Roger Waters Is This The Life We Really Want

Hi-FiGuy · Jun 12, 2017

Someone already posted about this album and I couldn't find the post so I am some starting a new one.
I could not agree more about the album being very boring .
He is one bitter old man that has lost his voice .
Concept album yes but more of a political protest album than anything .
He lifted so much stuff off older Pink Floyd albums it's ridiculous .
I loved Radio Kaos and Pros and Cons but this album is more of just a blurb on the daily news .
For me there is nothing there to get me involved on a musical level, political level, or any other level. More than anything it makes me feel sad for him and where his mind is at.

NorthStar · Jun 12, 2017

Here's John, Steve started this thread back in March ? http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...-New-Album-In-25-Years&highlight=roger+waters

amirm · Jun 12, 2017

I find it a very enjoyable album. And the familiarity with Pink Floyd and the Wall is what makes it for me. It is as if we had gone back in time and they produced a new album. Why would that be a bad thing?

Hi-FiGuy · Jun 12, 2017

amirm said:
I find it a very enjoyable album. And the familiarity with Pink Floyd and the Wall is what makes it for me. It is as if we had gone back in time and they produced a new album. Why would that be a bad thing?

My take on it is he is trying to remain relevant (kind of like Madonna). The fact that he cannot seem to move on from The Wall is disconcerting. The last 20 plus years of his career has been nothing but one iteration of The Wall or another, that is weird.
He seems to be holding on and not evolving.

I personally don't need The Wall part 3 (Final Cut being part 2). The Wall is a master piece with out question and I listen to it often. Such fantastic memories in my life based around that album.

I really wish they could all put their differences aside and go into the studio and make one more blockbuster in honor of Rick Wright.

That would (potentially) be epic!

rbbert · Jun 12, 2017

Unfortunately, Waters appears unable to give up on trying to make music about politics, and Gilmour is unwilling to make music about politics.

NorthStar · Jun 12, 2017

I checked for his full album (under an hour - 54 minutes) on youtube but it's not available in my country*. Next time I'm in a record store I'll check if they have a multichannel version on Blu-ray Audio or SACD. The CD is only ten bucks.

* Not Available Outside USA
_____

I found a poem:

? Roger Waters has become a controversial man, depending of who's doing the talking.
I'm a huge Pink Floyd's fan; I'm not alone. And of each band members individually; I'm not alone.
I don't have his last album, not yet.

A good friend of mine doesn't know the band members individually; but he knows a whole lot of other famous musicians, and he played with them too.
Our musical journeys have various routes and roots; and with time our influences can effect our new directions.

@John, I heard you. And I've heard others too in that thread of Steve. When I get his album I'll comment on it, strictly on the musical/impact level.
And I would love to have a discussion with Roger Waters, live. I'll see if I can reach him on his website and invite him right here, in this very thread...WBF
• http://roger-waters.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/rogerwaters/
• https://twitter.com/rogerwaters

Hi-FiGuy · Jun 12, 2017

I guess the album just isn't for me, the beauty of music, what works for some does not for others.
On thing for sure, he puts on a fantastic live show.

rbbert · Jun 12, 2017

Hi-FiGuy said:
I guess the album just isn't for me, the beauty of music, what works for some does not for others.
On thing for sure, he puts on a fantastic live show.

Which, interestingly enough, is usually at least 75% Pink Floyd material, often 100%

NorthStar · Jun 12, 2017

Hi-FiGuy said:
I guess the album just isn't for me, the beauty of music, what works for some does not for others.
On thing for sure, he puts on a fantastic live show.

Yes, I have few of his live shows on Blu. ...And few of his hi-res music medium.

And true, some music we might like @ a certain point of our musicology (adventure/studies), or perhaps never.
And other genres they stuck with us forever, like Blues for me. Classical for others (including I), and Jazz (I too).
Pink Floyd has been with me (many of us) with a strong presence since the late 60s (1967 - 1st album) and till this day (half century/50 years).

Some of our music in America is forbidden in some countries. ...Films, etc.

infinitely baffled · Jul 3, 2017

Hi-FiGuy said:
Someone already posted about this album and I couldn't find the post so I am some starting a new one.
I could not agree more about the album being very boring .
He is one bitter old man that has lost his voice .
Concept album yes but more of a political protest album than anything .
He lifted so much stuff off older Pink Floyd albums it's ridiculous .
I loved Radio Kaos and Pros and Cons but this album is more of just a blurb on the daily news .
For me there is nothing there to get me involved on a musical level, political level, or any other level. More than anything it makes me feel sad for him and where his mind is at.

