Album review: PINK FLOYD – The Endless River

Pink Floyd - The Endless River

Parlophone [Release date 10.11.14]

A new Pink Floyd album – 4 sides of ‘new’ material – fan-tastic!  Or is it?

The hype, or at least expectation, surrounding the release of The Endless River – the first Floyd album since The Division Bell 20 years ago – would have you believe so, but the truth is this is not a Pink Floyd album.

There’s been too many other cooks in the kitchen in its making, namely Phil Manzanera, Youth and David Gilmour’s wife Polly Samson.  Culled from the cutting room floor of the Division Bell sessions, stitched together initially by Manzanera, tweaked by Youth and then garnished by Gilmour and Mason, and with Samson providing the lyrics to the only ‘song’ on the album, hopes may have been set unrealistically high.

It’s when you see the track listing that it becomes apparent just what a tapestry The Endless River is.  Only two tracks hit the six minute mark and an alarming nine clock in at less than two.  Of course they’re all seamlessly segued so that it’s not apparent on blind listening, but it does serve to demonstrate that this not a lost masterpiece.

‘Ambient’ is a word associated with the album, and for good reason – the material meanders gently along, and while all rivers eventually reach the sea this one never gets there.  It is, of course, as Jeremy Clarkson would describe the latest Lamborghini, very beautiful – wherever you choose to dip your toe, and yes, there’s echoes of days of yore – like of Wish You Were Here on ‘It’s What We Do’.

But once you’ve pressed ‘play’ (or dropped the needle in the groove if you’re an audiophile) it’s strange how, unlike most releases these days, there’s no temptation to press ‘skip’.  There may be no great ‘wow’ factor, but the blurred reflections of the band’s past are, in equal measures enthralling and comforting.  It does, however, have to be listened to as a piece.  The Endless River is not an album for dipping in or out of, or hitting the ‘random’ button.

First impressions were, I’ll admit, underwhelming, but each repeat listen reveals new depths.  It may not be a new Pink Floyd album – in truth they were done before The Wall came down, with The Division Bell doing little more than keeping the brand alive.

And it may not be the epitaph fans were hoping for, but in some ways it is, nevertheless, a rather fitting swansong and final salute to Richard William ‘Rick’ Wright (28 July 1943 – 15 September 2008).  ****

Review by Pete Whalley


Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

Latest session: Sunday 25 February
Next session: Sunday 14 April

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio



David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 March 2024.


UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 5 March 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com


Power Plays w/c 18 March 2024

GYPSY’S KISS We’ve Come To Play
FM Out Of The Blue (Frontiers)
SHOTGUN MISTRESS Shot Down (indie)
ATTIC THEORY Violent Delight (indie)
FLOYA Yume (FiXT)
SAHAJI Tell Me All Your Feelings (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 18 March 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 LEAVES’ EYES Myths Of Fate (AFM Records)
14:00-16:00 HOLLY LERSKI Sweet Decline (indie)


To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account



Popular (last 10 days)


This entry was posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply