Peter Gabriel "So" (1986)

So

release date: May 19, 1986

format: cd (1988 reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]

producer: Peter Gabriel, Daniel Lanois

label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Red Rain" - 2. "Sledgehammer" (4 / 5) - 3. "Don't Give Up" (feat. Kate Bush) (4 / 5) - 5. "In Your Eyes" - 9. "This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)" (feat. Laurie Anderson)

5th studio album by Peter Gabriel following nearly four years after Gabriel's most recent studio album Peter Gabriel (1982) is his first not to be a self-titled release. It was originally released on Charisma Records, which had been absorbed by Virgin in '83. It's his second release with Canadian producer Daniel Lanois, who also co-produced Gabriel's soundtrack for the Alan Parker 1985-movie Birdy, and two years earlier, Gabriel also released the live-album Plays Live (1983). On So, Gabriel has gathered some of his usual backing band musicians including guitarist David Rhodes, bassist Tony Levin, and drummer Jerry Marotta, but what's more striking is a rather long list of studio musicians as well as featuring artists, which include Manu Katché, Michael Been (The Call), Kate Bush, Jim Kerr (Simple Minds), Laurie Anderson, Stewart Copeland (The Police), Nile Rodgers, Bill Laswell, Richard Tee, P.P. Arnold, Ronnie Bright, Youssou N'Dour... and several others. Artists and musicians from various eras, from all kinds of styles. and from every corner of the world. The song "This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)" co-written by Laurie Anderson was orginally included on her '84-album Mister Heartbreak. The album here is without keyboardist Larry Fast, who participated on Gabriel's first four solo albums, and Gabriel himself is then credited for playing keyboards, synths and doing electronic programming - something he initiated doing with the Birdy-soundtrack.

The album continues the stylistic approach he initiated with his '82-album and particular his inclusion of African and Latin American rhythm sections, but where the former album was more experimental and without strong melody structure, So is an even stronger conglomerate of styles but with focus on harmony and melody song structure, which also makes it his so far boldest mainstream pop / rock album.

Alledgedly, the title is Gabriel's small protest to label distributors and directors' idea that albums must have a title, so he came up with the small sarcastic answer: "[So] here it is!". The album is Gabriel's breakthrough, which took him all the way from cult-figure status to stadium arenas, and the album soon topped the charts all over the world with number #1 positions in the UK, Canada, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, a secondplace on the US Billboard 200, and selling multi-platinum in several countries. Music critics also saw it as a groundbreaking album, and in retrospect it's generally seen as his best effort. No less than five singles were chosen for single releases: "Sledgehammer" preceeded the album release and its success - aided by a state-of-the-art music-video (winning 9 awards at the '87 MTV Video Music Award, and winning "British Video of the Year" at the Brit Awards) - made way for "In Your Eyes", "Don't Give Up", "Big Time" and "Red Rain", and all singles made top-10 entries on single charts world-wide.

I recall the "Sledgehammer"-music video on MTV, and although, I wasn't a huge fan, I understood its general appeal. From my perspective, So was mainstream music made for people, who listened to Tina Turner, Springsteen's Born in the USA, Diana Ross, Madonna, Sting, Jean-Michel Jarre, Phil Collins and the like. Basically, music you couldn't avoid, and to me, Gabriel was talented but not an artist I adored. I ended up liking his music more after coming accross The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis at some point around '93/94 and soon after I purchased his Secret World Live album (1994). Yes, So is fine - I do, however, understand why Paul Simon's Graceland won Album of the Year in '86 'cause I like that so much more, but Gabriel's album is nevertheless something you simply need to know of. I don't consider it my favourite Peter Gabriel album, but it's still highly recommended. My favourite track is "Don't Give Up" where Kate Bush simply gives that extra stellar quality to a classic song.

