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Thread: Peter Gabriel's solo albums

  1. #1
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
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    Peter Gabriel's solo albums

    what does he have like 8 albums plus 2 soundtracks???
    I've been revisiting them recently and really like Melt the best of the first 3
    how do you rate them?
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

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    4
    2
    3
    1
    So
    Up
    New Blood
    Us
    Passion

    The first 3 are excellent. There really isn't a bad one here. Passion is an acquired taste but when the mood strikes, it too is very good. Birdy is an excellent instrumental soundtrack. Some of the tracks are reworkings of previous material. Plays Live I've played a zillion times probably more than the others except 4. Secret World took time to grow on me but that is expected because Us is not one of my favorites of his.
    Last edited by Tangram; 12-20-2013 at 09:08 PM.

  3. #3
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
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    by "4" do you mean Security?
    you didn't rank "Car" (his first)
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

  4. #4
    Member emperorken's Avatar
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    I really like the first album. I'm equally indifferent about the rest.

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    Member thedunno's Avatar
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    I’ll rate them
    -IV
    -III
    -So
    -Passion
    -Ovo
    -II
    -I
    -Up
    -Us
    -Long walk home
    -Birdy

    I like most of it, just a little indifferent about the last 3 on my list. I think Passion and Ovo are underrated gems.

  6. #6
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    I'd rank Car, Scratch, Melt , Security and So more or less equally (Gnosis 9 rating)....They've all got their share of excellernt tracks, and a buncjh of stuff I don't care for... Actually, I don't have ant albums of his anymore, though I had a few vinyls

    I'm less familiar with the rest of his career, but I have to revisit the generally under-rated US, because it's got one of my fave track Digging The Dirt on it.
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  7. #7
    The only album I think is a true Turkey in his catalogue is the 2nd album. There's at least something to like on all the others!

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    First two are patchy- first one startlingly overblown in places, the second is too stark- but they have stunning moments. The third one is a total masterpiece IMHO. The fourth one almost matches that...though I've always struggled with 'Family And The Fishing Net', is it just me?? 'Birdy' is an interesting mood album...but not played it for some time.

    'So' is another great one IMHO- I find 'Sledgehammer' very commercial and the production is 'of the time' but every other song on it could really have been on the previous ones IMHO. 'Passion' is beautiful.

    'Us' has a few songs I don't think are that great- 'Steam' and 'Kiss That Frog', which are see-through attempts to have another 'Sledgehammer'- but also a lot of really good songs. It's 'Up' that I struggle with most- too much plodding introspection and a real duffer in 'Barry Williams Show'. I do like 'Darkness', 'Signal To Noise' and 'Sky Blue' though.

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    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rufus View Post
    The only album I think is a true Turkey in his catalogue is the 2nd album. There's at least something to like on all the others!
    Exposure and White Shadow save that one from being abysmal IMO

    Car is way too overblown but perhaps a touch better than Scratch
    Both Car and Scratch have *way* too much annoying screaming vocal style for me

    Melt is indeed his first great album

    isn't OVO an album entirely with other vocalists?
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

  10. #10
    I am in the minority (at this forum) who thinks US is the best thing he's done. Funnily enough all the Danish musicians i know who also likes PG thinks as me. Maybe the US album just struck a particular nerve with us Danes?
    And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make.

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    Member thedunno's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER View Post
    isn't OVO an album entirely with other vocalists?
    Not really. Some instrumental peaces, some with other vocalists, some sung by himself.
    The albums gets mixed review, but I really like it.

  12. #12
    Member zravkapt's Avatar
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    III
    II
    I
    IV
    ...the rest.

    Really only like II and III; (IMO) the best songs from his other albums could fit on a 40-minute 'best of'.
    The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off

  13. #13
    I'm surprised more people do not vote 'I' as the best - for me, Moribund, Solsbury Hill, Down the Dolce Vita, Here Comes the Flood & Humdrum still stand out for me as exceptional tracks and easily his best work IMO.

  14. #14
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kim Olesen View Post
    I am in the minority (at this forum) who thinks US is the best thing he's done. Funnily enough all the Danish musicians i know who also likes PG thinks as me. Maybe the US album just struck a particular nerve with us Danes?
    I do have good memories of it (I was really enthusioastic about then), butI haven't revisited it in about two decades...

