"On An Island"

I agree...Smile might be the best. Then again, I'm conflicted as I kind of like the whole album.
It's just great to have new stuff from him. And the future looks bright too.

Oh, sorry...hi, I'm new. Well, sort of...I've been lurking for quite some time. But today is such a great day, I had to sign up. (I did post a "hello" in the "Welcome to the Machine" section. I also posted a link to a pretty cool article, but I hate spammers, so I won't repeat it here unless asked.)

I just thank heavens for headphones...that's how I'm listening to it at work today!

Well Im on my second listen right now, the whole album seems alright so far. Its gonna take a few more times around before it really sticks to me i think. The title track is good. The blue is probs my fav and there are a few other ones that are so so. The only thing I don't really know about is the lyrics. A little too sappy for my liking, but oh well.

Then I Close My Eyes is fantastic. Good all around album.

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Sharp-distance

On An Island, Smile, and Where we Start are the three tunes getting the most airplay for me at the moment.

There are a lot of really interesting musical moments on the album, but I find it difficult to get involved in some of the songs. I don't know, some of it seems a bit forced. The above three songs are the most natural, and flowing tunes. They're the ones I sing along to (in a rather dodgy imitation of David)!

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Only the very safe,
Can talk about wrong and right.
Of those that are forced to choose,
There's some who will choose to fight.

On An Island, Take A Breath, and The Blue are my current favs.

'The Blue' sounds a lot like Alan Parsons from his late 1970's period. The layering, chord progressions, even the vocals are a lot like Alan Parsons would do. I like it. Sweet guitar!

I like 'Smile' except for one thing...Polly's backing vocals. Nothing against her personally, just not a sweet voice like...say...a Rachel Fury (!)

Can't wait for the concert!

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"David Gilmour can do more with one note than most guitarists can do with the whole fretboard."

Dave Mustaine (Megadeth)

More I listen to the album and more I love it.
Smile is my favorite tune.
On An Island is full of atmosphere and passion,
thanks to the soulful sound of a man and the sentimental lyrics of his woman.
A great work inspired by a deep love between Dave and Polly.

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If you want to find the source,
you have to go up, against the current.

Methinks Polly could have the sweetest voice on the planet and it wouldn't meet with the standards of TF (ie anyone who isn't Rachel Fury sucks).

For my part I think it's quite touching that polly does the vocal part. It gives a whole new personal aspect to the song.

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Only the very safe,
Can talk about wrong and right.
Of those that are forced to choose,
There's some who will choose to fight.

I think this is by far his best solo album. "Castellorizon", "On An Island", "The Blue" and "This Heaven" are my favourites. "Where We Start" and "Smile" are great too, but I think Neill MacColl's slide guitar on the live version of "Smile" is better than David's effort. "Take a Breath" is pretty cool, and "Red Sky at Night" and "Then I Close My Eyes" fits the atmosphere well. "Pocket Full of Stones" is the weakest track on the album and is a little bit boring, but the orchestration is lovely.

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ehmm....none right now

But the live version doesn't have that awesome eruption of orchestration in the middle...I love that bit...it makes the song in my opinion.

__________________
Only the very safe,
Can talk about wrong and right.
Of those that are forced to choose,
There's some who will choose to fight.

Yeah, I agree that the studio version is better. My favourites though seem to be the title track, A Pocket Full Of Stones, The Blue and the instrumentals.

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"Don't you know there ain't no devil, it's just god when he's drunk." Tom Waits

The title track is the stand-out song on the album. A classic Gilmour moment to rival any other.

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Only the very safe,
Can talk about wrong and right.
Of those that are forced to choose,
There's some who will choose to fight.

I just found out that if you buy the cd at Best Buy, it comes with a bonus song "Island Jam."

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Shine on, Syd...

RIP Rick, I'll see you at "The Great Gig In The Sky"

The case is original and silly.

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It's a crime that the swift should be held back by the slow, and it's criminal that nothing is going to rectify it.

I also found that Take a Breathe is similiar to Astronomy Domine (just listen to the beginning).

If I am not mistake, its the same chords in the intro and the verses:


E-0-0-|
B-0-0-|
G-1-0-|
D-2-1-|
A-2-1-|
E-0-0-|

(E and some odd chord )
(keep in mind this is just my ear :P)