The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking Review

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(More customer reviews)I expect that everyone who's listened to this album, or is a fan of Roger Waters, is at least somewhat familiar with the music of Pink Floyd. Therefore, most of them compare "Pros and Cons" to Waters masterworks like "Final Cut" and "The Wall." I won't. I'm just going to write this for the music lover who's been directed to this page by a "best of" list of friend's recommendation.
Most importantly, "Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking" is a concept album in the ultimate sense. This means that it is not actually twelve different tracks that go together -- it means that the entire album is really one long track, telling one story. It includes a multitude of sound effects and imbedded dialogue to enhance the narrative. Many musical chords are used repeatedly in various parts of the album to reinforce the cohesiveness. It is virtually impossible to appreciate "Pros and Cons" without sitting down and listening to it all the way through at least a dozen times. Like all of Roger Waters' work, he requires his listener to put as much thought into the album as he did.
Minor problems do crop up. For instance, it's a godsend that the lyrics are included with the album, as well as the dialogue, because some of it is quite difficult to understand with no outside reference. Then there's the usual problem with Waters work: if you don't pay full attention, you WILL NOT "GET IT." I can't put it any more clearly. Waters demands your full participation. Also, some portions of the music don't run quite as deep as the lyrics. This makes the album as a whole seem shallower than it really is.... And sometimes, if you're not in a patient mood, some parts seems to drag on. This may be due to Roger not having the safety net of collaborators during the composition process. (This was his first solo album, after all. So he's allowed to be a little shaky.)
The execution of the music is flawless, though! Mr. Waters is an accomplished bassist. The Legendary Eric Clapton is lead guitarist (and if you don't know Floyd, I have to assume that you must know at least SOMETHING by Clapton...) Michael Kamen plays the piano and conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra. So despite showing signs of lacking in musical composition, the performance of the material gives it an operatic quality. Roger Waters himself gives a go-for-broke vocal performance that quickens the strain of the protagonist's conflict.
I think the main reason that this album is a bit obscure (except among true Floyd and Waters fans) is that there really are no tracks that could be marketed as radio singles. As I've mentioned before, the entire album is the only track on the disc. But for posterity's sake, I'll say that there are a few cuts that might have made excellent singles. "Sexual Revolution," "Every Stranger's Eyes," and the title track may have made it... But stripped of the album's context, they do in fact lose some of their power.
What really kills me is that I can't think of a single other artist to whom I can compare this album. It has a quite different sound from classic Pink Floyd, and Roger Waters' later work is even a little more audience-accessible than "Pros and Cons." I'd say that it could possibly be just summed up as a "country rock opera." I do think that you would not enjoy this album quite as much unless you first go back and investigate some of Pink Floyd's earlier work. "The Wall" and "Final Cut" are absolute essentials in Roger Waters ouevre, and listening to them would help considerably in appreciating this. If you like those, then you'll probably appreciate this album a bit more. Definitely don't make this your first Roger Waters purchase. "Amused to Death" is a much more polished work. If you want a good overview of his work, try his "In the Flesh" live album. Then move on to "Pros and Cons."
Now, if you do happen to be a Pink Floyd fan, and you're reading this review, you already know what a brilliant lyricist Mr. Waters is. Since this was his first solo album, it's easy to see his attempts to make his own musical mark, and that's probably what detracts a bit from this. But I can say that it is a very satisfying work, and anyone with a deeper sense of sophistication would certainly give "Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking" a thumbs up.

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Import only remastered pressing. Sony. 2003.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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The Wall: Live in Berlin (Limited Edition Book and Video Box Set) Review

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(More customer reviews)My expectations were rather muted going into this. Primarily due to the "Celebrity" cast. I also had some real concerns over sound quality since it was recorded almost 15 years ago. The sound however is flat out amazing though. Although my issues with the Celebrity cast did not disappear, the quality of the sound and enormity of the production itself made the cast of characters seem less important. The list of those performers seems really stale today, but at the time of the show, they were all "A" list. I think some complaints I've read hold little merit or were the product of lack of understanding of the original source material. Someone said the scorpions attire was in bad taste for such an event. Well folks, that was on purpose! They were the "Surrogate" band which was supposed to be representative of all of the excess in rock and roll that has at one time or another caused many of us to lose sight of the music.
Although, I've never been a Sinead O'conner fan, I thought she was a perfectly appropriate representation of the child in Pink. Her vocals were also very moving. Again, I'm not a Brian Adams fan, but his gritty voice was an excellent fit for "Young Lust". And, no he wasn't really playing guitar, or at least he wasn't wired for sound. He, like the scorpions were there simply to provide vocals and window dressing. The music was thankfully performed strictly by Roger's amazing band. Joni Mitchell's performance was flat out creepy (in a good way)perfect for "Goodbye Blue Sky". Cindi lauper was nothing but annoying. Van morrison (who I love), seemed painfully out of place in this production. I ached for the return of David Gilmour's silky voice during Van's performance of "Comfortably Numb"

