A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF REASON

Does this album really deserve a 4 star rating?!? Absolutely! Regardless if you think this is a true FLOYD record or a Gilmour-solo album, I enjoy "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason" tremendously. Besides spawning a few hit singles, it is a very intelligent album, and it creates a certain android or robotic mood/atmosphere similar to that found on 'Welcome To The Machine'. That is what FLOYD albums often do: create a feeling, mood or atmosphere. I also like it because it doesn't sound like any other FLOYD album. Which is often why a lot of reviewers slag it. I respect their opinion.

"AMLOR" does suffer from that 'electronic, poppy, heavy synth' sound unfortunately so common in the 1980's. But, when this record is put in perspective with what else was coming out in 1987 like Madonna, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and even Roger Waters' flop "Radio KAOS", well "AMLOR" looks bloody revolutionary!

"AMLOR" is a concept album. And when seen in this light, this album should be viewed differently than it currently is. The concept centres around the post-apocalyptic world, and one newly born man's (android's?) attempt to live in it.The title "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" refers to someone's poor judgement to launch a nuclear strike. Remember, we are still smack damn in the middle of the Cold War when this piece was written...

A lot of the song titles, and lyrics support this thesis. 'Signs of Life' (Birth/Re-birth); 'Learning To Fly' (a euphenism for learning to walk or run); 'The Dogs of War' (Survival of the fittest, social Darwinism); 'One Slip' (the perils of falling in love, with another? an object? oneself?); 'On The Turning Away' (Loss and/or ignorance of the less fortunate); 'A New Machine' (android, computer reference to artificial intelligence/life similar to the movie 2001 or even ELP's 'Karnevil9: 3rd Impression'); 'Yet Another Movie' (how mankind attempts to ignore reality and immerses himself in fantasy and entertainment as a distraction); 'Terminal Frost' (the atomic winter that will set in after a nuclear holocaust); 'Sorrow' (the android and/or last man's feeling of loneliness, lack of human contact).

An excellent musical and lyrical journey, IF you keep an open mind. Not just for FLOYD fans.