On An Island - David Gilmour

[Mike]

Released March 7th, 2006

This is a great album, starts out very relaxing, Castellorizon is an intrumental, very nice introductory song. Some of this can be characterized as similiar in style to some early Pink Floyd, and definately some hints from Dark Side of the moon with similarities to Breathe.

On an Island (the title song) is another gem, here David shows some of his more mature guitar work, vocals by Crosby and Nash.

All in all this album is very bluesy and some features excellent solos' that can be, of course, expected from Gilmour. A Pocketful Of Stones is another excellent song. Red Sky at Night reminded me a little of earlier works too, such as Us and Them with suberb saxophone and guitar work.

This is a very nice album, it's the kind of music you can really get comfortable with, easy and light yet full of interesting changes and choice craftsmanship.

Pick up a copy today, really, you will not regret it!

Well done David!!

[Batman]

I heard one of these songs on the radio. It's nice, but not as good PF, of course.

[Sweet Jane 61]

I have listened to this album only once. I heard it before it hit stores. I am still undecided about the album as a whole. I agree there are some good cuts to be heard. A friend bought it and I think I will take another listen. I need to not think Pink Floyd when listening, which is what I was doing the first time. It is easy to want to compare.

[Lucky]

I just heard this album. It's superb!

If I actually had money, I'd probably go so far as to purchase this, which surprised me...pleasantly! The songs Smile, Red Sky At Night, Pocketful of Stones, and the title track On An Island impressed me the most, I think.

[MindCrime]

This I might need to pick-up. I've been hoping for a Roger & Dave duet release for many years now. I went and saw him perform years ago or so with a group of friends & it totally rocked, especially the highlite solowork.

[Zhukoff]

Download On An Island 2006 MP3 at http://mp3sbox.net/David+Gilmour/

[pinkstones]

This album is so amazing. You have no idea. I love David Gilmour so much....such a phenomenal talent that I can't put into words. If you don't have it, buy it.

[pinkstones]

I thought I'd do a little deeper review of this record, although my previous comment does stand.

For starters, I'd put this on par with anything Pink Floyd did. I know there's two camps (Team David/Team Roger) but there's little doubt in my mind that without David Gilmour, Pink Floyd would have vanished into the ether when Syd Barrett lost his crackers. Roger may have written the words, but David gave them soul and heart. You can't just remove that and expect things to remain the same.

The album opens with Castellorizon, a bluesy instrumental based on a night he spent on the Greek island of Kastelorizo. It merges into On An Island, the first of two tracks featuring the backing vocals of Graham Nash and David Crosby. On The Blue, David's signature whammy pedal glissandos are featured heavily and evoke a feeling of sitting on a boat in a calm blue sea staring at the sky. This album also features the saxophone debut of one Mr. Gilmour and while he's no Clarence Clemons or even Dick Parry, he more than holds his own. He basically plays it like he would a guitar, staying in the pentatonic minor scales and moving up and down. It creates a great sound. This Heaven is a straight blues number and a great example of his blues guitar technique, often ignored for his rock prowess. Then I Close My Eyes is another instrumental on the album, featuring Robert Wyatt on the cornet, and you should know him as the drummer from the bad The Soft Machine. Smile is a very sweet song and shows how David's voice has been effectively unchanged by time (and thank God for that). Pocketful of Stones and Where We Start close out the album. The last track was actually a birthday present for David's wife, who asked him to make her something as a birthday gift, rather than buy something. Who wouldn't want a gift like that?

I give it a 10/10. You don't get much better than David Gilmour and one of his guitars.

[Foolonthehill]

the bad The Soft Machine.

EDIT: oh, I see. it was a typo (I hope). you meant the band The Soft Machine. because Soft Machine is excellent

Edited June 19, 2009 by Guest

[pinkstones]

EDIT: oh, I see. it was a typo (I hope). you meant the band The Soft Machine. because Soft Machine is excellent

Yeah, it was a typo. That's what I get for typing too fast and not going over everything to make sure I didn't spell something wrong.

[Foolonthehill]

[chutzpah]

Gilmour is good...I saw him in Mexico and he's still got it...the cd's ok...I've always liked the first one...I have to say "Echoes" was really good all these years later...And he did "Shine on you crazy diamond" (all of it) :guitar: as good as when I saw "Pink Floyd" (which is a very very long time ago)The whole band version...with some of "Animals" thrown in...I'm surprised sometimes about my memory (and I'm on my last brain cell)

[Uncle Paul]

I've always loved Floyd and Gilmore as a solo artist but I gotta say, I was a bit disapointed in this effort. Too mellowed out and, well, boring might be too harsh - but not far from it. I'm used to a bit more growl from Mr. Gilmore - and his guitar. This CD was very melodic and relaxing if that's what your into and yes, thank God David's voice is still as it was 40 years ago. I just can't wait for his next release - I know he's still got what I'm looking for in him.

[Helena Handcart]

I like the in-depth reviews for this album, I am in the David Gilmour camp, if there are two camps as a reviewer above suggested.