David Gilmour’s The Piper’s Call: Reflecting on Life with Lush Psychedelic Flair

One of the most iconic parts of Pink Floyd’s biggest hits was David Gilmour’s lush vocals and virtuosic guitar. Ultimately, the rift between Gilmour and Waters caused Roger to leave the band in 1985 and Floyd never really hit the heights of records like Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall ever again. Having said that, I have always loved Gilmour’s vocal and guitar work during those 70s and 80s records. Gilmour himself would put out a few solo records and actively toured throughout the 1980s and 2000s. Well, he is back again with the lead single off his new record, so let’s see what we have.

Musically, this is an interesting track with a lot to keep you interested. We start with a rootsy acoustic arrangement that plays more organic than his trippy work with Floyd. However, this is merely a facade as the track builds to an epic chorus full of lush guitar, some well placed synth and trippy bass riffs reminiscent of Dark Side of the Moon. I found Glimour’s guitar work on this track impeccable and able to provide both the psychedelic vibe you are looking for, but still grounded in good old rock and roll. To be honest, the chorus is quite a wall of sound, which stands in stark contrast to the sparse acoustic intro. However, Floyd was known for these conflicting arrangements in their work, so it is not surprising that Gilmour brought that over to this track.

His vocals and the song’s themes are both mature and insightful. You can hear the years and weathering on his vocal during the first few verses, but this adds to the themes of looking back on life…so it is not out of place. He sings about how the road to hell is paved with gold and the foolish quest people go on to capture eternal youth. Moreover, he sings about the destructive force of constantly chasing fame. This reads as someone looking back on their lives and seeing where getting caught up in material wealth, fame and ego cost them true happiness. You don’t get the idea that he would change anything, but this is more about a man coming to terms with where he went wrong in life.

Now, where the song really kicks in for me is in the chorus. Gilmour ‘s vocals throw all the way back to Comfortably Numb as he just crushes the chorus in an epic explosion of sound. His smooth and lush vocals cover every surface and fill every corner of the track beautifully. I have always loved his vocals, so the chorus really worked for me.

This is an interesting track from Gilmour, which is both new and fresh, but also throwing back to the 70s and 80s. Above all else, this is a mature track that is very relatable. We can all think back on times in our lives that we chased material goods or money…for nothing. Things that felt do or die in youth ultimately led to nothing in the grand scheme of things. Above all else, it is great to hear Gilmour shred on a guitar and belt out a chorus.

Listen to The Piper’s Call