Peter Gabriel

So

The bomb!

Review Score:

(10/10)
This record carried me through my teenage years of frustration and isolation. Bare in mind I'm 19 so it's no distant memory. Anyway, I had been weaned on easy, lite music such as Air Supply, the Carpenters....stuff my parents listened to. This record was a shock that took me a while to get used to but once I did I was in for a real treat. I bought it for Big Time, that song in itself opened up my ears, and Sledgehammer, which I heard on a "classic hits" station (the song seemed out of its format too). I was disappointed at first when the tracks were "wierder" than those two but it didn't take long for me to appreciate the musicianship of Peter Gabriel

1> Red Rain- The perfect teenage agnst song "Red rain is falling down all over me" well boo-hoo have a bloody sook! The atmosphere really captures "rain" (I know coz I used to listen to it while trudging with my schoolbag in the rain) and where his voice sings "I am standing up at the water's edge in my dreams" Abstract and magic 5/5

2> Sledgehammer- Mad 80's pop tune. The bit where he goes falsetto "heeey, I wanna be...." shows he puts his all into it. The eccentric falsetto also reflects his eccentric personality- something I found reassuring being a bit of an outcast. 5/5

3> Don't Give Up- I remember now I had heard this song on my parents easy music station. I never really listened to the lyrics, which, although about unemployment; I made my own for any problem I had with relating to my classmates. 4/5

4> That Voice Again- Easily the most depressing song on the album, especially when he changes key "oooh, I'm listening to the conversation". I was way too self conscious in those days and my mates would tease me about my voice. Hence the lyrics of "judge and jury in my head" and "hear that voice again" where affirmations of my self doubt. Good moping material 5/5

5> In Your Eyes- "in your eyes the light, the heat. In your eyes I feel complete". Lyrics I couln't relate to. I still can't understand to this day why people talk of this being amongst Gabriel's Best from the album. I disagree- the weakest track for me 2.5/5

6> Mercy Street- Took time to get it but when I did I loved the tune, the lyrics about "the priest he can handle the shocks" which affirmed my Catholic faith. The atmosphere also provided mopability, my folks jokingly passed razor blades through the door of my bedroom as I had this blaring full throttle 4/5

7> Big Time- The best. The bass bit after big time as well as the wierd-soudning bit about "a snow-white pillow for my big fat head" was my idea of good pop. This was my favourite song for over a year. I would play it incessantly and "bop" along to it 5/5

8> We Do What We're Told- my protest about the conformity of my classmates. Great stuff 5/5

9> This is the picture- again the percussion and the wierd lyrics about falling snow (there's no snow in Victoria) takes me to a far-away world. Pure poetic fantasy 5/5

Music is art and art should do something to you. Stimulate ur mind with its beauty. That's what "So" does. Thankyou Peter Gabriel!

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