My biggest issue with the DVD was the camera angles and distances used for the bulk of the show. The show was so enormous that I think the best overall perspective would have been maybe a hundred and fifty feet or so from the stage. This view was curiously entirely absent. Everything was shot either up close (Like most concert footage), or so far away that the perfomers were merely a speck in the camera lense. These longs distance shots were used primarily between songs though and really did give the viewer an idea of just how huge the show was. In fact I would say the production was probably 4 to 5 times the size of Pink Floyds original prodution. All of the tight camera shots made me feel too much like I was watching a concert video rather than experiencing the show. Another interesting perspective was the footage shot behind the wall after the band had been completely closed off from the audience. It really made me appreciate how weird that must have been for Both Pink Floyd in the original performance and for Roger's band in this version. I mean here you are playing your heart out and you can't even see your audience, and you know they can't see you either. I would liked to have seen a little more of the audience perspective during this part of the show.
And to those Floyd fans who don't think the wall should be done without the original band, I do sympathize. But the fact is, they were asked to perform, and declined. Understandably, the bad blood between the Waters & Floyd camps was too much to overcome under such short notice, even for such a meaningful event and cause. But, the bottom line is that "The Wall" is Roger's brain child. You can count both the musical & lyrical credits of other band members for the double album on one hand. The wall is the least musical of the Floyd creations due to the lack of input of those other band members. But in pure lyrical and conceptual terms, I still feel it is once of the most brilliant and important works of my generation. I still hold out hope that some day, all of the members including Roger will be able to put their egos and bitterness aside and re-unite to produce new music and tour. Until that day however, I feel very fortunate to re-live the wall experience in this powerful incarnation.

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An Opening Act: On Tour With King Crimson Review

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(More customer reviews)Out of a stack of California Guitar Trio (CGT) CDs, my favorite may be "An Opening Act: On Tour With King Crimson." It's everything that we've come to love about the group. It features that distinctively CGT balance of surf and classically inspired material. This trio met while enrolled in Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft program. Afterwards, they took it to the next level by becoming one of the most active elements in the guitar craft movement. Coming full circle, we can only imagine how wonderful it would have been for the group to actually open for Fripp's King Crimson. While CGT's music has always been infused with the sensibility of the League of Crafty Guitarists, "An Opening Act" feels an especially heavy shadow of Robert Fripp. 'Train To Lamy' even features an exciting nod to '21st Century Schizoid Man.' One of the benefits of this live show is that it plays like a greatest hits. In terms of the Americana, 'Walk Don't Run' and 'Misirlou' are strengths. 'Kan-Non Power' is a CGT original that Robert Fripp assimilated into the setlists of his String Quintet. From Morricone's 'The Good, The Bad And The Ugly' to Bach's 'Toccata and Fugue in D Minor,' the listener simply can't go wrong. What is gained in the studio is often lost on the stage and vice versa. Live performances tend to trade production quality for energy. One of the outstanding dynamics of this release as a live recording is that it shows that these guys still shine in terms of their technical precision and blinding speed. Indeed, "An Opening Act" kills any suspicion that the merits of CGT have been engineered with studio trickery. After a dozen albums, this late 1990s show is special given that it is the group's only live release. All in all, "An Opening Act: On Tour With King Crimson" stands as an exciting document of what California Guitar Trio can do on stage.
Amazon doesn't currently list the songs. Here they are:
1. Yamanashi Blues
2. Melrose Avenue
3. Train To Lamy
4. The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
5. Punta Patri
6. Toccata and Fugue in D minor
7. Pipeline
8. Kan-Non Power
9. Invitation
10. Walk Don't Run
11. Misirlou

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Recorded live. Tracks: Yamanashi Blues, Melrose Avenue, Train to Lamy (21st Century Schizoid Man), Blockhead, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, Punta Patri, Toccata and Fugue in d minor, Pipeline, Kan-Non Power, Invitation, Walk Don't Run, Miserlou.

