David Gilmour’s new solo album Luck and Strange has replaced Short N’Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter to the number one spot in the UK album chart this week.

The return of one of the UK’s most prolific guitarists comes in the form of a full-length studio album Luck And Strange, which was released on 6 September 2024 by Sony Music and is his fifth studio solo album to date. It has been nine years since English guitarist and singer-songwriter has released an album.

It is one of three of his solo albums to hit number-one status – the other two being On An Island (2006) and Rattle That Lock (2015) – alongside a flurry of singles from Luck and Strange steadily dropped since April 2024. With the first being The Piper’s Call followed by Between Two Points and Dark and Velvet Nights, the album’s title-track was released this week.

According to Rolling Stone, the album was recorded over five months at Gilmour’s Medina Studio in Hove and at Mark Knopfler’s British Grove Studios in London, with the producer Charlie Andrew.

The album grapples with themes regarding mortality and age. Turning 78 this year, it is no wonder these subjects are clearly on his mind. David Gilmour is best known for being one of the members of prolific rock band, Pink Floyd. He joined the band in 1967 and was part of the group during their most successful period. Pink Floyd, one of the most acclaimed and highest-selling bands of all-time, created some of the most ground-breaking albums in music history: The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977) and The Wall (1979).

He ranks at #28 on the Rolling Stone greatest guitarist of all-time list. If you haven’t listened to them already, here is a list of David Gilmour’s solo studio albums:
– David Gilmour (1978)
– About Face (1984)
– On an Island (2006)
– Rattle That Lock (2015)
– Luck and Strange (2024)

He is equally incredible live and David Gilmour will begin his Luck and Strange tour this month. So far, he has announced September-November shows through his website at Circus Maximus in Rome, Royal Albert Hall in London, the Intuit Dome and Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles as well as Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Luck and Strange is out and available on vinyl, CD and digital formats.

Luck and Strange tracklist:

1. Black Cat
2. Luck and Strange
3. The Piper’s Call
4. A Single Spark
5. Vita Brevis
6. Between Two Points with Romany Gilmour
7. Dark and Velvet Nights
8. Sings
9. Scattered

Bonus tracks
10. Yes, I Have Ghosts with Romany Gilmour
11. Luck and Strange (original Barn Jam)