David Gilmour - On an Island
David Gilmour is a guitarist. He's in some hippie band, I forgot which one.
I'm kidding of course. The band David Gilmour is in is the legendary Pink Floyd. If you forced me to name three favorite bands, I would quickly come up with The Beatles, and Floyd. Then I'd blow my brains out trying to pick the third. But there will always be these two. I'm that guy who will go nuts on you if you say "My favorite Pink Floyd song is 'Wish You Were Here.'" It's a good song, don't get me wrong, but it makes me feel you've never even heard anything off Meddle.
Floyd changed dramatically with the exit of Roger Waters. It then became Gilmour's band. However, the contributions of Rick Wright and Nick Mason can't be ignored. Wright appears on On an Island and it's enough to give the album that Floydian sound.
"Castellorizon" opens the album, and it's an instrumental. It has an ambient, experimental sound to it, with its use of bells and even fireworks. Finally, Gilmour's guitar lets out its distinctive wail and I am eagerly anticipating what's in store for me.
The title track features vocals by none other than David Crosby and Graham Nash. I first learned to appreciate Nash with "Bus Stop" by the Hollies. Here, he and Crosby has a nice harmonic touch to Gilmour's haunting vocals. The song itself has a retro sound to it, and almost sounds like it could have been made 30 years ago. I'd almost swear Alan Parsons was engineering again.
"Take a Breath" opens with a chant backed with augmented guitar chords. It has all of the trademark Floyd guitar effects that I became so familiar with from listening to the Wall over and over again when I was 17. I really enjoy the lyrics.
There's just so many songs I like on this CD. "This Heaven" has a good bluesy feel to it, with its use of acoustic guitar and organ. "Smile" features steel guitar and acoustic guitar to begin with, before the full orchestra joins in. It's a sweet little song. "Pocketful of Stones" is mostly just Gilmour's vocals backed with piano, and a little orchestration. It's relaxing and hypnotic.
I really think this is the best CD Gilmour has contributed to since A Momentary Lapse of Reason. I always considered it to be one of my favorite Floyd albums even though it's quite different from the Floyd of the '70s. This is one I know I will be listening to again and again, even if it never gets as much airplay for me as "Echoes."
For further reading:
David Gilmour's homepage
All Music Guide's David Gilmour entry
Wikipedia's David Gilmour entry
I'm kidding of course. The band David Gilmour is in is the legendary Pink Floyd. If you forced me to name three favorite bands, I would quickly come up with The Beatles, and Floyd. Then I'd blow my brains out trying to pick the third. But there will always be these two. I'm that guy who will go nuts on you if you say "My favorite Pink Floyd song is 'Wish You Were Here.'" It's a good song, don't get me wrong, but it makes me feel you've never even heard anything off Meddle.
Floyd changed dramatically with the exit of Roger Waters. It then became Gilmour's band. However, the contributions of Rick Wright and Nick Mason can't be ignored. Wright appears on On an Island and it's enough to give the album that Floydian sound.
"Castellorizon" opens the album, and it's an instrumental. It has an ambient, experimental sound to it, with its use of bells and even fireworks. Finally, Gilmour's guitar lets out its distinctive wail and I am eagerly anticipating what's in store for me.
The title track features vocals by none other than David Crosby and Graham Nash. I first learned to appreciate Nash with "Bus Stop" by the Hollies. Here, he and Crosby has a nice harmonic touch to Gilmour's haunting vocals. The song itself has a retro sound to it, and almost sounds like it could have been made 30 years ago. I'd almost swear Alan Parsons was engineering again.
"Take a Breath" opens with a chant backed with augmented guitar chords. It has all of the trademark Floyd guitar effects that I became so familiar with from listening to the Wall over and over again when I was 17. I really enjoy the lyrics.
This kind of love is hard to find
I never got to you by being kind
If I'm the one to throw you overboard
At least I showed you how to swim for shore
When you're down is where you'll know yourself
Then if you're drown there's nothing else
When you're lost you need to find yourself
Then you'll find out that there's no one else
There's just so many songs I like on this CD. "This Heaven" has a good bluesy feel to it, with its use of acoustic guitar and organ. "Smile" features steel guitar and acoustic guitar to begin with, before the full orchestra joins in. It's a sweet little song. "Pocketful of Stones" is mostly just Gilmour's vocals backed with piano, and a little orchestration. It's relaxing and hypnotic.
I really think this is the best CD Gilmour has contributed to since A Momentary Lapse of Reason. I always considered it to be one of my favorite Floyd albums even though it's quite different from the Floyd of the '70s. This is one I know I will be listening to again and again, even if it never gets as much airplay for me as "Echoes."
For further reading:
David Gilmour's homepage
All Music Guide's David Gilmour entry
Wikipedia's David Gilmour entry
Labels: David Gilmour, Pink Floyd
posted by Tom at 7:48 PM
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