David Gilmour's 'Luck and Strange' - Album Review

With the exception of a brief review of 2015's Rattle That Lock (which can be read here), his fourth solo album, I have not covered the legendary David Gilmour on this blog. I have called various bits of guitar playing Gilmour-esque over the years but, sadly, I have never seen him live - and the only album, until earlier this month, which he had released since I started to review albums on this blog was the aforementioned 2015 release. I am not sure why I did not review Rattle That Lock properly - but I can only imagine that it came out during a busy time for new releases, and also the fact that it is an album which has never really stuck with me. I listened to it a few times around the time it came out, and was somewhat positive about it in my end of year round-up, but I have not revisited it very often since - and, in truth, I find it to actually be quite a tame release these days. Gilmour's solo work has never exactly been particularly cutting, especially compared to his work with Pink Floyd (both with and without Roger Waters' input), but my limited revisiting of Rattle That Lock over the years has rather cemented my current view that it is something of a snooze-fest. It is a shame, really, as Gilmour has released so little music since Pink Floyd called it a day in 1994. It took him 12 years to release anything new following Pink Floyd's excellent The Division Bell in 1994, but 2006's On an Island is an album which I still like a lot. It might be another fairly gentle release, but it came out at the right time. I was really starting to get into music in a big way in 2006 - and Pink Floyd were one of my real favourites at the time. As such, On an Island and its associated live albums which followed received a lot of attention due to my huge consumption of anything Pink Floyd related during those years. I was not in the same headspace when Rattle That Lock came around nine years later - but I also think that it is fair to say that the 2015 release is weaker than On an Island. There is a trademark darkness to much of On an Island, something which has often permeated Gilmour's work, whereas Rattle That Lock just felt limp by comparison. Throw in 2014's The Endless River, Pink Floyd's de facto final album, a mostly instrumental affair made up of unfinished material featuring the late Richard Wright, and Gilmour was perhaps looking a little out of ideas. Fast forward another nine years, though, and I have been pleasantly surprised by his fifth solo album Luck and Strange - which dropped at the beginning of the month. This latest album is pretty similar to his other solo work, but it is a pretty concise release at just over 43 minutes - and the songwriting overall feels much stronger and a little more varied. Working with producer Charlie Andrew, who has worked with acts as diverse as Madness and Alt-J in the past, seems to have paid off - and the musicians on the album are a mix of regulars and new faces. Pink Floyd alumni Guy Pratt plays bass on most of the album and Gilmour's regular touring drummer Steve DiStanislao also appears here, but the legendary session king Steve Gadd actually handles most of the album's drumming - with the keyboards handled by Rob Gentry and Roger Eno, as well as Gilmour himself.

There is certainly some material here which is similarly laid back to the material found on Rattle That Lock, but there are also a few pieces which feel a little more fiery - and there are also some moments which feature lengthier and more involved instrumental sections. Gilmour's guitar playing is as good as ever, and his voice still sounds pretty strong, but there is more going on this time both songwriting and performance-wise. The short instrumental opening Black Cat is pretty chilled, though, with subtle piano and some trademark Gilmour guitar licks opening the album in a familiar fashion. The guitar tone immediately introduces Gilmour's latest opus without any confusion as to who is behind it - despite the presence of some new faces. Black Cat acts as a calm intro to the album's title track, though, which is one of the album's overall highlights. Built from an old jam featuring Wright, Luck and Strange is a more progressive-feeling song - with Wright's piano and Hammond organ lifted from the recording of the jam to allow for some excellent interplay between the two Pink Floyd men. Wright's jazzy piano motifs kick the track off, whilst the shuffling groove conjured up by Pratt and DiStanislao grounds the piece - and once Gilmour starts to sing the track actually sounds like a late period Pink Floyd piece. Wright's keyboard playing is all over the track, which is likely why, whilst harmony vocals provided by Gilmour's daughter Romany and a large choir create that classic Pink Floyd-esque choral sound. A hooky chorus, which is underpinned by some excellent guitar leads and soaring vocal harmonies, helps the track to stick - whilst the song overall feels much larger than anything on the previous album. Gentry's soundscapes add depth, but the main keyboards are always from Wright - who's piano often takes the lead during some instrumental segments to showcase the fallen musician. There is still plenty of guitar, though, with screaming leads during both the verses and the chorus - and there are also numerous moments where the guitars and keyboards play off each other nicely. Towards the end of the song this is very much evident, as the song morphs into a lengthy instrumental outro which features a lot of guitar soloing as well as some effects-heavy Hammond from Wright - with the two musicians taking turns to dominate. The song is an excellent one and it really harks back to Gilmour's songwriting of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Piper's Call is a more similar to the previous album, but despite a more laid back feel it seems to pack more of a punch. Ukulele chords and simple percussion open up the song, over which Gilmour soon starts to sing and lay down the occasional acoustic guitar lead. The song does grow, though, with Gentry's keyboards taking on a larger role as the track progresses - and Gadd slowly joins in with a simple drum groove. Slide guitars and more impactful keyboard textures then herald the arrival of the chorus - which again features some big harmony vocals to hark back to those last few Pink Floyd albums. The song is not as majestic, though, but it does start to feel more weighty later - thanks to some punchy, percussive drumming and a more prominent bassline. Soundscapes and a blues heft sit side-by-side, then, but the chorus is another strong one - whilst a closing guitar solo is surprisingly cutting.

