On an Island

by David Gilmour

Overview

Given the fact that he's always operated in a sort of vacuum, it's not surprising that David Gilmour would take more than two decades between solo albums, but this disc -- his first since 1984's About Face -- is as timeless and distinctive as anything the Pink Floyd guitarist has ever done. Gilmour challenges himself (and his listeners) in a number of ways here, beginning with the Byzantine structures of the angular opener, "Castellorizon," on which he weaves some of his more passionate leads into a multi-instrumental mesh crafted by Polly Samson (his chief collaborator on The Division Bell). Unlike Gilmour's more conceptually driven works, On an Island draws from a number of musical streams, ranging from the leisurely jazziness of "Then I Close My Eyes" to the warm, surprisingly feisty soul vibe of "This Heaven" (on which longtime Van Morrison sideman Georgie Fame's Hammond organ is the primary flavoring). Gilmour calls upon a number of stellar guest stars -- David Crosby and Graham Nash harmonize beautifully on the title track, while Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner adds orchestrations that enhance the drama of several tunes, notably "Where We Start" -- but it's always clear whose hands are on the controls. Gilmour doesn't grip them too tightly, however, so this Island journey remains bucolic from beginning to end.

Product Details

Release Date:	09/07/2018
Label:	Sony Legacy
UPC:	0190758632711
catalogNumber:	586327

Album Credits

Performance Credits

David Gilmour   Primary Artist