Not long ago, I met a fellow Pink Floyd fan who said the one pivotal moment in his long-standing love affair with music was listening to The Dark Side of the Moon for the first time in complete darkness. The experience was said to have been utterly transcendent. Little did I know I would be experiencing a similar feat in the form of David Gilmour’s upcoming album play-through.
Luck and Strange – due to be released on 6 September through Sony Music – was gifted to a lucky few in a below-ground-level auditorium with the lights turned off and our experiencing senses lucent. Gilmour greeted his audience with humble grace before we were willingly plunged into an ethereal rock bubble. Describing the journey from idea into matter, Luck and Strange has its roots in the pandemic.
With Gilmour’s wife, Polly Samson, at the lyrical helm, years of unexpressed themes, thoughts and emotions came to fruition. Quoting the album as some of his career’s best work, Gilmour decided to take a different approach to the records production, calling up award-winning producer Charlie Andrew (Alt-J) to bring his modern touch to the music.
The album features musicians Tom Herbert and Guy Pratt on bass, Steve Gadd, Adam Betts and Steve DiStanislao on drums, and Rob Gentry and Roger Eno on keyboards. Luck and Strange also features recordings by Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright during a jam in Gilmour’s barn in 2007.
Wright passed in 2008, and a touching moment comes to call when hearing moments of his acclaimed work throughout. Gilmour’s daughter, Romany, is also featured as lead vocalist on one of the tracks, giving a beautifully executed performance.
To put it simply, Luck and Strange is nothing short of breathtaking. As Gilmour left the staging area to sit next to his family, the auditorium was blanketed in darkness as the album began to play. It was an experience I will take with me from that day forward, and, quite frankly, it has changed the way I will listen to every new album that’s dropped at my door.
However, for my eyesight, I may save it for those rare occasions when records like Luck and Strange come along. I could not recommend it highly enough.
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