Roger Waters – The Trap (CLL-116/117CD)

Disc 1: The Dark Side of the Moon Part One (19:40), The Dark Side of the Moon Part Two (23:58), The Dark Side of the Moon Part One (19:52)

Disc 2: The Dark Side of the Moon Part Two (27:20), The Dark Side of the Moon Part One (19:35), The Dark Side of the Moon Part Two (27:06)

The Trap is a double pro-CDR release of Roger Waters performing his versions of the Pink Floyd all-time classic The Dark Side of the Moon in Europe in June 2006. There are 3 of such Dark Side shows, each split up into 2 half-parts, with each half-part being one single lengthy track – unfortunately not split up into individual songs. The 2 half-parts of the 1st show are on Disc 1, followed by Part 1 of the 2nd show, with Part 2 of the 2nd show being continued at the start of Disc 2, then concluded by the 2 half-parts of the 3rd show. The sound quality of each show is nothing less than outstanding as an audience recording, as the sound quality of these 3 shows must have been why they were selected in particular for this release. So The Trap‘s music is highly recommended for any Pink Floyd / Roger Waters fan who is a major fan of the ways Waters & his band play Dark Side on the 2006 tour – more similar to the original studio album than the ways that the Floyd ever played it live in the early to middle ’70’s, that is, with the obvious exceptions of who is singing &/or who is playing each particular instrument.

For example, each Dark Side song has a length (playing time) that is closer to that of the original studio version, whereas live in the ’70’s Floyd played some of the Dark Side songs, especially ones such as “Any Colour You Like” &/or “The Great Gig in the Sky” significantly longer than their original studio versions. It’s quite unfortunate, however, that recordings this strongly recommended were released on pro-CDR’s instead of being pressed onto much more preferable silver. Especially considering the cheap quality of many CDR’s being used these days, which may become corrupted over the years, even just months sometimes – in addition to even being completely unplayable (incompatible) in some CD players from the very beginning, right after being produced/released.

What I’ve personally been doing for years ever since I started buying CDR’s several years ago is burn backup copies of them onto the highest-quality (especially longest-lasting) CDR’s such as those manufactured by Taiyo Yuden – I had previously used Mitsui CDR’s when they had the reputation of being the very best (with Taiyo Yuden probably being 2nd-best to Mitsui at the time) until approx. 2003 when their latest new ones being manufactured at the time were discovered to be completely unplayable in one of my CD players. But such wouldn’t be necessary at all if these pro-CDR labels pressed silver discs instead of burning CDR’s, or at least used the very-best quality CDR’s such as Taiyo Yudens. The music of The Trap is much more deserving to not be burned & released on CDR’s of questionable quality. In this particular case it can be seen that apparently Maxell-brand discs were used, which is possibly quite unfortunate since Maxell at one time had the reputation of being the worst of the major brands – and possibly even still does.

The artwork of The Trap is decent, with the inserts being thick cardboard rather than flimsy paper, but each insert is single-sided only, with the inner sides being blank white, and the rear cover consists of only info. printed on a solid-white background – no picture or anything else of a similar nature.   (DLee)