ABOUT FACE

The second solo album by Gilmour is quite different from the debut one, yet it still largely succeeds. Gilmour has a stellar help including Porcaro, Lord, Winwood etc. The overall sound is excellent and arrangements are decent, 80's oriented but not dated thanks to a live feeling. Gilmour uses his vocal well to complement the well composed and played material. The brass section adds a bit of Collins' and Earth,Wind and Fire spirit to the pot. Gilmour is one of the few prog-rock musicians who convey a great dose of emotions in their material both by guitar and vocals. Here he utilizes happy upbeat material but also solid ballads ("Out of the blue"). On the flip side, if you're expecting soaring guitar (in high amounts) or progressive rock a la 70's, it's not for you. The album has aged well and stands well next to his debut album.