Rewind

Records Your Friends Will Envy You For Owning
Rewound by Tony LaGatta

Pink Floyd - The Final Cut

I cannot go on any longer without writing a review of this album.  It is at the present time (and I suppose for all time) my favorite album by Pink Floyd for a number of reasons which I will discuss below.

First, a history of what got me so hot and bothered to write this review in the first place. I bought The Final Cut when it was first released, in album form, and didn't quite know how to take it at the time -- you see I was at the tender age of 17. I thought the track "Not Now John" was quite cool, but the rest of the album left me a bit cold. Being a Floyd fan, I encountered the album again over the years, and even bought it on CD.  The set of events that set this review in motion is really interesting, however.

In the past 5-7 years, I have rediscovered the joys of vinyl. At a recent garage sale, I happened upon a German pressing of The Final Cut, in mint condition for a buck, so I bought it (along with the rest of this gentleman's' collection, about 150 albums, mostly German, for $40.00). I cataloged and stored the albums and listened to a few, but never cracked open the album in question. Well, a dear friend said that she liked Pink Floyd, and I suggested that she check out Roger Waters album The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking, and recorded it for her, from a CD no less! She found that to be very much to her liking, so thinking about it, I suggested next The Final Cut, which forced me to listen to it again on vinyl, which caused me to write this review. Wow, what a difference 16 years makes!

This album is right in the beginning of Roger Water's solo career, and also the beginning of the end for Pink Floyd. It's ironic that such a terrific piece of music could be made in such turmoil. The fact that there is no title on the cover of the album, and the back reads "a requiem for the postwar dream by Roger Waters" with "performed by Pink Floyd" below, is a testament to the stressed relationships within the group.

The Final Cut is Roger Waters at his finest. His ability to paint a mood with lyrics and music is one of his major talents. The music of the album is a continuing musical theme, with some variances, but the mood and tone of each piece is set by Roger's ability to use vocal inflection mixed with various sound effects to convey the sheer emotion of what he is trying to say. He talks, he whispers, he screams, with sarcasm, remorse, sadness, hope and elation. Do not underestimate the power of Roger's ability to project the meaning of his song through vocal inflection. The man was (and still is) a master at this. He controls the mood of his music with an iron fist.  You feel his pain, you feel his elation. There aren't many artists who are capable of accomplishing that, but Roger Waters is near the top in his ability to make you feel the intent of the music, and involve you in it.

This album is a story about war, and the foolishness of it, and the pain it causes, both to those who lose loved ones in war and the loved ones who fight wars. The record is dedicated to Eric Fletcher Waters, whom we have to assume was his father, presumably killed in WW2.  I don't necessarily agree with the political views presented here, but this is not a political dissertation, just a record review. This record is an emotional roller coaster ride, not for the meek. I would rate this as mature audience material, not because of anything harmful, but because you have to be mature to make sense of it all.

It was lost on me for the longest time, but, like great wine, the older I get the more I appreciate this record.

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - Ella and Louis

When it comes to classic jazz music, there are lots of heavy hitters to choose from -- Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, The Gershwins, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Oscar Peterson and on and on. So many great composers. So many terrific performers and instrumentalists.

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, however, must be put in a class by themselves.

Taken on each one’s talent, both were shining stars and pioneers in the Jazz realm.  Taken together, they form a team of the likes of which are unforgettable. I would dare say that even if you don't much care for jazz, you would probably like this record. What you have here is a musical one-two punch that will leave you dazed with the virtuosity and sheer soul of these artists’ performances.

Ella Fitzgerald needs no introduction. Unless you just arrived here, you have heard something sung by her. A lot of critics like to talk about her range, or voice control, or her use of her voice as an instrument, using nonsensical phrases and sounds (Ella is often referred to as the queen of scat, as well she should be, she invented it!). I beg to differ -- the magic of Ella lies with her ability to use her voice and phrasing to absolutely get the point of the song across. One of her biggest talents was being able to convey the emotional content of the song using her awesome range and control. Ella could sing with perfect aplomb from a deep baritone, to a lilting but powerful soprano, with effortless control, running the gamut from sexy siren to ticked off lover, to hurt and yearning lost love. No wonder this woman has influenced almost every vocalist since her time, including male singers. A listening session with Ella for me is never a trivial thing. I cannot play her music as a background, because I inevitably get drawn into its intensity and power.

Much the same can be said for Louis Armstrong (affectionately known as "pops"). Again, you would have to have been in another universe not to have heard something by this man. He is literally one of the fathers of jazz. As a trumpeter, he was one of the best. Technically, his playing was rather simple, but as with all the greats, his ability to carry the song to you was his forte. I know, most of you probably hate me harping on the emotional content of music, but it's true. If a bunch of notes carry no emotion, then it doesn't matter how well or fast they are played.  Frank Zappa had a good term for this sort of thing, he called such foolishness "clouds of gnat notes". Back to Louis, however. Pop's greatest talent lay in his voice. From loud and bawdy, to gravelly and intimate, this recording captures it all. If this man’s charm and ability to convey a feeling doesn't get to you somehow and raise some type of emotion, then you are made of stone.

The recording job on this record is very good, considering the dates of the recording sessions. Not the last word in fidelity, the vocals are definitely separated from the band, but who cares? When you hear these two voices together, you certainly won't. Listening to this record literally sends electric shocks through me. It is awe-inspiring to spend an intimate evening with two people who posses such talent. I only own the vinyl version of this, and I am not sure that a CD is available, but I would suspect that it would be. If you buy only one jazz album, make it this one. If I had to give up all my others, this is the one I would keep. Most highly recommended.