New Pink Floyd Album 'The Endless River'

[The Gunner's Dream]

I'm not sure that Pink Floyd's brand of ambient space rock could ever be compared to fusion and jazz improvisation along the likes of Zappa/Mahavishnu Orchestra. The music on "Shut up and play yer guitar" works as an instrumental album due Zappa and his bands' high level of virtuosity and ability to improvise complex music.

I don't doubt that Pink Floyd could successfully pull off an all instrumental album, but the music would need to be sufficiently stimulating- not something that sounds like a karaoke track with the vocals removed. A whole album of stuff like "Marooned" or "Cluster One"? It wouldn't be unlistenable but it wouldn't be very involving either. And for me, when Pink Floyd were at their best they were making music that jumped up and grabbed hold of you on an emotional level. Not writing elevator music.

[Annoying Twit]

I'm not sure that Pink Floyd's brand of ambient space rock could ever be compared to fusion and jazz improvisation along the likes of Zappa/Mahavishnu Orchestra. The music on "Shut up and play yer guitar" works as an instrumental album due Zappa and his bands' high level of virtuosity and ability to improvise complex music.

I wasn't comparing the music directly, I was talking about a situation where a primarily (at that stage of his career) vocal artist re-used previous recordings to make an instrumental album. At that level of abstraction, the two albums can be compared.

I don't doubt that Pink Floyd could successfully pull off an all instrumental album, but the music would need to be sufficiently stimulating- not something that sounds like a karaoke track with the vocals removed. A whole album of stuff like "Marooned" or "Cluster One"? It wouldn't be unlistenable but it wouldn't be very involving either. And for me, when Pink Floyd were at their best they were making music that jumped up and grabbed hold of you on an emotional level. Not writing elevator music.

I expect that there will be more variety than an entire album of "Marooned" and "Cluster One"s. Those tracks were selected to be on a largely vocal album, and provide contrast compared to the vocal tracks. I'm sure that for an album which is mainly instrumental, there will be more variety in tempo and feel.

On the other hand, I appreciate some Brian Eno albums that have no contrast at all. E.g. 'Neroli' which a Q reviewer who obviously totally failed to get it described as "a synth going 'bong' for an hour".

[alframsey90]

Why aren't people just happy we are getting something new, why? I trust David and Nick enough not to put out anything crap as their Pink Floyd swansong. Will it be another DSoTM? No. Will it be a decent and worthy release? I am sure of it. Personally I can't wait and while my head and obvious logic say we won't get any gigs, not even a few dates, my heart is convincing me otherwise. I fully expect to see Pink Floyd live next year, whatever guise that may be.

Can't we be positive? This is the first Floyd event of significance of my entire life, aside from one special night in 2005. I can't wait and I am feeling the sort of excitement many of you would have felt in the 70s and 80s waiting for the next album, this is a big special moment for me both in a musical sense and a personal sense. I never thought I'd see a day like this, where Pink Floyd have a significant date during my life time (again aside from 2005). I can't put into words how much this means and how excited I am, it's a special time regardless of whether you deem it worthy or not.

[hazchem]

100% correct good Sir.

Pessimism, cup half empty....what a drain.

Comments like, it was never the same after Waters left. The Final Cut was the most Un-Pink Floyd sounding album ever. I think Pink Floyd have ultimately ended up sounding exactly what they should have ended up sounding like and the transformation over the years has been a joy to listen to. Why? Gilmour and his guitar work, Mason and his drums, Wright and his keyboards!

Polly Samson wrote lyrics on the Division Bell! So what? I got sick and tired of Waters and his political rants. One album yeah, two albums maybe, three....no thank you! Polly at least had the insight to keep the meaning of the songs in keeping with the foundations of the band. At least Gilmour can sing too. I shudder to think what Pink Floyd would have sounded like if Waters was still around.

What's in store with The Endless River? Who knows, but I'm dying to find out; all judgement reserved.

[Ogbeez]

So it apprears Graham Nash & David Crosby will be involved with this album.....interesting. http://www.jambase.com/Articles/122147/ ... loyd-Album

[my breakfast.]

I'm not sure that Pink Floyd's brand of ambient space rock could ever be compared to fusion and jazz improvisation along the likes of Zappa/Mahavishnu Orchestra. The music on "Shut up and play yer guitar" works as an instrumental album due Zappa and his bands' high level of virtuosity and ability to improvise complex music.

I don't doubt that Pink Floyd could successfully pull off an all instrumental album, but the music would need to be sufficiently stimulating- not something that sounds like a karaoke track with the vocals removed. A whole album of stuff like "Marooned" or "Cluster One"? It wouldn't be unlistenable but it wouldn't be very involving either. And for me, when Pink Floyd were at their best they were making music that jumped up and grabbed hold of you on an emotional level. Not writing elevator music.

I don't think you would have such a good time with the Eno/Budd album Plateau of Mirror in that case, or a whole host of other ambient albums. I think your remit for what makes music "involved" or otherwise is fairly blinkered. You do enjoy the piano works of Keith Emerson, so presumably you consider that "involved" music?

[UsNotThem]

I fully expect to see Pink Floyd live next year, whatever guise that may be.

I definitely expect to see Gilmour out on the road next year, maybe some small gigs around the UK. But yeah, I'm strangely certain that that's what'll happen.

[The Gunner's Dream]

You do enjoy the piano works of Keith Emerson, so presumably you consider that "involved" music?

