The songs from Pink Floyd, particularly appealing to 'big spliff' enthusiasts, and those uncomfortable around dogs or The Wall, were instrumental in shaping the band's final album, The Endless River.
Pink Floyd's The Endless River: A Tribute to the Band's Past
Pink Floyd's final album, The Endless River, released in 2014, is a nostalgic tribute to the band's rich history and creative evolution. The 21-track album, which serves as a patchwork of unreleased works known as The Big Spliff, is a testament to the band's instrumental prowess and experimental spirit.
The album's title track, which demonstrates the band's willingness to move beyond the three-minute single format, as seen in their 1968 album "A Saucerful Of Secrets", sets the tone for the album. This influence is evident in tracks like "Skins".
"The Endless River" also nods generously to various moments from Pink Floyd's past, including "A Saucerful Of Secrets", "Echoes", and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". The drizzle sound in the song "Ebb And Flow" evokes the mood of the 23-and-a-half-minute centerpiece "Echoes" from their 1971 album "Meddle".
The song "It's What We Do" on the album could be considered a composite of the second and ninth parts of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". This track, like many others on the album, highlights the Wright/Gilmour creative dynamic, a partnership that defined Pink Floyd's sound.
Ron Geesin, who played a role similar to Youth in the creation of "The Endless River", helped focus Pink Floyd's experimentation and taught them more about recording techniques. Geesin's influence is particularly evident in the album's improvisational passages.
The song "Atom Heart Mother" from Pink Floyd's 1970 album of the same name, a 20-minute piece that marked a significant experimental phase for the band, also left its mark on "The Endless River".
The album's "Anisina" takes the template of the melody from Rick Wright's cherished Floyd melody "Us And Them" and brings it into the 21st century. Meanwhile, the unique, searing guitar sound of "One Of These Days" from their 1971 album is recreated in the song "Sum".
"The Endless River" evokes many glorious memories of Pink Floyd's history while locating the group in the 21st century. It deliberately draws upon the improvisational and experimental approaches typified by "A Saucerful of Secrets", "Ummagumma", "Meddle", and the "Division Bell" era.
The accidental wiring of a wah-wah pedal that created a screeching noise of gulls in their 1971 song "Echoes" makes a brief appearance at the end of the song "Skins" on the second part of "The Endless River". This nod to the band's past is a fitting reminder of Pink Floyd's innovative spirit and their ability to transform unexpected accidents into musical masterpieces.
In conclusion, "The Endless River" is an irresistible tribute to Pink Floyd's music, and it is self-referential. It reflects a return to the band's roots as an atmospheric, largely instrumental band with rich textural interplay between Wright's keyboards and Gilmour's guitar. The album is a fitting send-off for one of the most influential bands in the history of rock music.
- The Endless River, Pink Floyd's final album, showcases their instrumental prowess and experimental spirit, as demonstrated in tracks like "Skins."
- The title track of The Endless River, with its longevity beyond the three-minute single format, harks back to Pink Floyd's 1968 album, A Saucerful Of Secrets.
- The album's improvisational passages bear the influence of Ron Geesin, who helped guide Pink Floyd's experimentation and fine-tune their recording techniques.
- The song "It's What We Do" on The Endless River is a composite of the second and ninth parts of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond."
- "The Endless River"album takes the melody from Rick Wright's cherished Floyd melody "Us And Them" and brings it into the 21st century in the song "Anisina."
- The searing guitar sound of "One Of These Days" from Pink Floyd's 1971 album is recreated in the song "Sum" on The Endless River.
- The album delivers a nostalgic tribute to Pink Floyd's history, locating them in the 21st century while harking back to the improvisational and experimental approaches typified by A Saucerful Of Secrets, Ummagumma, Meddle, and the Division Bell era.
- The accidental inclusion of the wah-wah pedal screech from the gulls in their 1971 song "Echoes" in the song "Skins" on The Endless River serves as a tribute to Pink Floyd's innovative spirit and their ability to transform accidents into musical masterpieces.
