Pink Floyd – The Final Cut

Roger’s Pink Floyd swan song.

Four years after the success of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” a two platter blockbuster rock opera that resonated soundly with global listening audiences, spawning a merchandising blitz, a sellout concert tour, and a controversial film adaptation by Alan Parker, it was a hard act to follow.

With tensions between Waters, percussionist Nick Mason and David Gilmour escalating, they reunited for the contractually obligated “The Final Cut.”

With a “requiem written by Roger Waters” credit prominently displayed on the back of the album, the end result is essentially his unofficial first solo venture.

After keyboardist Richard Wright’s removal from the band (he was grudgingly rehired by Waters for “The elaborate “Wall” concert tours), Michael Kamen reunited with the band. He provides “The Final Cut” with a forlorn poetry, conducting the National Philharmonic Orchestra in a crisp recording comprised largely of castoffs from “The Wall.”

The 1983 LP was a grand achievement technically, gifted with the mind-blowing Hugo Zuccarelli’s Holophonic sound treatment, allowing the band’s trademark ambient effects to shine with a stunning clarity, with the more bellicose sounds exploding harshly from your sound system.

Whereas “The Wall” was a largely collective effort that connected with listeners regarding its universal themes of isolation, mental illness, racism, and ultimately redemption, “The Final Cut” is a depressing unofficial Waters solo project focused on his political and personal concerns.

Waters’ writing here is devoted to the tragic loss of his father (to whom this recording is dedicated) during World War II as well as an expression of his geo-political views.

It is redeemed by a few engaging songs and David Gilmour’s steely guitar work and vocals on the album’s lone single, “Not Now John,” the saxophone work of Raphael Raveenscroft, and Kamen’s harmonium and piano performances.

“Not Now John” is an anti-establishment rocker with an “F-(bomb)all that” lyric and chorus amended to a radio friendly “Stuff all that” substitute.

“When The Tigers Broke Free,” featured in Parker’s envisioning of “The Wall,” is a noble orchestral cue with a dour, pained reading by Waters. “Two Suns In The Sunset” explores the potential of nuclear Armageddon.

Upon Waters’ departure from the group after contentious legal battles, Gilmour took the reins to steer the revitalized Pink Floyd brand to renewed success with “A Momentary Lapse Of Reason,” “The Division Bell,” a pair of concert recordings and accompanying live documentaries.

While the glory days of a unified band focused on common artistic pursuits are but a distant, cobwebbed memory, one must not forget one crucial component…

Without the daring of its oft forgotten, pioneering founder Syd Barrett, this and other classics would be indeed nothing more than post psychedelic era dreams.

One of my favorite PF albums and one of my favorites over all. This edition has a fantastic sound stage and nice balance. The sound effects are thrilling. I used this album as an audition disc for my system. Very nice.
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Musical Fidelity M6sr Up-sampling dac
Rega Apollo slaved via Silver Dragon Coax
Totem Signature One Bookshelves