I don't think it was necessary or wanted but it makes my ears feel good so I feel like I can't complain too much.
It starts off with Things Left Unsaid peaking and being far too loud and it's the only Pink Floyd track I have had to reduce the volume on to remain comfortable. Allons-y 1 to 2 is peak, one of the most memorable bits of the whole album and it just really puts a smile on my face especially 2. Talkin' Hawkin' instrumentally is great but I feel like the Stephen Hawking bit can't really be done twice, Keep Taking was enough.
Louder Than Words is both what I hate about The Division Bell and doomed old man yaoi, get a grip David, you don't need to keep making songs about Roger. I don't like it lyrically and you can apply everything I said about Polly Samson and The Division Bell to this. But instrumentally it is good, Gilmour can carry. I'm not entirely sure if a more uplifting final track is what was needed as I prefer High Hopes as a final track but I guess it would make more sense to have an uplifting track if it's a swan song album? Either way it's both the most interesting track on the album and the one I dislike the most, it just annoys me knowing what it represents.
I don't really know how to rate it as an album because It's both something where I like (nearly) all the tracks but it also annoys me. I would probably think of it more highly if it was just a David Gilmour solo album.