The Endless River by Pink Floyd

[bluesno1fann]

As a way to end the career of one of the greatest bands to exist?
Terrible. it's not a bad album, but it seems so weird as a finale.

But I don't think this is the end.

I think of it more as a tribute to Rick Wright. I don't think anyone involved in the group has any serious desire to do new music -- these were 20 year old tapes to begin with.

As for terrible endings to a great band, what about the botch-job that was the Spector-produced Let It Be?

Agreed...the only Beatles album I don't care for, mainly because it doesn't even SOUND like the Beatles IMHO. Not vocally, but production-wise.

I haven't heard the new Floyd disc yet, but Rick Wright was my favorite band member (his parts influenced my writing more than anyone else except BW).

I can personally live without Beatles For Sale either... and Yellow Submarine would have been better as an EP.

[Bean Bag]

So, the album's just been released. For those who have heard it already, thoughts?

I think it's the perfect end to the saga of Pink Floyd.  Serene, sorrowful, powerful at times and just drifting away.  The cover is a perfect visual representation.  The whole experience reminds me a lot of Wish You Were Here, which for some reason I started listening to a lot recently -- and loving it more than I've ever have.  Very poignant.  

I can't stop playing it -- and play it all the way through.  It's not weighty, nor demands your attention -- given it's atmospheric -- but it's like a Pink Floyd dream.  I want more!

[Bean Bag]

Just read the Allmusic review, which says basically everything I said or was trying to  

David Gilmour sang about an endless river on "High Hopes," the last song on what appeared to be the last Pink Floyd album, 1994's Division Bell. Twenty years later, the same phrase became the title of The Endless River, an album designed as Pink Floyd's last.

...adding guitar and Nick Mason's drums to original tapes that were laden with keyboards from the late Rick Wright. He's not the only missing member of Floyd, of course. Roger Waters is absent, as is the long-gone Syd Barrett, but their ghosts are present throughout the primarily instrumental The Endless River.

Mortality is on the mind of the two remaining Floyds, mentioned obliquely in "Louder Than Words," the only song with lyrics here, but felt through allusions to all their possible pasts. A song unfurls with washes of synth pulled from "Welcome to the Machine," the four sides are structured like an ongoing amorphous suite à la "Shine on You Crazy Diamond," snippets of Atom Heart Mother slide against guitars that beat to the rhythm from "Run Like Hell," creating an impression of a band in a state of repose: they're not indulging in their past so much as reflecting on it, watching a tide of memories repeatedly roll in and out.

Although very little about The Endless River is risky by design -- it is one of the most popular bands of the 20th century returning to slowly pulsating aural waves that characterized their biggest albums -- the very shift away from vocals realigns the band with not only Wish You Were Here (which this often resembles) but their pre-Dark Side records for Harvest, undercutting the arena-pleasing aspirations of the Gilmour-led reunion while underscoring how Pink Floyd always were an arty band at their core. Instrumentals are also a savvy solution to the trouble of working with uncompleted tapes -- it's easier to turn them into an ever-shifting suite than to graft on melodies -- but the comforting sway of swelling synthesizers and the soaring Gilmour guitar are sometimes unexpectedly moving.

Gilmour and Mason know this is their farewell, so they're saying goodbye not with a major statement but with a soft, bittersweet elegy that functions as a canny coda to their career.

Perfecto!

[Compost]

It's a great album - it's exactly what was promised:  a mostly instrumental, ambient song cycle.

It hearkens back to their post-Barrett psychedlic jams before Waters' anger became the dominant thread.  Much of their catalogue also pops up in bits and pieces throughout which is a delight.  It's like a Pink Floyd pop-quiz.

I think it's a very natural return and end-stop for the band.  Their passage through psychedelic pop/rock to psychedelic prog-rock to prog-rock to rock and back to psychedelic prog-rock is represented neatly.

