On An Island "Special Edition" (2006)

David Gilmour

Columbia Records

Review of On An Island Special Edition

The music on the album, "On An Island" is heavily Gilmourfied. If you were listening to the radio and almost any track from the album was playing, you would know it was Gilmour without even knowing the song.  However, it is not the Floyd sound you are accustomed to, nor is it exactly like his earlier solo works.  This album finds Gilmour trying to actually compose music, like a Beethoven or Bach.  He is just not writing the notes to each song, but creating a compendium of instruments and sounds that at times are almost genius, but at other times are quite insane.  This tone begins with the first track "Castellorizon" and continues through the last song seemingly misnamed "Where We Start."  At times he produces an ELO sounding track, however, it seems to missing a few instruments.  Maybe he was composing for a full electric orchestra?  I would love to see how that would sound. The dreamer in me also would love to know how this album would have sounded if it was composed along side Roger Waters - but I digress.

If you already have the CD, you already know how good it is, however, the Special Edition also comes with a little booklet which is a nice to have, but not a necessity.  There is also a DVD that is a true must have to any Gilmour fan.  There are some great songs with footage from Albert Hall ("Take a Breath") and recording sessions at the legendary Abby Road studios ("Astronomy") and various songs from the New York sessions, including "Comfortably Numb" - which is a pretty good rendition of the song, but is missing the Gilmour-Waters magic.

"And I Have Become Comfortably Numb . . . . . . ."

{Reviewed by Ian Ripley}

Tracks

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David Gilmour

Pink Floyd

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This review was written by Ian Ripley. Copyright 2006, All Rights Reserved.