Track Listing

1. Cluster One
2. What Do You Want From Me
3. Poles Apart
4. Marooned
5. Great Day For Freedom
6. Wearing The Inside Out
7. Take It Back
8. Coming Back To Life
9. Keep Talking
10. Lost For Words
11. High Hopes

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #905 in Music
• Released on: 1994-03-30
• Number of discs: 1

CD Description
The slow melodious instrumental overture that announces "Cluster One" trumpets the return of one of rock's most enigmatic ensembles; art rockers supreme--Pink Floyd. And in reclaiming centre stage in the arena, THE DIVISION BELL straightaway tolls a characteristic chime of ambivalence, as a voice cries out from the heart of a massed chorale and strings, "What Do You Want From Me".
But for longtime fans of Pink Floyd, THE DIVISION BELL offers an immense, reassuring sense of scale, as David Gilmour and company continue to expand upon the dark subtexts, rich orchestral textures and densely detailed arrangements that are the band's psychic and sonic signatures. A song such as the moody film noire jazz-pop introof "Wearing The Inside Out" suggests the mysterious futuristic romanticism of the BLADE RUNNER soundtrack (or vice versa), with lyrics that offer a typically mordant view of life:the outcast in the centre of his (or her) self-destructed world, striving for peace and redemption.
And somewhere inthe heart of all this darkness, David Gilmour's arching, anthemic guitar provides a powerful melodic focus, especially when he can provide all the "vocal" intensity himself, as onthe moody instrumental tone poem "Marooned", where he seemsto be floating out of Earth orbit until Nick Mason's strong, centred drumming grounds his elisions in the gravitationalpull of a simple backbeat. The closing "High Hopes" mixes mysticism with a dream-the-impossible groove, as Pink Floyd looks back longingly at old times and old friends. THE DIVISION BELL was nominated for Best Engineered Album.

Customer Reviews

Excellent!!!!!
This has to go down as one of the best Floyd albums ever written. Dating from 1994 well after the departure of Roger Waters, this is the second studio album with David Gilmour as the lead man. It is the heavy side of Pink Floyd with all guitars , drums and Daves powerful voice blazing away.

The opening track is an instrumental - Cluster 1, very keyboard orientated, leads nicely into 'What do you want from me'. You suddenly realize why you bought this album when the guitar solo starts- for me thats the beauty of Pink Floyd the guitar solos from Dave Gilmour. This song is very hard-hitting with its powerful lyrics.

A slightly more swing style is adopted in Poles Apart. Following this is the magnificent Marooned. I first heard this moving instrumental on Echoes- the best of P.F., in an abbreviated form. What you've got here is a piece to move you to tears.

A great day for freedom is not one of the best tracks on the album, but makes way for possibly my favourite- Wearing the inside out. This emotional ballad- like piece, with its moaning saxophone and haunting lyrics is one that not everyone will enjoy- but definately my favourite.

A more commercial stance is taken on the next track- Take it back, with a song that could have come out of U2's back catalogue. This segues into the gentle 'Coming back to life'. Another maybe more familiar track is Keep Talking- another classic rock song with a touch of genius by adding Steven Hawking to add naration.

This is then followed by Lost for words- maybe the best song on the album. Its not got heavy guitars and the chord sequence is simple but what a tune and great lyrics- you'll be singing this wherever you go.

The last song is a great way to end the album. High hopes is again powerful and thought-provoking.
This album is best listened to in the evening with the lights off, to chill out to. Perfect music.

Converted, (I think), after 8 years !
I have always ignored this album and its earlier brother, MLOR. To me Pink Floyd WAS Roger Waters, I loved Rogers solo albums; Radio Kaos, Pros & Cons.. & the amazing Amused To Death. I could not imagine Pink Floyd having much to say without Rogers awesome lyric writing & vocal style. Its now 2002, and after reading a few reviews on here, I thought 'OK, I'll give it a try'. I listened to the Division Bell with a sense of already knowing I wouldn't like it........You know what ?......It really ain't all bad! There are heavy overtones of Wish You Were Here, The Wall, Animals & Dark Side, which are quite blatant, but the overall view after listening was one of mellow satisfaction. The music flows through your head like sweet nectar, close your eyes, and you're in a 'comfortably numb' heaven.
I've now ordered MLOR, and hoping for more of the same. Wish You Were Here/The Wall it ain't........but if you've been like me and avoided it.....give it a go....could be an eye opener!

Dont knock it - genuine class
Yes its post Waters and very different from the Syd era, but still the Floyd album I listen to when I really want a musical kick in the teeth.

Some splendid moments both musically and lyrically, it finishes on a real high. SO just open your mind to post-Waters Floyd, and if your friends tell you different, maybe you just can't win.

Couldn't imagine leaving any of this off my iPod!