Peter Gabriel Retrospective: Album 09- I/O (Bright Side/Dark Side Mix)

 

Album:  I/O

Year Released:    2023

Lineup: 

Principal musicians

• Peter Gabriel – lead vocals, backing vocals, treated vocals (on "And Still") keyboards, synths, piano (on "The Court", "So Much", "Olive Tree", "Love Can Heal", "And Still" and "Live and Let Live"), programming (on "Panopticom", "The Court", "I/O", "Road to Joy", "Olive Tree", "This Is Home", "And Still" and "Live and Let Live"), percussion (on "Four Kinds of Horses", "Love Can Heal", and "Live and Let Live"), manipulated charango (on "Road to Joy"), glass harp (on "And Still")
• David Rhodes – guitars (except on "Playing for Time"), acoustic guitar (on "Olive Tree"), acoustic 12 string guitar (on "So Much" and "Olive Tree"), backing vocals
• Tony Levin – basses
• Manu Katché – drums (except on "Four Kinds of Horses", "So Much","Love Can Heal" and "And Still")
• Ged Lynch – percussion (on "Olive Tree", "Love Can Heal", and "And Still")
• Tom Cawley – piano (on "Playing for Time")
• Evan Smith – saxophone (on "Olive Tree")
• Josh Shpak – trumpet (on "Road to Joy" and "Olive Tree")
• Melanie Gabriel – backing vocals (on "The Court", "Four Kinds of Horses", "So Much", "Love Can Heal" and "Live and Let Live)
• Ríoghnach Connolly – backing vocals (on "Panopticom", "Love Can Heal" and "This Is Home")
• Jennie Abrahamson – backing vocals (on "Love Can Heal")
• Linnea Olsson – cello (on "Love Can Heal"), backing vocals (on "Love Can Heal")
• Angie Pollock – synths (on "Love Can Heal")
• Brian Eno – synths (on "Panopticom", "The Court", "This Is Home" and "Live and Let Live"), bells (on "Panopticom"), percussion (on "The Court"), rhythm programming and progressing (on "Four Kinds of Horses" and "Road to Joy"), electric worms and additional synths (on "Four Kinds of Horses"), manipulated guitar and ukulele (on "Road to Joy"), rhythm programming (on "Live and Let Live")
• Oli Jacobs – synths (on "Panopticom", "Playing for Time", "I/O" and "This Is Home"), programming (on "Panopticom", "The Court", "I/O", "This Is Home" and "Live and Let Live"), piano (on "Four Kinds of Horses"), tambourine (on "This is Home")
• Don-E – bass synth (on "Road to Joy")
• Katie May – acoustic guitar (on "Panopticom" and "I/O"), percussion (on "The Court", "This Is Home" and "Live and Let Live"), Rickenbacker guitar (on "I/O"), synths (on "I/O"), rhythm programming (on "Four Kinds of Horses"), guitar effects (on "Love Can Heal")
• Richard Evans – D whistle (on "I/O"), mandolin (on "Olive Tree")
• Richard Chappell – programming (on "Panopticom", "The Court", "I/O", "Olive Tree", "And Still" and "Live and Let Live")
• Richard Russell – filtered percussion (on "Four Kinds of Horses")
• Hans-Martin Buff – additional percussion and synths (on "Road to Joy")
• Ron Aslan – additional synths (on "Road to Joy")
• Oli Middleton – percussion (on "This Is Home")
• Paolo Fresu – trumpet (on "Live and Let Live")
• Steve Gadd – brush loop (on "Live and Let Live")

