal ever wanted to hear death grips songs... but they're acoustic? me neither.

11-17-2014, 02:31 PM	#29 (permalink)
duga MB quadrant's JM Vincent Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 3,762	I'm not viewing it as a Pink Floyd album. It's a b-sides collection, essentially. Looking at it like that, I wasn't disappointed or impressed. It was just a curiosity. I'm also trying to remember that this is a tribute to Richard Wright. It's pretty clear they wanted the keyboards to shine through the entire album, and I think they did that brilliantly. Unfortunately, Richard Wright's keyboards always worked better in the context of the band. That's where his genius was...without him, the Pink Floyd sound would not have existed. It was subtle but essential. Focusing on him, however, yields some pretty boring drivel. To me, the Division Bell was their final album (and still not really that great). This is just something to check out if you are curious. __________________ Confusion will be my epitaph...

11-18-2014, 02:22 PM	#30 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Full, extensive review now up http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ml#post1509822 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018