Buyer Reviews

“I consider myself a Pink Floyd fan and was disappointed at their demise. But this album and the Division Bell shows who drove what aspects of Floyds works. Whereas Division Bell sounds like a shallow echo of former Floyd mastery, Amused To Death is deep and huge. Roger Waters is again condeming war, the war mongers and the shallow artifice we live in but in monumental fashion. With an even keener sense of irony than usual this album is emotive, poignant and stunning. Once on, I can’t stop or pause this album. You get on for the whole ride. Beginning and ending with the recounted tale of eighty years of pain and remorse at having to abandon a comrade (Bill Hubbard) in the WWI trenches, this album moves coherently through the contemporary attitudes to modern warfare, the spin and news coverage of it and the casual acceptance, even excitement, by the populace of such wars to the comfy, complacent western lifestyle to the ironic analysis of humanities demise. There are some great humourous lines tucked in like Andrew Lloyd Webber breaking his fingers and the reference to the old joke about Jesus being able to see Peter’s house from the crucifix.”

“I have often wondered what Lloyd Webber would think of this album because I think it could easily translate into a West End show. A large West End production might do it better justice than a Floyd-type stage show (however impressive that would be). Is Roger Waters morbid? Maybe. Has he produced a masterpiece? Definitely. This should be in everyones collection. If you haven’t got it yet, you’re missing out. Get it.”

“The album is a major return to form following the (if we’re totallly honest) rather disappointing “Pros & Cons” (1984) and “Radio Kaos (1987). Here we have what I believe is the perfect fourth segment in Waters’ Lyrical Masterpieces, namely “Animals” (1977), “The Wall” (1979), “The Final Cut” (1983) and THIS album: “Amused To Death” (1992). Not to say that the first two solo albums didn’t have their moments, they DID, but this album achieves an overall excellence worthy of “Wall” and “Final Cut”. From the mesmerising first cut “What God Wants….God Gets God Help Us All” it is awe-inspiring stuff. The stadium of football supporters chanting “It All Makes Perfect Sense…Expressed in Dollars And Cents” is about the most incisive lyric Roger has EVER written. But it’s not all cynicism. The “Bravery Of Being Out Of Range” is a brave and heartfelt attack on the stupidity of war seemingly measured on the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of Scud Missiles rather than any clearly thought out objective. “Late Home Tonight” is similarly captivating and when Roger sings his tear jerking lament to the girl “who died on TV” during Tianonman Square we are left practically speechless. But as Roger said in the DVD commentary to The Wall DVD “humour has always been a big part of my life” and it is evident frequently through this album whose underlying message is undeniably SERIOUS. Check out out the Big Game commentator who commentates on the “Perfect Sense” anthem and most memorably when Lloyd Webber’s fucking fingers are miraculously broken by a freak earthquake hitting the theatre at which he is performing his “awful stuff for years and years and years”. About time a major artist declared publicly just what shit Lloyd Webber’s stuff is…. at least since he worked with Tim Rice. The final song in which Roger states that this race has “amused itself to death” likens mankind, somehwat aptly to a race of monkeys who are too busy “piling the dishes and answering the phone” to care about anything important. And the lyric from earlier in the album: “give any species enough rope and they’ll fuck it up” is timeless. And quite possibly True. This album is a Major Statement from a Major Artist. Too bad he hasn’t seen fit to follow it up. But then again, maybe this album says it all.”

“I won’t write a lengthy review. There are plenty others here going into track detail,etc… This, without doubt should have been a Floyd album - Jeff Beck very capably handles the guitar work. This should have been called - The Final Cut - Part 2 as it carries on that theme - but Jesus… it’s an oustanding recording - a real headphone album OR turn it up on your sound system and close your eyes for seventy odd minutes. I guarantee it will leave you breathless and feeling like you have experienced something special. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve listend to this in the last 17 year sor so and I never tire of it (a sign of a good album me thinks!!). The live versions of the songs on ‘Live - In The Flesh’ are nothing short of breathtaking. If you don’t own this album and you’re a Floyd fan - buy it immediately and also the Roger Waters Live In The Flesh DVD. If you’re watching the DVD - put it onto DTS surround and make sure you have your sub-woofer on (trust me - it will be worth arguing with your wife on this one).”

“…. strongly suspect that this is the “ultimate concept album” it was intended to be. Still sends shivers after all this time. In a word? Magnificent!”

“This is great stuff. A monumental piece of musical workmanship by one of the most talented musicians ever. A must have. I found it hauntingly Superb!!!”

“If Amused To Death, Roger Waters fourth-and-a-half solo album, (and the last one of new material he has released in his forty two year year recording career), had been released under the name Pink Floyd, then it would’ve sold just as many as Dark Side Of The Moon.”

“The only album I have both laughed and cried at. Like a good novel or film this concept album is truly emotional. Though it does not have a plot like some concept albums, all the songs are tightly linked by theme and subject matter. Every song is about the evils of the modern world; war, capitalism, religous fundamentalism, consumerism, and the coldness of people who just want to make a profit. There is satire, for example in Perfect Sense Pt2, the first Gulf War is commentated like an American football match. There is times when this album will bring a lump to your throat. The lyrics are deserving of a university dissertation and the music is a treat for the ears.”

“This is an important work, both musically and lyrically. Everyone should listen to it at least once.”

https://rogerwaters.com/

Biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Waters