I just posted this on this weeks Soundtracks to our Lives Thread but I thought I would share it with you here too.

Amused to Death — a stunning record. Released in 1992 (but not toured at the time — a tragedy in my opinion) this has got to easily be the best release either solo or group effort by any Floyd related member since.….. well actually probably since Animals — The Wall has some great moments but could do with some pairing down in all honesty and Animals is a far more consistent. So to Amused to Death I’ll lift my comment straight from the Still Waters thread here “The Amused to Death” album itself articulates Waters views on the stupidity of armed conflict much more effectively than he did on “The Final Cut”, and with far stronger songs.

On this album Waters also aims it not only lyrically but also musically directly at the Floydian audience (for years within the confines of the Floyd he had argued that the words should take precedence over the music and that the band should move away from the dreamy Wright/Gilmour constructed soundscapes — a trend which began to happen from Animals onwards) As a result many of the Floydian trademarks are there the dreamy Wrightesque keyboard intro coupled with Jeff Beck’s take on a Gilmour style drifting guitar intro a la Shine On You Crazy Diamond, the track What God Wants which is from the same litter as Not Now John from the Final Cut, the missile effect from one speaker to the other, the barking dog and bird song and even the sole piano note intro reminiscent of Echoes. Does this detract from the music? In a word no. Amused to Death couples Floydian musical sensibilities (as he of all people has the right to do) with Waters hard hitting lyrics and its the perfect marriage. Amused to Death takes on the later Floyd by numbers effort that is The Division Bell on at its own game and scores a unanimous points victory. So if you like the Floyd and you haven’t heard this or you feel the need to own one Roger Waters solo album then its an essential release, I’m afraid.