Those who will listen to the album Dark Side of the Moon Redux by Roger Waters, anyone hoping to find a faithful version will surely be disappointed.
Despite the lackluster criticism from those nostalgists who want to bring this iconic project back to life in its original form to mark its 50th anniversary, Roger Waters’ Dark Side of the Moon Redux still deserves an open mind and attentive listening.
You have to wait until the fourth track of this Momentum before you hear sung words from the mouth of Waters, who opens the album in Grand Corps Malade style. However, this deliberate avoidance of melodies allows the ear to focus more on the profound lyrics the Brit offers.
“You stroll through the gloom of the hospital room and talk to yourself as you die, because life is a short warm moment and death is a long, cold rest,” Waters expresses on the track “Speak to Me,” which is nothing further than the title has with the version on the original album.
The psychedelic flavor that made Pink Floyd’s reputation is still present in this new work, released on October 6th, but it’s much less overwhelming than what the band had accustomed its audiences to. Once again, this change of direction doesn’t please everyone, but this sonic cleansing allows Waters to envelop the music with his deep and honeyed voice – strangely reminiscent of Leonard Cohen’s.
Money
If the new direction Roger Waters took for this project meshed well with Pink Floyd’s original ideas, this simply wasn’t the case with the song Money.
This timeless classic, which will make you dream of a life full of pleasure and abundance, does not lend itself to the sober and monotonous rhythm that Waters gave it. Additionally, the catchy electric guitar sequences that made up almost 80% of the original song were discarded in favor of almost whispered lyrics, further distancing us from the feeling of effervescence that the 1973 version gave us.
Pink Floyd drummer agrees
Even though none of the original cast members appeared on Roger Waters’ project, the main party still consulted his former brothers in arms to present them exclusive excerpts from the album.
Former Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason contacted New Musical Express magazine last March and described the work as “absolutely brilliant”.
“There was a rumor that this project would ruin the original album,” Mason said. “Ultimately it’s the exact opposite; “It adds something interesting,” said the drummer, who today plays Pink Floyd classics with his band Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets.
The 79-year-old musician went a step further and expressed his support for artists who embrace the idea of reinterpreting classics, regardless of style.
“What I like about existing musical works is developing them further to find even more qualities,” he explained. “I like this idea of evolution rather than insisting on leaving the material exactly as it was at the beginning. »
A rating of 3.7/5 is appropriate for this work by Roger Waters; a livelier cadenza would have reached the bar 4/5. The originality of this cover and the depth of the lyrics make it an album that is still very relevant and interesting to listen to.