Peter Gabriel

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Peter Gabriel is undoubtedly the most versatile and talented artist currently working in pop music. After a brief but memorable career as lead singer of Genesis, his solo work continued on into more diverse and exotic stylings. Around 1982 or so he started to incorporate all sorts of third world rhythms into his work, leading him to go all ga-ga over Amnesty International and the like. On the other hand, his latest pop direction has become increasingly generic...detestably so since getting therapy!

"Peter Gabriel" [1]

1. "Moribund the Burgermeister" (4:19)
2. "Solsbury Hill" (4:20)
3. "Modern Love" (3:37)
4. "Excuse Me" (3:20)
5. "Humdrum" (3:23)
6. "Slowburn" (4:34)
7. "Waiting for the Big One" (7:26)
8. "Down the Dolce Vita" (4:43)
9. "Here Comes the Flood" (5:54)

A classic album, without a doubt. The beautiful "Solsbury Hill" (which has been covered by Saga) is just one of many fantastic songs here, from the strange, gurgly "Moribund" to the anthemic "Here Comes the Flood" to the straightforward rockers "Modern Love" and "Dolce Vita". Heck, even the quirky barbershop quartet on "Excuse Me" is worth it.

The bass player on all of Peter's records is Tony Levin, who has also played with Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman & Howe, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, et al.

"Peter Gabriel" [2]

1. "On the Air" (5:30)
2. "D.I.Y." (2:37)
3. "Mother of Violence" (3:10)
4. "A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World" (3:33)
5. "White Shadow" (5:14)
6. "Indigo" (3:30)
7. "Animal Magic" (3:26)
8. "Exposure" (4:12)
9. "Flotsam and Jetsam" (2:17)
10. "Perspective" (3:23)
11. "Home Sweet Home" (4:37)

Would you believe this CD never turns up in the used bins? That is, in over 10 years of CD buying I've only seen it for sale used ONCE. (And now you're looking at it.) The fact I never went and bought it new shows you what I think of it. Not a bad album, I guess, but the music here is more in an Elvis Costello/Robert Fripp direction and thus not my favorite. In fact I haven't listened to anything past "White Shadow" in God knows how long...

1. "Intruder" (4:50)
2. "No Self Control" (3:52)
3. "Start"--instrumental (1:21)
4. "I Don't Remember" (4:48)
5. "Family Snapshot" (4:28)
6. "And Through the Wire" (4:58)
7. "Games Without Frontiers" (4:03)
8. "Not One of Us" (5:19)
9. "Lead a Normal Life" (4:12)
10. "Biko" (7:27)

The best of the best Gabriel albums. Former Genesis mate Phil Collins does most of the stick-work here, and in fact developed his trademark cavernous drum sound on this album because Pete didn't want any cymbals! None at all! And you hardly ever notice.

Each song here is an insta-classic (well, except for "Lead a Normal Life", but that's not precisely a song.) The cavernous "Intruder" (which has been covered by Primus), the danceable amnesia anthem "I Don't Remember" (covered by Daryl Braithwaite, and included on Digital Puppy II), the assassination fantasy "Family Snapshot", the quirky "Games Without Frontiers" ("Suki plays with Leo, Sascha plays with Britt/Adolf builds a bonfire, Enrico plays with it") But the real gem here is "Biko", a soaring paen to that South African dude who became the first and most popular apartheid martyr. Apartheid...remember that? Seems so long ago now...kinda like the Berlin Wall...

"Security"

1. "The Rhythm of the Heat" (5:15)
2. "San Jacinto" (6:21)
3. "I Have the Touch" (4:30)
4. "The Family and the Fishing Net" (7:00)
5. "Shock the Monkey" (5:23)
6. "Lay Your Hands on Me" (6:03)
7. "Wallflower" (6:30)
8. "Kiss of Life" (4:17)

This was where Gabriel started messing around with strange African rhythms and what-not. It was also my first introduction to his solo work--in fact, when "Shock the Monkey" came out I had no idea he and Genesis were related--and the musical and lyrical imagery was instantly compelling. Rhythm of the Heat: "Smash the radio, no outside voices here...smash the camera, cannot steal away your spirit..." San Jacinto: "Cut up land, each house a pool, kids wearing water wings, drink in cool..." Wallflower: "Loaded questions from clean white coats, their eyes are all as hidden as their Hippocratic Oath..." ...hmm that one sounds uncomfortably familiar... "Shock the Monkey" has been covered by Coal Chamber, not that it matters much...

"Lay Your Hands on Me" was the one track I never really liked, but gained a whole new appreciation for it the one and only time I saw Peter Gabriel in concert. During that song, he purposely fell backwards into the audience and let the crowd carry him halfway across the arena! (Bet he doesn't do THAT much anymore!!) Most amazing thing I've ever seen at a rock concert...well, while sober, that is. :)

"Plays Live" (live 2CD)

A classic live collection, heavy on the tunes from PG III and Security. The song "I Go Swimming" was released nowhere else that I know of.

