Album: Up
Year Released: 2002
Lineup (numbers are the tracks in order):
- Peter Gabriel – vocals (all tracks), piano (1, 3–4, 7–8, 10), keyboards (1, 3, 5), JamMan (1–2), MPC groove (1–4, 6, 8–9), electronics (1, 3, 6, 8–9), organ (2, 6, 8), bass keys (2, 5–6, 9), sampled keyboards (2, 4), bass guitar (4), harmonium (4), Telecaster (4, 6), crotales (4), tom–tom (4), samples (5, 9), harmonica (6), reversed strings (6), string samples (6), Mellotron (6–7, 9), sampled guitar (8)
- Tony Levin – bass (1, 3–8)
- David Rhodes – guitars (1–4, 7, 9), guitar (6, 8), electric guitar (5), backing vocals (2–3, 6, 8–9)
- Manu Katché – drums (1–3, 5–7)
- Dave Power – drums (1)
- Ged Lynch – percussion (1–9), drums (2, 6, 8)
- Dominque Mahut – percussion (1, 7)
- Richard Chappell – programming (1–2), percussion (1) treated loop (6), loop manipulation (7)
- Alex Swift – additional programming (1–3)
- The London Session Orchestra – strings (1, 9)
- Will Gregory – string arrangements (1, 9)
- Isobel Griffiths – string contractor (1, 9)
- Nick Ingman – orchestrations (1, 9)
- Tchad Blake – tape scratches (2), groove treatment effects (6)
- Adrian Chivers – backing vocals (2)
- Pete Davis – additional programming (2)
- Blind Boys of Alabama – additional vocals (3), backing vocals (8)
- Melanie Gabriel – backing vocals (3, 8)
- Peter Green – guitar (3)
- Daniel Lanois – guitar (3), percussion (3)
- David Sancious – Hammond organ (3)
- Richard Evans – recorder (4), acoustic guitar (5)
- Mitchell Froom – backwards piano (4)
- Steve Gadd – drums (4, 9), percussion (9)
- Dominic Greensmith – drums (4, 8)
- Chris Hughes – drum programming (4)
- Hossam Ramzy – tabla (4), percussion (7)
- Danny Thompson – double bass (4)
- Stephen Hague – percussion (5)
- Chuck Norman – Spectre programming (5), bridge strings (5)
- L. Shankar – improvised double violin (5)
- Will White – percussion (5)
- Tony Berg – backwards guitar (6)
- Sally Larkin – backing vocals (6)
- Christian Le Chevretel – trumpet (6)
- Black Dyke Band – brass (7)
- Bob Ezrin – co–brass arrangement (7)
- Ed Shearmur – co–brass arrangement (7)
- Assane Thiam – percussion (7)
- Jon Brion – mandolin (8), Chamberlin (8)
- Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan – vocals (9)
- Dhol Foundation – dhol drums (9)
Track listing:
1. "Darkness" 6:51
2. "Growing Up" 7:33
3. "Sky Blue" 6:37
4. "No Way Out" 7:53
5. "I Grieve" 7:25
6. "The Barry Williams Show" 7:16
7. "My Head Sounds Like That" 6:29
8. "More Than This" 6:02
9. "Signal to Noise" (featuring Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) 7:36
10. "The Drop" 2:59
Overall Thoughts:
After Us, Peter Gabriel took his time, waiting a decade before releasing his next studio album. During that decade, he worked on the soundtrack for OVO. Gabriel's album became more complex, the songs becoming longer and more styles and instruments becoming involved (there are 42 entries under performers- the standout are the The Blind Boys of Alabama, who join Gabriel on "Sky Blue" and "More Than This").
Up is a deep, dark album. The album starts off with "Darkness", is about overcoming fear, and alternates between inner thoughts of fears and hope. Death ("Growing Up", "No Way Out", "I Grieve") is a theme that dominate the record. His satiricial take on Trash TV in the song "Barry Williams Show" is not subtle but it is effective.
Up is a complicated album. Gabriel has so many musical ideas and pushes the boundaries of technology in his music. Something the music is so complex that it overwhelms the songs (which is what happened with Us). In Up, he is better able to juggle the ideas with the songs, making an exellent album.
Ranking of Peter Gabriel Albums (adding as more albums are reviewed):
- So
- Up
- Peter Gabriel (Melt)
- Us
- Security
- Peter Gabriel (Car)
- Peter Gabriel (Scratch)
Top 10 Peter Gabriel Songs (adding as more albums are reviewed):
- "In Your Eyes", So
- "Don't Give Up", So
- "Mercy Street", So
- "Red Rain", So
- "Solsbury Hill", Peter Gabriel (Car)
- "Darkness", Up
- "That Voice Again", So
- "Sky Blue", Up
- "Only Us", Us
- "Wallflower", Security
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