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A scathing critic of human life who, despite constantly contradicting himself, never remained silent in the face of what he considered wrong
By André Luis de Deus Rosa
There is no middle ground: love and hate are the feelings that best define the listeners of the septuagenarian musician Roger Waters.
I found the title track to be the best on the album, as it's the song that best plays with the suspense (synthesizer + bass + protest/existential discourse) that is Waters' main focus throughout the album. Speaking of which, the political/philosophical/existential discourse (a trademark throughout his work) that permeates the album is incredibly cohesive and, why not say it, necessary; according to the musician himself, Trump's election was the driving force behind his critique of the modern world.
There are also a plethora of self-references (another trademark) that delight any fan. Now, I really missed a more prominent guitar. Considering that he relied on super guitarists in previous works (see Clapton and Beck), the album presents a monumental lack of the traditional poignant and captivating solos. Another negative point were some uninspired passages that reminded me of the gloomy and depressing The Final Cut (including the same G major chord and the old depressed voice).
It's impossible not to make a few observations: Roger Waters' tireless energy in delivering all his criticisms of the contemporary world is incredible. Logically, this sounds like a repetitive and highly lucrative formula. However, Waters doesn't stop at his rhetoric and, even while generating a lot of controversy, always seeks the support of other musicians for the humanitarian causes he defends.
Although I don't consider it the best of his career, Is This The Life You Really Want? is a fantastic way to close his own cycle: a biting critique of human life that, despite falling into constant contradictions, never remained silent in the face of what he considers wrong: "Hello, I'm Roger Waters."
André Luis de Deus Rosa
*This text was written by a Wikimate and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the site's authors.
