Richard Wright - Broken China

Brand new solo album by the Pink Floyd keyboardist, with Sinead O'Connor appearing as guest lead vocalist on the tracks 'Reaching For The Rail' and 'Breakthrough'. The album has a Floyd sound and look throughout, thanks to their designer Storm Thorgerson. Album Description

Multilayered, somber, and very moody. And, R.I.P., by the way.

"Broken China" came out in 1996, on the heels of Pink Floyd's "P*U*L*S*E*," and just like listening to any solo effort by any of the others, one can hear the ingredients he contributed to the Pink Floyd juggernaut. And here, he had help from fellow post-Waters Floyd bandmates Tim Renwick and Anthony Moore. Renwick played guitar behind Gilmour and Moore contributed to the writing as well.

On September 18th, I read about the September 15th death of Wright, and as usual, news like this jarred me. It's odd, some people you have never met, people like Wright, become a part of your life, and when they're gone, there is an emptiness where they once were. So I got out all my Pink Floyd recordings and had my own little mourning session. I knew he wasn't against the occaisional toot of cocaine, and at 65 years old, he wasn't a spring chicken any more, but surprising was the news that is was cancer that took him; I didn't even know he was ill. But, he obviously treated it as a private matter, and I am sure he left with dignity.

As I type this, I am listening to "Broken China," and even though his vocals aren't this disc's high point, he did sing with soul. Giving some of the vocals to Sinead O'Connor was, I feel, a wise move; like her or not, her voice and delivery are a very good vehicle for this material. It wouldn't have hurt to feature her more, but everything here, as presented, works nicely. Most of this disc is instrumental, and where Wright didn't write any lyrics, the music is all his, a multilayered orchestration, if you will, banks upon banks of textures giving the mind a real show. If you can think with the right side of the brain, as most fans of this type of music seem to be able to do, the imagination will take you places not often seen.

"Breaking Water" opens things up, a little fanfare which sets things in motion, cutting into "Night Of A Thousand Furry Toys," the first number about escaping. There is a theme about depression running throughout, and having sixteen selections, it would be tedious to write, and read, about all of them in an on-line review; the reader will be spared.

But, despite the gloomy nature of "Broken China," it is an impressive piece of music, and even though the majority if it is played on keyboard instruments, they are arranged in a way where I can easily picture an eighty-piece orchestra performing it, not unlike Alan Parsons' "Tales Of Mystery And Imagination." Every time I listen to it, I hear something I didn't hear before, even if it's just some little percussion part, a harmony in the vocals, or a previously unheard cello.

Richard William Wright, 1943-2008, was a master of minimalist technique on his chosen instrument, making less sound like more, being a classicaly trained cellist, a jazz piano student, playing rhythm guitar in the very first line-up of the band that would one day morph into Pink Floyd, wisely changing over to piano and organ, then mellotron, and later, all the little goodies the twentieth and twenty-first century had to offer, he is probably the most imitated keyboard player in contemporary music, yet lived a life of quiet dignity, and first-rate progressive, often heavy music.

Break out your old Floyd records, if you have them, and remember him; he deserves it. September 19, 2008

Richard Wright - Solo Outing About Clinical Depression From Pink Floyd Keyboardist

Richard Wright is best known as the original keyboard player for Pink Floyd. He was a member of the band up through "The Wall" album and then re-joined for "Momentary Lapse Of Reason" back in the 90's. Before Roger Waters took over most of the songwriting in the band, Richard used to write quite a bit and also sing lead on some of Floyd's stuff. He was never a flashy keyboard player, but his style was an essential part of what Pink Floyd was all about. I have Wright's first solo album "Wet Dream" on vinyl and have always liked it, so I was interested to hear what he had come up with for this one as well. "Broken China" is a concept album about his soon to be wife's struggle with clinical depression. The music, for the most part, is very mellow with the exception of the rocker "Along The Shoreline" which is one of the best tracks on the disc. About half the album is instrumental and features Wright's moody layered keyboards. Wright's vocals are hit and miss. He never had a great voice to begin with and he has lost some of his range over the years. On some of the tracks his voice really fits the material, but on others he appears to be straining a bit. Sinead O'Connor lends guest vocals to two of the albums best songs "Rail" and the finale "Breakthrough" both very nice pieces of music. This album came and went fairly quickly without getting a lot of notice or any airplay. I think Pink Floyd fans will have varying degrees of enjoyment from this. I really like about half of it, but find some of the material a bit on the dull side. July 27, 2008

