IS THIS THE LIFE WE REALLY WANT?

Nice to be the first to review this album! Floyd fans are going to be over the moon with this one. I've been listening to it non-stop for 2 days now [make that 3+ weeks]. It's not only the best Waters solo album, but the best Floyd-related *album* since The Wall (or The Final Cut, if you like). I'm fond of Floyd's post-Waters albums, as well as solo albums by Waters and Gilmour, but generally I skip over a few tracks on all those. But there's not a track on this album that I want to skip over. I could pick out individual tracks, but this isn't the kind of album where you'll want to only buy a few songs on iTunes - you'll want to hear the whole thing, and listen from beginning to end. That's where these songs really come alive.

Special mention must go to producer Nigel Godrich. He's generally considered to be the "sixth member" of Radiohead, and works closely with Thom Yorke on his solo outings as well. He brought his A game to this album by Waters, who sounds positively rejuvenated. Whereas the albums "Amused to Death" and "Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking" were rooted in classic guitar rock, this album is more keys-oriented. And let's face it, that's the Floyd most of us loved - Meddle, Wish You Were Here, and even Animals, which this album somehow most resembles. This album recalls great music of the 70s, while still sounding contemporary. Godrich has added lush pianos and strings (a couple of songs here remind me of Serge Gainsbourg's "Histoire de Melody Nelson" album), combined with Waters' acoustic guitar (I presume), tasteful electric guitars, sound effects, and the best batch of songs Waters has written since The Wall. Godrich seems to really get Floyd, and has erased some of the most annoying elements of Waters' solo albums (e.g. overbearingly cheesy female choruses, ear-piercing background screams by Waters). And while we're on the subject: Waters's voice, almost always a liability, is here beautiful and moving. This is simply his best vocal performance since the Floyd mach II disbanded.

The unifying theme that ties the album together is various weather reports. I didn't give it much thought to it at first, but when I realized what the voices were saying over the course of the album it the context of Waters' brilliant lyrics, I was chilled to the bone. "And it's the end of broadcasting for Thursday... Severe gale... It is 11:34 and 50 seconds... A Happy New Year to you all... Goodnight everyone. Severe thunderstorms... It's year Number One. The time is now three minutes past midnight... And it's the end of broadcasting." One is reminded of the Doomsday Clock; this is music of the Apocalypse, of a world gone straight to hell. Trump's voice - "And the other thing - chaos; there's zero chaos" - in the context of the swirling "Is this the life we really want/Bird in a gale" - reinforces the idea that the world itself is in utter chaos, as drones patrol the darkened skies and lay waste to cities and homes.

I wonder if others are going to be as enthusiastic and amazed by this album as I am? I predict that at the end of the year, it should have the highest album rating here at PA. If you love the Floyd of old, do yourself a favor and get this album. I long a go wrote off Waters - every previous album had its moments, while still being an utter disappointment. This is Waters back in genius mode. [EDITED 6/25/17]