Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

Discussions about Pink Floyd and Solo Official Album CDs and DVDs.

Rate this album

5 - Best
23
29%
4
13
16%
3
21
26%
2
8
10%
1 - Worst
15
19%
 
Total votes: 80

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danielcaux
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Re: Pros and Cons

Post by danielcaux »

Perhaps it was just the crappy lyrics and cheesy musical arrangement.
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Idisaffect
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Re: Pros and Cons

Post by Idisaffect »

danielcaux wrote:Perhaps it was just the crappy lyrics and cheesy musical arrangement.
The lyrics are just as good as DSotM. Any high school kid that was depressed could have come up with those lyrics. Many have!
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Re: Pros and Cons

Post by Zack »

I love Pros and Cons! Favorite of the three RW albums by far. Very funny in places.
Could use some more melody though.


But for the life of me, I CANNOT hear the "herro" line in the Yoko Ono bit. Can somebody please give me a time? Many thanks.
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Re: Pros and Cons

Post by mosespa »

I think it's right after the line "the bitch said something mystical," but it's kinda buried in the mix and seems like it was panned hard to one side or the other.

It's not out in front...and it happens rather quickly.
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Re: Pros and Cons

Post by Hudini »

I don't want to bother with finding the CD right now, but here's the video. It's right on the crossing between 3:27 and 3:28. It's buried quite deeply in this mix, but it's actually a bit louder on the album. It really sounds more like a parrot than a woman speaking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6_-dmrUVwE
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Re: Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

Post by Zack »

Favorite Waters solo album by a long shot. Unintentionally hilarious in parts.

Having the backing vocalists doing the chorus of the title track was a very bad idea.
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Re: Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

Post by princessDungan74D »

I like this album. It may not be Rogers best but its good.
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Re: Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

Post by Sonic Destruction »

This album is very close to being faultless (apart from that strange Barvarian bar piece on side one). The lyrics are just awesome, and with Clapton around I don't even miss Dave on guitar.

Highlights are: "Go Fishing", "Sexual Revolution", "Every Stranger's Eyes", title track (I really love it!!!), and ... well, all of it.

This is Roger's best solo album by a long, long way. In fact, it is the only solo album by any Floyds that stands up well against the parent band. If only Rog had continued hitch-hiking down this particular road.
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Re: Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

Post by David Smith »

Pat Albertson wrote:This album is very close to being faultless
As much as i like the album i have to strongly disagree. The title track just ruins the flow for me and provides a truly cringeworthy moment in the piece. That and i find Every Stranger's Eyes ridiculously epic
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Re: Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

Post by thehumanzoo »

It seems as though there is a large divide in opinions on this album. Personally, I've struggled to get into it and find Radio KAOS and Amused to Death superior.

Lyrically I kind of get it and there are points of interest throughout the whole album, however, I find the music pretty dull on the whole. Whilst some reviewers above appear to like Clapton on this album, I do not think it was one of his finest moments.

I have always seen this album as a bunch of demos with a few effects added. Worth an occasional listen, but I've not dusted it off much since getting it.
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Re: Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

Post by Sonic Destruction »

David Smith wrote:
Pat Albertson wrote:This album is very close to being faultless
As much as i like the album i have to strongly disagree. The title track just ruins the flow for me and provides a truly cringeworthy moment in the piece. That and i find Every Stranger's Eyes ridiculously epic
I think both those tracks are excellent.

Isn't it strange how different people can be so strongly into the same band and yet hold radically opposing views as to the merits of specific tracks or albums?
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Re: Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

Post by Massed Gadgets »

I find it hard to rate this album, as the only time I've actually heard it was when Roger played it in it's entirety on that tour. I remember not being that interested, even with Clapton playing. I liked hearing Clapton play on the Floyd material though, especially on a nice, haunting, semi-acoustic STCFTHOTS. But I find Roger's solo material just not too terribly evocative, musically speaking. I don't pay much attention to the lyrics, not overly the main reason I listen to music. Nonetheless, to give it a proper rating, I will give it a listen, and see if my opinion has changed after all these years.
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Re: Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

Post by Sonic Destruction »

Massed Gadgets wrote:I find it hard to rate this album, as the only time I've actually heard it was when Roger played it in it's entirety on that tour. I remember not being that interested, even with Clapton playing. I liked hearing Clapton play on the Floyd material though, especially on a nice, haunting, semi-acoustic STCFTHOTS. But I find Roger's solo material just not too terribly evocative, musically speaking. I don't pay much attention to the lyrics, not overly the main reason I listen to music. Nonetheless, to give it a proper rating, I will give it a listen, and see if my opinion has changed after all these years.
Yeah, I agree that most of Roger's solo stuff is fairly musically uninteresting, especially "Amused To Death" and those two internet-only songs he released a couple of years ago. Even the semi-solo "The Final Cut" is quite musically dull. For me, "Pros & Cons" is the one exception, where the music absolutely held its own with the lyrics and concept.
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Re: Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

Post by oz1701 »

Pat Albertson wrote:
Massed Gadgets wrote:I find it hard to rate this album, as the only time I've actually heard it was when Roger played it in it's entirety on that tour. I remember not being that interested, even with Clapton playing. I liked hearing Clapton play on the Floyd material though, especially on a nice, haunting, semi-acoustic STCFTHOTS. But I find Roger's solo material just not too terribly evocative, musically speaking. I don't pay much attention to the lyrics, not overly the main reason I listen to music. Nonetheless, to give it a proper rating, I will give it a listen, and see if my opinion has changed after all these years.
Yeah, I agree that most of Roger's solo stuff is fairly musically uninteresting, especially "Amused To Death" and those two internet-only songs he released a couple of years ago. Even the semi-solo "The Final Cut" is quite musically dull. For me, "Pros & Cons" is the one exception, where the music absolutely held its own with the lyrics and concept.
i would have to concur as this is the only one of Roger's solo albums i have been able to listen to more than a couple of times.
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Re: Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

Post by crowman »

Despite years as a Floyd fan, I only heard this for the first time recently. I'd put off listening to it due to the negative things I'd heard about it, so I was pleasantly surprised when I finally got a copy. A really strong album lyrically and musically, probably Roger's best solo work.

It's interesting to pick the lyrical and musical references to The Wall and The Final Cut. To my ears, these three albums sit together well as a trilogy.