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 »

Arnold Lane wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 7:46 pm I loved it at the time and I still do.
My first Floyd album was a cassette of Relics. I liked it so much I bought the next album by them that I happened to see in a store, which was Division Bell, and it was my first CD. I think I've spent the 25 years or so since then trying to reconcile my love for these two very disparate albums.
battra
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by battra »

Arnold Lane wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 7:46 pm This came out around the time I got my 1st hi-fi half at through high school and my dad bought me this . I loved it at the time and I still do . It's in my top 5 Floyd albums . Gets a 5 from me
I got my first in 1992.

I remember all the hype on QVC of all places.

I recorded it off of the KSHE 95 The Seventh Day program before you could buy it...and hated it.

I dig it now though.
battra
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by battra »

ZiggyZipgun wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 3:40 pm
Arnold Lane wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 7:46 pm I loved it at the time and I still do.
My first Floyd album was a cassette of Relics. I liked it so much I bought the next album by them that I happened to see in a store, which was Division Bell, and it was my first CD. I think I've spent the 25 years or so since then trying to reconcile my love for these two very disparate albums.
At one time I had Relics, A Momentary Lapse of Reason, and The Wall, all on cassette...hahaha.

You're absolutely right about disparate albums.
Eclipse

Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by Eclipse »

I would change my vote now from 4, to a 3 or even a 2.
This album has not aged well, for me. I think TIB, CBTL and LFW are among the band's worst songs.
While I do love Rick's voice and compositions, WTIO is not even close, iMO, to the brilliance of his solo songs on Broken China - which is my fav solo album.
The 90's production annoys me a lot too. I miss the organic 70's sound from AHM till Animals.
It is now my third least fav floyd album, after Endless River and Lapse of Reason.
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theaussiefloydian
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by theaussiefloydian »

Eclipse wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:44 pm I think Take It Back, Coming Back to Life and Lost for Words are among the band's worst songs.
While I can understand your point with "Coming Back to Life" (it's pretty bland compared to the rest of the album, and I happen not to mind that song), I'm not so sure about "Take It Back". It's a little obvious, sure, but the instrumental break is one of my favourite moments on The Division Bell.
Eclipse wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:44 pm The 90's production annoys me a lot too. I miss the organic 70's sound from AHM till Animals.
If I'm inferring your statement correctly (and if I'm not do feel free to ignore me) you think that The Division Bell sounds inorganic, and I cannot disagree more. Maybe some songs sound a little clinical (look I like "Keep Talking" but it might be the worst offender) but much more of it sounds more free and organic than the two albums that came before it - especially tracks like "Cluster One" and "Marooned".
Eclipse wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:44 pm While I do love Rick's voice and compositions, WTIO is not even close, iMO, to the brilliance of his solo songs on Broken China
Yeah I love this album but this isn't Rick's best and was for a while the only song on this album I actively disliked (I've warmed to it in recent days admittedly).
dj865
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by dj865 »

Eclipse wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:44 pm I would change my vote now from 4, to a 3 or even a 2.
This album has not aged well, for me. I think TIB, CBTL and LFW are among the band's worst songs.
While I do love Rick's voice and compositions, WTIO is not even close, iMO, to the brilliance of his solo songs on Broken China - which is my fav solo album.
The 90's production annoys me a lot too. I miss the organic 70's sound from AHM till Animals.
It is now my third least fav floyd album, after Endless River and Lapse of Reason.
With a couple of exceptions, I feel this album sounds pretty organic and timeless even. Those exceptions being the inclusion of Stephen Hawkings on Keep Talking, and also the U2-ish sounding...Take It Back

Coming Back to Life I like for the solo, but I don't care so much for the lyrics, but then I'm not a huge fan of David/Polly on the lyric front anyway

Apart from all that, I like it - a solid 3.5
Eclipse

Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by Eclipse »

my problem is with that "too much crystalline" sound, echoed drums, seems like some neo-prog bands' production sometimes.
not as awful as Lapse of Reason, though.
but, that would not hurt the experience so much were the songs, IMO, much better than they are.
as times went by, I went to appreciate less and less this album, and more the experimental phase (more, ummagumma, atom, etc)
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theaussiefloydian
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by theaussiefloydian »

Eclipse wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 2:58 pm as times went by, I went to appreciate less and less this album, and more the experimental phase (more, ummagumma, atom, etc)
I can respect that. I'm also pretty fond of Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother, despite the reputation the studio half of the former seems to have picked up.
Eclipse

Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by Eclipse »

theaussiefloydian wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 11:04 pm
Eclipse wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 2:58 pm as times went by, I went to appreciate less and less this album, and more the experimental phase (more, ummagumma, atom, etc)
I can respect that. I'm also pretty fond of Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother, despite the reputation the studio half of the former seems to have picked up.
and the great thing about those early years boxsets (all in spotify too), is that we can appreciate that era in more details with good sound quality too!
I love those discs.
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Ashes andDiamonds07
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by Ashes andDiamonds07 »

Brilliant brilliant brilliant album.
As much of a fan of Waters-led Floyd (Animals, The Wall and The Final Cut are among my all time favourite albums), THIS is my favourite Floyd album.
Woah.
From those piano chords and beautiful, lyrical, soulful guitar licks by David Gilmour, all the way up to that final, dramatic, epic, unbelievable slide solo that closes High Hopes - and the album - I never heard a single note that gave me a sour taste.
Even the songs that seem to get the most hate - TIB, CBTL, LFW - are some of my all time favourites. Lost For Words is a brilliant song the whole way through.
Overall, this album is a 5/5 perfect album, at least for me.
battra
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Re: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Post by battra »

theaussiefloydian wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 12:49 pm
Eclipse wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:44 pm I think Take It Back, Coming Back to Life and Lost for Words are among the band's worst songs.
While I can understand your point with "Coming Back to Life" (it's pretty bland compared to the rest of the album, and I happen not to mind that song), I'm not so sure about "Take It Back". It's a little obvious, sure, but the instrumental break is one of my favourite moments on The Division Bell.
Eclipse wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:44 pm The 90's production annoys me a lot too. I miss the organic 70's sound from AHM till Animals.
If I'm inferring your statement correctly (and if I'm not do feel free to ignore me) you think that The Division Bell sounds inorganic, and I cannot disagree more. Maybe some songs sound a little clinical (look I like "Keep Talking" but it might be the worst offender) but much more of it sounds more free and organic than the two albums that came before it - especially tracks like "Cluster One" and "Marooned".
Eclipse wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:44 pm While I do love Rick's voice and compositions, WTIO is not even close, iMO, to the brilliance of his solo songs on Broken China
Yeah I love this album but this isn't Rick's best and was for a while the only song on this album I actively disliked (I've warmed to it in recent days admittedly).
What I like about The Division Bell is that they didn't try for the Roger Tropes they did on Lapse.

Makes it seem more organic to me.