(Unless the only Pink Floyd album you like is The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. He doesn't play on that one.)
special introductory
paragraph!
David Gilmour
About Face
On An Island
Arnold Layne CD-single
Live In Gdansk
Metallic Spheres (with The Orb)
One of the main reasons that Pink Floyd's two post-Waters studio releases were so disappointing is because David Gilmour had already proven himself - TWICE - to be an excellent songwriter on his own terms. As such, his decision to brush aside his natural ability and inclination in order to emulate as closely as possible the classic 'Pink Floyd' sound was bound to result in a pair of shoddy albums full-to-bustin' with unnecessary sound effects and retreads of the band's earlier material. But it looks like, as of 2006, he's finally returned to the solo fold where in my opinion he should have stayed since 1984! :7)
;7 )
:7D
:7O
:7(
:7C
Why'd you do that? Now I'm really upset.
:7W
Watch out! I'm gonna eat you with my two mouths!
:7M
Don't try sneakin' up on me! I got two mouths on the other side too!
: 0
AHH! MY NOSE!!!!
But no really, there is absolutely nothing wrong about enjoying the music and, and, works, of Mr. David Gilmour, former guitar player of Pink Floyd. Let me tell you, you won't find anyone who thinks more highly of him than me.
And I think he's AMAZING crap.
*Consultations with lawyers*
Any similarity between above text and the British comedy programme Dennis the Pennis is purely coincidental.
What some people don't seem to realize is that David Glimmer ain't no Joob. Roger Waters may get all the guts and glory, but David "Live At The" Gilmour "East" was the musical one in the group. Well, he and Rick Wright. And Roger Waters. But look, ON THE POINT, if you pick up a David Gilmour solo album, you're not gonna get stuck with a bunch of sound effects and political pedantry; David's solo work consists of well-written standalone tracks that for the most part sound like a less bitter Pink Floyd. I realize that isn't saying much, since most psychopathic killers are also less bitter than Pink Floyd, but my point stands. For his debut (recorded and released between Animals and The Wall), David reunited with bassist Rick Wills and drummer Willie Wilson from his pre-Pink Floyd band 'Gil, Wills and Will Wil' and re-recorded AC/DC's Fly On The Wall in its entirety. "Sink The Pink" took on added irony when or
For his debut, David reunited with bassist Rick Wills and drummer Willie Wilson from his pre-Pink Floyd band 'Joker's Wild' and laid down nine tracks alternating between cold melancholy and understated gorgeousness, with a couple of quick forays into pissed-off metal-rock and sci-fi new wave for all the metalheads and new wavers out there in the audience tonight. The masterful guitarwerk and lovely vocals obviously sound like Pink Floyd, but the similarities don't stop there: Wilson drums as slowly and listlessly as Nick Mason, the Dave-played keyboards sound a heck of a lot like a less practiced Rick Wright, and Wills' basswork has a 'busy but buried' sound not unlike that of Mr. Roger Waters, Opera Composer.
If you're a Pink Floyd fan, I urge you to buy all three of Dave's solo albums, but do note that they all sound different from each other. This one is a lot more somber and chilly than his successive releases. The mix is dry and soulless, three of the nine tracks are disembodied instrumentals, songs like "No Way" and "Raise My Rent" utilize the same sort of chilly arpeggiated chord changes he would soon bring to tracks like "Is There Anybody Out There?" and "Hey You," and even the album's most beautiful songs - "So Far Away" and "I Can't Breathe Anymore" - are lyrically drenched in insurmountable loneliness. But hey! If you weren't into negative emotions, you wouldn't be a Pink Floyd fan in the first place! Hey? Am I right? Eh? Eh? Am I? Eh? Eh? He? He? Ima? He? He? Th' Girima? Yeh?
Fuckin' "Th' Girima".
Kenyan shithead community of douchebags. Make mine a Bajuni, thanks!
P.S. Kenyans don't have the Internet, do they? That's the last thing I need. Is it my fault that their tribal name fits perfectly into my mindbogglingly successful palindrome?
Also, is it my fault I called them a 'Kenyan shithead community of douchebags'? Hey, blame the Fates, not the Messager!
On a final note, the most popular track from this album is probably "There's No Way Out Of Here," which was actually written and first recorded by a band called Unicorn whom Dave produced in 1976. But you'd be amazed at how depressing it is, and thus how much it sounds like a David Gilmour original!
I recall that first Gilmour album (released the year prog died) - drab.
It's been Bill Haley & the Comets for me ever since.
A wise man once said, "Fashion Cult is a three chord bash. I recorded a studio version on my fiorst solo album, Waiting On Egypt. The best way to hear the song is the Maps' one or the remixed rendition on the Secretly Canadian reissue of WOE!" Alas, that man's musical heart this week ceased to beat. Just all of a Sudden.
Similarly, my wife's father is dying of some rare form of leukemia. It came on very suddenly and it already looks like he might only have a few days left. Kinda sucks a dick because he's a really nice man. I hope the minister points that out during the funeral, that it kinda sucks a dick. Maybe he could say something like, "It totally bites my left ball that this guy died because he was a good guy." At any rate, it's a real cocksucker of a situation. He's only 76, which isn't much older than Keith Richards. And my wife is sadder than the day is long because, as you might suspect, he's her father. So do me a favor and if you see a rare form of leukemia coming down the street, turn into somebody's driveway until it passes by.
