LUCK AND STRANGE

Not much prog rock here. Or rock. But who expected that, really? Gilmour is an almost 80 years old gentleman. His music is warm and rich. It is quite peaceful, but simply elegant.

His voice might be a bit thinner nowadays, but still respectable and charismatic. And the most important thing: Gilmour's guitar is still just magical. Good songs, awesome atmosphere. I think this is his best solo, but not best album he is involved, since Dark Side of the Moon. For me, his best album, and at the same time of course, Pink Floyd's best album is Wish you were here.

Five stars!

Almost the entire album consists of leisurely, calm music with David Gilmour's signature guitar solos. They are especially evident in Single Spark, which sounds like it wasn't included in Pink Floyd's The Division Bell. The same recognizable guitar is present in Between Two Points with the detached vocals of Gilmour's daughter Romany. And the solo in Scattered seems to have been taken from the studio outtakes for Comfortably Numb.

Sometimes the calm is slightly disturbed by more cheerful numbers, like Dark and Velvet Nights, but this is as far from the sounds of Pink Floyd as it is from progressive rock. However, why not? You can hardly expect much drive and energy from the 78-year-old guitarist, but still, the prevalence of slow songs and the slow speed of their performance, even for ballads, is very noticeable. The finale is a pleasant surprise: a repeat of the second song, Luck and Strange, but in an extended version, in the form of a leisurely psychedelic jam, where David Gilmour's gentle guitar intersperses and Richard Wright's melancholic keyboards stand out (which suggests that the jam was recorded during his lifetime, or taken from some half- forgotten studio sessions). I like it better in this version than in the shortened one.

Certainly, there is more strangeness in the album title and in the front cover image than in the music itself that David committed to this new effort of his. Everything sounds like the return of a well-known friend, who, having just arrived, thrown his belongings trustingly in the parlour. But, just as is all this well-known, it's also all great stuff: the string bends, the bluesy licks, the relaxed, yet intense vocals, and of course, the always amazing flow of the guitar lines, opening paths to imagination and sensibility. And suddenly he's there, becoming the host in your own house, who was going to tell, and it's perfectly right that way, the preventions you may have had don't matter anymore.

The most perceptible novelty here, must be the contribution of daughter Romany, who lent her vocals to lead Track 6 Between Two Points, bringing a welcome air of young feminine charm to the proceedings (she sings also a duet with David on Bonus Track 10 Yes, I Have Ghosts), even if the song takes-off just when the electric guitar spreads wings.

The retrieved tape with a performance by the late keyboardist of Pink Floyd, Rick Wright, go mostly unnoticed in Track 2 Luck and Strange, coming to fruition just in the last of the bonuses, Track 11 Luck And Strange (Original Barn Jam), where it appears uncut.

As my favorite piece of songwriting (and also the most archetypally 'Gilmourian', in the sense of his initial solo output), I'm going to pick Track 8 Sings, an absolutely timeless beauty. And as the one with the most gorgeous instrumental contributions by band and guests, including a brilliant passage orchestrated with strings and a killer piano part like the proverbial cherry-on-top, I'm going to choose Track 9 Scattered, last one of the proper album.

So, David Gilmour is still here to tell tales of how the night can embrace, and I want to hear, what do you say?

1. Black Cat Atmospheric intro, crystalline piano, ah the guitar, yes we have arrived at the port, that of GILMOUR; this pleasure of hearing an alkaline intro to settle down, to get in the mood; and then in prog you need an intro. 2. Luck and Strange fleeting air by SIMON & GARFUNKEL, yes well we are here to dream; the air gets going, Guy's bass surely pregnant, the voice more gravelly than before... ideal for this piece much more blues than rock; yes Gary MOORE had also returned to the rock base with age; there is softness, enthusiasm, there is PINK FLOYD 'Division Bell' whatever one says, much more than on his penultimate album, very intimate and soft on the knee; at his age the pleasure of playing guitar so divinely is priceless, he still tortures his strings and Richard is credited for the organ, a cassette found during his lifetime or not, heavy 3. The Piper's Call to go to Louisiana with this banjo; the piece that will give water to the detractors for the sound unworthy of a great artist like him; keep the side guitar in the distance, languid and the tempo that rises; small prog-type noises to maintain the hope of a devastating solo and the marshmallow piece that manages to get out of the torpor of the start; the intimate sound becomes strangely strong with this guitar leading to languid siren choirs, in short glued 4. A Single Spark returns to the sticky spleen atmosphere, the voice too neutral, the easy air... the solo even better with its armful of strings, melting violins; yes more prog but progressive spirit that comes out as soon as you press a little; the pleasure of playing your music far from big crowds, hey that reminds me of Mark KNOPFLER 5. Vita Brevis harp interlude I'll let you guess who it is, with the guitar that flows next to it

