Peter Gabriel Retrospective: Album 07- Up

 

The seventh solo album by Peter Gabriel.

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):

1. So
2. Up
3. Peter Gabriel (Melt)
4. Us
5. Security
6. Peter Gabriel (Car)
7. 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

Peter Gabriel Retrospective: Album 06- Us

 

The sixth solo album by Peter Gabriel- more personal than his previous albums.

Album:  Us

Year Released:    1992

Lineup (numbers are the tracks in order):  

• Peter Gabriel – vocals (all tracks), keyboards (all tracks), triangle (track 1), programming (tracks 1, 2, 7–10), synth bass (tracks 1, 3, 7, 9, 10), percussion (tracks 2, 4, 9), valiha (track 2), horn arrangement (track 4), harmonica (track 9), Mexican flute (track 10)
• Tony Levin – bass guitar (tracks 1–7 and 10)
• David Rhodes – guitar (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7–10), twelve-string guitar (track 3), solo guitar (track 4)
• Manu Katché – drums (tracks 1, 6, 7), electric drums (tracks 2, 4, 5, 10), percussion (track 10)
• The Babacar Faye Drummers – sabar drums (tracks 1 and 4)
• Doudou N'Diaye Rose – programming (tracks 1 and 10)
• David Bottrill – programming (tracks 1–4, 7, 10), additional programming (tracks 5 and 9), studio engineer
• Chris Ormston – bagpipes (track 1)
• Daniel Lanois – shaker (track 1), guitar (tracks 1, 10), additional vocals (track 1), hi-hat (track 3), vocals (track 3), horn arrangements (track 4), Dobro (tracks 8, 10)
• Richard Blair – additional verse keyboards (track 1), programming (tracks 4, 5, 7, 9), additional programming (tracks 2, 3)
• Levon Minassian – duduk (tracks 1, 3, 8)
• Sinéad O'Connor – vocals (tracks 1, 3)
• Dmitri Pokrovsky Ensemble – vocals (track 1)
• Hossam Ramzy – tabla (track 2), surdo (track 7)
• Daryl Johnson – drums (track 2)
• William Orbit – programming (track 2), additional programming (track 5)
• Bill Dillon – guitar (tracks 2, 5)
• Mark Rivera – alto saxophone (tracks 4, 6)
• Brian Eno – additional keyboards (track 2)
• L. Shankar – violin (tracks 2, 3, 5, 8)
• Caroline Lavelle – cello (tracks 2, 6, 10), string arrangement (track 2)
• Wil Malone – string arrangement (track 2, 6)
• Jonny Dollar – string arrangement (track 2, 6)
• Richard Evans – additional engineering (track 2), mix engineer (track 8), mandolin (track 8)
• Gus Isidore – bridge guitar (track 3)
• Richard Chappell – bridge section mix (track 3)
• Leo Nocentelli – guitar (tracks 4, 7)
• Tim Green – tenor saxophone (tracks 4, 6)
• Reggie Houston – baritone saxophone (tracks 4, 6)
• Renard Poché – trombone (tracks 4, 6)
• Wayne Jackson – trumpet (track 4), cornet (track 6)
• Kudsi Erguner – ney flute (track 5), shaker (track 4)
• Ayub Ogada – vocals (track 5, 7)
• Malcolm Burn – horn arrangement (track 6), additional synth cello (track 10), additional production ideas (track 10)
• Mark Howard – horns recording (track 6)
• Babacar Faye – djembe (tracks 7, 8)
• Assane Thiam – tama (track 7), talking drum (track 8)
• Peter Hammill – vocals (track 7)
• Richard Macphail – vocals (track 7)
• John Paul Jones – surdo (track 8), bass (track 8), keyboards (track 8)
• Adzido Pan African Dance Ensemble – additional percussion loop (track 9)
• Manny Elias – Senegalese shakers (track 9)
• Marilyn McFarlane – vocals (track 9)

Track listing:

1. "Come Talk to Me" (with Sinéad O'Connor) 7:06

2. "Love to Be Loved" 5:18

3. "Blood of Eden" (with Sinéad O'Connor) 6:38

4. "Steam" 6:03

5. "Only Us" 6:30

6. "Washing of the Water" 3:52

7. "Digging in the Dirt" 5:18

8. "Fourteen Black Paintings" 4:38

9. "Kiss That Frog" 5:20

10. "Secret World" 7:03

Overall Thoughts:

Following the success of So, Peter Gabriel took some time (6 years) before releasing his next studio album.  During that time, he created one movie soundtrack (Passion, the soundtrack to The Last Temptation of Christ), started a recording studio (Real World Studios), and was divorced.   