[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Mojo, Q, Uncut 4 / 5, Pitchfork 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 5 / 5 stars ]

Peter Gabriel "Peter Gabriel" (4) (1982)

Peter Gabriel (4) 

release date: Sep. 6, 1982

format: digital (2003 reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]

producer: David Lord & Peter Gabriel

label: Virgin / Real World - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Rhythm of the Heat" - 3. "I Have the Touch" - 5. "Shock the Monkey" (4 / 5) (official video) - 6. "Lay Your Hands on Me" - 7. "Wallflower" - 8. "Kiss of Life"

4th studio album by Peter Gabriel released 2½ years after Peter Gabriel (1980) is his last self-titled album and the first to be co-produced by Gabriel. This time he has teamed up with classical composer but also fairly inexperienced music-producer David Lord. Much as usual, the album is made with a handful of stable backing band musicians, which include guitarist David Rhodes, bassist Tony Levin, keyboardist Larry Fast and drummer Jerry Marotta. To distinguish this from the former three studio albums, also titled "Peter Gabriel", this is also found as "Peter Gabriel 4" or: "Peter Gabriel IV", and it's commonly referred to as 'Security' referencing the front cover - this title has also been used for American releases.

The album lands somewhere in-between his last two albums - not really being up there with his fine third album, but nevertheless bettering his second album out, which by no means makes it on par with his debut 'cause they're so very different albums. Musically, it's not as straight-forward as his acclaimed 1980-album but it still contains some fine songs. There's a stronger presence of 'world music' in the rhythm sections but also a more experimental compositional approach with 'progressive pop' influence. Three tracks #3, #5 and #7 were selected for single release with "Shock the Monkey" as the album's clearly best-faring single and one Gabriel's best-charting singles to date. It topped as a decent number #58 in the UK but made three top-10 charts: number #10 in Canada, number #3 in Italy, and top of the charts in the US on the Mainstream Rock list (number #29 on the Billboard Hot 100) as one of a total of four singles by Gabriel ever to reach that position in the US.

The album may be his most incoherent album, but still contains great ideas - especially his incorporation of African rhythm sections occasionally shines through but comes better out on his following albums.

Not essential.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Q Magazine, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]

Peter Gabriel "Peter Gabriel" (3) (1980)

Peter Gabriel (3)

release date: May 23, 1980

format: digital (2003 reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,90]

producer: Steve Lillywhite

label: Virgin / Real World - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Intruder" - 2. "No Self Control" - 4. "I Don't Remember" (4 / 5) (official video) - 5. "Family Snapshot" - 6. "And Through the Wire" - 7. "Games Without Frontiers" (official video) - 8. "Not One of Us" - 10. "Biko" (4,5 / 5) (official video)

3rd studio album by Peter Gabriel and his third of four consecutive albums to be self-titled follows two years after his '78-album and is made with upcoming new wave-producer Steve Lillywhite, who would later in the year (and forwardly) be associated with the sound of U2. The album was also released as "Peter Gabriel 3" / "Peter Gabriel III", and is also referred to as 'Melt' with reference to its cover. Stable backing band musicians like drummer Jerry Marotta, keyboardist Larry Fast and guitarist David Rhodes contribute on most tracks, Phil Collins plays drums on three tracks, guitarist Robert Fripp is credited on three. The album also features Kate Bush, who sings backing vocals on tracks #2 and #7, XTC-guitarist Dave Gregory features on tracks #4 and #5, and The Jam-frontfigure Paul Weller is credited as guitarist on track #6.

Musically, the album introduces a new move towards a more original blend of art pop (with some influences from Bowie and Eno) and new wave, but it's also Gabriel's first album to showcase his inspiration and admiration for African music and / or world music in general - especially heard on "Biko" but also on track #9.

