Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

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

Rate This Album

5 - Best
28
21%
4
47
35%
3
24
18%
2
24
18%
1 - Worst
10
8%
 
Total votes: 133

ZiggyZipgun
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by ZiggyZipgun »

I don't think any of those bands compare to any incarnation of Pink Floyd. I'm pretty sure a lot of the synth-pad ballad stuff that came out in the '80s was directly influenced by things like "Us and Them", "Shine On", "Wish You Were Here", and "Comfortably Numb" - of course they don't sound anything like those, because synthesizers changed so much from '75 to '85. Some have said that the theme of A Momentary Lapse of Reason was that new technology, which they dove into in the absence of Roger's input. So really, Pink Floyd's sparse instrumentation and relatively primitive technology influenced younger bands that immediately grasped the digital delays and polyphonic synths, who then made that the norm, and it wasn't until the late '80s that Pink Floyd caught up. The Division Bell was less about experimenting with new gear and production methods, and more about using it in the way they would have if it had been available in the '70s. It sounds different, but I think the songs would hold up very well if they were to reissue it using the more vintage approach that Gilmour's been working with since On An Island. And similarly, I think songs from David Gilmour would fit in nicely with the Division Bell material, if they were revamped in that same early '90s style. The guitar solo on "Poles Apart" is one of his best, and "Marooned" is one of my favorite pieces of music ever recorded (I'd like to think Roger soiled himself when it won a Grammy). Maybe Polly's lyrics aren't on the same level as Dark Side of the Moon or Wish You Were Here, but neither are any of Roger's since he quit.
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Annoying Twit
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by Annoying Twit »

I think Polly's lyrics are better on RtL. Like pretty much any other lyricist, including Waters, she is taking time to learn her craft. It's a bit unfair, I think, to compare her on TDB to peak Roger Waters.
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by ZiggyZipgun »

Annoying Twit wrote: Thu Aug 13, 2020 6:49 pm I think Polly's lyrics are better on RtL. Like pretty much any other lyricist, including Waters, she is taking time to learn her craft. It's a bit unfair, I think, to compare her on TDB to peak Roger Waters.
Rattle That Lock was when she stopped writing from David's point of view, and just wrote whatever she wanted. He did write "Faces of Stone" and "Dancing Right in Front of Me" himself - both of which feature particularly good guitar solos (I mean, they all do, really).
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by ZiggyZipgun »

I didn't know until just now that Gilmour wrote the lyrics for "Coming Back to Life"... Wonder if that was a factor in choosing it (along with "Marooned" and "Sorrow") for his appearance at the Fender Strat 50th Anniversary concert?

https://youtu.be/usNbJp4vtoo
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theaussiefloydian
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by theaussiefloydian »

This was for much of my time in high school my favourite Pink Floyd album, and if you asked me today would still sit healthily in my Top 5, somewhere behind Wish You Were Here and Dark Side. I'm not sure I can quantify in words why I love this one so much, but at a guess the general theme of communication struck a chord with me in high school, as back then I was absolute rubbish at trying to communicate any of my emotions (weren't we all?).
Cluster One - I think my favourite Pink Floyd-ism is the slow fade in intro, and this album provides one of my favourites in the dawn chorus static. After that we get a classic Gilmour-Wright music exchange, which I have always felt to be one of the best things about Pink Floyd (their 'conversations' on "Echoes" elevate it to a whole new level for example).
What Do You Want from Me - I read somewhere that Gilmour claimed this was just as much about personal relationships as it was the obvious interpretation of frustration at audiences, but I'm not entirely sure I see it. All the same though it's a great track to truly get the album moving.
Poles Apart - I think this was the first track I heard from this album (thanks, YouTube), and immediately I was hooked. I think the lyrics referring to those Gilmour had played with in the past are pretty melancholy, and I've always appreciated this track for that. Never been quite sure what to make of the circus interlude, but I do like it.
Marooned - oh, how I've loved this since I've heard it. The music is so perfectly desolate and lonely, and even barring that hearing the band jam together just brings me so much joy. (Side note, I made a music video for this in Grade 10 as an assignment, which in retrospect wasn't very good but apparently the imagery was effective because the film teacher took me aside after the screening and asked if there was anything I needed to talk to her about and if I was doing OK. Whoops)
A Great Day for Freedom - Amongst the rest of the album, I actually find this one kind of unremarkable.
Wearing the Inside Out - I used to see this as the low point of the album, but these days I like it a lot more. Not sure why.
Take It Back - Bloody love this song. There's just so much going on here that I love, from the bowed guitar to the creepy use of "Ring Around the Roses" to that instrumental break in general... such a good track.
Coming Back to Life - Another mildly unremarkable track, and one I don't usually play unless I'm listening to the full album.
Keep Talking - Another great one. I always like it when people use the talk box in interesting ways, and the whining solo at the end is a perfect use for it. (I do prefer the coda played on P.U.L.S.E. though.)
Lost for Words - This is one I related to a fair sight more in high school, but I still quite love it. The boxing match interlude is pretty on the nose, but I appreciate it. The acoustic solo at the end is pretty great.
High Hopes - Far as I'm concerned, one of the best songs the band ever put out. That solo at the end is top tier stuff.
I put the album down for a 4 on the poll, but it's probably closer to a 4.5 for me. Love it so much.
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by battra »

I finally picked this one up.