David "Gary" Gilmour's "Eyes" second album is his most commercial-sounding one. Recorded and released after The Final Cut but before Dave got a hair up his patootie to keep the Pink Floyd name going, About Face is full of slickly produced (for the time) radio-ready fuzzy pop-rockers and relaxed folk-rock numbers in addition to the expected darker sorrowful tracks. His previous co-workers are long gone, replaced by industry professionals like drummer Danny Porcaro from muthafuckin' Toto, synthesizerist Anne Dudley from The Art Of Noise, and a bassist nobody's ever heard of (Pico Pinocchio or something). And hey! Dynamics! The songs are more developed and fully arranged than on the last album! There's much more stuff going on in the mix! It's a bit less melancholy too! Sorry about all the exclamation marks, but I just ate a hot pepper!
With my penis!
But seriously.... Hello, I must be going!
Okay, I'm back. Fuck, I forgot my jacket! What's that you say? Oh! Well, thank goodness! Now then, let's discuss the value of About Face, or in other words the About "Face value."
David Gilmour has a lovely male voice that sounds even better when singing in multiple harmony with itself. For this reason, the fuzzy pulsating bass-driven lead-off track "Until We Sleep" is a wonderful, beautiful pop-rock song that should have topped all the charts regardless of lyrics like "What we sow/We cannot reap/Nor keep at all." But that's just the beginning, mate (if you're British). This album has dozens of lost hit singles: hooky as a hooker fuzz rock "All Lovers Are Deranged," beautifully overdramatic folk-rock "Murder," gorgeously sad piano ballad "Out Of The Blue," hopelessly melancholy orchestration "Near The End"... where was this kind of songwriting a couple years later when Pink Floyd needed it!? "Ooo look at me - I just wrote a long, boring song with four dreary, shitty chords! I think I'll call it 'Yet Another Movie'! And then I'll play it again and call it 'Sorrow'! Whoa! What's this? It looks like a machine that makes my voice sound like a ROBOT! I think I'll recite a poem through it! And then, when I'm done, I'll recite another poem through it! Then I'll play 'One Of These Days' on a bunch of violins and take a shit all over the mixing console!!!!"
Thank you, that was my A Momentary Lapse Of Reason impression. Rich Little, eat your heart out! Here we go...
I like short impressions!
I know Pink Floyd's David Kilgour isn't the least 'obvious rhyme'-driven lyricist in the world, but there are some great verses on here. Check this one out: "Out of the blue/On the wings of a dove/A messenger comes/with the beating of drums/It's not a message of love." I love that! You think it's going to be a happy generic little peace song, but it's about DEATH!
Then there's this depressing-as-Roger-Waters observation in "Near The End": "Thinking that we're getting older and wiser/When we're just getting old"
Wait, one more -- (because there's only one more worth mentioning) - "Cruise" just sounds like a dopey little acoustic love song until you listen more closely and realize..... he's singing a ballad to a cruise missile! Thus the inclusion of lines like "You know you can always make my poor heart melt" and "If such good friends should ever fall out..." GET IT!??!? "FALLOUT"!?!?!?
If you're wondering why this album didn't have any smash hit singles if it's as good as I claim it is, it's probably because they picked the two absolute WORST SONGS ON THE ALBUM to release as singles. To Dave's credit, the gentle keyboard/acoustic/piano semi-countryish tune "Love On The Air" has a couple of very lovely passages to complement its ass-generic verses. However, "Blue Light" is just fuckin' ridiculous. Have you heard this? It starts off with this awesome dark echo/delay-driven guitar line that sounds like the intro to "Run Like Hell Pt. II: The Even Ass-Kickinger One" -- and then suddenly turns into a horn-driven disco-rock boogiedown! Sure, it's silly and you can dance to it, but man what a waste of a great guitar line. I don't know about you, but I certainly wouldn't have put either of these songs in heavy rotation had I been an FM radio programmer back in 1984 when I was 11.
Mainly because I didn't even know who David Gilmour was until I was 13. But also, the songs aren't that great. You want REAL music, check out the rest of the album! Ask for it by maim(ing the cashier)!
Somebody told me jokes are funny, so here's a new one for you:
What do you get when you cross A Momentary Lapse of Reason with the Billy Goats Gruff?
Get it? He's the ogre? That's some good stuff. You always know your joke is successful when you have to explain it to yourself.
Until We Sleep: Great opener with a driving base and cool keyboards. There's something about the guitar solo in the middle that makes you realize how unique his guitar playing is.
Murder: I think this about John Lennon if I recall correctly. Nice tune that transforms from a quiet acoustic into a furious rocker. Nice little jam at the end.
Love On the Air: People think I'm a pussy for likeing this, but skrew them! This is gorgeous, upbeat stuff. Pete Townshend's lyrics are as good as anything he did at this time, and Dave's delivery of them is fantastic.
Blue Light: Basically 'Run Like Hell' with a horn section. Dont see the video, whatever you do! Those male dancers in top-hats will replace the whale in your nightmars! (Assuming you have nightmares about whales.) Anyway, as always, the guitar solo at the end makes this a winner, with him talking about getting down with the best of 'em or whatever.
Out Of The Blue: I may be crazy, but this really sounds a lot like something off The Final Cut to me. I guess it's the sorrowful yet beautiful piano and orchestration. The song is slow and dark, about fear of being turned into radioactive glass by nuclear devices. Good stuff.
All Lovers Are Deranged: Good rock, again with Dr. Who supplying the words. I may be crazy, but this really sounds like something off of the Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure soundtrack. Hmmm. Anyway, the guitar riffs are awesome.
You Know I'm Right: A dig at ol' Mr. Waterston. You know, the guy from 'Law & Order'? Anyway, this is probably the weakest track here for me, but it's still better than anything from Radio KAOS.
Cruise: A little like Out of the Blue, but more upbeat with nice acoustic playing. Some actual reggea the end. (Surprising he didn't didn't do a spoken word "I con groove out with da best of 'em, mon!".)
