DAVID GILMOUR

David Gilmour is, as many of we know, the lead guitarist, one of the lead singers and one of the main songwriters of the legendary prog rock band, Pink Floyd. And as many we know too, he wasn't an original member of the band. But in 1967, Nick Mason, the drummer of the group, asked him if he would be interested in joining to Pink Floyd. He accepted and joined the band in 1968, making them a group of five members. It was brief because soon the founder guitarist Syd Barrett left the group because his erratic conduct on the band, and David Gilmour assumed the role of lead guitarist.

"David Gilmour" is their self titled debut solo studio album and was released in 1978. As he explained when the album was released, this debut solo studio album was very important to him, in terms of self respect, because he needed to step out from behind the Pink Floyd's shadow. All songs on the album were written by David Gilmour except "There's No Way Out Of Here" written by Ken Baker, "Cry From The Street" written by David Gilmour and Electra Stuart and "Short And Sweet" written by David Gilmour and Roy Harper.

Loose and collaborative, with some interesting instrumentals, "David Gilmour" is recommended because it's neither withering in the shadow of Roger Waters, nor like Gilmour's led albums in the band's third-act, trying too hard to sound like Pink Floyd. Instead, everything feels familiar and comfortable. Credit goes, in part, to Gilmour's backing band.

The line up on the album is David Gilmour (lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, lap steel guitar, piano and harmonica), Rick Wills (backing vocals and bass guitar), Willie Wilson (drums and percussion), Mick Weaver (piano), Carlena Williams, Debbie Doss and Shirley Roden (backing vocals).

The album has nine tracks. The first track "Mihalis" is a Greek name and was the name of a yacht that David Gilmour owned at that time. It's an instrumental song, very light and mellow with some nice guitar melodies performed in David Gilmour's classic guitar style. This represents a good way to open the album. The second track "There's No Way Out Of Here" is a great song and one of the best tracks on the album. It's a song with the typical Pink Floyd's sound, and what is more interesting about that, is that is apparently the only song of the album that wasn't composed by David Gilmour. The third track "Cry From The Street" is a very good and enjoyable song and is a song more based in the blues style. It's a song a little bit repetitive but with excellent arrangements and where we can hear the typical David Gilmour's guitar sound. The end of the song reminds me strongly the sound of the Pink Floyd's album, "Animals". The fourth track "So Far Away" is a pleasant piano based ballad with meaningful lyrics, beautiful piano work and a nice guitar sound with a laid back guitar solo. The vocal performance on the song is also very impressive and is also one of the best I've ever heard from him. The fifth track "Short And Sweet" is a rock oriented song more in the vein of Pink Floyd's songs. It features a much harder guitar sound than the rest of the album and has also a good bass line and a fantastic vocal line. This song represents one of the best moments on the album and one of my favourite songs too. The sixth track "Raise My Rent" is another instrumental track. What makes this song most interesting is the slow, simple and repetitive guitar fills and the stunning guitar solo with the typical trademark sound by David Gilmour. This is another highlight of the album and one of my favourite moments too. The seventh track "No Way" is another song based in the blues style. It's a very nice song, very slow, with a main melody that brings to us the David Gilmour's nice voice and a nice guitar work too. Who likes David Gilmour' typical sound, likes this song too. The eighth track "It's Deafinitely" is another great instrumental song that explores the keyboard and the guitar works. It's a song with some good and interesting guitar moments with the repeating keyboard theme on the back, what makes a find and interesting musical moment on the album. The ninth and last track "I Can't Breathe Anymore" is a simple and nice song that finishes this first solo David Gilmour's studio musical experience. We can say that it's a slow song with a noise guitar sound. It's a short and good song that concludes the album with simple guitar fills. It's an enough good song to closes the album.

Conclusion: Despite I only purchased the album few years ago, I know it since it was released and I always considered it a great musical work. Although it isn't very progressive and be an album very influenced by the blues, it's a very well balanced and a very cohesive work. "David Gilmour" is, in my humble opinion, an album that despite remaining in the area of Pink Floyd's music, explores also another musical areas but only if they were very close to that area. So, "David Gilmour" is a very good album and if you like, as I like, of the inimitable guitar sound of David Gilmour, especially on the Pink Floyd's album "Animals", the resemblance is obvious, you mustn't miss this album, for any kind of reason. It should please the late Pink Floyd's fans. It boasts strong songs, great guitar work and Gilmour's ever-charming vocals.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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