1990 - July: Pink Floyd ”A Momentary Lapse of Reason”

Folks, we're stretching a bit on this one.  Lynch noticed that Roger Waters performed "The Wall" at the Berlin wall in this month, and used that as an excuse to feature A Momentary Lapse of Reason, which was the latest studio album by Pink Floyd. Since that originally came out in 1987, we're asking you to squint a bit to see it's relevance to the summer of 1990.  That being said...

A Momentary Lapse of Reason is the first Pink Floyd album released after bassist and primary songwriter Roger Waters left the band.  Waters had expected that Pink Floyd would simply disband, and was surprised when David Gilmour and Nick Mason decided to continue without him.  Acrimony and lawsuits appeared, but in the end a Water-less Pink Floyd continued on.

Unlike many prior Pink Floyd albums, this one is not playing off a single concept.  Instead, it is a more traditional collection of songs.  Gilmour presented the album as a return to earlier Pink Floyd material, which was perhaps a reaction to common critiques of their previous album "The Final Cut" as a Roger Waters solo effort masquerading as a Pink Floyd album.  There are a number of well-known session musicians that participated in the making of this album.

The album was a commercial success, debuting at number 3 on both the US and UK albums charts.  The US tour was the most successful of the year, selling out almost every venue it played in the States.  Roger Water's lawsuits would be overcome, and a settlement was reached between Waters and the band by the end of 1987.

Lynch brings us this Pink Floyd reboot album for today's podcast and we’re joined by guest host Julie Doran joins us on this episode.

 

On the Turning Away This power ballad was co-written by Gilmour and British experimental composer Anthony Moore.  It is an anti-war song, one of the more political Pink Floyd songs written since the departure of Waters. It begins with a solemn Gilmour vocal supported by understated keyboards, then builds to an almost orchestral conclusion.  

Learning to Fly A surprisingly upbeat song for the group, the inspiration for this first single is David Gilmour's experience learning to fly airplanes.  At the time he would do practice flights in the mornings and work in the studio in the afternoons.  It is also a metaphor for the band coming back together after splitting with Roger Waters.

One Slip The fourth US single discusses the long-term consequences of a one-night stand, and contains the lyrics that would become the title to the album as a whole.  Gilmour co-wrote this song with Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera.  Fans of bassist Tony Levin may recognize his work on a Chapman Stick in the instrumentation for this track. 

 

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Real Wild Child by Iggy Pop (from the motion picture “Problem Child”) This dark comedy starring John Ritter follows the trials of Ben Healy Jr. as he adopts a less-than-model child from a questionable adoption agency.  

 

STAFF PICKS:

Stop by Jane's Addiction Wayne leads off the staff picks with a college radio hit off the "Ritual De Lo Habitual" album.  Lead singer Perry Farrell warns about apathy towards environmental disaster, telling people to turn off the smokestacks.  "And the water will run, come a day, the water will run, no man will stand for things he had done."

Brave New World by Michael Penn Rob brings us a jangly deeper cut with a song with rapid fire lyrics off Penn's "March" album.  The song reflects confusion in where the singer is going, perhaps making a commentary on society as it heads into a "brave new world."  "This may not be my best day, but this ain't no golden age.  You looked pretty on the freeway.  Let's drive into the brave new world."

Give It Up by Hothouse Flowers Bruce features a s song from an Irish group off their second album, "Home."  This song that went to number 2 on the US Modern Rock chart is summed up in the lyrics, "Well, this song's inspired by a good man and his tune doing good for others, sing 'Amazing Grace' for you." 

Rub You the Right Way by Johnny Gill Julie's staff pick is an upbeat hip hop song, and Gill's first single after he left New Edition earlier in the year.  Despite the lyrics, Gill was the son of a minister and got his start in gospel music.  He signed with Motown as a teenager.  Gill had become very accustomed to performing live, and had a difficult time switching to studio work.  

Blue Sky Mine by Midnight Oil Lynch closes out the staff picks with the first single off Midnight Oil's seventh studio album.  The inspiration for the song was the experience of workers in the Wittenoom asbestos mines in western Australia, where they contracted a variety of asbestos-related diseases.  The "blue" in the title refers to "blue asbestos," a form of the mineral considered most hazardous.

 

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Erotic Nightmares by Steve Vai Guitar virtuoso Steve Vai carries us out of this week's podcast.

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