The Pros And Cons Of Hitch Hiking (studio album) by Roger Waters

From AndrewJFisher 03/16/2025 06:26

Roger has said the idea came from a dream he had prior to making The Wall and he presented it to the band and manager as potential next album material. Can anyone see this ever being as successful as The Wall, even made by Pink Floyd? I'm thinking, had Floyd made this with Bob Ezrin in '79, it would have been more typically rock opera like The Wall and maybe they could have filled it out to make a double album too, believing that it was time they made one. I think it follows on from The Final Cut, which followed on from The Wall, though even so was a departure from Pink Floyd and Pros and Cons departed even further, was even slower, only picking up for the title track. I think the midlife, marital crisis concept might have worked OK, I think the title track of The Final Cut touching on that is very good, but a title like The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking and the nude hitch hiker on the album cover made it all seem like a bit of a joke and maybe even a move towards the heavy metal sexploitation of the time. I couldn't really feel for the guy like I could for "Pink" in The Wall or the soldiers or veterans in The Final Cut.

Radio K.A.O.S. was a complete about face, more catchy and boppy than anything Pink Floyd had put out, surprising for Roger Waters, but at least he showed he could make decent pop songs too.

From Jboy56 05/27/2024 16:13

No, booring, too floydy

I’m just running face first in this album in the last 24 hours. Waters voice goes from subtle to menacing throughout and I love it. Feels like listening to The Wall again for the first time, not quite as epic but hits big in spots. The saxophone weaves in and out of many songs and my god, the saxophone solo on Go Fishing is as good as it gets.
Unsettling. Dark. Menacing. So glad to have given this effort some attention

Roger Waters doesn't sing on this album, he shouts his way through it. When you consider some of the fantastic vocals he delivered in Pink Floyd (If from Meddle, Biding My Time from Relics, Pigs on the Wing from Animals, Shine on You Crazy Diamond from Wish you Were Here, Brain Damage and Eclipse from Dark Side of The Moon) just to name a few, I can't help wondering what happened. There is no real atmosphere or depth to this album and I feel that it is carried by backing singers and session musicians. Considering that David Gilmour released A Momentary Lapse of Reason (which has some excellent songs on it) as his first album without Roger Waters, it is quite clear at this point who will carry the Pink Floyd sound forwards. Disappointing...

From LoganGrube 05/06/2018 14:38

This album isn't even in the top 1500 and I feel it's over ranked because of the name attached to it.

I love Floyd. I love Roger's stuff on his own.I love this album. I've been fortunate to know it since release and over 30 years later it still sounds as fresh, intense and crazy as it did to me after three decades.
I understand it won't be everyone's cup of tea and for many it can be quite hard to penetrate with really only the title track an accessible pop(ish) track - but still far superior to most if not all pop out there.
I love the journey

I'm glad Floyd decided to make The Wall instead of this. I just don't get it. It seems like the time of album that's an interesting concept but it's a boring album.

I am a huge Floyd fan, but I just started listening to Waters' solo stuff. I enjoyed this album a lot more than later Pink Floyd albums.

From timtooky 04/08/2014 21:54

the wall is the best record ever. and this is the third disc of it. and even if it's not as good as the wall it's still the third side of the greatest album ever.

As soon as Roger Waters left Pink Floyd, I stopped caring about Pink Floyd. This is much better than PF's last two albums.