The name Roger Waters conjures up mesmerizing images of electrifying performances of himself alongside his bandmates in Pink Floyd. Forming in 1965, the pioneering Progressive Rock Pink Floyd would go onto amazing things. Creating their name by conjoining the first names of two blues musicians – Pink Anderson and Floyd Council – Pink Floyd would forge their own path starting with their 1967 debut album The Piper At The Gates of Dawn. The launching pad for their rise to acclaim, to follow was six more albums through to 1972’s Obscured by Clouds. A steady progression, many would argue that 1973’s The Dark Side of the Moon would be linchpin in their illustrious career.
One of the most beloved, celebrated Rock-n-Roll records of all-time, The Dark Side of the Moon now celebrates its 50th anniversary in a big way in 2023. A yearlong celebration, back on March 24th was the release of an epic box set, before a new documentary called Eclipse was put out on the band’s YouTube channel on October 10th. Beyond this, there was also the newly remastered edition of the album outside the box set on either CD, LP or Blu-ray.
A lot of material to seek out, Waters also commemorates the 50th anniversary with what he calls The Dark Side of the Moon Redux. Released on October 6th through SGB and Cooking Vinyl, The Dark Side of the Moon Redux is his reinterpretation of the original music.
A great way to celebrate this treasured album, some might wonder what it is all about. Well, there are some instances when you reflect upon the accomplishments of your lifetime and realize that you could have done better if you just had the current level of expertise back then that you have currently. Considering this for a moment, this is the route that Roger Waters happened to take with The Dark Side of The Moon Redux. Marking his fifth solo album, Roger took a rare opportunity and grabbed up his musical loupe. In short order he began the painstaking examination of the soundtracks to determine what enhancements could be made. Doing this, he tweaked it and made it even sound better. Imagine that!
Material everyone is familiar with Waters has explained that The Dark Side of the Moon Redux is not meant to replace the original classic, but stand as a tribute. Considering this, there is plenty worth seeking out inside this revisited collection. For example, the new edition of “Breathe” is a gem and is definitely a must listen in these current turbulent times. The melody and haunting vocals have a way of dispelling those negative vibes and sending your mind off into the sunset in a flotation device.
This is while the updated “Money” pelts your psyche with an interesting assortment of melodies and relates the realism that it is the root of all evil. Beyond this, other fresh recordings such as “US and Them” reverberate with intense bioenergetic frequencies. Captivating, the low riveting melodies interspersed with wave building guitar riffs.
Overall, The Dark Side of the Moon touched on a variety of themes that affect us in everyday life – ranging from greed to conflict and mental illness. For this reason, it is as timeless as a Shakespeare play. Masterfully reimagined, The Dark Side of The Moon Redux is a sonic bath that can truly offer you an out of this world experience. Certainly, a gamble to undertake this seemingly impossible task, the musical virtuosity within Roger Waters emits spectral radiance here. A heartfelt and precious gift from Roger Waters to the world, Cryptic Rock gives The Dark Side of The Moon Redux 5 out of 5 stars.
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