Maybe I'm getting old but I really enjoy music that doesn't make demands of me all the time.  This album complements my mood and occasionally nudges it upward or downward but mostly lets me be and lets me think.  Or trip-out if the occasion warrants it.

[Roger Ryan]

If you prefer the more experimental, meandering Pink Floyd circa 1968 - 1972, then THE ENDLESS RIVER is the best thing the band has released since WISH YOU WERE HERE. I still feel the Waters dominated concept records are the strongest, but I greatly appreciate that earlier era where everything seemed more relaxed and dreamy. At any rate, this final album is far more graceful than A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF REASON or THE DIVISION BELL and a lovely reminder of the strengths of Gilmour, Wright and Mason.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

If you prefer the more experimental, meandering Pink Floyd circa 1968 - 1972, then THE ENDLESS RIVER is the best thing the band has released since WISH YOU WERE HERE. I still feel the Waters dominated concept records are the strongest, but I greatly appreciate that earlier era where everything seemed more relaxed and dreamy. At any rate, this final album is far more graceful than A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF REASON or THE DIVISION BELL and a lovely reminder of the strengths of Gilmour, Wright and Mason.

Damn straight!

This is actually, kinda/sorta the album I always hoped The Floyd would make post Dark Side

[the professor]

Beanbag, I agree, as usual, 100%. I suppose we all agree that it would have been something special if Waters had joined in. I have just heard half of it but will get more seriously into it now--it's compelling from the start.

Just read the Allmusic review, which says basically everything I said or was trying to  

David Gilmour sang about an endless river on "High Hopes," the last song on what appeared to be the last Pink Floyd album, 1994's Division Bell. Twenty years later, the same phrase became the title of The Endless River, an album designed as Pink Floyd's last.

...adding guitar and Nick Mason's drums to original tapes that were laden with keyboards from the late Rick Wright. He's not the only missing member of Floyd, of course. Roger Waters is absent, as is the long-gone Syd Barrett, but their ghosts are present throughout the primarily instrumental The Endless River.

Mortality is on the mind of the two remaining Floyds, mentioned obliquely in "Louder Than Words," the only song with lyrics here, but felt through allusions to all their possible pasts. A song unfurls with washes of synth pulled from "Welcome to the Machine," the four sides are structured like an ongoing amorphous suite à la "Shine on You Crazy Diamond," snippets of Atom Heart Mother slide against guitars that beat to the rhythm from "Run Like Hell," creating an impression of a band in a state of repose: they're not indulging in their past so much as reflecting on it, watching a tide of memories repeatedly roll in and out.

Although very little about The Endless River is risky by design -- it is one of the most popular bands of the 20th century returning to slowly pulsating aural waves that characterized their biggest albums -- the very shift away from vocals realigns the band with not only Wish You Were Here (which this often resembles) but their pre-Dark Side records for Harvest, undercutting the arena-pleasing aspirations of the Gilmour-led reunion while underscoring how Pink Floyd always were an arty band at their core. Instrumentals are also a savvy solution to the trouble of working with uncompleted tapes -- it's easier to turn them into an ever-shifting suite than to graft on melodies -- but the comforting sway of swelling synthesizers and the soaring Gilmour guitar are sometimes unexpectedly moving.

Gilmour and Mason know this is their farewell, so they're saying goodbye not with a major statement but with a soft, bittersweet elegy that functions as a canny coda to their career.

Perfecto!

[stack-o-tracks]

I used my free Spotify trial to listen to The Endless River and I gotta say, it's a pretty cool body of work. Nice, atmospheric stuff. I imagine it would be a great soundtrack for a big spliff shared with a couple friends at the end of the day.

At first I was kinda bummed Roger Waters wasn't involved in the final Pink Floyd album since it was his band before it was David Gilmour's, but after listening to it, I can't say that I miss him. Would have been cool to have him sing a couple lines on Louder Than Words, but eh.

[pixletwin]

Snooooooooooooze.

Ok.

