Dez Record Guides: peter gabriel

Peter Gabriel has long been a favorite of mine, from his prog work with Genesis to his varied and often thrilling solo career. His recent work has been a huge disappointment when compared to what came before, but that seems to be the case with almost every great artist. They can only be great and groundbreaking for so long. But his decline has been particularly steep. That still does not take away from what he accomplished from 1977 to '92, though. Quite a run. He definitely doesn't have an American Idol voice, but it is one of my favorite singing voices in the textures and range of character (quite literally in his Genesis days) it conveys. His innovation in production and use of world music is also quite impressive. This Guide only addresses his solo work, not Genesis.

ABOVE: The album cover for Gabriel's debut, Peter Gabriel. His first three records are all titled Peter Gabriel (and the fourth is as well internationally, but it is called Security in the U.S.) He wanted all of his records to be called Peter Gabriel, they could be viewed like "issues of the same magazine." He figured they could be differentiated by their cover art. The record company pushed back, and eventually he capitulated. But, he kept it as minimal as possible moving forward...So, Us, Up, etc.

Peter Gabriel (aka 'car,' I) (1977) *****
Gabriel's solo debut sounds like a man released from creative restraints. Not that he wasn't able to express himself in Genesis, but Genesis was a true democracy of a band, and now Peter is able to call all of the shots. And he makes the most of the newfound freedom and authority. Opening with a look back at his prog sound ("Moribund the Burgermeister") he then dives into the future, with what may be his signature song, ode to madness/declaration of independence from Genesis "Solsbury Hill." Some have criticized this record for jumping around to different styles, but Gabriel's genre-jumping creative joy and freedom shines through and unifies it all.

Peter Gabriel (aka 'scratch,' II) (1978) ***
Gabriel working with Robert Fripp sounds like a no brainer, but Peter's sophomore effort is lacking for some reason. The opening salvo of "On the Air," "DIY" and the gorgeous, fragile "Mother of Violence" is incredibly strong, but then the record flounders a bit. Some good stuff here, but lacks the punch of the debut and the masterpiece to come.

Peter Gabriel (aka 'melt,' III) (1980) *****
Overall, this is Gabriel's crowning achievement as a solo artist. While ANCIANT and I can debate about the origin of the gated drum sound, there is no question that Peter's third solo record has been far reaching in its impact. Listening today, it still impresses with both innovation and quality of songs, that most elusive combination that can make truly great records. Innovations in production, recording and instrumentation are combined with great songs and a daring spirit, including Gabriel's first real forays into his use of world music elements in Western pop music. So is his perfect pop/rock record, but this is his perfect record as a real artist.

Security (1982) ***
I go back and forth between really liking and being left a bit cold by Gabriel's atmospheric 4th album. It includes his first big radio and MTV hit, "Shock the Monkey," but the rest is decidedly un-radio friendly.

Plays Live (live) (1983) ****
‘Birdy’(motion picture soundtrack) (1985) ***
Plays Live is a near perfect (where's "Games Without Frontiers," though?) live summary of Gabriel's pre-So music. Birdy is his first tentative soundtrack attempt, and it is a nice, moody record in its own right, although he does not venture too far from what he had already done, even using some themes from previous songs as instrumentals.

So (1986) *****
Live in Athens (live) (1987/2012) ****
Peter's commercial breakthrough, where he brings his pop sensibilities more in balance with his artistic ambitions. One of the great pop records of the 80's for smart people, it was also helped by other mediums. The groundbreaking videos on MTV drew many new fans in, and the iconic use of "In Your Eyes" in 'Say Anything' certainly helped as well. The live set from the So tour was released recently with the deluxe reissue of So, and it is a fantastic show from the era.

Passion ('Last Temptation of Christ' motion picture soundtrack) (1989) *****
I have long been a booster for this record, I think it is the finest melding of African and Middle Eastern traditional music with Western melodies and technology. Whereas other important records that use world music (Paul Simon's Graceland) are rooted more in the West but use world influence and textures, this is great because it is really rooted in Africa but with some Western influence and textures. It is mostly instrumental, but I find it captivating throughout.

Shaking the Tree – 16 Golden Greats (compilation) (1990) ***
Gabriel's first hits collection is a bit odd, and cannot be taken too seriously since it omits "In Your Eyes."

Us (1992) ****
Secret World Live (live) (1994) ***
Gabriel took awhile for a real proper mainstream follow-up to So (a pattern that he continues, as you will see), but at least this time, it was worth the wait. Us lacks the sense of discovery of So and also does not include a mercenary hit single like "Sledgehammer" or even "Big Time," but otherwise it picks up where So left off, and also offers a more personal set of songs. It is a nice combination of So's pop sensibilities but with some of Security's atmospherics.

OVO (soundtrack) (2000) *
Long Walk Home ('Rabbit Proof Fence' motion picture soundtrack) (2002) ***
Up (2002) **
Hit (compilation) (2003) ****
Things really do go off the rails, musically speaking, post-Us. Gabriel's music always was in danger of being too ponderous, but he used to be able to temper that with some wit and fun and a saving pop hook here or there. Those saving graces seem to have left him after the early 90's. After almost a decade of distracting multimedia projects, Gabriel finally returned to music, sort of, with OVO, a soundtrack to the Millennium Dome Show in London. It is a dull mess, featuring so many guests that Gabriel's presence is hard to even discern. Funny, his most compelling music since '92 has been his moody soundtrack to 'Rabbit Proof Fence.' Up was his proper follow-up to Us, and you can hear all ten years in the making. Every moment is so densely recorded and worked over that all life is squeezed out of these tracks. Hit is the best compilation available, but I don't like the random sequencing over two discs.

Scratch My Back (2010) **
New Blood (2011) ***
Live Blood (live) (2012) *
Eight years later he returns with a record of...covers. The concept is cool, he works with an orchestra with no electric instruments. Also, he wanted to release two records simultaneously, one of his covering others (Scratch My Back), and then a second record of the artists that he covers each covering one his songs (to be called, you guessed it, I'll Scratch Yours). ISY has yet to be released, though, because many of the artists have yet to deliver their end of the bargain (although some did, like Lou Reed, Paul Simon, Bon Iver) or flat out said they were not interested (Bowie, Neil Young, Arcade Fire). Radiohead supposedly was so disenchanted with his handling of their "Street Spirit" that they backed out after hearing it. These songs are all very subdued, some to the point of being comatose (although Gabriel's glacial take on Bowie's "Heroes" is fantastic, I think). He enjoyed the subsequent tour so much that he inevitably decided to give the same treatment to his own back catalogue on New Blood. Perhaps with his own songs he felt freer to take more risks, as some of these renditions are quite good and interesting. Then a pointless live record from the tour with note for note copies of what already appeared on Scratch My Back and New Blood.

Bottom Line: Peter Gabriel 1, Peter Gabriel III and So are the essentials. Hit is a workable compilation. Passion is one of my favorite pieces of music, but be warned it is not really a rock or pop record.