Let's Get Metaphysical: Olivia Newton John would not be proud of this one, because this song kicks serious orchestrial/soaring guitar solo assenlassen. I love the way it builds and builds towards the end.
Near the End: Why the hell did he put this song last? Oh yeah, because it's a perfect closer. Very slow and haunting in a weird way. Kind of a cliffhanger like High Hoops would be later on the Division Bell. Anyone notice that these rockers use the same guitar lines over and over again. It sounds just like John Lennon's 'Working Class Hero' and almost all of Roger's 'Pro's and Con's of Hitch Hiking'. Still sounds great though, and he sings in a bass voice with some cool echo.
Why did Roger Waters cross the road?
He needed a "crossing the road" sound effect for his new single
I know our topic is ostensibly David Gilmour here, but I was singing an old Yes song in the shower this morning and it has this line that goes "Getting over overhanging trees/Let them rape the forests" and it got me to thinking -- do you think he means literally? Because I don't know if I want to be a Yes fan if they're advocates of sticking your dick in a tree.
As for "On An Island," it's a really nice Kinks song and Ray Davies really outdid himself. "Apeman"? No thanks! "Catch Me Now I'm Falling"? No thanks! "Bald Headed Woman"? No thanks!
Hang on, I have about 85 more Kinks songs to name and subsequently give a lack of thanks to.
Oh to hell with it - let's talk David Gilman! If I wore hats, I would personally tip one of them to David "Gilman" Gilmour for choosing to (FINALLY!) record a third solo album rather than committing to what would have been (if the last two decades are any indication) yet another disappointing Pink Floyd release. By freeing himself from what he for some reason believes are the fan expectations of an album bearing the legendary Pink Floyd name (sound effects, melodrama, melodies recycled from old Pink Floyd songs), he has created a fantastic collection of slow, relaxed tunes that -- probably due to no specific effort on anybody's part -- come out sounding a heck of a lot like post-Syd/pre-Dark Side Pink Floyd! And I don't mean stolen melodies either. Darkly heroin-tinged (in tone) sleepy meditations like "On An Island," "The Blue" and "Where We Start" are definitely new creations, but they would fit perfectly alongside beloved old album tracks like "A Pillow Of Winds," "Fat Old Sun," and all that dark dreary stuff on More.
David's voice is 'at its most beautiful,' as REM pointed out a few years ago, often singing in his higher register and immersed in gorgeous harmony vocals (the title track introduces the world to hot new radio combo Crosby, Gilmour and Nash!). In addition, his backing band changes from track to track (sometimes numbering up to eight players!), and incorporates many famous Hollywood stars including:
!. keyboardist Richard Wright (Pink Floyd)
Add to these a bunch of fancyass classical pricks who play shit like 'programming' and 'drum samples' and 'glass harmonica' and 'harp' whatever fuck that is, and you've got one eclectic mix of eccentric electric instruments! Also, in one song David plays a bass harmonica and a cumbus, which is a Turkish stringed instrument of relatively modern origin. Developed in the early 20th century by Zeynel Abidin Cumbus as an oud-like instrument that could be heard as part of a larger ensemble, it resembles both the American banjo and the Middle Eastern oud. A fretless instrument, the cumbus has six courses of doubled-strings, and is generally tuned like an oud. In shape, though, it closely resembles the banjo with a metal resonator bowl and skin body head. It has a loud, metallic, resonant tone and is widely heard in Middle Eastern popular music. I plagiarized the assbutt out of those last several sentences! Fuck you, Wikitakeapeedia!
I apologize for cursing Wikipedia. It's a very helpful online resource and doesn't deserve the disdain I have spread throughout our bountiful land.
The album's best songs conjure up an entrancing twilight feel through a mixture of evocative playing, interesting chord changes and unforgettable vocal melodies. Half of the record is comprised of full-fledged anthems of slow methodical beauty, sometimes warm and embracing ("Smile," "A Pocketful Of Stones"), elsewhere a bit sadder and darker in tone (title track, "Where We Start"), still elserwhere a mixture of the two ("The Blue"). The other half consists of an out-of-place (but not awful) angry 'rocker', a fun and raw swing/blues/folk song unlike anything Dave's ever done, and three instrumentals of varying quality (one worthless intro track of the "Signs Of Life"/"Cluster One" school of throwaway crap; one saxophone showcase for Dave "Look at me, I learned to play the saxophone" Gilmour; and one slowly-building hippie peace harmony song straight outta side one of Meddle).
So if David Gilmour is the cold one and About Face is the commercial one, I guess I'd call this the dreamy one. The slow tempos, lovely orchestration and wonderfully langourous melodies entrance without causing drowsiness, and the hazy naptime/nighttime atmosphere that permeates through most of the disc is more relaxing than a couch filled with marshmallows.
Especially if the marshmallows are on FIRE! THAT'S NOT RELAXING AT ALL!!!
Best,
I haven't gotten the new Gilmour album yet, so I'm glad I read your review. I heard one song on Sirius radio and it sounded pretty good (didn't blow me away or anything); it reminded me of "Until it Sleeps" from About Face, which is a pretty good song in itself. Looks like I'll be picking it up soon.
Just prior to reading your review, I got an email from a friend which made reference to that exact same Yes quote ("Getting over overhanging trees..."). Uncanny. What is going on today??
But don't let me put you off.
I too find some irony here: the first time in more
than 20 years that Dave makes a non-Pink Floyd album,
and in not self-consciously trying to sound like
Floyd, he ends up sounding more Floydian than the last
few album issued under the brand name. Like you and a
lot of other people, I hear a lot of post-Syd,
pre-Dark Side sound here. He's been playing stuff
like Echoes, Fat Old Sun and Wot's the Deal live, and
I'm sure it fits right in.
