I realize I might be in the minority on this one, but after recently purchasing this Analogue Productions pressing and listening to it a few times, I can honestly say I am not impressed. First of all, the content is less than compelling. I enjoyed Roger Waters' work with Pink Floyd and even some of his other solo works, but this record feels like pretentious drivel. Second, and more importantly, the sound quality is so artificial sounding that it's annoying. The overly holographic sound stage is hard to listen to. To me, this kind of production is too glossy and lacks musicality and warmth. It sounds more like a movie played in surround than it does a two channel stereo recording. I found the title a bit ironic, in that the style of recording and all the sound effects he used are nothing more than amusement, adding little if anything to the message. I just put my copy back on the shelf and I do not expect to ever play it again.
@snackeyp : Contrary to previous Pink Floyd or Roger Waters albums, the Amused to death has not seen a radio play to any of the songs. Our ears were not prepared to assimilate with the specific sound production style.
I suggest this: - listen to the song "Brain Damage" from the Dark Side of The Moon for 4-5 times.
- Please accept the idea & the theme of the " Amused To Death" is the human race is captivated by the TV screen & we continuously are switching between the TV channels. We are surrounded by TV material in this life. Hence you have that feeling of " it sounds like a movie"
- Then, Please read the lyrics of this specific song " It's A Miracle "
- Listen to " It's A Miracle" Chances are high that you'd start accepting to revisit this Album. Roger Waters has wondered of the huge success of the Dark Side of the Moon although of the "Naivety" of it's lyrics that he penned down then.
I thought of writing the above to you without going to any superlatives about the composing & production levels that won - in 2016- the "Amused to Death" a Grammy award for the best surround album.
+1 dgarretson. An inventively crafted mosaic requiring articulate audio gear to convey a warning to listeners sadly even more relevant today than it was a quarter of a century ago.
The militant pacifism of Amused to Death was a bulls eye, as is Is This the Life We Really Want. Neither is palliative music, but once a generation or so a musical dose of castor oil is a fitting wake up call. Thank you Roger.
Amused to death, at least the remastered version is amazing. I don't think it is the recording. On my system and on the few others that I listened to it on, I would put it in my top 20. That said, regarding content, it is a matter of personal taste. I would recommend the book however, highly relevant in these days when everyone is glued to their cell phones.
Sorry, every listening produces the same feeling -- overly pretentious, hopelessly recycled themes, excessively self indulgent drivel and desperately in need of the restraining and creative hands of Gilmour, Wright and Mason. Every Waters solo album since Pros & Cons has been a steady decline in unlistenability -- for me. Pardon me for saying so, but without David Gilmour joining the band after Barrett went off the rails -- there would have been no Dark Side, No Wish You Were Here, Meddle, Animals or The Wall. As for the latter, think of the songs you know and love from The Wall (Comfortably Numb and Run Like Hell) those were largely completed compositions that Gilmour offered to the band from a solo album he was working on when The Wall came up short of material and it was Bob Ezrin who (against the wishes of the entire band) recorded the school children choir for another Brick In The Wall, Part 2. Waters was a great creative force but without the rest of the band, principally Gilmour, he would be relegated to the early (and only years) of Pink Floyd.
My 4th favorite album. I have the 2015 AP SACD, as well as the 1993 Gold Long box Mastersound, and a regular 1992 version. All were recorded with Qsound. To me the 1993 Gold CD is better sounding, as well as a bit warmer than the SACD. There a few tracks that are really good for testing your soundstage. I would try a different CD version (1992-93) before you give up on it.
I have had this album for less than a year, and only purchased it because of all the positive things posted about the material, and the recording. I kinda lost interest in any post Final Cut material from the Floyd camp, but wanted to check this one out. I'll say that it does sound quite good, sonically, on my system, but I just can't get into the content. I have tried coming back to it time and again, but just have a real hard time listening to Waters angst ridden lyrical content . Just my two cents folks.
I second The Final Cut, as my favorite. Its an emotionally moving, anti-war themed, well recorded , album. OP makes some valid points about Amused to Death.
I can absolutely relate to the opinion made by Snackeyp. As a huge fan of Pink Floyd/Gilmour/Waters I bought this album almost the same time it was released in 1992. My reference at that time was ”Pros and cons...” and after the so-so album ”Radio KAOS”, my expectations were quite high... I listened to it a few times...and I was so disappointed!!! I had to put it back in my CD-shelf and my immediate thought was I would probably never play it again...