6. Between Two Points harp by Romany, then his voice for the dark cold pop wave piece, the new voice, with sensuality, monotonous air pushing helped by haunting choirs; the Gilmourian guitar solo comes after to deliver its share of notes and its share of emotions with simplicity and typicality 7. Dark and Velvet Nights goes back to the bluesy atmosphere with a fat rock that brings nothing other than the memory of looking in his old titles for the one that most resembles it; his voice then modulates accompanied by the eternal choirs, the daily lot, go guitar, go organ, go; it feels like a southern choreography on a good worn floor; the final guitar solo with a flight of violins worthy of the ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA, the good old days 8. Sings jazzy-bluesy start, subdued atmosphere with this old-fashioned keyboard; acoustic, zither or almost, not very expressive chorus, for those who expected the rise of a 'Comfortably Numb' you will have to come back; the grand piano, the ah ah of the 10CC in the distance, admitted romanticism; the last third with the cinematic break, to think that it was PINK FLOYD who invented this word before its time; noises of children, of a boat, well, well, yes, reminiscence; the declension quite simply, effectively 9. Scattered for the slap of the album; piece that starts slowly, the predictable crescendo with the hypnotic keyboard, the one that puts the 'shudders'; grand piano yes why not on a dramaturgical variation; it's soaring, it's sticky, there's some 'Division Bell' in there again; the association of syrupy violins and acoustic guitar gives in the languorous; the guitar solo which arrives almost naturally shows that David is capable of very beautiful things with his 10 fingers, the cult solo which glues you in front of your screen, I-Pad, stereo, your window, your musical horizon; the piece which stuns and sends all the guitarists back to their studies; yes PINK FLOYD relived a few moments through this Dantesque solo; David speaks just to make us a little more addicted

Well, two bonuses just for fun; 10. Yes, I Have Ghosts with acoustic and harp, with dad GILMOUR and his daughter, a folk tune à la Loreena McKENNITT to go to medieval times, a gentle serenade without any hassle, I could see myself sailing from one island to another to taste in moderation a Mc Malt Mill 62, I digress 11. Luck and Strange (original barn jam) for the jam cover of the title, credited with the keyboard presence of the late Richard; fusion tune blues, jazzy-rock, catchy and haunting, a long long monolithic variation, to close the album. Originelly on Planète Prog.

Nine years have passed since 'Rattle That Lock' for David Gilmour to surprisingly decide to come back with 'Luck and Strange' (2024), the fifth album (without considering his collaborations with the electronic band The Orb) of a discography with very few chapters for the more than 45 years of his solo adventure parallel to his responsibilities as Pink Floyd's guitarist. An intimate work, devoid of excessive flourishes and with a somewhat sombre look, which finds Gilmour serene and very much in tune in the conception of the album with his inseparable wife Polly Samson, lyricist and novelist.

Already the opening piano and keyboard chords of Roger Eno and Rob Gentry on the short instrumental "Black Cat" mark the warm and calm temperament of the album, as with the bluesy "Luck and Strange", material rescued and rearranged from jam sessions shared with Richard Wright at the helm of the hammond and electric piano, and whose very interesting extended version forms part of the album as a bonus track, or with the angelic beauty of the folkloric "A Single Spark", or with the acoustic cover "Between Two Points" by the indies 'The Montgolfier Brothers' and the surprisingly solvent and delicate voice of Romany, the musician's daughter, a gem of the album.

The final section of "Luck and Strange" maintains this reflective character, and is occupied by the couple's musings on the inexorability of mortality and doubts about how to deal with it, both in the anguished "Dark and Velvet Nights" and its lilting melody, and in the melancholic ballad "Sings", which moves unhurriedly, embellished by Gilmour's serene voice, and concludes with the growing intensity of "Scattered" and the wink to the unmistakable keyboard of "Echoes", crowned by a penetrating and dense guitar solo with a Floydian stamp.