A Single Spark is perhaps less interesting than the previous two songs - but its dream-like atmosphere does create an interesting vibe throughout. A unique rhythm section of bassist Tom Herbert (The Invisible) and drummer Adam Betts (Three Trapped Tigers) conjure up a pretty percussive rhythm - over which the song's main soundscape sits. This is very much a keyboard-heavy piece and it showcases what Gentry brings to the album. Despite much of the song being made up of his big chords, they create more of a darkness and an edge than was present on the last album - with Gilmour's occasional cutting guitar leads hitting the spot when they are utilised. There are other songs here which feature Gilmour's guitar playing more prominently, but this feels like more of a vocal and soundscape-led piece overall - until Gilmour launches into a guitar solo somewhat out of the blue, changing the overall vibe. It is one of the album's spaciest solos and it is really stretched out, too, which allows Gilmour to really sink his teeth into lots of melodic phrases. It is very much in the style which we have come to expect from him over the years and hearing him really deliver the goods over an atmospheric backing which feels more classically-inspired the more it moves along is a treat, even if the early part of the song is less memorable than some of the other moments here. Another brief instrumental, Vita Brevis, follows, which features Gilmour's slide guitar and some harp from Romany - before Romany takes the lead vocally on a cover of The Montgolfier Brothers' Between Two Points. Romany has a strong voice, and she adds harp to the piece, too, with her performance creating a mournful tone over some delicate acoustic guitars and washes of Mellotron-esque keyboards. Gilmour has released a few videos over the years of him and Romany playing together, so having her guest on his album feels fitting. Despite her having a strong voice, there is certainly a little bit of naivety in her delivery - which might have been absent had a more professional singer being employed instead. I think it actually works in the song's favour, though, as it feels very human - with the imperfect, but easy-on-the-ear, vocal performance floating nicely over the chiming keyboard textures and the slow plod of the rhythm section. My only real criticism of the song is that Gilmour rarely gets to stand out - with the exception of a guitar solo towards the end. His guitar playing is generally relegated to acoustic chords, with the keyboards handling most of the melody, but once he starts to solo the classic tone adds to the piece immensely. I wish there was more room in the rest of the song for his trademark playing, with a few fills to compliment the vocals, but perhaps he felt that it was best to step back somewhat - and his closing guitar solo is as impressive as ever in any case.

Moving into some somewhat heavier territory, Dark and Velvet Nights is a much darker piece than anything else here. Rumbling Hammond, both from Gentry and Gilmour himself, dominates the song - with the pulsing rocker driven forward by some organ stabs right out of the 1970s. Choppy guitar chords and the strident rhythm section of Pratt and Gadd keep the song moving, too, and it is another piece which harks back to Pink Floyd somewhat. Saying that the song is heavier is, of course, relative - but it certainly feels pretty lively overall, with a good mix of organic and more soundscape-esque instruments. I always enjoy hearing a Hammond, so the amount of organ throughout the song is welcome, but there is plenty of cutting lead guitar throughout the track too - with some dark, bluesy playing complimenting the tougher overall sound nicely. Soaring choral vocals add to the wider soundscapes, too, whilst another pretty hooky chorus allows the track to stick in the brain from the off. Slide guitar is used for effect at times, too, and this is a track which rarely lets up on the guitar front - despite the stabbing organ. The Hammond might provide the main motif, alongside some strings later on, but the guitar leads and soloing are on point - and the track is a favourite as a result. Sings feels less interesting overall, with the mellow song feeling like a bit of a leftover from the previous album. Much of what I like about the other songs here is generally absent - with the song being a slow-burner without the interest which is present elsewhere. The vocal melodies are quite poppy, which do have a positive effect as the song moves along, but there is little going on here from an instrumental perspective - despite some delicate piano playing from Gentry. Thankfully, though, most of the album is more involved than this laid back piece - so having this track here as a gentle break does somewhat work. The closing piece Scattered is much better, though, and it is the longest song here at around seven and a half minutes. It starts slowly, with effects-heavy piano melodies which hark back to Echoes, but the piece is a real grower - with plenty of keyboard layers joining in as Gilmour sings, and the rhythm section of Pratt and Gadd soon add an ominous pulse. It is pretty varied overall, with darker sections and more whimsical moments mixing together nicely to create an interesting vibe. Early on, Gilmour tends to stick to his acoustic guitar, in both the dark and the light, and he later launches into a lengthy and technical acoustic guitar solo - which builds on some of the melodies of the rest of the song, over the top of a shimmering keyboard pattern and a swaying groove. Once the electric guitar comes out, though, the song really launches for the stars. All of the build up to get this point pays off and Gilmour essentially carries out the album with easily the best guitar solo here. There have been some other great ones, but this is one to rival some of the great song-closing solos of his career. There is a short reprise of one of the song's vocal section against a much more stripped back arrangement to truly close the album, but it is the solo that everyone will remember - as it is full of trademark Gilmour moments. The album ends on a real high, then, and, in truth, much of the material here is strong. It is a big improvement compared to the last album in my opinion, with the songwriting being strong and memorable. It is always good to hear from artists like Gilmour who are not all that prolific any more - and this album was a pleasant surprise given that I went into it with low expectations.

The album was released on 6th September 2024 via Sony Music Entertainment. Below is Gilmour's promotional video for The Piper's Call.