Played it for the first time last night.
There's definitely a few tracks on there I like. Quite a lot.
To me some of them are reminiscent of 'welcome to the machine' on wish you were here. The throbbing mechanical rhythms. And i felt his bass playing throughout was noticeably enjoyable, and the overall standard of production right at the very top end, as ever.
You can really see where the creative genius resided, and for me it's all the better without some of that dated wailing, blues rock guitar solos you hear whenever Gilmour takes to the stage.
I found it both fresh and reassuring....but I will admit there were a few tracks that didn't work for me
The politics I'm happy with, I was reminded that times of political and social intolerance can provoke the creation of great art. And Trumps best legacy will no doubt be the music written and art created by those outraged by, and driven to voice their opposition to what he represents

I would posit that Waters is in a good place mentally, and we may hear more from him

RIP Rick Wright

infinitely baffled · Jul 3, 2017

The worst thing about it is that you have to grip the playing surface of the cd to remove it from the packaging

NorthStar · Jul 3, 2017

There is a trick without touching its playing surface: fold the two sides in reverse, hold by the top and bottom and apply some slight pressure (squeeze it) to make the disc easy to slide out, do it few inches from a table or flat surface (eg.; speaker's top), the disc should slide out enough by itself (half way) that now you can grab it by its sides with two fingers (thumb and middle finger), or put your index finger in the hole, voila.
When you have a bunch of those it becomes second nature.
_____

This is just an approximate example; @ 0:10 ... the CD has to slide out by itself till roughly half way, when the center hole appears.
Do it few inches atop a surface so that the CD doesn't slide out all the way and fall to the floor.

BobM · Jul 4, 2017

It certainly isn't a great album for all the reasons you said:
- he can't sing
- it's minimalist
- he grabbed a lot of things from the past and added new lyrics that don't rhyme
- it's overtly political in concept

But he will make a ton of money on it just because it is him. You can;t tell me that wasn't part of his motivation, along with getting his political views aired and distributed widely.

But then there is the upcoming tour. It's not about this album, it's a throwback to old Floyd and it will likely be an awesome show, on the order of the recent Wall tour.

Hi-FiGuy · Jul 4, 2017

There is no question of whether the show will be great or not they always are. It's a matter of if you want to sit through all the political crap that goes with-it, not the reason I go to concerts.

Sencha · Jul 4, 2017

Guys, I have not heard the album, nor am I a fan of Pink Floyd however I can say that there is a fair bit of political turmoil going on in the UK at the moment with roughly the country split down the middle on voting preferences. Not a great position to be in as at least half the country will be a bit pissed at the result. If you are in the aggrieved camp then the thought of another five years of a conservative government and BREXIT negotiations may have you reaching to put pen to paper. If you are an artist and feel strongly about it then more than likely it will rear its head in your lyrics and work its way into your music. Not being a RW or PF fan I wont be listening however artists generally provide social commentary in their work whether it be painting, writing or music. A favourite album I have of Stings, 'The Dream Of The Blue Turtles' there is a wonderful track entitled 'We Work The Black Seam Together' about coal miners in Britain and how they all lost their jobs during the systematic closing of mines by the Conservative government of the day. A fabulous track that lays out their plight as well as the lack of forethought about the future energy production of the country (nuclear). It pulls at the heart strings to be sure. Now I'm sure if you liked the music on this new album a bit more then you may have been able to overlook RW's political statements but it may just be a weak album and not to your tastes. However I'm all for freedom of expression and welcome anyone saying what they believe in provided they are open to that same courtesy for others. Whether you term it 'Political Crap' or not it may give a voice to how people feel that they are not be able to express for themselves and in the end is that not what artists do for many of us? It's still better than so much of the pulp of the day that is churned out by the hit making industry and even if he can't sing anymore I still believe that expressing what he has has merit. Just my 2 cents worth.

infinitely baffled · Jul 5, 2017

Yes I agree with Sencha. For me it's not a case of sitting through political crap, but enjoying someone giving voice to feelings I share.
I believe political expression and social commentary are fundamental to great art.
But since most artists are left of centre, if you are a right wing Trump supporter it will not doubt be jarring

spiritofmusic · Jul 5, 2017

I always thought it was richly ironic that The Floyd were one of the avowed enemies and targets of Punk, to be brought crashing down at all costs, whereas Roger Waters was more caustic and bitter than any Punk ever was back in the day
DSOTM and The Wall are just the PERFECT Punk albums
Do I want to hear more of the same? Probably not

rbbert · Jul 5, 2017

infinitely baffled said:
Yes I agree with Sencha. For me it's not a case of sitting through political crap, but enjoying someone giving voice to feelings I share.
I believe political expression and social commentary are fundamental to great art.
But since most artists are left of centre, if you are a right wing Trump supporter it will not doubt be jarring

I agree with most of Waters' political views (except his obnoxious anti-Semitism) but I think this album is a total waste of time as music. It lacks singing, melody, interesting new musical ideas, etc.

infinitely baffled · Jul 8, 2017

rbbert said:
I agree with most of Waters' political views (except his obnoxious anti-Semitism) but I think this album is a total waste of time as music. It lacks singing, melody, interesting new musical ideas, etc.

What makes you say he's anti-semitic?
I hear criticism of the state of Israel, which is not the same thing.

rbbert · Jul 8, 2017

infinitely baffled said:
What makes you say he's anti-semitic?
I hear criticism of the state of Israel, which is not the same thing.

Discussed and (appropriately) shut down in a previous thread.

Roger Waters Is This The Life We Really Want

Member Sponsor

Member

Banned

Member Sponsor

Well-Known Member

Member

Member Sponsor

Well-Known Member

Member

VIP/Donor

VIP/Donor

Member

Well-Known Member

Member Sponsor

Well-Known Member

VIP/Donor

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

VIP/Donor

Well-Known Member

Similar threads