However!!! After a few years I explained my frustration over the album to another Pink Floyd-fan. He just looked at me, begging me to give it another shot! But you should start from the back, with the titletrack, and work your way through the album backwards and then try it again from the start, he said.
OK, that’s what I did and now I discovered a whole new album! The songs ”Amused to death”, ”It’s a miracle” and ”Three wishes” really caught my attention...now!! I started to listen to the album over and over again, and today (25 years later) it is one of my absolute favourite-albums. Period! A masterpiece in the genre of progressive rock!
As for the q-sound, it is something I really enjoy when I sit down in front of my stereo system. Almost surround sound from a two-channel system...isn’t that cool??
It was the way it was recorded Only Not a big deal. Its recorded rock music. Never ever listen to 3 jazz song then go to rock 93 % of People who make rock records Must be All high Lets get that Right
Going back to The Wall, it always bugged me that songs he wrote(Another Brick in the Wall etc.) seemed to be pandering to teen angst when the band members were so far past that time in their own lives. It seemed like a money grab to me. And pretty trite at that.
I have the CD that came out years ago. Recently bought a back-up copy. I agree that it takes a certain willing suspension of attitudes and disbelief, like most art does. I never interpreted the album as expressing anger at God - more like the way some people and groups use the idea of God to manipulate others and increase their own power and wealth. I love the guitar riffs, and I think it is a creative album. I like albums that follow a theme, as this one does. I listen to it at least a few times a year. It has a certain energy that I enjoy. I can’t remember the song’s name right now. But, the track about the genie and three wishes is powerful to me. It sounds amazing on my system.
Love this album. Sadly my copy is all scratched up, and because of the quiet moments, its full of cracks and pops. May need a new copy... Guitar solo by Jeff Beck on "What God wants, God gets Part 3", is quite possibly one of my favorites of all time. Amused to Death is very much a product of its time. I find "Is this the life we really want" to be a bit more heavy handed as far as the pretense goes. Now that I think of it, I may have to find a copy of "pro's and cons" also...
The qsound is amazing I have to admit. Listening to it again now. Skipping the mad at God tracks makes it less whiny. I guess when you are Waters you make albums for you now because someone will listen.
It's nice to hear your opinions on this. The nice thing about music is that there is a lot to choose from and no one opinion on what is good or bad is absolutely right or absolutely wrong.
I tried to listen to this album as well. it sounds like a tribute to waters by an old fan with Pink Floyd characters. Tough to listed to. The mad at God themes also gets tiresome, especially from one so blessed.
Agree about post-Floyd Waters. However, while a fan of the group early on (circa "Saucerfull of Secrets", "Piper at the Gates of Dawn") and having had a few very fine times while listening to "Ummagumma" and "Relics" when they were released, my fondness for both Waters and Pink Floyd has tanked.
If anti-war recordings featuring excerpts by participants appeals, try the prelude to "Translucent Carriages" by "Pearls Before Swine" with British Army Trumpeter Landfry playing just as he did during the Charge of the Light Brigade ("Balaclava", vinyl 1968, ESP-Disk). Tom Rapp died very recently.
If the Ballad of Bill Hubbard didn't move you, you missed it:
"The Ballad of Bill Hubbard" features a sample of WW1 veteran Alfred "Alf" Razzell, a member of the Royal Fusiliers (much like Waters' father Eric Fletcher Waters had been in the following war) who describes his account of finding fellow soldier William "Bill" Hubbard, to whom the album is dedicated, severely wounded on the battlefield. After failed attempts to take him to safety, Razzell is forced to abandon him in no-man's land. This sample is continued at the end of the title track, at the very end of the album, providing a more upbeat coda to the tragic story."
The Original 1992 issue is a way better mix than the recent AP release. It is one of my favorite albums. It is recorded in Q sound The soundstageing is impressive.
Agreed, like many of Water's solo albums it's a grower. I had to listen a couple of times to "get it". I hated "Pros and Cons" when it first came out, but then I got over the fact that Gilmour wasn't playing guitar and now it's one of my favorites.
Sorry but its my favorite Waters solo album. It was recorded in q surround sound, perhaps that is why you think it sounds artificial. There are some really great songs on the record. Play it a few times, it will grow on you.
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