Ticket 2 Ride

I bought this album and didn’t play it for a week. I was ill and wanted a clear head (optimistic of me) to delve into this album.

For the few of you who aren’t familiar with David Gilmour, he’s the former guitarist for Pink Floyd. Luck and Strange (2024) is his fifth solo album, and the first in nine years. At 78 years young, Gilmour still has a lot to say, and hopefully releases another album or two before he calls it a career.

Let me just say, I like Luck and Strange more with each listen. It is an excellent bookend to his first solo album, David Gilmour (1978), which is as gritty and direct, as his new album is silky and textured.

Gilmour’s voice is still quite good, but with just enough smokiness to reflect the earned wisdom in his words. Actually, most of the lyrics were written by Polly Samson, Gilmour’s wife of 30 years. Samson, a novelist and poet, is often, and unfairly, compared to former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters, in terms of the depth and relevance of songs associated with Gilmour. It’s not a battle that I have any interest in talking about. Waters has written some brilliant works and they stand the test of time. Other work of his is weak and self-indulgent. Samson, to her credit, writes to the vision and style of Gilmour’s inventive and robust soundscapes.

During the pandemic, I found several of Gilmour’s “barn jams” from 2007 that included the late Richard Wright. These are captivating pieces of music. Also, during the lockdown, the Gilmour family released a series of livestreams of musical presentations by Gilmour and kids, as the Von Trapped Family.

Gilmour recorded Luck and Strange with the inclusion of his family, with Samson contributing lyrics, and sons Gabriel and Charlie, and daughter Romany, helping out vocally and musically. The Von Trapped Family unleashed.

In addition to the Gilmour family, musicians on the album include Richard Wright, Roger Eno, Steve Gadd, Rob Gentry, Guy Pratt, Adam Betts, Steve DiStanislao, Tom Hebert. Choir and strings by Edmund Aldhous. The album was produced by Gilmour and Charlie Andrew.

Tracklist:

“Black Cat” – A moody instrumental to open the album. It’s typical for Gilmour to do so.
“Luck and Strange” – The title track, large production values, awesome guitar work. If there is a prototype Gilmour song type, this is it. Richard Wright is credited on keyboards.
“The Pipers Call” – Brooding, aching acoustic guitar work, then it shifts into a higher gear. The song starts softly, but is pretty noisy when it gets going.

“A Single Spark” – Maybe as close as he gets to a pretty ballad. Certainly moving and beautiful strings, and of course an evocative guitar solo.

“Vita Brevis” – Another short instrumental link.
“Between Two Points” with Romany Gilmour on lead vocals – A song written by Roger Quigley and Mark Tranmer (as The Montgolfier Brothers). Romany has a lovely voice as well as a very competent harpist.

“Dark and Velvet Nights” – As close to riff song Gilmour comes, it’s loose and rough.
“Sings” – A slow, spacey soundscape that becomes a bright, mid-tempo song with poignant, romantic choruses. One of Gilmour’s best vocals on the album.
“Scattered” – Downbeat, haunting, eerie. The song builds to an epic guitar solo and long outro, a fitting ending to the album.

But wait, there’s more!

Bonus Tracks:

“Yes, I Have Ghosts” – An acoustic folk song.
“Luck and Strange” (Original Barn Jam) – An example of the looser, raw side of Gilmour. A better version than its polished namesake. Richard Wright is fabulous. The playing is jazzy and soulful.

Final Comments:

Gilmour is playing a few shows, I suspect to film and record for later release. I would certainly welcome that.

In the news, Pink Floyd has sold their musical catalog along with their images to Sony Music, but keeping their publishing. This means whatever is left in the vault will be unearthed and made available in whatever commercialized way possible.