I have listened again to the whole album. Only this time with mindset suggested by Bean Bag and I liked it an awful lot more. Better than DB and certainly miles ahead of MLoR.

[Niko]

I think I'd like it a lot more if there were more vocals. One vocal track per side would have me much more enthusiastic about the album...that being said, I've listened to it more and its growing on me.

[Bean Bag]

Yes... it would have been nice to have Water's vision on a Pink Floyd finale.  But why not Syd's too then?

It's safe to say that Syd's finale was decades ago.  Probably with Scream Thy Last Scream... or Jugband Blues.  His vision, or "ghost" loomed large for the remainder of their career, but his goodbye was in '68.

Much of the same could be said for Waters.  His finale, aptly called "The Final Cut," was back in '83.  Seems pretty conclusive -- The Final Cut.

Of course, Pink Floyd carried on in a fairly successful way since then.  And so The Endless River is essentially the end to that Floyd and everything in total.  HOWEVER, it is certainly the finale to Rick Wright.  Because, when I think about it, this is much more of a Rick Wright album to me than a Gilmourian effort, despite what people often say about latter-day Floyd being just a Gilmour solo album.  I just wanted to say Gilmourian.

So even though this is a beautiful way to end the Pink Floyd story -- as sad as that is to say -- since it is by definition Rick's finale, it still leaves open (a tiny crack) for a Waters, Gilmour, Mason Floyd.  Not saying it will happen... but it could.

[phirnis]

"We bitch and we fight/Diss each other on sight"... This song reminds me of Spring Vacation.

[Bean Bag]

If you prefer the more experimental, meandering Pink Floyd circa 1968 - 1972, then THE ENDLESS RIVER is the best thing the band has released since WISH YOU WERE HERE. I still feel the Waters dominated concept records are the strongest, but I greatly appreciate that earlier era where everything seemed more relaxed and dreamy. At any rate, this final album is far more graceful than A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF REASON or THE DIVISION BELL and a lovely reminder of the strengths of Gilmour, Wright and Mason.

Damn straight!

This is actually, kinda/sorta the album I always hoped The Floyd would make post Dark Side

Amen!  I think it might be the best one they've made since Wish You Were Here.  And that's no disrespect for Animals.  Although, I admit it's hard for me to say something like that and unseat one of my longstanding favorites.  So... for now, it's safe (for me) to say it's the best thing Pink Floyd has done since The Wall.  That, I'm sure of.

This is a strong entry to the catalog everybody.

[Bean Bag]

Snooooooooooooze.

Ok.

I have listened again to the whole album. Only this time with mindset suggested by Bean Bag and I liked it an awful lot more. Better than DB and certainly miles ahead of MLoR.

I went in with, not low expectations, but certainly a "raised eyebrow."  I did not expect it to be this good.  How could it be, right?  Leftovers?  From the Division Bell?  And... all instrumentals?

What kept my expectations from being low was, I've grown overtime to really enjoy the Division Bell -- and especially live Floyd from this era.  Pulse.  So I kept an open mind.  But I honestly think it was the strange coincidence of me getting into Wish You Were Here a lot just recently.  It was one of the first albums I ever bought -- but for what ever reason, I recently took a new profound liking to it.  And this album is right there with it.

[Bean Bag]

It's a great album - it's exactly what was promised:  a mostly instrumental, ambient song cycle.

It hearkens back to their post-Barrett psychedlic jams before Waters' anger became the dominant thread.  Much of their catalogue also pops up in bits and pieces throughout which is a delight.  It's like a Pink Floyd pop-quiz.

I think it's a very natural return and end-stop for the band.  Their passage through psychedelic pop/rock to psychedelic prog-rock to prog-rock to rock and back to psychedelic prog-rock is represented neatly.

Maybe I'm getting old but I really enjoy music that doesn't make demands of me all the time.  This album complements my mood and occasionally nudges it upward or downward but mostly lets me be and lets me think.  Or trip-out if the occasion warrants it.

