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ARNOLD LAYNE

David Gilmour

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David Gilmour Arnold Layne album cover
3.29 | 30 ratings | 5 reviews | 23% 5 stars

Good, but non-essential

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Singles/EPs/Fan Club/Promo, released in 2006

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Arnold Layne - featuring David Bowie (4:02)
2. Arnold Layne - featuring Richard Wright (3:22)
3. Dark Globe - featuring Richard Wright (2:20)

Total Time: 9:44

Line-up / Musicians

- David Gilmour / guitar, vocals
- David Bowie / vocals
- Richard Wright / keyboards, vocals

Releases information

Released in 2006 by EMI (UK).
Released in 2007 by Capitol (US)

Thanks to retuow for the addition
and to mor7mx for the last updates
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DAVID GILMOUR Arnold Layne ratings distribution


3.29
(30 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of rock music(23%)
23%
Excellent addition to any rock music collection(37%)
37%
Good, but non-essential (27%)
27%
Collectors/fans only (10%)
10%
Poor. Only for completionists (3%)
3%

DAVID GILMOUR Arnold Layne reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by erik neuteboom
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars Yesterday I was in a record-shop for the first time in many weeks and to my delight, as a huge Pink Floyd fan, I noticed this special EP. The track Arnold Layne (Pink Floyd their debut single in 1967) is one of my favorite Syd Barrett era songs and when it was released the music press hailed Syd Barrett and named him a genius, mighty close to legendary tunesmiths like Lennon and Ray Davies! Well, now it's forty years ago and last year (2006) Syd Barrett died so David Gilmour teamed up with a special band to dedicate the songs on this EP to the memory of Syd Barrett, a very creative and witty musician who (in my opinion) suffered from schizophrenia and was never able to return to the life of a rock musician, too much pressure for his vulnerable personality, how sad!

This EP contains two versions of the song Arnold Layne. The first one delivers the very distinctive voice of David Bowie, to me it sounds good, also because I love Bowie his voice. The guitarwork by David Gilmour and Phil Manzanera is excellent and halfway we can enjoy that compelling organ solo (great Farfisa sound) with a strong psychedelic overtone. The second version features Rick Wright as the lead singer, he does his best but his vocals are a bit dull, fortunately his organ work in this track (a bit extended in comparison with version one) is outstanding. The third song Dark Globe is written by Syd Barrett and performed by David Gilmour on acoustic guitar and vocals, what an emotional atmosphere, so melancholical ("wouldn't you miss me?") and I even got wet eyes, the result of the sad story and the way Gimour succeeded to bring a perfect musical tribute to Syd Barrett. A big hand for him because it's hard to do this while he knew his fame and fortune was based upon the fact that he was asked to replace a good friend who was no longer able to function on a decent level as a musician.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Review by Einsetumadur
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars This single/EP is one of the appetitizer CDs for David Gilmour's Remember That Night DVD which was releaed in 2007, including Gilmour's Royal Albert Hall concert from 2006 on one DVD and a lot of bonus material of his tour on a second DVD.

Just like other reviewers have already mentioned, the CD is Gilmour's tribute to Syd Barrett who died during Gilmour's tour, in the early July 2006. Musically, this CD is very fine. At first you get two different versions of Barrett's probably most popular song, Arnold Layne. The first recording can be watched on the Remember That Night DVD and includes the great David Bowie on vocals who seems to have won the fight against the drugs and therefore sings much more stable than for example in the 70s; he has a great voice that fits well to this song. Rick Wright's solo on the Farfisa organ (respectively the Farfisa registration of his keyboard) is still very great with all those lydic, doric, modal or whatever scales - they sound quite oriental, however - which made the Pink Floyd music of the late 60s that innovative. A really nice version - just like the recording with Richard Wright on vocals which also comes from the Royal Albert Hall but was recorded a few days before. Unfortunately, it's much shorter, clocking at 3'22'' - contrary to the 4 minute David Bowie rendition.

The next song is a great rendition of Barrett's ballad Dark Globe by Gilmour - just singing and playing the acoustic guitar, just like the original recording which can be heard on Barrett's first solo album THE MADCAP LAUGHS (from 1969) in which David Gilmour participated as a bassist, rhythm guitarist and even as a producer - collaborating with his former band-mate Roger Waters. This recording of Dark Globe was a one-off-tribute-performance to Syd Barrett and couldn't be found on the regular setlist of Gilmour's latest tour. However, he handles the singing and the guitar-playing very well. However, there is no Rick Wright to be heard here, and it's the same version which you can listen to (and watch!) on the bonus DVD of "Remember that Night"!

But now the CD player would stop and go into the standby mode - after two songs, one of them available in two versions.

I don't own this CD and I ask myself if I should have bought it since I know all of its content from the "Remember that Night" DVD. Until its publication in 2007 the single was surely essential. But as an owner of Gilmours "Remember That Night" on which all of those songs are available as videos with full surround sound I have to admit that this CD is rather needless. For a live CD it is too short, but I know, it is a single and not a live album.

The music is good and I also appreciate the tribute character of the single - but I recommend buying "Remember That Night" (or Live in Gdansk) instead. I know that actually I can't criticize a single for being a single, and so I give the music 4/5 stars - but reminding you that it is in fact a CD for completionists - and not recommendable from the purely musical perspective.

Review by memowakeman
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
2 stars I can't believe 10 years have passed since the release of this EP, 10 fast years have passed since Syd Barrett died, incredible to see how time flies.

Well, this release represents a tribute that master David Gilmour did to Barrett, founder of Pink Floyd whose peculiar style has left so many memories not only musically talking, though of course we will always remember him for having started this legendary band we all love. Floyd's first single ever was Arnold Layne, released back in 1967, so Gilmour made a wonderful decision to name this release after that iconic track which was naturally composed by Syd.

So what this EP (or single?) offers is simple: 10 minutes of a very good nostalgic and heartfelt tribute in which we (the listeners) can enjoy a couple of versions of Arnold Layne and a beautiful rendition of "Dark Globe", a representative song from Barrett's solo career which was released in 1969 and produced by the same Gilmour and also by Roger Waters. Today I wanted to give it a spin, which is why I am writing this short review in order to tell you that if you find this one in a record store, buy it, of course it is not the best release ever but it is worth having in your collection, mostly if you are a PF fan.

One of the Arnold Layne versions has David Bowie's enigmatic vocals, while also Richard Wright is featured in these recordings, two lovely musicians that we also miss with al our hearts.

Now don't pay attention to my rating, because as a reviewer I have my "own rules" which don't allow me to rate releases under 20 minutes with more than 2 stars, unless it is the EP or single of my life.

Enjoy it!

Latest members reviews

2 stars This CD is my first David Gilmour CD that I purchased. I purchased this single because is a Syd Barrett's tribute and because in one song is present David Bowie. The two version of 'Arnold Lane' are equivalent. But David Bowie manages to make even more interesting 'Arnold Lane' with his voice, a ... (read more)

Report this review (#164293) | Posted by timeprog | Wednesday, March 19, 2008 | Review Permanlink

3 stars Well I must mention the detail that this single was released with two purposes: The first one, most important of all, is that this is a tribute to the late Roger Keith "Syd" Barret, who sadly died earlier in 2006. The second is to promote the DVD that will be released later in 2007, It will featu ... (read more)

Report this review (#106369) | Posted by | Sunday, January 7, 2007 | Review Permanlink

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