The album was met by fine reviews, and over the years, the album has only gained strong status for its mix of styles as well as its original sound. It's also Gabriel's first of two albums to top the albums chart list in the UK. Atlantic Records, who had distributed Gabriel's two first albums, dismissed the album, which then found its way to Mercury; however, the album also performed better in the US than his previous albums by reaching position #22 on the US Billboard 200. "Biko" and "I Don't Remember" were selected for single releases with the former peaking at number #38 on the singles chart, and the latter has no registrations except for a position as number #107 on the US Billboard Hot 100 [107 in 100 positions?]; however, both eventually gained status as classic signature tracks for Gabriel. The album is the second of two albums by Gabriel to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

Despite being released in the midst of / at beginning of other stylistic strongholds like new wave, post-punk, new romantic and synth-pop, Gabriel's third album, which is none of that, is simply an album not to overlook. It's simply one of his absolute best and highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Mojo, 5 / 5, Uncut 4,5 / 5, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Peter Gabriel "Peter Gabriel" (2) (1978)

Peter Gabriel (2)

release date: Jun. 3, 1978

format: digital (2007 remaster)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]

producer: Robert Fripp

label: Virgin / Charisma / Real World - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "On the Air" (live '78) - 2. "D.I.Y." - 3. "Mother of Violence" - 7. "Animal Magic" - 10. "Perspective" - 11. "Home Sweet Home"

2nd studio album by Peter Gabriel following his like-wise self-titled '77 debut album has Robert Fripp in the producer seat. All 11 compositions are credited Gabriel, of which two are made as collaborative works. Track #3 is co-written by Gabriel's wife Jill Gabriel and track #8 is co-composed by Robert Fripp, who is also credited on guitar (and 'Frippertronics'), as was the case on Gabriel's debut. Also American guitarist Sid McGinnis is credited on an album with two other re-appearing artists: bassist Tony Levin and keyboardist Larry Fast. Then also Springsteen (E-Street Band) stable keyboardist Roy Bittan contributes, and the album feature drummer Jerry Marotta as part of the backing band for his first of many albums for Gabriel. Some issues were titled "Peter Gabriel II", or simply "2" (especially 2002-issues), and it's often referred to as 'Scratch' with reference to the cover.

Like his 77-album this is another chapter in progressive rock / art rock territory with influences from typical contemporary glam rock (as embodied in Lou Reed, David Bowie, Roxy Music), and it does sound somewhat like leftovers from his fine debut, ultimately making it less interesting but also taking a position as the typical difficult sophomore follow-up, simply by being a more inconsistent collection of songs, where especially the first three compositions make promises of something better.

[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Uncut 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone Album Guide 3 / 5 stars ]

Peter Gabriel "Peter Gabriel" (1) (1977)

Peter Gabriel (1) [debut]

release date: Feb. 10, 1977

format: cd (2003 remaster)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]

producer: Bob Ezrin

label: Virgin Japan / Real World - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Moribund the Burgermeister" (live) - 2. "Solsbury Hill" (4 / 5) (official video) (live montage) - 3. "Modern Love" (official video) - 6. "Slowburn" - 8. "Down the Dolce Vita" - 9. "Here Comes the Flood"

Studio solo album debut by Peter Gabriel released two years after leaving the succesful British prog rock band Genesis is Gabriel's first of four consecutive studio albums with identical titles - all of which originally released on Charisma Records. The album is commonly referred to as "Peter Gabriel 1" / "Peter Gabriel I"or simply: 'Car' with reference to the front cover. Gabriel has gathered up a list of fine backing musicians for the album, including guitarist Robert Fripp (of King Crimson), and a list of American musicians: guitarist Steve Hunter, session bassist Tony Levin, keyboardist Larry Fast, drummer Allan Schwartzberg and percussionist Jimmy Maelen. Fripp would re-join Gabriel on his two following studio releases, Fast on the next three albums, and Tony Levin would be a stable musician on all of Gabriel's future albums.

Stilistically, Gabriel is still working in the style of prog rock but has turned his back on the longer progressive part of the music and turned to a combo of Lou Reed / David Bowie / Brian Eno / Roxy Music-type of glam rock and art rock using both guitars and synths.

