V/A (PINK FLOYD TRIBUTE) 
958085
CD
SONGS OF PINK FLOYD (SQUIRE/SHERWOOD/SHAW/KAY ETC)

STYLE/LINK:PINK FLOYD

After a series of good and not so good attempts to cover the Floyd by a series of semi-well know and total unknown names, now it’s the turn of the big boys of rock to turn in their interpretations of the might Pink Floyd’s material.

The full title is: ‘An All Star Line-Up Performing The Songs Of Pink Floyd’ - You’d have thought they could have come up with a snappier title than this – still it does at least state its case fairly and squarely before you start. So, first a bit of looking back… We had the amazing ‘Signs Of Life’ tribute album, which was greeted fairly unanimously by Floyd, prog and rock fans alike as being a breath of fresh air. Then came ‘More Relics’, this time focussing on the longer, more instrumental sides of the band’s music (worth its price for its incredible versions of ‘Saucerful Of Secrets’ & ‘Echoes’ alone) and this was also greeted with a ‘thumbs up’ by most who bought it. Now we have this – yet another Floyd tribute CD, but is it a tribute too far? With Chris Squire, Billy Sherwood, Alan White, Steve Lukather, Tony Levin and Tommy Shaw on it, you would hope so - Click on the extra info link and lets’ see...

 

OK, it says “An all star line-up” – and that it certainly is - how does this sound: - Steve Lukather, Billy Sherwood, Vinnie Colaiuta, Tommy Shaw, Ritchie Kotzen, Tony Levin, Edgar Winter, Chris Squire, Alan White, Doug Pinnick, Gary Hoey, Mike Porcaro, Greg Bissonnette, Derek Sherinian, Bobby Kimball, Jeff Scott Soto, Dweezil Zappa, Aynsley Dunbar, Tony Kaye, Robben Ford, Robin Mcauley, Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter, Glenn Hughes, Fee Waybill, David Glen Eisley, Ronnie Montrose and more. Phew!! If that little lot can’t do justice to Pink Floyd, then no one can! So, do they? OK – you’ve guessed. Of course they do – THIS IS PHENOMENAL!!! To hear the trio of Billy Sherwood, Alan White & Chris Squire do one of the most fantastic versions of ‘Comfortably Numb’ that you’ll ever hear, sends shivers up and down your spine, the whole thing building climactically towards the peak vocal refrain of the song, time after time, with some surging guitar and synths work from Sherwood, and more vocal harmonies than you’d believe, yet with new twists and subtleties to give it a totally fresh sound and feel while sticking to the song’s structure – awesome. The production throughout is unbelievable as everything unfolds with the clarity that only modern day recording techniques could produce. To single out other highlights is a virtual impossibility with such a wealth of diamonds on display, but ‘Us And Them’ simply IS the finest version of this track from ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ that I’ve ever heard, beating any Floyd version completely hollow. ‘Run Like Hell’ features lead vocal from Jason Scheff that is simply awesome and you can but wonder why he doesn’t do a tribute album of his own favourites, as the strongest of voices just blazes through the piece. Dweezil Zappa and Tony Kaye (Yes) are unlikely, but red-hot sparring partners on guitar and synths for ‘Run Like Hell’ on a track that is another utter triumph. Jeff Baxter’s gorgeous searing slide guitar lead on ‘Breathe’ is mind-blowing while Glenn Hughes, Elliot Easton, Tony Franklin & Aynsley Dunbar positively tear into ‘Young Lust’, giving the song a life the Floyd could only have ever dreamed of providing. Taken entirely from ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’, ‘The Wall’, ‘Final Cut’, ‘Wish You Were Here’ & ‘Momentary Lapse Of Reason’, every one of the 11 tracks are sensational and this is one seriously red hot hour plus of rock that you simply cannot fail to enjoy.

Weight: 150.00 g