Just when it seemed unlikely that Gilmour would ever release new material again, he delivers what is perhaps the most established and musically richest work of his career.

Very Good.

3.5/4 stars

David Gilmour, of course, is best known for being the lead guitarist, and one of the main lead vocalists in the legendary band, Pink Floyd. He joined Pink Floyd in 1968, when founder Syd Barrett's mental health was in decline. A longtime friend of Barrett, he was initially brought into the band to back up Barrett's guitar parts as a fifth member. However, before long he effectively replaced Barrett when Syd became too unstable to continue as a member of the band. Gilmour's first appearance on a Pink Floyd album was 1968's "A Saucerful of Secrets," the band's second album. As his tenure with the band progressed, Gilmore assumed the role of co-lead singer (along with Roger Waters). He resurrected the band? initially with drummer Nick Mason and later keyboardist Richard Wright? in the mid-80s when Waters tried to end. Gilmour would remain with Pink Floyd through to the effective end of the band in 2008 when Richard Wright passed on (with the exception of an album of polished outtakes from the Division Bell, and a single featuring Gilmour, Mason, Guy Pratt and a Ukrainian singer from a couple of years ago to support Ukraine after Russia invaded.) Gilmour began releasing solo albums while in Pink Floyd, beginning in 1978. Luck and Strange is his fifth studio solo album. He is currently 78 years old.

Let's dig in?.

First, here are the album credits, copied from Wikipedia:

David Gilmour ? guitar (all), piano (1), lead vocals (2?4, 7?9), ukulele (3), Höfner bass (3, 8), Farfisa organ (3), backing vocals (2-4, 6?8), keyboards (6, 9), Hammond organ (7), bass guitar (9), Leslie piano (9)

Richard Wright ? electric piano, Hammond organ (2)

Romany Gilmour ? lead vocals (6), backing vocals (2?4, 6?8), harp (5-6)

Gabriel Gilmour ? backing vocals (3, 4)

Rob Gentry ? synthesiser (1?4, 6, 9), keyboards (3, 6, 8-9), piano (4, 6, 8-9), organ (7)

Roger Eno ? piano (1, 9)

Guy Pratt ? bass guitar (2, 3, 6?9)

Adam Betts ? percussion (2, 4, 6?9), djembe (3), drums (4)

Steve DiStanislao ? drums (2)

Steve Gadd ? drums, percussion (3, 6?9)

Tom Herbert ? bass guitar (4)

Edmund Aldhous ? organist and director of music at Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral Choir ? vocals

Angel Studios Choir - vocals

Angel Studios Orchestra

All music is composed by David Gilmour and Lyrics by his wife, novelist, Polly Samson, except where noted in the song reviews.

Track 1 - Black Cat

This short instrumental opener fades in slowly with synth sounds, with some piano notes first on top and the first appearance of Gilmour's guitar at 27 seconds. The tune has a slow tempo and more synth sounds fade in as Gilmour's solo continues. The piece fades out during the last 10 seconds.

Track 2 - Luck and Strange.

This song uses a recording of a jam session with Gilmour and Richard Wright in 2007 before Wright's 2008 passing as its foundation. Gilmour kicks it off with an arpeggio on his guitar and he continues with Wright's organ joining in. Gilmour's riff has harmonics as its basis. Eventually, a blues shuffle is established, with bass & drums kicking in. The overall effect reminds me of Fleetwood Mac's "Hypnotized." Gilmour gives the spotlight to the late Wright before he begins singing at 46 seconds. His vocals still sound fantastic! This song has a great bluesy vibe. Backing vocals, including his daughter Romany, kick in around 1:15 to signal the chorus. A second verse follows at 1:42, with some tasty guitar fills, followed by another chorus. A bridge takes over at 2:40ish, with Gilmour going into falsetto for the high notes. There are some electric piano fills, presumably from Wright before the 3rd verse begins. The Gilmour guitar fills keep getting better & better as the next chorus progresses. A drum build-up leads us to a second bridge. Now for the moment I've been waiting for (and you probably have been too), Gilmour's solo begins at 5 minutes. Great blues licks abound with Wright's organ peeking through. A fine solo indeed! I truly enjoyed that song. It grabbed me right away! (Note, on the version I have from Apple Music, there is a version of this that contains the full 14 minute jam session that the song was based on.)