Orchestral and choral musicians

• Violins: Everton Nelson, Ian Humphries, Louisa Fuller, Charles Mutter, Cathy Thompson, Natalia Bonner, Richard George, Marianne Haynes, Martin Burgess, Clare Hayes, Debbie Widdup, Odile Ollagnon
• Violas: Bruce White, Fiona Bonds, Peter Lale, Rachel Roberts
• Cellos: Ian Burdge (including solo cello on "And Still"), Chris Worsey, Caroline Dale, William Schofield, Tony Woollard, Chris Allan
• Double basses: Chris Laurence, Stacey Watton, Lucy Shaw
• Trumpet: Andrew Crowley
• Tenor trombone/Euphonium: Andy Wood
• Tenor trombone: Tracy Holloway
• Bass trombone: Richard Henry
• Tuba: David Powell
• French horn: David Pyatt, Richard Bissill
• Flute: Eliza Marshall
• Orchestra conductor: John Metcalfe
• Orchestra leader: Everton Nelson
• Orchestral arrangements: John Metcalfe, Peter Gabriel (on "The Court", "So Much", "Olive Tree", "And Still" and "Live and Let Live") and Ed Shearmur (on "Playing for Time")
• The Soweto Gospel Choir: (on "I/O", "Road to Joy" and "Live and Let Live")^[66]
  • Soprano: Linda Sambo, Nobuhle Dhlamini, Phello Jiyane, Victoria Sithole
  • Alto: Maserame Ndindwa, Phumla Nkhumeleni, Zanele Ngwenya, Duduzile Ngomane
  • Tenor: George Kaudi, Vusimuzi Shabalala, Xolani Ntombela, Victor Makhathini
  • Bass: Thabang Mkhwanazi, Goodwill Modawu, Warren Mahlangu, Fanizile Nzuza
  • Soloists: Phello Jiyane (Soprano), Duduzile Ngomane (Alto), Vusimuzi Shabalala (Tenor), Fanizile Nzuza (Bass), Victor Makhathini (Male voice Zulu improvisations), Phumla Nkhumeleni (Female ululating and chanting) (on "Live and Let Live")
  • Musical director / vocal arranger: Bongani (Honey) Ncube
• Orphei Drängar: (on "This Is Home")
  • Conductor: Cecilia Rydinger [sv]
  • Choir arrangement: Peter Gabriel with Dom Shaw and Cecilia Rydinger

Track listing:

1. "Panopticom"         5:13

2. "The Court"         4:20

3. "Playing for Time" 6:17

4. "I/O"                         3:52

5. "Four Kinds of Horses" 6:47

6. "Road to Joy"                 5:21

7. "So Much"         4:50

8. "Olive Tree"         5:59

9. "Love Can Heal" 5:59

10. "This Is Home" 5:04

11. "And Still"         7:41

12. "Live and Let Live" 6:46

Overall Thoughts:

Twenty one years passed between Gabriel's last album of original matieral (Up) and I/O.  I/O was composed of twelve songs, and each song had two different mixes- a 'Bright Side' and a 'Dark Side'.  Taking advantage of social media, Gabriel released one song at the New Moon every month before finally releasing the album in 2023.

And it's... OK.  There's no bad songs here.  But there's nothing memorable.  I keep listening to the songs and none of the songs are sticking with me.  This album seems to speak to a lot of people, but it's eluding me.  And because I can't understand why, I can't offer an explanation.  There is no lyric or music that is having any staying power.  It's technically excellent but completely forgettable- to me.  I'd be fascinated what other people who are fans of Gabriel think of the album.

As this is the final Gabriel album, I appreciate everyone who has read these.  In the past year I've gone through the discography of two of my favorite musical artists.  I don't know if I'll continue these with another artist, but it's been fun.  Thank you all for reading.

Ranking of Peter Gabriel Albums (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. So
2. Up
3. Peter Gabriel (Melt)
4. And I'll Scratch Yours
5. Us
6. Security
7. Peter Gabriel (Car)
8. Scratch My Back
9. I/O
10. Peter Gabriel (Scratch)

Top 10 Peter Gabriel Songs (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. "In Your Eyes", So
2. "Don't Give Up", So
3. "Mercy Street", So
4. "Red Rain", So
5. "Solsbury Hill", Peter Gabriel (Car)
6. "Darkness", Up
7. "That Voice Again", So
8. "Sky Blue", Up
9. "Only Us", Us
10. "Wallflower", Security