Nice, mellow, dreamy stuff, and without that
overbearing Bob Erzin production. No offense to
Ezrin, but I always thought that Dave and Floyd
sounded better without a massive production. Some
people complain that this album is too mellow, but,
hey, Atom Heart Mother, Meddle, Obscured by Clouds,
Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here are all
pretty mellow too, no? At least Dave isn't trying to
sound 18 and embarrassing himself in the process.
Also, the lyrics can be pretty cool--songs like the
title track and A Pocketful of Stones have a lot more
going on in them than you'll hear at first. Dave's
wife is getting pretty good with words.
Pink Floyd keyboardist/vocalist Rick Wright appears on
a couple of songs here, and is playing a major role in
Dave's tour (even singing Roger's parts in Comfortably
Numb!). I love Rick's voice on "The Blue"; Dave and
Rick always sounded great together. I think those two
guys should form a band together and chuck the PF
name. With more Rick input, this album could have
been really great. As it is, it's still pretty darn
good.
You should review Roger and Rick's solo albums too--I
know you hate Roger's earlier solo albums, but "Amused
to Death" is really powerful, and Rick Wright's
"Broken China" is very Floydian, in a good way.
Whoa, my I-pod, on random play with approximately ten
million songs on it, just put on Rick Wright's
"Wearing the Inside Out" from Division Bell! It's a
SIGN I tell you! Interestingly, they are doing this
song on Dave's "solo" tour, despite the fact that Dave
doesn't have any writing credits on it. By the way,
while your Momentary Lapse of Reason impression
cracked me up, I do like Division Bell quite
well--having Rick and Nick actually play on it, plus
having Rick write and sing really made it into
something way more than a Dave solo album trying to be
Floyd.
His guitar playing has never been better, likewise his personal vision of what constitutes 'music.'
Only two musical quibbles.
He needs a better sax man. By the time I saw the tour in late April (06) he had learned to actually make the instrument sound halfway decent. On the disc, he sounds like an amateur warming up for his audition with the Guy Lombardo Royal Canadians.
Number Two: The bulk of the project was recorded at Gilmour's home studio. While the recording does reflect a sort of down hominess, through headphones one can hear the limitations of the tracks recorded at home combined with the studio recorded orchestral overdubs. It's not as noticable through speakers, but is a mite distracting through headphones.
The package (yeah, with this guy you have to review the package too) is lovely, though not very functional. Boasting that it is 'carbon neutral' with no plastic parts, the disc is held in place by a small rubber plug which DOES disintegrate with repeated use. This of course forces the owner to purchase a PLASTIC replacement case, absolutely making MORE waste than less. Don't you just love when a disc is manufactured to last a lifetime, but the package only 3 months?
His current wife Polly Samson is also credited as collaborator on most of the lyrics on this collection, perhaps his finest collaborator yet. Moody, optimistically cynical, deeply personal, this is my personal pic for album of the year 2006.
I'd prefer to be with Rog, because he's bitter and twisted enough to have interesting views on things, even if you don't agree with them. Plus, you could ask him what it was like to write a double album as great as The Wall. And if he became grumpy, you could tell him hilarious jokes until he was literally 'amused to death'. Or put a message in a bottle (reading 'Wish You Were Here') and float it off in the hope that it somehow reached Dave Gilmour (unlikely, but not entirely impossible, since he has a mobile studio in a boat moored on the River Thames in London).
Nick Mason would just mutter wistfully about how he misses his collection of antique racing cars.
Dave Gilmour would go on and on about guitar effects pedals (all of which seem to make his guitar sound exactly the same), and how he has a mobile studio in a boat moored on the River Thames in London (this might be a little frustrating to hear about if he was unable to use said vessel to pilot you and he back to civilization).
And Rick Wright would probably still be too scared to speak (in case Roger found out about it).
Send me a winning lottery ticket so I can buy the music I need.
Spinning away, Mark
'Castellorizon': As I said, glory abounded. It sounds like something off the soundtrack to 'Once Upon a Time in Mexico', `Desperado', or the like. The guitar on this song is incredible. I picture Dave standing on top of a train making it's way into Mexico City in the mist of revolution. Way better than 'Cluster One' or 'Signs of Life'.
'On An Island': 'Castellorizon' fades perfectly into this song, which is one of Dave's dreamiest since 'Love On the Air', But WHY Crosby & Nash, of all people? Why not, say, Justin Hayward and John Lodge? That being said, they harmonize just beautifully. But Hayward and Lodge would have been a wonderful prog rock band crossover! It has a great guitar solo in the middle. Anyway, I picture Dave lying on the beach in Cancun looking up at the stars while children raid his belongings further up the shore.
'The Blue': 'On An Island' was a slow, dreamy song that had a good pace, but this one is just way too slow and it doesn't really go anywhere. It's got Rick Wright singing VERY LOW with Dave. I wonder why Rick, after a triumph like 'Broken China', is still so subdued? I hear he's making an album that may be released by 2030, and I really hope he shows the world what a unique voice he has, which is WAY too quiet in this song. Anyway, I picture Dave and Rick sitting in a cantina in Tampico, staring sleepy-eyed and open-mouthed at the rain pounding down on the ocean outside.
'Take A Breath': The most fast-paced song here. I picture Dave helping illegals swim from Motamoros to South Padre Island.
'Red Sky At Night': There's really no point to this song. Quite a boring instrumental. And what's with the Wall-esque sounds of children playing in the background? Why not some whale-sounds for a change? Or George W. Bush soundbytes? Anyway, I picture Dave lying disheveled in an alley in Juarez.
`This Heaven': An AWESOME blues song! Very much a departure for Dave in terms of style, and he does GREAT here! Very bouncy and catchy! Plus, the song gloriously fades in and out of some orchestration. Very nicely done. Anyway, I picture Dave galloping on a horse with a posse of Vaqueros across the desert to a night of partying in Tijuana.
