Luck and Strange is
David Gilmour's fifth solo record and only his third of the 21st century. The
Pink Floyd guitarist clearly understands his life's privilege; he has made some of rock's most memorable music, toured its biggest stages, and been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He could easily coast along for the duration of his career. Instead, he has continued to tour, collaborated widely, advocated for numerous just causes, and donated the money from selling his home and guitars to charity. If he wants to make just one album per decade, he's earned the right. Appearing nine years after 2015's
Rattle That Lock,
Luck and Strange brings together a supporting cast that's both fresh and familiar, and also familial. To produce, he sought a more contemporary presence,
Charlie Andrew (
Alt-J), to augment veteran players like
Guy Pratt (bass) and
Steve Gadd (drums). Additionally, his daughter, singer and harpist
Romany Gilmour, plays a significant role here and even takes the lead on standout "Between Two Points," a cover of the
Montgolfier Brothers' 1999 dream pop song. As on all his records since the '90s,
Gilmour's wife,
Polly Samson, serves as lyricist and direct collaborator. The overriding tone of
Luck and Strange is ruminative, though not overly melancholic, with richly imagined songs that explore uncertain futures ("A Single Spark"), nostalgia ("Sings"), marriage ("Dark and Velvet Nights"), and a generation's halcyon days (the title cut, which is built around a pre-existing 2007 jam with late
Floyd keyboardist
Richard Wright). The arrangements, which frequently include orchestral and choral elements, feel fresher and nimbler than on his previous set, balancing out some of the album's introspection. And the youthful presence of
Romany's (as well as his son
Gabriel's) vocals is a boon, lending to the largely collaborative feel. Still, it's undeniably a
Gilmour album, woven through with the elegant, lyrical guitar playing and haunted vocals that are his signature. ~ Timothy Monger
