At long last, we can now bring you full details of David Gilmour's new album, On An Island, which hits the stores on March 6th in the UK and Europe, and March 7th in the US.
The album will mark the release of David's first studio recordings since Pink Floyd's 1994 multi-platinum The Division Bell.
The press release makes a number of revelations about the album. "From the first moments of the sound collage that begins On An Island, you know it's a special experience that not only bears comparison with the best of Pink Floyd, but also confirms their lead guitarist and singer as an outstanding solo artist.
"Here he reveals a personal vision and a breadth of styles -- folk, jazz, orchestral and rock -- brought together as a unified piece through his lyrical guitar playing and instantly recognizable voice.
"With orchestrations by the renowned Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner and a luminous production (assisted by Roxy Music's Phil Manzanera), virtuosity abounds. On An Island Guest artists include David Crosby and Graham Nash singing harmonies, Robert Wyatt playing the cornet, Caroline Dale on cello, Alasdair Molloy on glass harmonica and Pink Floyd's Richard Wright guesting on Hammond organ.
"Gilmour shares writing credits with writer Polly Samson, continuing a collaborative partnership that began with The Division Bell. The album's songs tell of shared experiences that evoke a breadth of moods, from the hauntingly beautiful title track 'On An Island' (with a guitar performance set to enter the Gilmour canon of classics) to the meditative 'The Blue' and 'A Pocketful of Stones,' as well as the heavier rock and blues numbers 'Take A Breath' and 'This Heaven.' In the spirit of intimacy, this album sees Gilmour's debut on the saxophone, as well as contributions by contemporaries from his pre-Floyd days.
"On An Island is a collection of songs and instrumentals that had its genus in the critically acclaimed 2002 London Festival Hall concerts. Gilmour has stepped out of his super-group to discover he's still at his peak -- and he's rightly pleased. "It's my best and most personal work," he says. "Making it with my musician friends has been a positive experience on so many levels." And touring it this spring can only take him to a new high."
The ten tracks on On An Island, which has been produced by David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera and Chris Thomas, are:
Castellorizon
On An Island
The Blue
Take a Breath
Red Sky at Night
This Heaven
Then I Close My Eyes
Smile
A Pocketful of Stones
Where We Start
Additional performers on the album include David Crosby, Graham Nash, Richard Wright, Robert Wyatt, Phil Manzanera, Jools Holland, Georgie Fame, Caroline Dale, Guy Pratt, Willie Wilson, and, from Pink Floyd's earliest incarnation, Rado 'Bob' Klose. We set up a page on this site quite recently (click here to visit it) that has been showcasing each artist that appears on the album, as we've got to hear about their involvement.
Read the full Brain Damage article here.
Nice to see Rick Wright contributed vocals to The Blue, as well as playing Hammond organ on the title track. 
