My mom picked up Pink Floyd's Pulse for me for my seventeenth birthday. At least I think it was that one. Either way it was in 1995 and she bought me both the double CD set with the fancy box and blinking light. As well as the matching VHS release. The battery needs to be replaced in my box and I haven't had a working VHS player for a few years. It was a pretty good call on her behalf, fuelled by how much I had been watching The Wall at that time. That was the year I discovered it.
This album exposed me to a lot of Floyd song's I had never known before first putting this album on. When I look back on it, I totally under valued this album over the years. If you had asked me ten years ago about this album, I would have told you it was okay, but now a days I have a stronger opinion of it. I do believe that this is one of those albums that's wasted on youth and was meant for a more mature audience.
Which would explain why when I was a teen every guy I knew in their thirties pretty much raved about this album.
The concert opens with Shine On You Crazy Diamond. Over the years this has become one of my favourite songs from this band. I love the majesty of the opening guitar solo, mixed with the subtle beauty of the keyboards. David Gilmour and Richard Wright slowly build to a musical brilliance really cause this song to do what it says and "Just shine". I guess I should mention that this is not the full length version, but it's pretty damn close.
Since many people believe with good reason that Shine On You Crazy Diamond is about former Pink Floyd vocalist Syd Barrett, it's only fitting that they play one of his songs next. Astronomy Domine from The Piper at The Gates Of Dawn is the second song into the concert, and it's wicked cool. It's totally like being pulled back to 1967 when it was first released.
The Pulse album was actually recordings taken during the tour from The Division Bell, which was the last studio album released by the band. So it only makes sense that a few songs from that album would be on here. The first is What Do You Want From Me. While I do enjoy this song, and think it's well done, you can really tell that it's post 1980's Pink Floyd in the sound of the song itself. That's not a bad thing, it's just not my thing.
Learn To Fly originally comes from Momentary Lapse Of Reason. Pretty much everthing I said about the last track applies to this one as well.
The second song to be played live from the Division Bell is Keep Talking. I've covered how I feel about these late era songs. They are good, but just not my thing so much. They sound dated, to a time I personally wouldn't want to sound dated to.
Of all the songs to be played live from the album, that inspired the tour, that inspired this album, Coming Back To Life is the one I like the least. Actually of all the songs from this live collection, this is the one I would skip first. It might be the only one that I would actually go out of my way to skip.
After that is Hey You. This is one of those songs from The Wall that I never understood why it was so popular. I mean it's not bad, but at this point in the concert I find it slows down the set too much. I will say that the live interpretation is really passion filled and impressive in that manner.
By the time I get to A Great Day For Freedom, I'm getting a little bored of Division Bell songs. They're okay, but for the most part I'm starting to find them a little repetitive sounding.
One of the biggest problems with this tour is the fact that the band had to stay away from using too many Roger Water's songs. Which means they had to mainly pull from A Division Bell And Momentary Lapse Of Reason. For the first disc, I find this a bit of a put off. Gilmour wrote great music, but the problem is most of the songs from that time period all sound the same. By the time I get to Sorrow, I remember why I don't really listen to this album very often. As much as I like the second disc, I'm not such a big fan of the first one.
Basically, I would describe most of the songs that make up the middle section of this disc as one really long concept song, that sounds like a lot of Gilmour getting himself off on the guitar. Which could be considered really cool if you are into that kind of thing.
High Hopes finishes off the songs from the post Waters period. I think I may like this one the best of those songs, but still I find it a little long feeling, and that it drags it's ass a little. The nice part about this song is that it does have a different vibe and feel compared to the other songs from the two albums I've been mentioning.
The first disc then ends with Pink Floyd's most popular song, Another Brick In The Wall (Part Two). This is a much needed pick me up after the last eight songs. I would have liked to have been able to hear more of the audience on this track, but aside from that, it's a cool live version.
Disc two starts with the band playing the entire The Dark Side Of The Moon. You have the cool heartbeating intro of Speak To Me, which flows right into Breath. Now the part I love the most about this, is the last time Pink Floyd officially toured was documented on this double disc set, but the fact that Dark Side was played in it's entirety is just so sweet.
When it breaks into On The Run you can just feel the static in the air as the audience waits for what's coming next. The music just builds up such feverish anticipation, and then there's the explosion. I have to say that the sound is so crystal clear I'd almost think it wasn't actually a live recording.
Then it's on to Time. As a kid and a young teen I was never a fan of this song. I found the intro a little long and over done. When I hit sixteen or so, I really started to develop an appreciation for the song. But it wasn't until I was in my twenties that I really fell in love with it. In fact as I listen to it now, I discover a new love for this version of the song. It's not as good as the studio track, mainly because the vocals sound a little rough, but the solo is top notch.
I love the airy cinematic feel of The Great Gig In The Sky, and I love the live female vocals. Totally mind blowing, if you ever get to see the live video performance for this album. This is one of those songs that you just have to let the music take you away. Close your eyes, and let your mind dream through the sky, or space, or whatever fantasies you dare to imagine soaring through.
Money, which is up next, is kind of the opposite of what I say about Time. I loved this song more as a kid and young teen then I did by the time I was in my twenties. Now a days I just love grooving on the song. I will also say that this version is lacking compared to the studio version, but the saxaphones sound top notch.
My one wish when it comes to Pink Floyd is that they'd loosen up a bit in the solos. Gilmours solos sound almost note for note from the studio recordings, and the various other instruments do the same thing as well. I will say that I do love the jamming that they do do during the midddle section of Money, it's a cool little addition. I really would have liked to have heard more of this, but even so it still sounds a bit over practiced. It's sexy sounding all the same.
I've always found that Us And Them slowed down the Dark Side album. This is one of those songs that Andria would call sleepy time music. In this case I would have to agree as well. This is one of those songs that's really awesome when it get's going, but first you have to get there without nodding off. This is honestly my least favourite song on the second disc.
Any Colour You Like, is sweet instrumental. I love it, and how it leads into Brain Damage. Both of these tracks are just really enjoyable to listen to. They take you on a journey that's both exciting and exhilarating. They lead you to a big wide open field on top of the world, where you can be free. Granted in this case, being free means leaving behind a bit of your sanity.
Then it finishes of with Eclipse and the band saying good night. They let it drag out, and that's all cool for live album effect, not so great for individual track usage.
Then they come back to encore with Wish You Were Here. Which is nice, all be it a slower way to start closing off the night. It's a great song, and listening to the audience join in is beautiful. Gilmour clearly also knocks it out of the park with the guitar parts as well.
Then to follow that up with Comfortably Numb seems a bit silly to me. While both songs are amazing, there are a little slow to play back to back I think. It makes a ten minute or so block of music sound closer to twenty. However, due to the phenominal solo all is forgiven.
Now I do believe that if you are going to end the night, you must end it on a high note, and Pink Floyd does. There's a whole lot of teasing with the Gilmour's guitar and some echo before he finally kicks it in on full swing and breaks into Run Like Hell. Actuallys at first it sounds more like Another Brick In The Wall (Part One), but then it totally moves into Run Like Hell. This is one of the songs from The Wall that I've always loved, but I don't care for the vocal delivery in this version. It's not bad, but it doesn't have the right sound to it either.
I love the slight extending of Run Like Hell, which powers up and becomes a monsterous thunder to close out the night. It's like the perfect textbook concert ending. It is a great closing to a great show.
My personal bias is really the only thing that holds this album back in my opinion. If I were a large Pink Floyd fan I may be more inclined to rate this album closer to a perfect ten, but to me it's a very strong eight with change.
8/10 - content
9/10 - production
8/10 - personal bias
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