New Roger Waters album "Is This The Life We Really Want?" - June 2, 2017

My impression/hope is that the strategy behind the release of Smell the Roses as the lead single is that it is so obviously a reminder that this is Pink Floyd-related that it will draw the attention of the multitude of Floyd fans that may not have followed Waters as a solo artist. If every song on the album uses the same gimmick or tries pathetically too hard (à la Hello (I Love You) from The Last Mimzy ost.), I'll be disappointed but I don't mind Waters being Waters. When he chose to ignore his past almost completely, that gave us Radio KAOS which is some kind of artistic failure - even though it's not all bad. I'm pretty confident that Waters and Godrich have made something worth our time.

 

Kidding aside, I enjoyed my first listen a whole lot,"despite" picking up a dozen or so explicit references/similarities. I think the Zappa comparison is valid, with the understanding that they're extremely different artists. They both worked conceptually, revisiting lyrical, visual and musical themes. Uncle Frank liked poodles, groupies and the King Kong melody; Uncle Rog likes The War, Tyranny, human connection and the octave. I can easily imagine an hour of stuff in this general vein, and liking it very much, with or without the "...for what it is" qualifier. At Waters' age, more of the same is better than nothing for most of those inclined to buy it in the first place. I wasn't thrilled about TER or RTL, so I'm happy for another stab at The Last Floyd Album.

 

I like it. I'll be buying the album on "LP for sure.

 

Without James Guthrie being involved I doubt it.

 

No, not on this title.

 

No comment
No comment
No need for Big Brother with Big Neighbor and Big Self (government does need to spy when we or our neighbors post out transgressions).
Absolutely
Absolutely

Very funny post by the way!

 

Pre ordered the vinyl already, it seems quite focused and to the point and the middle segment is classic late 70's Floyd ala Animals with a touch of Welcome To The Machine.

Is vocals sound fine to me as well, nice mixture of the older Rog and that classic Animals sneering type, I will look greatly forward to Is This The Life We Really Want?

Yes it might sound like parody to some but as others have said this is the first album from Rog in 25 years or more and the first taste of it needs to be something semi familiar to hook the listener in.

I think we know from his previous solo album there is a mixture of styles in his work I don't imagine ITTLWRW to be any different.

That being said I've listened to it 4 times and now on my 5th as I type, now and it's stuck in my head, really like the Have A Cigar/Pig Three Different Kinds vibe to it.

I think Godrich being involved as bought the focus and probably cut out some of the more extreme ranting, this is the man that has produced all Radiohead's album since their masterpiece OK Computer, Rog couldn't have picked a better collaborator in my view.

Also if the idea of not having guitar solo is true this sound much more exciting to me than sticking one in when you expect, really like RTL much more than OAI but you could pretty much predict when one of DG's wonderful solo's is coming.

I really love the way guitar comes in and takes back into the final verse.

 

Cigar / Roses comparison: Smell The Cigar A/B Switch

 

Iirc Dave Gilmour sold millions of his Floyd pastishes....

 

We should not put too much blame on him, he is not a creative genius.

 

There have been times I've rolled my eyes at what Roger has said ....but there were many many more times I've agreed with him and was grateful he wasn't just singing endless love songs and was not afraid to comment on the world as he sees it. It's made me think, in the past......and I'm sure this will affect a few young 'uns coming up and maybe some will be motivated to change things. I don't listen to Floyd much anymore as I find it depressing but its beauty and art I would never deny. I like the new song.

 

Reading this thread I have one question. Is it still true that Floyd fans fall squarely into either the Waters or Gilmour camp? It seems like there are very few fans like me who treasure both as creative artists with different but unique visions. Yes, both have the occasional annoying tendency (ie: Gilmour's wife's atrocious lyrics or when Rog's preachiness becomes overbearing: which IMO is really not as often in his recorded works---more in his statements in interviews), but I am so glad I have and enjoy a music collection that includes it all.
I'm in no way saying Momentary Lapse of Reason, Rattle That Lock and Radio KAOS compare to Floyd's 60's and 70's output(very little does), but I'm happy there is still new music coming from both camps.

 

.. And Roger can sell this, and I'm sure I'll love the whole album and be grateful to have it. I just didn't expect the first track from this long-anticipated release to so directly reference the past musically. This is practically Have A Cigar verbatim, with the same riff, rhythm and even the same little step-down chord changes, and then a nice visit from the middle section of Dogs. It's all good -- I do like the track. It was just a bit jarring on first listen. I expected something a bit more subtle than a carbon copy of a 42 year-old riff. Not a complaint so much as an observation. We'll see what the album as a whole brings. I'm certainly looking forward to it.

 

There is supposed to be life after having been amused to death?

 

Your reference to "camps" , and then bringing up Gilmour in a Waters' thread, seems like it helps to encourage the "camp" concept. Personally, I don't have any problem discussing only Waters in a thread about his first new rock album in 25 years.

 

Even closer than even I'd remembered (just from my couple spins yesterday).

 

I am genuinely curious as to whether he will have the same stage show for "Pigs" that he had on Desert Trip and the Mexican dates, or if that was just a one-time thing.

Still on the fence about going myself.

 

God forbid to it to happen! There is nothing worse when young admirers perceive literally all appeals of the idol and go to transform a world order! In this sense of RU very irresponsible person: he perfectly knows about such opportunities and isn't ready to listen to others opinions.

 

For real?

 

Absolutely! I am sure that popular groups and musicians have no right to influence on the fans. Because statements of idols are too of great importance for young brains.

 

Anybody know why this is a €60,- ($64) 2lp release ?

Will order it, but that is a steep price (unless I'm missing something).

 

That seems rather steep. I pre-ordered it through Amazon UK yesterday and it was £23.99 - which is well under 30 Euros.

 

There seems to be two very different price points for this LP, not sure why... maybe there will be different editions for the EU and US markets, similar to what happened with Amused to Death that was priced very differently in US and EU because of a different cover construction...

 

Just checked amazon.de. And the price there is €23.99. Checked another dutch record store, and they are asking €70,-
Without any decent information, I will wait with my pre-order.