ABOUT FACE

The first relevant thing in this album is the lineup and the additional musicians. Jeff Porcaro from Toto at drums, Pino Palladino at bass and between the others Jon Lord, Roy Harper, Steve Winwood and the future chorist of Pink Floyd tours Sam Brown (a couple of nice solo blues albums from her).

The album is dated to the 80s and this is its weakness, but I have to say that technically speaking it has been one of the best releaases in the 80s. In the same year Gilmour played in Pete Townsend's White City, so Twonsend appears in David's album as well. Also a remarkable exhibition at Rockpalast featuring the Mike Oldfield's percussionist should be available somewhere.

The opener is just a rock song on which Gilmour's guitar is the only thing that reminds to the Pink Floyd's sound. More similar to what Gilmour was doing in other's albums like Bryan Ferry's Boys and Girls during that time. "Murder" is a ballad that starts acoustic. Far from things like Fat Old Sun, but not bad at all. Ok, we can forget Gilmour as lyricist, but the song is good and Palladino's fretkess bass (a mode in the 80s) makes a good work.

"Love on the Air" is weak in the lyrics and maybe a bit trivial in the melody but is nice enough. Surely not a track to be skipped. A good pop song.

The funky of "Blue Light", the hit single from the album seems distant from Pink Floyd at a first impact, but if you think to things like Run Like Hell this is not so far.

"Out of the Blue" which closes the side A is the kind of slow ballad that Gilmour will place in the same position on A Momentary Leapse Of Reason.

Side B starts as Side A. "All Lovers Are Deranged" is like an extension of "Until We Sleep" and to remain in this line, "You Know I'm RIght" is another slow song as "Murder" is on side A. This I think is the best track of the album. Closer to the sounds of Gilmour's solo debut.

"Cruise" is a country-rock ballad with a particularity. The coda is the only concession that any Pink Floyd member has ever done to the Reggae music. Also this was typical of the 80s, but the result is not too bad, specially thanks to Jeff Porcaro's work on the drums.

I'm used to consider the last two tracks as just one. "Let's Get Metaphysical" is an instrumental highly dramatic that works well as introduction to "Near the End". This song is about growing old. The same theme of songs like "Free Four" or "Time" with an acoustic guitar that reminds to Roger Waters....It's possible that this song was written before the breakdown following The Final Cut.

This album is not a masterpiece but is well played by very skilled musicians. The songs are musically not bad, even though the arrangements are deeply inside the 80s and we all know that before High Hopes Gilmour was not famous for his poetry.

I have to say that I still listen to it sometimes. It represents an anticipation of the future Pink Floyd's works. Effectively A Momentary Leapse of Reason is made of songs that David had written for his next planned solo album.

3 stars