`Then I Close My Eyes': A trippy instrumental, but very slow. Reminds me of something from an old 60's Fellini film. Anyway, I picture Dave meditating atop a Mayan pyramid in the Yucatan.
`Smile': A pretty song, but it seems more like a demo than a fully-realized piece. Kind of disappointing, but still soothing and nice nonetheless. Anyway, I picture Dave serenading a barmaid in Durango.
`A Pocketful of Stones': Glimour's best song since `High Hopes'. It's one of his most powerful melodies since `Comfortably Numb'. Just a beautiful song, and along with `This Heaven' and `Castellorizon' it makes this album well worth owning. Anyway, I picture Dave sitting atop a mountain in the Sierra Madre range looking up at the clear night sky.
`Where We Start': A rather disappointing closer, especially after the majesty of the previous song. Still, this is a nice love song, and a better one than `Smile'. Anyway, I picture Dave back on the train rolling out of Mexico City, the revolution won, his woman at his side, and a tequila in his hand.
On July 7 2006, schizophrenic Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett drifted away into the lulling arms of Fatality, leaving behind 3.5 wonderful albums (as well as several singles, outtakes and bootlegs) for the world to cherish. Upon hearing the tragick (Crowley) news, Pink Floyd inheritor David Gilmour decided to pay tribute to the beloved Pink Floyd founder by releasing a CD-single featuring two live versions of debut Pink Floyd single "Arnold Layne" (one sung by Pink Floyd keyboardist Rick Wright, the other by Pink Floyd contemporary David Bowie) and a solo acoustic performance of the non-Pink Floyd "Dark Globe" from Barrett's debut post-Pink Floyd album, The Madcap Laughs. Pink Floyd is a band from Liverpool whose hits include "Pigs," "Sheep," "Dogs," "Fish," "Storks," "Collared Peccaries (or 'Javelinas')," "That Brown Thing That Scampers In The Road And Kinda Looks Like A Squirrel" and "Human Beings Of A Particular Nature That Allows One To Speak Of Them In Metaphorical Terms."
Is withholding a controversial opinion the same thing as lying? If so, I lied my entire body off to Helmet principal Page Hamilton the other night. See, one of his proudest career experiences has been the opportunity to tour alongside David Bowie of "Blue Jean" fame, so I wanted to be polite and ask, "What was Bowie like?" Plus, I was honestly curious to hear how a mega-superstar like Bowie (Jones) would behave around a noise-rocker that Vogue recently called "a not-famous Oregonian based in New York." Was it wrong of me to not volunteer the information that I consider Bowie at best an average songwriter and at worst one of the most blatantly calculating and least genuinely fascinating characters of his generation? If so, develop a new shade of crayon entitled "Cyan For Liars" and color me with it.
Regardless, Bowie covered "See Emily Play" on his Pin Ups album so I suppose it's appropriate that he take a shot at "Arnold Layne" here. Those who wisely prefer to avoid the Thin White Duck can skip to the Rick Wright version. The instrumentation on both renditions is surprisingly '60s-sounding, with vintage organ and electric guitar tones belying their 2006 origins. Even better is Dave's faithful solo version of the beautiful "Dark Globe"; his gorgeous voice (and chest) lend a soft (and hirsute) beauty to the track that wasn't present in Barrett's still great but ultra-British-accented original.
We can all sit around and wish the CD was longer and bemoan that he didn't cover "Effervescing Elephant" and that song on Opel that's like 10 minutes of crap, but you're talking about possibilities that reside only in a non-existent alternate universe. Coulda shoulda woulda, but the bottom line is that David Gilmour has over three hundred Pink Floyd and solo albums to create a set list from, so count your blessings that any Syd songs made the cut at all! You don't see Roger Waters covering Syd's songs in concert, now do you!?
Which is weird because "Bike" has some great sound effects in it.
Here's a little joke to end the day:
Q. How many David Gilmours does it take to screw in a Syd Barrett?
A. Five - one to screw him in and four to fight with him for the last pork chop the fat pieces a shit
Here's another joke to end the day:
Q. Why is there always a foul stench wafting from Michael Moore's backyard?
A. Because ROGER WATERS his plants with a dick hose every morning! You hear me??? A DICK hose!!!! (*shits on hand; wipes butt with Styx album*)
That joke was hilarious in 1990. Since then, I've had to kinda 'spruce it up' with the repetition and feces and whatnot.
Seconal, David Gilmour is such a good guitar player and has such a nice
voice, I wish I had the coin to buy his latest album.
It's most likely cool that bowie did a vocal on Arnold Layne. Pin-Upa
shows he like that stuff. I hope to hear it one day when I have some
coin.
As far as Barrett song suggestions go, how about Terrapin, or Golden
Hair. I can name a bunch of others too.
Hey, at least Gilmour is doing something.
New York pizza on ya, mark`
Once again I was on Fox News' Red Eye tonight, and once again we didn't get to all the topics we'd planned to discuss, so here's a leftover joke for you:
Did you see the hologram of Will.I.Am with Anderson Cooper on Election Night?
As for Mr. Gilmour, it boggles my nuts how he failed to take advantage the big early '70s glam-rock fad. It would've taken him two seconds to change his name to "David Glamour," strap on a pair of gigantic silver boots and hit the stage to screams of teenage girls and sopping wet seats (due to a wobbly floor causing overturned beverages). But no, he chose self-respect and now he's knees-broke and wadin'.
