Pink Floyd – The Division Bell

Division Bell is one of my favourite Pink Floyd albums (along with More). I have this blue pressing and it is awesome.

Pink Floyd have navigated a musical journey spanning cultural changes of heady psychedelia (exalting joy and madness), through glum Thatcherism and beyond to our current governmentally ‘LOST’ period.

Where Wish You Were Here has Roy Harper singing a few words representing a sceptic side of capitalism; Division Bell goes a step further with Stephen Hawking. At first the choice seemed weird. But it’s true Hawking was a critical personality representing our forward gaze into the vast universe, very much a figure of our time. I don’t mean to glorify him. From what I have read he could be difficult, he had a god complex, inevitably he was human in his individual way. So, I have come to think ‘Hawking’s’ voice is just right on the album. It is a robot voice which Stephen makes his own, he would be voiceless without it – so where humans often confront limitations, they can also transcend. Who knows, together, perhaps humans have infinite potential. Just keep* . . .

As the album's climax, High Hopes is a supremely moving song, without being melodramatic. I word it like that because, whilst it could have been too easy to over-sentimentalise and 'get it wrong', the song gets it just right. High Hopes sums up a mature conclusion to our traumatised culture and Floyd’s fantastic musical career.

* Stephen Hawking:
For millions of years mankind lived just like the animals
Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination
We learned to talk . . .
. . . It doesn’t have to be like this
All we need to do is make sure we keep talking

Perfect pressing, flat as a pancake and with a dynamic soundstage. looking at many comments here, I cannot stress highly enough that every new record should be cleaned thoroughly before playing. Preferably on a quality machine if possible.

I have this one and the 2014 US issue. I don't know if it's the coloured vinyl but my 2014 issue on black vinyl sounds better.

My copy plays perfectly but the music is generic and uninteresting. Not like the old days. Pink Floyd is shot

A2 continuously skips, side B sound perfectly, and C3 ending with some skips.
With a more accurate turntable I’m sure it would sound far better.
Pretty satisfied.

i'm more than satisfied with this record. Mine don't have any defects or curves.

On my second copy, which is like the first I returned, luckily this one doesn't jumps on Lost for words.
First vinyl is excellent, side C as well, only side D is too curvy, first time I see something like this.
vinyl is dead quiet and sounds perfect. Keeping this copy but am a bit disappointed.

Mine has two of the second record and zero of the first.

This edition is a really good surprise. The sound is deep and clearly separated, nice balance.
No back noise at all. Happy with this blue vinyl.

Awful version I bought this twice and return it twice
Curved vinyl and strange sounds from the left speaker