Pink Floyd – “Louder Than Words” (SONG REVIEW)

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Earlier this month, a bemused Roger Waters reminded fans via Facebook that he hasn’t been a part of Pink Floyd for nearly three decades. This was in response to a barrage of questions he’d received regarding the upcoming Pink Floyd record, The Endless River, the band’s first new material in 20 years — and, reportedly, their swan song. Earlier this week, BBC Radio debuted the LP’s first track, “Louder Than Words.” And, after multiple listens, it seems Waters should try a bit harder to distance himself from this tripe.

I suppose it doesn’t really matter what I tell you. I could sit here all day and talk about how frequently the song dips into musical territory usually reserved for New Age-y meditation music. Or I could discuss how derivative the song feels of earlier Pink Floyd, except not the good Pink Floyd but rather the meandering, dissociative Pink Floyd of the post-Waters era. I could even throw in a mention about the lyrics, and how they delve into such trite, overused themes about how, like, totally difficult it is to be artistic and how that causes turmoil within the band. I could do all of these things, and then I could add a long-winded diatribe about how the worst crime an artist can commit is to be boring, listing all the ways “Louder than Words” treads a trail that was previously, and more interestingly, blazed by a superior version of Pink Floyd back in ’70s. Even if I did, however, you probably wouldn’t listen.

No, it’s safe to say that the ever-growing legion of blindly loyal Floydheads were going to praise Gilmour’s every move regardless of musical content, critics be damned. So go ahead and convince yourself of whatever it is you feel you need convincing. I’ll be in my office, under the cool glow of my black light, listening to Dark Side of the Moon, and continuing to pretend that Pink Floyd ended almost 30 years ago when Waters walked away.