It's nice music

I expected more form Rick Wright, but he is not Gilmour nor Waters. It's good music, although. But Pink Floyed fans could find it plain. May 15, 2008

Arguably Rick Wright's best solo album to date

Pink Floyd keyboard player Rick Wright released his second proper solo album Wet Dream in October of 1996 in Europe and here in the US in March of 1997.
Broken China was Rick's first solo album under his own name since his 1978 classic but wrongly overlooked Wet Dream (we're not counting 1984's debacle Zee Identity collaboration with ex-Fashion member Dave Harris).
On Broken China, Rick collaborates with Anthony Moore, whom had worked on Pink Floyd's 1994 album The Division Bell writing Wearing The Inside Out's lyrics and Anthony wrote some lyrics on 1987's A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Like Floydmate singer/guitarist David Gilmour, Rick can't write lyrics well but excels writing great works of music.
Broken China's concept is based on actual events Rick had experienced with his then-girlfriend and now-wife Millie whom battled clinical depression which she triumphed over.
Wright employed a team of superb musicians to assist him on Broken China including guitarists Tim Renwick and Dominic Miller (Sting), drummer Manu Katche (Peter Gabriel and Robbie Robertson) and bass player Pino Pallidino(The Who, David Gilmour among others). We also hear cello from Sian Bell, oboe by Kate St John (ex of Dream Academy) and guest vocals by Sinead O'Connor.
Broken China opens with the beautiful instrumental "Breaking Water" which is musically the son of Cluster One from The Division Bell. It segues into the track "Night Of A Thousand Furry Toys" which is a very catchy song about those precious influential early years of one's development as an impressionable child. The subject of child abuse is discussed in "Hidden Fear" in which Wright showcases some hidden vocal talents that wasn't heard in the Floyd catalog since Obscured by Clouds' Stay and soon we're back into instrumental territory with the sinister Runaway which ends the "catalyst leading to condition" portion of the album.
The next two tracks "Unfair Ground" and "Satellite" are great instrumentals with Renwick playing great solos on the latter. The album's standout track "Woman Of Custom" is next and Dominic's acoustic guitar is accented by a strong vocal delivery by Rick. The second section closes with "Interlude" in which the album reaches new dark conceptual lows sealing depression.
The short "Black Cloud" is a intro to the album's greatest track "Far From The Harbour Wall" which is the closest representation of what clinical depression is on album and also Rick's reaction to it. "Drowning" is a downward spiral yet powerful instrumental into total darkness. "Reaching For The Rail" features Irish songstress Sinead O'Connor delivering a vocal performance that must have hit pretty close to home for her, given her abusive childhood experiences. Though I didn't like Sinead's music, she does a great job on this track as does Renwick whose guitar solo here is SUPERB.
The album's last four songs finds happiness starting with "Blue Room in Venice" which is a great piece. Next is the gorgeous "Sweet July" which is a great showcase of Rick's tasteful piano, coupled with Miller's guitar. The rocker "Along The Shoreline" is next and sounds like the son of "Run Like Hell" but is positive though, and serves as an epiphany of love and respect with Renwick adding another Gilmour-esque solo and a superb Wright keyboard solo. Sinead O' Connor gets the album's last word on "Breakthrough" which gives the album a happy ending. Her voice is perfectly well suited here too in what's naturally a song to be sung from the female perspective. Works out perfectly! Rick performed this track with David Gilmour on the latter's 2002 Royal Festival Hall concerts which was documented on the David Gilmour in Concert DVD in 2002.
While Broken China is a great solo record, the album was overlooked as Hanson and The Spice Girls heisted the music scene in the US and UK. Sales notwithstanding, this record is superb.
RECOMMENDED! April 28, 2008

A must have....

After TDB RW had the audacity to compose and play this album, is not an easy listener, but you have most wonderfull sound landscapes as well as very nice crafted songs.

It's a long album, and a weird album, and a nice album, one someone who has just listened to "turning the inside out..." would easily understand the master playing touch for this wonderful piano player. April 24, 2008

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