PINK FLOYD: "Pulse" (Live)

Original released on Double CD EMI 7243 8 32700 2 6

(EU, May 1995)  

Pink Floyd is really inspired on "Pulse", one of the best albums of the band. They prove to be just happy and strong without the weight of the past years of struggle with Roger Waters. Not only "Dark Side of the Moon" sounds better here: "Division Bell "songs also appear way better, as do the songs from "The Wall", "Wish You Were Here" and all albums. Even Syd's "Astronomy Domine" is very well played here, more "rounded" and harmonic, in a brilliant work of Gilmour. I would say more: the band shows to be a weirdly shy band in the studio in comparison to the magic mood of the live gigs, very specially in "Pulse". It's my favourite album and a very happy start for the final era of the band's history. Two things on this double live album warrant a higher rating by themselves. Of course you have the usual excellent guitar/vocal work of David Gilmour playing live with the extended guitar solos on disc one as well as the keyboard playing of Richard Wright, once again a full member of the band, and the excellent drumming skills of Nick Mason. The other musicians and backing vocalists along with the excellent mix makes for a wonderful listening experience if you are a Pink Floyd fan. But for me, what sets this set apart is disc two. On the second disc, you have the entire "Dark Side Of The Moon", played live, track by track, in it's entirety. And then the encore... "Wish You Were Here" which goes into "Comfortably Numb". This version of "Comfortably Numb", with it's extended guitar solo at the end, is arguably considered one of the great guitar solos in rock history. The album ends with a wonderful version of "Run Like Hell". If you are a true fan of Pink Floyd, this live two disc set, which went to number 1 on both sides of the Atlantic, proved once and for all, that Pink Floyd was more than just "Roger Waters", just as they were more than just "Syd Barrett" and also proved more than ever that Richard Wright deserved to be back in this band. (in AllMusic)