The title track of a live album, which was also the title track of the previous release, and therefore, the main reason for a recent tour. Stay with us, now. David Gilmour is set to release a live album capitalising on the success of his recent Luck and Strange showcase. In there were moments highlighting his more than capable guitar playing, and the sweetness of his voice, which has been preserved over the last few years. Quite the achievement for any artist, let alone one who can bulk out his set of Pink Floyd hits with capable solo works. Luck and Strange is one such work, and it serves Live from the Luck and Strange Concerts well. You would hope so, given it’s the title of the album, and the live album, and features twice in the release of this single. Eggs in the basket, then, for Gilmour, whose recent studio album offering sounds exceptional from the stage.
Some songs come into a whole new, better form when performed live. Luck and Strange is one such song. A track which benefits from being brought to the big stage this tour was carried out over. What sounds like a sombre tribute to Pink Floyd member Richard Wright on the album is a menacing, guitar-solo-led treat on stage. Polly Samson provides some excellent lyrical work which translates well to the live atmosphere. Crucial to all of that, beyond the writing and Wright’s keyboard work, is this defiant tone against the past. Gilmour is still a contemporary artist despite being seen as a figurehead of progressive rock. He would be hard-pressed to better the likes of The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, but he gets closer with each solo album. Luck and Strange is a magnificent example of this fearlessness.
From the first few notes, once the audience applause has died down, the difference is clear. Gilmour is continuing to challenge his listeners just as much as himself. It’s what defines Luck and Strange, and the live version has the liberated attitude which served Gilmour well in the studio. His legacy is intact, no matter what, and that means he can rip through the best of his work with a freedom rarely found by musicians at this age. Conservation is their hope, and it lessens the live shows as a result. Not Gilmour, who takes a leaf from the book of Bob Dylan and reinvents his best works with new instrumental tones. Not to the same extreme, but with enough difference to enjoy the spoils of a refreshed perspective on a song with decades of experience layered on it.
Wright’s keyboard on the original is a nice touch, but it doesn’t matter to the Luck and Strange live version. Beyond the changes, what remains is a brilliant flourish. Gilmour can still hit a piercing high note, the age of his voice only adding to the layers found on Luck and Strange. This live version is better than the studio offering, that much is clear from the incredible guitar work. To those dedicated Gilmour fans, that instrumental inclusion will be no surprise. But the innovative tone, the ongoing experimentation on stage as he searches for another set of fitting, almost improvised notes, is a treat. Luck and Strange (Live from the Luck and Strange Concerts) sounds like a worthy jam to a brilliant song from Gilmour’s solo career. It can hang with the best of his Pink Floyd offerings, hence why it serves as a second single from his live album.
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