Product 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.

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: #631 in Music
• Released on: 1994-03-30
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

My favourite album
This isn't just my favourite Floyd album but my favourite album of all time. If it was vinyl I would have worn it out years ago. I don't even know who Roger Waters is/was and his presence could not have improved this superb CD.
Sure, old Floyd stuff is good but this is their best.

Great album, for any other band than Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are, arguably, one of the most influential and talented bands to have ever existed. And while this band would be pure genius if any other band (no offence) would have produced it, it just isn't really up to Pink Floyd's usual standard of inspiration.

This, I think, has nothing to do with Roger Water's departure, but far more with a lack of passion: they just weren't really enjoying themselves when producing this album. Or as Gilmour puts it in 'What do you want from me': should I play my guitar till my fingers are raw?
Also, the album sounds slightly overproduced, relatively 'flat', lacking intensity. The progressive art-rock doesn't really sound all that progressive, but more dated and complacent. That said, that doesn't mean that this is a bad album, not at all. As I mentioned, it is a great album, and it has some great songs, I only feel Floyd (even without Waters) could have done better.

It features Wright's first song since 'Dark Side of the Moon': Wearing the inside out, well performed, great lyrics, but lacking intensity and Floyd's originality. 'Coming Back to life' is the 'poppy' song of the album. 'High Hopes' and 'Keep Talking' is the sound of the Pink Floyd we know and love: passionate, briliantly composed and original. 'Take it Back' and 'What Do you want from me' are two Floydian rockers. The other songs vary from instrumental (Marooned), to singer/songwriter/bluesy songs (Lost for Words).

This album is a must have for the Floyd Fan, and if you're new to Floyd you could easily enjoy this album as your first buy: just remember there are better Floyd albums out there and only time will tell whether this album will stand the test of time as the 'old' albums did.

No Waters, but still a great listen
I must say that this album sounds fantastic. The music is soulful, with that classic Pink sound and the lyrics are memorable. Sadly, they seem to have lost their edge after Waters left. Not as good as classic Pink Floyd, but a quality album, none-the-less.