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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Floydian architecture deconstructed to its basics, September 12, 2002
Neither as horrorshow awesome as its most enthusiastic fans would have you believe, nor as awful as the cynical, jaded critics say, Luther Wright & The Wrongs have done a more-or-less admirable job of rebuilding "The Wall" in their own image. In the process, however, they are challenging listeners to put aside their preconceptions of what classic rock and country music is supposed to sound like.
After all, the very idea of translating Pink Floyd's extraordinary 1979 concept album into the bluegrass idiom of the current 21st century craze for "roots" music (whatever that is) will seem almost perverted to most people. And it is indeed a strange experiment that has its share of misses as well as hits. Admittedly, this record is not for everyone. Yet, in spite of the condemnation from mainstream pundits such as Don McLeese, it is clear that Luther Wright & The Wrongs have great affection for the material and did their best to bring the old songs to a new audience by taking a fresh approach to the original tunes.
For the record, I grew up as a die-hard Pink Floyd fan who only discovered urban folk music when I went to college, and still do not care for most bluegrass and country music. Consequently, I was leery of getting this album. Finally, though, my morbid curiosity overcame my qualms, and I am glad that I decided to give it a try. I loved "The Wall" when it first came out, and even enjoyed the Alan Parker film of several years later, but this version is still worth hearing, if only to recognize that some of the themes Roger Waters wrote about apply universally to human beings everywhere, in any time and place, and not just to spoiled pop stars holed up in their luxury hotel rooms. Issues such as alienation from society, loneliness, political consciousness, separation anxiety, and a desire to love and belong to something greater than oneself are valid subjects to explore in any genre.
That said, as others have noted, not everything here works. On the positive side, "In the Flesh" has been turned into somber waltz in 3/4 time, "The Thin Ice" becomes a cry-in-your-beer lament for the loss of innocence, and "Mother" is now a hilarious shitkicking ballad about a very confused boy indeed. The jew's harp on "Another Brick in the Wall (part 1)" was an inspired touch, and "Young Lust," "One of My Turns," "Nobody Home," and "The Show Must Go On" also work well. "Vera Lynn" is OK, as is "Waiting for the Worms," "The Trial," and the final piece "Outside the Wall."
Now for the failures. The weedwhacker that opens "The Happiest Days of Our Lives" cannot compete with David Gilmour's helicopter sound effects from the first go-around. "Goodbye Blue Sky" lacks the poignancy that the Floyd gave it, and "Empty Spaces," "Don't Leave Me Now," and "Goodbye Cruel World" are as lame as ever. "Bring the Boys Back Home" has been reduced to a hillbilly joke, and the upbeat arrangement of "Hey You" is totally inappropriate for the lyrics. Perhaps most egregiously, two of the best tracks on the Pink Floyd album - "Comfortably Numb" and "Run Like Hell" - have been essentially eviscerated, with that beautiful layering of textures stripped away to reveal the bare bones of a rather boring melody instead. It's enough to make anyone who enjoyed the cascading structure of the original songs cringe in horror now.
Just the same, in a commercial market where too few bands ever dare to do anything different or take a chance, Luther Wright & The Wrongs deserve credit for attempting a project as bold and risky as this. Rock and roll purists will hate it. Country music traditionalists will shun it. But for anyone with an open mind and an ear for hearing something off the beaten path of what gets played on the radio these days, give "Rebuild the Wall" a trial spin. You will almost certainly find it worth a listen, and you sure could do a lot worse.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
I think Steve Martin once said it best..., October 29, 2002
"You can't play a depressing song on the banjo."Far from being a parody, this album is an interesting interpretation of the classic Pink Floyd album. It works surprisingly well on its terms. The redneck humour may be a little thick, but it plays well. Occasional lyric changes themselves are worth the price of admission, such as these variations: -"Howdy...is there anybody in there?" -"Are there any deer in the theatre tonight? Get 'em up against the wall."
-"And there's one in my headlights, he don't look right to me..." -"There's a collect call for Mrs. Floyd from Mr. Floyd, will you accept the charges from Canada?" The adaptation of the original opening to a campfire scene with a soulfull harmonica solo should be your first indication that this is something completely different. The music, although far removed from the original, is a faithful telling in authentic bluegrass styles, and even if you're not a country fan, it's hard to resist. At just over 60 minutes, it's a lot shorter than the real thing, but a lot more fun, even during the usually depressing second act. Definitely worth a listen.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rebuild The Wall, Indeed!, May 12, 2002
At first thought, as a Floyd fan for >25 years, the idea of this seemed ludicrous and yet intriguing. If nothing else, a keen source of entertainment and hearty laughs. After listening to the samples, it was confirmed - "I gotta get this - what a hoot!"Then the time arrives to actually give it a go - the whole hour of it. All I can say is hay bails galore, hold onto yor hats - here we go! I would be remiss if I did not mention that the sheer fact that this can be attempted, let alone pulled-off is true testament to the songwriting skills of Waters & Co. If this doesn't display, ney, prove that Roger Waters is one of the great songsmiths of our time, I suppose nothing ever will! Now back to Luther and his boys: This album not only captures and conveys the original esscence/message of The Wall, it offers a completely different vantage from which to hear it! Just think about it - the juxtaposition of ANYTHING Floyd, let alone The Wall done in Bluegrass/Dawg form! And they not only convey an apparent love for Pink Floyd, they have a firm grasp on the concept of this particular work.
It seems only fitting that a brit-associated country (well, sort of...Canada) whould generate such an on-target representation of the Brit Mega-Band's pinnacle album. Luther Wright and the Wrongs have created a musical masterpiece of their own right. Aside from obvious moments of budget equipment artifacts (tape hiss, muting/unmuting of channels, studio noises, etc.) the album also sounds quite good from a sonic standpoint. It is true to the "Bluegrass Sound" - thin, a bit tinny and a very present "in your space" sound.
The arrangements, musical liberties and interesting sound effects add to the experience rather than serve only to amuse. I'm not sure that the band even truly knows what they have achieved in terms of musical prowess. It is truly amazing - and highly unusual!! Even if you are unfamiliar with the Floyd or they are not exactly your cup of tea, you might give this album a try. If you don't like it just play it while someone else is around - you won't having any trouble getting rid of it! Their renditions of Another Brick In The Wall Pt. I, Young Lust, Nobody Home, Stop, and Outside The Wall are nothing short of magical! :-D As a 25+ year recording engineer/producer, I have yet to be so interested in a previously unknown-to-me talent that I openly state that I'd like to work with them ~ until now... I'd love to work with these guys and see what we could do with Pink Floyd's Animals! They are simply that talented and obviously know how to transform works into their own style well enough to present something totally new and something very familiar at the same time. We could also see about the "budget sound" ;-) I understand they have a small wealth of original music (other CDs) as well. I have no doubt whatsoever that those are gems too! If you like Country, if you like Bluegrass, if you like Rock-a-Billy, If you like Folk, and especially if you like Pink Floyd - BUY THIS CD NOW!!! You will NOT regret it!!! Disclaimer: I have no, nor have I ever had any affiliation - or even knowledge of Luther Wright and the Wrongs until stumbling onto this album, here on Amazon.
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by Luther Wright & the Wrongs 
