`Symphonic Pink Floyd' makes Muzak
Pink Floyd has gotten way too numb.
Us and Them is not quite Muzak; the talented musicians in the London Philharmonic Orchestra easily surpass synthesized elevator music, as far as technical skill goes. But that doesn't mean this CD is worth listening to. The orchestra, conducted by Peter Scholes, should have stuck to classical composers. Arranger Jaz Coleman should have also done something else.
Instead, Us and Them , recorded in two days, strips Pink Floyd's music of its brooding, psychedelic power. More than anything, Us and Them makes me want to listen to The Wall itself. These symphonic renditions of 10 Floyd songs definitely lack something. Like lyrics.
Pink Floyd's seminal concept albums, like Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall , provocatively explore the lack of communication and love in modern society. Their power lies as much in the quirky imagery and melodies of Syd Barrett as it does in the insightful songwriting of Roger Waters.
While hearing violins play the melody that I associate with "We don't need no education/We don't need no thought control" isn't unpleasant, it's nowhere near as inspiring as hearing the words themselves.
Pink Floyd's poetry is undermined in the way Us and Them culls tracks from different albums and lumps them together without any of the coherence of the band's concept albums.
Coleman mentions that he was indulging his nostalgic yearnings; he argues that "the orchestra was chosen as a perfect medium to demonstrate that music once categorized as `progressive' is now considered undeniably `classic' by another generation." But these renditions are far from perfect.
This item appeared in the Arts & Entertainment section of the January 26, 1996 issue.
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