Okay so let's say you're a big David Gilmour fan and you see that he's released a new live double-CD. Wouldn't it be fair to expect live renditions of classic David Gilmour songs like "All Lovers Are Deranged," "There's No Way Out Of Here" and "Until We Sleep"? Apparently, NOPESIREE! It stumps my balls what he was thinking, but instead of a greatest album cuts package, he and his band perform On An Island in its entirety and then all this crap by some 'Prink Floyd' band or some shit. Look I didn't spend 10 minutes illegally downloading two CDs just to hear a bunch of cover tunes by a b
Okay I've just been informed via Fax-O-Gram that David Gilmour was actually a one-time member of this "Prink Floyd" band, so I guess it's only fair that he and his band perform some of the songs he wrote for this band, including "Astronomy Domine" and "Speak To Me." Yes, these tw
Okay I've just been informed via Morse-Phone that David Gilmour actually played no part in the composition of either "Speak To Me" or "Astronomy Domine." Nevertheless, they were "Prink Floyd" songs so I guess it's only fair that David Gilmour perform them during a David Gilmour concert.
Wait a second NO IT ISN'T! IT ISN'T AT ALL!!!
But enough pretension. Life's too short for pretension. "Astronomy Domine" was performed as a tribute to his late old friend Syd Barrett, as was a beautiful version of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" that finds Dave's guitar and vocals accompanied only by fellow "Prink Floyd" member Rick Wright's sad piano. Unfortunately, that sad piano is even sadder now because Mr. Wright recently passed away as well. The only up side to this tragedy is that maybe Gilmour will play "Remember A Day" on his next tour.
If you don't already own On An Island, consider Gdansk a 10-rated album and BUY IT NOW. Not only do you get a really beautiful David Gilmour solo record, but his band (complete with Philharmonic Orchestra) is kind enough to throw in 12 'bonus tracks' of Floyd songs as varied as "Fat Old Sun" (now with gorgeous pedal steel!), "Comfortably Numb" (now with eerie guitar bends!) and "Echoes" (now with two more minutes!). BUY BUY BUY!
What the? Hey, look at that! There's a link to buy the album right down there! Just scroll down! Man! What an amazing coincidence! BUY BUY BUY!
This was a bad idea from the beginning. I've never wanted to hear live
Pink Floyd. They are 100% studio music to me. As expected, every
single song was worse. I had to actually look up "Fat Old Sun" because
I wasn't ever aware of the song - once I found what album it was on I
knew why. The only good part of "Echoes" being on here was that it
made me realize that I'd rather have the 34MB of disk space back that
the studio version is eating up on my disk so I blew it away.
Does anyone actually want a Live version of "On An Island"? I sure
didn't. Dave's first two excellent albums I could have gone for.
The most interesting of PF batch are the last two. "A Great Day for
Freedom". That is obviously a studio take and not live.
"Comfortably Numb" explains why Wright died a week before this release.
He was embarrassed by his singing of Waters' lines. To call it
terrible would be an insult to the word terrible. RIP Rick I do
appreciate all your excellent and unique keyboard work over the years.
I give it a 0/10 because there is no reason to listen to it. At no
point does it even hint at being interesting or superior to the original
albums. Just go listen to them instead.
From: youth@yahoo.com
Mr. Gilmour,
My name is Youth, and I play bass for an alternative band called Killing Joke. I think you're awesome and was wondering if you wanted to come over and jam with me some time. My parents work til 8 most nights, so we could play really loud. It would just be for fun -- no pressure or anything. Please let me know.
I have some pot too.
Stay cool,
--------------------------------------
From: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Youth,
Dude, I love Killing Joke! I've been following you guys since the "EIGHTIES"! LOL (J/K) I'd love to come over and jam with you. I can bring my guitar! Can you do it on June 12th? I get off work from Taco Bell at 2:30 and can come over then.
Rock on,
--------------------------------------
From: youth@yahoo.com
Dave,
I had a great fucken time jammin with you, man. I can't believe my Mom walked in on us getting high! Thank God she can't see worth a shit. Anyways, the tape sounds killer!!! I'm actually gonna give it to these other guys I sometimes jam with, called The Orb to see what they think.
I'll be in touch, dude!
Together in Satan,
--------------------------------------
From: youth@yahoo.com
Dave,
Sorry I've been so out of touch. My parents caught me doing acid and sent me to rehab for three fucken months! Don't worry though -- it didn't take! ;7)
But the reason I'm writing is to let you know that my friends in The Orb did this amazing shit with our tape. They sorta spread out all your awesome licks and shredding solos, and surrounded them with whooshy wind noises, synths and electronic drums and stuff. It's wild, and it sounds awesome when you're stoned!!! I'll send you a copy. I'm gonna go ahead and give it to Columbia Records cuz IMHO this could be the Ambient Event of the Year! (Totes!!!)
Let me know when you hear it. And stay cool!
--------------------------------------
From: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Youth,
I just listened to the tape. Wow. I don't even know what to say. I guess it's cause I'm a lot older than you, but I'm not sure I understand this music! If you say it's cool, I trust you, but it doesn't seem very musical. What happened to those cool riffs you and I came up with? I don't know, man. I'll keep listening. (I haven't tried it stoned yet) I'll also make copies for some of my friends and see what they think.
K.I.T.!
--------------------------------------
From: by_the_way_Im_Pink@comcast.net
David,
Thanks for sending me your new demo. Watch your mail for a copy with my recommended edits and revisions.
Best,
Catch me on tour playing "The Wall" this year!
-------------------------------------
From: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Rog,
Got your package, but I think you accidentally sent me a tape from your Sound Effects Library.
Dave
-------------------------------------
From: by_the_way_Im_Pink@comcast.net
David,
No, those are my edits. Just fast forward to about halfway through the tape and there's still some music in there (between the foghorn and the plane taking off).
