David Gilmour released his second solo venture in 1984, following the apparent dissolution of
Pink Floyd. He had released a record on his own in 1978, but
About Face is much more accessible.
Gilmour has a stellar band backing him, including
Jeff Porcaro (drums),
Pino Palladino (bass), and
Anne Dudley (synthesizer). The songs on
About Face show a pop sensibility that
Pink Floyd rarely was concerned with achieving. Although the album didn't attract the attention of a Floyd release, several cuts did manage to get airplay. "Until We Sleep" is rife with shimmering synthesizers and cavernous drums, and "Blue Light" was a minor pop hit, with
Gilmour's trademark delay-drenched guitar giving way to a driving, horn-laced rocker.
Pete Townshend wrote two of the tracks: "Love on the Air" and the propulsive "All Lovers Are Deranged." Of course, there's more than enough of
Gilmour's fluid guitar playing to satisfy, including the gorgeous "Murder," a gentle acoustic track that explodes with some fiery organ by
Steve Winwood and concludes with a fierce coda.
About Face is well-honed rock album that is riveting from beginning to end. ~ Tom Demalon