The much-anticipated release of David Gilmour’s new studio album, Luck and Strange, has finally come and gone. I ended up picking up a copy on release day from a local retailer, but didn’t get around to listening to it until today. I have had the Japanese edition on order for months, but as of today, it hasn’t even shipped yet. Supposedly, that release will be on orange vinyl, but I don’t know if it’s going to differ in any other way from the other pressings. Also, since I haven’t seen any photos or heard anything about it since I placed my pre-order, I don’t know if it actually exists.
Checking out the information on Discogs, it looks like most copies of Luck and Strange were produced in the same way all Pink Floyd records are these days. That is to say, all copies are pressed in the Netherlands, and then distributed worldwide. Even though they may have slightly different packaging or hype stickers, it’s all actually all the same pressing of the album. It appears that there might be at least one exception to this, as the notes list the copy of the record I received (Translucent Sea Blue) as having been pressed by Memphis Record Pressing in Memphis Tennessee. Judging by the reviews of this particular version from other listeners, I was trying to temper my expectations going in.
The packaging here is quite nice, and the LP comes with a good quality, oversized lyrics booklet complete with photos. The hype sticker looks cool and really pops. With so many different colors available for this release (at least six from what I’m seeing), it’s essential that the different versions are clearly marked. At first glance, the disc itself looks ok. My copy of the record itself isn’t quite as bad as other people have described as far as rough edges, but there are some light markings on both sides. The record does feel to be a bit cheaply produced. To be honest, I would have definitely skipped the blue version (and probably all other versions) had my Japanese copy shipped out already. As things turned out, I did want to hear the album in it’s entirely without waiting maybe months to get that copy, so I decided to bite the bullet on this one.
One thing to point out right away, is that the LP version of Luck and Strange doesn’t have the bonus tracks that the CD version offers. These tracks are “Yes, I Have Ghosts” (great song, originally released as a record store day single CD), “Luck and Strange (Original Barn Jam)”, and “Scattered (Orchestral Version)”. There is a Japanese Blu-Spec version of the CD out right now, and I’ve already ordered it. I’m not entirely sure at this point if the Blu-Spec format is pure snake oil or not, but at least it’s exotic. Hopefully, there will eventually be an SHM version, but that will probably be a while down the road if it ever happens.
In addition to the bonus tracks on the CD version, there is also another extra track, “A Single Spark (Orchestral)”, available exclusively on the Blu-ray Audio version of the album. This version also comes with a Dolby Atmos mix if you are lucky enough to have a compatible system, but it will set you back another 30 USD if you are going for that extra song. Even though physical media sales are doing better now than they have in a long time, they’re still not great. I guess the strategy here is to milk the people who do buy physical editions to the fullest extent possible, forcing them to buy two or three versions of an album if they want the full experience. If for some reason you wanted every available version (why?), you would be looking at close to 1,000 USD. But is the album even good?
In my opinion, the music found here on Luck and Strange is incredible. The mix, soundstage, musicianship and writing are all great. This includes the lyrics by Polly Samson. With that being said, I can see some people being disappointed. Not all of these tracks are guitar heavy and full of solos. Honestly, the only track that, to me, feels like vintage David Gilmour, as far as solo composition goes, is “Scattered”. That’s not to say there is anything at all wrong with the rest of the tracks… quite the opposite. It just might not be exactly what some people were hoping for. It certainly doesn’t sound anything like Pink Floyd either, so it’s best to just get that out of the way right now.
My favorite tracks on the album are probably “Between Two Points”, “Dark and Velvet Nights”, and “Scattered”. “The Pipers Call” is also a standout to me. Romany Gilmour does an excellent job on vocals for “Between Two Points”, and the song has a very unique feeling to it overall. It’s still a bit strange to me that he seemingly has his entire family involved with making his music now, but it really does work. I was waiting for an appearance by the family dog, but I guess his involvement was limited to the teaser videos from a couple months ago.
So far, everything I have mentioned is about the music itself. What about the pressing? Well, it’s shockingly bad. Reviews are still coming in for the different colored pressings, but it seems most people agree the quality is horrible. It’s just an incredible shame. I thoroughly cleaned my copy on a professional grade VPI 16.5 vacuum machine, and it did nothing to quell the terrible surface noise, clicks and pops that were present throughout the entire album. It did not get better, but was less noticeable, in the louder parts of the music for obvious reasons. To top it off, there is a disturbing level of sibilance present on most tracks as well. To put it simply, this disc sounds like it’s been buried in the ground for a few months, dug up and thrown on a Crosley suitcase turntable. In the rain.
As I mentioned in previous posts, I am going to see David Gilmour twice in LA this October. I can tell you for sure that I am now infinitely more excited to see those shows. Also, it doesn’t hurt that David suggested in a recent interview that he possibly overstated the idea that he wasn’t going to be playing any Pink Floyd songs during the show. Now it’s, “of course” he will be playing a few of the expected hits. Honestly though, even if I showed up and he only played Luck and Strange, I don’t think I would go away disappointed. It really is that good.
So, do I feel that Luck and Strange is the best Gilmour solo album to date? Maybe. With the exception of Rattle That Lock (which I found to be… not good), I like every one of his solo efforts. Up until now, I would say that it was no contest, and that On an Island was by far his best work. In my opinion, Luck and Strange is right up there with it. The albums feel completely different from one another, so I think it’s going to just be a matter of preference, or for me, what mood I’m in. When On an Island first came out, I used to joke that I couldn’t listen to it while driving, because it would always put me to sleep. Not in a bad way… it’s just a very relaxing album that’s great to unwind to. Luck and Strange is totally different. The songs are upbeat, and they will certainly keep you awake. The good news is that they both exist, and you can have both.
As far as ratings are concerned, musically, Luck and Strange is a solid 10/10. The packaging itself is quite attractive, so I would say about an 8/10 in that department. The vinyl pressing itself… 2/10. The only reason it gets any points at all is because it doesn’t skip, and it’s not warped. That’s an extremely low bar for a modern-day record coming out in 2024. Should you get the album? Absolutely. Should you get a copy on vinyl? I can’t recommend it at this point. Maybe after some more reviews come in, we’ll find a color that somehow magically sounds better than the rest. If you are thinking the answer is obvious here, and that it would be the black copy, the bulk of the reviews would suggest otherwise.
With that being said, I like the album enough that I will probably try one more copy in addition to my orange Japanese version that is supposed to arrive eventually. Amazon seems to be the only logical place to get it from, since they allow you to return records if there is a problem with them. They also have an exclusive white pressing with differently cropped cover art, so at least that’s something. Barring that, I would recommend sticking with the CD, Blu-ray, or Blu-Spec CD. Not only will you get extra tracks, but you’ll also be able to listen in peace without the grating sound of a filthy record reminding you that maybe all the people who say vinyl is inferior sometimes may (just may) have a good point. It would be great if the Gilmour camp would somehow address these atrocious pressings, but don’t count on it.