Track 3 - The Piper's Call

This is the only cut I have previously heard from the album, and only once back in April. I recall liking it, but it just hasn't come back up until now. I haven't heard either of the other pre-release songs. This one begins with acoustic strumming, bass & percussion. He plays some acoustic lead lines over the top before the vocals begin at 25 seconds. Backing vocals join at 1:00. The percussion parts make a nice easy-going beat. I believe there is a marimba or xylophone in the mix. The song opens up more at around 1:35, with standard drums kicking in. It eases off again following that chorus, but not as much as the first verse. Another big chorus follows. Both Romany and Gilmour's son Gabriel Gilmour provide backing vocals on this one. Starting around 3:40, the rhythm guitar parts remind me a bit of what he played on "Young Lust" from "The Wall" Gilmour solos on top of that groove. The solo is awesome, of course. The band builds in intensity to the end, with some nice organ swells in the mix. Strong track!

Track 4 - A Single Spark

A modern sound with an old school feel. The beat reminds me of "Be My Baby" from the Ronettes from back in the early 60s, but the sounds creating that beat are more difficult to identify. Synths and electronic percussion, I'll say. Gilmour sings a classic melody with modern effects on his voice. At around 55 seconds, the beat stops and angelic sounding voices take over, with what sounds like the bell used on "High Hopes," (From "The Division Bell") is rung. The beat comes back in, with string-like lines joining. There are also actual drums but with a dark tone?perhaps played with soft mallets instead of sticks. At 1:20, the voices return to back him up while the beat continues. This song sounds like it should be on the soundtrack of a Neo-Film-Noir movie. The beat pauses again, then there are some tom-tom fills. Another verse begins, following that. The dynamic level increases around 2:20. Another short verse follows. Then the beat pauses again around 3:10, but then the guitar takes over. The beat feels half time compared to the verses. This one might take a few listens to wrap my head around. I do appreciate the extended guitar solo that lasts until around 5:30. Following the solo, there are various sound effects that fade out to close- out the song. Interesting track, but not sure about it yes, excepting the guitar solo.

Track 5 - Vita Brevis

This is a very short, 46 second long instrumental. It seems that daughter Romany is playing harp here, while dad plays slide guitar, string synth sounds accompany.

Track 6 - Between Two Points.

This is the only track with outside writers, with lyrics by Roger Quigley and music by Mark Tranmer, and no, I don't know who either of those people are. Also, Romany sings lead on this one. (Is dad setting her up for her own musical career? Time will tell.) Ahh, Romany also plays harp on this one. It is in a more rhythmic fashion this time, as the song starts with her harp line, dad strumming a distant acoustic, and keyboard. It is a very suspenseful intro. Romany begins singing at around 25 seconds. She has a nice round tone to her voice and nice phrasing. I can only detect a hint of her British accent. Subtle drums come in as we go along. The song has a very warm tone. So far, dad's involvement on the sound of this one has been minimal. However, as I was typing the last sentence, he begins playing a solo at around 3:45. He has a fat tone here, and it is unmistakably David Gilmour. The song has a sort of well-crafted pop vibe, but the solo is very tasty and wraps-up the song nicely. Upon further investigation, this song is a cover, which is elaborated upon in this passage from Wikipedia:

The album features a cover of the 1999 song "Between Two Points", originally by the British band the Montgolfier Brothers.[12] Gilmour said he had been a fan of the song since its release and was surprised that it had not been a hit.[12] His daughter, Romany, performed harp and vocals.[7] Mark Tranmer of the Montgolfier Brothers said he enjoyed Gilmour's version, saying "it diverges from the original but keeps the spirit".[12]

Track 7 - Dark and Velvet Nights

Gilmour (David, to be clear as there are family members all over this?) starts with some controlled guitar feedback and after a 4-count click of drumsticks, he and the band kick in heavy at 10 seconds. They play an intro riff twice on a descending melody. There is a fat Hammond-sounding organ in the mix! Then, we get a head-bopping, greasy, Memphis-soul beat that grabbed me immediately! The tempo is moderate, but grooves like there is no tomorrow, while Gilmour sings and plays signature slide-guitar fills. There is a half-time bridge around 2:05. The organ drops out, replaced by fat string sounds. The groove returns at around 2:55. The solo kicks in at around 3:45 and has string flourishes that are almost call and response at some points. My only complaint with this one is that it stopped too soon. Gilmour could've soloed a lot more for me. It ended on the V7 chord then went back to feedback with no resolution to the tonic note. For the "non-music-theory-knowin'" folks out there, it kinda left us hanging. Otherwise I loved it! Maybe live versions will be extended.