"Birdy--Music from the Film"

1. "At Night" (2:38)
2. "Floating Dogs" (2:55)
3. "Quiet and Alone" (2:30)
4. "Close Up"--from Family Snapshot (0:58)
5. "Slow Water" (2:51)
6. "Dressing the Wound" (4:06)
7. "Birdy's Flight"--from Not One of Us (2:58)
8. "Slow Marimbas" (3:21)
9. "The Heat"--from The Rhythm of the Heat (4:41)
10. "Sketchpad with Trumpet and Voice" (3:05)
11. "Under Lock and Key"--from Wallflower (2:28)
12. "Powerhouse at the Foot of the Mountain"--from San Jacinto (2:19)

Gabriel's first attempt at a film soundtrack, and admittedly a hodgepodge of his previous work...in fact, on the liner notes he says he only refers to the tracks that "are obviously raided." Still nice and moody, cool to listen to. The movie was EXCELLENT as well (though a high school friend at the time suggest *I* reminded him of Birdy! Why I oughta...)

Peter also recorded "Walk Through the Fire" for the Against All Odds soundtrack around this time. (Yep, the same one that Phil Collins is famous for...he's actually the second of THREE Genesis members to appear on that record...)

"So"

1. "Red Rain" (5:35)
2. "Sledgehammer" (5:09)
3. "Don't Give Up" (duet w/ Kate Bush) (6:29)
4. "That Voice Again" (4:50)
5. "In Your Eyes" (5:24)
6. "Mercy Street" (6:18)
7. "Big Time" (4:25)
8. "We Do What We're Told - milgram's 37" (3:17)
9. "This is the Picture - excellent birds" (4:18)

This was Gabriel's ill-fated pop divergence, and though I liked it initially, it got way old and over-played. I cringe every time I hear "Sledgehammer" on the radio for the millionth time. To make matters worse, after this album Pete went and got himself psychological counseling, which of course is the death-knell for the tormented artist. I doubt I'll ever buy any more of his mainstream albums (unless they turn up used in the $1.99 bin, which AIN'T gonna happen...)

"Big Time" (single)

1. "Big Time"--extended mix (6:12)
2. "Curtains" (3:27)
3. "No Self Control" (3:53)
4. "Across the River" (7:09)
5. "Big Time"--seven inch version (4:28)

Bought this while in London solely for the two songs which are impossible to find anywhere else. By the way, Tower Records has a great London store...all they carry are British imports! ;-)

"Passion"--Music for The Last Temptation of Christ

1. "The Feeling Begins" (3:59)
2. "Gethsemane" (1:23)
3. "Of These, Hope" (3:54)
4. "Lazarus Raised" (1:25)
5. "Of These, Hope - reprise" (2:39)
6. "In Doubt" (1:32)
7. "A Different Drum" (4:37)
8. "Zaar" (4:50)
9. "Troubled" (2:51)
10. "Open!" (3:25)
11. "Before Night Falls" (2:16)
12. "With this Love" (3:38)
13. "Sandstorm" (2:58)
14. "Stigmata" (2:27)
15. "Passion" (7:36)
16. "With this Love - choir" (3:19)
17. "Wall of Breath" (2:25)
18. "The Promise of Shadows" (2:08)
19. "Disturbed" (3:34)
20. "It Is Accomplished" (2:54)
21. "Bread and Wine" (2:19)

I loved the movie and everything about it, but had to wait almost a year for the soundtrack to be released! Casual PG fans should note that this is an all-instrumental album, not sounding anything like his mainstream releases. (The LA Times review put it as such: "For years, Peter Gabriel fans have been waiting for 'Son of So'--instead, he has given them 'Son of Birdy'.") Pete really goes to the max here with obscure rhythms and third-world sounds, in fact just look at a sampling of the musical credits:

"Us"

1. "Come Talk to Me" (7:04)
2. "Love to be Loved" (5:16)
3. "Blood of Eden" (6:35)
4. "Steam" (6:02)
5. "Only Us" (6:30)
6. "Washing of the Water" (3:50)
7. "Digging in the Dirt" (5:16)
8. "Fourteen Black Paintings" (4:36)
9. "Kiss That Frog" (5:27)
10. "Secret World" (7:01)

Well, my decision to not buy this album seemed kinda silly, in light of the fact that it's the only pop album that Peter's released in the LAST SIXTEEN YEARS!! At least that's what I told myself when I had a $3 coupon for any $10 or more CD at the Wherehouse, and this used copy was the ONLY CD (new or used) I could find that was only $9.99...

Also, I had read on a few other review sites that this album was actually an improvement over So. What the hell were they smoking?!? With the exception of two songs, "Steam" and "Come Talk to Me", the music here is slow, boring, uninventive, pointless, and beyond dreary. You've probably heard "Digging in the Dirt" by now, well that's one of the most upbeat songs here, if you can believe that!! No wonder the former Wunderkind who penned most of Genesis's most artistic songs hasn't released an album since 1992, he ran out of good ideas! (Therapy will do that to you ever time...can I sue Peter's shrink?)

on crappy vinyl:
• "Shock the Monkey" -- 12" single b/w "Soft Dog"
• "Sledgehammer (extended dance remix)" -- 12" single b/w "Don't Break This Rhythm" & "I Have the Touch" ('85 remix)
• "Red Rain" -- 7" single b/w "GA-GA (I Go Swimming instrumental)"

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