Your favorite PETER GABRIEL solo albums

    Quote from Backdrifter

    That's a shame you're so down on Up - I couldn't resist that - but I do get that it's quite a divisive album and not high up on most fans' lists. But I found it slowly gave up its rewards with a bit of time; it certainly wasn't an instantly good listen but I don't find it thin at all, with the exception of Barry Williams.

    By the time UP was released, it had been a long time waiting and we are talking about an artist who could do no wrong with me. As far as I am concerned, Peter pretty much walked on water artistically. So, as you can imagine, I was open, receptive and I really wanted to like UP. I didn't and it wasn't easy for me to accept. I gave it several listens throughout the years and my initial opinion hasn't changed much unfortunately.

    There are three different aspects which I find unconvincing:

    Production: Very 'dry' imo. Most of the songs were years old and had been worked on, over and over, as customary with Peter in different versions.

    It is no wonder some of them hardly sounded fresh and really 'overcooked'. Peter had always been an innovator and suddenly he was releasing an album with songs he had been sitting on for over a decade. It left me baffled.


    Tracks: Again, I think he said himself he had over a 100 songs to choose from, I think he could have probably avoided releasing re-arranged stuff like I Grieve and Sky blue. Incidentally, imo, amongst the best on the album.


    Material: The first two albums aside, Peter has always been a very consistently, strong writer. Even his fillers have some quality to them but here for my money, too many songs don't cut it or are merely OK. There's really nothing great for me.

    As I said I like Sky Blue and I Grieve, even though regarding the latter, I could live without that poppy coda. Darkness, sounds like three bits, not all them equally good, patched together and not necessarily well.

    Growing up and The BW show are imo not something Peter will be remembered by.

    I find My head sounds like that and More than this quite forgettable.

    Signal to the noise has an incredible arrangement but for my taste not enough 'meat' to it. It doesn't have the melodic quality of say, San Jacinto.

    The arrangement is really 90% of the song and The Drop is pleasant, no more than that.

    Quote from Fabrizio

    Sledgehammer is a classic but it's been so overplayed I can hardly enjoy it anymore. I prefer his songs when they make me work a bit for them. It took me years for instance to appreciate stuff like Us, the title track , or Lay your hands on me or the family and fishing net but it was definitely worth it. I can go back to these songs, after decades and they still sound fresh to me,

    I get that. But here's the thing. The So album & Sledgehammer in particular was my PG 'moment' just as Face Value & ITAT was my PC 'moment'. Hence I have never tired of any of those songs. It may happen; I have become bored to tears with certain albums by other artists I used to love. But at the moment I don't think so.

    Quote from FeelItComing

    I get that. But here's the thing. The So album & Sledgehammer in particular was my PG 'moment' just as Face Value & ITAT was my PC 'moment'. Hence I have never tired of any of those songs. It may happen; I have become bored to tears with certain albums by other artists I used to love. But at the moment I don't think so.

    I personally have to take some distance from songs or albums I over heard, to be able to enjoy them again but if doesn't bore you, more power to you. I wish I could listen to them relentlessly the way I used to.

    Quote from Fabrizio

    I personally have to take some distance from songs or albums I over heard, to be able to enjoy them again but if doesn't bore you, more power to you. I wish I could listen to them relentlessly the way I used to.

    I've thought about this and I reckon there's an element of 'having it played to me'. Partly because of its video, Sledgehammer has been played so much, it became one of those songs I kind of get fed up of hearing because it's not me deciding to play it, even though I do like it. I don't know if that makes sense! It must be something along those lines as obviously there are loads of songs I have played countless times but i don't get fed up of those. But I think you're saying something different above, ie that you do have to have a break even from playing them yourself.

    Abandon all reason

    Quote from Backdrifter

    It extends to things like, music being played in shops and restaurants etc, buskers - any scenario where music not of my choice is being inflicted on me.

