Now that the worst hype has died down around Pink Floyd's latest, and last, album, maybe it's time to take a look at it. Did it fullfill the expectations?
Personally, I didn't really have any expectations. The two preceding albums - A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and The Division Bell (1994) - were no more than OK and it would be much to ask that they suddenly, 20 years later, would create a masterpiece à la their 70's creations .
The Endless River is described by the two remaining band members, David Gilmour and Nick Mason, as a tribute / swan song for keyboardist Richard Wright, who died in 2008. The foundation of the album are leftovers from the recording of The Division Bell, in this case different synth loops / chords played by Wright. Approximately 20 hours of material, that they have listened through and picked out the goodies. Then adding guitars, bass, drums, etc., thus creating new songs. The album is instrumental except the last song Louder Than Words.
The album has a spacious, friendly and soft sound. Roger Waters' bitter reflections are long gone. However, the music is quite featureless and sometimes even a bit characterless. A song like Shine On You Crazy Diamond could perhaps be compared in its sound with some of the music on The Endless River, with the difference that the former has a much clearer idea and focus. One reason is surely that The Endless River is (almost) completely instrumental, songs without vocals require a higher degree of shape and form to not flow out as background music, as the music of The Endless River tend to do.
I'll also admit that I instinctively am skeptical of recording leftover material, something inside me says it probably was a reason they chose not to use it, from the start. In this case, though, I primarely experience it as a nice gesture towards Wright, to actually let his music get a last chance to reach out to the listeners. I have always regarded Wright as Pink Floyd's George Harrison, he didn't write many songs, but the ones he did were often really, really good. But still, this is left over material they chose not to use in 1994.
That Wright is somehow the main character on this record and the knowledge that this is Pink Floyd's last album colors it with a certain sadness. Isn't it sad to think that the institution Pink Floyd now has created its last works? It's a band that has been around for many years of our lives. The realization that everything has an end is sad sometimes. This arouses feelings in me because I myself have just moved from Sweden, left friends, job and family and the grief this means. Something that I am reminded of by The Endless River. And that I get older. I'm not so young anymore as when I discovered Pink Floyd and explored their various albums in the music room at the city library in Uppsala, Sweden. Those days are gone.
Overall, an OK album, but no more. The music has a tendency to become too much of background music and it's in periods hard to stay focused, if you don't actually choose to let it be background music, of course. The songs probably need a bit more of a distinct character to appeal to me more. But still, it has its place in the collection, as it is the last Pink Floyd will ever release (according to Gilmour). Personal favorite is Anisina.
Tracklist
Side A
1. Things Left Unsaid 4:24
2. It's What We Do 6:21
3. Ebb And Flow 1:50
Side B
1. Sum 4:49
2. Skin 2:37
3. Unsung 1:06
4. Anisina 3:15
Side C
1. The Lost Art Of Conversation 1:43
2. On Noodle Street 1:42
3. Night Light 1:42
4. Allons-Y (1) 1:56
5. Autumn '68 1:35
6. Allons-Y (2) 1:35
7. Talkin 'Hawkin' 3:25
Side D
1. Calling 3:38
2. Eyes to Pearls 1:51
3. Surfacing 2:46
4. Louder Than Words 6:32
