The Endless River
by Pink Floyd
  • Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: Nov 10, 2014
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 139 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 98 out of 139
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 139
  3. Negative: 14 out of 139
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  1. kot72begemot
    Aug 11, 2022
    6
    Граф де Ла Фер (Атос) : "Для David Gilmour это слишком много, а для Pink Floyd слишком мало"
  2. Panchogul
    Sep 2, 2020
    6
    No llega ni a la sombra de los mejores trabajos musicales de esta legendaria banda, pero es increíble que después de tantísimos años sin sacar nada nuevo, vuelvan a estrenar música volviendo a ser bastante exitoso. Las nuevas generaciones no están preparadas para deleitar sus oídos con esto aún. para
  3. Thegp
    May 3, 2020
    4
    God this is dull. So so dull. What’s it dying out for is some insightful lyrics and tunes... Floyd have plenty of moving mood music in their past. This isn’t it

    even the one sung song “Louder than words” is a pompous dirge, marred by Mrs Gilmours awful line about **** and fight”
  4. Opinionpts
    Apr 26, 2020
    6
    pink floyd did much better albuns. .
  5. almatraje
    Jun 2, 2019
    10
    AMOOOO?????? COMO ASSIM A NOTA DESSA PERFEIÇÃO EH 58???????? PORRS QUE SUBESTIMADO :((((((
  6. kjatafoxhound
    Jul 12, 2017
    9
    Hay lugares comunes y un sonido caraterístico. Quizá le falte un poco de fuerza en algunos momentos...pero es normal en compositores de 70 años, con un estilo consagrado. Musicalmente es una maravilla, con algunos de los mejores pasajes de toda la discografía del grupo. Anisina , Summer 68 o Surface son absolutamente espectaculares. Sensacional trabajo.
  7. BillyB95
    Dec 2, 2016
    7
    As a Pink Floyd album, it's not necessary to say that the band have not been able to do something really good since Water's departure. But, looking deeper to "The endless river" and ignoring its shadow, we find a beautiful ambient work. It's true, Gilmour's guitar work is set far away from its glory days. In contrast, the disappeared Richard Wright offers us a gorgeous keyboard structure,As a Pink Floyd album, it's not necessary to say that the band have not been able to do something really good since Water's departure. But, looking deeper to "The endless river" and ignoring its shadow, we find a beautiful ambient work. It's true, Gilmour's guitar work is set far away from its glory days. In contrast, the disappeared Richard Wright offers us a gorgeous keyboard structure, reassuring (for the last time), his place as one of the best keyboardists. I must admit that I couldn't take my tears when I heard the final track "Louder than words", where Pink Floyd sign the end of a successful journey to the dark side of the moon.… Expand
  8. Stormcrow666
    Nov 6, 2016
    9
    I get that people are **** about only having one song with lyrics but that doesnt matter to me. I love the music. It is Floyd. It sounds like Floyd and has that Floydian soul to it.
    As an homage it succeeds brilliantly.
    It did take me a little while and a few listens to get into but now I find myself finding nuances more and more. The Endless River is for Pink Floyd fans. You get    I get that people are **** about only having one song with lyrics but that doesnt matter to me. I love the music. It is Floyd. It sounds like Floyd and has that Floydian soul to it.
    As an homage it succeeds brilliantly.
    It did take me a little while and a few listens to get into but now I find myself finding nuances more and more.
    The Endless River is for Pink Floyd fans. You get little tastes from almost all the albums which is really cool.    … Expand
  9. MentalMetalGuy
    Sep 20, 2016
    4
    There was no need for this...I mean it was never going to be their next "big album", but these were clearly leftover, which are nice ambient music, for the background, but gives absolutely no reason to purchase this.

