Pink Floyd
A Momentary Lapse Of Reason

After the release of the album The Final Cut, the conflict between Roger Waters, bassist of the band, and David Gilmour, guitarist of the band heightened and led both musicians to leave the Pink Floyd project for a while, during which they started solo careers. David released About Face, while Roger released The Pros and Cons of Hitch-Hiking. Both albums achieved good sales success.

In 1985, an opportunity arose for the two to reunite as Pink Floyd, together with Nick Mason, drummer of the band, at Live Aid, an event organized by Bob Geldof (he had participated in the film The Wall as the protagonist, in the role of Pink), in which successful bands from all over the world would play for charity: to raise funds for Ethiopia. The event, broadcast live worldwide, would feature the participation of Queen, the real attraction of the show. Roger decided not to participate in Live Aid because he wanted to do it alone, not as a member of Pink Floyd. In October 1985, Nick Mason, a few months after the release of his solo album, Profiles, publicly announced his desire to return with Pink Floyd. But in December of the same year, Waters officially announced his departure from the group: Pink Floyd no longer existed.

In September 1986, it became known that Mason, Bob Ezrin, and Gilmour were recording tracks for a potential new album. Waters, more irritated than ever by this news, appeared before the Supreme Court of London for the dissolution of the company "Pink Floyd Music Ltd": this would have meant that David Gilmour and Nick Mason could not release an album under the name Pink Floyd. Initially, the Court was in favor of Waters' claims, but in February 1987, it was announced that Gilmour and Mason had obtained the right to use the name Pink Floyd for a record work.

In September 1987, the new Pink Floyd album finally came out. In this work, guitars naturally prevail, and there is no lack of saxophones, female voices, and other sound effects. With this album, Gilmour's musical idea, having become the leader of the band, is painted very clearly. The group at this point breathes due to the absence of Waters, and many new creative ideas arise. Naturally, the critics and Waters himself criticize the album, and the former Pink Floyd member feels backstabbed. A Momentary Lapse of Reason is a beautiful blend of sounds, ideas, and beautiful instrumental passages, such as the first piece on side A, Signs of Life, followed by a beautiful piece, Learning to Fly, where Gilmour's voice is in full harmony with Mason's imposing drum rhythm. The third song on the album is titled Dogs of War and presents a text clearly protesting against war. One Slip, the next song, is rich in emotion, and the atmosphere is heart-wrenching. The very particular introduction, which leads into the sound of clocks, is followed by an instrumental part that sets the stage for David's singing. The rhythm becomes faster and more engaging. One of the most beautiful songs on the album is called On the Turning Away, a piece in which there is a strong charge of melancholy, but just as much lyrical power. It begins with David's "a cappella" voice followed by a beautiful accompanying guitar. In the finale, female voices and a superb electric guitar solo by the band's leader arise. Following is a brief track where voices are heard introducing David to the voice. The text is a succession of contrasting nouns or equally contrasting expressions (One sound, one single sound, One kiss, one single kiss ... He has laughed and he has cried, he has fought and he has died, he's just the same as all the rest, he's not the worst, he's not the best...). This is followed by a brief instrumental, Round and Around. The eighth track of the album is a fragment of a short song, A New Machine. It makes up the first part. David's voice is very powerful and aggressive in a poignant atmosphere. The next piece is a long instrumental, six minutes in length, in which there is superb work of electric guitar and drums combined with a beautiful saxophone. The penultimate song of the album is the second fragment of A New Machine, much shorter than the other.

The album closes magnificently with Sorrow, a piece introduced by a chilling instrumental part with a strong emotional impact. The song comes to life with Mason's drums keeping the rhythm, accompanied by David's guitar. The latter's voice is very deep and poignant. The song, and therefore the album, concludes with the guitar solo of the band's leader in a fade-out.

A Momentary Lapse of Reason is a more than good album, with a very evocative sound, even if the lyrics are not on par with the music. An album worthy of Pink Floyd in which new ideas and sounds come to life but are not intrusive. 1987 is colored with Pink Floyd. It will be necessary to wait until 1994 for another album of new material.