It's an album that refers to and builds on the established traditions of popular music, instead of embracing elements from the punk rock invironment, but it's still a mighty fine release taking rock to new grounds. The album is the first of three Peter Gabriel albums to be included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Record Mirror 4 / 5, Uncut 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]

Genesis "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" (1974)

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

release date: Nov. 18, 1974

format: 2 cd (2014 remaster)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]

producer: John Burns & Genesis

label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights, Disc 1: 1. "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" (Gabriel live '78) - 2. "Fly on a Windshield" - 3. "Broadway Melody of 1974" - 5. "In the Cage" - 7. "Back in N. Y. C." - 9. "Counting Out Time" - 10. "Carpet Crawlers" (4 / 5) - - Disc 2: 3. "Anyway" - 5. "The Lamia" - 9. "The Light Dies Down on Broadway" - 10. "Riding the Scree"

6th studio album by Genesis following one year after Selling England by the Pound is the band's last album to feature vocalist Peter Gabriel. The album is like the predecessor produced in a collaboration by John Burns and Genesis (Burns is also credited as sound engineer on Foxtrot, 1972), and it's originally released as a double vinyl album on Charisma Records consisting of 23 tracks with a total playing time above 1 hour and 34 minutes. The album is a conceptual album with Gabriel's story of a young Puerto Rican entering the capitalist centre of New York, and it's also known for the partecipation of Brian Eno on two compositions (#5 and #6). As with the bands previous two albums all songs are credited all five band members: Peter Gabriel (vocals, flute, varied instruments), Steve Hackett (guitars), Mike Rutherford (bass, 12-string guitar), Tony Banks (organ, keyboards, synths) and Phil Collins (drums, percussion, lead vocals on #9, #15, #18); although, in reality all but Gabriel worked on the music and Gabriel insisted on writing all lyrics with the result that vocals were put down (in another studio) after the music had been composed.

Musically, it's still very much 'prog rock' with experimental traits and with the most promissing songs on the first part - the vinyl A- and B-sides and Disc 1 for cd issues - and most of the more experimental stuff on the second half.

The album was released to mixed reviews but has gained status over the years as perhaps the bands absolute best. It peaked as number #10 on the British albums chart list and at number #41 on the US Billboard 200. Two songs were selected for single releases: "Counting Out Time" preceeding the album on Nov. 1st, and track #10 released as "The Carpet Crawlers" Apr. '75, making it to number #53 and #54 respectively on the British singles chart list. The latter was re-recorded in '95 and released i '99 with Collins and Gabriel sharing lead vocals as "The Carpet Crawlers 99". The album is the second consecutive album by Genesis to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway may be an overblown conceptual idea with lots of progressive rock tracks, and perhaps with a little too much music, but as a statement of the band's musical cleverness and Gabriel's narrating skills it's simply Genesis at its artistic peak. During the following tour Gabriel announced his parting with the band, which saw him pursue a great solo career, and Genesis began another music chapter with Collins as lead vocalist and better charting albums, although, the band in terms of originality and quality never again performed at this level. Although, it wasn't the first album I came accross by this band, it's nonetheless the absolute best by Genesis, imho.

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Rolling Stone Album Guide 4 / 5 stars ]

Genesis "Selling England by the Pound" (1973)

Selling England by the Pound

release date: Oct. 13, 1973

format: cd (1986 reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]

producer: John Burns & Genesis

label: Virgin / Charisma - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" (live) - 3. "Firth of Fifth" - 5. "The Battle of Epping Forest" - 7. "The Cinema Show"

5th studio album by Genesis following one year after Foxtrot and only two months after the band's first live album Genesis Live. Co-producer John Burns had worked as sound engineer on the '72-album and would also produce the band's follow-up album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1975). The band remains the stable quintet of vocalist Peter Gabriel, guitarist Steve Hackett, bassist Mike Rutherford, keyboardist Tony Banks and drummer Phil Collins, and although, Gabriel wrote all lyrics, all five are credited the album's eight tracks, which has a total playing time at just under 54 minutes.

Musically, it's first and foremost a prog rock album with an overall theme reflecting on old nostalgic England in a contemporary modern era of economic and social crisis.

The album was met by positive reviews and became the band's first top-3 charting album, and retrospect reviews has put the album near the very top on lists of the best prog rock albums ever. It's also the band's first of only two albums to be included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

Together with the successor, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, this represents the most daring and artistic original version of the band Genesis.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]