    Such an in-substantial album, with no real impact, but at least its calming while listening.
  10. Danm95VFF
    Apr 20, 2016
    6
    The Endless River is essentially nothing more or less than a collection of instrumental musical passages composed during the Division Bell era. There are quite a few intriguing very Floyd-esque ideas here, but it was never going to be considered a classic by any degree, considering it's the remnants of ideas for a generally poorly-recieved album that did not feature chief songwriter/bandThe Endless River is essentially nothing more or less than a collection of instrumental musical passages composed during the Division Bell era. There are quite a few intriguing very Floyd-esque ideas here, but it was never going to be considered a classic by any degree, considering it's the remnants of ideas for a generally poorly-recieved album that did not feature chief songwriter/band leader Roger Waters. Rather, it serves as more of a send-off to the late Richard Wright, and a more emotional, self-aware send off than The Division Bell. Louder Than Words, the closing track and the only one to be fully fleshed out and have vocals, wraps things up rather nicely.… Expand
  11. eLBe
    Feb 29, 2016
    7
    'The Endless River' marks a dignified end of a long, long story. When I heard in 2014 that Pink Floyd releases a new album I just wished that Roger would have some impact on that. BUT, after having understood that TER is the instrumental sister of Division Bell, I've made my freedom with this end of Pink Floyd's amazing career. It's an honourable contribution to sound genius Rick Wright. RIP
  12. GuillemTM
    Apr 1, 2015
    8
    It's great to have such kind of album released in 2015. An ambient music album, more reminiscent of the first albums of the band, like Meddle or Obscured by clouds, than the most popular ones. Not a masterpiece, but a really good to hear one.
  13. Headcrusher
    Jan 23, 2015
    10
    I really like this album - it's kind of like sitting in on a Pink Floyd jam session - mostly spacey psychedelic instrumental stuff that always set this band apart - yes you will hear some melodies and motifs you've heard before, Pink Floyd fans are likely to enjoy it.
  14. OMEGALucifer
    Jan 13, 2015
    9
    This album I really enjoy, It takes me back to a time that we listened to an LP in it's entirety. This album either LP or CD has that feel of put it on and play it right through. I felt that the two participating surviving members did this not only for themselves and the unapologetic fans but also as a tribute to Richard Wright. There is a beautiful little piece buried between two DivisionThis album I really enjoy, It takes me back to a time that we listened to an LP in it's entirety. This album either LP or CD has that feel of put it on and play it right through. I felt that the two participating surviving members did this not only for themselves and the unapologetic fans but also as a tribute to Richard Wright. There is a beautiful little piece buried between two Division Bell era pieces. Richard Wright and the band had access to the Royal Albert Hall in 1968 and he was permitted to play on the theatre's organ. That short little piece of tape of a young man experimenting between those two early 1990's pieces is what both David Gilmour and Nick Mason tried to tell us of how they remember their band mate and friend. For us diehard fans anything Floyd is a treat. This album does take us back before the Dark Side of Moon, Wish you were here, Animals and the Wall. It is very much in the style of Atom Heart Mother, Umma Gumma and Meddle, they were very instrumental albums with Roger Waters still developing his lyrical talent and prowess to tell a story. The music is very grown up in the way that the Division Bell showed how those three men had evolved musically. The album will never be the centerpiece of my Pink Floyd collection but it will be an album that I will select when I have about an hour to take in the sound. I am very grateful to David and Nick for taking time out in the last two years to put together this last little bit.… Expand
  15. JohnnyStarfish
    Dec 27, 2014
    4
    I painstakingly sat through Pink Floyd's latest and more-likely-than-not final effort, "The Endless River" and I am sorely disappointed. No, it's not the synth-keyboards (if that were the case I would never listen to Pink Floyd in the first place)... No.. what it is is a slap in the face; a violent kick in the nuts to hear an album with a total of 18 songs, 1 of which is not anI painstakingly sat through Pink Floyd's latest and more-likely-than-not final effort, "The Endless River" and I am sorely disappointed. No, it's not the synth-keyboards (if that were the case I would never listen to Pink Floyd in the first place)... No.. what it is is a slap in the face; a violent kick in the nuts to hear an album with a total of 18 songs, 1 of which is not an instrumental and contains distinguishable lyrics... This album, if one could muster to call it one, is nothing but instrumental leftover from "The Division Bell" and an ode to the keyboard styles of the late Richard Wright (the ode to Wright one aspect I give this lackluster album a thumbs up for). The album's closing track "Louder than Words", the one and only song with distinguishable lyrics, is further more a kick to the groin; as David Gilmour sings "It's louder than words / this thing that we do..." Well David Gilmour, I would tend to agree in some respect that you and Nick Mason are icons but simply slapping your names to an album and calling it 'Pink Floyd' is bull! Roger Waters is probably scoffing at this tired piece of work; this "endless" nonsense! Pink Floyd's one saving grace in "The Endless River"; outside of their past days being their better, is that even with 17 songs of synth-keyboard and faint guitar wailing and some faint resemblances in sound to what made Floyd great at one juncture in time is that this album is probably STILL better quality than half the stuff on the radio today.. The album leaves MUCH to be desired and leaves the Floyd listener quench for something more... the faint resemblances to riffs you thought you heard before are very much alive in certain tracks but all and all outside of the album's closing track, (which by the time I heard I was too angry to give much thought to) "The Endless River" is an endless dribble; leaving endless thoughts on my part on what could have been and makes me want to slam the door on the career of the band that is/was Pink Floyd, hitting their old wrinkled behinds on their way out...… Expand
