Poll: How do you rate Roger Waters's "Is This the Life We Really Want?" album?

"It would be better by far to die in her arms, than to linger... In a lifetime of regret..."

The rules for this series: this poll is designed for people familiar with the album in question and with at least some familiarity with some of their other catalog (for comparison purposes). If the poll doesn't interest you, please kindly move on to a thread that does. Please simply consider how YOU would rate the album in question, in comparison with the rest of the Floyd's discography! And as always, a shout-out to member mrjinks for creating all the groundwork for this series.

Note: please use the same criteria for rating these solo albums as you would Pink Floyd as a band albums, so we can compare the results of this poll to, say, The Division Bell. A poll like this only makes sense rating the few - or only - albums of each solo member against something else - the logical choice is their works as a band. This will not change.

So, how do YOU rate this album?

Album history: "Is This the Life We Really Want? (stylised as is this the life we really want?) is the fifth studio album by English rock musician and former Pink Floyd bassist and vocalist Roger Waters, released on 2 June 2017[2][3][4] by Columbia Records. It is his first solo album in 25 years since Amused to Death (1992), as well as his first studio work in 12 years since the opera Ça Ira (2005).

Internationally, the album charted in different countries, peaking at number 3 in the United Kingdom and number 11 in the United States. The album spawned four singles in 2017. On 20th April, "Smell the Roses" was released as the lead single from the album, as well as with the following "Déjà Vu", "The Last Refugee", and "Wait for Her"."


Tracklist:
1. When We Were Young 1:38
2. Deja Vu 4:27
3. The Last Refugee 4:12
4. Picture That 6:47
5. Broken Bones 4:57
6. Is This The Life We Really Want? 5:55
7. Bird In A Gale 5:31
8. The Most Beautiful Girl 6:09
9. Smell The Roses 5:15
10. Wait For Her 4:56
11. Oceans Apart 1:07
12. Part Of Me Died 3:12




Previous polls:
Pink Floyd (updated 11/13):
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Currently 674 people have voted, with an average of 4.23.
A Saucerful of Secrets. Currently 377 people have voted, with an average of 3.80.
More. Currently 310 people have voted, with an average of 3.38.
Ummagumma. Currently 447 people have voted, with an average of 3.09.
Atom Heart Mother. Currently 482 people have voted, with an average of 3.73.
Meddle. Currently 525 people have voted, with an average of 4.70.
Obscured by Clouds. Currently 463 people have voted, with an average of 3.86.
The Dark Side of the Moon. Currently 644 people have voted, with an average of 4.75.
Wish You Were Here. Currently 785 people have voted, with an average of 4.77.
Animals. Currently 750 people have voted, with an average of 4.62.
The Wall. Currently 861 people have voted, with an average of 4.02.
The Final Cut. Currently 600 people have voted, with an average of 3.09.
A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Currently 451 people have voted, with an average of 2.97.
Delicate Sound of Thunder. Currently 263 people have voted, with an average of 2.87.
The Division Bell. Currently 508 people have voted, with an average of 3.29.
Pulse. Currently 357 people have voted, with an average of 3.36.
Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980-81. Currently 257 people have voted, with an average of 3.67.
The Endless River. Currently 483 people have voted, with an average of 2.51.

Syd Barrett:
The Madcap Laughs. Currently 244 people have voted, with an average of 3.82.
Barrett. Currently 171 people have voted, with an average of 3.80.
Opel. Currently 96 people have voted, with an average of 3.42.

Nick Mason:
Fictitious Sports. Currently 69 people have voted, with an average of 2.59.

David Gilmour:
David Gilmour. Currently 247 people have voted, with an average of 3.85.
About Face. Currently 121 people have voted, with an average of 3.31.
On An Island. Currently 142 people have voted, with an average of 3.43.
Rattle That Lock. Currently 114 people have voted, with an average of 3.36.

Richard Wright:
Wet Dream. Currently 75 people have voted, with an average of 3.40.
Broken China. Currently 39 people have voted, with an average of 3.26.

Roger Waters:
The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking. Currently 229 people have voted, with an average of 3.20.
Radio K.A.O.S.. Currently 148 people have voted, with an average of 2.89.
Amused to Death. Currently 149 people have voted, with an average of 3.84.

Spoiler: The albums - ranked by average!

Updated 11/13
1. Wish You Were Here: 4.77
2. The Dark Side of the Moon: 4.75
3. Meddle: 4.70
4. Animals: 4.62
5. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn: 4.23
6. The Wall: 4.02
7. Obscured by Clouds: 3.864
8. David Gilmour - David Gilmour: 3.860
9. Syd Barrett - The Madcap Laughs: 3.81
10. A Saucerful of Secrets: 3.80
11. Syd Barrett - Barrett: 3.78
12. Atom Heart Mother: 3.73
13. Is There Anybody Out There?: 3.67
14. David Gilmour - On An Island: 3.43
15. Syd Barrett - Opel: 3.385
16. More: 3.381
17. David Gilmour - Rattle That Lock: 3.360
18. Pulse: 3.359
19. Richard Wright - Wet Dream: 3.35
20. David Gilmour - About Face: 3.31
21. Ummagumma: 3.091
22. The Final Cut: 3.088
23. A Momentary Lapse of Reason: 2.97
24. Delicate Sound of Thunder: 2.87
25. Nick Mason - Fictitious Sports: 2.65
26. The Endless River: 2.51

****************************************
We're rating and discussing Roger Waters's solo albums that fit the parameters of this series. There are other albums of his that we won't rate - feel free to discuss them here.

When the Wind Blows, 1986
Side two of this soundtrack album features 24:26 of exclusive Waters music.

The Wall - Live in Berlin, 1990
Various artists live album and video (including Waters) to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall.