Us (Gabriel continued his trend of using very short names for album titles) is a more personal, introspective album.  The first song ("Come Talk to Me") is about the growing distance between himself and his teenage daughter.  That song, along with "Blood of Eden", featured singing by Sinead O'Connor

Gabriel used technology to push the boundaries of his albums.  By 1992, CDs had replaced albums- and Gabriel took advantage, increasing the total time on the album from 46 minutes to 58 minutes.  At times, it's to his disadvantage (For "Steam", the video overshadows the song).  For a personal, introspective album, it's disjarring- there's a lot of 'bells and whistles' on the album.  I'd be curious to hear a stripped down acoustic version of these songs.

Us has good songs and is a deep album.  It doesn't reach the heights of So, and there are times that the songs are too busy, but it's an excellent followup.

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

1. So
2. Peter Gabriel (Melt)
3. Us
4. Security
5. Peter Gabriel (Car)
6. 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. "That Voice Again", So
7. "Only Us", Us
8. "Wallflower", Security
9. "Games Without Frontiers", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
10. "I Don't Remember", Peter Gabriel (Melt)

Peter Gabriel Retrospective: Album 05- So

 

The fifth solo album by Peter Gabriel- and my favorite studio album from any artist.  

Album:  So

Year Released:    1986

Lineup (numbers are the tracks in order):  

• Peter Gabriel – lead and backing vocals, CMI (all tracks), Prophet synthesizer (all except tracks 5 & 9), piano (all except tracks 7 & 9), Linn 9000 (tracks 3 & 7), synthesizer (tracks 5 & 7), percussion (track 4), Yamaha CS-80 (track 6), LinnDrum (track 9), Synclavier (track 9)
• Tony Levin – bass guitar (tracks 1–5), drumstick bass (fretting only) (track 7)
• David Rhodes – guitar (all except tracks 6 & 9), backing vocals (tracks 1 & 5)
• Jerry Marotta – drums (tracks 1 & 8), additional drums (track 5), bass guitar (drumming only) (track 7)
• Manu Katché – drums (tracks 2–5), percussion (tracks 3–5), talking drum (tracks 5 & 9)
• Chris Hughes – electronic drums, programming (track 1)
• Stewart Copeland – hi-hat (track 1), drums (track 7)
• Daniel Lanois – guitar (tracks 1, 2 & 4), tambourine (track 2), surf guitar (track 7), twelve-string guitar (track 9)
• Wayne Jackson – trumpet (tracks 2 & 7), cornet (track 7)
• Mark Rivera – tenor saxophone (tracks 2 & 7), processed saxophone (track 6), alto saxophone, baritone saxophone (track 7)
• Don Mikkelsen – trombone (tracks 2 & 7)
• P. P. Arnold – backing vocals (tracks 2 & 7)
• Coral Gordon – backing vocals (tracks 2 & 7)
• Dee Lewis – backing vocals (tracks 2 & 7)
• Richard Tee – piano (tracks 3, 5 & 6)
• Simon Clark – keyboards, backing vocals (track 3), Hammond organ, programming, bass guitar (track 7)
• Kate Bush – vocals (track 3)
• L. Shankar – violin (tracks 4 & 8)
• Larry Klein – bass guitar (tracks 5 & 6)
• Youssou N'Dour – backing vocals (track 5)
• Michael Been – backing vocals (track 5)
• Jim Kerr – backing vocals (track 5)
• Ronnie Bright – bass vocals (track 5)
• Djalma Correa – surdo, congas, triangle (track 6)
• Jimmy Bralower – programming kick (track 7)
• Bill Laswell – bass guitar (track 9)
• Nile Rodgers – guitar (track 9)
• Laurie Anderson – synthesizer and vocals (track 9)
• Greg Fulginiti – mastering

Track listing:

1. "Red Rain" 5:39

2. "Sledgehammer" 5:12

3. "Don't Give Up" 6:33

4. "That Voice Again" 4:53

5. "In Your Eyes" 5:27

6. "Mercy Street" 6:22

7. "Big Time" 4:28

8. "We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)" 3:22

9. "This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)" 4:25

Overall Thoughts:

After Security, Peter Gabriel took some time and released the soundtrack for Birdy before starting his fifth studio album.  With the record companies refusing to allow any more self-titled albums, Gabriel went with a short title "So".  He was also less experimental with this album, though he kept the world music influences from his previous albums.

The album is a mixture of political songs ("Don't Give Up") and personal love songs ("In Your Eyes").  Songs that are satire ("Big Time"), songs about the judgemental self-doubt in your mind ("That Voice Again"), and songs about hitting on someone ("Sledgehammer").  The themes of the songs are all over the place, the styles of the songs are all over the place- African music at the end of "In Your Eyes", Funk for "Big Time", Soul for "Sledgehammer", gospel for "Don't Give Up"...

And the album does not miss.  

