[rating=9.00]
Roger Waters is not the kind of guy that feels inclined to suppress his feelings or shy away from controversial comments, even at the risk of alienating fans and followers. His prickly temperament, particularly as it applies to his former bandmates in Pink Floyd and his outspoken views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict suggests that diplomacy isn’t necessarily a prime concern. Likewise, the title of his new effort, Is This The Life We Really Want, his first solo album in a dozen years, doesn’t exactly portend a sunny time.
Then again, who would expect that it would be? The man mostly responsible for penning The Wall, one of the most dire rock recordings of the modern era, Waters’ postering and pontification is the very antithesis of giddy, good times. It’s little surprise then that Is This The Life We Really Want? follows the Floyd formula — pensive melodies, soundbites and lyrics that rage with festering resentment. “We cannot turn back the clock,” he howls in “Broken Bones.”
“Cannot go back in time. But we can say:
Fuck you, we will not listen to
Your bullshit and Lies”
If this rant and rumble echoes the sentiments of The Wall, it’s little surprise. Waters still carries on with his concerns about society’s dehumanizing of the individual and the suppression of free will. If the settings seem austere, there’s also a seductive side to the acoustic guitars and keyboards that give “Deja Vu,” “Broken Bones,” “Wait for Her,” and “The Most Beautiful Girl” such a deceptive allure. Granted, the album takes repeat listens — or, at the very least, a close perusal of the lyrics — to fully grasp the fuller meaning of Waters’ warnings. Little worry though; Waters fans will not be disappointed, Floyd fans will see it as a potential bond to inspire a band reunion and the rest of us will likely appreciate the fact that the man gives further credibility to his convictions. In an age of unprecedented political pontification and the madness manifest in the corridors of power, Is This The Life We Really Want? is the album we all need.