Nice thoughts!  I agree.  A Pink Floyd pop-quiz!!  It's strange, cuz on Division Bell, I felt some of these (past/reflective) elements were in danger of becoming shtick.  Floyd Cliche.  But here, knowing it's the finale perhaps, they really, really work!

In true finale fashion, it's like everything that happened in the life of Pink Floyd is flashing before me, in a procession of images and emotions that's like a punch in the gut.  Words would have just gotten in the way.  And to have experienced all these moments over the entirety of my own life, with them, is like saying goodbye to the living thing that Pink Floyd was.  And to me that's pretty profound.

[donald]

Bean, you sound like this music has been an enriching experience in your life. Happy for you that the new music did not disappoint.    I have bee n a fan for many decades and have enjoyed most all of the bands releases.  I had come to think that On an Island, David's LP, was the "last" Pink album of any worth.   I have not heard this CDs but will buy it unheard based on this thread and the opinions expressed here.  Personal favs over the years are umma gummy and Atom Heart.  the ambience of certain Pink music renders words unnecessary.

Edit......Umma Gumma.  Not Uma Gummy, or for that matter, Uma Thurman

[the professor]

If the Professor were wise and insightful he would write and think like Bean Bag. I too have been on a Floyd tear since this new album came out. I read an interview with DG who was mystified as to why anyone would have thought RW would have been involved. He is sadly deluded, of course, in thinking that we do not associate Waters with Floyd...just silly. In any case, I am enjoying the total floyd from Piper up to Dark Side. I am not a fan of WYWH, and I enjoy this new album more than the song SOYCD.

You all know what comes next! start the chant; Bean Bean, Bean Bag, Bean Bag!

It's a great album - it's exactly what was promised:  a mostly instrumental, ambient song cycle.

It hearkens back to their post-Barrett psychedlic jams before Waters' anger became the dominant thread.  Much of their catalogue also pops up in bits and pieces throughout which is a delight.  It's like a Pink Floyd pop-quiz.

I think it's a very natural return and end-stop for the band.  Their passage through psychedelic pop/rock to psychedelic prog-rock to prog-rock to rock and back to psychedelic prog-rock is represented neatly.

Maybe I'm getting old but I really enjoy music that doesn't make demands of me all the time.  This album complements my mood and occasionally nudges it upward or downward but mostly lets me be and lets me think.  Or trip-out if the occasion warrants it.

Nice thoughts!  I agree.  A Pink Floyd pop-quiz!!  It's strange, cuz on Division Bell, I felt some of these (past/reflective) elements were in danger of becoming shtick.  Floyd Cliche.  But here, knowing it's the finale perhaps, they really, really work!

In true finale fashion, it's like everything that happened in the life of Pink Floyd is flashing before me, in a procession of images and emotions that's like a punch in the gut.  Words would have just gotten in the way.  And to have experienced all these moments over the entirety of my own life, with them, is like saying goodbye to the living thing that Pink Floyd was.  And to me that's pretty profound.

[KDS]

Sorry to bring a dead thread back, but since Floyd is my favorite band, I wanted to comment on this. 

After hearing the single "Louder Than Words" in the Fall, I was not optimistic in the least bit.  The music is OK at best, and the lyrics might be the worst in the history of Pink Floyd.  Polly Samson is not a bad lyric writer, surely she could've done better than this.  Hearing the almost 70 year old Gilmour use the word "dis" might be the most cringeworthy moment in the entire history of Pink Floyd.  And yes, worse than Alan's Psychadelic Breakfast, A New Machine Parts 1 & 2, and Seamus. 

But, when I sat to listen to the whole album, I was pleasantly surprised.  The music itself is pretty good.  I doubt I'll be pulling the album out to spin too often, but it was really nice to get some "new" music from David, Nick, and the late Rick.  Unfortunately, this is one of those albums that, while it's an enjoyable experience, nothing really stands out.  There's nothing attention grabbing or distinctive that bears a lot of repeat listens.