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Intro:6 March 2006 will be the official release date of "On An Island" and the day that David Gilmour will become 60. This will be his third solo album, the first was from '78, the second from '84! Or can we say that the, studio, Pink Floyd albums "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason" & "The Divison Bell" are "his solo" albums too? No I guess not, these were really Pink Floyd albums, they sound as Pink Floyd, his solo albums are different. Oh yes you can hear that it is David Gilmour (the voice and guitar of Pink Floyd says the sticker on the cover), but different...really different, but absolute hand crafted classical masterworks. I don't like those subjectives as "the voice and guitar of...", but I must admit he was the only guitar player in Pink Floyd who reached so much fame. And his voice, together with Roger Waters voice was / is a trademark of this legendary band. Maybe David is not the best writer of sharp lyrics. But when you are married with a lovely novelist and she's giving you a big hand, who cares? Let me give a hint how this album sounds; his latest solo performances are from a few years ago and are known as "the Meltdown gigs". David stripped down and re-arranged the Pink Floyd songs in a more or less acoustic setting. "On An Island" is a step futher in that direction. The album is full of laid back atmospheres and I believe it's produced in heaven, but it is a sober one with lullabies and his magnificient trademark; floydian guitar work. But again it is not a "Pink Floyd" album. This is my try to make a review, enjoy it and have a great listening experience with "On An Island" ;-)
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"I thought it was quite fun to release my album on my 60th birthday and embrace my seniority. I hope that one achieves maturity and contentment and even resignation to some extent as one gets older. I think I'm pretty content." David Gilmour March 2006. From Q [Ten Commandments] March 2006. |
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Castellorizon, a small Greek island for the coast of Turkey. A nice breathing space for
David Gilmour and his family? The song is an instrumental track with the orchestra and
David Gilmours recognizable guitar playing. An impressive start in the vein of "Signs
of Life" & "Cluster One" of the previous mentioned Pink Floyd albums. It seems to me
that this song catches the spirit and tunes of all the album tracks. A hymne to his friends who he has lost. 
The title track will appear as single. It starts with Rick Wright on Hammond and then wonderful
close harmonies of David Crosby & Graham
Nash, which sounds very well with the falsetto voice of David. Two great guitar solo's
are making this song complete. Close your eyes and get lost in this wonderful good sounding
landscape of your holiday island. Feel the warmth of the Mediterranean sun on your skin, enjoy the
lazy ness, have a
comfortable time and just be happy.Most of the lyrics are written by Polly Samson & David, and just like the music this song reflects the whole album, smooth, unique gilmouresque guitar playing, wonderful orchestration, lyrics about love & life. "...children again, on rusting swings getting higher...". Picture of Castellorizon by Polly.
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A Blue Cave at Castellorizon
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Intermezzo II: |
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The most up tempo song of the album is "Take A Breath". The orchestration is sublime,
this could be the second single. With a nice piece of lap steel guitar work.
Great catchy rhythm, mmm I like this one extremely well. Think this will sound live
great with an orchestra an Caroline Dale on her cello. A song about raising up your kids. David learned to read notes and plays saxes just a few years ago. On "Red Skies At Night" he led us hear that he successfully passed with flying colours. A short instrumental track. A bit of blues with "This Heaven" and nice mellow organ (done by Georgie Fame) at the start. But this is not a sad bluesy lyric. David is happy with his life and he knows that he is blessed: "...This earthly heaven is enough for me...", he sings. David vocals are heavenly and here and there a bit lower. Together with "Take A Breath" and the first two songs of the album are these my favourite places "on the island".
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Intermezzo III:
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"Then We Close Our Eyes" is another instrumental track, started as a jam between David & B.J.Cole,
with some innovative combination
of instruments: glass harmonica, cello, cornet, weissenbacker guitar (done by B.J.Cole),
cümbüt and the
usual stuff; bass, guitars, percussion, drums. All mixed up with "island"-sounds,
sit down and have a good listening turn and take a imaginary walk on Castellorizon.
Nice to wake up with, when you're
lying on the beach and it becomes time for an apperativo: We know "Smile" from the meltdown gigs. Another nice acoustic love song, words and backing vocals by Polly. David is playing all the instruments by himself; guitars, percussion, bass & hammond, except the drums, played by Willy Wilson. "A Pocketful Of Stones", this ballad starts impressive with the orchestra and an amazing soaring solo is carried away into the sea by the waves of the orchestra, you'll get drowned in this beautiful song. The last highlight: "Where We Start" with another excellent drummer named Andy Newmark. David takes care of the guitars, bass, hammond & percussion accompanied by the orchestra. When I become 60 and still sing these lines from the bottom of my heart I known that my life has succeeded... "We waltz in the moonlight...so much behind us, still far to go...".