I got a vinyl copy...naturally.

It's not Pink Floyd, but it's still good.
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theaussiefloydian
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by theaussiefloydian »

battra wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:20 pm It's not Pink Floyd, but it's still good.
I must admit I've never been particularly fond of this sentiment. Are they the same Pink Floyd that wrote Dark Side and Wish You Were Here? Of course not. But the album is still very much Floyd to me. The 'conversations' between Gilmour and Wright have been in my mind a staple of the Floydian sound, and we get those here. Great instrumentals. Tracks like High Hopes and Marooned. It's a different Pink Floyd for sure, but it's still recognisably Pink Floyd.
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azza200
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by azza200 »

battra wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:20 pm
It's not Pink Floyd, but it's still good.
clearly it is. That is such a biased statement does that apply too all the material after Piper cause Syd is not there of course not. Such a silly biased thing to say just because people dont like this album or era.
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by ZiggyZipgun »

theaussiefloydian wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 4:56 pmI must admit I've never been particularly fond of this sentiment.
Agreed. I would feel differently if anything that Roger wrote after he rage quit was even arguably on par with his previous work, but that is not the case. I've never heard one person sing along to any of his solo material, but crowds have been belting out songs from Momentary Lapse and Division Bell since those tours.
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by ZiggyZipgun »

battra wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:20 pm I got a vinyl copy...naturally.
This always makes me chuckle because both Waters and Gilmour would gladly replace all of their vinyl with SACDs, and never worry about making albums fit into those time constraints again, but they're not going to leave (your) money on the table.
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theaussiefloydian
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by theaussiefloydian »

ZiggyZipgun wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:49 pm This always makes me chuckle because both Waters and Gilmour would gladly replace all of their vinyl with SACDs
Well that as may be but vinyl is still probably my favourite format, to the point where it's a part of how I write my own music - none of my stuff will ever get pressed onto records, but organising my albums into 17-23 minute sections really helps me focus and cut out the fat of my album projects.
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by ZiggyZipgun »

theaussiefloydian wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 7:20 pm ...none of my stuff will ever get pressed onto records...
I would say most of the semi-professional local bands in my area are making their albums available on vinyl. There are a number of "indie" labels in the Pittsburgh region whose main market happens to be the same ones using Bluetooth turntables.
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theaussiefloydian
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by theaussiefloydian »

ZiggyZipgun wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 7:57 pm I would say most of the semi-professional local bands in my area are making their albums available on vinyl. There are a number of "indie" labels in the Pittsburgh region whose main market happens to be the same ones using Bluetooth turntables.
It's more a cost thing than anything else. Pressing vinyl ain't cheap unfortunately.
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by battra »

theaussiefloydian wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 4:56 pm
battra wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:20 pm It's not Pink Floyd, but it's still good.
I must admit I've never been particularly fond of this sentiment. Are they the same Pink Floyd that wrote Dark Side and Wish You Were Here? Of course not. But the album is still very much Floyd to me. The 'conversations' between Gilmour and Wright have been in my mind a staple of the Floydian sound, and we get those here. Great instrumentals. Tracks like High Hopes and Marooned. It's a different Pink Floyd for sure, but it's still recognisably Pink Floyd.
I disagree.

What made Pink Floyd "PINK FLOYD" was absent to me.

They were trading on the name, and that's fine. Lots of bands have done it. Without the name they're not playing stadiums. I think that's why they played Dark Side in its entirety.
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by battra »

azza200 wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:35 pm
battra wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:20 pm
It's not Pink Floyd, but it's still good.
clearly it is. That is such a biased statement does that apply too all the material after Piper cause Syd is not there of course not. Such a silly biased thing to say just because people dont like this album or era.
Of course it's biased.

It's my opinion.

No opinions are objective. :)

You might also notice your statement in this case is objectively false.

Me: but it's still good

You: Such a silly biased thing to say just because people dont like this album or era.

Ergo, it's impossible for your statement to be true about what I said, because I like both this era and this album.