Track 8 - Sings

There is a high-pitched note that glisses upward before Gilmour starts singing. He is accompanied by bass, keyboards and subtle drumming. This one is at a slow tempo. There is an instrument playing a countermelody in the second versethat sounds like a Japanese koto or something similar to me, but I see nothing like that listed in the credits. The beat gets steadier at 1:35 with a rhythmic electric-piano sound in the background that is a nice touch. Another verse follows. The beat picks up again on the next section. The beat drops out at 3:25 and there are sound effects mixed with various instrumental sounds. The beat returns at 4:07 and there is a mellow organ solo. There is a fretless bass featured as the song fades out. I am disappointed at the lack of a solo on this one. It has some nice moments, but not my favorite on the album.

Track 9 - Scattered

David, and another son, Charlie Gilmour contributed to the lyrics along with Polly Samson. It fades in with synth and subtle bass drum before Gilmour begins singing. At least in the first few seconds this one has the most PF-style vibes. There is even a sound that reminds me of the "ping" in Echoes from Meddle in 1971. The rhythm starts to build more as the song continues. YES! Those Floydian vibes continue. A descending string-section line leads to a big chord at around 2:40 and the beat stops. There is classical style piano accented by the drums. Dramatic strings continue behind. Slide-guitar enters around 3:10. The next verse resumes around 3:30, but with a rhythmic guitar part playing a countermelody. A nice organ part slips in right around the 4 minute mark, the acoustic guitar notes take the spotlight for a solo. Electric guitar takes over a minute later and it's glorious! Shades of the outro solo from "Comfortably Numb," here and it kicks into higher gear at 5:45! Gilmour's definitely still got it! At around 6:30, with a minute remaining in the song, the solo ends for a quiet closing verse. He certainly saved the best for last here! (discounting the two bonus tracks?one is mentioned above, and the other is a duet with Romany released in 2020 as a single called "Yes, I Have Ghosts.").

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

A wonderful album from Mr. Gilmour and company. Some tracks are better than others, but none are bad. Thracks 2, 3, 7, and 9 are my favorites. There is still a lot of talent and creativity in him. "Scattered" really channeled the PF Vibes. And how about that band? We have (among others) post-Waters PF Bass stalwart Guy Pratt and the legendary Steve Gadd on drums! I mean seriously, what a rhythm section! My least favorite tune was track 8, "Sings," and the jury is still out on #4, "A Single Spark." Track 1 is a nice intro. I think I'll give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Clicked 4, but really 4.5!

I have mixed impressions from the first listens of this album. Yes, I like it. I can listen to the whole even 3-4 times in a row, but this is Mr Gilmour and I'm used to have a lot of expectations. Compared to Rattle and Lock, I'm happy that he has avoided the use of disco remixes of the main tracks as fillers. The original Barn Jam from which Luck and Strange has been derived is really better than a DJ manipulation.

The goods: as everybody can expect, there are the high-standard guitar solos, in particular the electric part of Scattered. Romany has a fantastic voice, and Between Two Points in my opinion is the best track of the whole album. This is also a weakness: when the best track of an album made of originals is the only one cover, maybe something didn't work perfectly with the songwriting. On the other hand, also There's No Way Out Of Here is a cover and the best song of David's debut album, so let's forget the cover thing.

David's voice is still good but of course is not the same as when he sung Blue Light. And this is another point: there's too few rock. I love his guitar driven blues ballads, the album is grown rapidly on me, but an occasional listener could find it a little boring. Of course, now we are speaking of an old family man at what will likely be his retirement tour, but who was capable of Run Like Hell and Blue Light, could have added some heavier "interrupts" in the middle of the album.

Anyway, if an album like this was released by any other artist I would likely have call it "a masterpiece", but I can't do it on this one basing of my long time Floyd fan expectations.

