The Wall is a double CD Rock Opera released in November 1979, by the seminal Progressive Rock Band Pink Floyd. The release is based on themes of personal self-inflicted isolation. The lead character of the story, Pink, is based on mastermind Roger Waters life. The story visits the struggles of life after Pink’s loss of his father in WWII, abuse by teachers, smothered by his mother and later deserted by his wife. This all results in an isolation from society, thus The Wall. This release has sold 30 million copies and is still the best selling double album of all time. This particular release is a live rendition of the classic double album. It was recorded in London in 1981 and is very cohesive and true to the studio recording. The review is a wide and rambling affair that I hope appeals to some of you.
Disc 1:
Master Of Ceremonies—-The live show begins with nice crowd noise, some opera and a hilarious MC that warms you up as the anticipation rises higher and higher with the strains of instruments and then we begin the journey…..
In The Flesh?—–At once this welcomes you like a friend you havenot visited in a very long time. The sound is huge and remarkable for being live. The strains of the Floyd machine are incredible and I get goosebumps….30 years on!!!!!The vocals of Waters are incredible…there is no mistaking it and all of the background exclamations are repeated masterfully in this live setting. The tone of Waters makes you apprehensive and waiting the next ejection from his voice. Fantastic!
The Thin Ice—-Of course the familiar strains of the baby crying welcomes the mundane and morose sound of the song. The song gathers intensity and grows into a melodious beautiful sound that could make you weep. The piano is incredibleandthe feel of the song leaves you a tad uncomfortable.
Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 1—-An incredibly powerful and important piece of the story, the isolation begins and the feelings of desertion are planted…the first bricks of the Wall are firmly planted. The guitar is a jangly affair that leave you on the edge of you seat as you await a blast of noise…the tempo of the song only adds to the feelings of desolation. This is incredible and a really nice mellow listen!!!
The Happiest Days Of Our Lives—-The song has a trademark Floyd guitar feel…the vocal is a antastic emotive exclamation point. The chorus of back ground vocals lead us directly into….
Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2—-A huge international hit for the band, the song was banned in many countries because of a considered disrespect for teachers and education. Of course the video is a classic and it is integral to the storyline as well. Pink again experiences abuse and a growing distrust of society and only adds to the growing alienation. This is a wonderful song…the Gilmour guitar only adds to the emotion of the song.
Mother—-One of my favorite tracks on this release…I had a Mother just like this and have my own problems….but that is a different story altogether. The intro is a nice acoustic affair that offers up wonderful strains of keyboards and atmosphere. The vocal is a hauntinglydelivered excursion into a darkness that is both foreign and welcoming. I love this release!!! The song builds to a wonderful layered sound of ecstasy that never gets old or lets you down.
Goodbye Blue Sky—-As the airplanes circle and the forlorn child is heard, the gentle guitar intro is set in front of heavy synth sounds that were ground breaking for their time. The harmonizing chorus of voices are wonderfully delivered and he whole feel of the song leaves you dark and incredibly excited at the same time.
Empty Spaces—-The sounds of the crowd joyously welcomes the intro of this song and it’s short but powerfully building intro. The voice is almost sinister as the alienation grows and the disdain for life increases. The movements of the song are magnificent and add a sweet touch of experimentation that we expect from Floyd.
What Shall We Do Now?—-Very brief yet masterful andpowerful…not a song that was included on the original release, this short bit is pure bonus. The vocal harmonies that blend with the Gilmour guitaris incredible!
Young Lust—-Finally the band speaks to the audience and simply introduces the song that has every element of Floyd wrapped up in a few minutes. The slight funk bass is heavy, the jangly guitar is in the back….the vocal, so full of emotion is stronger than ever. This is a Floyd classic and to try to say something new seems futile…the song truly speaks for itself.
One Of My Turns—-One of the most fantastic songs on the release, it was the B-side to Another Brick In The Wall 2 and I became oddly addicted to it. The song is full of sound bites and a dark and eerie vocal delivery that just explodes as the song continues. When the song truly becomes it’s own, the result is full of magnificence and grandeur. This is magnificent!!!
Don’t Leave Me Now—-The song is a deep and plodding piece from the onset with subtle breath sounds and a vocal that is too high and odd in delivery. But….it works in a way that is indescribable. The tone of the song has a real experimental edge to it and worked really well in the conceptual film. This is wonderful!!!
Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 3—-The famous television smashing scene from the movie, Pink is in the depth of his despair and isolation…his level of distrust is at an all time high and it grows from simple alienation to a slight psychosis. The song reveals the familiar strains throughout the release in a musical sense and it is cohesive in a masterful manner.
The Last Few Bricks—-Densely layered with trademark Floyd sounds, the song still holds the feel and sound of the previous track….this is wonderful as a tie in to all that is happening in the story line…one of the most cohesive conceptual releases ever.
Goodbye Cruel World—-Eerie and intense, the closing strains to this chapter are cold and morose….sudden and sad….shocking and full of expectation for the next chapter…..Goodbye.
Disc 2:
Hey You—-As the second act commences, the sound of the Floyd machine is as powerful as ever. This begins a ’suite’ of songs that are my personal favorite on the record. The 6 songs in the second act are integral to the story anddone with an incredible energy and mood. The guitars flux between acoustic and metallic. the drums are huge and so in front of the mix, you would be deaf to miss them. the vocal is pained and intense. This is exquisite!
Is There Anybody Out There?—-The interesting soundbites continue and add little interludes to the songs….this song has that low hum and the pained vocal as alienation and isolation over take the character. Pieces of the wall begin to come down on the live stage and you can hear the crowd react…as we enter…
Nobody Home—-More charming little sounds play in the background as one of the finest releases on the CD is premiered. The technical qualities of this release are incredible. that they were able to produce all of these small sounds and intricacies live is astounding. the voice is in full force of emotion and pain. Waters must be a really intense guy!!!. This song is full of haunting lyrics and sounds and they work together amazingly well.
Vera—-Masterful short interlude that just adds to the depth and the despair of the sound of the record. Waters is a genius and although Gilmour said this was an unnecessary part of the record…I strongly disagree.
Bring The Boys Back Home—–A very militaristic sounding song that builds in emotion for the coup’de’tat of the releases……..
Comfortably Numb—–The song is a heavily layered guitar song that just soars higher and higher as the song continues. One of the best guitar solos in modern history, the vocals are also taken over by Gilmour to a masterful effect. This is one of the most brilliant songs ever recorded and I never tire of hearing it.
The Show Must Go On—-Very gentle and eerie, the vocal harmonies are fantastic. The oohs and ahhsare just incredible and the short but sweet message of the song is clear……face life or dig deeper into your tortured soul….Pink chooses the former because of intervention…or at least that is my interpretation. Fantastic.
Master Of Ceremonies——Interesting but unnessary….kindof funny….kindof peculiar as the band finally busts down the wall and appears before the audience in person…….
In The Flesh—-Combining musical components that have been present throughout the entire release , the song is a tour de force of guitar and drum muscle….the vocal deliveries are songs of the same elements with different words and verses, but the feelings remain intact. The vocal delivery is magical and not to be lost in the mix. The live delivery only adds to the power of the song…this is incredible.
Run Like Hell—-Powerful anddelivered live with an incredible flavor, the song is a powerful piece of integration to the entire story. The band begins to interact with the live audience, nor that the Wall has been dismantled and the reaction is of of glee. The guitars are classic Gilmour and the drums are right in the front of your forehead. This is classic and never, never grows old.
Waiting For The Worms—-The band continues to interact with the audience, but never looses fact of the story line……even as Pink begins to find his way back into the world. Waters delivers a vocal that is so telling and true that you worry about his own mental health. The gentle keyboards that play throughout the song are integral to the feeling of the song. the background soundbites are included and work to an incredible effect. This is an incredible live rendition of a classic release.
Stop—-A short and brief interlude that is full of keyboards and an emotive vocal that leads into….
The Trial—-A fun and circus sounding intro that reminds me of Pinocchio for some reason!!! The vocal sounds are almost silly, but the message of the song is incredible. As Pink discovers life, he is banished to the land of the feeling. As he breaks from his isolation, he is ordered to never return to the land of the dark and isolated. This is powerful….and of course, depending on the day the entire release could mean something different to me.
Outside The Wall—-The album ends in a magnificent manner, re-visiting strains of numerous songs and lyrics. The feel is almost one of joy as Pink discovers life in the outside world and away from the wall. This is an incredible listen…one I revisit often, but not too often…lest I build my own Wall even higher.
***** out of 5
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