Yes, I do consider the music of Keith Emerson to be "involved" because it is music that makes me think. I like being challenged when listening to instrumental music. I personally don't enjoy music that passively washes over me. Not there is anything wrong with people who do enjoy that. It just isn't for me.

EDIT: for the record, I find much of Echoes and Dogs to be good examples of "involved" instrumental music, though the lengthy ambient stretches in both pieces are dull for me.

[Annoying Twit]

I don't think we'll see PF live again. And if we do see PF live, I think it will be Gilmour/Mason/Waters. And no, I don't consider that to be likely. I don't know exactly what TER will be like, but I'm guessing it won't be the kind of album that would lead to a PF tour with all that entails. IMHO, and obviously I'm guessing here, the most we can expect is to hear some TER tracks in a future Gilmour tour.

EDIT: for the record, I find much of Echoes and Dogs to be good examples of "involved" instrumental music, though the lengthy ambient stretches in both pieces are dull for me.

What part of 'Dogs' would you consider to be ambient?

[The Gunner's Dream]

What part of 'Dogs' would you consider to be ambient?

The part between 8 and 12 minutes goes on a bit long and is extremely repetitive. It isn't truly ambient in the purist sense but if I had to name a part in Dogs that reminds me of ambient music that would be it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lgOo8yEIPs

[alframsey90]

I don't think we'll see PF live again. And if we do see PF live, I think it will be Gilmour/Mason/Waters. And no, I don't consider that to be likely. I don't know exactly what TER will be like, but I'm guessing it won't be the kind of album that would lead to a PF tour with all that entails. IMHO, and obviously I'm guessing here, the most we can expect is to hear some TER tracks in a future Gilmour tour.

EDIT: for the record, I find much of Echoes and Dogs to be good examples of "involved" instrumental music, though the lengthy ambient stretches in both pieces are dull for me.

What part of 'Dogs' would you consider to be ambient?

You killed my buzz I am speaking about seeing Gilmour/Waters/Mason doing a one off show, like Glastonbury Festival

[ultimatefloydian]

You know, I have a strange gut feeling about a few things here. The first is I do believe there will be some sort of tour to follow this album. Not a big one. But some kind of supporting series of gigs where (hopefully), it'll be like the good old days when The Division Bell songs will be played as well as being intermixed with the new ones of The Endless River. I think it'll be an improved version of (in terms of stages and so forth) Gdansk mixed with how it was in 1994. My second feeling is that even if Waters is not involved with the production of the album itself, I think he may well show up at some of the shows at least..that is if Roger is true to his word on letting go of past bitterness. Because they've recently worked together on some things quite nicely, why not now? This is the last shot at proving all is well again. I don't know how that would work already having Guy around but that remains to be seen I suppose.

If some kind of supporting series of gigs happen, I wonder if we'll see the return of Mr. Screen

[Hudini]

There are obviously different interpretations of ambient music, and it seems to me that some people mistake laid back atmospheric music for ambient. Pink Floyd's music has been "involving" most of the time and IMO the closest they came to ambient music in a traditional sense was 'Sysyphus Part III', which was 45 years ago. Though some of their work in the late 80's and early 90's was indeed laid back and atmospheric, I wouldn't call it ambient and honestly doubt they turned to ambient music at such a late stage in their career, at least not in a traditional way.

All that being said, I believe that Polly Samson really meant to say that the new album will be mostly laid back and atmospheric, not ambient. From what I've heard from TDB outtakes, I expect the album to be somewhere along the line of TDB instrumental works and SOYCD-inspired jams. I certainly don't expect an album of ambient music.

As for the tour, I strongly believe that there won't be one, out of huge respect all surviving members (and a vast majority of fans) have for Rick Wright. I doubt that Gilmour and Mason would even be putting a new album out if they had no Wright's recordings to begin with.

[Annoying Twit]

What part of 'Dogs' would you consider to be ambient?

The part between 8 and 12 minutes goes on a bit long and is extremely repetitive. It isn't truly ambient in the purist sense but if I had to name a part in Dogs that reminds me of ambient music that would be it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lgOo8yEIPs

I wouldn't call that ambient, I'd call that a keyboard solo.

[Isntthiswherewe]

There are obviously different interpretations of ambient music, and it seems to me that some people mistake laid back atmospheric music for ambient. Pink Floyd's music has been "involving" most of the time and IMO the closest they came to ambient music in a traditional sense was 'Sysyphus Part III', which was 45 years ago. Though some of their work in the late 80's and early 90's was indeed laid back and atmospheric, I wouldn't call it ambient and honestly doubt they turned to ambient music at such a late stage in their career, at least not in a traditional way.

All that being said, I believe that Polly Samson really meant to say that the new album will be mostly laid back and atmospheric, not ambient. From what I've heard from TDB outtakes, I expect the album to be somewhere along the line of TDB instrumental works and SOYCD-inspired jams. I certainly don't expect an album of ambient music.

As for the tour, I strongly believe that there won't be one, out of huge respect all surviving members (and a vast majority of fans) have for Rick Wright. I doubt that Gilmour and Mason would even be putting a new album out if they had no Wright's recordings to begin with.

That is a strange thing to say. Do you think that nobody should be playing Mozart or Beethoven out of respect? Surely, playing it is a celebration of Wright's music. The biggest tribute you could make.
Although I must admit I thought it strange at the time when Gilmour said of Ricks death "there are things I wont be able to play anymore" I'm sure there are many capable session musicians who could perform this work. The genius of these guys is in writing it in the first place.