Peter Gabriel

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One of his two greatest albums

Review Score:

(10/10)
This album and the self-titled album with BIKO and I DON'T REMEMBER are monumental achievements, not only in the work of Peter Gabriel, but in populuar music in general.

The album contains his most memorable "hit" SHOCK THE MONKEY, and after all these years, it's still a great song: disturbing, funny and a blast to sing along with!

My personal favorite is the I HAVE THE TOUCH. Its narrator craves physical contact. "Any social occasion, it's 'hello, how do you do?' / All those introductions / I never miss my cue / So before a question / so before a doubt / my hand moves out and / I have the touch." The music is upbeat and bouncy, almost danceable at times. Yet the lyrics, as are typical of so many great Gabriel songs, reveal a slightly psychotic main character. Again, the song is disturbing, funny and a blast to sing with.

RHYTHM OF THE HEAT is a powerful song, conjuring images of burning hot deserts, mysterious rituals, dancing around a campfire ... It has a VERY slow build, the tension building to a breaking point. It's partially joyous, partially mysterious, partially disturbing. The finale is all drums and it really pulls you into the feverish, dream-state Gabriel has been singing about. And Gabriel's vocals have never been better.

All the the songs on the album are really great. THE FAMILY AND THE FISHING NET is a haunting, lyrically dense song. SAN JACINTO features an unforgettable lead character. And so forth.

I highly recommend this album for anyone willing to give a serious listen. It's not background music...it demands (and deserves) your undivided attention.

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