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The art work is breathing out the holiday feeling you get when you're on an Mediterranean island.
Nicely done, the cd got an hard cover, a sort of book.
Stay in love & carpe Diem..., quam minimum credula postero, Nick from the lovely South of the Netherlands. |
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Epiloge. |
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Musicians; | |
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Polly Samson - piano and vocals, Robert Wyatt - cornet, voice, percussion, Jools Holland - piano, David Crosby - vocals, Graham Nash - vocals, Chris Thomas - keyboards, engineer, producer, Phil Manzanera - keyboard and piano, Zbigniew Preisner- orchestration & piano, Andy Newmark - drums & percussion, B. J. Cole - Weissenborn guitar, Willie Wilson - drums. Lucy Wakeford - harp, |
Ged Lynch - drums,
Paul ‘Wix’ Wickens - keyboards, Georgie Fame - keyboards, piano, Chris Stainton - keyboards, Bob Klose - guitar (he was involved in The Pink Floyd Sound!), Caroline Dale - cello, Alasdair Malloy - glass harmonica, Chris Laurence - double bass, Ilan Eshkeri - programming (he's a composer mostly film music), Guy Pratt - bass and his father-in-law, Rick Wright - vocals and organ. |
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Orchestral arrangements: Recorded at Astoria, Abbey Road, British Grove, Gallery Studio and at home | Artwork by Steve Knee. Produced by David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera and Chris Thomas Recorded by Andy Jackson and David Gilmour |
A post at
Davids Weblog; Hello,
Hearing the whole album every free minute since friday. It was awesome the first listening turn and it grabbed me more and more. The whole album breathes out that relaxed Castellorizon feeling... and that voice and those guitars. Lovely... Well done you all, thanks!
So I try to imagine that I'm lying on the Castellorizons beach, music all around, my hand in my wifes hand, the children playing and lauching at the background... sun shining and slowly the moon slides slowly before the sun...
Enjoy it!
Nick from the lovely South of the Netherlands.
PS1 March 29th 2006 could be that day. (...and the sun is eclipsed by the moon...)
PS2 Thoughts from a crazy Dutchman: I almost wrote: "maybe it could become a new DSOTM" (the best album in our history...), and maybe that would become reality (so as I can speak for myself). DSOTM has more bombast, that belongs to the concept of that record: a young musician that reaches fame and is running in the wheel of fortune, an artist that must catch up with the sun... and then 30 years later, he is on age, he can put things in perspective, now he knows what is really important. What would he write; "On An Island", no more no less.
It becomes time for a beer and some fantastic music "OAI" I guess.. cheers...
hope the gig was fantastic.
Posted by: Nick at March 7, 2006 11:21 PM
My musical reverences;
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| Aerial '05 |
| Phil Manzanera |
50 Minutes Later ('05) & 6 p.m. ('04)(with David Gilmour) |
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RPWL |
As God Has Failed ('00) & Live, Start The Fire ('05) |
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ProgAid |
All Around The World ('05)(great single with 7 guitar solo's in a row...)
www.progaid.com...
7 euro's all in... Please listen and be amazed. |
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Crosby & Nash
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Crosby & Nash ('04)
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| The Sky moves Sideways ('95) | |
| No-Man | FlowerMouth ('99- re-issue '05) |
| NoSound | Sol29 ('05) |
| Blackfield | Blackfield ('04) |
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| His latest 5 albums or so. | |
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Steely Dan | The latest releases |
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Donald Fagan | The NightFly ('82) or Morph the Cat ('06)(?) |
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Sting | All This Time ('01) |
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David Byrne | Live Union Chapel London ('05) |
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Coldplay | Every album ;-) |
| Wet Dream ('78) | |
| Wish You Were Here | |
Listen to what David has to tell
session players On An Island.
session work with
live-appearances with.
pictures of the Meltdown DVD.
A New Review of some of my
most appricated Musical
Friends;
members from Pendragon, Mostly Autumn, Magenta and others....
Added 27th of May.
Home, home again.
by Nick from the lovely South of the Netherlands.
Thanks to Mojo, the magazine of April
includes a big interview with David Gilmour.
Sine on David!
"The Blue", when I first heard this song it reminded me to an early Alan Parsons ballad;
perfect orchestration, good vocals, from David & Rick Wright and at the end a perfect
guitar solo.
Polly is responsible for the most lyrics, she's a novelist and mother and that reflects in
the choice
of the lines about love, life, friendship and trying to see things in perspective.
So "On An Island" became the most personal album of David Gilmour.