"A Momentary Lapse of Reason" is the 13th studio album by Pink Floyd, released on September 7, 1987, in the UK by EMI and on September 8 in the US by Columbia. It was primarily recorded on the converted houseboat Astoria, owned by guitarist David Gilmour.
This album marked the first Pink Floyd release without founding member Roger Waters, who left the band in 1985. Legal disputes over the Pink Floyd name delayed the resolution of these issues until after the album's release. However, it saw the return of keyboardist Richard Wright, who had been dismissed by Waters during the recording of The Wall (1979), serving as a session player.
A Momentary Lapse of Reason is notable for not being a concept album, unlike many of Pink Floyd's previous works. It features contributions from outside songwriters and includes material originally intended for Gilmour's solo album. The album was promoted with three singles: "Learning to Fly" / "Terminal Frost," "On the Turning Away," and "One Slip."
The album received mixed reviews; critics generally praised its production and instrumentation but criticized Gilmour's songwriting, with Waters himself deriding the album. Despite the mixed critical reception, it achieved commercial success, reaching number three on both the UK and US charts and outselling Pink Floyd's previous album, The Final Cut (1983). The album was supported by a successful world tour from 1987 to 1989, including a notable free performance on a barge in the Grand Canal, Venice.
