After twenty years, Pink Floyd’s final album was released in America on November 10, 2014. Their fifteenth album, named The Endless River, mostly consists of instrumental “ambiance” music. Even though not all five original members contributed, this album still gives somewhat of a nostalgic tone, giving the classic Pink Floyd feeling that is hard to explain or reciprocate.
Richard Wright had been an original member that was kicked out during The Wall (1979) but invited back to work on the last two albums, A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and the Division Bell (1984). Tragically, Wright died from an undisclosed type of cancer on September 15, 2008. Drummer Nick Mason described the album as a tribute to Wright, stating, “I think this record is a good way of recognizing a lot of what he does and how his playing was at the heart of the Pink Floyd sound.” The Endless River is based on over twenty hours of music recorded in 1993 and 1994 during the process of the Division Bell. Guitarist and vocalist, David Gilmour and Nick Mason took the opportunity in 2012 to revisit the music made with Wright prior to his death. Gilmour said, “Over the last year we’ve added new parts, re-recorded others and generally harnessed studio technology to make a 21st century Pink Floyd album. With Rick gone, and with him the chance of ever doing it again, it feels right that these revisited and reworked tracks should be made available as part of our repertoire.” Gilmour also stated there wouldn’t be a tour to match the album, and said it would be “kind of impossible” without Wright.
The Endless River is just that- endless. It is a composition to be listened to in whole, something to be taken in all at once. It took me only an hour to listen to the entire album, and to me, the last song flowed into the first almost perfectly, encouraging me to listen to it completely over again.
I can’t imagine the kind of pressure that came with releasing this final album after almost thirty years of existence, but I can’t imagine any greater final product. The Endless River definitely did not disappoint and was the perfect ending to the Pink Floyd era.