I'm loving this thread at the minute. It's giving me a chance to talk and read about Floyd without someone rolling their eyes.
Thank you. A very fine and thorough analysis. I have bought the new one and I do have a very decent early press but I've not had a chance yet to compare properly. What did strike me, though, were how the strings on Comfortably Numb seem much clearer and more 'spacey '. But I think I know what you mean about the dynamics - the new one hasn't quite got the kick of the original, so it's good to have both. I have a feeling that if I want the full visceral impact of The Wall I'll turn to the original through my speakers but if I want a more intimate experience the new one on headphones will hit the spot. One last thing, there appears to be more deadwax on this new press than my old one. Curious. Cheers.
That was exactly the same problem as mine and I got it replaced for a perfect copy. Exchange I'd say.
Which reminds me - good to hear Piccadilly Records is still in business. I'm originally from Manchester (Partington, just south of Sale) and many an hour was spent on the bus home studying the sleeves of records bought there and looking forward to getting it on the family music centre.
There doesn't seem to be much love for The Final Cut on many forums but I absolutely love that LP. I just don't understand when people say it's depressing. I don't find music like this depressing, I find it emotionally charged and dramatic. Water's is a pacifist and socialist and has obviously got some strong opinions regarding war and politics and was never one to keep his views to himself. This is the album he needed to make, band or no band. The song The Final Cut brings me to tears nearly every time I listen to it... "In the bottom of our hearts we felt the final cut" and the single piano note stabs come in. I used to listen to it over and over with friends and it will stay as one of my favourite LPs of all time for many reasons, but there just doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm for it whatsoever. Anyone else in love with The Final Cut? On another note, I also LOVE Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking, that also seems to get universally panned, and I LOVE Amused to Death. I suppose the point Im making is I like Water's voice in all it's manifestations: Screaming, whinging, whispering, accents, overly dramatic phrasing; and I love his themes and ideas. Even though I really like The Division Bell it's just a little to 'vanilla' for me, too much Dave, not enough Roger (well, no Roger to be precise).
Haha, I was born in Partington and moved when I was 4 to Hattersley, now in Chorlton. Never really been out of Manchester TBH. Piccadilly Records is still going stong and still a fantastic store with great staff.
LOL. Amazon playing stockmarkets with their vinyl inventory. I have ordered at $37.79 both of them and cancelled them after I bought them at HMV. Amz boostedbup thenprice at $67 but there's a 3rd party at $42.
The Final Cut is a great album and the older I get the more I'm impressed by it. It is, dare I say it, an adult rock album for discerning ears - outspoken, heartfelt and totally genuine. When you look at the safe mainstream pop rock being put out by his peers in that era (including Floyd themselves with AMLOR) nobody else was risking commercial suicide by producing such tough stuff. Some of the music on the Waterless Floyd albums is quite good but the lyrics can be embarrassing in places. Animals (my fave Floyd), The Wall and TFC can be a challenge for some listeners because they're confrontational records; AMLOR and TDB can be a challenge because of the awfulness of some of the lyrics and their overall 'comfiness'.
So the new BG cut of The Wall seems to be getting great reviews. Not even close to my favorite Floyd album but damn I think I need to buy it now! My original US pressing (which I bought as a new release) is far from perfect these days.
Not my favourite PF album but as a whole I prefer it to the Wall and it offers a more cohesive concept and is more consistent. Also I'll take it over all the DG led PF all the time. Waters indeed needed to do this album his passion drips out of every note and the title track, Gunners Dream and Fletcher Memorial are utterly spine tingling. The rest is also compelling but those are the tracks that stand out for me. I think alongside Animals this is Waters finest moment lyrically, his distinctive style is at it's most impactful here and while DSOM is a masterpiece his lyrics are simple and memorable but on those later albums, he really conveys something, Animals, is dark nasty and angry, it's a ferocious album and coupled with DG's playing at it's most strident just makes it the last time those 2 really gelled so consistently. Whereas TFC is from the heart his passion, his anger and heartbreak in in those songs, DG is an infinitley better vocalist but he just wouldn't have rung true like Waters does here. Although Not Now John is atrotious and the album could have done without it, it jars terribly with the rest of the album. The Wall is like a blockbuster film and it has some stunning scenes but some are not so impressive, TFC feels far more an album I can take in one sitting more regularly. The Wall I have to be in the mood and then even it's low points will slip by. TFC is again an album I need to be in the right mood for but I come away from it each time with sense of not being battered around the head like the Wall can sometimes feel.
That's how I felt about the Wall. Not one of my faves but this one does sound great and even if I only love half or a bit more of it, it's well worth it. The great parts are wonderful and then it turns into a Andrew Lloyd Webber Epic!!! Hey I love ALW. I kid! Don't go all wonky on me.
After all these years still wondering how this was initially released with no mention of Nick Mason or Rick Wright to be found anywhere.
