The guitar tone says it all. When you hear the sound of David Gilmour’s guitar coming towards you, you know you’re in for an amazing journey that’s waiting for you. He has released so far four studio albums going from his sole self-titled debut album in 1978 to 2015’s Rattle That Lock. So, when it was announced that Gilmour was doing a follow-up to his previous release, I knew I would jump at the chance to see what David’s been doing to prove that he’s growing stronger than ever.
His fifth studio release Luck and Strange says it all. It has that laid-back, dreamy, and comforting voice he still has many years ago. Recorded in over five months at Gilmour’s Medina Studio and Knopfler’s British Grove Studios in London with Charlie Andrew handling the production levels, Andrew wanted to prove listeners that Gilmour is more than just a Floyd, but to spread his wings and fly across the heavenly skies.
And to be allowed to have bassists Guy Pratt and Tom Herbert, drummers Adam Betts, Steve Gadd, and Steve DiStanislao, followed by keyboardists Rob Gentry and Roger Eno, it has a family orientation when it comes to Luck and Strange. With Polly Samson handling the lyrical textures dealing with aging and mortality, Gabriel handling backing vocals and Charlie co-writing the lyrics, David has the weight off his shoulders to let everyone join in and contribute.
The album opens up with this eerie, bluesy walk across the empty London streets on ‘Black Cat’ where we witness the first sign on where this album is going to go before segueing in the title-track that speaks of Miles Davis’ ‘Freddie Freeloader’ that comes to mind, but featuring the late, great Richard Wright which is presented here from the original barn jam sessions they did in 2007.
You could tell that David wants to give Rick a perfect send-off and lets his keyboards do the talking. His love of jazz says it all. You can feel his presence during the midsection when he and Gilmour trade each other between guitar and Hammond organ when it comes to this laid-back groove before gently, rowing down the stream with a ukulele in hand for ‘The Piper’s Call’ to return.
Not only it has this ominous approach, but the chorus done by the Ely Cathedral Choir brings it to the forefront with its orchestral string section. Once those pounding riffs and improvisation starts to kick in, David pulls all of the stop signs out in front of traffic to make everyone listen and take a step back to see what he’s been doing behind closed doors.
From the heavenly choirs crying out for ‘A Single Spark’ to happen, David channels the vision and mind of Leonard Cohen. The beauty and emotional structures see him going through an old scrapbook, reflecting the wonderful memories he had. Once the second act begins with a harp done by his daughter Romany on ‘Vita Brevis’ she takes centre stage, knowing that her father has her back as she sings one of The Montgolfer Brothers take of ‘Between Two Points’.
Romany steals the show with her vocal lines in which it shown during the Von Trapped Concerts at the time the pandemic was in full swing. But this time, knowing that it’s time to spread her wings finally and join her dad, they are flying across the landscapes of Great Britain.
Most of the time when I was listening to this, it reminded me a bit of Aphrodite’s Child’s ‘Aegian Sea’ from the 666 album that comes to mind. Yes, there’s a bit of the Floydian textures, but I won’t go into that because it would be too much of a cop-out.
So, I can imagine David was listening to 666 for inspiration to see what Vangelis was doing during the making of the band’s swansong and imagining him tipping his hat to the Gilmour family with his blessing.
Hearing the blaring nightmarish terror of ‘Dark and Velvet Nights’ with its crescendo boom that almost made me think of the climax of ‘Atom Heart Mother’. David returns back to the On an Island-era once more, continuing where ‘This Heaven’ had left off and bringing the story of how fame can catch up you with heavy drinking and all of the awards you have, you will become the loneliest person in the world without all of your friends rooting for you and revealing your true colours of how much you are your own worst enemy.
The closing track ‘Scattered’ sees him walking forwards and never looking back. I could hear the Leslie piano coming into the forefront with its nod to ‘Echoes’ from the Meddle years that he brings back, knowing that Rick’s spirit is flowing through before the orchestral vibes starts to build up in this cabaret twist and heading back down again once more.
The light itself starts to go off to give its last rite as Gilmour reflects the moments are a thing of ancient history while he builds the final section up into a perfect send-off guitar improv to bring it all home. Luck and Strange is one of the albums that’ll be played again and again.
It is, as I’ve mentioned, a family album where he brings everyone to contribute, and lend a helping hand whenever they need him, no matter what. It is a moving, stirring, and emotional record which sees David, finally at peace with himself. And, who knows what he’ll do next. And the story of Gilmour’s spiritual journey, continues.