The first seven tracks are a collection of great songs, without any missteps.  

This album is the 1927 Yankees of studio albums- just a Murderer's Row of fantastic songs.  Six of their songs crack my current top 10- and the top 4 spots.

Gabriel hit the sweet spot- original without being so eccentric that the songs are harmed; incoporating a wide variety of styles, but still sounding seamless.  

I cannot recommend this album highly enough.

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

1. So
2. Peter Gabriel (Melt)
3. Security
4. Peter Gabriel (Car)
5. 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. "That Voice Again", So
7. "Wallflower", Security
8. "Games Without Frontiers", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
9. "I Don't Remember", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
10. "Big Time", So

NFL Predictions 2024-2025

As always, remember that I am a casual fan who really doesn't know what he's talking about.  

Rather that be a fan of one team, I pick a different NFL team to root for every year.  This year, I am supporting the Detroit Lions.   Given that my track record with supporting sports teams is atrocius, I apologize to the Lions and their fans in advance and hope that my sports curse aura does not affect them.

Overall- I don't think there are that many great teams this year, nor do I think there are many absolutely awful teams (well, Carolina, but they play in the worst division in the NFL).  Kansas City is the most talented team on paper, but winning three Super Bowls has never been done; there's too many pitfalls.  I think this season will be a long slog.

NFC

East:

Dallas   10-7

Philadelphia   10-7 (Wild Card)

Washington   8-9

NY Giants   5-12

North:

Detroit   12-5

Green Bay   11-6 (Wild Card)

Chicago   8-9

Minnesota   6-11

South:

Atlanta   10-7

Tampa Bay   7-10

New Orleans   7-10

Carolina   4-13

West:

San Francisco   11-6

Seattle   11-6  (Wild Card)

Los Angeles Rams   9-8

Arizona   4-13

Playoffs:

San Francisco over Philadelphia

Green Bay over Atlanta

Seattle over Dallas

Green Bay over San Francisco

Detroit over Seattle

Detroit over Green Bay



AFC

East:

Buffalo   11-6

NY Jets   10-7 (Wild Card)

Miami   7-10

New England   4-13

North:

Baltimore   12-5

Pittsburgh   9-8

Cleveland   8-9

Cincinnati   5-12

South:

Indianapolis   10-7

Houston   10-7 (Wild Card)

Jacksonville   9-8

Tennessee   6-11

West:

Kansas City   12-5

Los Angeles Chargers   12-5 (Wild Card)

Las Vegas   7-10

Denver   7-10

Playoffs:
Indianapolis over NY Jets

Buffalo over Los Angeles Chargers

Kansas City over Houston

Baltimore over Indianapolis

Buffalo over Kansas City

Baltimore over Buffalo (and this pains me to make this call...)



Super Bowl: Detroit 23, Baltimore 17

Peter Gabriel Retropesctive: Album 04- Security

 

The fourth solo album by Peter Gabriel.  After three self-titled albums, the record executives named this album 'Security' to differentiate it from the other three albums.

Album:  Security

Year Released:    1982

Lineup (numbers are the tracks in order):  

• Peter Gabriel – vocals (all tracks), Fairlight CMI (all tracks), Prophet-5 (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7), Linn LM-1 programming (tracks 1–6), piano (track 7), surdo (tracks 1, 8), additional drums on track 2
• Tony Levin – bass guitar (tracks 1, 7, 8), Chapman stick (tracks 2–5), fretless bass guitar (track 6)
• David Rhodes – guitar (tracks 2–8), backing vocals (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 8),
• John Ellis – guitar on tracks (2, 4), backing vocals (tracks 1, 3, 8)
• Jerry Marotta – drum kit (all tracks), surdo (track 1), percussion (track 6)
• Larry Fast – Moog synthesizer (tracks 1–4, 8), Prophet-5 (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7), [[electronic percussion (track 8)
• Stephen Paine – Fairlight CMI (track 4)
• David Lord – Polymoog and Prophet synthesizers (track 6), Fairlight CMI (tracks 6, 7), piano (tracks 7, 8)
• Roberto Laneri – treated saxophone (track 4)
• Morris Pert – traditional Ethiopian pipes (track 4), timbales (track 6), percussion (track 8)
• Jill Gabriel – backing vocals on track 2
• Peter Hammill – backing vocals on tracks 4, 5, 6
• Ekome Dance Company – Ghanaian drums on track 1

Track listing:

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" 7:08

5. "Shock the Monkey" 5:28

6. "Lay Your Hands on Me" 6:03

7. "Wallflower" 6:30

8. "Kiss of Life" 4:17

Overall Thoughts:

With his fourth album, Peter Gabriel expanded his music repetoire, adding world music from Africa and South America.  Gabriel continued putting political messages in his songs, including talking about human rights violations ("Wallflower") and the loss of Native America Communities ("San Jacinto").  But other songs are much more personal- about Jealousy ("Shock the Monkey") or healing through trust ("Lay Your Hands On Me").  Of the songs, "Wallflower" is the most potent in terms of imagery.

