David Gilmour's On an Island, released in 2006, was his first solo album in 22 years since his previous album, About Face.
The album also marked his first real chart-topping success outside of Pink Floyd.
Jools Holland, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Richard Wright, Guy Pratt and Rado Klose, participated in the recording, while Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music collaborated with Gilmour and Chris Thomas on production. Most notably, Robert Wyatt played on percussion, cornet, and vocals, a collaboration that would recur on the follow-up, Rattle That Lock
Richard Wright joined Gilmour during the world tour that followed the album's release, which also included Dick Parry, the saxophonist who had collaborated with The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Division Bell.
A monumental effort from the production and musicians' perspective, especially considering the orchestral involvement in the arrangements by Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner, with the orchestra conducted by Robert Ziegler.
Some notes on the tracks:
- "Castellorizon": This is the album's opening track, with an atmospheric tone and a sound reminiscent of late-era Pink Floyd.
- "On an Island," the title track, features a very enveloping and peaceful sound, like the following "The Blue."
- "Take a Breath" is the album's rockiest track, a change of energy and atmosphere.
- "Red Sky at Night," a very atmospheric instrumental, with a prominent saxophone part, is ethereal and relaxing, one of the album's highlights.
- "This Heaven" introduces a beautiful blues track with a beautiful guitar solo.
- "Then I Close my Eyes," another atmospheric instrumental.
- "Smile" is a gorgeous acoustic track with a melodic, almost Beatles-esque atmosphere.
- "A Pocketful of Stones" is a hauntingly atmospheric song with a spacey introduction.
- "Where We Star" closes the album, a melancholy, understated, and very elegant ballad.
You can tell from the album cover: a soothing, deep blue, with Gilmour on a rock watching the birds in flight in the background. The booklet features pastoral images of him walking toward the woods with his wife (who also played piano on two tracks).
Quiet, affection, serenity, and melancholy. These are the feelings this beautiful album gives me.
Tracklist
1. Castellorizon (3:54)
2. On an Island (6:47)
3. The Blue (5:26)
4. Take a Breath (5:46)
5. Red Sky at Night (2:51)
6. This Heaven (4:25)
7. Then I Close My Eyes (5:28)
8. Smile (4:03)
9. A Pocketful of Stones (6:18)
10. Where We Start (6:46)
Duration 51:44
LineUp
- David Gilmour - electric and acoustic guitar, bass, percussion, piano (3, 9) and electric piano (2), Hammond organ (8-10), saxophone (5), vocals, cumbus (7), harmonica (7), co-producer
Featuring:
- Rado Klose - guitar (2, 3)
- Guy Pratt - bass (2, 4)
- Robert Wyatt - percussion, cornet, vocals (all 7)
- Andy Newmark - drums and percussion (7)
- Jools Holland - piano (3)
- Phil Manzanera - piano (7), keyboards (4, 6), co-producer
- Leszek Możdżer - piano (4, 9)
- Polly Samson - piano (3), vocals (8)
- Caroline Dale - cello (4, 5, 7)
- Ged Lynch - drums (4)
- Willie Wilson & The Tunemasters - drums (8)
- Lucy Wakeford - harp (9)
- Chris Thomas - keyboards (9), co-producer
- Georgie Fame - Hammond organ (6)
- Chris Stainton - Hammond organ (3)
- Graham Nash - vocals (2)
- David Crosby - vocals (2)
- Chris Laurence - double bass (5, 9)
- Alasdair Malloy - harmonica (7, 9)
- Richard Wright - Hammond organ (2), vocals (3)
- Ilan Eshkeri - programming (5, 9)
- Adam Topol - sampled drums (6)
- Jack Johnson - sampled drums (6)
- BJ Cole - Weissenborn guitar (7)
- Zbigniew Preisner - orchestral arrangements
- Robert Ziegler - conductor
- David Juritz - conductor
Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page