  16. TSAR
    Dec 2, 2014
    7
    Beautiful album. Instrumental tracks that immediately remind you of earlier sounds of Pink Floyd. It is beautiful but not groundbreaking at any point. It his more like it came from the late 70’s early 80’s era of Vangelis’ and Brian Eno’s instrumental sounds with a Pink Floyd-ish texture. Although I liked it, it didn’t feel right for what I expected from one of the most progressiveBeautiful album. Instrumental tracks that immediately remind you of earlier sounds of Pink Floyd. It is beautiful but not groundbreaking at any point. It his more like it came from the late 70’s early 80’s era of Vangelis’ and Brian Eno’s instrumental sounds with a Pink Floyd-ish texture. Although I liked it, it didn’t feel right for what I expected from one of the most progressive bands of its time on what is presented as their last album 20 years after the release of the “Division Bell”. The artwork of the package is amazing!… Expand
  17. frzinghere
    Nov 17, 2014
    7
    OK, first of all I am a Pink Floyd fan and do not side with any particular camp. This album does serve as a proper ending to the legacy. Why? Well, not because it was particularly well executed, but rather because it closes the book on Floyd. It resolves the band. Many people choose different sides... Syd, Roger, Gilmour... they forget Pink Floyd was a band. Every memberOK, first of all I am a Pink Floyd fan and do not side with any particular camp. This album does serve as a proper ending to the legacy. Why? Well, not because it was particularly well executed, but rather because it closes the book on Floyd. It resolves the band. Many people choose different sides... Syd, Roger, Gilmour... they forget Pink Floyd was a band. Every member contributed, no matter how outspoken or relatively quietly they had participated. In this effort, Gilmour and Mason recognize how important and overlooked Wright was (and please lets not ever forget or overlook Nick!!!!). Life is a series of checks and balances, this album balances the equation, leaving nothing left to say except... "The End. Thanks for stopping by."… Expand
  18. fjordprefect
    Nov 11, 2014
    9
    Excellent piece of ambient music from three guys who know how to create a mood. No, there are almost no lyrics - gasp! - but being a huge fan of jazz this doesn't bother me one bit. If you like Pink Floyd's pre-Dark Side material, you'll love this. If you hated Miles Davis Pangaea, look elsewhere.
  19. Freemamba
    Nov 11, 2014
    10
    Amazing, A fine, complex instrumental composition in style of their early work...The music spokes for it self, They finished what they started years ago...
    If u don't get this album ur not a true Pink Floyd fan!!
  20. perli
    Nov 10, 2014
    10
    A fine, complex instrumental composition in style of their early work, with Richard Wright keyboards and David Gilmour guitar up front. This it is not recycled material heard before, but new music, not directly resembling anything after Wish you were here, on moments it's style can be associated with live part of Ummagumma and title song on Atom Heart Mother. It's a solid 8-9 stars, I'llA fine, complex instrumental composition in style of their early work, with Richard Wright keyboards and David Gilmour guitar up front. This it is not recycled material heard before, but new music, not directly resembling anything after Wish you were here, on moments it's style can be associated with live part of Ummagumma and title song on Atom Heart Mother. It's a solid 8-9 stars, I'll give it a 10, because it has an iconic status in 2014 as their epitaph. A 10 also because some pretentious, narcissistic critics are trying to destroy it with bad reviews.… Expand
  21. sampom
    Nov 10, 2014
    5
    I feel i do not know music technicaly enough to write a deep review about this album. I respect and love Pink Floyd deeply. But this one just feels like David Gilmour knew that this material would have been published someday. So rather than giving it away postumus, he decided to do an album with it. It just feels like random acoustics B-sides from another era that do not fit with theI feel i do not know music technicaly enough to write a deep review about this album. I respect and love Pink Floyd deeply. But this one just feels like David Gilmour knew that this material would have been published someday. So rather than giving it away postumus, he decided to do an album with it. It just feels like random acoustics B-sides from another era that do not fit with the quality and concepts that made Pink Floyd what they are today. Division Bell: Extended Session would have been a more proper title i guess. It's just as if David Gilmour had toss a pile of pink floyd partition on the floor and picked them back up in a random order.… Expand
  22. aurynsdad
    Nov 10, 2014
    9
    Lyrics have been PF's biggest weakness since the departure of Roger Waters, so when I found out that this album was going to be mostly instrumental, I was quite excited by the news. What I experienced when I first listened to The Endless River was even better than I hoped for- a very well-designed and executed album of ambient music that evokes the many different phases of Pink Floyd'sLyrics have been PF's biggest weakness since the departure of Roger Waters, so when I found out that this album was going to be mostly instrumental, I was quite excited by the news. What I experienced when I first listened to The Endless River was even better than I hoped for- a very well-designed and executed album of ambient music that evokes the many different phases of Pink Floyd's music, with some emphasis on the earlier styles. It is both simpler and more timeless than I expected. Bravo!… Expand
  23. samharaz1985
    Nov 10, 2014
    10
    It Was Really Amazing Album I Heard This Morning.There is Something Between Jazz, Soft Rock and Progressive Rock and You Can Feeling Sprite of Rick Wright When You are Listening to The All Songs and It's Really Similar to Wish You Were Here Album.If You Are Looking For Real Music Try not to Lose This Album....
  24. dierregi
    Nov 10, 2014
    6
    This is a rather melancholic CD, as it was to be expected. Mostly instrumental, it plays like a belated homage to Richard Wright. It also plays very well as ambient music of top quality. Nevertheless, those who expect something different from Pink Floyd music will be disappointed.

