Luck and Strange is the fifth studio album by the English guitarist and songwriter David Gilmour, released on 6 September 2024 by Sony Music. It was produced by Gilmour and Charlie Andrew. Gilmour said Andrew challenged him musically and was not intimidated by his past work with Pink Floyd.
Gilmour's wife, novelist Polly Samson, wrote most of the lyrics, which she said addressed mortality and aging. Their children contributed additional vocals, lyrics and instrumentation. The song "Luck and Strange" features keyboards recorded in 2007 by the Pink Floyd keyboardist, Richard Wright, who died in 2008. The album also features a cover of the 1999 song "Between Two Points," originally by the British band the Montgolfier Brothers.
Luck and Strange became Gilmour's third number-one album on the UK Albums Chart. "The Piper's Call," "Between Two Points," "Dark and Velvet Nights" and "Luck and Strange" were released as singles. Gilmour toured in support of the album in late 2024.
Recording
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Gilmour and his family performed music on livestreams. Gilmour said this inspired him to "discard some of the past that I'd felt bound to" and explore new musical ideas.[7] He recorded Luck and Strange over five months at his Medina Studio in Hove and at Mark Knopfler's British Grove Studios in London, with the producer Charlie Andrew.[8] Gilmour said Andrew challenged him and made him approach his songs in new ways, challenging his habits.[9] He said: "He has a wonderful lack of knowledge or respect for this past of mine. He's very direct and not in any way overawed, and I love that. That is just so good for me because the last thing you want is people just deferring to you."[7] Andrew said he was not "trying to regurgitate another Pink Floyd album, or one of [Gilmour's] solo albums".[9]
The album features musicians including Guy Pratt and Tom Herbert on bass, Adam Betts, Steve Gadd and Steve DiStanislao on drums, and Rob Gentry and Roger Eno on keyboards.[7] The strings and choir were arranged by Will Gardner and recorded in Ely Cathedral, Cambridgeshire.[7][9] Gilmour's wife, the writer Polly Samson, wrote the majority of the lyrics, which she said reflected themes of mortality and ageing.[7] She adapted the lyrics for "Dark and Velvet Nights" from a poem she composed for their wedding anniversary.[10] Their son Gabriel contributed backing vocals, and their son Charlie contributed some lyrics to "Scattered".[7]
"Luck and Strange" features keyboards recorded by the Pink Floyd keyboardist, Richard Wright, during a jam in Gilmour's barn in 2007. Wright died in 2008.[7] Gilmour built on the recording to create the final song, saying it "started developing a depth that I'd forgotten about. The playing on it is unmistakably Richard."[11] The original 14-minute jam was included as a bonus track on the digital versions of the album.[12] "The Piper's Call" was likened to early Pink Floyd.[13]
Luck and Strange features a cover of the 1999 song "Between Two Points", originally by the British band the Montgolfier Brothers.[14] Gilmour said he had been a fan of the song since its release and was surprised that it had not been a hit.[14] His daughter, Romany, performed harp and vocals.[7]Mark Tranmer of the Montgolfier Brothers said he enjoyed Gilmour's version, saying "it diverges from the original but keeps the spirit".[14] Gilmour felt Luck and Strange was his best work since the 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon by his band Pink Floyd.[15]
Release
Gilmour announced Luck and Strange on 24 April 2024.[7] It was released on 6 September,[3] and became Gilmour's third album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart.[16] The first single, "The Piper's Call", was released on 25 April.[7] "Between Two Points", was released on 17 June.[14] "Dark and Velvet Nights" was released on 9 August.[10] The album cover was photographed and designed by Anton Corbijn.[17] The day before the album was released, Gilmour published lyrics in local newspapers, such as the Cambridge News, and encouraged fans to find them.[18] The digital edition of the album includes the song "Yes, I Have Ghosts", featuring Romany Gilmour; it was originally recorded for the audiobook edition of Samson's 2020 novel A Theatre For Dreamers.[19]
Gilmour began a tour for Luck and Strange on 27 September 2024, with performances in Rome, London, Los Angeles and New York City.[20] Gilmour also performed two rehearsal concerts at Brighton Centre in Brighton.[21] His touring band includes Pratt on bass, Gentry and Greg Phillinganes on keyboards, Adam Betts on drums, Ben Worsley on guitar, and backing vocals from Louise Marshall, Charley Webb, and Hattie Webb; and his daughter Romany, who sang "Between Two Points" and backing vocals.[20][22] Gilmour said he plans to record another album with the band soon after completing the tour.[15]
^"Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 37.Týden 2024 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
