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Ars Vitae: They Still Have a "Pulse"
Knight Of The Mind ^ | Saturday, June 12, 2004 | .cnI redruM

Posted on 06/12/2004 9:14:45 PM PDT by .cnI redruM

These guys are as old as my dad. No kidding, they almost really are. They also play one of the best live shows that goes on the road. These geritol giants are none other than the original Pipers At The Gates of Dawn; Pink Floyd.

If you haven't been fortunate enough to catch them live, you can now enjoy the second best thing. It seems a mobile recording unit has caught them in the act and the glorious results are available on a new double CD. The compilation, entitled P.U.L.S.E, is an absolute winner.

The first CD features a reel to reel performance of Dark Side. A remarkable performance of Dark Side. It amazes me the extent to which Pink Floyd was able to completely reproduce the album. They completely reproduced it down to each bit of dialogue and every sound effect. To achieve that without the services of Roger Waters; amazing.

The second CD extensively featured work off of Momentary Lapse of Reason and Division Bell. These songs provide ample evidence Gilmour has emerged from the shadows of Syd Barrett and Roger Waters. Gilmour probably shows some of the best technical guitar work of anyone in rock. Gilmour can't play fast, like Eddie Van Halen. He just performs in a totally dominant fashion. He makes haste slowly.

Tracks from The Wall and Wish You Were Here round out both CDs and sound really well done. My only quibbles, and these would be minor quibbles, would be with "Run Like H---" on the first CD and "Astronomy Domine" in the second. The group needed to edit or master these two tracks better. There was too much random stadium noise on each. With a CD player, you can just skip each. Everything else, on either CD, sounds exemplary.

P.U.L.S.E. lacks the fanfare it deserves. It will probably sell under 1 Million. I doubt it will ever reach Platinum Record status. This is unfortunate. P.U.L.S.E. almost sounds as good track for track as any live album that's been released, with the exception of Frampton Comes Alive.


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: livealbum; pinkfloyd; pulse; rockandroll
Gilmour is freakin' amazing on both CDs of this. Absolutely amazing.
1 posted on 06/12/2004 9:14:47 PM PDT by .cnI redruM
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To: .cnI redruM
Thanks for the great review. Pink Floyd fan from day #1.

(the hand trails have finally subsided)

2 posted on 06/13/2004 3:35:21 AM PDT by Khurkris (Will the wind ever remember the names it has blown in the past, It whispers no this will be the last)
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To: .cnI redruM
I'm confused here...Pulse was released several years ago when I was managing a Sam Goodys. Its the exact same one I believe you're talking about. Has it been rereleased for some reason?
3 posted on 06/13/2004 5:11:52 PM PDT by grellis (What's a rooster and mashed potatos have to do with being a pirate?)
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To: grellis

I believe it has. My edition has a late 2003 release date.


4 posted on 06/13/2004 5:13:10 PM PDT by .cnI redruM (Reagan was put on earth to do two things: kick butt and chew gum, and he ran out of gum around 1962)
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To: .cnI redruM
Gilmour probably shows some of the best technical guitar work of anyone in rock.

I think of him as the most lyrical guitarist in rock, personally. I'm a music fan, not a musician, so I make the assertion from the ear and heart rather than from the textbook. What I have always loved about Floyd--especially their work through The Wall--is that the lyrics can stand alone as poetry (especially Wish You Were Here), and if your ignore the vocals and just concentrate on the music, you're listening to some of the best rock orchestration ever.

I could go on and on and on...my middle son's name is David. Guess why??!

5 posted on 06/13/2004 5:18:41 PM PDT by grellis (What's a rooster and mashed potatos have to do with being a pirate?)
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To: .cnI redruM

Does yours have the little blinking eye on the spine of the cd? Mine finally stopped blinking last year.


6 posted on 06/13/2004 5:19:55 PM PDT by grellis (What's a rooster and mashed potatos have to do with being a pirate?)
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To: grellis

Nope, my eye doesn't blink. Now I feel gypped. I should rewrite this....


7 posted on 06/13/2004 5:24:33 PM PDT by .cnI redruM (Reagan was put on earth to do two things: kick butt and chew gum, and he ran out of gum around 1962)
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To: .cnI redruM

Don't feel badly! Its very gimmicky and not at all up to the band's standards as far as the artwork is concerned. When the cd first came out and I saw all of those blinking lights my first thought was "I'm going to go nuts if I have to look at those all day." By Friday I was ready to disconnect them all.


8 posted on 06/13/2004 5:32:10 PM PDT by grellis (What's a rooster and mashed potatos have to do with being a pirate?)
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To: grellis

When it comes to artwork, Roger Dean sets the standard. His album covers are awesome!


9 posted on 06/13/2004 6:47:50 PM PDT by .cnI redruM (Reagan was put on earth to do two things: kick butt and chew gum, and he ran out of gum around 1962)
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To: .cnI redruM

What covers did he do? I'm not familiar with the individual artists that worked on the Floyd album covers but most of them were done by Hipgnosis--great stuff. I loved the artwork they did on Zeppelin's "Prescence" album, also. Very surreal without becoming too Daliesque.


10 posted on 06/14/2004 5:25:00 AM PDT by grellis (What's a rooster and mashed potatos have to do with being a pirate?)
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