    But then again, why should PF sound not like PF? One of the greatest bands of the 70s, they proved    This is a rather melancholic CD, as it was to be expected. Mostly instrumental, it plays like a belated homage to Richard Wright. It also plays very well as ambient music of top quality. Nevertheless, those who expect something different from Pink Floyd music will be disappointed.

    But then again, why should PF sound not like PF? One of the greatest bands of the 70s, they proved themselves well beyond the influence of overrated Syd Barret. Their masterpiece trilogy “Meddle-Dark side-Wish you were here” defined sidereal, melancholic music for generations.

    While those records sounded full of energy – if not optimistic – this one is more subdued, fragmented and mainly saying goodbye, hoping to meet somewhere sailing of that endless river.    … Expand
  25. LordRawash
    Nov 10, 2014
    8
    Many times, David Gilmour wanted us to believe Pink Floyd was over, and probably believed it himself. But we were right to hope for something else. For those things left unsaid.

    It really feels like we're back in 1994 and never waited 20 long years. The general sound is very close of The Division Bell, and feels very familiar. So if you didn't like The Division Bell, you might feel the    Many times, David Gilmour wanted us to believe Pink Floyd was over, and probably believed it himself. But we were right to hope for something else. For those things left unsaid.

    It really feels like we're back in 1994 and never waited 20 long years.
    The general sound is very close of The Division Bell, and feels very familiar. So if you didn't like The Division Bell, you might feel the same with this one. Some moments remind us of the really old times though. A reminiscence of 68 and some echoes against the Wall here and there. Rick Wright's synthesizers make us wish he was still here.

    18 titles and only 1 with words, so it's obviously ambient oriented. And it's true. This thing they do, it's louder than words. But, on the downside, we know it's mostly old takes from the Division Bell sessions and the result is that we have many good bits of music but very short for most of them. I sometimes felt the need for more.
    Also, since it's supposed to be the very last Pink Floyd album (in Gilmour's mind at least) we could have hoped for just a little more psychedelic sound. Maybe not a 20 minutes song like the old times, but a little something to make it feel a bit more "let's get back home" kind of way. (Of course I speak only for myself on that.)

    Still, for a goodbye album, it sounds and feels really good. Rick Wright is almost omnipresent and I believe that it is a good thing. Well it is mandatory actually. I think many people agree on saying that you can't really have the Pink Floyd sound without him. So here we are, 20 years after The Division Bell and 6 years after Wright's passing and yes, this is Pink Floyd.

    Like a real Pink Floyd album, it's a far away journey. Looking back but still moving forwards, and in the end the cover of the album sums up pretty well the overall feeling.
    And yes : it feels good.    … Expand
  26. aqurban
    Nov 10, 2014
    9
    Here we are 20 years later and it still feels the same, The Endless River is indeed endless, with sounds and scapes echoing from the past and rythems making all the sense instrumental music never could. It starts slow with a pulse that tells you that Pink Floyd beats still, throughout, it's smooth and vibrant with familar yet changing sounds but saddly ends rapidly as the srings, drums andHere we are 20 years later and it still feels the same, The Endless River is indeed endless, with sounds and scapes echoing from the past and rythems making all the sense instrumental music never could. It starts slow with a pulse that tells you that Pink Floyd beats still, throughout, it's smooth and vibrant with familar yet changing sounds but saddly ends rapidly as the srings, drums and keyboards die out.… Expand
  27. ScarySquirrel
    Nov 10, 2014
    7
    I am far from qualified to post an in depth review of the album, all I can base my score on is whether I enjoy listening to it or not. I am a massive Pink Floyd fan, they're my favourite band of all time, so I was extremely excited that they had a new album coming out. I didn't have massively high hopes (excuse the pun), even though I do like The Division Bell (but it's not my favouriteI am far from qualified to post an in depth review of the album, all I can base my score on is whether I enjoy listening to it or not. I am a massive Pink Floyd fan, they're my favourite band of all time, so I was extremely excited that they had a new album coming out. I didn't have massively high hopes (excuse the pun), even though I do like The Division Bell (but it's not my favourite obviously), so I went into this album not expecting a great deal.

