Music - Pink Floyd The division bell
Probably because of the MOTR ‘momentary laps of reason’ many of the bands fans had largely written off the post Roger Waters Floyd until this true return to form was released in 1994.
With division between people as its theme the album weaves beautiful melodies and spellbinding guitar work from David Gilmore to tell its tales of loss reconciliation and hopes for the future. I must admit to be bias towards this particular album for reasons I wont divulge on this page. It took me two or so years after this album was purchased in 1994 before I went in to the back catalogue of PF but I have a good few cds in my collection now. Lets just say this would be one of my top 10 albums of all time.
‘cluster 1’ is the lead off track an instrumental with a rumbling which rises in to a piano and synth dominated passage which uses guitar licks and some clever but subtle drum work to soothe the listener. The building organ is enough to shake the base cones of your speakers and this is a much under rated instrumental piece. The track rather cleverly Leeds in to ‘What do you want from me’ probably the most aggressive piece on the album with Gilmore spitting out his words of alienation. This track also benefits from much funk jazzy doodling from Richard Wright on the keyboards and the female backing singers ad texture to the conversation within the lyrics.
Track 3 is one of my favourites. ‘Polls Apart’ is once again set on themes of division between people and the ever present acoustic guitar gives subtle texture to the verses until the surreal instrumental which eschews them in favour of sound effects and strange dreamy strings, its all rather trippy actually. We do get the first tones of the church bell which we here once more near the end of the cd. Listen to the large vehicle drive across your speakers too.
‘Marooned’ is a showcase for the fretwork of Mr Gilmore and actually won a Grammy in the US. Its rather good but I would sooner the first instrumental any day.
‘A Great day for Freedom’ appears to have the burl in walls destruction as its theme but could equally refer to the rift between the band members and the paring of the ways of Roger Waters. It’s a piano dominated song with a heartfelt vocal that is in fact rather sombre and frankly beautiful.
‘We then come to Wearing the inside out’ which is probably just a tad too long and has sent me to sleep on occasion. That’s not to say it isn’t good but its themes of depression and the dialogue between two people just don’t work for me. This could be because David Gilmore hands over most vocal duties to Richard Wright and he is really not the same calibre of singer as David.
‘Take it back’ appears to tell the story of a relationship between a man and woman gone up the creak. It starts off with much U2 style guitar work before exploding in to a rather catchy rocker which wakens one up after the initial quieter numbers. Many like this track but I find it a little generic and listening back to it I don’t like it as much as I once did.
‘Coming back to life’ is probably my favourite track on the album and will sound fantastic on any well setup hifi. Gilmore makes the guitar sing through out and after starting with a quiet passage of keyboards and guitar the band kick in to this powerful stomper. The vocal is probably one of my favourites on the album and I can really relate to the subject matter of the song, just turn this one up and sit back.
‘keep talking’ is probably the most well known song on the disc and features the Dectalk Speech synthesiser uttering lines that would later be used in a BT advert. This track about the breaking down of communication was played rather to often on the radio on he albums release in 1994.
‘Lost for words’ is for me the weakest track on the album with a riff almost stolen from ‘wish you were here’. It does use the F word in an extremely natural way which I rather admire because it is just so in place once more sounds are used rather well within this track.
‘High Hopes’ ends this masterpiece on an optimistic note and is really Gilmore looking back on his life and then on in to the future. The chiming of church bells start this track before the single tone of the division bell calls throughout the rest of the song. following this insects and birds are prominent before the piano kicks in trailed by the rest of the band and a deep contented and weary vocal
This isn’t a cd your going to play if you wish to mosh, but its probably my favourite album from this legendary group and if they never record again it sent them out on a high. The Braille on the cd cover makes a refreshing change also. I won’t say what is written, buy a copy and find out.
Facts
From the Wikipedia entry on this particular album.
‘At the end of the album, Gilmour's step-son, Charlie, can be heard hanging up the telephone on Pink Floyd manager Steve O'Rourke, who had pleaded to be allowed to appear on a Pink Floyd album.
The division bell can also refer to a tool of protocol used in the British government.
