PINK FLOYD

The Later Years 1987-2019

PINK FLOYD RECORDS

7/10

16-disc document of the Gilmour years 2016’s The Early Years 1965-1972

was a genuine sensation, featuring an astonishing amount of previously unreleased music and video, stunning remastering and, charmingly, a toy re-creation of the band’s old van. Its latter-day counterpart, covering the era following Roger Waters’ departure, is a tougher sell: after all, psychedelic finery and Binson Echorecs will always trump ’80s yuppie suits and electronic drum pads, and there’s a lot less music to play with here. The main attraction is an updated version of 1987’s A Momentary Lapse Of Reason,

featuring more Nick Mason and Rick Wright, that attempts to remove the worst of the decade’s production – there’s some success, but the changes could have been more radical. Among the stacks of other content, there are a handful of pleasant studio jams from the Division Bell era that are worth exploring, and loads of reassuringly consistent live recordings, some previously unreleased. The visual content on offer is more impressive: a re-edited Delicate Sound Of Thunder presents Momentary Lapse tracks and classic cuts in perfect fidelity, a restored and re-edited Pulse is grander than ever, and The Endless River film gets its first release. Their Venice gig in 1989, meanwhile, is quite the spectacle, with luxury boats crowded around the huge floating stage moored just off St Mark’s Square. If you can find the money for this premium set, there’s a lot to get lost in here – but unlike

The Early Years, this is for dedicated enthusiasts only.

Extras: 8/10. Replica memorabilia, lyric and photo books, 7in, Blu-rays and DVDS galore, various 5.1 mixes, lavish artwork, TV ads, music videos and more.