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| David Gilmour | Primary Artist, Guitar, Vocals |
| Roy Harper | Vocals |
| Steve Winwood | Organ, Piano, Keyboards |
| Jon Lord | Synthesizer |
| Anne Dudley | Synthesizer |
| National Philharmonic Orchestra | Strings |
| Sam Brown | Vocals |
| Vicki Brown | Vocals |
| Ray Cooper | Percussion |
| Bob Ezrin | Keyboards |
| Mickey Feat | Vocals |
| The Kick Horns | Horn |
| Luis Jardim | Percussion |
| Ian Kewley | Piano, Keyboards, Hammond Organ |
| Roddy Lorimer | Horn |
| Pino Palladino | Bass, Bass Guitar |
| Jeff Porcaro | Percussion, Drums |
| Steve Rance | Keyboards, fairlight |
| Tim Sanders | Horn |
| Barbara Snow | Horn |
| Louis Jardine | Percussion |
| Simon Clerk | Horn |
| Rob Ezrin | Keyboards |
| Simon Clarke | Horn |
| Michael Kamen | Arranger |
| Bob Ezrin | Arranger, Producer |
| David Gilmour | Producer |
| Andrew Jackson | Engineer |
| Steve Rance | Programming |
| Mike Reese | Mastering |
| Doug Sax | Mastering |
| Eric Tomlinson | Engineer |
| Kit Woolven | Engineer |
| Bob Finn | Producer |
Allegedly, at the time that the Floyd's album The Final Cut was entering pre-production, David Gilmour asked for more time in order to complete a number of songs he had been working on since the end of the Wall shows in 1981 or so. Roger Waters, by now having assumed complete control of the group, refused this request and proceeded to fill the album with his own compositions. So, many of Gilmour's songs which were intended for The Final Cut apparently wound up on About Face, Gilmour's second solo album. For the most part, they are quite excellent, both musically and lyrically. Gilmour handled the lyrics on all but two songs, on which he roped in Pete Townshend. With the exception of "Blue Light" (No-one even tangentially connected with the Floyd should ever attempt a discoesque song), the album hangs together excellently. It's hard to determine which songs are concerned with what controversy. "You Know I'm Right" is obviously about Roger Waters, and "Near the End" may be as well. "Murder", "Out of the Blue" and the two songs aimed at Waters would have fit right onto any Floyd record seamlessly. Despite his ongoing deprecation of his lyrical talents, Gilmour here proves himself at least Waters' equal, and musically he surpasses Waters' competing album of 1984, The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking. If one were searching for a mythical, "lost" Floyd album, this would have to be the top contender, with two of Waters' albums coming in a close second and third. As for what Gilmour did next, well...that's a matter of opinion, and I won't get into that here. With this nicely remastered edition of About Face, albeit with no bonus material (neither Gilmour or the Floyd as a band seem to have left too much in the cupboard), one can kick back and give the hi-fi a true workout, one it won't see this side of the Alan Parsons Project again.
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Posted October 26, 2008
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Editorial Reviews
All Music Guide - Tom Demalon
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 ...