Does it deserve to be listened? Yes Is it better than Rattle and Lock? I think yes Is it a masterpiece? No

Are there bad tracks? Absolutely not

I would have given more space to Romany. She's not a surprise, as we have heard her previously on Yes, I have Ghosts. I sincerely hope to see a future album by Romany Gilmour featuring Dave on guitars. A little mention for Polly Samson: I think she's a great lyricist.

Now the stars rating: I'm between 3 and 4. I go with 4 as "prize" for the career.

Putting The Orb to one side (with whom he has recorded two albums), it can never be said that Gilmour has exactly been prolific away from Waters (however much he would hate to admit it). Together they recorded 11 albums in 15 years (plus Gilmour's debut), and then in the following 40 years Gilmour released 3 with Pink Floyd and 3 other solo releases prior to this one, the last being 9 years ago. I am not sure who was expecting another solo album now Gilmour is in his late seventies, but it certainly was not me. Also unexpected was the realisation that Richard Wright performs on the title track, and given he died back in 2008 it shows how long Gilmour has been sat on that material.

I have been a fan of Floyd for more than 40 years, even buying 'Animals' on 8-track when it was released, and remember the joy of first getting a CD player and playing 'Wish You Were Here' on repeat all day in my flat. But when one comes to release from an icon how can one remove the subjectivity and memories from the objectivity and come up with words to accurately describe what one is listening to? I decided to stay clear of all other reviews and give myself the opportunity to play this album multiple times before starting to collect my thoughts, and I am glad I did just that as there is no doubt that this is one of his best albums in many years, and while not infallible there is a lot going for it.

His vocals and guitar still have all the presence and dynamics one would expect, and he is one of the few guitarists in the world where one could listen to just a few bars and immediately know who is playing, such is his individual style. His vocals still have that soft and welcoming gravelly drawl which seems not to have aged over the years, with just a little quavering on the long-held notes. As well as being a really enjoyable album, this is very much a family affair. Gilmour's wife, writer Polly Samson, wrote the majority of the lyrics, which she said reflected themes of mortality and ageing and adapted the lyrics for "Dark and Velvet Nights" from a poem she composed for their wedding anniversary. Their son Gabriel contributed backing vocals on a few tracks, another son, Charlie, contributed some lyrics of "Scattered while their daughter Romany provides lead vocals on "Between Two Points", harp on a couple of songs and backing vocals on some more. Actually, Romany is a delight and I hope her career builds on this as I would love to hear a lot more from her (check out the video on YouTube of her father joining her at a pub gig for a version of "Wish You Were Here").

The last track on the album is the original jam for the title cut recorded in 2007, from which Gilmour then developed the final version. It is interesting to hear the origins, but I doubt if any apart from the diehards will play it more than once, but in terms of completeness it is nice to have it available. This is an album I enjoyed much more than I thought I would, and I am sure those lucky enough to see Gilmour on his world (which of course currently is just Europe and the States) tour will find this material sits well alongside his catalogue.

An unexpected new album from the legendary Pink Floyd Guitarist, his first album in 9 years, and although this is a very low-key affair, it is a delight from start to finish. At this stage of his career, Gilmour doesn't need to try to impress with fiery licks or rock theatrics, he is in no hurry to let these tracks play out, laid-back and mostly calm, letting his uniquely characteristic style play out slowly and gradually. This is a slow, languid album, that takes its time, with moody, atmospheric grooves, bluesy, tasteful fills. This is the type of album that you just need to put on, sit back, relax, and let the music just wash over you. It is quite relaxing and soothing overall, and quite wonderful. Gilmour's vocals are still quite effective, and the additional wistful vocals provided by his daughter Romany blend perfectly with the music on Between Two Points. But the highlight of the album is the bluesy jam title track featuring the departed Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright (from a session in 2007), as the relaxed interplay between Gilmour and Wright is magical. The album version is an edited version of a longer rehearsal jam, and fortunately, the full extended jam is also included as a bonus track (which doubles the track length from 7 min to 14 min). Another bonus track features a nice vocal duet between David and his daughter Romany. Best Tracks: Luck and Strange (both versions), Between Two Points, Sings, Scattered, The Piper's Call. Rating: 3.5