It's a good mix of songs- not as many great songs as Melt, but an impressive album. Gabriel's earlier solo albums were all over the place, in terms of both music and themes.  But with each album, he manages to put the tools together and in more focussed manner.

And on his next album, it all comes together.

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

1. Peter Gabriel (Melt)
2. Security
3. Peter Gabriel (Car)
4. Peter Gabriel (Scratch)

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

1. "Solsbury Hill", Peter Gabriel (Car)
2. "Wallflower", Security
3. "Games Without Frontiers", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
4. "I Don't Remember", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
5. "Here Comes the Flood", Peter Gabriel (Car)
6. "Family Snapshot", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
7. "Biko", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
8. "San Jacinto", Security
9. "Waiting for the Big One", Peter Gabriel (Car)
10. "The Rhythm of the Heat", Security

Peter Gabriel Retropesctive: Album 03- Peter Gabriel (Melt)

 

Next up is the third solo album by Peter Gabriel...

Album:  Peter Gabriel (Melt)

Year Released:    1980

Lineup:  

• Peter Gabriel – vocals, piano; synthesizer on "Start", "I Don't Remember", "Games Without Frontiers" and "Not One of Us"; drum pattern on "Biko"; backing vocals on "Intruder", "Family Snapshot" and "Not One of Us"; whistle on "Games Without Frontiers"
• Larry Fast – synthesizer on "Intruder", "No Self Control", "Start", "Games Without Frontiers" and "Biko"; processing on "No Self Control", "I Don't Remember" and "Not One of Us"; bagpipes on "Biko"
• David Rhodes – guitar on all tracks except "Start"; backing vocals on "Intruder", "I Don't Remember" and "Not One of Us"
• Robert Fripp – electric guitar on "No Self Control", "I Don't Remember" and "Not One of Us"
• Dave Gregory – electric guitar on "I Don't Remember" and "Family Snapshot"
• Paul Weller – electric guitar on "And Through the Wire"
• John Giblin – bass guitar on "No Self Control", "Family Snapshot", "And Through the Wire", "Games Without Frontiers" and "Not One of Us"
• Tony Levin – Chapman Stick on "I Don't Remember"
• Jerry Marotta – drums on "I Don't Remember", "Family Snapshot", "And Through the Wire", "Games Without Frontiers", "Not One of Us", "Lead a Normal Life" and "Biko"; percussion on "Games Without Frontiers" and "Not One of Us"
• Phil Collins – drums on "Intruder" and "No Self Control"; drum pattern on "Intruder"; snare on "Family Snapshot"; surdo on "Biko"
• Morris Pert – percussion on "Intruder", "No Self Control" and "Lead a Normal Life"
• Dick Morrissey – saxophone on "Start", "Family Snapshot", "No Self Control" and "Lead a Normal Life"
• Kate Bush – backing vocals on "No Self Control" and "Games Without Frontiers"
• Steve Lillywhite, Hugh Padgham – whistles on "Games Without Frontiers"
• Dave Ferguson – screeches on "Biko"

Overall Thoughts:

On his second album, Peter Gabriel continued his trend of musical experimentation.  On his third self-titled album (referred to as the 'Melt' album, based on the cover picture), Gabriel wrote some brilliant songs to go with his music.

Gabriel's music often is a mix of beautiful sounds combined with dark themes.  This album starts off with 'Intruder', a menacing song that reunited Gabriel with his fellow Genesis singer Phil Collins.  With songs called "Not One of Us' and 'Lead a Normal Life', this is not a cheery album

Gabriel also wrote several political songs on this album.  'Games Without Frontiers' is about the cost of war;  The cheery, child-like music works as a great contrast to the theme.  'Biko' is about the murder of an anti-apartheid activist- because it is so specific, it's also much more powerful.  And 'Family Snapshot', which is a song from the point of view of a person about to become a political assassian.

This is a great album.

  

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

1. Peter Gabriel (Melt)
2. Peter Gabriel (Car)
3. Peter Gabriel (Scratch)

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

1. "Solsbury Hill", Peter Gabriel (Car)
2. "Games Without Frontiers", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
3. "I Don't Remember", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
4. "Here Comes the Flood", Peter Gabriel (Car)
5. "Family Snapshot", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
6. "Biko", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
7. "Waiting for the Big One", Peter Gabriel (Car)
8. "Moribund the Burgermeister", Peter Gabriel (Car)
9. "Intruder", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
10. "Humdrum", Peter Gabriel (Car)