    But what I found was a thoroughly enjoyable, and quite ambient and relaxing collection of instrumental pieces of music. There were small hints of the Pink Floyd from the 70s, 80s, etc. On a couple of tracks there'd be a bit of the song that really reminded me of older tracks from the likes of Animals, WYWH, etc, and of course The Division Bell.

    The album is essential four pieces of music, made up of smaller parts. Each side is really enjoyable in their own right.

    The final side concludes with Louder than Words, the only song with proper vocals. I actually really like it, I think it's quite a fitting song to finish with.

    Like I said, I am not a music critic, I don't 'get' music necessarily, I just enjoy it, and I really enjoyed this album and I've listened to it all the way through about 4 or 5 times now.    … Expand
  28. highplainsdrift
    Nov 10, 2014
    3
    Fifteen years ago I would have been giddy at the news of a new Pink Floyd album. I'm a Pink Floyd loyalist, but when I heard the news that Floyd was releasing a new album, I sensed it a bit late in the game to have very high expectations for it. In preparation for this "event", I saddled up my Sennheiser headphones, smoked a phat bowl and cranked this album full through. And what IFifteen years ago I would have been giddy at the news of a new Pink Floyd album. I'm a Pink Floyd loyalist, but when I heard the news that Floyd was releasing a new album, I sensed it a bit late in the game to have very high expectations for it. In preparation for this "event", I saddled up my Sennheiser headphones, smoked a phat bowl and cranked this album full through. And what I discovered is that Pink Floyd really has become their own parents--and let's not kid ourselves, these "leftovers" from the Division Bell sessions are really just the fruits of Dave Gilmour sitting in a Production studio and mixing his and Rick Wright's tracks from those older sessions.

    The sound is clean and there are flickering moments, like on "Allons-y" and "Talkin' Hawkin'", that take you back to the classic Pink Floyd sound, but they never really get off their feet and the songs trudge slowly to no pay off. If you're hoping for the classic Pink Floyd sound to resurrect itself, you'll be disappointed; and if you are anticipating they would take their music to some new, exciting direction, here again you'd be disappointed.

    There is very little life in these songs and what is there fails due to Gilmour's fading studio skills. Gilmour is simply not that great as a Producer (that was Waters). Especially noticeable in the first half of the album are the airy synthesizers which sound more Yanni than I am comfortable with. Gilmour's guitar lacks the power and volume of his earlier works--the best that I can describe it is that he sounds flat. With classic Floyd, even when Gilmour played quietly, his guitar was still on display and his long tones carried the music. Gilmour used to write solos that made us weep. There is nothing close to that here. I could point to any number of albums of a similar vein from the old Musax or Patchwork Libraries that do this 10 times better, and those albums were written 30 years ago.

    Maybe what this album lacks truly IS LIFE. Division Bell wasn't a great album, either--it was good, yet still many stars better than Endless River. Where those Division Bell songs came to life was when Pink Floyd performed them live. The album that came out of the tour in 1994 was Pulse, among the best live rock albums ever made. Maybe these songs would come to life at a live Floyd show...    … Collapse

Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Most Discussed Album of 2014
49
#49 Most Shared Album of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 24
  3. Negative: 4 out of 24
  1. Classic Rock Magazine
    Dec 16, 2014
    50
    Overall, too much of The Endless River is suffocated by prog-normative dreariness and a high, conventional varnish. [Dec 2014, p.98]
  2. PopMatters
    Nov 26, 2014
    60
    The problems with The Endless River are not so much what we are given, but what is left out. Without the vocals, something is very clearly missing and the listener is left wanting more.
    Read full review
  3. Under The Radar
    Nov 25, 2014
    35
    The Endless River belongs not in the pantheon of the great Pink Floyd, but in a hotel elevator.
    Read full review
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