Best,
Catch me on tour playing "The Wall" this year!
-------------------------------------
From: nickmason@pinkfloyd.gov
Dave,
I'm LOVING your new tape, man. Who is this drummer!? His ability to play a slow 4/4 beat is amazing! Goddamn. Makes me wanna throw my fuckin stix away!!
Bros before hos,
-------------------------------------
From: deadsyd@heaven.org
Gilly! Gilly Gilman! The Gilmonster! Gil-mo-tastic!
Hey fucker how's it hangin? Good I hope. This is Syd Barrett writing to you from Heaven. I know what you're thinking: "Wait a minute. Syd can't use a computer. He's a dead vegetable!" Ha ha, well up your ass buddy cuz it turns out they give you your BRAIN back when you get to Heaven! And thank God for that or the whole place would be teeming with Alzheimers. Oh! Here's something funny -- when I got to the Gates, guess who St. Peter had lined up especially to greet me? A PIPER! Ha ha! And you thought angels had no sense of humor!
Anyways, the reason I'm writing is because I was floating transparently through Nick's house last month when he played your new tape. I gotta tell ya man -- I am not into it. To be honest, I always thought post-me Floyd was boring, but that shit's fuckin Hendrix compared to this tuneless ball of hot air. Get away from those guys, man. Maybe you should try getting back to your roots and play some blues-rock with Jonathan King.
Hurry though; he's due in Hell by the end of November.
Syd
-------------------------------------
From: rickwrightscorpse@heaven.com
Hey Dave,
Syd's finally off the computer so I wanted to drop you a line supporting his opinion. That tape is awful. Do The Orbs know anything at all about music? Maybe try sending them a copy of Wish You Were Here or something, because they clearly haven't the slightest idea how to build music around your guitarwork. Would it have killed them to play something in the same key as you every once in a while? Even in the late '70s when I was snorting a wheelbarrow full of cocaine a day, I never would've surrounded your playing with such uncomplementary chord progressions and amelodic wastes of time. I try to be a good angel, but fuck those jerks.
Also, what's with this 49-year-old man calling himself "Youth"? That's a little pathetic. Maybe I should change my name to "Alive."
Hope you're doing well,
-------------------------------------
From: youth@yahoo.com
Dave,
Sorry to hear your friends weren't into the tape, but you can't please everybody. The important thing is that the CD is out, and it's doing great! Spin Magazine gave it a stellar 5 stars out of 10, Allmusic ranked it a high 3 out of 5, The A.V. Club a C+ (that's a passing grade, man!) and most importantly the alternative music publication Pitchfork Media has granted it a 7.0/10, calling it "gorgeous," "hypnotic" and "immersive"!
Fuck yeah!
Youth
-------------------------------------
From: sclarkenstein@clarkensteindover.com
Mr. Gilmour,
Let this serve as notice that our client, George Roger Waters, is bringing suit against you for musical plagiarism related to your new CD "Metallic Spheres." Waters has identified one of the musical notes in the selection "Spheres Side" as a D -- the same note that he had you play in the track "Goodbye Cruel World" on the Pink Floyd album entitled "The Wall." Please cease and desist immediately.
Sincerely,
-------------------------------------
From: youth@yahoo.com
Dave,
I so totally fucked up. You know that tape I had Columbia put out as "Metallic Spheres" by "The Orb (Featuring David Gilmour)"? Well, it turns out that The Orb didn't actually intend for it to be released. In fact, they didn't do any work on it at all! According to my buddy Alex Paterson, they accidentally dropped our tape in the toilet, and this is just what it sounded like when they pulled it out. In other words, Metallic Spheres is LITERALLY your guitarwork covered in human shit!!!
But look on the bright side - Pitchfork Media liked it!
Best,
"Also, what's with this 49-year-old man calling himself "Youth"? That's a little pathetic. Maybe I should change my name to 'Alive.'"
HA HA AH HAHAH AHAH AHAHA!!HHA!!HAA!! HA AHAH HAA!!!
Some big talent might want to consider recording a concept album (movie
tie-in) about what happened to Pink Floyd between DSotM and WYWH. The
more money they made, the more bitter they became. And their masochistic
audience rewarded their every tantrum set to vinyl, renewing the
confused cycle.
I like short impressions!
I like short impressions!
(x3)
A bridge over troubled Waters!
Good to see ya reviewing ol' Dave (or in this case "alcohol soft middle-age" Dave). As 80's solo albums by 70's legends go, this is the best in my opinion. No throwaways.
I'm pretty sure 'All Lovers are Deranged' was a single
off of this one. I remember that song in pretty heavy
rotation around the Spring of 1984.
The drummer would be the late great JEFF Porcaro and the bassist would be the world class Pino Palladino, whose name any one who knows anything about top notch musicianship would recognize.
@. bassist Guy Pratt (Killing Joke, Icehouse, Pink Floyd, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Tom Jones, The Orb, Natalie Imbruglia)
#. drummer Andy Newmark (ABC, Sly & The Family Stone, McKendree Spring, Roxy Music)
$. Hammond organist Chris Stainton (Spooky Tooth, Eric Clapton)
%. pianist Jools Holland (Squeeze, Jayne County & The Electric Chairs)
^. keyboardist Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music, Quiet Sun, The Explorers)
&. classical pianist Leszek Mozdzer
*. cellist Caroline Dale (London Metropolitan Orchestra)
(. double-bassist Chris Laurence (Shusha)
). Hammond organist Georgie Fame
_. Weissenborn guitarist B.J. Cole (Cochise)
+. cornetist Robert Wyatt (Soft Machine, Matching Mole, Wilde Flowers, Daevid Allen Trio)
~. drummer Willie Wilson (Jokers Wild, Sutherland Brothers, David Gilmour)
Mark Prindle
c/o Burn Ward
Northpoint Ball Hospital
"Northpoint Ball Hospital - We're nuts about balls!"
