Product Description

This is not a pretty album. Described as "a requiem for thepost war drama" it is Pink Floyd at their most miserable. In addition to the somber lyrics and themes explored by RogerWaters, it was recorded while the band were so fragmented, they had effectively broken up. Gilmour and Waters' feud hasbeen well documented and this could well have been titled THE FINAL STRAW. The only hint of lightness and humour throughout is in "Not Now John", but only in the shape of irony ("Can't stop lose job mind gone silicon"). Not an album to be played at parties or anniversaries.

Track Listing

1. The Post War Dream
2. Your Possible Pasts
3. One Of The Few
4. When The Tigers Broke Free
5. The Hero's Return
6. The Gunners Dream
7. Paranoid Eyes
8. Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert
9. The Fletcher Memorial Home
10. Southampton Dock
11. The Final Cut
12. Not Now John
13. Two Suns In The Sunset

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3910 in Music
• Released on: 2004-03-29
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

Customer Reviews

High End Pink Floyd
This is my favourite Floyd work. The tensions of the band spill over and the bitterness comes through in Waters eloquent cynicism. How often have bands produced their best work whilst breaking up. It is as if each member wants his own swansong. This is one album to play on the headphones right the way through. You cannot fail to be moved by the lyrics, the orchestration and Gilmour's sublime fretwork. The final cut, yes it was. It is better that together (Mason, Wright and Waters) they made so few albums as it enables to appreciate their works as rare art. I am glad the real Pink Floyd ended with the final cut.

Very Moving
This was one of the last Pink Floyd albums that I bought as I had heard that it was more or less a Roger Waters solo album made in somewhat difficult and acrimonious circumstances and, although I am a big fan of Waters' work, I just did not get around to buying this until recently and I have to say that I am extremely glad that I did as the album is superb.
Writing and singing about war, and the death and melancholy that goes with it, is not an easy process. Waters dedicates the album to his father, killed in 1944, and I found the album to be utterly moving. It is clear that Roger Waters had issues and concerns that he needed to work through and the lyrics are testament to this. The music is largely sedately paced but is never less than rivetting. A change of pace is provided by the up tempo Not Now, John which is an infectious, bouncy track with uncredited female backing vocals helping to drive the song along.
All in all, I think that this is an excellent album, well produced, and different from anything else that the band has released. I would strongly recommend that you buy this album and then find some quiet time to listen to it and reflect upon the issues that it raises.

the second best Floyd record of all time
The final album with Roger at the helm was "The Final Cut". A fabulous record. But it is, in all but name, a Waters solo record which only two of the remaining Floyd only play on (Rick Wright having been ousted out in a battle of egos). Again, following a thematic narrative, "The Final Cut" details the bitter tirade of a survivor of an unnamed war against the world leaders. Inspired by the Falklands, and ending in the aural recreation of the end of the world, there was nowhere else for this version of the Floyd to go. The album is immaculately produced, fiercely articulate, compelling listening, deeply under-appreciated and features some of Waters finest writing, as well as being blessed with some fabulous but occasional solos from Gilmour. However, it is overall less than the sum of its parts as it sounds like a solo album. It's a VERY long way from the debut in all respects and shows great artists evolve at all times. Even if their audience may not necessarily follow them.