In the Flesh - Live, 2000
2-CD live album or video featuring songs from his solo career and Floyd songs.

Flickering Flame: The Solo Years, Vol. 1, 2002
Compilation of Waters's solo material, featuring a few new and exclusive songs. There has yet to be a Vol. 2.

Ca Ira, 2005
An opera, penned by Waters, released as a 2-CD set in English and French.

Roger Waters: The Wall, 2015
2-CD live album and video featuring a live version of The Wall in its entirety.

 

Well, this is the last album that fits the criteria of the series - the grand finale if you will! Thanks to everyone who's voted so far. In about a month I will follow up with a "summary" thread with rankings, scores, detailed stats, etc. In the meantime, I'd ask that if you're just now voting in some of these polls, that you'd post in them so as to bump them and hopefully get the most number of votes possible. Sometime in the month I will post the two bonus polls that we will be doing by request - the Zee album and Music From The Body.

 

Absolutely essential. I'm going to stop saying "it's too early to say..." about this album soon, and simply state it's my favourite PF related release since Animals (as many others have already done).

 

Essential. A home run. All four singles are superb and the album, in its entirety, gets better with each listen. Lyrically it's at Waters' best. Biting, no holds barred and even sweet (the ending three song suite).

This is probably my album of the year.

 

Another Rog' masterpiece.
Love it beyond words.

My Album Of The Year.

 

Too early to tell, for me. Certainly the album with the most 'spot the reference' Floyd stylizations, which I like; but don't know how well that will wear over time. Same with the topical references which are so explicitly 2017. Sonically the record feels 'of a piece' with the last Radiohead album.

 

I think it's Roger's best solo album by some distance and quite an achievement. The songs worked well live, too.

 

Roger captures that old magic with ITTLWRW. Contrasting deep starking thought provoking emotional track capsules of a mind altering listening experience.

After many listens this album still continues to grow on me. The vinyl, incredible sounding and only adds to what already is an exuberant splendor.

 

Not bad - some good/great moments, but overall so-so.

Never really went back to it like I did his other albums. Spun it every day for a few weeks until I got it. May pull it out again every blue moon but musically too redundant for my taste. Definitely has some shining moments. Production ruined by compression.

 

I rate it as Album of the Year

 

Easily his best solo album! Stands equal to the Final Cut, which I should clarify that I like better than the Wall.

 

Low tier. I didnt like it very much.

 

That's not a great reference for someone who thinks the final cut is one of the worst Floyd albums. I do happen to enjoy Pros and Cons, however.

This release passed me by as I have not been interested in Roger's other solo albums. Some of these comments a piquing my interest.

 

Just listened to my CD the other night, and my opinion of this as a very strong and completely cohesive album stands. I voted "a pretty solid effort". I actually like the completely out-of-left-field production, I think it fits the album well. Of course, it's utterly political lyrically, and some of Roger's top scathing lyrics are here. Just sit back with the lights off and listen to the title track or the final suite... chills!

A complaint of mine was the abuse of strong language on "Broken Bones" and "Picture That". While great songs, it kinda put me off. I agree with Mark Twain that such language should be reserved for cases of "extreme provocation". Of course, you could say that such a case arose here, but it was still over the top. I also hated the opening "song", and my listens have started with "Deja Vu" since.

I've yet to hear Amused to Death, so I can't compare it, but running through the tracklist... what a brilliant set of songs. Completely dark and somewhat dystopian ("fear... fear runs the mills of modern man", etc.) in places, one to sit back and listen carefully. You will come out different. The ending suite dissolves the bleakness of the album is a spine-tingling final verse, one of the best moments in recorded music!

Basically, while it has a couple flaws, this is a great album. Give it a listen or three and you'll dig it.

 

Nicely put. And I skip that first "song", as well.

 

This. It has a few songs I like quite a bit, but overall just doesn't appeal to me. Amused to Death mops the floor with it.

 

Agreed. ATD is much more dynamic with a wider variety of original sounding songs.

 

I didn't like some of the Floyd sound-alike aspects of the first few tracks I heard online, but when I heard the full album I loved it. Except I still wince everytime he says he'd have done better than God. A great album, overall, though, and I frankly didn't expect it. Probably my favorite of all the solo releases and post Waters Floyd releases, too. Time may change that as the political references get older and older...listening in real time it mostly felt great to hear that ol' Roger Waters perspective. Like an unexpected letter from an old friend, with plenty of genuine fire and real tenderness, too.

 

I took it as humor:
"If I had been God
I would have rearranged the veins in the face to make them more
Resistant to alcohol and less prone to ageing

 

Right where I rank all his solo stuff.

 

so friggin' bad. Where's that option ?

 

Essential. If Animals and The Final Cut had a kid, Is This The Life We Really Want? would be that child.

 

And what a child it is.

 

IMHO, Animals doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as this mediocre release.

 

Being a strong RW fan, I must say I was utterly disappointed by this new release. A bit let down as far as I am concerned. Sonically, it is not even near TFC (Gilmour still delivers some superb bits of guitar solos on that album), Pros and Cons, and ATD, which all benefit from a superb production, and a wider spectrum in the instrumentation.

The guitars on this new album are weak weak weak (no lead guitar, what the hell they were thinking of?), the drum beats are apathetic, and sadly there are only very few good melodies on those tracks. One thing I like on that record are the synths which are certainly reminiscent of those from the Animals album (there is otherwise no comparison between ITTLWRW and Animals, for which the latter thrashes the former by a very fair margin in all departments of music ), but one sound signature does not make a good album.

Personally, I feel that album has been recorded in no more than 3 months (they had to get it done before the Us + Them Tour, hence the whole record feels rushed) in an unremarkable studio, and for which the production has been mediocre at best. I actually got rid of this record from my collection. Huge disappointment!