    There's no doubt videos made it worse but I had the same problems with say the Beatles: years listening to them, learning the chords, the melodies, the harmonies , the lyrics took their toll. I slightly envy people who can still listen to 'Juggernauts' like Stairway to Heaven. Hotel California or Bohemian Rhapsody, once a year is enough for me. With Genesis and specifically Trick and SEBT, because I listened to them too much, I want to be sure the perfect conditions are given. I have time, I am in the mood, even the weather is perfect and I don't want to get lost in what the bass is doing on a particular song, I just want to enjoy it and perhaps wallow in nostalgia. Now, the Lamb is an entirely different animal. I did listen to it a LOT, it was necessary to even get to crack it but there's so much music and nuances and intricacy, both musically and lyrically on it, I always find something new.

    Here's the thing: Peter Gabriel only wrote Sledgehammer once. It's really not his fault that the song got played on the radio so much or the video was on MTV so many times.


    Personally, while SO is not one of my favourite albums by him, I do love Sledgehammer. For an artist who so openly praises Otis Redding, it was a surprise that it took Peter so long to write a song that felt like a genuine tribute to that kind of music, instead of spending so much time cultivating a somewhat left-of-centre image.

    Quote from Fabrizio

    Quite, yes but I am not sure what you mean when you say that he spent time cultivating a somewhat left-of-centre image.

    I'm surprised. Genuinely.


    Okay, soul and r'n'b is a mainstream musical genre and lyrics about sex are pretty commonplace. On the other hand, songs inspired by Millgram's experiments, the assassination of JFK and what Jung got up to in the jungle are not.

    Quote from StillCan'tDance

    I'm surprised. Genuinely.


    Okay, soul and r'n'b is a mainstream musical genre and lyrics about sex are pretty commonplace. On the other hand, songs inspired by Millgram's experiments, the assassination of JFK and what Jung got up to in the jungle are not.

    Don't be, I am just trying to understand and while I thank you for the examples provided I still don't get how this is cultivating a certain kind of image. He has always been ...'unusual' in the topics he picked and generally tried hard to stay away from common places. IMO successfully. Perhaps, he was cultivating an image, I am not sure why left to centre, this is the bit that really escapes me. I happen to think he was just doing the things he likes. Yes, he was influenced by Otis but let's face it, it's not like soul music was ever an option for a British boarding school kid in the 70s England. He paid a tribute with that song which is a very fine one but I truly don't believe he wasted his time either in Genesis or with his previous releases. Phil loves Motown, look when he got around to record you can't hurry love or even release an album of cover. It happens.

    Edited 2 times, last by Fabrizio ().

    I don't believe he wasted his time in Genesis or with songs such as Biko, Not One Of Us, Wallflower or The Family And The Fishing Net. I stated that those lyrics are not what is normally addressed in mainstream music. I'm not here to give you the definition of left-of-centre, though; surely you can look that up in a dictionary :)


    Phil loves Motown, that's right. He also loves The Beatles and Weather Report and r'n'b. And he wasted no time at all in paying tribute to that music on his debut album Face Value.

    i'm glad to see that the soundtrack albums -birdy, passion, ovo and long walk home- are included in the poll.


    i love the experimental rock and the dark atmosphere from the first four albums. but they all are great. my votes went to melt, security and so.

    Quote from chema

    i'm glad to see that the soundtrack albums -birdy, passion, ovo and long walk home- are included in the poll.

    I personally like those a lot but one of the many reasons I like PG is his voice, it is also one of the elements that got me hooked up on Genesis in the beginning, so as good the music might be on those albums, for me something is missing.

    I like SO as that album solidified Pete and at that point was his most commerccal success and the artistic accolades just kept pouring in the aftermath, even beating out U2 and Genesis for Sledgehammer at the MTV music awards, I think. Topping the American billboard charts with his first #1 hit single that unseated the pop single Invisible Touch. The album itself is a fine piece of work, not a weak song on the album, working with producer, Daniel Lanois who managed to get the best from Pete and the musicians working for him. My favourite songs have always varied when I listen to album depending upon the mood I'm in. Usually I find myself at times being drawn into "Don't give up" that fantastic duet with Kate Bush. Its become one of my all time favourite duets. The remaining songs on the album are equally impressive. I'l leave it at that.

    • Official Post

    Quite interesting that nobody has voted for Scratch My Back . so far ....