For more info on Pink Floyd check out the pages below.
www.pink-floyd.org/
http://www.brain-damage.co.uk/
With division between people as its theme the album weaves beautiful melodies and spellbinding guitar work from David Gilmore to tell its tales of loss reconciliation and hopes for the future. I must admit to be bias towards this particular album for reasons I wont divulge on this page. It took me two or so years after this album was purchased in 1994 before I went in to the back catalogue of PF but I have a good few cds in my collection now. Lets just say this would be one of my top 10 albums of all time.
‘cluster 1’ is the lead off track an instrumental with a rumbling which rises in to a piano and synth dominated passage which uses guitar licks and some clever but subtle drum work to soothe the listener. The building organ is enough to shake the base cones of your speakers and this is a much under rated instrumental piece. The track rather cleverly Leeds in to ‘What do you want from me’ probably the most aggressive piece on the album with Gilmore spitting out his words of alienation. This track also benefits from much funk jazzy doodling from Richard Wright on the keyboards and the female backing singers ad texture to the conversation within the lyrics.
Track 3 is one of my favourites. ‘Polls Apart’ is once again set on themes of division between people and the ever present acoustic guitar gives subtle texture to the verses until the surreal instrumental which eschews them in favour of sound effects and strange dreamy strings, its all rather trippy actually. We do get the first tones of the church bell which we here once more near the end of the cd. Listen to the large vehicle drive across your speakers too.
‘Marooned’ is a showcase for the fretwork of Mr Gilmore and actually won a Grammy in the US. Its rather good but I would sooner the first instrumental any day.
‘A Great day for Freedom’ appears to have the burl in walls destruction as its theme but could equally refer to the rift between the band members and the paring of the ways of Roger Waters. It’s a piano dominated song with a heartfelt vocal that is in fact rather sombre and frankly beautiful.
‘We then come to Wearing the inside out’ which is probably just a tad too long and has sent me to sleep on occasion. That’s not to say it isn’t good but its themes of depression and the dialogue between two people just don’t work for me. This could be because David Gilmore hands over most vocal duties to Richard Wright and he is really not the same calibre of singer as David.
‘Take it back’ appears to tell the story of a relationship between a man and woman gone up the creak. It starts off with much U2 style guitar work before exploding in to a rather catchy rocker which wakens one up after the initial quieter numbers. Many like this track but I find it a little generic and listening back to it I don’t like it as much as I once did.
‘Coming back to life’ is probably my favourite track on the album and will sound fantastic on any well setup hifi. Gilmore makes the guitar sing through out and after starting with a quiet passage of keyboards and guitar the band kick in to this powerful stomper. The vocal is probably one of my favourites on the album and I can really relate to the subject matter of the song, just turn this one up and sit back.
‘keep talking’ is probably the most well known song on the disc and features the Dectalk Speech synthesiser uttering lines that would later be used in a BT advert. This track about the breaking down of communication was played rather to often on the radio on he albums release in 1994.
‘Lost for words’ is for me the weakest track on the album with a riff almost stolen from ‘wish you were here’. It does use the F word in an extremely natural way which I rather admire because it is just so in place once more sounds are used rather well within this track.
‘High Hopes’ ends this masterpiece on an optimistic note and is really Gilmore looking back on his life and then on in to the future. The chiming of church bells start this track before the single tone of the division bell calls throughout the rest of the song. following this insects and birds are prominent before the piano kicks in trailed by the rest of the band and a deep contented and weary vocal
This isn’t a cd your going to play if you wish to mosh, but its probably my favourite album from this legendary group and if they never record again it sent them out on a high. The Braille on the cd cover makes a refreshing change also. I won’t say what is written, buy a copy and find out.
Facts
From the Wikipedia entry on this particular album.
‘At the end of the album, Gilmour's step-son, Charlie, can be heard hanging up the telephone on Pink Floyd manager Steve O'Rourke, who had pleaded to be allowed to appear on a Pink Floyd album.
The division bell can also refer to a tool of protocol used in the British government.
For more info on Pink Floyd check out the pages below.
www.pink-floyd.org/
http://www.brain-damage.co.uk/
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