The recent reconciliation of Noel and Liam Gallagher, leading to the revival of Oasis, begs the question of whether the members of Pink Floyd, namely David Gilmour, Roger Waters, and Nick Mason, might also contemplate a reunion. Regardless of the slim chance for such an event, Gilmour’s fifth solo album is bound to delight Pink Floyd devotees immensely. The album exudes Gilmour’s perspective of his progressing age, a theme that echoes in Pink Floyd’s song ‘Time’ where he remains in silent despair—he will turn 79 in the following year.
The album, entitled “Luck and Strange,” features ten sombre, ballad-like tracks, mostly written by Gilmour’s wife, Polly Samson, of thirty years. Each song reveals a feared understanding of finality and tearful goodbyes. From “Dark and Velvet Nights”, questioning the nature of parting, to “The Piper’s Call”, commenting on irreversible choices, to “Scattered”, exploring the disobedient nature of time, and finally to the title track, “Luck and Strange”, pondering the temporary nature of peaceful times – the album mirrors the contemplative yet poignant essence of Pink Floyd, evoking nostalgia of 1974.
Exhibiting smooth, undulating guitar solos that intricately complement the lyrical narrative, the album exudes a calming ambiance. Specifically, the guitar solos in “Scattered” and “A Single Spark” impressively transition from soothing to cerebral.
The concluding track “Yes, I Have Ghosts”, channels a Leonard Cohen-esque mixture of grim folk music (comprising of a harp, fiddle) with echoing harmonies by Gilmour’s daughter Romany. The song combines with the album’s sentiment, expressing the inexorable progression of time as a foe. Even so, it signifies a pinnacle in Gilmour’s solo work. Pink who, did you say?