Recently I listened to a solo album from Roger Waters, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking (1984), and it made me realize that I need to listen to more of Pink Floyd’s members’ solo albums. Tonight, I’m listening to David Gilmour’s first solo album, David Gilmour (1978). Gilmour joined Pink Floyd in 1968 as a guitarist and vocalist following the departure of Syd Barrett. Gilmour wrote some of my favorite licks and guitar parts of all time, namely from the song “Wish You Were Here”, which is one of my favorite songs to try to play on guitar. This particular album reached up to #17 in the UK and #29 in the US charts, and has been certified gold in the US. I’m pretty stoked to check out this album, so with that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“Mihalis” starts out with some mellow and cool electric guitar chords set to a steady beat, while a mellow bass line gradually rises from the bottom of the soundscape. Oh wow, I can hear some sounds that remind me of Pink Floyd’s album, The Wall (1979). Oh wow, another guitar comes in with a little hint of twang as it seems to take on the lead melodic work in the track while the other guitar seems to swish around in the background of the track. Holy smokes, some really sweet distorted guitar comes in with a ton of flavor reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s work from the later 1970s. So far there aren’t any vocals, but I’m really digging the laid back instrumental. There’s almost a bit of breezy yacht rock vibe that reminds me a bit of Steely Dan’s Gaucho (1980). Oh wow, there are some really sweet licks from the lead electric guitar as the track gradually fades out. Super groovy tune, and I’m excited to hear more.
Holy smokes, “There’s No Way Out of Here” starts out with a really groovy sound of a building prog rock guitar sort of sound combined with a bluesy harmonica. Oh wow, there’s some vocals in this track that make the soundscape feel even more epic. Holy smokes, the swirling organs are super groovy in this track. This song has some super sweet sounds that remind me of Wish You Were Here (1975) meets The Wall (1979), both of which by Pink Floyd. I actually haven’t checked out Pink Floyd’s Animals (1977), which might be something I have to do soon. The combination of swirling organs and super sweet electric guitar set to a slow, but very groovy beat have me absolutely glued into this listening experience right now. At this point the track is sort of like 1960s psychedelic rock meet earlier 1970s prog rock, and I’m digging it. Wow, awesome track.
“Cry from the Street” starts out with some really tasty, distorted bluesy licks from an electric guitar. The drums and bass take a moment to come in, but when they do the song reminds me a lot of “Money” from Pink Floyd’s iconic album, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973). Oh wow, the vocals have a really sweet and psychedelic reverberation to them that has somehow pulled me further into the listening experience. Oh wow, the organs swirl up for a moment and break the song through to a super groovy guitar solo, while the drums, bass, and rhythm guitar all keep the tune moving along. Holy smokes, the song breaks through to a different movement with the psychedelia dialed up even higher as the guitars and organs seem to swish around and play off each other. Wow, great track.
Oh wow, “So Far Away” starts out with some super sweet piano, and is gradually joined by a slow beat and bass line that groove the tune along nicely. The track reminds me a lot of “Comfortably Numb” so far, especially with the tone of the vocals and the overall orchestration of the soundscape. Oh wow, this guitar solo is super groovy in this track, and almost brings about a yacht rock sound as the breezy background chorus vocals gradually enter the soundscape. Oh wow, the piano really hits some super flavorful notes as the song progresses, which somehow pull me further into this listening experience. Though Pink Floyd isn’t really one of my favorite bands, David Gilmour’s playing often commands your attention as the songs continue to slowly build on themselves. Wow, super sweet track.
“Short and Sweet” starts out with some really groovy and distorted guitar chords that ring out into the aether of the soundscape. Oh wow, another guitar comes in playing a palm-muted note over and over, and the song starts taking the form of what nearly sounds like an 80s pop rock ballad. That 80s pop rock ballad feeling is further enhanced as the chorus vocals gradually peer into the soundscape while the guitar seems to get gradually more 80s pop/rock-oriented. Holy smokes, the guitar part breaks down and picks up some really groovy hard and prog rock flavors. I really dig the bass line in this track. The drums and bass almost remind me a bit of Brothertiger, a vaporwave and electronica musician from recent years that seems to draw inspiration from the 80s. Super sweet track.
“Raise My Rent” starts out with some really interesting guitar work that seems to circle about the soundscape in a psychedelic and prog rock sort of fashion that I really dig. The guitar work reminds me a bit of Adam Jones’ style. Oh wow, the lead guitar comes in with some super flavorful licks that are played in that super sweet fashion that Gilmour tends to play with; nothing flashy, but each note pulls you further into the listening experience. Oh wow, I’m really digging this song so far; there aren’t any vocals, and the instrumentation somehow continually gets more flavorful while hooking me further into the music. I really dig the distant swirling organs in the background of the soundscape. Wow, great track.
“No Way” starts out with a really epic-sounding guitar part, as though you’re some sort of psychedelic cowboy on Mars leaving the saloon about to ride towards the sunset to go solve a problem of some sort. Oh wow, this track is super groovy. Oh wow, the track picks up some heavier flavors and distortion as the current jam reaches a peak. Holy smokes, the verse falls right back in place into that super slick and epic groove. I’m really digging the accentuations from the keyboards in this track, which seem to subtly make the track even more psychedelic. Oh wow, the ending guitar solo with the classic Gilmour feel continues to hook me further into the listening experience, even as the track fades out. Great track.
“Dearfinitely” gets grooving with a really interesting style that feels a bit uncomfortable, without necessarily being dissonant, but more so increasing the musical tension with a quicker beat and some interesting, spacey synths, while the guitar seems to do its own thing with somewhat psychedelic licks that also increase the overall tension in the song. I’m almost reminded a bit of art rock artists like David Byrne and Brian Eno in this track. Oh wow, the synths at the end of the track really seem to bring the soundscape to space if it wasn’t already there. Super sweet tune.
Oh wow, “I Can’t Breathe Anymore” starts out with some super sweet and mellow guitar that seems to release all of the tension built up in the previous track. The vocals soon join in, and seem to bring a calming presence to the soundscape. Oh wow, the track breaks through to a heavier groove with some distorted guitar riffs and licks, swirling organs, a big rhythm section with the drums and bass driving the tune forward, and the rising synths that seem to beckon the soundscape to different heights. Wow, great track and a great way to end the album.
Holy smokes, this is a pretty sweet album. Even though I’m not a massive fan of Pink Floyd, I do tend to enjoy their music when I listen to them, and especially the guitar work of David Gilmour as an amateur guitar player myself. Hearing this album and the mixture of art rock, prog rock, and psychedelic rock styles only have increased my interest in hearing more of Pink Floyd’s discography. If you’re enjoy the 1970s stylings of Pink Floyd or enjoy prog rock and psychedelic prog rock, and especially if you’re a guitar player and you enjoy all of those things, then you might want to consider checking out this album. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely do hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A