Rick + Helen Boulding

Well, it's good to hear that Rick is writing again. I hope he's going soon to release that new album he was working on some time ago.

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"Don't you know there ain't no devil, it's just god when he's drunk." Tom Waits

I'm also curious to hear what Rick is coming up with these days.

Having said that, I found Broken China to be incredibly difficult to enjoy (there's still only one or two songs I enjoy), and I'll be waiting for reviews before spending any money.

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Although I don't think BC is all THAT difficult, I can see it's not an easy album, this is for sure. In fact I think Wright in the most "recent" years is the only Floyd member who actually tried to push some boundaries, musically speaking. I mean, Gilmour is going to release what seems to be a rather conservative album in comparison.

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"Don't you know there ain't no devil, it's just god when he's drunk." Tom Waits

What I didn't like about Broken China were Rick's vocals and most of the lyrics. In fact, it is the Floyd related album that I have listened less to (and, of course, I don't have this awful colabortion he did in the mid-eighties called "Zee").

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I think that his vocal work on Broken China was not as good as his work on Wet Dream. Also, it would have been a little better if he sang on the last track, Breakthrough. He does a really good job on Daves live DVD. Id buy his new album no matter what, just because its Rick.

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I am surprised. I think that the different vocal style on Broken china is pure class. I agree that he should have sung Breakthrough but that would have been in contrast with the concept. Anyway we have the wonderful live version with Gilmour, I hope we're going to have another one soon on Gilmour's next live album

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"Don't you know there ain't no devil, it's just god when he's drunk." Tom Waits

Has anyone ever heard this infamous "zee" and their music? Personally I haven't even been able to find any even on P2P networks and from what I hear it would be a waste of time anyhow. How bad can it really be??

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I am almost sure that if you search through this website you'll find something about Identity. It's a mediocre album, totally different from Pink Floyd and even from any other Wright material, which in general is very floydish. As a Wright fan I say it's for completists only, but it has some good moments anyway.

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"Don't you know there ain't no devil, it's just god when he's drunk." Tom Waits

The "Identity" stuff is completely awful. I downloaded it once and I threw it away after just one listen. Perhaps I'm being a bit rough on Rick but I have very mixed emotions about him. I completely love the things he wrote for the Floyd, his masterful and tasty use of keyboards (above all if you campare it with the work of most keyboard players from the 70's) and the vocal harmonies he sang with Gilmour. "Echoes" wouldn't have been such a wonderful song without Rick's contribution and the same goes with the whole of "Dark Side of the Moon" (and though it is not so evident, I would say the same about "WYWH" and "Animals"). In fact, "Wet Dream" is one of my favourite Floyd solo efforts ever.

But, having said that, the "Identity" thing is really dull and dated. Mason's "Fictitious Sports" is much, much better than what Rick did. And (IMHO) "Broken China" is an album that tries to have a narrative and convey a story but becomes predictable and boring (both lirycally and musically). Perhaps he should have done an album of individual songs like the wonderful "Wearing the Inside Out" (one of the high points in "TDB"). Anyway, "Breakthrough" is a very nice song and both "Runaway" and "Satellite" tread new ground (for a Floyd member at least) very successfully. In fact "Runaway" is an amazing instrumental.

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Changing subject... I was curious about Helen Boulding and I have done some search. She's got a page on "Myspace.com" and there are four of her songs posted there. They are completely wonderful!! I think that she's got an EP and a single so far but I'm eager to see an album of hers released, I will buy it inmediately! Her voice is also amazing. She seems to be quite a promising new artist!

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I have to agree with Driven; Broken China was no walk in the park. I really only like the intro to it.

Thanks for the link.

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