During the recording of the seminal album The Wall keyboardist Richard Wright was forced to leave the band. Sadly he died in 2008 so guitarist David Gilmour and drummer Nick Mason have recorded an album to pay tribute and bid adieu to their former bandmate. They have used the unfinished music that the three men worked on during the recording of the 1994 album, The Division Bell. Selecting from the hours of unused music from those jam sessions what they wanted to work with for this one. The Endless River is like a rainbow of emotions and is music that you not only hear but feel. There is a kind of film score feel to it due to the epic arrangements. At times David Gilmour’s guitar playing will bring tears to your eyes it is so filled with emotion and depth. It is was with some sadness that I listened to the music as I realized this would be the last real Pink Floyd album with the three of them working together. The idea of having modern sounding Pink Floyd music is exciting, though. It is replete with all the Pink Floyd sounds and elements fans have come to know and love over the years. With the album comes a sixteen page booklet that features photos from the recording sessions for The Division Bell. It is a beautiful tribute to their friend and a wonderful musician.
Pink Floyd – The Endless River