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Radio Kaos Review

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(More customer reviews)I really like this album. I've heard some bad things about it, and, although it's not on par with Roger's Pink Floyd work, or Amused To Death for that matter, it is still quite good. Maybe the reason some people don't like it is because, musically, it isn't what you would expect from Waters. It's really a period piece... it is soooooooooooooooooooooo 80's. However, Roger's instantly recognizable lyrical touch and unifying vision serve to make this album have more of a lasting appeal than it's 80's-sound and Cold War paranoia would normally allow. The vocals on this album are interesting. Everybody knows that Roger is not noted as an outstanding singer, but his vocals on this album are distinctive and inspired, quite unlike, at times, anything he has done before or since. Also, the backing vocalists are used far more effectively here than they were to be on Amused To Death. The music itself is far less guitar-oriented than his other work, it consits mainly of the aforementioned 80's style synths and sounds. Of course there is also no Eric Clapton or Jeff Beck on this album. Despite this, all the songs are interesting, some for musicality, but all for Roger's novel lyrics and dry, caustic delivery. The lyrics, focused as they are, aren't as universal as past Waters efforts, but he still hits home and his wit is ever-present. The album flows together nicely, so there aren't really any standout songs, but all of them are good. A big improvement over Pros and Cons, and a step toward his masterpiece Amused To Death, a recommended album for Waters fans.

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Amused to Death Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm not unique in that I like Roger Waters and old Pink Floyd (Waters & Co. from DSOTM). But I seemed to be on a limb with many listeners concerning the new (1994 is new? -- David Gilmour and Co.) Pink Floyd. There is obviously strong camps for one or the other, and the customer reviews of any Pink Floyd CD brings this out rather vehemently. Me? I love them all, past, present, and future(?). All I have to do is listen to the first few guitar strings of ANY Pink Floyd cut, and I sit back in anticipation, knowing I'm listenening to one of my favorite groups. It doesn't matter to me if it's Roger or David. It doesn't matter to me if it's a cut from "The Wall" or from "Division Bell". It's Pink Floyd, whether it's the group or an individual.
As far as "Amused to Death"? The very first moment the sound began drifting from my speakers, I smiled. From the battle-weary old man mumbling remembrances through the satirical "What God Wants" and "It's a Miracle", I find Roger at his cynical best, and I begin waxing nostalgic. Here is the anger and the bite that I have missed for so many years. Here is the cynicism, both modern and old...and weary, so clearly resonating from Roger's anguished voice. Ahhhh, I wish...I wish....
The rumor mill continues, but if wishes were...heck, you know the old saying as well as I. The truly sad thing is, I don't know if I'll ever hear anything coming from either camp ever again. Roger has been silent since 1992, and David Gilmour since 1994. All I can do now is sit back and listen and remember a talented group of individuals who have given me hundreds of hours of pleasure.Between 1 and 10, I give "Amused to Death", perhaps Waters' best solo work, a solid 8. Thank you, Roger. And thank you, David. I miss all of you.

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Vinyl Classics reissue of this album comes as a vinyl look-a-like CD that's packaged in a die-cut see-through slipcase. Sony.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Roger Waters - In the Flesh (Live) (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)Of the 30 or so concert DVDs I've purchased to date, this is by far the best. This DVD has a very good DD 5.1 sound track. In fact, the sound on this DVD is just awesome. The video production of the concert is also excellent with lots of close-ups of the individual players - for example, of Doyle and Snowy when they're playing their solos. Although I have a lot of respect for David Gilmour, his writing and playing, these two guys do some excellent jamming that fits in perfectly with the particular song they're playing at the time, especially on some of the old favorites like Money, Another Brick ... and Comfortably Numb. Roger Waters put together a first-class group of musicians for this tour and they do a great job on all the Floyd songs. If you like Pink Floyd music, this is a DVD that you'll want to put on, crank up the volume and watch from beginning to end. Every cut is a winner. The behind-the-scenes selection is a plus and I always enjoy reading the band member bios when they're available, as they are on this DVD. I couldn't find anything bad to say about this DVD. It's definitely 5 stars!

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Columbia recording artist and Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters toured the United States for the first time in 12 years in 1999-2000 with his highly acclaimed "In The Flesh" show that presented, for the first time, a comprehensive overview of Waters's music including: early Pink Floyd material; classic compositions from his masterpieces "The Wall" and "Dark Side of the Moon;" less well-known pieces from "Animals," "Wish You Were Here," and "The Final Cut;" songs from the solo tour de force "Amused To Death" and "The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking;" and the debut of a new song, "Each Small Candle." Songs: In the Flesh, The Happiest Days of Our Lives, Another Brick in the Wall Part 2, Mother, Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert, Southampton Dock, Pigs on the Wing Part 1, Dogs, Welcome to the Machine, Wish You Were Here, Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 1-8), Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun, Breathe (In The Air), Time, Money, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking Part 11 (5:06 am? Every Stranger's Eyes), Perfect Sense (Parts I and II), The Bravery of Being Out of Range, It's a Miracle, Amused to Death, Brain Damage, Eclipse, Comfortably Numb, Each Small Candle.

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