You forgot to mention that Willie Wilson also used to play with the Kansas City Royals, where he had a lifetime .285 batting average.
More Pink Floyd-lite than latter day Pink Floyd ever dared be. I am terrified by it. Gimme The Action Swingers any day of the week. I think I prefer callow youth playing badly to old lizards who have gone so full-circle musically that they seem to have forgotten why they got into 'the biz' in the first place. To ROCK!!! and take loads of LLLLLLLLLSSSSSSSSSSSDDDDDDDDDDDDD
I was curious to see how you'd react to this one,
Prindle, so I was glad to see the new David page.
Simply the most spiritual album ever made by an avowed atheist. The mix of light/dark is perfectly balanced, and his now matured voice has become even more tender and sorrowful.
'Sleepy meditations'? When I played this album I was sent to sleep so quickly that there was no time for meditation. Yes, it's 'accomplished' and so on, but your review cleverly avoided the fact that this is an incredibly dull, 'polite' coffee-table album with little spark or passion or life. What Dave needs is someone to come onto his island with him and shake him up a bit. Which brings me to an important question: which (surviving) member of Pink Floyd would you most like to be stuck 'on an island' with? Please submit your answers below.
I need coin to buy the stuff I need to hear.
This album sounds good, especially because DG doesn't follow the PF
formula. I recall seeing him live while he was touring his second album
at the pier in NYC right next to the Intrepid, I think.
pier 56 or something.
He truly does so much better when he's not trying to be PF.
In March of 2006, the world was flush (i.e. musically in the toilet) with excitement about the miraculous Pink Floyd reunion in July 2005. Hopes for a reunion ALBUM were rightly high. But instead we got an opera by Waters (which I haven't heard yet) and this album by Gilmour. When it was previewed on his website, glory abounded, and I jumped in the car, remembered Amazon, came back in the house and ordered it online. Three weeks later it arrived in a neat package with dreamy drawings (especially of Dave and Rick jumping off a cliff in swimming trunks! Not really though). It's the most mellow solo Floyd album, besides Wright's `Wet Dream'. Besides the excellent first two tracks, this album could've REALLY used more guitar.
meh - the Pink Floydish accoutrements of Momentary Lapse Of Judgment would have been welcomed on this sleepy album. He shoulda titled this one, In A Nursing Home.
First of all, I'm listening to Billion Dollar Babies as this is written.
So Coooool!!!!
No! I did hear about it, but I don't really follow gay pornography.
Wow, talk about most impossible album name of all times! The good news
to that is that you never need speak of it.
Your review is spot-on. This is an '8' all the way. "On an Island" in its entirety is pretty nice to have on a live disc, and all the extra Floyd is great (except "Great Day for Freedom" which is just garbage). I really wish they had included "Wot's the Deal" or "Wearing the Inside Out" instead of that shit. The version of "Echoes" on here is fantastic. Not having to be "Pink Floyd" has loosened Gilmour and Wright up in their playing, and it really works. RIP Rick Wright.
To: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Sent: May 11, 2009 5:01 PM
Subject: Jam Session
Youth
To: youth@yahoo.com
Sent: May 11, 2009 5:14 PM
Subject: re: Jam Session
Dave Gilmour
To: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Sent: June 13, 2009 11:31 AM
Subject: Hay man!
Youth
To: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Sent: January 15, 2010 3:14 PM
Subject: BLOW YOUR MIND
Youth
To: youth@yahoo.com
Sent: January 28, 2010 4:11 PM
Subject: The tape
Dave
To: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Sent: February 23, 2010 9:52 PM
Subject: Your new demo
Roger Waters
Head Songwriter
Pink Floyd (The Good Years)
To: by_the_way_Im_Pink@comcast.net
Sent: February 27, 2010 1:42 PM
Subject: re: Your new demo
To: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Sent: February 27, 2010 2:13 PM
Subject: re: re: Your new demo
Roger Waters
Head Songwriter
Pink Floyd (The Good Years)
To: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Sent: March 2, 2010 6:15 PM
Subject: INCREDIBLE DRUMMING
Nick
To: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Sent: April 16, 2010 6:15 PM
Subject: From One Pork Chop Fan To Another
To: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Sent: April 16, 2010 6:47 PM
Subject: What is this shit?
The Eternal Soul of Richard Wright
To: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Sent: October 13, 2010 5:15 PM
Subject: It's out!
To: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Sent: October 14, 2010 10:35 AM
Subject: Cease and Desist
Steven Clarkenstein
Clarkenstein & Dover, LLC
To: amomentarylapse@reason.com
Sent: October 15, 2010 2:16 PM
Subject: FML
Youth
I haven’t listened to this album, but I have to tell you that this is one of the funniest reviews you’ve done. Right up there with your review of Pink’s Fun House.
Awesome review; I think you're pretty damn harsh on it but it's really not that good, and this is coming from a fan of the Orb. I don't know if you're a fan of ambient but the Orb really did make some great music in the 90's. Their first album (Adventures from Beyond the Ultraworld) is a true classic. I would say their follow ups, U.F. Orb, Orbus Terrarum, and Orblivion are essential as well. This album is not really terrible but it really sounds like something that was put together over a very short period of time. The Orb, even modern Orb, is a lot better than that. I saw a review of this album that said it was "just good enough to float away". I really like that description; it's a decent listen but nothing really happens. But give the Orb another chance!!
I think you're at a whole new level with this review. This line was the best, I laughed out loud - for real, not just the acronym!
Buy David Gilmour CDs RIGHT HERE. (click here, don't just look at it)