    Quote Originally Posted by MissMP3 View Post
    I'm surprised more people do not vote 'I' as the best - for me, Moribund, Solsbury Hill, Down the Dolce Vita, Here Comes the Flood & Humdrum still stand out for me as exceptional tracks and easily his best work IMO.
    I do like Moribund, but the other stuff (especially the overplayed Solsburry Hill) is over-rated, IMHO
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

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    Member since March 2004 mozo-pg's Avatar
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    III
    Up
    Passion
    I
    II
    So
    OVO
    Us
    Birdy
    What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)

  16. #16
    IV (this cemented my fanaticism with PG in the early eighties)
    III (this started my fanaticism with PG in the early eighties)
    I ("overblown' but has its moments)
    II (liked most these songs much better live...)
    So (this ended my fanaticism with PG in the mid-eighties) After the GROUNDBREAKING MUSICAL INNOVATIONS of IV & III this was a major letdown to me, and a blatant attempt at commercialism)
    (that's where i jump ship, though i do really like the song Digging In the Dirt from US)
    "Wouldn't it be odd, if there really was a God, and he looked down on Earth and saw what we've done to her?" -- Adrian Belew ('Men In Helicopters')

  17. #17
    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    "Us" was the 1st solo Gabriel album that I didn't like. I liked "Up," but I've only heard it once. My faves are "Car," "Security" and "So."

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    Quote Originally Posted by MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER View Post
    by "4" do you mean Security?
    you didn't rank "Car" (his first)
    Yes, my fav of his. I like Car but that is a little too all over the place for me. I know it's a minority vote but I play the second album much more than the first. 3 is a classic too. Maybe I'm getting old but I New Blood is not getting the recognition it deserves. Let me reword that, it's not getting the POSITIVE recognition it deserves

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    Quote Originally Posted by JJ88 View Post
    The fourth one almost matches that...though I've always struggled with 'Family And The Fishing Net', is it just me??
    No. This is the one track on 4 that I would not mind if it wasn't there. Not terrible, just not up to the standard with the rest of the album.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Tangram View Post
    No. This is the one track on 4 that I would not mind if it wasn't there. Not terrible, just not up to the standard with the rest of the album.
    Interesting that you two don't like that song. It is a very 'heavy' *ritualistic* track musically/lyrically; i always regarded it as a companion piece to Lay Your Hands On Me on Security: both slow, heavy dramatic pieces until the climax. But Peter must REALLY like it: of the two songs from IV that he did on the recent 'Back To Front' So reunion tour, one was Shock The Monkey (obviously had to include that one), and the other was Family And The Fishing Net. (He had to challenge all those nostalgic "yuppie" So fans with something difficult/hard to ponder!)
    "Wouldn't it be odd, if there really was a God, and he looked down on Earth and saw what we've done to her?" -- Adrian Belew ('Men In Helicopters')

  21. #21
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    I rate them thusly:

    Up
    IV (Security)
    Ovo
    Us
    III (Melt)
    I (Car)
    So
    II

    Those are the ones I know well enough to rank. Up is a pretty clear favorite for me, stepping into what my ears perceive as 'deeper territory'.

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by MissMP3 View Post
    I'm surprised more people do not vote 'I' as the best - for me, Moribund, Solsbury Hill, Down the Dolce Vita, Here Comes the Flood & Humdrum still stand out for me as exceptional tracks and easily his best work IMO.
    I have no argument with this. It's a great album. PG I, III, IV (and Red Rain) are the only essentials in my PG listening world.

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by philsunset View Post
    I have no argument with this. It's a great album. PG I, III, IV (and Red Rain) are the only essentials in my PG listening world.
    My choice reflects yours tho i would replace Red Rain (never liked that song) with In Your Eyes!

  24. #24
    I was a huge Gabriel fan back in the 80s, and I'm disappointed with what's he's been putting out lately. For me it's:
    4
    3
    2
    So
    Birdy
    Passion
    the rest

    the only complete album I listen to anymore is 4, though I definitely have a bunch of favorites on the others.
    I did like the track on "Wall-E" though, go figure.

  25. #25
    I used to be a big fan of PGs solo output in the 80s. I dare say they did not age well. I think his Genesis work aged better.

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